US3415295A

US3415295A - Bottle filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3415295A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wolf Hermann
Original assignee: Holstein und Kappert Maschinenfabrik Phonix GmbH
Current assignee: Holstein und Kappert Maschinenfabrik Phonix GmbH
Priority date: 1965-12-29
Filing date: 1966-12-27
Publication date: 1968-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-10
Also published as: BE687025A; SE329557B; DE1482630A1; GB1144820A; DK139224C; DK139224B

Description

Dec. 10, 1968 L 3,415,295

BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1966 JN VE N TOR HERMANN WULF mid A fin hi6 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,415,295 BOTTLE FILLING APPARATUS Hermann Wolf, Schriesheim, Germany, assignor to Holstein & Kappert, Maschinenfabrik Phonix GmbH, Dortmund, Germany Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,971 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 29, 1965, H 58,097 17 Claims. (Cl. 141-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for filling bottles with liquids, particularly with beer or other carbonated beverages, wherein each filling cycle includes a counter-pressure stage. A system of valves for each filling head and actuating means including a float connected with each valve which regulates the outflow of liquid from a filling head.

Automatic sealing of gas-conveying conduits in response to separation of filled containers from filling heads.

Cross-references to related applications A similar structure is disclosed in the copending application Ser. No. 604,752 filed by me on Dec. 27, 1966, for Apparatus for Filling Bottle or the Like.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for filling bottles or other types of open-ended containers with liquids, particularly with beer or other carbonated beverages. More particularly, the invention relates to bottle filling apparatus wherein the duration of a filling cycle may be selected at the will of the operating personnel.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide novel and improved actuating means for effecting opening and closing of valves which control the flow of liquid from the filling heads of a bottle filling apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide the filling apparatus with novel and improved filling heads which can be installed or removed independently of each other and are provided with means for insuring that each of a series of containers is filled with liquid to the same level to avoid short fills or overfilling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filling apparatus wherein the containers are filled without any waste in liquid or compressed gas.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a filling apparatus which can operate properly without necessitating the provision of an annular liquid-containing tank which is required in many presently known bottle filling apparatus.

Summary of the invention The invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for filling bottles or like open-ended containers with liquids, particularly for filling bottles with beer or other carbonated beverages. The apparatus comprises a tank whose lower portion is filled with liquid and whose upper portion contains a supply of compressed gas, preferably carbon dioxide or another inert gas, a plurality of preferably annularly arranged and preferably self-supporting discrete filling heads mounted on a support and each having an enclosed chamber provided with an inlet in communication with the tank through the intermediary of a siphon and an outlet located at a level above the inlet and connectable With the open ends of successive containers, a valve provided in each chamber to regulate the flow of liquid through the respective outlet, and actuating 3,415,295 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 means for effecting opening and closing of such valves in the course of a filling cycle so that each valve is caused to open and close during predetermined stages of the filling cycle. Each actuating means comprises a float mounted in the respective chamber and connected with the corresponding valve.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved bottle filling apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Short description of the drawing The single figure of the drawing illustrates a portion of a bottle filling apparatus with one of its filling heads shown in central vertical section.

Description of the preferred embodiments The drawing illustrates an apparatus which can be used for filling of bottles 21 or like open-ended containers with beer or other carbonated beverages. It comprises a support 53 for a series of independently attachable or detachable filling heads each having an enclosed chamber 2 shown as being filled with liquid to the level A. The drawing illustrates in full section a first filling head 1 and indicates by broken lines the position of a second filling head 1 located behind the filling head 1. The support 53 carries a complete annulus of such filling heads which are located at a level above the path of travel of containers 21 advanced stepwise by a suitable conveyor of known design having means for lifting empty containers into liquid-receiving positions and for lowering the containers upon completion of a filling cycle.

The filling head 1 has a vertical nozzle 3 installed in its bottom wall :and connectable with the open upper end of an empty container 21. More particularly, the nozzle 3 is connectable with the gasket 56 of a bell-shaped centering member 23 forming part of the filling head 1 and movable up and down. When moved upwardly toward the outlet 5 to assume the position which is shown in the drawing, the gasket 56 of the centering member 23 prevents uncontrolled escape of fluids from the interior of the container 21.

The chamber 2 has an outlet 5 which is constituted by the upper end of the axial bore of the nozzle 3. This outlet is scalable by the first valve 4 which is biased downwardly and into sealing engagement with the nozzle 3 by a helical spring 8 forming part of a composite valve actuating unit. The actuating unit further comprises a horizontal shaft 9 which is rotatable in the filling head 1 and has an eccentric portion 10 engaging with the tip at the upper end of a stem 4a forming part of the valve 4. The stem 4a comprises two telescoptically connected and relatively slidable portions and the spring 8 can move the upper portion of the stern upwardly when the eccentric portion 10 is caused to leave the lower end position shown in the drawing.

The inlet 7 of the chamber 2 is located at a level below the outlet 5 and is connected with one end of a siphon 6. The other end of the siphon is connected with a tank 50 containing in its lower portion a substantial supply of liquid. The upper portion of the. tank 50 is filled with a compressed gas. The outlet 5 of the chamber 2 is preferably located at a level above the liquid level in the tank 50.

When the valve 4 is in fully closed position, it is held by the eccentric portion 10, by its own weight, by the bias of the spring 8, and by the weight of a float 11 in the chamber 2. The float 11 forms part of the aforementioned actuating unit and is biased downwardly by the spring 8 to bear against a shoulder of the valve 4. If the shaft 9 is rotated through 90 degrees, the pressure of the eccentric portion 10 upon the stern 4a decreases. Such pressure will decrease still further of the shaft 9 is rotated through another 90 degrees. The spring 8 is then fully expanded so that its bias approximates zero. The remaining forces acting upon the valve 4 in a sense to maintain it in closed position remain unchanged.

The forces which tend to maintain the valve 4 in closed position are opposed by the bias of a helical expansion spring 26 and by the buoyancy of the float 11. Such buoyancy will be felt only if the chamber 2 contains a sufficient supply of liquid. The spring 26 forms part of the valve actuating unit.

The relationship between the forces which tend to open and close the valve 4 is as follows:

When the eccentric portion 10 of the shaft 9 is caused to make a quarter turn with respect to the position shown in the drawing, the closing forces are weaker than the bias of the spring 26 plus the buoyancy of the float 11. The bias of the spring 26 is stronger than the combined weight of the valve 4 and float 11.

The apparatus also comprises a first conduit 12 which extends in part through the support 53 and then into the filling head 1. This conduit can connect the upper portion of the tank 50 with the interior of the container 21. A second conduit 13 can connect the container 21 with a reservoir 51 which is filled with a compressed gas, preferably the same inert gas which fills the upper portion of the tank 50. However, the gas pressure in the reservoir 51 is less than that in the tank 50, and the differential between such pressures will be selected by operating personnel to determine the length of the filling cycle. A valve 60 in the conduit 13 can be manipulated to regulate the pressure of gas in the reservoir 51. The

conduits

12, 13 are respectively provided with valves 14, 15 which can be actuated by eccentric portions 16, 17 of the shaft 9. A bore 18 which constitutes a common portion of the

conduits

12 and 13 contains a normally closed shutofl. valve 19 which is moved to the open position (shown in the drawings) in automatic response to movement of the centering member 23 into sealing engagement with the nozzle 3. The operating means for the shutoff valve 19 further comprises a lever 22 which is pivoted to the support 53 and is rockable by the centering member 23 in a sense to open the shutoff valve. A one-way valve 20, constituted by a float, is installed in an enlarged section of the bore 18 and can be moved upwardly into sealing engagement with an annular seat 200 of the filling head 1 to prevent penetration of liquid toward the shutoff valve 19.

The filling head 1 further comprises an elongated filling tube 24 installed in the nozzle 3 and extending well into the interior of a container 21 which is in sealing engagement with the gasket 56. The tube 24 has one or more radial openings 25 which will determine the upper level of liquid in a filled container 21. The lower end portion of the filling tube 24 has an inclined end face 24a so that it cannot be sealed by the bottom wall of the container 21. The inclined end face 24a also insures that the lower end portion of the filling tube 24 finds its way into a container if it happens to strike against the surface at the top of the neck. Furthermore, such inclined surface 24a insures that the liquid accumulating in the container 21 is subjected to a minimum of agitation. The upper end of the tube 24 is biased downwardly by a prestressed helical spring 58. The spring 58 yields if the lower end portion of the filling tube 24 reaches the bottom wall of a container.

The operation is as follows:

Prior to starting a filling cycle, an empty container 21 is moved into registry with the centering member 23 and is lifted to move the gasket 56 into sealing engagement with the lower end of the nozzle 3. The filling tube 24 extends into the lowermost part of the thus lifted empty container 21 and the centering member 23 causes the lever 22 to open the shutoff valve 19. The valve 14 is open and the valve 15 is closed. Thus, the conduit 12 and bore 18 admit highly compressed gas from the upper portion of the tank 56 whereby such gas flows past the float 20 and enters the interior of the container 21. The liquid level A in the chamber 2 of the filling head 1 is assumed to be flush with the outlet 5 at the upper end of the nozzle 3 and the eccentric portion 10 of the shaft 9 maintains the valve 4 in closed position. The pressure of gas which is entrapped in the upper portion of the chamber 2 is somewhat less than the pressure of gas in the upper portion of the tank 50. The difference between such pressures is determined by the height of the liquid column between the level A and the liquid level in the tank 50.

When the gas pressure in the container 21 equals the gas pressure in the upper portion of the tank 50 (or at the time when the valve 14 is caused to open), the shaft 9 is turned through the intermediary of its outwardly extending portion 52, which can be constituted by an indexing wheel, to such an extent that its eccentric portion 10 permits the upper portion of the valve stem 4a to perform substantially one-half of its maximum upward stroke. The valve 14 remains open and the valve 15 remains closed. The bias of the spring 8 is reduced to such an extent that the bias of the spring 26 and the buoyancy of the float 11 overcome the remaining closing forces. The valve 4 opens but only for a short interval of time because such opening results in immediate equalization of pressures in chamber 2 and container 21. This is tantamount to an equalization of pressures between the chamber 2 and tank 50 because the container 21 is connected with the tank via conduit 12. Such equalization of pressures would cause return flow of liquid from the chamber 2 and through the siphon 6 back into the tank 50; however, the float 11 descends immediately and returns the valve 4 to closed position.

The shaft 9 is then rotated again to close the valve 14 and to open the valve 15 simultaneously with further lifting of the eccentric portion 10 so that the bias of the spring 8 is reduced to a minimum. The spring 26 opens the valve 4 and the conduit 13 connects the container 21 with the reservoir 51. This results in a reduction of gas pressure in the upper portion of the chamber 2 so that the liquid penetrates through the bore of the nozzle 3 and is accelerated in response to increasing difference in pressures between the tank 50 and container 21. The rate of liquid inflow into the container exceeds the rate of flow by gravity feed. The liquid cannot flow back into the siphon 6 because the gas pressure in tank 50 exceeds the pressure in the upper portion of the chamber 2. The arrangement is preferably such that closing of the valve 14 occurs simultaneously with opening of the valve 15 so that the drop in gas pressure in the container 21 is gradual to prevent splashing of inflowing liquid. The filling stage is completed when the liquid fills the container 21 to the top face of its open end and penetrates into the bore 18 to lift the float 20 into sealing engagement with the seat 20a.

The shaft 9 is thereupon rotated again to close the valve 15 and to open the valve 14. At the same time, the eccentric portion 10 moves downwardly and displaces the upper portion of the stern 4a by half the length of its maximum stroke to effect partial compression of the spring 8. Since the pressure at both sides of the float 20 equals the pressure in the tank 50, the float 11 descends and the gas entering via conduit 12 expels the liquid from the bore 18 and from the upper portion of the container 21 down to the level of openings 25 in the filling tube 24. Such liquid flows through the nozzle 3, chamber 2, siphon 6 and back into the tank 50. The siphoning action is terminated when the container 21 is filled to the level of openings 25, i.e., when the gas flowing from the conduit 12 can enter such openings and penetrates into the chamber 2. The float 11 closes the valve 4 when the liquid level in the chamber 2 drops to A,

Further rotation of the shaft 9 will cause the eccentric portion 10 to return to its lowermost position and to effect full compression of the spring 8. The eccentric portion 16 closes the valve 14 and the eccentric portion 17 opens the valve 15. This results in partial reduction of pressure in the container 21. The latter is then moved downwardly whereby the centering member 23 follows such movement and the lever 22 permits the shutoff valve 19 to close. The valve is then closed in response to further rotation of the shaft 9. Such closing of the valve 15 can take place simultaneously with or shortly before or after closing of the shutoff valve 19. The filling cycle is completed.

If the chamber 2 is free of liquid when a filling cycle begins, for example, when the filling apparatus is started, the valve 4 remains closed after the pressure in an empty container rises to equal the pressure in the tank 50 and after the eccentric portion 10 is moved halfway toward its uppermost position to effect partial reduction in the bias of the spring 8. The closing forces then exceed the opening forces which act upon the valve 4 because the float 11 lack buoyancy. The filling stage begins only when the eccentric portion 10 moves to its uppermost position so that the bias of the spring 8 is reduced to a minimum. This occurs simultaneously with opening of the valve 15 whereupon the filling cycle proceeds in a manner as described above.

If the filling apparatus is brought to a standstill at the time when the valve 4 is open and the interior of a container 21 is under the same pressure which prevails in the tank 50 (e.g., due to an unforeseen defect in operation), the float 11 prevents evacuation of liquid from the chamher 2 because it closes the valve 4 as soon as the liquid level reaches the outlet 5 at the upper end of the nozzle 3.

An important advantage of the float 11 is that it enables the siphon 6 to return into the tank 50 such surplus of liquid which fills a container 21 beyond the openings 25 in the filling tube 24 when the filling stage of the filling stage of the filling cycle is completed. This renders it possible to operate without a further reservoir which is necessary in presently known bottle filling apparatus and wherein the gas pressure must exceed the pressure which prevails in the upper portion of the tank 50.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for filling bottles or like open-ended containers with liquids, a tank having a liquid-containing lower portion and an upper portion containing a supply of compressed gas; a filling head having an enclosed chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being located at a level above said inlet and said inlet being in communication with said tank, a valve provided in said chamber to regulate the flow of liquid through said outlet; and actuating means for effecting opening and closing of said valve in the course of a filling cycle, said actuating means comprising a fioat connected to said .valve.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a gas-filled reservoir wherein the gas pressure is less than in the upper portion of said tank, first and second conduit means respectively connecting said upper portion and said reservoir with the open end of a container which receives liquid from said outlet in the course of a filling cycle, and second and third valves respectively provided in said first and second conduits to regulate the flow of gas therethrough, said actuating means further comprising means for effecting opening and closing of said second and third valves in a predetermined sequence in the course of a filling cycle.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said conduits have a common portion which communicates with the open end of a container in the course of a filling cycle, and further comprising a normally closed shutoff valve provided in said common portion and operating means for opening said shutoff valve in response to placing of a container into liquid-receiving position with reference to said outlet.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said operating means comprises a centering member for the open ends of containers, said centering member being movable toward and away from said outlet and said operating means further comprising motion transmitting means for opening said shutoff valve in response to movement of said centering member toward said outlet.

5. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said filling head comprises an elongated filling tube communicating with said outlet and arranged to extend into the interior of a container which is placed into liquid-receiving position with reference to said outlet, said filling tube having at least one radial opening at the desired liquid level in a filled container.

6. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said filling tube has a lower end portion provided with an end face inclined in such a way that said lower end portion cannot be sealed by the bottom wall of a container which receives liquid from said outlet.

7. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said filling tube is reciprocable in said filling head and further comprising resilient means for biasing said filling tube downwardly.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuating means further comprises first resilient means for biasing said valve to open position and second resilient means for biasing said valve to closed position.

9. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said filling head is a self-contained unit and further comprising support means detachably carrying said filling head.

10. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the liquid level in said tank is located below said outlet.

11. A structure as defined in claim 10, further com prising a siphon establishing said communication between said tank and said inlet.

12. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said filling head comprises a vertical nozzle having an axial bore whose upper end constitutes said outlet, said nozzle having a lower end adapted to be connected with the open ends of successive containers.

13. A structure as defined in claim 3, further comprising one-Way valve means provided in said common portion downstream of said shutoff valve, said one-way valve means comprising a float arranged to prevent flow of liquid from a filled container toward said shutoff valve.

14. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the difference between the gas pressures in said tank and said reservoir is variable to determine the length of filling cycles.

15. A structure as defined in claim 2, further comprising means for varying the difference between the pressure of gases in said reservoir and said tank.

16. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said tank contains a supply of carbonated liquid and wherein the gas in said tank and said reservoir is an inert gas.

17. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said actuating means further comprises an indexible shaft rotatably mounted in said filling head, said means for effecting opening and closing of said second and third valves being constituted by eccentric portions of said shaft.

(References on following page) 7 8 References Cited 1,116,092 10/ 1961 Germany.

960,061 6/ 1964 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS 436,146 10/1935 Great Britain. 3,209,794 10/1965 Granier 14148 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5 HOUSTON S. BELL, 111., Primary Examiner.

446,583 2/1948 Canada. US. Cl. X.R.

647,271 11/1964 Belgium. 14148, 57, 116; 137-433, 624.18