US728396A - Bottling and corking machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATBNTED MAY 19; 1903.

F. 0. JERRAM. 'BOTTLING AND comma MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5, 1902.

e SHEETS-SHEET 1..

-NO MODEL.

Tn: NORRIS PETERS 0o PHoTaurHou wAsMmomN. n. c.

No. 728,396. A PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

' F. 0. JERRAM.

BOTTLING AND GORKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 THE NORMS PETERS co. PHOYO'LH'HO WASHINGTON, :Jv c.

PATENTED MAY 19, 1903:

F. 0. LTBRRAM. BOTTLING AND GORKING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1902.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

ZZZ/g No. 728,396. PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

- F. 0. JERRAM. V

BQTTLING AND GORKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5, 1902.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- HO MODEL.

1 PATENTED MAY 19,1903.-

F.. 0. ,JBRRAM.

BOTTLING AND GORK'ING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1902.-

6 BHEBTSSHEBT 6.

N0 MODEL.

No.72e,39e.

UNITED STATES.

Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLING AND CORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 728,396, dated May 19, 1903.

Applieation fi led May 5, 1902. Serial No, 105,960 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: it I Be it known that I, FREDERIC OLDERSHAW J ERRAM, a subject of theKingof Great Brit-- ain and Ireland, residing at Westcliff on Sea, in the county of Essex, England, haveinvented Improvements in or Relating to Bottling and Corking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in bottling-1nachinesthat is to say,

machines for charging bottles and like receptacles (hereinafter included in the term bottles) with liquids and for corking the bottles; and it has for its object to enable bottles to be filled and corked in a rapid, clean, cheap, and advantageous manner. I p

The invention comprises for these purposes improved bottle-raising mechanism whereby a number of bottles that may be of varying height can be raised independently of each other, so that all of them can be caused to bear and be firmly held in a fluid-tightmanner against packing seats or rings above them while they are being filled with liquid and afterward corked. p

It also comprises an improved arrangement of valves, valve-operating mechanism, and liquid-supply tubes whereby bottles can be properly charged with liquid.

It also comprises an arrangement of air-' vent pipes and air flushing means whereby the air-vent pipes will be cleared of liquid and froth after each charging of bottles with liquid.

In also comprises improved bottle centerditferent sizes centrally in position for filling and corking.

It also comprises an improved arrangement of corking mechanism.

The invention further comprises various other novel features ofconstruction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show, respectively, in front and side elevation a bottling-machine constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 shows part-of the filling portion of the machine to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a plan showing part of a bottle-car- 'tion.

rier with, bottle centering and holding device thereon. but showing part of the bottle-carrier with bottle-centering and holding device. Fig. 5 is a cross-section corresponding to the line A A of Fig. 1, but drawn to alarger scale, showing a modification. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing a modified construc- Fig. 7 is a plan showing, part of the corking apparatus with a cork trough and pusher. Fig. 8 is a section corresponding to the line B B of Fig. 1, but drawn to a larger scale, showing a cork-compressor and adjacent parts. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a modified construction of machine.

- '1 is a frame of any suitable construction, uponwhich is fixed a tank 2 to contain the liquid with which bottles are to be filled. The bottom of the tank is formed with one or more liquid-discharge apertures, according to the number of bottles it is desired to fill simultaneously. In the example three apertures are shown, at 3; butthe're may be more or less than three. Eachaperture is surrounded by a-valve-seat 4, Fig. 3, and is controlled by a valve 5, fixed to a vertically-movable rod 6, the upper end of which is supported by a lever-arm 7, fixed to a rock-shaft 8. This shaft is mounted in bearings 9 and is capable of being partly rotated by a hand-lever 10, that is fixed upon a shaft 11, journaled in bear- 12 and lever-arm '13. such that all the valves 5 can be raised together and closed together, according to re- Fig. 4 is asimilar view to Fig. 3,

quirement, the lower end of each valve-rod corresponding liquid-supply tube 14 is a bottle-guiding device 15, having a flaring lower end and provided at its in nor upper end with a.

packing-ring 16, that surrounds the said tube and against which the upper end of a bottle can be forced, so as to form a fluid-tight joint therewith, so that when the bottle is being charged with liquid the air confined in the upper part of the bottle-neck around the depending tube 14 and an air-escape tube 38 (hereinafter referred to) and above the lower end ot the latter tube will-act to prevent the bottle being charged to too great an extent with liquid to admit of its being afterward properly corked.

Fixed to the frame 1 and arranged at a suitable distance below the tank 2 is a table or support 17, formed with vertical holes 18 equal in number to and arranged directly below the liquid-discharge apertures 3. Moun ted to slide or roll endwise upon the table 17 is or are one or more bottle-carriers 19, constructed with a number of boxes or divisions 19 that are spaced at a distance apart equal to'the spaces between the apertures 3 and are adapted to hold and center the bottles to be filled, each of such boxes or divisions being formed with a hole 20 through its bottom, adapted to register with one of the holes 18 in the table 17. Suitable meanssuch as a vertically-movable pin 21, carried by a springpress hand-lever 21 and adapted to enter a hole in the bottom of each bottle-carrier 19 in turnmay be provided for holding the said bottle-carriers in the position in which the holes 20 therein will register with the holes 18 in the table 1'7 during the operations of filling and corking the bottles, as hereinafter described. Below each aperture 18 in the table 17 is a vertical rod 22, (hereinafter called an elevator,) that is mounted to work vertically in stationary bearings 23 on the frame 1 and carries a guide pulleyor part 24, mounted to turn about a horizontal axis, each elevator being arranged to pass upward through the corresponding hole 18 in the table 17 and one of the holes 20 in the bottom of the box or division 19' above and by acting against the bottom of a bottle 25 in such box or division to raise the said bottle sufficiently to cause its upperend to enter the bottle-centering device 15 and bear in a fluid-tight manner against the packingring 16, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. For raising each bottle-elevator 22 and corresponding bottle 25 independently of the other bottle-elevators and bottles, so that each bottle will be caused to rise to a sufficient height to cause it to bear against its packing-ring 16 whatever may be its height, there is passed under each vertically-movable guide pulley or part 24 a flexible connector 26, that is led over other guide-pulleys 27,

. which are also mounted to turn about horiserves to return the said parts to their lower and normal positions when the flexible connector is afterward slackened. In the example the chain 26 is fixed at one end to a winding-drum 29 and after being led in a zigzag direction over and under the pulleys 27 and 24, respectively, is led back under all the pulleys and has its other end also fixed to the drum 29, which when rotated will consequently wind up each end of the chain. The drum 29 is fixed upon a shaft 30, mounted to rotate in bearings 31, and is capable of being rotated by a wheel 32, which can be operated by hand or otherwise, as may be desired.

By means of bottle-lifting mechanism constructed and operating as described a number of bottles can be raised independently of each other, so that even should they be of different heights they will all be caused to bear in a fluid-tight manner against their respective packing-rings when the chain 26 is fully wound up and will be firmly held in the raised position by practically inextensible or unyielding means whilethey are being filled with liquid. This is a feature of considerable practical importance, as the bottles need not be specially selected as to height, and there is no risk of overflow of liquid between the bottles and their packing-rings owing to an imperfect joint being formed between these parts when the bottles are raised. Any suitable means may be provided for holding the bottle-elevators 22 and bottles in the raised position during the filling and corking of the bottles. For this purpose the pulley 32 may, as shown in Fig. 1, be provided'with ratchet-teeth 33, with which a pawl 34, pivoted to a fixed part of the machine, can be caused to engage when the chain 26 is wound up, or each of the said elevators may, as shown in Fig. 2, be formed at the lower part with a rack 35, with which can be engaged a pawl 36, fixed to the shaft 11, to which the hand-lever 10 is also fixed, the said pawl 36 serving to positively support the elevators during the filling and corking operations, or, as is preferred, both of the said holding means may be used. In this case the hand-lever 10 may be connected by a rod 10 to the pawl 34, so that when it is depressed to raise the valves 5 and bring the several pawls 36 into engagement with the elevators the rod 10 will push the pawl 34 into engagement with the ratchet-teeth 33 on the pulley 32. To allow of free escape of air from each bottle during filling and to obviate any liability of the air-exit pipe afterfilliugabottle with liquid being charged with liquid orfroth, that would interfere with the free escape of air from the next bottle and the proper fill ing ofsuch bottle with liquid, and also to prevent liquid dripping from the said air-exit pipe after a charged bottle has been lowered and removed, there is provided according to this invention within the bottle guiding and centering device 15 a depending air-exit tube 38, that surrounds the liquid-s11 pply tube the top of which is connected to an air flush-- ing device that will permit of the free escape of air therefrom during the fillingof a bottle with liquid, but which upon the valve 5 being'closed to shut off the further supply of liquid will force air down the said pipe and cause any liquid or froth that may have previously entered it to flow into the bottle be.

fore the same is removed from below the tube 14, but after it has left the packing-ring 16.

In the arrangement shown for this purpose in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the depending air-exit tube 38 is carried by an annular box-like holder 41, that is or may be secured to the bottom of the tank 2 and to the liquid-supply tube 14, depending therefrom, and is connected at one side to the lower bent end of a vertical air-exit pipe 4O, the upper end of which is connected to the air-flushing device.

. This device comprises a vessel 42, the upper part of which is divided by a vertical partition 43 into two compartments 44 and 45, that communicate with each other at the bottom through an opening 46 and one of which-viz., 44-is closed at the top and the otherviz., 45is open at the top. To the top of the closed compartment 44 is connected the upper end of the air-exit pipe 40 or each of such pipes when the machineis constructed to fill several bottles simultaneously. In the-latter case the several air-exit pipes 40 may, as

shown, be connected to the top of the chamber 44 by a pipe 40 common to them. Arranged within the open compartment is a body 47, that is suspended from a lever 48,

- that is connected to the valve-operating mechanismas, for example, to the rock-shaft 8. The vessel 42 is charged with water to such a height that when'the suspended body 47 is supported above the waterthe lower ends of the two compartments 44 and 45 will communicate with each other through the'opening 46 left between the surface of the liquid and the lower edge of the vertical partition. The arrangement is such that when the valve 5, controlling the supply of liquid from the .tank 2 to a bottle 25, is opened to allow of liquid entering the bottle the suspended body 47 will be raised clear of-the liquid 50 within the vessel, and communication will be opened between the two compartments thereof, so

that air can freely escape from the top of the air-exit pipe 40, and upon the said valve being closed the suspended body 47 will be simultaneously caused to fall and enter the water and act as a displacer, so as to raise the level of water in both compartments 44 45 to such, an extent as to close the communication 46 between the two and cause air to flow from the upper end of the closed compartment 44 into the air-exit pipe 40, and thereby force into the bottle any liquid or froth that may have entered such pipe from the bottle dur-:

ing the filling operation.

The packing-ring 16, against which the bottle-neck is pressed during filling, may be arranged to bear against the lower side of the annular box-like holder 41, as shown; The said packing-ring may conveniently be of conical shape internally to fit the exterior of a bottle-neck and may be provided with a central hollow conical extension 16 to fit a bottle-mouth.

In order to permit bottles to be filled with liquids charged with gasfor example, lagerbeer and stoutwithout undue frothing, there is provided, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, within the liquid-supply tube 14, depending from the discharge-aperture?) of the tank 2- and controlled bya valve 5,-as hereinafter described, a supplementary liquid supply tube 51, that is arranged to slide telescopically with a vertical plate or mid-feather 52, Fig.

5, that extends downward a short distance from its lower end, or it maybe provided with lateral exit-holes 53, as shown in Fig. 6. The said supplementary tube, which'may be in one piece, as in Fig. 5, or in several pieces arranged telescopically, as in'Fig. 6, may be connected to an operating-rod: 54, that extends through the valve-rod 6'and isconnected to the operatingv mechanism of-the machine in such a way that itwill be do: pressed when or just before the liquid-discharge valve 5 is opened. and will be raised just before or simultaneously with the closing of such valve. For this purpose its operating-rod 54 may, as shown in Fig. 5, be worked from an arm 7, fixed to the leverarm 7, used to operate the corresponding valve-rod 6, the said arm 7 being connected to the operatingerod 54 through a bell-crank lever 55 and link 56.

To obviate as far as possible contact ofthe liquid within the supply-tank 2 with air, when this may be'desired, the said tank is preferor rodsz6. The fioat,-w'hich is preferably balanced, is or maybe used to control the sup? ply of liquid to the tank. For this purpose IIS the operating-arm 58 of a feed-pump 59, fixed to the frame 1 and provided with a rocking piston, may be oscillated by a link 60, that is pivoted to a vertically-adjustable pivotpin 61 and is oscillated by a link 62 from a crank 63, that is rotated through bevel-gearing 64 from a driving-shaft 65, provided with a fiy-wheel 66, capable of being rotated from the front'of the machine. The said pin 61 is connected to the outer end of a rod 67, pivoted at 68, and is also connected to the lower end of a link 69, the upper end of which is connected to one end of a lever 70, the otherend of which is connected by a rod 71 to the said float 57, the said pin 61 extending through a slot 72 in the upper end of the arm 60. The arrangement is such that when the liquid in the tank 2 and the float 57 are at the normal height the position of the pivotpin 61 will be such that the arms 58 and will not be oscillated to a sufficient extent to supplyliquid to the tank; but upon the level of the liquid and float falling the pivot-pin 61' will be thereby moved so much nearer to the point of connection t0 between the arm 60 and link 62 as to cause sufficient oscillation of the arms 58 and 60 to cause the pump to feed liquid to the tank through a pipe 58.

For centering bottles in bottling-machines each box or division 19 of the bottle-carrier 19 used for holding a bottle is according to this invention provided with a centering and holding device comprising, as seen in plan Figs. 1 and 4., two oppositely-arranged V- shaped blocks 73, that are arranged within the box or division and are pressed toward each. other by springs 74. Each block is or may be provided with a lateral extension 75, arranged to slide against one side of the other block, and the upper portion of the two blocks may be made taper, or flaring (see Fig. 4:) to facilitate the entrance between them of a bottle 25. To cause the blocks 73 to move equally from and toward each other for centering, there is jointed to each of them, by means of a pin 76, the adjacent ends of two bars 77, the other ends of which are jointed to other pins 78, arranged to work in centrally-arranged slotted guides 79 in the bottom of the bottlecarrier 19. 77 is a finger-piece to pull the blocks 73 apart by hand.

For corking bottles the bottling-machine is provided withcorking mechanism,comprising inverted conical tubes 80, (hereinafter called cork-compressors,) that are equal in number and pitch to the liquid-discharge apertures 3 and are fixed upon the frame 1 adjacent to the tank 2 and above an extension of the table 17. This extension of the table 17is formed with additional holes 18, arranged directly below the cork-compressors, and below it are provided additional bottle elevators 22, arranged in a similar manner to and operated by the same means as the bottle-elevators 22 below the tank 2. Below and surrounding the lower open end of each cork-compressor 80 is a bottle-guiding device 15 similar to the bottle-guiding devices 15 below the liquiddischarge apertures 3 and each of which is fitted with a conical packing ring or seat 16, against which the neck of the bottle to be corked can be forced and held by the corresponding bottle-elevator 22 below. Within the upper ends of the cork-compressors 80, of which there are three in the example, work vertical plungers 82, that are fixed to and reciprocated by a vertically-movable holder 83, that is raised and lowered by suitable mechanism from the driving-shaft 65. In the example the holder 83 is raised and lowered by two floating levers 8 1, each of which is jointed to the holder 83 at 83 and is also jointed to the upper ends of two eccentric- rods 85 and 86, that are raised and lowered by two eccentrics 87 and 88, fixed on a longitudinally-arranged shaft 89, driven from the driving-shaft through bevel-gearing 90, the centers of the two eccentrics 87 and 88 of each pair being arranged at an angle to one another, so that when the pair of eccentrics are in the position shown in Fig. 2 and are turning clockwise the center of the eccentric 88 will be rising, while the center of the eccentric 87 will be falling, with the result that the corresponding lever 84 will be caused to force down the holder 83 and plungers 82 with considerable force. Adjacent to each corkcompressor 80 may be placed a cork trough or guide 91, (see Figs. 1, 7, and 8,) one end of which terminates in proximity to a lateral opening in the side of the compressor. The said trough is made of any desired length to hold a convenient number of corks 92,which are automatically forced forward by a suitable presser, such as an arm 93, pivoted at 94 and acted on by a spring 95, the trough being then of circular arc shape, as shown. The tubular cork-compressors 80 may be made of any desired length and may be made removable to admit of their being replaced by others of a different size to allow of the corking.

from time to time of bottles whose mouths di'lfer in size. In cases where it is desired to select corks to fit bottle-mouths of different sizes the cork troughs or guides 91 may be removed and the corks selected and fed to the compressors by hand. With the arrangement described a set of full bottles can be corked while another set of empty bottles is being filled.

For bottling wines, vinegar, and similar liquids the tank 2, valves 5, and other parts that come in contact with such liquids are preferably made of material such as glass or porcelain or of metal covered with such material, so as not to injuriously affect the quality of the liquid.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A bottle-carrier 19 after being filled with bottles 25 is pushed along the table 17, so as to bring the bottles directly belowthe liquidsupply tubes 14 and apertures 3 and above the elevators 22, which are then raised by operating the wheel 29 and chain 26, so as to bring the bottles into' contact with the packing-rings 16, after which the lever is operated to raise the valves 5 and displacer 47 and cause the elevators and bottles to become positively held in the raised position and the flexible connector to be held in its wound-up condition, liquid then flowing from the tank to the bottles and air flowing from the bottles to the external atmosphere through the exit-pipes 40 and chambers 44 and 45. When the bottles have been filled as full as the air contained in their upper ends above the lower ends of the air-exit pipes 38 will allow, the lever 10 is moved in the opposite direction, so as to unlock the elevators 22 and wheel 29 and allow the valves 5 to close and simultaneously cause the displacer 4:7 to fall and force air to descend the exit-pipes 40 and 38 and blow out any liquid or froth there may be in them into the bottles, which will then have commenced to leave the packing-rings 16, so as to allow of the free escape of the air from the upper ends thereof. Theelevators 22 and the bottles are then allowed to fall into their carrier, which is then pushed forward, so as to bring the charged bottles below the cork-compressors 80, and a second bot tle-carrier, with another set of empty bottles, is brought into position below the sup ply-tubes 14 and apertures 3. The elevators 22 are then again raised, so as to lift both sets of bottles into the raised position, after which the lever 10 is again operated to lock the ele vators and flexible connector and'to open the valves 5, and the fly-wheel 66 is caused to make one rotation and cause the plungers 82 to descend and force the corks beneath them through the cork-compressors and into the full bottles below them, the corking of one set of bottles thus taking place during the filling of the next setof bottles. The two sets of bottles are then released and lowered, the corked set removed, the second full set pushed forward in position to be corked, and replaced by a third set of empty bottles, af- (or which the above-described operations of filling and corking are repeated.

The upper ends of the valve-rods 6 are supported from the arms 7 in a readily-detachable manner, so that any one of the valverods can be readily disconnected from its arm when it is desired that the corresponding valve 5 shall not be raised. Similarly any one of the elevators 22 can be put out of use by removing the flexible connector from below it.

Bottling-machines according to this invention can be variously modified without departing from the essential featuresthereof, so long as the mode of operation or the'relative arrangement of parts are retained. Such machines can be operated by hand, as described, or by mechanical power. Thus in the latter case and for large sizes of machines the table 17 may, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 9, be of circular shape and be provided with a circular bottle-carrier, which is caused, either alone or with the table, to rotate in an intermittent manner, so as to first bring a set of empty bottles below a set of the liquid-discharge apertures from the tank, then to bring the set of bottles when filled below a corresponding set of cork-compressors, and then to bring the corked bottles into a position in which they can be removed and replaced by another set of empty bottles, A

which are filled and corked in a similar manner. Again, in some cases the filling and corking portions of the machine mayfor convenience be disconnected from each other.

As will be obvious the improvement shereinbet'ore described, or some of them, can be used in bottlingmachines of various constructions other than that shown in the accompanying drawings.

What I claim is g I 1. In a bottling-machine, the combinationof a series of seats, a corresponding series of independent bottleelevators, means for engaging said elevators and adjacent parts of the frame for simultaneously but independently raising said bottle-elevators, and a device for locking said means to'hold the bottles against their respective seats during the filling operation, whereby bottles of various heights may be simultaneously filled.

2. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a seat against which a bottle can be held during bottling, of a bottle-elevator, a flexible connector adapted when pulled endwise, to raise said elevator and cause the bottle thereon to bear against said seat, said con- ICO nector being connected to-a part of the frame and also to a part on the elevator and means for exerting a pull on said connector.

3. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a plurality of seats against which a number of bottles can be held simultaneously during bottling, of a plurality of bottle-elevators, a flexible connector adapted when pulled endwise to simultaneously raise each elevator and a bottle thereon until such bottle bears against its seat, said connector being connected to parts on the elevators and to intermediate parts on the frame of the machine, and means for exerting a pull on said flexible connector.

4. In abottling-machine, the combination with a plurality ofseats against which a number of bottles can. beheld simultaneously during bottling, of a plurality of bottle-elevators, guides attached to said elevators, guides attached to a stationary part of the machine, a flexible connector passed in a zigzag manner under and over the guides attached to said elevators and stationary part of the machine respectively, and means for pulling said flexible connector. I

5. In a=bottling machine, the combination with a seat against which a bottle can be held du ringbottling, of a bottle-elevator, a flexible connector adapted when pulled endwise, to raise said elevator and cause the bottle there'- on to bearagainst said seat, said connector engaging a stationary part of the machine and also a part of the elevator, means for pulling said connector, and means for holding said elevator and bottle in the raised position.

6. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a plurality of seats against which a number of bottles can be held simultaneously during bottling, of a plurality of bottle-elevators, guides attached to said elevators, guides attached to a stationary part of the machine, a flexible connector passed in a zigzag manner under and over the guides attached to said elevators and stationary part of the machine respectively, means for pulling said flexible connector and raising said elevators and the bottles thereon, and means for holding said elevators and bottles in the raised position during the bottling operation.

7. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a plurality of seats against which bottles can be held during the bottling operation, of a plurality of vertically-guided bottle-elevators arranged below said seats, means for supporting a series of bottles above said elevators, guiding devices attached to said elevators, guiding devices attached to a stationary part of the machine, a flexible connector extending under and over said guiding devices, as set forth, means for winding up said flexible connector, and means for holding said elevators and the bottles thereon, in the raised position during the bottling operation.

8. In a bottling-machine, the combination of a tank provided with two or more liquiddischarge passages, means for controlling said passages, and a seat surrounding each passage and against which the top of a bottle can be held in a fluid-tight manner during filling, bottle-ele vators arranged below said passages, and capable of lifting bottles arranged above them, a flexible connector adapted, when pulled, to raise said elevators simultaneously but independently of each other until the bottles thereon abut against said seats, said connector engaging a part on each elevator and parts on the frame intermediate said elevators, means for pulling said connector, and means for holding the elevators and bottles in the raised position during the filling operation.

connector, and means for holding said elevators and bottles in the raised position.

10. In a bottling-machine, the combination of a tank provided with liquid-discharge passages, means for controlling said passages, bottle-seats surrounding said passages, a table arranged below said tank, formed with holes therethrough located below said passages, and adapted to receive and guide a bottle-carrier as set forth, a series of elevators arranged to work in stationary bearings carried by said machine, guide-pulleys carried by said elevators, other guide-pulleys carried by a stationary part of said machine, a chain led under and over-said pulleys, a winding-drum to which the ends of said chain are secured, and means for holding said elevators in the raised position.

11. In a bottling-machine, a tank provided with a liquid-discharge aperture having a surrounding valve-seat, a valve controlling said aperture, means for opening and closing said valve, a liquid-supply tube depending from said seat and adapted to enter the mouth of the bottle to be filled, a bottle-guiding device arranged around said tube, a packing-ring arranged within the upper, part of said guiding device and against which the upper end of a bottle can abut, an air-exit pipe terminating at its lower end within said bottle-guiding device, and means for clearing said pipe after each bottling or filling operation.

12. In a bottling-machine, the combination ofa tank havinga discharge-opening, a valve controlling this opening, devices for operating this valve, an air-escape pipe through which air can escape during the filling opera tion, means for causing an impulse of air to flow in the reverse direction through said pipe after each filling operation, and means whereby these means are operated automatically immediately upon the closing of the filling-valve.

13. In a bottle-filling machine, an air-escape pipe through which air can escape from bottle during the filling thereof with liquid, and automatic means forcausing an impulse of air to flow in the reverse direction through said pipe immediately after each filling operation.

14:. In a bottle-filling machine, the combination with an air-escape pipe through which air can escape from a bottle during the filling thereof with liquid, of an air-flushing device connected to said pipe and adapted to admit of the escape of air from the pipe during the bottle-filling operation, means for causing an impulse of air to descend said pipe, and means whereby these means are operated automatically immediately upon the closing of the filling-valve.

15. In a bottle-filling machine, the combination with an air-escape pipe through which air can escape from a bottle during the filling thereof with liquid, of an air-fiushing device of which is open to the atmosphere, liquid arranged in the lower part of said tank and adapted to control the communication between the two parts thereof, a displacer arranged to work in one of the compartments of said tank, and means for causing said displacer to move in and out of said liquid, substantially as described for the purpose speci- 16. In a bottling-machine, the combination of a tank provided with a liquid-discharge aperture, a valve controlling said aperture, means for operating said valve, a liquid-supply tube depending from said aperture, abottle-guiding device surrounding said tube, an air-exit tube surrounding said liquid-discharge tube and open at its lower end, a packing-ring located within the upper part of said guiding device and surrounding said tubes, an air-exit pipe connected to the upper end of said air-exit tube, and an air-flushing device controlled bysaid valve-operating means, said air-flushing device being arranged to allow air to escape upward through said air-exit tube and pipe when said valve is open and a bottle is being filled with liquid and to cause air to be forced down the said tube and pipe when said valve is closed.

17. In a bottling-machine, the combination of a tank provided with a liquid-discharge aperture, a valve controlling said aperture, means for operating said valve, a liquid-supply tube depending from said aperture, a bottle-guiding device surrounding said tube, an air-exit tube surrounding said liquid discharge tube and open atits lower end, a pack ing-ring located within the upper part of said guiding'device and surrounding said tubes, an air-exit pipe connected to the upper end of said air-exit tube, and an air-flushing device comprising a tank divided by a partition into two chambers that normally communicate with one another and one of which is closed and connected to said air-exit pipe and the other of which is open to the atmosphere, water located in the bottom of'said last-mentioned tank and adapted to control the communicationbetween the two chambers therein, a displacer adapted to move in and out of said water, and means connecting said displacer to said'valve-operating means and arranged to cause said displacer to enter the water when the valve is being closed and to leavethe water when the valveisbeingopened, substantially as described.

18. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a tank containing liquid with which bot-' tles are to be filled, of an oscillating pump for feeding liquid to said'tank, a lever for oscillating the piston of said pump, a pin about which said lever oscillates and which is adjustable with respect to said lever,

driving mechanism for oscillating said lever,

and a float arranged within said tank and connected to said pin so as to vary the position thereof and alter the stroke of said lever accordingto the heightof'said float, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

,19. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a tank having a liquid-discharge aperture at its lower end, a valve for controlling said aperture, and means for operating said valve, of a vertically-movable liquid-supply pipe extending downwardlfrom said aperture,

open at its lower end, and adapted to extend practically to the bottom of a vessel while the same is being filled with liquid, and means for depressing said tube when said valve is opened and forraising it when said valve is closed.

20. In a bottling-machine, the combination witha tank having a liquid-discharge aperture at its lower end, a valve for controlling said aperture, and means for operating said valve, of a stationary liquid-supply tube depen ding from said aperture, a vertically-movable supplementary tube arranged to slide telescopically in relation to the first-mentioned tube and in communication therewith at its upper end and open at its-lower end,

and means for raising and lowering said supplementary tube, substantially as described for thepurpose specified.

21. In a bottling-machine,the combination with a tank having a liquid-discharge aperture at its lower end, avalve for controlling said aperture,-and means for operating said valve, of a stationary liquid-supply tube depending from said aperture, a vertically-mow able supplementary tube arranged to slide telescopically in relation to the first mentioned tube and in communication therewith supplementary tube to'descend'when said valve is opened and to raise saidrod an'd'supplementary tube when said valve is closed, substantially as described. i "22. In a bottling-machine, the combination at its upperend and open at its lower end, a

ofcorking mechanism mounted upon a'stationary part of the machine and comprising a vertical tubular cork-compressor, a vertically-movable plunger arranged to-work in I said cork-compressor, meansfor' operating said'plunger, and a'seat against which'the top of a bottle can rest while being corked, and bottle-lifting mechanism comprising a bottle-elevator, a flexible connector, a part on the machine and another part on the elevator with which said connector engages, so that when the air-connector is pulled the elevator and the bottle thereon will be raised, means for pulling said connector, and means for holding said elevator in its raised position during the corking operation.

23. In abottling-machine, the combination of corking mechanism mounted upon a fixed part of the machine and comprising two or more vertical conical cork-compressors, verof different diameter being inserted between them and centered preparatory to being raised to a seating around a liquid-supply orifice, a

tically-movable plungers arranged to work in guiding-frame for the blocks, and springs said compressors and carried by a common holder, means for raising and lowering said holder with plungers, and bottle-guiding devices with seats against which bottles can rest while being corked, and bottle-lifting mechanismbomprising vertically-guided bottle-elevators corresponding in number and spacing to said cork compressors and arranged directly below the same, guide-pulleys carried by said elevators, other guidepnlleys mounted on a stationary part of the machine, a flexible connector passed under and over the sets of guide-pulleys, means for pulling said connector endwise, and means for holding said elevators in the raised position during corking of said bottles.

24. In a bottling-machine, the combination of corking mechanism mounted upon a fixed part of the machine and comprising two or more vertical conical cork-compressors, vertically-movable plungers arranged to work in said compressors and carried by a common holder, levers and eccentrics arranged and operating substantially as described, for operating said holder and plungers, and bottleguiding devices with seats against which bottles can rest while being corked, a table adapted to support bottles to be corked, and

bottle-lifting mechanism comprising vertically-guided bottle-elevators corresponding in number and spacing to said cork-compressors and arranged directly below holesin said table and below said cork-compressors, guidepulleys carried by said elevators, other guidepulleys mounted on a stationary part of the machine, a flexible connector passed under and over the sets of guide-pulleys, means for pulling said connector endwise, and means for holding said elevators in the raised position during corking of said bottles.

25. In a bottling-machine, the combination with col-king mechanism comprising a tubular cork-compressor, of a segmental corktrough having one end arranged in communication with the upper end of said cork-compressor, and horizontally-swinging springactuated lever for automatically feeding corks along said trough and into said corkcompressor, substantially as described.

26. In a bottling-machine, a bottle-centering device comprising blocks pressed toward each other and adapted to admit of bottles normally pressing the blocks toward each other.

27. In a bottling-machine, a boLtle-centeringdevice comprisingaguiding-frame, blocks arranged to move toward and from each other, means for pressing said blocks toward each other, and resilient means for causing said blocks to move to equal extents toward and from each other.

28. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a bottle-carrier, of a bottle centering and guiding device arranged within a box or division in said carrier and comprisingtwo laterally movable V- shaped blocks arranged with their recessed sides toward each other, means for pressing said blocks toward each other, and means for causing said blocks to move to equal extents toward and from each other.

29. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a bottle-carrier, of a bottle centering and guiding device arranged within a box or division in said carrier and comprisingtwo laterallymovable V-shaped blocks arranged with their recessed sides toward each other and each formed with a lateral projection extending along the adjacent side of the other block, and means for causing said blocks to move to an equal extenttoward and from each other, substantially as described.

30. In a bottling-machine, the combination with a bottle-carrier, of a bottle centering and guiding device arranged within a box or division in said carrier and comprising two laterally movable V-shaped blocks arranged with their recessed sides toward each other and each formed with a lateral projection extending along the adjacent side of the other block, and means for causing said blocks to move to an equal extent toward and from each other, said means comprising two pairs of jointed rods, each pair being jointed to one of said blocks and to pins arranged to slide in guideways in said bottle-carrier, substautially as described.

Signed at the city of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, this 23d day of April, 1902.

FREDERIG OLDERSIIAW JERRAM.

Witnesses:

THOS. DAVIS, ALBERT NEMEY.

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