US962026A - Can-syruping machine. - Google Patents

Description

ALJ. KEAST.

CAN SYRUPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION Plum FEB. 15, 1910.

Patented June 21, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J 0 MM 14 w 4 Z 4 wk 52% M w 5 I1. I 0 WI 1 w Z 7 1 m a M 4 J at it r i t ALFRED JOHN KEAST, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO CALIFOBN1; FRUIT GANNERS ASSOCIATION, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF Specification of Letters Patent. Patentdl June 21, 1910.

CALIFORNIA.

* CAN-SYRUPING MACHINE.

Application filed February 15, 1910. Serial No. 543,930.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED JOHN QKEAST, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Syruping Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1

My'invention relates to that general class of machines for filling cans with syrup, in which cans in rotating succession'are supplied with syrup delivered through pi es from a syrup tank; though it is applica le to the syr'uping of cans in whatever manner presented, whether in rotating succession or in groupsor batches or otherwise.

The objects of my invention are economy in the matter, of syrup, and cleanliness in operation and result; and to these ends my invention consists generally in means for primarily supplying the can with syrup in excess of its needs, and means in conjunction therewith for removing said excess and saving it for use again. I

It also consists in the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements which I shall now fully describe by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of my machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the presser foot'and syrup nozzle, together with the suction nozzle, showing said parts in connection with a can.

1 is a stand, in the base of which is supported a central pillar 2 which rises above the stand a suflicient distance to carry from its top the rotating parts of the machine.

3 is a bushing into the lower port-ion of which the pillar 2 enters, said bushing being supported on top of the pillar and rotatably mounted thereon, a suitable joint being formed by the gland 4 and the packing 5. From the base of the bushing 3, by means of hangers 6, is sus ended the notched annular cam-ring 7 whic in'turn, through hangers 8, suspend the can-table 9, the stemguide ring 10 and the gear 11, in the order named. From a flange 12 secured on the central pillar 2 is supported a fixed track' 13, a portion of which is on a-lower level than the-f'remainder and joins the latter by a suitable grade, as seen at 14-. On the can is guided down through ring 10, and rests its lower end upon and in traveling contact with the graded track 13, whereby the. can holders 15 are raised and dro ped in timely succession. In each holder 15 1s a can 18.

19 is a suitable journal of bearing to steady the revolving parts on the pillar 2. Any suitable means may be employed to drive the gear 11. pinion 20, shaft 21, bevelgears at 22 and a belt drive 23.

Into the upper end of the bushing 3 is entered a nomrotating shaft 24, upon which as an axis the bushing rot-ates, a, suitable joint being made by the gland 25 and packing 26. This shaft 2% 1s hollow, as indicated b dotted lines its lower end being plugge Just-above its lower and holes 27, in annular series, are made through-its wall. At the upper end of the shaft a communication is made with a supply pipe 28' which may be supposed to, proceed from the syrup tank. This communication is controlled 'by a shut-ofl? valve 29. In the bushing 3 is formed achamber till surrounding the holes vided with down turned delivery extensions or nozzles 32, controlled'byvalves 33. The extremit of the nozzle 32 has fitted to it a presser oot 34, througha hole or holes 35 in the side of which the syrup issues to 'fill the cans; The central pillar 2 is aIso hoI low, as indicated. in dotted lines, its upper end being In ged. Just belowthe upper end are ma e t' 'ough its walls, the holes 36 in annular series. In the bushing- 3", surroundi'n the holes 36 is made a chamber 37 whic is tapped' by ipes 38 radiall extending and provided with down turns nozzles 39 lying beside the'syrup nozzles 32, said nozzles 39 (which are the'suction noazles) being controlled by valves 40.

Supported by a collar 41 and bracket arms 42 from the stationary shaft 24 is. a cam ring 42, against which the lever handles 43 of the valves 40 impingaand by which in conjunction with s rings 4.4 said I have here shown a handles are timely o crate to 0 en and close the suction nozz es. With t e lower portion ofthe hollow pillar 2, a pipe 45 communic ates which may be supposed to lead to a source of suction, such as a pump unnecessary to show.

Each of the radial syrup pipes 31 is fitted with a valve 33, which has a bell-crank or angled handle 47. Pivoted to a bracket 48 of stand 1 is a tri -lever 49 controlled by a spring so that its ower end stands normally in the path of the cans as shown in dotted lines and its upper endlies outside the path of the valve handles 47. Butwhen a can contacts with the lower end of said tri lever, the upper end of said lever will iie thrown into the path of the valve-handles 47.

50, Fig. 2, is afixed arm'which lies in the path of thevalve handles 47, which by contact with said arm closes said valves.

The operation of the machine is as followsz-I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate thefeed and discharge of the cans to and from the machine, as mechanisms for this purpose are wellknown. The cans are of the t pe' with full-open upper ends, as seen in ig. 3, and each has been filled with its fruit or other solid contents and is ready to receive the syrup. A can is placed on a holder 15 when said holder is at its lowest position, due to the lower level of the graded track 13. In this position its top is well below the delivery ends of the syrupand suction nozzles 32 and 39. The can, in its travel, contacts with the lower end of tri -lever 49, which being forced outwardly, t owe the up er end into the path of the valve handle 4 and as the handle moves past said upper end, the valve 46 is opened and thesyrup flows. The can being lifted and held up by the up er level of the track 13, its top encircles the ends of the nozzles 32 and 39 as seenin Fig. 3. The foot 34 of the syrup nozzle presses the solid contents of the can well down, and the syrup flowing from the holes35 in the foot fills t e can. The suction nozzle 39 enters the can but a short distance that is to the level to which the can is to have its charge of syrup, say, in practice, about half, an inch from the top.' B the time the can is filled toor above this evel thecam ring 42 has thrown back-the handle 43 of valve'40 and has thereby opened the suction nozzle. The surplus syrup is thus sucked out down to the required level, and said syrup passes back through-the suction pump'andis delivered to the tank for use again. Then when the can reaches the 'oint at which the flow of syrup is to cease, t e valve handle 47 contacts with the arm 50, which thereby closes the syrup valve 46. The arrangement of thetrip-lever 49, is such that it will only open the syrup valve in case there is a can in place to receive the syrupl If no can is there, the trip-lever is inoperative. There is. thus no waste, (a matter of considerable moment in large plants) and as there is no spill or overflow, the operation is a clean one, and is distinctly superior to the practice of submerging cans in syrup to fill them, as there is no drip from the can and its surface is kept clean. Moreover the saving of the film of syrup which on submerged cans is wasted, is considerable. This 0' eration is also advantageous in that there is'no necessity for a stated or fixed syru charge, each can being primarily supplie with more than-it needs and the surplus removed to reduce it to the proper amount. This avoids complicated charge measuring devices and thereby simplifies the machine. The presser foot 34 is of advantage inusin thls type of can with full open tops, for t ereis nothing to hold the solid contents down, as there is with the ordinary capped cans. But the presser foot does this and thus rovides accurately for the syrup capacity 0 the can.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desireto protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of a travelin .0311 table; canholders carried by the ta le; pipes traveling in unison with the table and overlying the cans in the holders, said pipes being connected with a source of syrup for supplying said, cans; other ipes traveling in unison with the table, and extending beside the first pipes, said other pipes being connected with a source of suction; and means for timely bringing the cans and pipes together to enter the ends of both pipes into the cans to a predetermined level, to supply the cans with syrup and remove therefrom the excess, of sai syrup.

'2. In a can syruping-machine, the combination" of a travelin can table; canholders carried b the ta 1e; pipes traveling in unison witht e table and overlying the cans in the holders, said pipes being connected with a source of syrup for supplying said cans; other ipes traveling in unison with the table, and extending beside the first pipes, said other pipes being connected with a source of suction; means for timely bring-' in the cans and pipes to ether to enter the en s of both pi es into t e cans to a predetermined leve, to sup ly the cans with syrup and remove there rom the excess of said syrup; and valves automatically operated through suitable connections, by the travel of the table, to-control-the operation of both pipes. J

3. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of a rotatable can table; an annular series of can-holders on said table; a series of ipes traveling in unison with the table and overlying the cans in the holders, said pipes being connected with a source of syrup for supplying said cans; a series of other pipes traveling in unison with the table, and extending beside the first pipes, said other pipes being connected with a source of suction; means for timely bringing the cans eeaoee and pipes together to enter the ends of both pipes into the cans to a predeterminedlevel, to su ply the cans with syrup and remove there rom the excess of said syrup, and valves automatically operated through suitable connections, by the travel of the table, to control the operation of both pipes. I

4. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of 'a holder for the can; a pipe for supplying the can with syrup, said pipe having on its lower end a presser foot; and

- means for bringing the can contents and the presser foot in pressing contact, whereby the can contents are held down while the syrup is being supplied.

5'. In a can syruping-lnachine, the combination of a holder for the can; a pipe for supplying the can with syrup, said ipe having on its lower end a presser oot; means for bringing the can contents and the presser foot in pressing contact, whereby the can contents are held down while the syrup is being supplied; a suction pipe entering the can to a predetermined level; and means for eiiecting suction in said suction pipe while the can is being filled with syrup, to fempve the syrup above said predetermined eve 6. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of a rotatable can-table; an annular series of can-holders carried by the table; a hollow non-rotatable shaft located in the axis of rotation of the can-table, said shaft communicating above with a source of syrup and having below an exit for the syrup; a hollow non-rotatable pillar alined with the hollow shaft in the axis of rotation of the can-table, said pillar communicating below with a source of suction and having above an inlet for the syrup; a bushing connected to and rotatable with the can-table, said bushing having the adjacent' ends of the shaft and pillar for an axis of rotation, and provided with two independent chambers, the upper encirclin hollow shaft, and t e lower encircling the syrup inletofthehollow pillar; radial pipes fitted to the bushing and ta ping the upper chamber; radial ipes fitte tothe bushing and tapping the lbwer chamber; syrup filling nozzles fitted to the upper pipes above the can holders; syrup suction nozzles fitted to the lower pi 5 above the can holders; means for elfectlng the approach of nozzles and can holders to enter the suction nozzles into their open tops to a predetermined level; and means for simultaneously efl'ecting the delivery flow of the syrup through the upper nozzles and the suction flow'of an excess of syrup through the lower nozzles.

7. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of a rotatable can-table; an annular series of can-holders carried by the table; a hollow non-rotatable shaft located in the axis of rotation of the can-table, said shaft the syrup exit of the an inlet for the syrup; a bushing connected to and rotatable with the can-table, said bushing having the adjacent ends of the shaft and pillar for an axis of rotation, and provided -with two independent chambers, the upper encircling the syrup exit ofthe .hollow shaft, and the lower encircling the syrup inlet of the hollow pillar; radial pipes fitted to the bushing and tapping the upper chamber; radial pipes fitted to the bushing and tapping the lower chamber; syrup fillmg nozzles fitted to the upper pipes above the can holders, said nozzleshaving presser.

feet; syrup suction nozzles fitted to the lower pi es above the can holders; means for e ecting the approach of nozzles and can holders to efi'ect a pressing contact of the presser feet. of the filling nozzles with the can'contents and to enter the suction nozzles into their open topsto apredetermined level; and means for simultaneously efiecting the delivery flow of the syrup through the upper nozzles and the suction flow of an excess of syrup through the lower nozzles.

8. In a can syruping-machine, the combination of a rotatable can-table; an annular series of can-'holders-carried' by the table;

' a hollow non-rotatable shaft located in the axis of rotation of the can-table, said shaft communicating above witha source of syrup and having below an exit for the syrup; a

hollow non-rotatable pillar alined with the hollow shaft in the axis ofrotation of the can-table, said pillar communicating below with a source of' suction and having above an inlet for the syrup; a bushing connected to and rotatable with the can-table, said bushing having the adjacent ends ofthe shaft and pillar for an axis of rotation, and provided with two independent chambers, theiupper encirclin the syrup exit of the hollow shaft, and t e lower encircling the syrup inlet of the hollow pilla r; radial 'pes fitted to the bushing and ta ping the 'ower chamber; syru filling nozz esfitted to the upper pipes a ove the can holders; syrup suction nozzles fitted to the lower pipes above the can holders; means :tor efl'ectmg 'the approach of nozzles and can holders to 9. In a can syruping-machine, the combi-- nation of a rotatable can-table; an annular hollow shaft in-the axis of rotation of thecan-table, said pillar communicating below with a source of suction and having above an inlet for the syrup; a bushing connected vto and rotatable with the can-table, said bushing having the adjacent ends of the shaft and pillar for an axis of rotation,and provided with two independent chambers, the upper encirclin hollow shaft, and-t 'e lower encircling the syrup inlet of the hollow pillar; radial pipes fitted to-the bushing and ta ping the upper chamber; radial ipes fit to the bushmg and tapping the lbwer chamber; syrup filling nozzles fitted to the upper pipes above the can holders, said nozzles having presser the syrup exit of the feet; syrup suction nozzles fitted to the lower piiipes above the can holders; means for e ecting the approach of. nozzles and can holders to efiect a pressing contact of the presser feet of the filling nozzles with the can contents and to enter the suction nozzles into their open tops to a predetermined level; valves for controlling both sets of nozzles, and a means dependent on the rotation of the parts to operate said valves for simultaneously efiecting the delivery flow of the syrup through the upper nozzles and the suction flow of an excess ofsyrup through.

the lower nozzles.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to'this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALFRED JOHN KEAST.

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