US1953642A - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

A. CALLESON FILLING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed May 25 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Amos Ca/Aesan BY i W .(M OR Y v WITNESSES:

pril 3, 1934.

A. CALLESON FILLING MACHINE Filed May 25 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 IH MIM UII 'IIMI H WITNESSES:

Amos C'a//e50n A. CALLESON FILLING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed May 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 n W/ O S N T 6 N/ 9 E Mm WITNESSES:

April 1934.

A. CALLESQ FILLING MACH faa I i l WITNESSES:

INVENTOR 5 Ca/leson April 1934- A. CALLESON 1,953,642

FILLING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 WITNESSES: INVENTOR fimos CW/eson W 1934: A. CALLESON 1,953fi42 FILLING MACHINE Fild May 25, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 II I Mun 6 my INVENTOR imos Ca/lesor;

l r I BY f W 'ATTOR Patented Apr. 3, 1934 FILLING MACHINE Amos Oalleson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crown Cork (it Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, MdL, a corporation of New York Application May 25, 1926, Serial No. 111,493

13 Claims. (Cl. 226-27) My invention relates to filling machines and particularly to high-pressure filling machines of the rotary continuous type, in which a number ,v of containers are simultaneously passing through to a container.

Another object of my invention is to provide a measuring device for filling machines that shall have the characteristics of expansibility and durability and that shall be readily adjustable to I vary its volume.

A further object of my invention is to provide a method of filling containers whereby the gaseous contents of the bottle may be utilized to maintain the pressure of the liquid that is supplied to the containers and thereby prevent loss of gas from the liquid.

A fur her object of my invention is to provide a filling machine that shall operate automatically to fill bottles, or other containers, at a greatly increased rate with diminished loss or waste of containers or material by reason of breakage or stoppage from any cause.

A further object of my invention is to provide a filling machine in which the impacts to which the bottles are subjected during the operation of compensating for their height is absorbed or cushioned in a simple and convenient manner to prevent breakage thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for automatically connecting a stationary supply source of carbonic acid gas to each rotating filling unit successively for a predetermined period.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a filling machine in which the liquid supplied to the container fiows into the container at a substantially uniform rate, regardless of the pressure within the container.

In the operation of filling machines as previously constructed, the rate of filling bottles, or other containers, has been limited by the rapidity with which the liquid has been supplied to the containers. When the Water has entered until a condition of balance of pressures obtained, the initial rate of flow was relatively high, but the flow diminished rapidly, as the pressure in the bottle built up and flow ceased when the pressures were equal. The average rate of flow was, therefore, very low.

In ordinary practice, if water charged with carbonic acid gas under pressure was allowed to flow freely into a container, a considerable portion of its charge of gas was lost because the water entered space of lower pressure.

in addition, the machines of the prior art have failed to remove all of the air from the container and the result has been so-called top pressure, which is the source of considerable loss from breakage during summer weather, because of excessive pressures incident thereto.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a filling machine in which the rate of fiow of the liquid into the bottle is substantially uniform and is a maximum, regardless of the pressure within the bottle. The gaseous contents of the bottle are utilized either to displace the liquid that flows from a measuring device into the bottle or occupy the space vacated by the measuring device, whereby the pressure in the closed loop thus formed, and comprising the interior of the bottle, is maintained substantially constant. Accordingly, the liquid flows as if at atmospheric pressure but without loss of gas.

By initially displacing the air in the bottle with carbonic acid gas, the bottle is sterilized and only carbonic gas remains above the liquid of the bottle when filled. This gas is absorbed to a degree depending upon the pressure in the bottle and breakage from top pressure is, therefore, substantially entirely avoided.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a filling machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of one filling and crowning unit of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but taken at an angle thereto;

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of one filling unit;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the bottom portion of the filling unit, showing details of valve mechanisms;

Fig. 6 a top plan view of the filling and crowning unit shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a cam-andcarriage mechanism for controlling the gas supply to the filling machine;

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are vertical sectional views of modifications of the measuring device of Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a syruper, the supply tank being removed;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on line XII1XIII of the syruper of Fig. 12.

Similar reference numerals are used to designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the filling machine illustrated therein is of the vertical, rotary type, in which a plurality of bottles are successively filled, the bottles simultaneously passing through the various stages of the filling operation. The filling machine is also of the type in which slidable portions of a plurality of filling heads are caused to reciprocate, relatively to the rotating carrier therefor bymeansof a stationary cam. In this particular, the ii iachine is similar to that shown and described in my Patent No. 1,668,26 l, dated May 1, 1928.

The machine comprises a stationary base 1, having an upright central sleeve portion 2, which surrounds a shaft 3 that is slidably keyed thereto for vertical movement therein.

The frame of the machine comprises a top plate 4 to the outer portion of v-Jhich are secured posts 5, arranged at desired intervals and resting on the base 1. The stationary portion of the machine includes, also, a earn 6 secured to the lower portionof the sleeve2 and having a cam groove '2. A second earn 8 is secured to the upper portion of the shaft 3 and is provided with a cam groove 9. e

The rotatable portion oi, the machine co1nprises a bottle-carrying mechanism including an annular frame 11 that is secured. to a sleeve 12 for rotation about the stationary shaft 3.

The frame 11, which is supported upon an antifriction bearing 13, is provided with suitable peripheral pockets for receiving bottles 14 that are supported upon bottle lifts 15. The bottle lifts are slidable vertically in the frame 11, each of the lifts being provided with a compensating mechanism 16 for initially adjusting the height of the lift in accordance with the height of the bottle. Each lift is also provided with a roller 17 coacting with the groove '7 of the cam 6 to vary the elevation of the corresponding lift and the bottle carried thereby during the filling operation.

The filling mechanism comprises a hollow carriage 19 of substantially he agonal shape, the upper edge of which is secued to a gear 20, the hub 21 of which is rotatably mounted on a bearing 22 upon the cam 8. The carriage 19 has mounted thereon a plurality of filling and crowning units 24 corresponding in number to the bottle lifts, six being employed in the machine illustrated. Each unit has a sliding portion, or moveble head portion, that is controlled to its vertical position by a roller 25 that coasts with the groove 9 of the cam 8.

Referring particularly to 2 to 7, inclusive, each filling and crowning unit 24 comprises a filling head 2'7, a crowning head 28 that is immediately above the filling head a measuring device 29 that is adjacent to the filling and crowning heads.

end, a perforated member 36 having inclined ports 37 that communicate with the opening in the sealing ring 31. The upper ends of these ports communicate with a space 38 to which gas and water are supplied through a port 39.

The crowning head comprises a crowning die 46 of ring shape that is mounted between the lower end of the sleeve i and a shoulder on the sleeve 35. The cylinder 33 is provided with two extending flanges 41 and 42. A coil spring 43 surrounding the cylinder 33 and beneath the flange bears upon a sealing sleeve is which in turn bears upon a second sealing sleeve 45. The sleeves 4i and 45 are separated by a suitable packing gland as also are tl sleeve 45 and the base 30 whereby the head may be effectually sealed when the'sliding portion of the head is in its lowermost position and the spring 43 is compressed.

A cap plunger 17 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 34 and it has a rod 18 extending through a cap 49 for the upper end of the cylinder 33 and carrying a cane 56 of spool shape. A coil spring 51 around the rod 4e normallymaintains the plunger and th cam 56 in their lower positions.

The filling head is provided with an air outlet 1 comprising a passage 52, a tube 5-3 and a flexible coupling es that is connected to the upper end of the casing for the measuring device 29.

The measuring device 29 for water or other desired liquid comprises expansible diaphragm l 56 of the bellows type that is mounted within the casing 55. diaphragm 56 may be of any suitable resilient material but is preferably of rubber and fabric similar to the material of which automobile tires are made. A plunger 5'7 within 1 the diaphragm is secured to the upper end of the diaphragm which constitutes, also, a weight member to assist in discharging the charge of water in the measuring device.

The extension of the diaphragm is limited by 1 an adjustable stop member 59 that may be raised or lowered by means of a bevel-gear 60 that'is screw-threaded thereto and a second bevel-gear 61 and a crank 62; The lower or open end of the diaphragm 56 communicates'with a passage 1 83 that is connected to the port 39 through a valve-controlled opening 64. A valve for controlling the opening 64 is adapted tobe actuated to its closed position by a lever 66 that engages the lower end of the valve rod. The other end 1 of the lever 66 engages a rod 6'7 that i controlled by the plunger5'7 whereby valve is closed when the plun er 57 is in its lower position.

The upper end of the'rod of the valve 65 is surrounded by a spring 68 acting to normally 1 maintain a closed position of the valve The rod of the valve 65 is adapted" to be engaged by an actuating lever 69 when the various parts of the filling head are in a position requiring the delivery'of charged water to a bottle. Movement 1 of the valve rod against the tension of the spring by said lever 69 will rock the lever 66 into the position shown in Fig. 5, so that downward movement of the weighted member 57 through the rod 67 will impart a return movement to the 66, 1. thus supplementing the action of the spring in closing the valve.

As will more fully appea hereinafter. unless a bottle is in a position to be filled, the lever 69 is maintained in a position where it cannot engage the rod of the valve 65, so that the actuation of this valve through this lever is prevented. As best shown in Fig. '2, the gas connections for the filling head comprise a valved gas conveyor 70 that is connected by flexible hose 71 to a 1 fin pipe 72 which is carried by a carriage 73 comprising a member 74 having two pairs of rollers 75, only one member of each pair being shown, which move in a curved guideway 76. A spring 77 normally maintains the carriage with the pipe 72 to the right of the position in which they are illustrated, Fig. 7.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, each unit 24 is provided with a projecting nozzle 73, having a normally closed valve 79, the nozzle being connected to the port 39 of the filling head. The nozzle 73 co-operates with the pipe 72 to establish a temporary connection of the filling head to a supply of gas, as will be later described.

The cam 50 carries on top thereof a projecting cam 81 which, when it is in its upper position, engages a pivotally mounted lever 82 to depress a valve rod 83 in the gas conveyor 70 to permit the flow of gas during such time as the pipe 72 is connected to the nozzle 78.

The cam 50 coacts also with an arm 84 that is connected to a pivotally mounted rod 85 that extends downwardly and carries at its lower end the lever 69 for controlling the water valve 25 65. The vertical position of the cam 50 determines the angular position of the arm 84 and the lever 69 whereby the latter is not in alinement with the stem of the water valve 65 unless i a bottle has caused the cam 50 to be lifted. A 30 spring 86 retracts the arm when the cam is lowered.

A feed-water valve 38, which controls the supply of water through an opening 89 of a tube 90 opening at 91 into the opening 64, is controlled by a rod 92 carried by the floating portion of the head. Water is supplied through these connections to refill the measuring diaphragm 56.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modification of the measuring device of Figs. 1 to 7. A cylinder 93 is provided with a port 94 at the bottom, through which the charged water enters and is discharged. A float 95 controls a valve 96 for an air-retreat pipe 97, through which air may escape when the cylinder 93 is being filled and through which air may enter from the filling head when the water is being discharged into the filling head and the bottle. The height of the float and, accordingly, the volume of the measuring device may be varied by suitably adjusting the height of the disk 98,

which carries the float 95, by suitably adjusting the height of the pipe 97.

A second modification is shown in Fig. 9, in which an inverted bell 99 and a stationary seal 100 constitute a measuring device of the gasometer type. The height to which the bell 99 may rise is varied by an adjusting screw 101. A pipe 102 is connected to the air-retreat line, as in the previous forms of measuring device.

A third modification is shown in Fig. 10, in which a cylinder 93 is provided with a stationary seal 103 and a floating piston 104. The space above the piston 104 communicates with an airretreat pipe 105. The height of the seal 103 may be varied by adjusting the height of the pipe 105. The lower end of the pipe constitutes an abutment for the floating piston 104.

A fourth modification of the measuring device is shown in Fig. 11, in which the cylinder 93 is provided with a mechanically actuated piston 106. An air-retreat pipe 107 is connected to .the cylinder above the piston 106, whereby the space above the latter is occupied by air and gas from the bottle as the piston is expelling the charged water. The volume of the measured charge may be varied by suitably adjusting the length of the stroke of the piston by any suitable or well-known means.

Reference may now be had to Figs. 12 and 13, in which the details of the syruper are illustrated. A base member 110, only an upper portion of which is shown, rigidly supports a vertical shaft 111, upon which is secured a stationary cam 112 having a continuous cam surface 113 of varying height. A sleeve 114 that is rotatably mounted on the shaft 111 and is rotated by means of a gear 115, carries a spider 116 for rotating the bottles or containers around the syruper, the usual stationary or bottle-retaining structure being omitted since it constitutes no part of the present invention.

Mounted upon the sleeve 114 and rotatably therewith is a hollow carriage 117, one part 118 of which extends around and above the cam 112 and beyond the upper end of the shaft 111. The carriage 117 carries upon its sides a plurality of syruper heads 119, six being shown by way of example.

Each syruper head 119 comprises a cylindrical casing 120 that is slidably mounted in a corresponding projection 121 of the carriage 117, whereby the height of the head may be controlled in accordance with the angular position of a roller 122 connected to the upper end of the casing 120 and operating on the cam surface 113.

Within the casing 120 is a measuring device 123 of characteristics similar to those of the measuring device 56 of the filling head previous ly described. The measuring device 123 is provided with a plunger 124 of suitable material that constitutes a weight member. The expansion of the device 123 and, accordingly, the volume of the charge of syrup contained therein is regulated by means of an adjusting screw 127, which engages the head of the bolt 126. A wing nut 128, provides means for varying the height of the screw 127.

The bottom of the casing 120 is provided with a base 130, which has an opening 131 through which syrup may enter and leave the device 123. A discharge tube 132, having a flaring mouthpiece 133 for engaging the bottle to be filled and that is slidably mounted in the base 130 carries an outlet valve 134. A spring 135 normally maintains the tube 132 and valve 134 in their lower positions, in which the valve is closed.

Syrup is supplied to the measuring device from a suitable source (not shown) through a stationary threaded fitting 137 having a floating connection to the supply pipe 138 of a distributer 139 that is connected to each of the several syruper heads by means of a flexible hose 140 and a valve-controlled passageway 141. The latter is controlled by an inlet valve 142 having a stem 143 that coacts with an adjustable stud 144 secured to the member 121 to control the position of the valve. A spring 145 maintains the valve closed when the spring is not compressed by the stud 144.

It may be assumed that the filling machine of Fig. l is being driven through the gear 20 by an electric motor, for example, that may be mounted on the top cover plate 4. It may be assumed also that the syruper of Figs. 12 and 13 is driven through the gear 115 which is preferably connected to the filling machine in order that their operations may be conveniently syn chronized.

Bottles are supplied to the syruper in theusual manner and they are rotated around the syruper able portion of the filling head to compress'the cams 50 and 81.

by the spider 116 to receive their respective charges of syrup. The cycle for one bottle will be. described, it being understood that the bottles follow successively through the various stages of operation.

The bottle enters the syruper at a point where the corresponding syruper head is in its upper position and the measuring device carries a charge of syrup, as illustrated in Fig. 13; The inlet valve 142 is open and the outlet'valve 134 is closed. Asthe bottle and head revolve, the roller 122 follows the cam surface 113 downwardly and the head descends to engage the mouth piece 133 with the top of the bottle. The movement of the head first separates the inlet valve 142 from the stud 144and permits the spring 145 to close the valve.

Further downward movement of the head, the mouth piece remaining stationary, causes the outlet valve 134 to be opened and the measuring device of the syruper to be discharged by gravity, the weight of the syrup and the measuring device 123 causing the charge of syrup to enter the bottle relatively rapidly. The head then rises topermit the outlet valve 134 to be closed by the weight of the tube 132 and the force of the spring 135. The inlet valve 142 is opened when its stem is engaged by the stud 144. The measuring device is then filled through its connections from the supply source before the head begins its succeeding descent for the next bottle.

In the meantime, the bottle "with its charge .of syrup has been transferred by any suitable or usual automatic means, such as a transfer turret, to the filling machine.

The bottle enters the filling machine at a point in which the corresponding bottle lift 15 and filling head occupy the respective positions shown on the left of Fig. 1. The bottle lift 15 is immediately raised by its corresponding roller 17 to insert the bottle top into the filling head and force a crown 147, previously fed from a hopper 148, upwardly into the crowning head. When the crown engages the cap plunger 47, the latter is pushed upwardly, carrying with it the The cork insert of the crown acts as a cushion for the top of the bottle and minimizes breakage of the latter during the compensating operation. The crown is retained in position the crowning head by any usual or suitable means such as pawls (not shown).

When the plunger has reached its upper limit, the bottle and the bottle lift 15 remain at the same level, but the roller 1'? continues to elevate the portion of the compensating mechanism 16 connected to it, causing the usual frictionally engaging members of the compensating mechanism to adjust their relative positions to correspond to the height of the bottle. The serrated wedge pieces 149 of the compensating mechanism then engage and the bottle lift is locked relatively to the roller 1'7. The details of the compensating mechanism are not illustrated or described, since they constitute no part of the present invention.

The bottle is then lowered to filling position, in which the top of the bottle is in an intermediate position in the sealing ring. Immediately thereafter, the mouth of the bottle is sealed from the atmosphere by the descent of the slidsealing ring 31 and cause it to firmly grasp the bottle top, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In addition, the gaskets or packing glands between the sleeves 44 and45 and the base 30 are tightly compressed cesses 151 and the left-hand rollers to operate as a cam to cause the carriage to move inwardly to tightly compress a sealing washer 152 and thereby establish a gas-tight connection or hermetic seal between the pipe '72 and nozzle 78.

The stem 83 is thereupon depressed momentarily to openthe valve in the gas conveyor 70' and the carriage is rotated to the left in the guideway 76 until the rollers '75 register with the corresponding recesses 151. The tension of the spring '77 and the inclined surfaces of the hook 150 and'nozzle 78 cause the rollers 75 to enter recesses 151 by depressing yielding plungers 153 therein,-whereupon the nozzle '78 passes over the hook 150 and the spring 77 returns the carriage to the right of its illustrated position in readiness for the next filling head. The yielding plungers 153 normally maintain the carriage in such position that the nozzle 78 will engage the hook 150 but will yield to permit their disengagement as just described or, in case the machine is rotated backwardly, to permit the nozzle to pass over the hook 150 without damage. The inclined portions of the hook 150 are those of the conical outer end of the hook, as shown in Fig. 7, and that engage corresponding portions of the nozzle 78, also as shown in the same View.

The momentary connections just described have caused carbonic gas, under pressure, to be injected into the bottle through the nozzle 78, port 39, opening 38 and ports 37. The gas enters with a swirling motion to entirely displace the air in the lower portion of the bottle and to establish a relatively high fluid pressure in the bottle and in the air-retreat line comprising the tubes 52 and 53, the flexible pipe 54 and the interior of the casing 55. Also, the initial charge of carbonic acid gas sterilizes the interior of the bottle.

The charge of gas is followed at once by the charged water contained in the measuring device 56. 47 caused the arm 84 to be turned to adjust the lever 69 directly over the stem 68 of the valve 65, which is closed. At the instant that the gas supply is cut off, the moving lever 69 momentarily engages a stationary cam 6911 (Fig. 6) and the valve 65 is opened. Water containing gas under considerable pressure then flows from the measuring device through the openings 63 and 64, port 39, space 38 and ports 37 into the bottle.

The water flows freely as if under ordinary atmospheric conditions because of its weight and that of the measuring device and by reason of the fact that the pressure on the exterior of the measuring device 56 equals that at the bottom of the measuring device and in the bottle, since the gas displaced by the water passes through the airretreat line into the cylinder 55 in the space above the measuring device. In other words, the connections just mentioned constitute a closed loop in which the pressure does not change and in The lifting of the cam 50 by the cap plunger which fluids may flow freely because there is no counter-pressure to overcome. The gas in the bottle displaced by the water does not, however, come in contact with the supply of water in the measuring device or with the interior of the latter.

The water enters the bottle tangentially of the sides of the bottle with a swirling motion by reason of the inclined ports 37 thereby permitting the gas or air to emerge freely from the center of the bottle into the air-retreat line. Since the pressure in the closed loop does not change, the water flows into the bottle rapidly and at a substantially uniform rate, the time of emptying the measuring device being materially shorter than in the arrangement in which an increasing counter-pressure was encountered by the incoming water. In addition, the resulting mixture of syrup and water is uniform because accurately measured quantities of each are provided.

During the filling operation, the water is entering a space under a pressure equal to that of the supply tank. Accordingly, there is no tendency for the gas in the water to be liberated as would be the case if the water entered a space of lower pressure.

When the measuring device is empty and as the plunger 57 reaches its lowermost position, the latter actuates the rod 67 downwardly to rock the lever 66 to close the water valve 65. These parts are now in the positions illustrated in Fig. 3. The space above the liquid in the bottle is occupied by carbonic acid gas.

As soon as the flow of water ceases, the bottle lift again rises to raise the bottle top into the crowning head the proper distance where the crown 147 of the usual metal and cork insert type is affixed to the bottle top to seal the bottle.

The movable portion of the filling head is then lifted to release the sealing ring to free the bottle and the bottle lift is lowered to remove the neck of the bottle from the filling head, the spring 51 and the cap plunger 47, the rod 48 of which at that instant engages a stationary cam (not shown), aiding this action. The release of the bottle relieves the air-retreat line of pressure therein.

The upward movement of the filling head portion causes the rod 92 to open the valve 88 to refill the measuring device 56 through the connected openings 89 and 90 and passageway 63, the valve being in its upper position to prevent escape of the water through the filling head. The valve 88 is closed when the head descends to fill the next bottle.

Fne bottle slide has now returned to its orig inal position flush with the surface of the bottle carrier, whereby the bottle may be removed from the machine by any usual automatic means. The compensating mechanism is unlocked and the bottle carriage is ready for another bottle on the bottle lift.

Crowns are fed to the crowning heads through a slot 155 therein by means of a gravity-fed chute 156, connected to the hopper 148. The crowns are supplied substantially immediately after the bottle has been withdrawn fom the crowning and filling heads.

The cycle of operations described above is re peated for each bottle, the operation of the machine being continuous and the several bottles in the machine being in successive stages at any given instant.

In case no bottle is supplied to the bottle lift corresponding to any filling unit or in case of breakage of the bottle before the crown is positioned, the vertical reciprocation of the bottle lift and of the filling head has no effect on initiating the supplying of gas and water to the filling head, as will be readily understood. When no bottle is on the bottle lift, the crown and the cap plunger 4'7 are not raised andthe cam 50 and the cam 81 remain in their lowermost positions.

The result is that the cam 81 is below the gas valve controller 82 and the cam passes beneath it without opening the valve in the conveyor 70. Also, since the arm 84 has not been moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, to place the lever 69 in alinement with the stem of valve 65, the operation of the lever 69 by its coacting stationary cam has no efiect and the valve 65 remains closed to retain the water in the measuring device.

Accordingly, there is no loss of gas or water with its attendant waste or inconvenience.

The use of the crown and particularly the cork insert thereof to cushion the impact of the bottle top or distribute the stress thereon when the bot tle lift rises to compensate for the height of the bottle greatly diminishes breakage or chipping of the bottles.

The cam-and-carriage mechanism constitutes an extremely simple and efficient means for successively momentarily connecting the source of supply of gas successively to the several filling units as they pass in sequence a predetermined portion of their path.

The filling machine shown and described herein is capable of being operated at a much higher speed than those of the prior art by reason of the removal of the limiting factor of the time required to supply the bottle with water. Since the rate of fiow of water from the measuring device is substantially uniform until the device is empty, the time required is greatly diminished. This result has been brought about by providing an air-retreat line which equalizes the pressures on the measuring device whereby the pres sure in the closed loop is substantially constant while the water is flowing into the bottle.

This feature is an important advance over the prior art in which the inflowing water met an increasing back pressure which diminished its flow and finally caused it to cease when the pressures were balanced.

The measuring device, which insures a uniform product, both as to quantity and quality, by reason of the accurately measured quantities of both syrup and liquid, is of extremely durable material and has a long life without replacement. Its construction enables it to readily expand and collapse without appreciable force being necessary because of the absence of frictionally-engaging parts.

When the measuring device is used for syrup, the liquid does not evaporate because no air is present in the measuring device when empty and the walls of the latter do not become gummy, as in the ordinary devices of the prior art. In addition, the exclusion of air prevents bacterial action which may cause loss of the contents of the bottles.

The initial injection of gas not only sterilizes the bottles but removes the air whereby only gas remains above the liquid in the finished prod uct. Breakage from so-called top pressure is diminished because of increased temperature, since the greater the pressure, the greater the quantity of gas that may be absorbed by the liquid. Pressures are, therefore, lower than if air were present.

The maintaining of the pressure in the bottle equal tothatof the supply tank for liquid prevents the loss from the water of considerable of the gas carried thereby, since the amount it will retain diminishes with the pressure. p

The prevention'of contact between the air and gas displaced successively from the bottlebeing filled and the. supply of water prevents any possible contamination-of the water supply before it enters the bottles.

I- claim as my invention:

1. In a filling machine, the combination with a rotatable unit comprising a measuring device having a flexible diaphragm, a weighted plunger within and secured to the upper end of said diaphragm, said diaphragm being secured at one portion and biased to its collapsed position and adjustablemeans for limiting its expansion to control the quantity of material that may be received thereby, of means for connecting said device to a container and valve means governed by the movement of said unit for controlling the connection'oi said device and said container.

'2. in a filling machine, measuring device for liquid comprising an expansible enclosing member biased to its collapsed position, means for limiting the expansion of said member in ELCCGlSd-r ance \vith'the capacity of the containers to be filled and means forconnecting both the interior and the exterior of said enclosing member to a container to be filled whereby .a transfer of the respective gaseous contents of said container and the liquid contents of said measuring device may be effected.

3. In a filling machine, a rotary portion comprising a plurality of filling units, stationary means for supplying fiuid under pressure. and means i'orautomatically and successively connecting said fluid supply to said filling units, said means comprising a device having a passageway therethrough and that oscillates synchronously with'said units in operative connection thereto, and means for controlling the connection and disconnection of said device.

4. In a filling machine, a rotary portion comprising a plurality of filling units, stationary means for supplyingfiuid under pressure, means for automatically and successively connecting said fiuid supply means to said filling units, said connecting means comprising a reciprocable device permanently connected to said stationary supply and means connected to the several filling units for successively engaging said device temporarily,

5. Ina filling machine, a rotary portion comprising a plurality of filling units, stationary means for supplying fluid under pressure, means ior automatically and successively connecting said fluid supply means to said filling units, said connecting means comprising a movable member having a flexible connection to said'fi'uid supply, and means connected to each of said filling units for engaging said member to move the latter temporarily with each of the several filling units in operative connection thereto.

6. In a filling machine, a rotary portion comprising a plurality of filling units, stationary means for supplying fluid under pressure, a single device for successively connecting said fiuid supply means to the several filling units, said device having a normal position out of connection to said units but adapted to be engaged thereby and to be hermetically sealed thereto upon initial movement therewith and means carried by said filling units for engaging said device effecting. hermetically sealed connection thereto.

'7. In a filling'rnachine, a rotary portion comprising a pluralityof filling units, stationary means for supplying fiuid under pressure, a single device for successively connecting said fiuid supply means to the several filling units, means connected to each of said units for successively engaging said device to move the latter a predetermined distance and for thereupon releasing it, and means for returning said device to its normal position.

, 8.. In a filling machine, a plurality of movable filling units, a stationary source of fiuid, means for connecting said source successively to said units, said means comprising a movable member adapted to be engaged by each of said units whereupon it is actuated by cam action into fluid-tight engagement therewith, cam means for eiiecting such engagement, means comprising a recessed guideway for releasing said movable member and means for biasing the latter to its normal position. I

9. In a filling machine, the combination with a plurality of movable filling units and a stationary conduit for fluid under pressure, of means for connecting said conduit to said units in sequence for a predetermined. portion of their path of travel, said means comprising a nozzle on each ofsaid units. a guideway for said device having recesses therein, said device having rollers for coacting with said guideway whereby in a certain position said nozzle will engage said device and certain of said recesses act as cam surfaces to effect fluid-tight engagement between device and said nozzle and in another position, said device enters certain of said recesses to be disengaged from said nozzle, yielding devices in certain of said recesses, and a fiexible connection between said conduit and said movable device.

it. A filling machine embodying therein a filling head, a measuring device comprising a casing and an expansible member the top of which is positioned intermediate the top and bottom of said casing, a valve controlled connection leading from adjacent the bottom of said exansiblc member to said filling head, a valve corttrolledconnection between a source of supply of liquid under pressure and a point adjacent the bottom of said expansible member, means limiting the amount of expansion of said member, and actuating means for the valves of said connections respectively, whereby liquid under pressure is alternately delivered to and discharged from said measuring device during each cycle of operationsof the machine.

11. A filling machine embodying therein a measuring device, a filling head, a support for a container, a connection between measu device and said filling head, a valve controlling said connection, actuating means for said valve normally out of operative relation thereto, means carried by said filling head for positioning s valve actuating-means in operative relation to the valve, means delivering a-cushion containing closure cap to said filling head adjacent said means operative upon the valve actuating means, and means engaging a container upon said support with said cap.

12. A filling machine embodying therein a measuring device, a filling head, a support for a container, a connection between said measuring device and said filling head, a valve controlling said connection, actuating means for said valve normally out of operative relation thereto, a reciprocatory member carried by said filling head and operative upon said valve actuating means, means delivering a cushion containing closure cap adjacent said reciprocatory member, and means imparting relative movement to said support and said filling head, whereby a container imparts movement to said reciprocatory member through said cap.

13. A filling machine embodying therein chamber forming means, a collapsible measuring device therein carrying a member intermediate the top and bottom of said chamber forming means, means intermittently supplying said device below said movable memberrwith liquid under pressure, a filling head, means intermittently connesting the lower part of said measuring device with said filling head, means whereby when said measuring device is being filled the connection between same and said filling head is interrupted, and when said measuring device is connected with said filling head the supply of liquid to said measuring device is interrupted, and connections between said filling head and the upper portion of said chamber forming means above said movable member, whereby fluid displaced from a container is conveyed to said chamber forming means to aid in causing collapse of said measuring device and a uniform rate of flow of liquid therefrom to said filling head.

AMOS CALLESON.

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