US1993367A - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1935. J, E E 1,993,367

FILLING MACHINE Filed Jan.- 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; I 25 42 42 X W I TNESSES Filed Jan. I3, 1932 I 2 SheetS Sh'eet ,2

E ivd INVENTOR. WITNESSES E Jk 1 2yer,a?ce6ed' A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT omen 1,993,367 V FILLING MACHINE John F. Geyer, deceased, late Pa., by Blanche M. Gever,

'01 Willow Grove, executrlx, Willow Grove, Pa., aaaignor to The Filler Machine Company, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 13, 1932. Serial No. scams" 2 Claims. "(01. 220-101) This invention relates to machines for filling jars, bottles and like receptacles with fluent materials such, for. example, as condiments or preserves in liquid or semi-liquid form. More particularly, this invention has reference to filling machines of the type disclosed in U. S. Reissue Patent No. 15,460 granted to John F. Geyer, September 26, 1922.

In connection with filling machines of the kind specifically referred to, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved valve mechanism to control the inlet and discharge ports of the cylinders relied upon for measuring the charges of material which are to be introduced into the receptacles in phase relation to the movement of the displacing pistons or plungers operating in the said cylinders.

This invention is also directed toward provision of means for preventing turbulence of the material incident to discharge of the measured quantities thereof into the receptacles, thereby to preclude aeration such as would be likely to affect the keeping qualities of the material, as well as splash and spillage thereof from the receptacles.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein Fig. I shows a longitudinal sectional view of a filling machine conveniently embodying the present improvements.

Fig. II is a fragmentary view partly in end elevation and partlyin cross section, taken as indicated by the arrows 1III in Fig. I.

Figs. III and IV are views corresponding to Figs. I and II, showing the parts .of the machine indifferent positions; and,

Fig. V is a perspective view of one of the valves 40 embodied in the measuring mechanism of the machine.

As herein illustrated, the improved filling ma-' chine comprises a supply hopper 10 for the fluent material M which is to be dispensed, the said hopper being supported crosswise of the tops of a pair of spaced side frames 11, see Fig. II. The hopper 10 is of the downward convergent type, and in this instance provided with a bottom outlet 12 which is common to the upper inlet ports '9 13 of apair of measuring cylinders 14, extending lengthwise of the machine within the. interval between the frames 11. As shown, the cylinders 14 are separately made and bolted to the bottom of the hopper 10. In direct vertical alignment with the inlet port 13 the measuring cylinders 14 have lower part of the machine. This shaft 26 constibottom outlet ports 15 with depending elongate discharge nipples 16. Reciprocative in the open ends of the cylinders 14, are displacing pistons or plungers 17, which, on their suction strokes .(leftward in Fig. I) serve to draw in measured quantitles or charges of the material M from the hope per through the upper inlet ports 13 of the said cylinders, and, which, on their pressure strokes (rightward in Fig. 111), expel the measured quantities of the material through the outlet ports and the discharge nipples 16. The plungers 1'7 are actuated in unison by the means about to be described: Journaled in up-' wardly curved bracket arms 18 of the side frames 11 of'the machine, is a crosswiseshaft 19 whereto 15 are secured a pair of depending arms 20. By means of horizontal links 21 these arms are coupled with a cross bar 22 joining the ends of axial rod extensions 17a of the plungers 17. Rocking movement is imparted to the shaft '19. through the medium of another attached arm 23 which is coupled, by a rod link 24, with a crank pin 25' on a transverse shaft 26 journaled in the tutes the main shaft of the machine, and it may be driven by belt orotherwise from any suitable source of power, not illustrated. A hand screw 27 at-the upper yoked end 24a of the link 24 permits a regulatable amount of lost motionbetween the said link and the arm 23 on the rock shaft 19. Accordingly, by adjusting the hand screw 2'7 the quantity of material M drawn from the hopper- 10 may be varied as desired.

To coact with the displacing plungers 1'7, there are provided rotary valves 28 which are coaxially lodged within the right hand ends of the measuring cylinders 14, one of the said valves being illustrated in perspective in Fig. V. As shown, the valves 28 are of a diameter to fit the bores of the cylinders 14, and formed, inward of solid portions 280, with hollows 28b which are open toward the plungers 17 as shown in Figs. I and III, and which are provided with longitudinal cut-outs extending from said solid portions 28a to their free ends to define lateral ports 29. During oscillation of the valves 28 as hereinafter noted, the ports 29 are brought into registry alternately with inlet ports 13 and outlet ports 15 of the cylinders 14 in proper phase relation with the reciprocatcry movements of the displacing plungers 17. As shown in Figs. I and III, the valves 28 are retained by cover caps 30 secured over the corresponding ends of the measuring cylinders 14; and said valves are moreover formed with diametrically reduced axial trunnion extensions 280 which projectthrough the caps 30 and afford attachment respectively for spur pinions 31.

The actuating mechanism for the valves 23 includes, in addition to the pinions 31 a toothed rack bar 32 to mesh with the pinions 31, the said bar being guided for endwise reciprocation transversely of the machine, in the side frames 11. Such movement is imparted to the rack bar 32 by a vertical lever 33 with fulcrum support intermediate its ends on a bracket 34 reaching outward from one of the side frames 11, see Figs. II and IV. At its lower end, the lever 33 is fitted with a roller 35 which is confined to the circumferential groove of a cam drum 36 fast on one end of the main shaft 26. As a consequence of the provisions just described, the valves 28 are oscillated through an angle of substantially ninety degrees, from the position shown in FigrII to that shown in Fig. IV and vice versa.

The receptacles R, which are to receive the charges of material M expressed through the discharge nipples 16 from the measuring cylinders 14, are progressed in pairs in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. I, by an intermittently moving conveyor 33, along a table 39 extending longitudinally of the machine between the side frames 11 at a level below the hopper 10. As shown, the table 39 rests on spaced beams 40 which extend crosswise between supporting angle bars 41, and which are secured to the side frames 11 with capacity for vertical adjustment, by means of clamp bolts 42. The conveyor 38 consists, in this instance, of a pair of laterally-spaced sprocket chains 38a which carry between them, at uniformly spaced distances, cross rods 38b adapted to engage the receptacles R. As shown the chains 38a are trained about sprocket wheels 43 whereof the shafts 44 are joumaled in brackets 45 at opposite ends of the table supporting angle bars 41, so that, incident to vertical adjustment of the table 39, the conveyor 38 is carried with them. Idlers 48 serve to absorb the slack of the sprocket chains 38. the shaft 4'7 for the add mere being vertically adjustable in slots 48 of the frames 11, by appropriate means. not illustrated, to suit the vertical regulation of the table 39. The mechanism for intermittently progressing the conveyor 38 may be of the same character as that shown in the patent hereinbefore referred to and has therefore been omitted from the drawings.

Under the action of the conveyor 38, the receptacles R placed in pairs upon the right hand end (Fig. I) of the table 39 are successively ad'- vanced into the position beneath the nozzles 18. at which region the said receptacles are raised by an elevator 50 movable up and down through an opening 51 centrally of the table 39. As shown, the elevator 50 has a depending portion 50a. confined between a pair of vertical guides 52 which are bolted or otherwise secured. to the two intermediate table supporting cross beams of the series 40. The depending portion 50a oi' the elevator 50-is slotted as at 53 to clear the main shaft 28 and fitted, at its lower end, with a roller 54 which is adapted to be influenced by a rotary cam 55 on the said shaft. The action of the cam 55 is in opposition to a weight 58 hung from one end of ail'ever 57 which is fulorumed to rock on a cross rod 58 extending between the frames 11, and whereof the other end is pivotally connected at 59 to the dep ndins portion 50a of the elevator 50.

The operation of the machine is as follows: As the plungers 1'7 are about to move leftward in Fig. I on their suction stroke, the valves 28' are rotated to the position shown in Figs. III and IV, thereby closing the outlet ports 15 and opening the ports 13 to permit material M to be drawn from the hopper 10 into the cylinders 14, it being understood that the mechanisms whereby the plungers 1'7 and/the valves 28 are actuated from the shaft 26 are so timed as to bring about the concerted action Just described. Immediately upon completion of the outward or suction stroke of the pistons 1'7 the valves- 28 are rotated from the positions shown in Figs. III and IV back to the positions shown in Figs. I and II, thereby closing the inlet ports 13 and opening the outlet ports 15 of the cylinders 14. Thus incident to forward movement of the plungers 17 from the position of Fig. III to the position of Fig. I the charge of the material M previously drawn into the cylinders 14 is expelled downward through the discharge nozzles 16 into the awaiting receptacles R on the elevator 50,

in Fig. 111 during the suction stroke of the plungers 17 so that the nozzles 16 are at this time within the receptacles R. During discharge of the material M through the nozzles 16, the elevator 50 is gradually lowered under the infiuence of the cam 55 and in opposition to the weights 58 until the said elevator is returned to its normal position flush with the top of the table 39, as shown in Fig. I. By such operation of the elevator 50. the receptacles R are caused to recede at such a rate incident to filling so that the ends of the nozzles 18 are maintained slightly below the constantly changing level of the material M in the receptacles R, with consequent preclusion of turbulence likely to be attended with splash or spillage. Upon descent of the elevator 50,.the filled pair of receptacles R is advanced along the table 39 by the next movement of the conveyor 33 and replaced on the elevator 50 by the succeeding pair of empty receptacles R. Such movement of the conveyor 38 occurs, of course, concurrently with the outward or suction stroke of the plungers 17.

Through the provisions made for vertical ad- Justment of the table 39 the'machine may be adapted to receptacles R of different heights and capacities exactly as set forth in the patent. supra; while the adjustment at 2'7 permits variation in the throw or movement of the plungers 1'7 to predetermine the quantity in the unit charges drawn into the measuring cylinders 14 from the hopper 10.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: I

1. In a filling machine the combination of a supply hopper with a subiacent measuring cylin-' der having directly-aligned'inlet and outlet openings, a reciprocatory displacing plunger in said cylinder, a rotary valve axially within one end of said cylinder, said valve embodying a solid portion having a hollow extension open towards the plunger, said extension ha ing a longitudinal cut-out defining a coextensive lateral port, and gear mechanism whereby said valve is rotated to alternately move the lateral port into registry with the cylinder inlet and outlet openings in proper phase relation with the reciprocatory movements of the displacing plunger.

2. In a filling machine the combination of a supply hopper with a plurality of subjacent measuring horizontal cylinders having vertically aligned inlet and outlet openings, a reciprocatory displacing plunger in each cylinder, means coupling saidplunge'rs for simultaneous movement, individual rotary valves within and at one end of the respective cylinders, each said valve embodying a solid portion having a hollow extension open towards the plunger and a longitudinal cut-out defining a coextensive port in such extension, and rack and pinion means whereby said valves are concurrentlyrotated through substantially 90 to alternately move the longitudinal ports into registry with the respective cylinder inlet and outlet openings in proper phase relation with the reciprocatory movement oi the n a s p unsers.

BLANCH! M. GEYER,

Eccentric o! the Estate of John' F. Geyer. De-

ceased.

Images