US2528644A - Bottle filling machine - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 7, 1950 J E, DUNN 2,528,644

' BOTTLE FlLLING MACHINE Filed Nv. 1946 F .I E' 5 /UEEPHE DUNN Ig .g

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Joseph E. Dunn, Imperial, Pa., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Crown Cork & Seal Compan Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New Yo Application November 9, 1946, serial No. 708,8

This invention relates generally to bottle filling machines and has for van object to produce such a machine capable oi' being employed for the iilling of bottles of vmaterially different sizes and capable of being readily conditioned to receive and fill bottles of materially diil'erent sizes.

A further object is to provide a bottle filling machine wherein the liquid-containing tank thereof is adjustable to different positions to accommodate bottle lling operations where different numbers of bottle illling nozzles are employed in such operations. f

A further object is to produce a bottle filling machine so constructed and arranged that it may be readily and quickly iitted and adjusted to accomplish a bottle filling operation Where all or only a part of the liquid dispensing apertures are employed in such operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of apparatus suchas is illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmental, perspective view of a bottle lling machine embodying my invention and iitted to receive and ll bottles having body portions of large diameter or girth.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II- IZI of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmental, perspective view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 but tted to receive and iill a large number of bottles having body portions of substantially smaller diameter or girth than those shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV- IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmental and partial sectional View along the line V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmental sectional view along the line VI-VI of Figure 2.

The machine generally illustrated in the drawings is one of the type in which the liquid-dispensing tank is located above and immediately over a plurality of bottle-supporting trays, which are movable vertically toward and away from the tank. Bottles are loaded onto the trays while they are in their lowermost position. Each tray is then lifted to an elevated position in which it holds the bottle carried by it in cooperative relation with a filling nozzle communicating with the tank and which is rendered operative as a dispensing agent by the upward movement of such bottle. After the bottle is filled, the tray is lowered, thus releasing the bottle from its cooperative engagement with the nozzle and, also, clos- :lng the nozzle against further ilow of liquid from 4 Claims. (Cl. 226-96) /A the tank. The bottles or containers are then removed or unloaded from the tray while it is in the lowered position.

In the bottle filling machines described, and such as are here involved, the tank and trays rotate together and under conditions such that the rotation moves the trays rst to a loading position and then to an unloading position. As

previously noted, each tra'y is in its lowermost position, at the time of both loading and unloady ing. It, therefore, moves upwardly and into cooperative relation with a filling nozzle carried by the tank as it 'moves with the tank from the loading position to the unloading position.v

My invention involves such a machinein which each bottle-supporting tray is so constructed and arranged that it may be equipped with either a single bottle-positioning bracket or a plurality of such brackets. Likewise, the liquid dispensing tank of the machine embodying my invention is provided with a plurality of liquid-dispensing apertures, each of which is adapted to separately receive either a liquid-dispensing nozzle or a closing plug. The number of apertures provided in the tank is a multiple of the number of trays with which the machine is provided and the arrangement is such that the tank may be tted with as many liquid-dispensing nozzles as there are bottle-positioning brackets on the trays. In addition, the relative position of the tank and the trays can be so adjustedthat each bottle carried by and positioned on a tray can be accurately aligned with a nozzle fitting to the tank.

As illustrated, the machine is provided with a frame or base of usual form and which, for simplicity of illustration, is not shown. It is, however, noted that the base or frame is surrounded by a housing 1, supports, a central standard 8 and includes a table 9 which is provided with a central apertured boss I0 which surrounds and constitutes a stay or support for the standard 8.

The table 9 is also provided with a plurality of bosses II, each of which is apertured and forms a guide for a separate rod I2 which extends through the aperture thereof and carries a bottlesupporting tray I3.

The standard 8 is shown as provided with a flat, table-like flange I4 on which a liquid-dispensing receptacle or tank I5 is mounted. In the machine illustrated, the tank I5 is substantially cylindrical, its bottom rests on the ange I4 and is secured thereto by nut and bolt assemblies I6 which are carried by the bottom of the tank and each of which extends through an elongated arcshaped slot Il formed in the flange Il. The

and the tank. The tank is shown as provided with a cover Ia.

As illustrated, the bottom of the tank is provided with a pluralityof liquid-dispensing apertures I8 which are equally spaced in a circular .series adjacent the cylindrical wall of the tank.

Each of these apertures is adapted to be fitted with a liquid-delivery nozzle I9, such, for example, as the nozzle illustrated and defined in Dunn Patent 1,793,684 of February 24, 1931. For this reason, each aperture is tapped to receive a plug member forming a part of the nozzle. In Figure 6, I have shown one such aperture provided with a composite plug 20, employed for the purpose of closing the aperture I8 therev illustrated.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the tank I5 is provided with twice as many apertures I8 as the machine has trays I3. It will, therefore, beV apparent that the tank may be equipped with either one or more nozzles for each tray, depending upon the number of bottlepositioning brackets carried by each tray. By properly positioning each such bracket on its carrying tray and then by adjusting the relative position of the tank with relation to the trays, it is possible to accurately align each bottle carried by a tray with one of the nozzles I9 fitted to the tank l5.

A reference to Figures l and 2 will disclose that the tank I5 is so positioned on the standard 8 that alternate apertures I8 are located immediately above and in approximately central relationship with one of the trays I3. aperture is equipped with a nozzle I9.' whereas the intermediate apertures are closed by plugs 20. It will also be noted that in Figures 3 and 4 the tank is illustrated as so positioned that the two apertures are located above each tray I3 and all of the apertures I8 of the series are equipped with bottle lling nozzles I9. Such positioning of the tank and its liquid-delivery apertures is made possible by reason of the adjustable connection between the tank and the table-like ange I4 of the standard 8. That vis to say, the nut and bolt assembly IS in cooperation with the arc-shaped slots Il, make it possible to secure the tank in adjusted positions so that all of the apertures I8 may function as bottle-filling apertures or alternate apertures only may function in that way.

In bottle lling machines, such as here illustrated, it is essential to accurately position each bottle on its supporting tray so that it will eiectively cooperate with a filling nozzle. A misalignj ment of the mouth of the bottle with the spout of ythe nozzle may not only break the bottle but injure the. nozzle. For this reason, each tray I3 is provided with means for securing one or more positioning brackets 2| in place thereon. As shown in both Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, each tray is provided with three substantially radially extending slots 22, each of which is adapted to cooperate with a nut and bolt assembly 23 in securing a bracket 2|' in place.

As will be apparent, the brackets 2| are readily replaceable. A special form of bracket will be provided to accommodate the different sized bottles and the radial slots 22 make it possible to readily and quickly interchange brackets and adjust their positions across the face of their carrying trays so as to accurately position the bottles on the trays. In Figures 1 and 2, the central slot 22 of each tray is employed in .securing the Each such 4 brackets 2| in place. Whereas, in Figures 2 and 4 each tray carries two brackets 2l and those brackets are secured in place by the cooperation of the outer slots 22.

The nozzles I9 are also interchangeable and' readily replaceable. As stated, all of the liquid- `dispensing apertures I8 may be equipped with nozzles or only a part thereof may be so equipped, while the remainder are plugged and inactive. For this reason, it is essential to employ adjustable means such that each nozzle employed during a bottle lling operation, will effectively cooperate with one bottle carried by a bottle-supporting element,

The operation of vlling the bottles by a machine, such as here illustrated, involves the preliminary adjustment of the tank and the fitting of some or all of the apertures I8 with bottle-filling nozzles I9, depending upon whether or not each tray is to support. a single bottle during each filling operation, as shown in Figure 1, or a plurality of bottles, as shown in Figure 3. Depending upon the size or girth of the bottles, one or two are loaded on each tray as. the initial step in a bottle lling operation. The loaded tray is then moved upwardly so that the neck of each bottle carried by it enters a nozzle, receives the liquiddelivery spout of the nozz.e and cooperates with the nozzle to control the iiow of liquid therethrough from the tank I5.

From the standpoint of the present invention, the procedure for loading the trays and the mechanisms for raising and lowering the same are not important. It, therefore, may be noted that the tank I5, the standard 8 on which it is mounted, together with the trays I3, may rotate about the axis of the standard during the operation or" loading bottles on the trays, illing the same and removing the bottles from the trays. Likewise, each tray may move up and down during this rotation and thus accommodate the loading of the trays, the filling of the bottles and the unloading of the trays. My present invention, however, contemplates equipping such a machine so that each tray may receive one or more bottles. and effectively cooperate with filling nozzles car- Throughout the foregoing description I have used the term bottle in the board sense, i. e.,

-to means a container of any type, independently of how classed or designated by the trade. Likewise, the term bottle filling machine is vused in the broad sense, i. e., to include all container filling machines,v independently of the type of containers served. These terms are also used in their broad sense inclaims appended hereto and defining my invention. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various additions, omissions, substitutions and changes may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A bottle lling machine including a base, a tank element rotatable on said base about a vertical axis and having a plurality of liquid.v

5 cumferentially of said table element to support two bottles having their axes spaced circumferentially of said table element, said tank element being provided with a pair of liquid delivery apertures for each tray, bottle filling nozzles selectively operable in the tank element apertures, one of said elements being adjustable circumferentially of said vertical axis to p osition each of alternate filling nozzles in vertical alignment with a point centered circumferentially oi' a l tray relative to the path of rotation of said table element, or to Iposition adjacent lling nozzles in vertical alignment with two points on a tray equidistant from said centered point and along said path of rotation of said table element.

2. A bottle filling machine of the character described in claim 1 wherein the tank element is adjustable circumferentially of said vertical axis.

6 3. A bottle filling machine of the character described in claim 1 wherein said filling nozzles are removably mounted in said tank. 4. A bottle lling machine of the character described in claim 1 including means to support bottles at all of said points on said trays.

JOSEPH E. DUNN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS l5 Number Name'` Date 833,365 Hastin OCL. 16, 1906 849,735 Heulings Apr. 9, 1907 2,107,474 Everett Feb. 8, 1938

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