US3311140A

US3311140A - Container filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3311140A
Application number: US409214A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harley R Hughes
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 1964-11-05
Filing date: 1964-11-05
Publication date: 1967-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-28

Description

March 28, 1967 H. R. HUGHES 3,311,140

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, .1964 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES BYMMQZM ATTORNEYS March 28, 1967 Filed Nov. 5, 1964 H. R. HUGHES CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES QMMQQM ATTORNEYS March 28, 1967 H. R. HUGHES 3,311,140

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1964 FIGS.

INVENTOR HARLEY R HUGHES ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,311,140 CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Harley R. Hughes, Summit, N..I., assignor to Colgate- Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 409,214 1 Claims. (Cl. 141-444) This invention relates to the filling of successive moving containers with premeasured amounts of a fluent material and is particularly concerned with special simplified apparatus for the purpose wherein hitherto required complex mechanism for valving and otherwise controlling the handling of such material is no longer needed.

The invention in its preferred embodiment will be described as incorporated in and practiced using automatic apparatus for the filling of successive containers that are continually moved into and out of the filling station of the apparatus. Apparatus of this general type has long been known in which dry particulate or granular fluent material from a supply enters a series of measuring flasks on a rotating turntable, and the measured volumes of material are discharged from filled flasks into associated containers moving at the same speed with the measuring flasks, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent to Nalbach No. 2,849,033, for example.

Known apparatus of this type usually embodies arrangements for adjustment of the measuring flask volumes and the provision of funnels moving around with the flasks for directing discharge of the measured quantities of material into the container, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent to Small No. 897,420 for example.

However, in all of these prior apparatus within applicants knowledge, relatively complex slides, gates and controls therefor are employed, particularly for effecting properly timed discharge of the measured volumes from the flasks into the tunnels, and the major object of this invention is to eliminate the need for such devices and controls while providing more efficient operation of the entire filling apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide novel apparatus for the continued automatic filling of containers with a dry fluent material, such as a particulate or powdered material, wherein discharge of measured volumes of the material into the containers is controlled by relative movement of the measuring flasks and a discharge control member to which the containers are periodically connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for the automatic filling of containers wherein measuring flasks are mounted on a rotatable member in novel discharge control association with another rotatable member having funnels or like filling guide means adapted to be selectively connected to containers throughout a predetermined zone during rotation;

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus for the automatic filling of containers comprising two superposed turntables rotatable about parallel but offset vertical axes, the upper turntable carrying a series of measurding flasks the lower ends of which are selectively closed and opened by the lower turntable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel automatic filling structure wherein a row of volume measuring flasks depending from an upper rotating member have their lower open ends in operative sliding closure engagement with an upper surface of a lower rotating member having a row of discharge openings adapted to be selectively connected to containers to be filled during a predetermined portion of each revolution, said flask lower ends overlapping said discharge openings for disarticles.

"ice 4 charge of the measured volumes therefrom during a predetermined part of said portion of revolution.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the annexed claims and the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially diagrammatic side elevation broken away in places and sectioned showing a container filling apparatus wherein the invention is incorporated according to one embodiment;

FIGURE 2 is a mainly diagrammatic top view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing the eccentric relationship of the flask turntable and the funnel turntable;

FIGURE 3 is a section substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing details of drive and operation;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section showing a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a mainly diagrammatic top view of the apparatus of FIGURE 4 showing another eccentric turntable arrangement.

In one embodiment the invention is incorporated in apparatus for filling any type of container such as metal or paper cans, glass jars or bottles, wound fiber strip containers, lightweight molded plastic bottles or cardboard cartons with dry particulate bulk material such as a cleansing powder. In FIGURE 1 the filling station is indicated at 11, and a succession of empty containers 12 are advanced toward it on the horizontal upper flight of a continuously moving endless conveyor belt 13.

The empty containers 12 are properly spaced apart by a star wheel 14 and advanced in spaced relation up an inclined ramp section 15 into filling engagement with depending funnel assemblies indicated at 16 and mounted on a continuously rotatable turntable 17 as shown in FIG- URE 3. During filling the containers move along a horizontal section 18 of the ramp, and when filled they descend an oppositely inclined ramp section 19 to a star wheel 21 which delivers the filled containers 22 back onto the upper flight of belt 13 to move away from the filling apparatus for further handling such as application of a cover. Laterally open pockets 20, arranged around the periphery of a container feed drum 30 which is rigid with turntable 17, receive the containers when they reach the ramp and move them around with turntable 17.

The foregoing general arrangement is preferably the same as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,928,438 issued Mar. 15, 1960 to R. T. La Pier et al., to which reference may be made for more detail.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2, the turntable 17 is circular in plan, rotates in a horizontal plane and is formed near its outer periphery with a series of equally circumferentially spaced circular funnel openings 23 of the same diameter in which are fixed the upper larger ends of similar tapered funnels 2-4. The centers of openings 23 lie in a circle concentric with the axis of rotation if turntable 17 Adjacent its lower end each funnel snugly slidably supports, as by pin 25 and slot 26, a tapered adapter sleeve 27 sized to enter into the container open upper end. Funnel sleeve 27 is tapered and has limited sliding displacementlongitudinally of the fixed funnel section 24 so that it automatically compensates for any slight errors in container dimensions within the usual manufacturing tolerances encountered in molded plastic Moreover the circular mouths of these plastic articles are to some extent resilient whereby they tend to grip sleeve 27 upon insertion, the net result being that when a container is on ramp section 18 with its open mouth telescoped with sleeve 27 the container is eflectively sealed to the funnel and there is no escape of dust during the container filling operation.

Turntable 17 is preferably supported from below as on an annular ball bearing race unit 28, is formed with a large central aperture 29 and has fixed thereto an internal ring gear 31, for a purpose to appear.

Above the funnel turntable 17 is a horizontal flask turntable 32 comprising vertically spaced upper and lower concentric

circular plates

33 and 34 of the same size. Lower plate 34 is spaced a small distance above the horizontal smooth flat upper surface 35 of platform 17.

Plate 34 is suitably secured, as by a fitting 36, to a vertical drive shaft 37 that has its lower end connected to an electric motor (not shown). Fitting 36 may be welded to both shaft 37 and plate 34.

The upper end of shaft 37 extends freely siidably through an aperture 33 in top plate 33 and is threaded at 39 to receive washers 41 and 42 on opposite sides of plate 33 and

corresponding lock nuts

43 and 44 above and below the plate. It will be seen that by relative adjustment of

nuts

43 and 44 the vertical distance

d etween plates

33 and 34 may be adjusted as is desired within limits.

Of course more sophisticated adjustment means for raising and lowering plate 33 may be used, and there may even be automatic adjustment means responsive to powder level in the individual containers, but the principle and purpose of the adjustment remains the same as will appear.

Turntable plate 33 has equally spaced around its outer periphery a series of circular openings 45 the centers of which lie on the same circle concentric with shaft 37 as a similar series of equally spaced coaxially slightly larger circular openings 46 formed in lower plate 34. Fixed within openings 45 are a series of similar cylindrical flask tubes 47 that slidably telescope within a series of similar cylindrical flask tubes 43 fixed within Openings 46.

Tube 48 extend below plate 34 to terminate in smooth edge surfaces 49 that slidably sealingiy engage top surface 35 of funnel turntable 17. If desired edges 49 may be rimmed with flexible O-ring seals sliding on the sur face 35 to reduce the chances of powder or dust leakage.

Above plate 33 is disposed a stationary flask filling hood 51 which, FIGURE 2, extends over only a sector of the flask turntable. The lower end of hood 51 is open and the lower edge of its side wall is provided with a continuous depending flexible seal rim section 52 that slidably bears on the upper surface of plate 33 to allow relative separation and follow vertical adjustment of plate 33 while retaining a seal against escape of powder or dust.

Hood 51 is suitably secured to a fixed support indicated at 53, and its upper end is closed except for a filler opening 54 which may be connected to a hopper or like discharge to receive a continuous supply of the powder to be packaged.

The rotatable shaft 37, which is fixed against lateral and axial displacement, is connected as by a drive sprocket and chain assembly 55 to a vertical parallel shaft 56 that carries a gear57 meshed with internal ring gear 31. The axis of shaft 37 is spaced a fixed distance from the axis of rotation of funnel turntable 17 as indicated at e in FIG- URES 2 and 3 whereby the flask turntable 32 rotates eccentrically with respect to funnel turntable 17.

In the

invention shafts

37 and 56 are rotated in the same direction at such relative velocity that one of the flasks on the turntable 32 is always approximately centered over funnel opening 23 that is currently disposed at the point of approximate tangency of the pitch lines of the flask and funnel opening circles. This relationship can be maintained if the distance traveled by each one of the flasks is equal to the distance traveled by each one of the funnel openings during each revolution of the turntable. In this embodiment of FIGURES 13,

shafts

37 and 56 are rotated at the same angular velocity and the number of flask openings 45 equals the number of funnel openings 23. As will appear in connection with the embodiment of FIGURE where the funnel and flask openings have equal pitch distances, the number of funnel openings is larger than the number of flasks and the turntable must be driven faster to attain the foregoing relationship.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a vertical shaft 58 carries a gear 59 meshed with gears 61 and 62 on

vertical shaft

63 and 64 mounting the

star wheels

14 and 21 respectively. Shaft 58 may be driven from the same motor as shaft 37, and its speed is synchronized to shaft 37 for a desired container fill rate.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the funnel turntable diameter is greater than that of the flash turntable, and the diameter of the circle 65 containing the centers of openings 23 is larger than the diameter of the circle 66 containing the centers of openings 45, by a distance e which is equal to approximately twice the eccentric distance 2 between the axes of the respective turntables. This distance e should not be less than the radius of the flask where the flask is cylindrical, or less than one-half the width of the flask where it is not cylindrical.

The turntables are of such construction and arrangement that

circles

65 and 66 are tangent at the point 67 which is diametrically opposite the region indicated at 68 where the openings of the respective turntables are furthest apart radially. At region 68, the flask opening designated by a is on the same diameter as a corresponding funnel top opening 23a, the two openings being about the same size. The region 68 is disposed midway between the points where the containers enter and leave the filling apparatus, and the hood 51 is disposed to cover this region and for a zone of about on either side. Thus about an obtuse angle extent sector of flask openings is always disposed under the hood 51 in position to be filled with powder from the hood as the flask turntable rotates in the direction of arrow 70 through that angle.

By the time each opening 45 reaches the hood edge 69 which scrapes olf the powder level with the top surface of plate 33, the

flask assembly

47, 48 is full and it contains a predetermined volume of powder. During this movement of openings 45 under hood 51, the open lower ends of the associated flask assemblies are closed by funnel turntable surface 35 over which they are sliding in substantial sealing interfit so that no powder leaks out.

This closed lower end condition of the successive flask assemblies continues until each in turn reaches the point indicated at 71 in FIGURE 2 where, due to the gradual radial outward displacement of each flask opening 45 relative to the funnel openings 23, the circular lower end of the flask assembly depending from opening 45a overlaps the associated funnel opening 23a. Now the flask starts to discharge through the associated funnel into the container below which by this time is telescoped with that flask and sliding along the horizontal ramp section 18. Actually the container is in the sealed engagement position of FIGURE 3 by the time it reaches a point opposite the hood edge 69 of FIGURE 2.

This overlap of the associated flask assembly and funnel opening increases as the turntables rotate together over a container filling zone angle b and reaches maximum overlap at the point 72 where they are concentric and their axes lie on the point 67 where the center circles and 66 are tangent. Thereafter during continued turntable rotation the overlap decreases until at the point 73 the flask no longer is open to funnel opening 23 and its lower end is again closed in sliding relation with surface 35. By this time the associated container has been filled and is moving along the ramp for eventual separation from the flask and displacement by the star wheel 21. Preferably the container is full by the time it reaches the point 72.

The foregoing operation is continuous. As the powder is feeding into each container, air from the container which is effectively sealed to the funnel at 27 is allowed to freely escape through the non-overlap portion of the funnel opening so that there is no interference with full gravity flow of the powder into the container. Also a vent may be provided in the side of the flask as disclosed in FIGURE 4 and later to be described. Thus this escaping air which contains fine particles and dust is either vented through the side outlet or passes up eventually into the interior of enclosing casing 80 and does not harm the container. This is an advantage where the powder is abrasive or corrosive.

Should it be desired to change the weight of the contents delivered to each container, the distance d between

flask turntable plates

33 and 34 can be adjusted at 43, 44 and this adjustment changes all of the flask volumes at the same time by the same amount without affecting any of the other parts of the apparatus or its operation.

In In successful operation of the FIGURE 1-3 embodiment of the invention, 28 openings about 2% to 2 /2 inches in diameter were provided in each of the turntables on circles of about 34 and 38 inches diameter respectively for the flasks and funnels, which circles lie in circular envelopes that are tangent at 72, with about two inches eccentricity e between the turntable drive axes. The diameter of the small end of the funnel which is about the diameter of the container mouth is in the neighborhood of one and three-eights inches.

Where the number of flasks equals the number of funnels, as in this embodiment, the turntables are driven at the same speed and there are no synchronization problems. Where the number of flasks may be different from the number of funnels as in FIGURES 4 and 5, the relative speeds of the turntable may be correspondingly selected by suitable gearing so that the substantially total overlaps condition of region 72 occurs substantially at the opening center circle tangent point as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show a further embodiment incorporating the invention which differs over that of FIGURES 1-3 in that the containers are individually lifted into and retracted from filling engagement with the funnels, and a larger number of funnel openings than flasks are provided in the associated turntables.

A stationary base 71 provides a horizontal platform 72 upon which is suitably secured a rigid hollow annular pedestal 73. A hollow tubular member 74 is mounted on pedestal 73 for rotation about a vertical axis, being supported on

bearings

75 and 76. An annular gear 77 is rigidly secured upon the lower end of member 74. Gear 77 is meshed with a gear 78 on a shaft 79 which is suitably mounted on the platform 72 and carries below the platform a gear 80 meshed with a gear 81 driven through clutch 82 from a motor 83.

The horizontal annual funnel turntable 84 is secured as by bolts 85 upon the top of member 74 above the pedestal, and turntable 84 is also shown in FIGURE 5 as provided with a number of circtmnferentially equidistant openings 86 having their centers in a circle whose center which is the axis of rotation of turntable 84 is indicated at 87 in FIGURE 5.

A series of downwardly tapered funnels 88 have their larger upper ends secured within the turntable openings 86, and a corresponding series of individual table can or bottle lifting assemblies 89 are mounted on an annular flange 90 rigid with the lower outer end of a depending cylindrical skirt 91 secured rigidly upon the bottom of turntable 84.

Each lifting assembly comprises essentially a pair of

end plates

92 and 93 connected by a spring (not shown) that extends through an opening in rim 90. The

plates

92 and 93 are connected to rim 90 by bellows sleeves 94 and 95 that house the spring, and secured to lower plate 93 is an arm 96 carrying a cam roller 97 engaging the underside of cam track 98.

FIGURE 4 shows the star wheel assembly 101 disposed like star wheel 14 of FIGURE 1 adapted to remove a bottle 102 from a conveyor and transfer it onto the top plate 92 of a retracted lifting assembly 89. At this point the cam track 98 is at its lowest whereby plate 92 is resiliently pulled down to a level to accept the transferred bottle. The movement of start wheel 101 is synchronized with the rotation of the turntable 84, by driving the turntable from gear through a

gear train

103 and 104, so that a bottle is transferred onto each retracted assembly 89 as it passes the star wheel 101.

After leaving the star wheel station the cam track 98 rises to a higher level such as shown at the right side of FIGURE 5 so that the assembly 89 is upwardly extended to engage the open mouth of bottle 102 with the funnel 88 in filling position. Then, similarly to FIGURE 2, after the bottle 102 has been filled the cam roller 97 encounters and follows a descending track to the level shown at the left side of FIGURE 4 and a similar star wheel (not shown) transfers the filled bottle'back onto the conveyor as described in FIGURES 1-3.

Eecentrically within pedestal 73 a hollow column 105 is secured rigidly to platform 72. A hollow flask turntable drive shaft 106 is supported for rotation about a vertical axis on column 105 as by

bearings

107 and 108. At its lower end shaft 106 carries a gear 109 meshed with gear 81, so that the flask turntable assembly indicated at 111 is rotated in synchronism with the funnel turntable.

Flask turntable 111 comprises parallel

horizontal plates

112 and 113, only bottom plate 113 being diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 5 for illustrative purposes, and each plate contains the same number of openings equally circumferentially spaced with their centers in a common circle.

Lower plate 113 is rigidly secured as by a flanged fitting 115 to the upper end of shaft 106. Upper plate 112 is rigidly secured to a hub structure 116 that has a longitudinally slidable non-rotatable connection to shaft extension 117, as by splines 118. A stationary post 119 having its lower end suitably fixed to base 71 extends vertically through the interior of shaft 106, and a bearing 121 supports the upper plate assembly on post 119 for rotation about a vertical axis. A cylindrical outer wall 122 is mounted on the turntable plate 112.

The upper end of post 119 is fixed within the top wall of a stationary enclosure 123 surrounding the above described turntable structure.

As in the FIGURES 1-3 embodiment the flask turntable plates separately mount aligned cylindrical flask tubes 124 and 125, with the upper flask tubes 124 slidably telescoped within the upper ends of tubes 125, and the lower ends of flask tubes 125 have smooth edged sliding contact with the flat smooth upper surface of funnel turntable 84. Annular flexible seals 126 surround the lower ends of flask tubes 125 and wipingly engage the turntable surface.

A suitable means (not shown) is provided for shifting plate 112 toward or away from plate 113 to adjustably regulate the volume of material contained by each combined flask tube unit 124, 125. This may comprise for example a rack and pinion connection to hub 116. A flexible bellows type annular seal 127 has its opposite ends connected to

plates

112 and 113, and an annular seal 128 is secured on table 84 as by fasteners 85 and extends into wiping engagement with the lower surface of plate 113.

Referring to FIGURE 5 the'axis of rotation of the flask turntable is indicated at 130, this axis being displaced from axis 87 by the eccentric distance e" corresponding to distance e in FIGURE 2. circumferential distance c between the centers of each flask unit 124, 125 is made equal to the circumferential distance between the centers of each funnel opening 86, and so the larger diameter funnel turntable has a larger number of funnels at 86 than the variable volume flasks 124, 125 on the flask turntable. More specifically as illustrated there are 42

funnel openings

86 and 38 flask assemblies 124, 125.

The flask turntable is rotated sufiiciently faster than In this embodiment the the tunnel turntable to insure that at the region of approximate tangency of the pitch circles 13% and 131 indicated at 132 there will be optimum overlap of a flask unit 124, 125 with a funnel opening 86. The region 132; lies substantially on a diametral line containing both axes 130 and 8'7 and intersecting the region 133 where the flask and funnel opening are furthest apart.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5, the flask filling takes place over an arc of about 164 as illustrated, the upper flasks 124 being open to the product supply over this are, and the discharge of material from the filled flasks into the tunnels takes place over approximately the remaining are wherein the flasks and funnel openings overlap. The bottles to be filled are engaged with the emptying funnels 88 over an indicated are of about 250. Thus this arrangement provides for longer times of flask filling, discharge of material from the flasks into the funnels and emptying of the funnels into the bottles.

By providing the individual bottle lifting and lowering in this embodiment the automatic filling of certain types of containers is facilitated and speed up, because small differences in container heights are compensated by the container lift flexibility, the need for telescopic funnels is eliminated and sliding of the containers along a cam track is avoided. In the FIGURE 4, 5 embodiment the skirt 91 may have side pockets like those at 2%} in FIGURE 3 to steady the containers during filling.

The eccentric turntable arrangement shown in FI URES 4 and 5 may be used in the assembly of FIGURES 1-3 as desired.

Referring to FIGURE 4, side vents 134 may be provided for allowing air to escape from funnels 88, these vents being connected to discharge into a suitable manifold indicated at 135. This arrangement can also be used on funnel 24 in the FIGURE 1-3 species.

The number and size of the flasks and funnels, and the diameters of the turntables, may be selected to suit desired operational conditions and the needs of particular containers. The invention has been found to be particularly useful for the automatic filling of relative tall irregular shaped plastic bottles having larger diameter bodies with relatively small mouth openings. The container is eifectively sealed to the discharge end of the funnel during a predetermined are of rotation of the funnel turntable, and the upper end of the funnel is open to the lower end of the associated measuring flask during apart to this are of rotation and is otherwise closed. The top surface of the funnel turntable valves the discharge from the measuring flasks.

The proportion of the revolution of the turntables devoted to filling measuring flasks and discharging the flasks into the associated containers may be varied by varying the relative diameters of the flask and funnel opening circles. and/or by changing the relative number of flasks and funnels, and/ or by changing the relative speeds of the turntables. In any event the movement of the flasks may be so synchronized with that of the funnels that the flasks are being filled only during a portion of the turntable rotation wherein the lower turntable I closes the lower ends of the flasks, the containers are moved and held in sealed engagement with the funnels during another and subsequent portion of turntable rotation, and the flasks are discharged into the funnels during said other portion of turntable rotation.

It has been found that the invention reduces container filling time as compared to prior apparatus, and this provides a general speed-up of the entire operation.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 4

1. Apparatus for filling moving containers with fluent material comprising a first movably mounted member providing a row of open bottom measuring flasks movable along a path in a selected direction, means for simultaneously filling a plurality of adjacent moving flasks over a predetermined part of said path comprising means providing a reservoir of said material having its lower end slidably engaged and closed by said moving first member and being of such size as to extend over a consecutive plurality of said flasks, a movably mounted lower discharge control member providing a row of discharge openings movable along a related path in the same general direction and slidably engaged with the lower ends of said flasks, means for associating a series of moving containers to be filled with said discharge openings over a predetermined part of the path of movement of said openings, and means for continuously moving both of said members in the same direction in such synchronism that during the part of said movement, when said flasks are being filled, said lower member closes the lower ends of said flasks and during subsequent movement each of said flasks moves with its lower end in operative material discharging alignment with an associated one of said openings during said part of the path of movement of said openings wherein the containers are in position to receive said material therefrom.

2. Apparatus for automatically filling a succession of containers with a fluent material comprising a first rotatable member providing a row of open bottom measuring flasks movable in a circular path in a selected direction, means for filling said moving flasks during movement over a portion of said path, a lower discharge control member providing a row of discharge openings movable along a circular path in the same general direction but eccentric with respect to the flask path, means for associating a series of moving containers with said openings over a predetermined path portion, means for continuously rotating said members with the lower member in sliding engagement with the lower ends of said flasks and in such synchronism that said moving lower member closes the bottoms of said flasks while they are being filled and subsequently the open bottom of each flask and an associated opening move along their respective paths into operational alignment for discharge of the flasks during a portion of said flask movement subsequent to said filling and during said portion of the path of movement of said openings wherein said containers are in position to receive said material therefrom.

3. In the apparatus defined in claim 2, said flask filling means being operative to fill a consecutive series of said flasks over a predetermined angular extent, said lower member being operative to close said flask lower ends over a predetermined larger angular extent, and said material being discharged from a flask to an associated container over a predetermined still larger angular extent.

4. Apparatus for automatically filling moving containers with a fluent material comprising a first rotatable member having a circular row of discharge openings, means for continually advancing containers to be filled into material receiving engagement with said openings, means for moving said engaged containers around with said first member for a predetermined portion of revolution, means for disengaging said filled containers from said member, a second rotatable member mounted above said first member and having a circular row of depending open bottom measuring flasks slidably engaging the upper surface of said first member, means for filling said flasks with said material during a first portion of revolution of said second member wherein the lower ends of said flasks are colsed by said surface, said second member being mounted to turn about an axis parallel to but offset from the 9 axis of said first member, and means for continuously rotating said members in such synchronism that during a subsequent portion of revolution of said second member the lower end of each of said flasks will overlap an associated opening to discharge the flask contents into said containers.

5. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said members being rotated at the same speed and there being the same number of flasks as discharge openings.

6. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, the circumferential distance between the centers of said flasks being substantially equal to the circumferential distance between the centers of said discharge openings, and said second member being rotated faster than said first member.

7. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said flasks and discharge openings having their respective centers lying in circles of different diameter, and the circular envelopes containing said circles being substantially tangent at the region of maximum overlap of said flasks with said openmgs.

8. In the apparatus defined in claim 7, the circle of flask centers being the smaller and said tangent region being substantially diametrically opposite the region where said flasks are spaced furthest from said discharge openmgs.

9. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said flask filling means comprising means for simultaneously filling a consecutive series of said moving flasks during said first portion of revolution of said second member.

10. Apparatus for automatically filling moving containers with a fluent material comprising a first rotatable turntable having a circular row of depending funnels, means for continually advancing containers to be filled into material receiving engagement with said funnels, means for moving said engaged containers around with said turntable for a predetermined portion of revolution, means for disengaging said filled containers from the turntable, a second turntable rotatably mounted above said first turntable and having a circular row of depending open bottom measuring flasks with their lower edges slidably engaging the upper surface of said first turntable, means for filling said flasks with said material during a first portion of revolution of said second turntable wherein the bottoms of the flasks are closed by said surface, said second turntable being mounted to turn about a vertical axis parallel to but oflset from the axis of said first turntable, and means for continuously rotating said turntables in such synchronism that during a subsequent portion of revolution of said second turntable the lower end of each of said flasks will overlap an associated opening to discharge the flask contents into said containers.

11. In the apparatus defined in claim 10, said flasks and discharge Openings having their centers lying in circles that are of different diameter and are disposed in envelopes that are substantially tangent at the point of maximum overlap, and the circle containing the flask centers being of the smaller diameter.

12. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a first turntable rotatable about a first vertical axis, a flask turntable disposed above said first turntable and rotatable about a second vertical axis spaced a fixed distance from said first axis, a series of discharge control openings in said first turntable having their centers lying in a circle concentric with said first axis, means for continuously rotating said turntables in the same direction about their respective axes, a series of flasks mounted in openings in said flask turntable with their open lower ends slidably engaged with said first turntable and having the centers of their openings lying in a smaller diameter circle concentric with said second axis, said circles lying in cylindrical envelopes that are substantially tangent at one region and the difference in diameters between the circles being substantially equal to twice the distance between said axes and means for filling said flasks during revolution of said first turntable, the bottoms of a con secutive series of said flasks being closed by said moving first turntable while said moving flasks are being filled, and the bottom of each moving filled flask operatively aligning in discharging relationwith an associated relatively moving opening in the first turntable during a subsequent portion of turntable revolution.

13. In the apparatus defined in claim 12, said flask turntable comprising two vertically spaced generally horizontal plates having the same number of superposed flask openings, telescoped open ended flask tubes secured in the plates at said superposed openings with the tube secured to the lower plate projecting down into substantially sliding seal engagement with the upper surface of said first turntable, and means for relatively adjusting said plates toward and from each other to vary the volumetric capacity of said flasks.

14. In the apparatus defined in claim 13, a vertical drive shaft for said flask turntable rigidly connected to said lower plate, means drive connecting said upper plate to said shaft, and said adjustment means comprising means for displacing said upper plate along said shaft.

15. In the apparatus defined in claim 12, said filling means comprising a material supply hood fixedly mounted above a sector of said flask turntable with its open lower end at said flask turntable, said sector being remote from said tangent region, and sealing means around the lower edge of said hood flexibly slidably engaging the upper surface of said upper plate.

16. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a funnel turntable rotatable about a first vertical axis, a flask turntable disposed above said funnel turntable and rotatable about a second vertical axis spaced a fixed distance from said first axis, means for continuously rotating said turntables in the same direction about their respective axes, a series of discharge control openings in said funnel turntable having their centers lying in a circle concentric with said first axis, a series of flasks mounted in openings in said flask turntable with open lower ends slidably engaging said funnel turntable and having the centers of their openings lying in a smaller diameter circle concentric with said second axis, said circles lying in cylindrical envelopes that are substantially tangent at one point and the difference in said diameters being substantially equal to twice the distance between said axes, means for filling said flasks during rotation of said flask turntable, the bottoms of a consecutive series of said flasks being closed by said moving funnel turntable while said flasks are being filled, and the bottom of each moving filled flask operatively aligning in discharge relation with an associated moving opening in the funnel turntable during a subsequent portion of turntable revolution, and funnels depending from each of said discharge control openings constructed and arranged at their lower ends for frictional sealing engagement with the mouths of containers to be filled.

17. Apparatus for filling moving containers comprising a funnel turntable rotatable about a vertical axis and having a series of circumferentially equidistant discharge openings arranged in a circle about its periphery, open top funnels depending from said turntable at said openings, and a flask turntable assembly rotatably mounted to turn about a vertical axis spaced from said funnel turntable axis and having a related series of circumferentially equidistant flasks depending therefrom with their lower ends slidably engaging said funnel turntable, means for continuously rotating said turntables about their respective axes in the same direction, means for filling said flasks during rotation of the flask turntable, the turntable diameters and speeds being such and the relationship of flasks to discharge openings being such that during a predetermined arc of revolution of said funnel turntable a series of consecutive discharge openings are overlapped in operative discharge relation with the open lower ends of a corresponding series of said flasks and during the remainder of each revolution said flasks are out of 11 alignment with said discharge openings and are closed at their lower ends by the rotating funnel turntable.

18. In the apparatus defined in claim 17, said flasks being arranged along a smaller pitch circle, the pitch distance between flask centers being equal to the pitch distance between discharge openings and said flask turntable assembly being driven faster than said funnel turntable.

19. Apparatus for filling continuuosly moving containers with a fluent material comprising a flrst rotatable turntable having a depending circular row of open bottom flasks, a second rotatable turntable having a circular row of funnel openings with which said containers are adapted to be associated and an upper surface in direct sliding engagement with the lower ends of said flasks, and means for continuously rotating said turntables in the same direction about offset axes so related that said lower turntable closes the bottom of said flasks over a predetermining angle of travel during which they are 12 filled with said material and aligns a respective funnel opening in operative relation with the bottom of a respective flask for discharge of the material from each flask only into an associated funnel opening during a related predetermined angle of travel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,828,167 10/1931 Ayars 141-144 X 2,055,075 9/1936 Gardner l41-133 2,176,557 10/1939 Lippold 141-152 X 2,358,680 9/1944 Ayars 14l145 X 2,616,606 11/1952 Beehler l41144 2,928,438 3/1960 La Pier et al 14ll52 X 2,932,329 4/1960 Gardner et a1 l41132 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

E. I. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.