Patent ID: 8746295
Filing Date: 2014-06-10
Classification: B65B,F04B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for filling multiple lanes of containers with flowable product, comprising: a plurality of pumps each having a (1) pump housing defining: an inlet for receiving said flowable product from an associated source, an outlet for discharging the product to a respective container, and a pump chamber which can communicate with the inlet and the outlet, each said pump further including (2) a piston movably disposed within the respective pump housing, so that said product can be directed inwardly from said inlet to said chamber, and outwardly from said chamber through said outlet by reciprocable movement of said piston, and (3) a movable valve member positioned within said housing movable between a first position for joining said inlet with said chamber, and a second position for joining said chamber with said outlet; each of said pistons being driven by said flowable product and being movable independently of the other ones of said pistons as said plurality of pumps each filled with said flowable product, a valve drive motor operatively connected to each of said valve members for simultaneously moving each of said valve members between its first and second position; a plurality of sensors respective operatively associated with each of said pumps to indicate when the respective piston has moved to a predetermined position attendant to flow of said product into the respective one of said chambers; and a piston drive mechanism operatively connected with each of said pistons, said piston drive mechanism being operated when all of said pistons reach said predetermined position by flow of product into the respective ones of said chambers, said piston drive motor mechanism simultaneously driving said pistons, after said valve drive motor simultaneously moves each of said valve members from the first to the second position thereof, so that said pistons simultaneously force said product from the respective chambers through the respective outlets into respective ones of said containers, said valve drive motor thereafter simultaneously moving each of said valve members from the second position to the first position thereof.