Patent ID: 8024909
Filing Date: 2011-09-27
Classification: B67C

Abstract:
1. A bottle filling plant for filling bottles with a filling material, said bottle filling plant comprising: a plurality of machines; said plurality of machines comprising at least a bottle rinsing machine, a bottle filling machine and a bottle closing machine; a first star wheel being configured and disposed to move bottles to said rinsing machine; said rinsing machine being configured and disposed to rinse empty bottles with a rinsing material; said rinsing machine comprising: a second star wheel being configured and disposed to move bottles between said rinsing machine and said filling machine; said filling machine being configured and disposed to fill empty bottles with a filling material; said filling machine comprising: a third star wheel being configured and disposed to accept filled bottles from said moving device of said filling machine to move filled bottles out of said filling machine; said third star wheel being configured and disposed to move filled bottles between said filling machine and said closing machine; said closing machine being configured and disposed to close filled bottles; said closing machine comprising: a fourth star wheel being configured and disposed to accept closed bottles from said moving device of said closing machine to move closed bottles out of said closing machine; a plurality of oblong connecting elements being disposed and configured to minimize collection of contaminants and facilitate cleaning of said connecting elements; each of said plurality of oblong connecting elements comprising a first end and a second end; each of said plurality of oblong connecting elements comprising a length, a width, and a thickness, said length of each of said plurality of oblong connecting elements being substantially greater than either of said width and said thickness to form a bar-shaped or rod-shaped element; said width and said thickness being sufficiently great to provide sufficient rigidity to said connecting elements to hold said machines sufficiently rigidly with respect to one another to minimize movement of said machines with respect to one another and to minimize misalignment of said machines with respect to one another during operation but also being disposed and configured to minimize collection of contaminants and facilitate cleaning of said connecting elements; each said first end being disposed at one end of said length of its oblong connecting element and each said second end being disposed at the other end of said length of its oblong connecting element opposite and most distantly disposed from said first end; said plurality of oblong connecting elements comprising: said plurality of oblong connecting elements further comprising: said plurality of oblong connecting elements still further comprising: said first, top, set of connecting elements, said second, bottom, set of connecting elements, and said third, angled, set of connecting elements being disposed with respect to one another to at least substantially form a z-shaped configuration; said rinsing machine, said first, top, connecting element and said first, angled, connecting element being disposed with respect to one another to form a substantially triangular structure to provide sufficient rigidity to hold said machines sufficiently rigidly with respect to one another to minimize movement of one machine to with respect to another machine to minimize misalignment of said machines with respect to one another during operation but also disposed and configured to minimize collection of contaminants and facilitate cleaning of said connecting elements; and said filling machine, said first, bottom, connecting element, and said first, angled, connecting element being disposed with respect to one another to form a substantially triangular structure to provide sufficient rigidity to hold said machines sufficiently rigidly with respect to one another to minimize movement of one machine to with respect to another machine to minimize misalignment of said machines with respect to one another during operation but also disposed and configured to minimize collection of contaminants and facilitate cleaning of said connecting elements; said plurality of oblong connecting elements further comprising: substantial portions of said oblong connecting elements are disposed away from and at a substantial distance from one another, with said distance being substantially greater than either of said width or said thickness of said oblong connecting elements; and said substantial portions of said oblong connecting elements are separated substantially only by air; and at least said first, top, set of connecting elements, said second, bottom, set of connecting elements, and said third, angled, set of connecting elements providing essentially the only rigidity between said machines above floor level and to provide sufficient rigidity to hold said machines sufficiently rigidly with respect to one another and to minimize movement of said machines with respect to one another and to minimize misalignment of said machines with respect to one another during operation.