Patent ID: 6457299
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: B65B,B67C

Abstract:
A beverage-filling apparatus that is adapted to fill containers under an inert gas atmosphere, said apparatus comprising:a stationary filling tool to which the containers are led, said filling tool including means for filling the containers with inert gas prior to a filling procedure, wherein a container engaging element of the filling tool is mounted in a processing chamber loaded with inert gas and enclosing the container in its filling-ready position, the containers being fed into the processing chamber through an entry sluice space, said entry sluice space being fitted with sluice-space doors to selectively shut off said entry sluice space from an outside area and from the processing chamber; and an exit sluice space to which containers are removed to from the processing chamber, said exit sluice space being fitted with exit sluice space doors to shut off said exit sluice space relative to the outside and to the processing chamber, and wherein during an exit sluice stage, inert gas is pumped back into the processing chamber.