Patent ID: 6216736
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B65B,B67C,Y10T

Abstract:
A three-way antimix valve for a pourable food product packaging machine, the valve comprising a casing having a lateral wall defining a cavity having an axis of symmetry and communicating with a bottom drain opening; and a rotary shutter rotating about said axis and housed in said cavity with a respective lateral surface cooperating in fluidtight manner with said lateral wall of said casing; said casing having a first gate and a second gate, both formed in said lateral wall and spaced angularly by a first angle, and a third gate formed in said lateral wall in an intermediate position with respect to said first and second gate and spaced angularly with respect to each by a second angle equal to half said first angle; said rotary shutter having a first and a second opening, both formed in said lateral surface and spaced angularly by an angle equal to said second angle, and an inner passage connecting said first and second opening; said lateral wall of said casing having two inner recesses formed respectively between said first gate and said third gate and between said second gate and said third gate; said rotary shutter comprising at least three recesses, of which a first recess is formed between said first and second opening, a second recess is formed on the opposite side of said second opening with respect to said first recess and spaced angularly with respect to the first recess by an angle equal to said second angle, and a third recess is located on the opposite side of said first opening with respect to said first recess and spaced with respect to the first recess by an angle equal to said second angle; said recesses of said casing and said recesses of said rotary shutter communicating with said bottom drain opening of said casing; said valve comprising actuating means for moving said rotary shutter between a first work position in which said first and second opening of said rotary shutter communicate respectively with said first gate and said third gate of said casing, an intermediate position in which said first and second opening of said rotary shutter communicate with respective said recesses of said casing, and said first, second and third gate of said casing communicate with respective recesses of said rotary shutter, and a second work position in which said first and second opening of said rotary shutter communicate respectively with said third gate and said second gate of said casing.