Arrangement for a bottle handling machine

A bottle filling machine having a lower part and an upper part rotatable relative thereto. The upper machine part includes a circular ring machine table having lift elements for the bottles to be filled, and has associated therewith filling elements connected to a liquid container, as well as a filling column having a central inflow fitting and a central rotary distributor. In the central section of the filling column is a receiving chamber for a control device, embodied as a digital computing system, for the control of the filling process; the receiving chamber is delimited by a protective cover capable of being placed in a maintenance or servicing position.

The present invention relates to a bottle handling machine, especially a 
bottle filling machine, comprising a lower machine part, and an upper 
machine part rotatably mounted on the lower part and including a circular 
ring machine table with uniformly spaced apart, vertical lift elements for 
the bottles which are to be filled, and a traverse which is adjustable in 
height via a lift drive and is connected with a circular ring liquid 
container provided with filling elements associated with the lift 
elements; liquid for filling is supplied to the liquid container via a 
central inflow fitting which is connected with the traverse, and control 
means are associated with the liquid container for monitoring the filling 
process; the supply of electrical energy to the drive and control means of 
the bottle filling machine is effected by a central rotary distributor 
which is likewise associated with the traverse. 
Such bottle handling machines, which generally operate fully automatically, 
are disclosed, for example, by German Pat. No. 21 00 284; these machines 
are often operated in common with devices which supplement their function, 
as for example so-called preliminary tables, for orderly feeding of the 
bottles to be filled, and capping means for closing the filled bottles. As 
a consequence of the number of switching operations to be carried out, and 
the number of physical and technical parameters which must be observed for 
an orderly filling of the bottles, it is expedient to replace the 
previous, simple analog control action, which only takes into account a 
few parameters, with a direct digital process control. So-called 
microprocessors are required herefor, and physical and technical measured 
values must be converted into electrical signals and fed to the 
microprocessor, with the control signals ascertained there being fed to 
the individual switching and control elements. In addition to the 
difficulties of signal generation and disturbance-free transmission which 
are encountered, the environmental conditions under which such machines 
operate are extremely unfavorable for the application of direct digital 
process control. For example, a problem is encountered if a plurality of 
mechanically loaded contact points are to be overcome by utilization of 
signals of relatively weak signal strength; also, a problem is encountered 
if a high relative humidity exists; and, additionally, if a plurality of 
liquid, pressure, and gas conduits, as well as moving conduit connections, 
are present, then as a consequence of bottle breakage sharp fragments or 
pieces there can be encountered problems therewith which especially 
endanger electrical conduits and the like. In particular, however, the 
installation of the actual process computing equipment causes 
difficulties, since the shortest possible, secure, conduit connections are 
necessary. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to further develope and 
improve a bottle handling machine of the aforementioned general type such 
that an arrangement exists secure against disturbance, i.e. operationally 
secure, and furthermore accommodation of the electronic components and 
switching elements, as well as the input and output lines, necessary for 
carrying out direct digital control processing, is made possible, whereby, 
in spite of an arrangement which is secure against disturbance, easy 
accessibility for calibration, maintenance, and service is also possible.

The bottle handling machine of the present invention is characterized 
primarily in that the traverse has a pan-shaped recess arranged 
concentrically relative to the axis of rotation of the upper machine part; 
this recess is part of a receiving chamber for a control device or 
switching arrangement embodied as a digital computing system with power 
supply and terminals associated therewith; this chamber, as an extension 
of the recess, is delimited by a protective shell or cover, which is 
journalled to move up and down, and by a plate having a central opening; 
this plate supports a column on which the stationary part of the rotary 
distributor is mounted. 
According to further specific features of the present invention, the plate, 
which is provided with the opening, may be supported by columns which are 
fastened on the inner side of the recess; this recess may also support the 
power supply and terminals, through the intervention of spacers, as well 
as supporting the control device via an intermediate plate; the central 
inflow fitting may be arranged on the underside of the recess. 
The protection cover may have a flange at each of its upper and lower ends, 
with the upper flange being flush with the plate and having a sealing ring 
on that side thereof facing the plate, while the lower flange may be 
seated on the traverse flush with the recess and has a sealing ring on 
that end face which faces the traverse; the protective cover may be kept 
moisture-tight in the operating position via pivotable clamping plates 
which cooperate with tightening screws which engage the plate; when the 
tightening screws are loosened, the clamping plates may serve as abutments 
or supports for the protective cover when the latter is raised into an 
assembly or servicing position. 
The protective cover may have an observation window which makes it possible 
to see a display unit associated with the switching arrangement; the 
protective cover may also have handles which make it possible to raise it 
into the assembly position. 
For the purpose of receiving air conduits, control lines, and the like, an 
overhang arm may be connected by means of a pivot or joint head with the 
rotary distributor; the overhang arm comprises an arm and a column, and is 
supported on a preliminary table which forms the entry and exit region of 
the bottle filling machine. The arm and the column of the overhang arm may 
be movably connected with each other via a coupling. 
Cable conduits may be connected with the traverse in order to supply 
measured signals which are secure against disturbance by moisture; these 
cable conduits may be subdivided into separate cable channels by 
partitions and, on the one hand, open into the recess via openings and, on 
the other hand, are connected via inlet tubes with the respective filling 
elements in such a way as to be secure against fragments or broken pieces. 
Further cable channels may be connected with the recess in such a way as to 
be sealed against moisture. 
The basic concept of the present invention, to provide an easily 
accessible, moisture-tight closable chamber, for receiving all 
distribution, or switching arrangement necessary for a digital process 
control computing system, in or approximately in the center of the 
machine, now also permits transfer of the advantages of modern control 
techniques to the filling industry, without change of all previous machine 
functions and the mechanical parts necessary for this purpose. The central 
arrangement furthermore has the advantage of short lines or conduits, 
which additionally can be installed on already existing machine parts in 
such a way as to be secure against disturbance and damage. In particular, 
the functions of such a machine are not disturbed as a result of the 
necessary equipping thereof with electrical and electronic components, and 
care is taken to assure an easy accessibility. 
Referring now to the drawings in detail, a so-called circulating or 
revolving bottle filling machine for a counter-pressure filling process is 
indicated generally in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10; this method 
itself is not considered here in detail since it is known, and does not 
belong to the teaching of the present invention. 
The filling machine 10 has a base or lower part 11 which is supported 
stationary on the ground with height-adjustable columns. A preliminary 
table 12 forms a structural unit associated with the lower part 11 and 
likewise supported upon the ground or floor likewise with height 
adjustable columns. This structural unit essentially comprises the entry 
and exit region 14 of the machine, including the non-illustrated 
introducing and withdrawing stars, the bottle guide curve, as well as a 
feed and discharge conveyor 13 and the machine drive. A control curve or 
cam for the lift elements 18 is furthermore associated with the 
preliminary table 12. 
The upper part 15 of the machine is rotatably connected with the lower 
machine part 11 via a ball bearing turning gear 16, and essentially 
comprises a circular ring-shaped machine table 17 having a vertical lift 
elements 18 which are uniformly spaced apart, as well as a traverse or 
crossbar 20 connected with the machine table 17 via several lifting gears 
19. The lifting gears 19 are operatively connected by a common drive 
means, for example a gear ring 21. The traverse 20 supports a liquid 
container 22 having filling elements 23 arranged thereon; each filling 
element has a lift element 18 associated therewith. Each filling element 
23 in essence has a pressurizing gas valve arrangement 24, a filling tube 
25 with a switching contact 26, an actuating device 27 for the liquid flow 
valve, and a centering device 28 for the bottle mouth of the bottles to be 
filled. Several switching cams 30 are arranged in different planes on a 
raisable and lowerable control ring 29 for actuation of the pressurizing 
gas valve arrangement 24. 
The center of the traverse 20 is provided with a pan-shaped recess 31 
arranged concentrically relative to the axis of rotation of the machine. 
As shown in FIG. 2, several columns 32 are supported on the bottom of the 
recess 31 and are fastened with screws 33. The columns 32 are uniformly 
distributed in the vicinity of the cylindrical inner wall of the recess 
31, and support a plate 34 having a central opening 35. The plate 34 is 
secured by screws directly with the columns 32 subject to the 
interposition of sealing rings 36. The inner chamber, which is surrounded 
by the columns 32, contains a control device 37 such as a digital 
computing system, including the power supply 38 and connection elements, 
for instance in the form of terminals 39. The power supply 38, which 
comprises rectifiers, transformers, fuses, and the like, and the terminals 
39, are fastened to an intermediate plate 40, which is connected via 
spacers 41 to the bottom of the recess 31. A housing 44, through the 
intervention of spacers 45, is fastened on the intermediate plate 40 for 
receiving the control device 37; the housing 44 is provided with 
connections 42, and a display unit or visual indicator 43, for instance 
digital display for indicating disturbances and detecting errors. A 
protective shell or cover 46, which is supported on the upper side of the 
traverse 20, as well as being flush with the upper side of the plate 34 
and centered via the outer diameter thereof, surrounds the columns 32 and 
consequently the control device 37, the power supply 38, as well as the 
terminals 39. The upper and lower ends of the protective cover 46 are 
respectively provided with a flange; the upper flange 96 terminates flush 
with the plate 34, and on that side thereof facing the plate supports a 
sealing ring 48, while the lower flange 97 is seated flush with the recess 
31 on the traverse 20, and on that side thereof facing the traverse 
supports a sealing ring 47. The protective cover 46 is sealed-off toward 
the traverse 20 and toward the plate 34 with the aid of the sealing rings 
47, 48. The protective cover 46 has two handles 49 fastened on opposite 
sides thereof. Additionally, the protective cover 46 is provided with an 
observation window 50 opposite the display unit 43. Several clamping 
plates 52, which are respectively pivotable about tightening screws 51, 
are arranged on the plate 34 in the vicinity of the outer diameter 
thereof. The protective cover 46 is tightly pressed against the traverse 
20 with these plates 52 by tightening the screws 51. If any maintenance or 
repair work has to be undertaken on the control device 37 or on the power 
supply 38, the clamping plates 52, after loosening the screws 51, are 
pivoted out of the region of the protective cover 46 over the plate 34, so 
that the protective cover 46, using both handles 49 thereof, can be lifted 
over the upper side of the plate 34. The clamping plates 52, after being 
lifted, are pivoted under the protective cover 46, which is lowered onto 
the clamping plates 52 into the position indicated by the dash-dot lines. 
Now the control device 37, the power supply 38, and the terminals 39 are 
conveniently accessible from all sides. 
Reference numeral 53 designates a rotary distributor unit which is aligned 
relative to the axis of rotation of the filling machine. The central 
column 55 of the unit 53, which is provided with the distributor outlet 
54, is fastened on the plate 34 and is sealed off relative to the plate 34 
by means of a seal 56. The stationary part 57 of the rotary distributor 53 
mounted on the column 55 is provided with inlets 58, 59,60 for the 
operating air of the lift elements 18, for dry air, for example for 
ventilating moisture-sensitive devices, such as the level control for the 
filling level regulator 61, and for the electrical energy for the filling 
level control, the height adjustment of the upper part of the machine, the 
control device, etc. The outer side of the part 57, near the bottom 
thereof, is provided with a coupling or joint head 62 (see also FIG. 3). 
The bent arm 63 of the overhang arm 65, which is embodied as a cable guide 
and is supported on the preliminary table 12 by means of its vertical 
column 64, is connected to the joint head 62. The arm 63 and the column 64 
are interconnected by means of a flexible coupling 66. The horizontally 
extending support arm 67 of the coupling 66 is provided with clamping 
means 68 at its one end, and is thereby fastened to the upper end of the 
column 64. The other end of the support arm 68, facing the machine, is 
embodied as a fork 68a and is provided with a horizontal shaft 70 for 
receiving the pivot arm 69 of the coupling 66. The pivot arm 69 also has a 
clamping means 71 for receiving that end of the arm 63 associated with the 
coupling 66. A flexible connecting element bridges the free space between 
those ends of the arm 63 and column 64 connected with the coupling 66, for 
example a spiral hose 72 firmly inserted in the open space of the column 
64 and the arm 63. An opening 73 is provided in the external radius of the 
curvature of the arm 63. The cable guide formed by the overhang arm 65 is 
guided to the control cabinet 74 of the filling machine; this cabinet 74, 
for example, can be fastened on the preliminary table 12. 
Cable conduits 76 are respectively connected to the recess 31 via an 
opening 75. These conduits 76 extend under one of the arms 77 of the 
traverse 20, and in particular extend between the recess 31 and an annular 
cable channel 78 arranged laterally of the underside of the liquid 
container 22. A given cable conduit 76 intended for the cables of several 
filling elements 23 is connected with the associated arm 77, for example 
by welding seams, and is subdivided into channels 80, 81 (FIG. 4) by means 
of partition 79 welded therein; these channels 80, 81 open into an opening 
82 of the cable channel 78. The channel 80 is designed for cables with 
which for example, the actuating devices 27 of the filling elements 23 are 
connected to the control devices 37, while the channel 81 is provided for 
shielded cables which, for example, serve for connecting the switching 
contacts 26, such as probes, which determine the filling level in the 
bottles, to the control device 37. An inlet tube 83 exists for each 
filling element 23 in order to introduce these cables into the cable 
channel 78, which distributes the cables to the cable conduit 76, in such 
a way that they are protected against fragments or pieces encountered 
during bursting or exploding of bottles. One end of this inlet tube 83 
nearly extends to the vicinity of the filling element 23, and the other 
end of the inlet tube 83 terminates in the cable channel 78, into which it 
is inserted through a bore arranged in the lining 84, which is provided 
with a sealing element. Cable channels 94 and 95 are provided for cables 
guided to the filling level regulator 61 and to operate the height 
adjustment device of the upper machine part 15. 
A further distributor 85 which is also aligned relative to the axis of 
rotation of the machine in a location spaced axially of the rotary 
distributor unit 53, is connected with the bottom wall of the recess 31 as 
a central inflow fitting for supplying the liquid container or vessel 22, 
and hence the filling elements 23, with liquid and pressurizing gas, as 
well as for removing the return gas resulting during the filling process. 
Conduits 87, 88, 89 for liquid, pressurizing gas, and return gas are 
connected to the stationary portion 86 of the distributor, which portion 
is fixed to the lower machine part 11, and connecting lines or conduits 
91, 92, 93 for liquid, pressurizing gas, and return gas leading to the 
liquid container 22 are provided in that region 90 of the distributor 
which rotates with the traverse 20. 
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific 
disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims.