Patent GB-467283-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for filling collapsible tubes with pastes, semi-liquids or liquids
IPC: B65B3/16
Filed: 1936-01-13
Abstract: 467,283. Filling collapsable tubes. DAY, W. H. Jan. 13, 1936, No. 1108. [Class 125 (ii)] Apparatus for filling collapsable tubes with pastes, semi-liquids or liquids comprises suitable supports on a movable conveyer arranged to carry the tubes to be filled in said supports to the filling position, arrangements being provided which are adapted automatically to remove the tubes from a forming mandrel to which they are supplied and insert them in the supports on the conveyer. A number of mandrels 1 are carried on a member 2 rotated intermittently from a shaft 13 driving the conveyer 3 so that each mandrel stops successively over a tube support 7 on the conveyer. Shaft 16 rotates continuously and roller 14 on arm 15 co-operates with radial slots 17 in a member 18 fixed to shaft 13, which has a chain sprocket 19 coupled by chain 20 and tensioning device 21 to sprocket 22 of a bevel drive 23 associated with rotary member 2. A lever 24 is rotatably mounted on shaft 13 and coupled by an adjustable link 25 to a square section slider bar 26 carried in a bearing in a frame member 27 and carrying a bridge member 28 adapted to move up and down in a radial slot in a stationary circularly grooved member 12 by the roller 32 and cam member 30. The radial slot intersects the circular groove 11 in the member 12 and leaves a gap at the lowest portion of the groove. Bridge member 28 has a groove and the timing is. such that this groove bridges the gap in groove 11 until the arm 9 on plunger 4 of mandrel 1 arrives at the gap. At this instant, member 2 is stationary owing to roller 14 leaving the slot 17, and bridge member 28 is moved downwards by cam 30 and plunger 4 removes the tube 6 from the mandrel 1 and deposits it in support 7. Cam 30 then returns bridge member 28, roller 14 engages the next slot 17 and the next mandrel 1 is brought into position. Preferably the mandrels are removably mounted on the rotary member 2 so that they may be replaced. The plungers are rods with nuts at their outer ends to engage the cap ends of the tubes. The engaging surface of the plunger or nut may be of shock absorbing material. A small tube 34 is adapted to move downwardly into a tube in a support while the following tube is being displaced from the mandrel, and a cover 35 fits over the end of the tube. Pipe 34 is supplied with compressed air and an aperture in cover 35 is connected with a source of vacuum so that dust or the like is removed from the tube. Valves may be provided to cut off the supplies of air and vacuum except when the members 34, 35 are in their lowest positions. Before passing from the mandrel to the conveyer, the caps of the tubes are tightened by a member 37 with rubber lining 38, rotatable by a member 39 coupled to the member 37 by spring pressed balls, and screwed into one end of a plunger 41 mounted in a sleeve 43 and displaceable longitudinally relatively thereto but rotatable therewith. A spring 44 tends to move plunger 41 out of the sleeve 43, the outward movement being limited by a stop 47 and shoulders 46, a similar stop 48 limiting the inward movement of the plunger 41. Sleeve 43 is rotated from a shaft 49 through pulley 50, belt 51, pulley 52 and bevel wheels 53, 54, the wheel 54 rotating in bearings carried by a frame member 55 and being slidably keyed on sleeve 43. The cap tightening arrangement is moved relatively to bevel wheels 53, 54 and frame member 55 by means of a link 60 coupled by a universal joint with sleeve 43 and actuated by a lever 61 pivoted on shaft 49 and carrying a roller 63 engaging in a groove 64 on a cam member 65. Thus when member 2 is stationary with a tube 6 in position, cam 65 advances sleeve 43 until the rotating member 37 engages the cap of the tube, the plunger 41 actuated by spring 44 ensuring a firm grip, and tightens it thereon. Plunger 41 and spring 44 permit tubes of varying lengths to be dealt with satisfactorily, and the shape of member 37 accommodates caps of varying diameter. According to the Provisional Specification, a rotary worm or screw pump feeds material to be filled into the tubes from the usual hopper to the usual reciprocatory plunger pump, and a feeder of the claw type may also be provided for transferring the material to the worm or screw pump. Between the hopper and the reciprocatory pump and between the pump and the delivery nozzle to the tube an intermittently operated cut-off valve is provided, and the outlet of the worm or screw pump is arranged to be readily connected in place of the usual hopper to this cut-off valve.