Patent GB-190420876-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Bottling and Corking Machines.
Inventor: BRAUN HENRY CHARLES
Filed: 1904-09-28
Granted: 1905-09-28
Abstract: 20,876. Braun, H. C., and Aspinall, H. E. Sept. 28. Bottling; corking.-Relates to bottling and corking machines of the kind described in Specification No. 21,828, A.D. 1901. The bottle elevators a are connected to, and supported on, coiled springs b in tubular sockets c, which are fixed to a bar d. This bar is suspended from one end of a weighted lever 9 connected by links 13 to a treadle lever 14. When the treadle is depressed to raise the elevators a, pawls f pivotally carried by a spring-controlled rod h automatically engage racks a' on the elevators, and hold the latter in their raised positions. Each pawl is made in two parts pivoted on the same pin, but under the control of separate springs and having their engaging edges at different heights. When it is required to lower the bottles, the pawls are disengaged by moving the rod h endwise, which is effected by the depression of the hand-lever m controlling the operation of the liquid-supply valves. A catchbar t prevents the rod h from being moved accidentally. The lever m is connected by a rod w and lever 2 to a rock-shaft 3 which controls the movement of the valve spindles n', a pin-andslot connection being provided to allow a slight movement of the hand-lever independently of the lever 2. The supply valves each consist of a ring of leather &c. held between two nuts screwed to the valve spindle n<1>, which is hollow and terminates above the liquid in the supply tank o, to serve as an air vent. The valves are normally held seated against the ends of the supply pipes, which surround the spindles n<1> by springs 5, but are opened when the lever m is raised. A catchlever m<2> holds the lever m in its raised position with the valves open, and the lever m cannot be again depressed until this catch is released. The bar d, together with the elevators and bottles, descend automatically as soon as the lever m is moved downwards to disengage the pawls f. A dash-pot or other means may be provided to prevent the bottles from descending too rapidly. For corking bottles, means are provided for compressing each cork laterally before being inserted, the machine shown being fitted with six cork compressors and corresponding vertically-movable plungers, arranged in two sets of three each. Each compressor comprises a stationary part 17, Fig. 8, formed with a lateral opening 17* of gradually decreasing diameter, and a movable part 18. These movable parts are fixed to a plate 22 carried by sliding guide-rods 23 connected to a second plate 25. The latter has secured to it a pair of bars 26 which carry a roller 30 capable of moving in a bent slot 31, Fig. 3, in a vertically-movable cam-bar 32. This bar is suspended from an oscillating frame 34 carried by two pairs of eccentric-rods 37 connected to eccentrics 38 on a shaft 39, which is rotated by bevel gearing 40 on turning a hand-wheel 42. The arrangement is such that the oscillating frame 34 raises the bar 32 and, by means of the action of the inclined part of the cam-groove 31 on the roller 30, causes the plates 22, 25 to move rearwards against the action of springs 43, so as to compress the corks placed in the compressors. The roller 30 finally rides in the vertical part of its cam-groove, and a spring pawl 44, snapping into a notched part of the bar 32, locks the various parts in position. The continued movement of the frame 34 then causes the cork plungers which are carried by a bar jointed to the bar 32, to drive the corks into the bottles. Afterwards, as the frame 34 moves in the reverse direction to raise the plungers, a catch trips the pawl 44 out of engagement with the bar 32 and allows it to fall, when the movable parts 18 of the cork compressors are returned to their normal positions by their springs. Preferably, the two sets of plungers act alternately. The corks may be fed into each compressor by hand, or they may be supplied automatically. The stationary parts 17 of the compressors may be fitted with pins which will enter the bottle mouth and form air-escape passages during corking. For centering the bottles while being raised to their filling and corking positions, a pair of downwardly-extending spring blades 50 carrying bent pieces of sheet metal 51 may be fixed beneath each cork compressor. To prevent loss of liquid through fracture of a bottle, each division 52 of the bottle carrier 53 may be provided with a holder 54 closed at the bottom. The filling and corking mechanism may, if desired, constitute separate machines ; or there may be only a filling-mechanism to fill bottles which can afterwards be corked by hand. The Provisional Specification also states that, to enable bottles that vary in size to be charged with the same predetermined quantity of liquid, a dash-pot may be provided in connection with the lever m, to enable the latter, after being raised,-to fall automatically and cut off the supply of liquid. It also states that air-exit pipes, extending from annular boxlike holders secured to the bottom of the tank o and surrounding the supply pipes, extend upwards and are connected to a common pipe discharging into the upper end of the tank through a branch pipe, which may be provided with an alarm whistle.