Patent GB-190410451-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Machines for Unstoppering, Syruping, Filling an Re-stoppering Screwmouth Bottles.
Inventor: CRETNEY THOMAS NEIL
Filed: 1904-05-06
Granted: 1905-05-04
Abstract: 10,451. Cretney, T. N. May 6. Bottling; stop- - pering.-Relates to modifications of the syruping, filling, and corking machine described in Specification No. 7825, A.D. 1899, whereby it may be used for un-stoppering, syruping, filling, and re-stoppering screwstoppered bottles. The un-stoppering and re-stoppering device, which replaces the cork compressor and plunger of the old machine, consists of a clutch D carried by a shaft C, which passes up through a filling-head E and is screwed into a sleeve C<1>. This sleeve is connected by a spring (not shown) to a bevel-wheel F, and is guided in its movements by a depending spindle F<1>, which is surrounded by a second spring disposed inside, and concentric with the other. For chisel-headed stoppers, the clutch D consists of two pivoted curved piece3 D, Fig. 3, and two pivoted inner jaws D', the lower ends of which are normally held together by an indiarubber ring D<6>: For round-topped stoppers, the clutch consists of a roughened ring. D<7>, Fig. 6, comprising two- or more pivoted segments which are held together by an india-rubber ring. The wheel F is actuated by a bevelled segment F<3>,' which is reciprocated by a cam B<3> on the train shaft B. This cam is so formed that the clutch D is revolved slightly in the direction of unscrewing, just before a bottle is placed in the machine. The stopper is then unscrewed by the clutch, after which it is lifted away from the bottle by means of a pivoted forked lever C<3>, which raises the shaft C bodily. The bottle is then filled through a valve E<2> actuated by a lever E<4>, after which the shaft C and clutch D are lowered by the springs between the sleeve C' and bevel-wbeel F, and revolved in the opposite direction to the full extent of their travel, so that the stopper is screwed more tightly into the bottle than when taken out. The filling head E is fitted with the usual cup rubber when filling bottles with tapering nozzles, but, to fill bottles with parallel sides, its lower part is fitted with a rubber ring D<8>, which is compressed against the nozzle of the bottle by a cap E<5>, the latter being forced upwards at intervals by a forked lever E<6> actuated by a cam on the shaft B. The spring compression under the bottle stand of the machine described in the prior Specification is preferably dispensed with when filling bottles having nozzles with parallel sides, though it may be retained when filling bottles with tapering nozzles. In its place, the bottle stand K has an under boss K<1>, which rests on a spring in the hollow sleeve H<2> of a reciprocating bracket H. The stand K is further provided with a projecting arm K<2>, which is connected by a pin and slot to one end of a lever forming part of the gear actuating the admission and snift valves in the filling-head E. When a bottle is placed in the machine, the stand K rises until it comes into contact with the bottom of the bottle, and the sleeve H<2> closes up to the stand owing to its spring being weaker than the springs between the sleeve C' and wheel F. If a bottle is omitted from the machine, the stand rises above its normal limit, and the valve gear is actuated to close the liquid-supply and syruping valves, and to divert the liquid &c. into another channel, as described in the prior Specification. The machine is provided with a bottle-guard L carried by a shaft L<1>, which receives an intermittent rotation from gearing, actuated by a cam on the shaft B, so as to open and close the guard at the desired intervals. A spring L<4> ensures that the guard remains closed during the filling operation. If desired, the machine may be fitted with duplicate sets of the above devices.