Patent GB-190121828-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Bottling and Corking Machines.
Inventor: JERRAM FREDERIC OLDERSHAW
Filed: 1901-10-30
Granted: 1902-10-30
Abstract: 21,828. Jerram, F. O. Oct. 30. Bottling ; corking.-The liquid to be bottled is contained in the tank 2, and is delivered through one or more valves 5 and filling-tubes 14 into the bottles 25. The valves 5 are connected by rods 6 to arms 7 on the rocking shaft 8, and are operated simultaneously by the hand-lever 10, which is mounted on the shaft 11 connected by the rod 12 to the arm 13 on the shaft 8. Each filling-tube 14 is surrounded by a flared guiding-socket 15, having a packing-washer 16 to form a tight joint with the bottle neck. The air displaced from the bottle during filling escapes through the vent-tube 37. The bottles are placed in the compartments 19<a> of the bottle-carriers 19, which are adapted to roll or slide on the table 17, to move the bottles from the filling-nozzles to the corking-plungers 82. Holes are formed in the table 17 in alignment with the nozzles and plungers, and correspondingly-spaced holes are formed in the bottoms of the bottlecarriers, to permit the upward movement of the plungers 22, which raise the bottles to the filling and corking heads. The operation of the plungers is effected by the endless band or chain 26, Fig. 1, which is arranged in zig-zag fashion round the fixed pulleys 27 and the pulleys 24 on the plungers, and has its ends connected to the rotating drum 29. On rotating the drum, the plungers are raised by the chain, and press the bottles tightly against the washer 16 &c., independently of any variation in the size of the bottles. The plungers may be locked during the filling and corking operations by a pawl 34 engaging a ratchet-wheel on the drum, or by pawls on the shaft 11 engaging racks on the lower ends of the plungers, or, preferably, by both of these arrangements. The compartments 19<a> of the bottle-carriers may each be fitted with a pair of opposed V-shaped centering-blocks, normally forced towards each other by springs, but so connected by an arrangement of links that they can be drawn apart by pulling a knob attached to the links. Instead of having the vent tubes 37 opening to the air, the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. The filling-tubes 14 are surrounded by tubes 41, forming annular air escape spaces, which are connected by separate tubes 40, and, if desired, a main tube 40<a>, with the upper end of the chamber 44. This chamber is closed at its upper end, and communicates through the aperture 46 at the bottom of the partition 43 with the open chamber 45, which contains a displacing- body 47 connected to the rocking-shaft 8. The chambers contain a quantity of water 50, which, when the body 47 is raised, during the filling of the bottles, does not fully cover the aperture 46, but permits the air displaced from the bottles to escape through it. When the bottles are filled, the body 47 is moved downwards simultaneously with the closing of the valves 5, this movement of the body 47 raising the level of the liquid 50, so that the liquid seals the aperture 46 and also forces air through the tubes 40, to eject any liquid or froth in the air tubes into the bottles, so clearing the tubes and preventing any drip from them when the bottles are removed. To protect the liquid in the tank 2 from contact with the air, it is provided with a float 57 fitted to the interior of the tank. The float is preferably balanced, and may be used to control the supply of liquid to the tank. A controlling-arrangement is described, in which the float is so connected to an oscillating supply pump, that it prevents effective action of the pump when the liquid is at normal height. The Provisional Specification also states that for wines, spirits, &c., which it is desirable should be kept from contact with the air, the tank may be divided into compartments capable of being hermetically sealed, and connected with each other by suitable valves. The corking-plungers 82 are fixed to a head 83, which is reciprocated by a pair of floating levers operated by an eccentric, the pivoting points of the levers being connected to a second eccentric of opposite throw. The corks 92 are fed by spring fingers 93, Fig. 4, through guide-channels 91 to the corking- tubes 80, and are forced by the plungers through the conical lower ends of the tubes into the bottles. The corking tubes may be interchangeable to suit bottles of different sizes, while for different sizes of cork the feed-mechanism may be dispensed with and the corks supplied by hand. The machine may be operated by hand or power, and in the latter case the supporting-table and bottle-carriers may be arranged in circular form round the machine. In some cases, the bottling and corking portions of the machine may be disconnected. For bottling wines, vinegar. &c., the parts which come in contact with the liquid are preferably made of, or covered with, glass or porcelain.