Patent GB-1217421-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for filling and sealing ampoules
Inventor: SICKEL HELMUT
IPC: B65B3/00
Filed: 1968-01-10
Abstract: 1,217,421. Sealing glass ampoules. H. SICKEL. 10 Jan., 1968 [10 Jan., 1967], No. 1428/68. Heading C1M. [Also in Division B8] In a machine for filling and sealing ampoules under sterile conditions, a filling tube for flushing gas and medicament supply remains in the ampoule long enough to enable a final gasflushing phase to continue up to the moment that the ampoule is closed. A sleeve 10, rotatably supported by ball bearings on a centre piece 7 carried by an arm 8 displaceable along a vertical guide 9, pivotally supports a gripper 11. The gripper is urged closed by spring 13, but may be opened by downward movement against the pressure of a spring 18 of a vertically displaceable control sleeve 15 bearing on a control plate 17. Sleeve 15 has sloping surfaces providing two depressions into which rollers at the end of arms 22 engage to depress the sleeve and align the grippers. The sealed, empty ampoule is introduced under the head and opened by a flame from a burner (4), Fig. 1 (not shown). The head descends and the grippers 11 centre the ampoule so that the filling tube 24 can be introduced to near the ampoule bottom. Valve 26 opens to allow sterilized gas to flow from conduit 28 into the ampoule and flush out dirt or air. Valve 26 then rotates to allow a metered supply of medicine to be drawn off, the end of tube 24 being raised to remain above liquid level, but the supply is adjusted so that not all the metered amount enters the ampoule at first. The remaining part of the medicine, held in the tube 24 is discharged when gas is again flushed through the ampoule from conduit 28. The ampoule is next rotated by means of a pulley (32), Fig. 3 (not shown), and a burner (30) softens the neck below the end of the filling tube which continues to discharge sterilized gas. The grippers 11 and support 15 rotate with the ampoule. Upward movement of the grippers and support then draws off the top, sealing the ampoule. In another embodiment, Figs. 5-9 (not shown), the sterilized gas and medicine are introduced separately through concentric tubes (34) so the flushing can take place even whilst medicine is flowing. The main operation is generally similar to that already described. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to this embodiment, Fig. 10, comprises a stationary pillar 61 supporting a fixed cam drum 62 mounted on which are cams controlling the lifting and gripping operations. Plates 66 and 69, rotated by a worm 65 carry twelve supporting pillars 41 holding the filling heads and associated apparatus. Ampoules are introduced by conveyers (106, 105), Fig. 11 (not shown), to recesses (74) in support plates 75 and 76 fixed to rotating plates 66, 69. At the first stage in the cycle, a frame 89 coupled to plates 66, 69 by a stop 71 and rotating against the tension of a spring until released by the stop to its initial position, carries a burner 90 to open the ampoule, the ampoule being rotated by an endless cord drive 100. At the next stage, the grippers are lowered to centre the ampoule; the filling tube is then introduced and gas is flushed through the container, the gas being introduced to the filling tube by pipes 79, 80 leading from a distribution head 78 having a fixed member apertured to allow gas to flow to particular pipes at certain stages in the process. Medicine is next introduced through metering pump 72 from a sterile reservoir 81 having an inlet 87 for sterilized air. Filling then ceases and tube 34 is raised so that its end is in the ampoule neck, when sealing burners on frame 89 soften the neck, an endless cord drive (104), Fig. 11 (not shown), rotating the ampoule. Gas flushing continues until the grippers draw off the ampoule top, and filled, sealed ampoules pass off along conveyers (105, 106).