Patent GB-190305598-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Bottles and other Vessels with Liquids.
Inventor: MARKS GEORGE CROYDON
Filed: 1903-03-10
Granted: 1903-07-09
Abstract: 5598. Marks, G. C., [Scully, A. B.]. March 10. Bottling.-Relates to apparatus for filling bottles with beer or other carbonated liquids, the filling - heads and connections being applicable also for filling casks. The bottles are placed on the revoluble drum A, within holders a consisting of spring - controlled jaws 8 mounted in supports 7. The holders are arranged in rows, as shown in Fig. 1, and the drum is rotated with a stepby-step motion, to bring the rows successively under the filling - heads E. The rotation of the drum is effected through the gearing 12,13, from the wheel B driven from the main shaft 19, which is normally geared to the driving - pulley 18 by the spring- controlled clutch 22. The spindle 14 of the gear wheel 13 is provided with two pins or rollers 17, which are engaged and actuated by the spring-controlled finger 27 and the cam 23 on the wheel B, to rotate the drum through the required interval about mid-way in each revolution of the wheel B. At the end of each revolution of this wheel, the spring finger 32 disengages the clutch 22, and so stops the machine to permit the filling of the row of bottles then in position. The machine is started again by a treadle adapted to disengage the finger 32 from the clutch. The filling-heads E are carried by the crosshead D, which is reciprocated vertically by the adjustable pitman connections 31 from crank-pins on the wheel B and its companion wheel C. The heads E are provided with removable filling-tubes e, and are connected by flexible pipes 39, Fig. 7, to the supply tank F, the gas passages 90 in the filling-heads being connected by pipes 91 to a cylinder J, which is connected by a flexible pipe 95 to the upper part of the tank F. The bottles are centered to the filling-heads by the flared guides H carried by the rods 84, which extend through the crosshead D and are provided above the crosshead with adjustable collars 85. The guides are each made in two parts, and are carried by the two separable cross-supports 79, which are mounted on lateral guide-pins 82 and are normally held together by springs 80. The guides descend with the crosshead until their supports engage the adjustable stops 87, the filling-tubes e entering the mouths of the bottles. The guides are held by the stops 87 during the further descent of the crosshead, and are opened out by the spreader bars 88 entering between their supports 79, so permitting them to pass over the bottles until the latter are sealed against the filling-heads. The tank F is fed with liquid through the pipe 40, Fig. 8, from supply barrels or casks, the pipe 40 being provided with a valve 42, preferably consisting of a short piece of flexible tubing having flattened lips, to prevent the liquid from drawing air or gas from the top of the tank and so causing frothing. The valve 42 also serves to permit the escape of air or gas carried over with the liquid, or passing through the pipe 40 from a barrel which has been emptied. Compressed air is supplied to the tank F through the valve-controlled pipes 44, 45, the pressure being adjusted by means of the differential relief valve G, Figs. 8 and 9, in which the escape valve 51 is opened when the full pressure through the pipe 47 on one side of the diaphragm 48 is overcome by the pressure within the tank aided by the pressure of an adjustable spring 52. A uniform pressure is thus maintained on the liquid during the filling of the tank. The air outlet is closed by the float valve 56, 58 when the liquid approaches its highest level in the tank, and the flow is stopped when equilibrium is established. In the modification shown in Fig. 11, adapted for use when the supply pressure is excessive, the tank is provided with a blow-off valve 59, and the pipe 40 is fitted with a pivoted valve 60, normally held open by a spring 61. The valve 60 is connected to the diaphragm 63 on a closed casing 64, which has a pipe connection 67 with a three-way valve 65 controlled by a float 66, the valve being adapted to connect the casing either with the exterior air at 68 or with the interior of the tank at 69. When the liquid reaches its highest level, the valve 65 connects the casing with the exterior, and the valve 60 is then closed rapidly by the tank pressure on the diaphragm, to shut off the supply. When the liquid level falls, the casing is opened to the interior of the tank, thus equalizing the pressure on the diaphragm, and allowing the spring 61 to open the supply valve. In action, the liquid is delivered to the bottles through the pipes 39, against a back pressure of gas previously admitted to the bottles through the pipes 91, the liquid forcing the gas back through the passages 90, 91 into the cylinder J &c. The pipes 91 are provided with valves 96, Figs. 7 and 18, which open freely to admit the gas to the bottles, but restrict the return of the gas to the narrow bores k of the valves. The filling-tubes e are made of capillary diameter, so that they stand full of liquid when removed from the filled bottles, and the passages 90 are provided with float valves M, to prevent the liquid from passing into the airtubes. Each filling-head is provided with a disc valve L, which controls both the liquid-supply and the gas passages, the gas port being given a lead of the liquid port, to permit the gas to enter the bottles before the liquid. The seat of the valve L is made of metal, and is pressed against the valve by a disc 101 of soft rubber. The valves L are provided with arms 103, 104, by which they can be connected by the latches n to the shifter bar N, which is actuated automatically through the rocking-shaft 107, Figs. 1 and 16, by cams on the wheel C, to open and close the valves simultaneously. The latches n enable any of the valves to be disconnected in case of a defective bottle being inserted. Pawls n<3> are provided to hold the latches out of action, when, at the end of a day's run, it is desired to open the valves successively by hand until the tank F is empty.