Patent GB-207304-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to bottle filling machines
IPC: B67C3/26
Filed: 1922-09-19
Abstract: 207,304. Meadowcroft & Son, Ltd., W., and Meadowcroft, W. Sept. 19, 1922. Bottling.-The rotary filling-heads of a rotary bottle-filling machine are carried by a vertical member that can be raised or lowered by suitable mechanism to adjust the machine to take different lengths of bottles without turning the filling-heads relatively to the bottle-rests. Divisional bottle-guards extend between the bottlerests and the filling-heads, and means are provided for moving them above the level of the bottlerests to provide a free passage for the. transference of the bottles to and from the bottle-rests. The filling-heads 17, Fig. 1, are carried by a casting 13 secured to the top of a vertical shaft 11 which is slidably keyed to a sleeve 3 carrying a table 9 with the bottle-rests 18. The sleeve 3 is driven through worm gearing 4, 6 from the driving-shaft 7, and the lower end of the shaft 11 is screwed and carries a bevel-wheel 19 gearing with a pinion 20 on a shaft 21 provided with a hand-wheel 22. A spring 16 is interposed between the table 9 and casting 13 to support the weight of the latter, and by turning the handwheel 22 the casting 13 and heads 17 can be raised or lowered. The bottle-rests are operated by a stationary cam 24 engaging a roller 25 on a slide 27 within a sleeve 28 slidable within a support 30 on the. table 9. A spring 29 within the sleeve 28 allows the sleeve to move down the slide 27 to accomodate bottles which vary slightly in length. A cam 31 on the, cam 24 raises and lowers rods 32 which pass through supports 35 in the table and carry divisional bottle guards 34, Fig. 3. Side wings 31<A>, 31<B>, on the cam 31 engage the shoes 33 on the rods 32 and displace the guards through a small angle to enable the bottles to pass in and out without colliding with the guards. The internal bottle-guard is in two portions, 36, 37 fixed to the table 9 and casting 13 respectively, the top portion 37 sliding over the bottom portion 36 when the casting 13 is lowered. The clutch 38<A> of the driving-pulley 38 is operated by a rod 39 and lever 40. The liquid inlet distributing valve 45, which is connected by a flexible tube 44 to the supply valve 43 carried by a ring 42 supported by pillars 41, has one or more annular liquid ports 46 and one or more air or gas release ports 47. Needle-valves 48 are provided in the ports 47 to control the amount of air or gas pressure released from the bottles and thereby the amount of liquid entering the bottles. An arm 49, Fig. 2, slidably connected to one of the pillars 41 holds the valve 45 stationary. The valve 45 is faced with a renewable seating 51 of metal &c., and the renewable metal &c. seat 52 is rotated by a fitting 53 provided with alternate liquid ports 55 and air or gas ports 56 which register with ports 46, 47 respectively. A peg 63 on the top of the shaft 11 rotates the fitting 53. The filling-head 17 can slide through a body 63 fixed to the casting 13 and has at its upper end a valve.-cap 65 pressed against a washer 66 by a spring 67 bearing against the cap 68 which is connected by pipes 70, 72 to the port 55 of the fitting 53. A. flexible pipe 74 connects the filling-head with the port 56. A peg 77 on the casting 13 prevents the head 17 from rotating, and a rubber washer 75 is provided at the mouth of the head. When a bottle is raised, the valve-cap 65 is lifted off the washer 66 and the washer 78 pressed against the body 63, and when the ports 46, 55 coincide, liquid passes into the bottle through a passage 79 in the head, the air or gas escaping through a portion 80, pipe 74, ports 56, 47, and needle valve 48. Guards 81 - - 84 are pivoted to the pillars 41.