Patent GB-175142-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in can filling machines
IPC: B65B3/32
Filed: 1920-12-08
Abstract: 175,142. Hofheimer, M. Dec. 8, 1920. Filling cans. - In a machine for filling cans with paints &c., a measured charge is delivered from 'a cylinder by a piston driven by a pitman mounted on a radially-adjustable block carried by a rotary driving-element. The driving-shaft is provided with cams to move a drip-collecting trough under or away from the filling-nozzle. The cans are supported on a turntable 39, Figs. 1 and 4, carried by a ratchet sleeve 38, which is supported by a collar 37 on a vertical shaft 33. The shaft 33 can be raised or lowered in a threaded block 34, and is held in the adjusted position by shoes or clamps 35 which are pivoted at one end to the frame 30 of the machine and connected at the other end by springs 36. The cans are held on the table 39 by an adjustable spindle 40 having curved arms 41 to hold the cans centrally with regard to the filling-nozzle. A pin 43 on the spider engages one or other of a series of apertures 42 in the table according to the size of the cans being filled. The table is rotated step by step by means of a bell-crank lever 44 having at one end a spring-pressed dog 47 to engage the wheel 38 and at the other end a pivoted knuckle 48 connected to the arm 49 of an eccentric 51 associated with the pump-opera ting mechanism. A pipe 54, Fig. 2, connects the supply tank 52 to the intake-valve casing. 55 of the pump cylinder 56. The casing 55 is removably secured to the head 57 of the cylinder and has a seat 60, Fig. 5, formed in a removable plug or closure 63. The stem 65 of the spring- pressed valve 64 is slidable in a guide 66 carried by a cage 67 which is apertured to permit the passage of the paint &c. The stem 70 of the spring-pressed discharge valve 71 is guided by a hollow boss 69 in a removable plug 68 at the upper end of the head 57. For unseating the valves to release the residue of paint or washing fluid left in the head when the tank 52 has been emptied, an arm 77 pivoted on a lug 79 on the interior of the head is provided with fingers 75, 76 to engage the stems 70, 65 respectively. The arm is operated by a handle 82, and its movement is limited by fingers 80, 81. A distributor head 87 with large and small nozzles 88, 89 is pivoted on a head 84 which is carried by a hollow arm 83 on the cylinder head 57 and provided with an upwardly-extending hollow branch 85 from which a pipe 86 leads to above the tank 52. The head 87 has a transverse port 91 which can be moved into register with the conduit from the pump and the passage leading to the pipe 86, so that on operating the pump the fluid taken in at the valve 64 is discharged through the pipe 86 into the tank to remove any deposits. The dripcollector 92 is carried by a pivoted arm 93 connected to a spring-pressed rod 99 which passes through guides 102, 103 and carries a wheel 100 bearing against a cam 101. The bottom of the collector has an upwardly-extending lip 106, Fig. 17, at its open end, and the outer edge 107 is raised or thickened so that its upper surface is inclined and raised above the upper edge of the lip. A plate 108 applied to the inclined surface overlies the lip and acts as a cut-off for any paint which may be suspended from the nozzle. A drain-opening 96 in the collector discharges into a receptacle 97 on the frame 30. The pump piston 109, Fig. 23, consists of recessed heads 112, 113 secured back to back with intervening leather discs 114, 115, the flanged parts 116, 117 of which are pressed against the cylinder wall by piston rings 120, 121 held in peripheral grooves of the heads 112, 113. The piston-rod 110 is adjustably connected to a pitman 125 which is connected to a block 128 adjustable in a yoke 129 mounted on a bearing 130 on the frame 30. The block 128 is adjusted by means of a screw 137 operated by a rod 134 passing through the 'bearing 130 and fitted with a handwheel 135. One side of the yoke bears graduations to indicate the amounts of paint delivered when the block is in different positions, and a lock-nut 145 secures the block in the adjusted position. The yoke carries the cam 101, eccentric 51, and a gear-wheel 133 which is driven through a train 147 of gearing from a motor 146. The drip-pan 92 moves away from the nozzle as the piston 109 moves inwards to expel the paint from the cylinder 56, and is moved under the nozzle at the beginning of the return stroke, during which the table 39 is operated to bring an empty can into position to receive paint. The frame 30 is formed of sectional tubing, and the machine is. supported on wheels. A drain-pipe 151 is connected to the valve-casing 55 to effect communication through the pipe 54 with the tank 52, so that surplus fluid or fluid used for cleaning the tank may be discharged.