Patent GB-190503595-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Liquids into Casks and the like
Inventor: SCHLANGEN SIMON
Filed: 1905-02-21
Granted: 1906-02-21
Abstract: 3595. Schlangen, S. Feb. 21. Filling with liquids. -Beer or other liquid to be filled into casks &c. is contained in a reservoir 3, Fig. 1, which is provided with apparatus for dealing with three or other number of casks at the same time. The reservoir is supplied with compressed air from a suitable source, and beer is pumped in, as required, through the pipe 230. Each filling - apparatus i s carried by a gimbalmounted frame, and consists of a closing- head which fits into the bung-hole of the barrel, a filling-pipe with valve below, which passes down through the closing- head, and a reservoir to contain sufficient beer to take the place of the filling-tube as this is being withdrawn. The various operations are performed by air pressure taken from the upper part of the reservoir 3 and controlled by a single multiple-way plug valve 136. The empty casks are first supplied with compressed air to prevent frothing &c., and as they are filled, the displaced air passes back to the reservoir to replace that exhausted from the working-cylinders. The first motion of the valve 136 opens the space below the piston in the cylinder 62 to the exhaust and the space above it to the pressure. This allows the cross-head 35 carrying the closing-head 44 and the cross-head 75, coupled to it by rods, to descend. The gimbals allow the closing-head freedom to adjust itself into position, and weights 41 keep it firmly in the bung-hole during the subsequent operations. The working-valve is then moved slightly back, thus shutting off pressure from the cylinder 62, but allowing pressure to pass above the piston 183 in the cylinder 176, Fig. 11. The effect of this is to open the valve 192 in the piston 195, which is adjustably set in the glass or like cylinder 200. Pressure then passes down the pipe 170 to the cylinder 200 and thence through the spring valve 214, which is opened by the barrel pressing on its stem 216, to the space 50 in the closing-head, from which it passes to the barrel by passages 49 made in the guide-bush of the filling-tube 52. The valve 136 is then further turned to admit pressure to the cylinder 62. The filling-tube, which is connected directly to the piston-rod of this cylinder, is thereby brought down into the barrel. It has a hollow bead 90 to which is coupled a flexible pipe 226 leading from the feed-nozzle 227 in the reservoir 3, and has a valve at its outlet controlled as follows :-The valve is coupled by a rod to a lever carrying upon its axle an outside lever 97 normally depressed by a spring arm to keep the valve against its seat. Just before the limit of the downward movement of the filling- tube, the lever 97 meets a stop which swings it about its axle and thereby opens the valve. The liquid then passes into the barrel, the displaced air escaping by the cylinder 200 and pipe 170. When the liquid, having filled the barrel, reaches the piston 195, the operator turns the valve 136 farther, when (1) the piston 183 is raised to close the valve 192, (2) the piston in the cylinder 62 is raised to remove the lifting-tube from the barrel, its valve automatically closing, (3) the liquid in the cylinder 200 runs back into the barrel, a rubber-capped vent 238 permitting this, and (4) the closing-head is raised by a collar on the pistonrod bearing against the cross-head 75. The closing-head can then be swung out of the way for the insertion of the bung by rocking the gimbalmounted frame, and the barrel can then be replaced by another one. Fig. 7 shows the valve 136 in section. The pipe 134 leads to the reservoir 3, and the port 154 opens to the air. Two curved passages 150 in the plug register, as required, with ports leading to the upper and lower parts respectively of the cylinder 62. Passages 155, 158 communicate with the supply and exhaust, respectively, and register with elongated ports 157 in the plug, which put them in communication with two ports in the casing connected with the two ends of the cylinder 176.