Patent GB-408448-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for treating filled containers preparatory to sealing of the same
IPC: B67B3/10
Filed: 1933-04-01
Abstract: 408,448. Canning food &c. ARMSTRONG, J. J. V., 12, Church Street, Liverpool.-(Continental Can Co., Inc. ; 100, East 42nd Street, New York, U.S.A.) April 1, 1933, No. 9833. [Class 49.] A machine for exhausting a number of containers simultaneously and then filling them with gas such as carbon dioxide comprises a table divided into sections to and from which containers are fed one at a time, the sections being moved at intervals into closed chambers where they are subjected first to vacuum and then to gas. The base of the machine 1 supports a fixed column 2 round which is a sleeve 3 mounted on ball bearings for rotation. Attached to the sleeve 3 is a bracket 5 having teeth on its periphery which mesh with a pinion 8 on a shaft 9. The shaft 9 carries a wheel 11 meshing with a worm 12 on a shaft 13 which is driven through a clutch 14 from a belt wheel 15. The shaft 13 can also be rotated by a hand wheel 16. Attached to the sleeve 3 and rotating with it is a second bracket 17 which carries an annular casing 18. The latter is provided with three separate chambers each of which has a series of compartments 21 to receive the containers with their ends loosely applied thereto. The casing 18 can be removed from the bracket 17 and replaced by another having compartments of different shape so that containers of various shapes can be treated. Manifolds 76 are provided for each chamber and they communicate with the compartments through ports 75. Attached to the sleeve 3 and rotating with it is a table 23 which is provided with three separate sections each of which can be raised and lowered independently of the others. One of the sections is loaded with containers which are thus placed in the compartments 21 as the sleeve 3 rotates, a gasket round the bottom of each compartment making a tight joint with the raised section of the table. Each section of the table is provided with circular recesses in which are steel discs having raised guides to centre the containers placed thereon. The discs are removable and may be exchanged for others when containers of a different diameter are used. Each section of the table is mounted, as shown in Fig. 5, on vertically movable rods 27, 28 which can slide in sleeves 29, 30 which are formed as parts of a bracket 32 attached to the bracket 5. The rods 27, 28 are provided with racks 31 which project through openings in the sleeves 29, 30 and engage pinions 36 carried by a crosshead 35 which can move freely in a vertical direction. The pinions 36 also mesh with stationary racks 37 attached to the member 32. A rod 39 carrying a roller 40 is carried by the crosshead 35. The roller 40 runs in a cam groove 41 in the member 42 which is clamped to the frame of the machine. The roller 40 runs along the cam groove and raises and lowers the crosshead and so raises and lowers the rods 27, 28 and the corresponding sections of the table. The three sections of the table are lifted and lowered one after another as the sleeve 3 rotates. The containers are fed to the table as it rotates by means of a reciprocating finger 49 carrying an arm 50 which pushes the containers one at a time from conveyer belts 42. The finger 49 has a second arm 51 which, when retracted, withdraws a container from the table and places it on the conveyer belts. A screw 48 regulates the feeding of the containers to the arm 50. The conveyer belts and screw 48 are driven through belts and gearing from the shaft 9. The finger 49 is reciprocated by a slide 63, levers 65, 67 and a slide 68. The latter is reciprocated by a roller and cam 69, 70, the cam being rotated by shafts and gears from the shaft 9. The means for creating a vacuum and introducing gas into the chambers containing the containers comprise manifolds 76, 76<a>, 76b and pipes 77, 77<a>, 77b which connect the chambers to a valve sleeve 78 which is attached to the bracket 17 by arms and pins 79, 80. The valve sleeve thus rotates with the sleeve 3. Within the valve sleeve is a stationary valve stem 81 which is secured to the column 2. On the inner face of the valve sleeve are three vertical recesses 83 into which the pipes 77, 77<a>, 77b lead. The valve stem is provided with two passages 84, 86 connected to pipes 85, 87 to which are attached respectively means for creating a vacuum and supplying gas. In the outer face of the valve stem is a recess 88 which is connected by ports 89 to the passage 84. A second recess 90 is also connected with the passage 84 by ports 91, as shown in Fig. 8. Third and fourth recesses 92, 94 are connected to the passage 86 by means of ports 93, 95. As the valve sleeve rotates the recesses 83 pass the recesses in the valve stem and put the pipes 77, 77<a>, 77b into communication successively with the vacuum pipe 85 and gas supply pipe 87. The pairs of recesses 88, 92, 90, 94 cause the operation of putting the manifolds into communication with the vacuum and gas pipes to be performed twice before the containers are removed from the compartments 21. The joint between the valve sleeve and stem is sealed by oil in a recess 96 in the sleeve which is closed by a plate 97 carrying a washer 98. A second dish-shaped plate 99 filled with oil is secured to the lower end of the valve stem and is closed by a plate 101 carrying a washer 102. After the containers are removed from the machine they are delivered to a machine for hermetically securing their ends.