Improvements in Machinery for Filling Bottles with Mineral Waters and other Liquids under Pressure.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1896-Accepted. 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Filling Bottles with Mineral Waters
and other Liquids under Pressure.
I, CHARLES EDWARD BEAVIS, of Jacob Street, Bristol, Mineral Water
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in machinery for bottling mineral waters
and the like, more particularly for use with the perforated valve stoppers described
in my Complete Specifications numbered 12713 and 14309, of the 2nd and 27th of
July, 1895 respectively, for which Letters Patent have been granted; which valve
stoppers are inserted in the bottles and the latter filled through the perforations in
the stopper.
The object of this invention is to provide such snifting apparatus as will enable
bottles with these stoppers to be filled and the air expelled notwithstanding the
reduced aperture in the mouth of the bottle, which is done by making breaks or
stoppages in the charging process, and during such breaks, opening a valve or
valves, permitting the air to escape, thus preventing the inrush of water coming
into contact with the outgoing air.
In filling bottles with liquids under pressure, the inrush of liquid interferes with
the exit of the air, and various snifting appliances have been provided which
operate successfully in bottles having the usual size mouth, but with perforated
stoppers, the aperture is considerably reduced, and therefore it is almost impossible
to fill bottles having these stoppers by the ordinary machines; this difficulty is
obviated by filling the bottle in intermittent charges, the intervals being occupied
in opening a valve or valves to let the air escape.
My invention consists in providing rotating machines, to be actuated by hand or
power, for filling any internally stoppered bottles, or those fitted with my patent
valve screw stoppers, and which will perform the various processes of syruping,
filling, snifting, and stoppering or sealing at one revolution of the machine.
In carrying this invention into effect, the usual syruping appliances are
employed, and the syrup conveyed to a chamber in a flanged cap; the aërated liquid
is also conveyed to the cap, in which there are two or more chambers, according
to the number of breaks in the supply of the liquid; a round leather disc, in
which are curved elongated openings, all equi-distant from the centre, is placed
over the chambers, with the openings corresponding to the outlets from the
chambers; fitting tightly against the leather disc is a metal disc, having one, two,
or three holes according to the number of arms for holding bottles that are to be
formed on the machine: this metal disc is fixed to, and revolved by a central per-
forated spindle, and the holes are made to coincide in their revolution with the holes in
the leather disc, opening the ports as they pass over them; each hole in the metal
disc is connected to a tubular channel through the spindle, terminating in one of
the cones in which the mouth of the bottle is placed for filling, beyond the cone,
the spindle is also perforated and the perforations terminated at the end by a valve
or valves, which, as they come into contact with an adjustable plate or plates, are
opened and permit the air to escape.
After the bottle is filled, it is brought into an inverted position by the revolution
of the arms and then the valve of the patent stopper falls upon the rubber seating,
when the snifting valve is again opened, and releases what is known as back or
under pressure from beneath the stopper, thereby securing it in position.

page_text: The machine being provided as described, and the connections to the syrup and
liquid made, the operation is as follows: A bottle is put in position on one of the
drms, and by the revolution of the machine, the hole in the metal disc is brought
opposite the syrup port in the leather disc and the bottle is charged with syrup,
immediately after, it is brought opposite to one of the water ports, which charges
the bottle about two thirds full, compressing the air, the water is then cut off by
the port, and during the interval, the snifting valve comes opposite a plate, which
opens the valve and the air escapes, the valve instantly closing; this process is
repeated once or twice as required, the holes in the leather disc and the plates for
the snifting valve being arranged accordingly, and by this automatic action of the
revolving discs on the spindle, an alternate opening and closing of inlet and
outlet channels is carried on, the incoming liquid never colliding with the
outgoing air.
Dated this 6th day of December 1895.
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Machinery for Filling Bottles with Mineral Waters
and other Liquids under Pressure.
I, CHARLES EDWARD BEAVIS, of Jacob Street, Bristol, Mineral Water
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in machinery for filling bottles with
mineral waters and the like, and is more particularly intended for use with bottles
having very contracted necks or those fitted with my patent perforated valve
stoppers, described in Specifications numbered 12713 and 14309, of the 2nd and
27th July respectively, the bottles being filled through the stoppers after they are
inserted the object of this. invention is to provide a new combined filling and
spifting apparatus which will operate alternately, so that notwithstanding the
reduced aperture through which the bottle has to be charged, the filling and
snifting will be effectively performed.
In filling bottles with liquids under pressure, the inrush of liquid interferes with
the exit of the air, and various suifting appliances have been provided which
operate successfully in bottles having mouths of the usual size, but with bottles
baving reduced filling apertures, as is the case with my perforated valve stoppers,
it is impossible to fill them with the ordinary machines; this difficulty is overcome
by filling the bottles in intermittent charges, the intervals being occupied in
opening the snifting appliances to let the air escape.
My invention and the means employed for putting the same into operation will
be fully described in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents the upper part of an ordinary rotary filling machine, which is
fitted with ports to operate in conjunction with my alternating appliance;
Fig. 2 is a front view of a flanged cap which is attached to a central shaft, and
contains a water channel, constantly charged with liquid under pressure, also the
syruping and snifting valves;
Fig. 3 is an interior or back view of the cap, covered with a piece of leather or
other suitable material, in which is a series of circular elongated openings
or chases, serving as cut-offs for the various operations hereinafter to be
described; and
Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the cap on irregular lines x, y, in Fig. 3,

page_text: showing details of the water and syrup inlets and the snifting apparatus for the
outlet of air.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures, Figs. 2, 3, and 4 being
on a considerably increased scale for the sake of clearness.
A is the central shaft on which the rotary filling head B is placed; one, two, or
more ports b are made in the face of this head, each connected to its cone C, which
is fitted with the usual rubber holder to receive the necks of the bottles; D is an
adjustable clutch set at the right length by a set screw as shown to hold the
bottles while revolving in the machine; E is a bottle in position in the cone and
clutch; F is a toothed wheel actuated by a driving wheel at the base (not shewn),
G is a pipe conveying the aërated or other liquid to the cap, shown as disconnected
in Fig. 1, but connected in Fig. 2; H is a similar pipe from the syrup pump.
These parts are all common to rotary filling machines, but are thus shewn and
described that the action of the rotary filling bead B with the ports b passing over
the leather disc forming a set of valves may be fully understood.
I is a flanged cap placed on the central shaft A, and held tightly in position
against the filling head B by a screw nut on the end of the shaft; J is a circular
disc of leather or other suitable material fitted within the flange of the cap and
around the central shaft, a circular plate K being screwed to the cap over the
leather to keep it in place; a circular channel L (shown by dotted lines) is made
in the cap, to which the aërated liquor is conveyed by the pipe G; from this
channel, ports M are made in the inner face of the cap, curved and elongated
chases N are cut in the leather to form openings from the ports M; O is another
port through the cap, connected by the pipe H to the syrup pump; P is a chase
in the leather extending each side of the port O, as shown; R are ports made
through the cap to the snifting valves R' on the outside; the two at the base of
the cap are formed by inserting a tube in the front and carrying it through the
channel L to the other side; S are elongated chases in the leather, extending on
either side of the ports R.
The various parts of my appliance being provided as described, their operation
is as follows:-The rotary machine is actuated by a toothed wheel at the base
engaging in the large wheel shown; at the back of the bottle-holders are the
usual cams for raising the clutch to receive and liberate the bottles as placed in
the cones aud holders C and D, and a cam for actuating the plunger of the syrup
pump which discharges the syrup through the flanged cap into the bottle; the
machine is driven by hand or power, any suitable appliance being adopted for
disconnecting the toothed wheel from the driving power. The cap is pressed
tightly against the filling head B, the latter fitting on the leather disc J between the
flange of the cap and the edge of the circular plate K, the elongated chases in
the leather disc coinciding exactly with the port 6 in the filling head as it revolves;
the pipes G and H being connected to the cap as shown in Fig. 2, the machine is
ready for operation: the circular plate B closes all the chases in the leather dise
until one of the ports comes opposite one of them, consequently the action of
charging a bottle with liquid is as follows:-The bottle placed in the cone C and
holder D while that part of the machine is revolving, and the port 6 directly
connected with the cone travels until it reaches the chase P, when an opening is
made for the syrup to enter through the port O from the syrup pump; as it
proceeds the space between the two chases acts as a cut-off, the port then arrives
at the next chase N, when the port M is opened, and the liquid under pressure in
the chamber L rushes through the port M and fills the bottle as far as the air
contained therein allows, it then passes on to the next chase S, which is over the
port R connected to a snift valve R' on the outside, while the port b passes over
this chase, the air escapes, and the bottle is ready for a further charge of liquid,
which it receives when the port passes the next chase, after this in passing the next
chase, another snift takes place, then at the next chase the final filling, after
which the final snift, which allows the back pressure to escape, and the valve is
closed by the inside pressure and stoppers the bottle.

page_text: .
In the Provisional Specification, two or more chambers are described as supplying
the liquid to the ports as they pass over the openings in the leather disc, but in
practice it is found expedient to have only one chamber, in which the liquid is at
a uniform pressure in all parts and instead of perforations in the spindle of the
filling-head near the cone as there described, the connections to the snifting valves
are made from the back of the leather disc to the outside direct, and are opened
by the ports passing over the chases in the disc as herein described, the rotation of
the filling head B against the leather disc being performed without any striking
motion, consequently ensuring greater accuracy in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In machines for filling bottles with aërated waters and liquids under pressure,
the provision of a cap with a series of ports, all equi-distant from the centre, and
severally connected with the syrup pump, charging chamber, and snifting valves,
over which a disc of leather or other suitable material is placed having elongated
chases cut therein to fit over the respective ports, allowing as long a time as is
necessary for filling and snifting; against which the rotary filling head with ports
is placed, these ports coming successively opposite the ports in the cap, a passage
is opened whereby the bottles are charged intermittently and the air expelled in the
intervals, substantially as and for the purposes berein described and illustrated in
the drawings.
2. The process of alternately charging and snifting bottles when filling them
with mineral waters and other liquids under pressure as herein described and set
forth.
Dated this 29th day of August 1896
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2 John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.