Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Bottles or other Vessels with Liquids.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Loft D1ot Nov 1000 Conunted 7th Inn 4000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Bottles or other Vessels
with Liquids.
We, WILLIAM HUCKS and WILLIAM HUCKS, Junior, both of 22, Oval Road,
Camden Town, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
-:
This invention has for its object to provide apparatus whereby liquids can be
quickly charged into a considerable number of bottles jars or other vessels
simultaneously the charging being effected to the same distance below the mouths
of all the vessels. According to our invention we provide a tank or reservoir in
the bottom of one part of which outlet openings are formed in number corre-
sponding to the number of vessels to be charged at each operation. These outlet
openings are provided with conical ends for receiving and guiding the mouths
of the vessels and with resilient seatings for making tight joints with the said
mouths.
At another part, the tank or reservoir contains a displacer which when brought
into one position causes the liquid to flow over the said outlets and when brought
into another position allows the liquid to flow away from the said outlets.
The vessels to be charged with liquid are placed in a receptacle which may
be in the form of a truck having spring, supported platforms and capable of
being moved under the tank, the vessels being held in this receptacle in such
positions that each can be brought beneath one of the outlet openings from the
tank. The receptacle containing the vessels is capable of being operated so as to
force the mouths of the said vessels into close contact with the aforesaid resilient
seatings and then the displacer is operated so as to cause the liquid to flow over
and out of the outlet openings and enter the vessels.
Inside the tank we provide a vertically movable box or chamber or the like
provided with a series of suction tubes capable of passing through the outlet
openings from the tank and to dip for a certain distance into the vessels beneath.
The said box chamber or the like is connected to a suction pump so that when
the suction tubes are inserted in the vessels the liquid above the lower ends
of these tubes is withdrawn and, as all these tubes terminate at the same distance
beneath the mouths of the vessels the level of the liquid in relation to these
mouths will be the same in all of the vessels. The suction tubes also allow
of the egress of the air from the vessels when the said vessels are being charged
with liquid in order to prevent any of the liquid from being carried into the
suction tubes by the outrush of air, we provide each such tube with a bell-shaped
sleeve which, while allowing the liquid to flow around it into the vessel to be
filled, also keeps the stream of liquid sufficiently away from the end of the tube
to admit of the air escaping freely from the vessel. The sleeves are preferably
moveable upon the suction tubes which latter are provided with conical ends to
facilitate their insertion into the vessels.
Instead of raising the receptacle containing the vessels as before described we

page_text: may lower the tank on to the vessels or the vessels may be raised independently
of the receptacle containing them as for example by a series of plungers.
Instead of employing the before mentioned displacer for moving the liquid
to the outlet openings from the tank these latter may be provided with plugs
for closing them at the required times under which arrangement the tank may
contain any desired quantity of liquid.
Instead of withdrawing liquid from the vessels by suction we may force it
out by air pressure.
Dated this 10th law of Ton 1900
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Bottles or other Vessels
with Liquids.
We, WILLIAM HUCKS and WILLIAM HUCKS, Junior, both of 22, Oval Road,
Camden Town, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This invention has for its object to provide apparatus whereby liquids can be
quickly charged into a considerable number of bottles, jars or other vessels
simultaneously, the charging being effected to the same distance below the mouths
of all the vessels.
We will describe our invention by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of our improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the left-hand end of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section shewing the apparatus at a different
stage of its operation.
Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections of detached portions of the apparatus.
Figures 6 to 14 inclusive are views of a second form of our improved apparatus,
Figure 6 being a front elevation and Figure 7 a plan, both partly broken away.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the right-hand end of Figure 6.
Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged sectional views shewing certain parts of the
apparatus in different positions.
Figure 11 is a half-plan and Figure 12 a longitudinal vertical section of the
bottle-containing truck shewn in Figures 6, 8, 9 and 10.
Figures 13 and 14 are enlarged sectional views of one of the valves of the
apparatus.
Figure 15 is a front clevation of a modified form of the apparatus shewn in
Figures 6 to 14.
Figure 16 is a horizontal section of Figure 15 with parts omitted, and
Figures 17, 18 and 19 are enlarged sectional views shewing the operation of
the valves of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 15.
Like letters of reference indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
In carrying our invention into practice as shewn in Figures 1 to 5 we provide
a tank or reservoir A supported by bearing bars 6 in a suitable framework B
preferably mounted on wheels B₁ for convenience of portability. In the bottom a
of a part a¹ of the tank or reservoir A, outlet openings are formed, in number

page_text: corresponding to the number of vessels 1) to be charged at each operation. These
outlet openings c are provided with conical ends or mouths C for receiving and
guiding the mouths of the vessels D, and with resilient seatings & Figures 3,
4 and 5 for making tight joints with the said mouths.
Another part a (hereinafter termed the "displacer chamber") of the tank or
reservoir A extends downwards below the level of the part a', and contains a
displacer L which, when moved from its normal position (in which it is shewn
in Figures 1 and 2) into the lower position (in which it is shewn in Figure 3)
causes the liquid contained in the displacer chamber a² to flow over the outlet
openings and which, when returned to its normal position, allows the liquid to
flow away from the said outlets back into the displacer chamber a². The bottom a
of the part a¹ of the tank A is inclined towards the displacer a² to provide for
this return of the liquid into the said displacer chamber.
The displacer L is provided with a pipe or rod by which it is connected to
a cross-bar free to slide vertically on guide rods b¹ forming part of the before-
mentioned framing B. At its two ends the cross-bar is pivotally connected
to the upper ends of two links 2 whose lower ends are pivotally connected to
two lever arms 13 rigidly secured on a shaft . This shaft is mounted in
bearings secured on the framing B, and is provided with a hand-lever which may
be moved from the position in which it is shewn in full lines in Figure 1, to
the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in that figure, and vice versa,
and thereby, through the before-described connecting devices 13, 12, and 1, lower
and raise the displacer L.
The vessels D to be charged with liquid are placed in a receptacle H which
may be in the form of a truck having spring-supported platforms 7 Figures 2
and 3 and capable of being moved under the tank A. A detachable inclined
plane B is provided for facilitating this adjustment of the truck H, and rollers 62
are also provided on bars 3 of the frame B, for guiding the said truck into the
proper position. The vessels D) are contained in the truck H in such positions
that when the said truck is adjusted as last described, each of the vessels Dis
beneath one of the outlet openings c. The truck H is capable of being raised,
so as to force the mouths of the vessels D into close contact with the resilient
seatings c¹, by means of a moveable frame B3 guided on the before-mentioned
bars and having inwardly-projecting arms capable of engaging with the
bottom of the truck H as shewn in Figure 3. To the frame 13 are pivotally
connected the upper ends of two links m, whose lower ends are similarly connected
to two lever arms m¹ secured on a shaft m² mounted in bearings on the frame B,
the said shaft being also provided with a hand-lever M by which it may be
operated for raising and lowering the truck H.
Inside the tank A we provide a vertically-moveable box or chamber E¹ in open
communication with a suction pump E, and provided with a series of suction
tubes capable of passing through the outlet openings c to dip for a certain
distance, into the vessels D beneath, as shewn for example in Figure 3. On the
top of the barrel of the pump E is secured a cross bar e the ends of which are
guided on two rods 6 constituting part of the frame B, and are pivotally
connected to the upper ends of two links el whose lower ends are similarly con-
nected to two lever arms e secured on the before-mentioned shaft m². The last
described connections between the shaft m2 and suction chamber E¹ and those
between the said shaft and the moveable frame 13³ are so arranged that when
the hand-lever M is moved from its normal position in which it is shewn in
full lines in Figure 1 to the position indicated in dotted lines in that figure, the
truck H is raised and the vessels D are forced up against the resilient seatings c¹
and simultaneously therewith the suction chamber is depressed and the suction
tubes are inserted into the vessels all as shewn in Figure 3.
The suction tubes 5 all terminate at the same distance beneath the mouths
of the vessels D so that when the pump E is operated, as hereinafter more

page_text: particularly explained, all the liquid above the lower ends of these tubes will
be sucked out from the said vessels and consequently the level of the liquid
in all of the vessels will be the same. The suction box or chamber E¹ is pro-
vided with a valve e³ which is closed when the said chamber is in its depressed
position, by being in contact with the bottom a of the tank A as shewn in
Figure 3; when the chamber E' is raised the valve e³ opens and allows any liquid
which may be contained in the said chamber, to flow back into the tank A, the
bottom of the chamber E¹ preferably being inclined towards the valve e³ to facili-
tate this outflow.
The tubes besides serving for the withdrawal of liquid from the vessels as
last described, also allow of the egress of the air from the vessels when the latter
are being charged with liquid; in order to prevent any of the liquid from being
carried into the suction tubes by the outrush of air we provide each such tube
with a bell-shaped sleeve which, while allowing the liquid to flow around it
into the vessel D to be filled, also keeps the stream of liquid sufficiently away
from the end of the tube to admit of the air escaping freely from the vessel. The
sleeves as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 are moveable upon the suction tubes
to enable them, as shewn particularly in Figure 5, to slide upwards on the said
tubes, should they come into contact with the mouths of the vessels D, and the
suction tubes are provided with perforated conical ends or nuts 8 to facilitate
their entrance into the vessels D. Suitable washers c are provided above the
conical nuts 8 for making the necessary joints with the sleeves c when these
latter are in their lowered or normal positions on the suction tubes c³.
The tank A is provided with a suitable valve F¹ connected with a liquid-supply
pipe I, and a float Fa for operating the valve so as normally to maintain the liquid
at about the level indicated in Figure 1, that is to say slightly below the level
of the tank bottom a, the valve F being automatically opened to admit a fresh
supply of liquid whenever the surface level of the liquid falls below that indicated
in Figure 1.
Stops and m³ are provided for supporting in the normal positions the
mechanism by which the displacer L and suction-chamber E' are lowered and
raised, and the tank A is provided with a cock a³ for enabling its contents to
be withdrawn.
Assuming the displacer-chamber a² to be filled with liquid up to the level
indicated in Figure 1 the operation of the apparatus may be described as
follows:
A truck H filled with the vessels D to be charged with liquid is placed in
position beneath the tank A as shewn in Figure 1 and the lever M is moved
from the position in which it is shewn in full lines in Figure 1 to that indicated
in dotted lines in that figure, so as to both raise the truck H and thereby force
the mouths of the vessels into close contact with the resilient seatings c¹ and
at the same time move the suction tubes through the outlet openings c and
into the vessels 1) all as shewn in Figure 3. The operator then, by means of
the lever depresses the displacer L and thereby causes the liquid to flow over
and through the outlet openings c and fill the vessels D to repletion. The
operator then returns the lever to its normal position and thereby raises the
displacer Land allows the liquid to flow away from above the outlet openings c
back into the displacer chamber a² the float 2 also descending and opening the
valve to admit a further supply of liquid into the tank A. After this the
operator works the pump E so as to suck from the vessels D all the liquid above
the lower ends of the tubes or sleeves c, this extracted liquid passing into
the suction box or chamber E¹ from which it returns into the tank through the
valve during the next ascent of the said chamber. The operator then returns
the fever M to its normal position and thereby simultaneously raises the suction
tubes, and lowers the truck H and the then-uniformly charged vessels con-
tained in the truck, which latter is then removed from the apparatus to make

page_text: room for another truck filled with empty vessels for the next repetition of the
before-described operation.
In the form of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 6 to 14 of the accompany-
ing drawings the upper ends of the conical mouths C constitute seatings for
valves C¹ the vertical stems of which are formed with central passages c³, and at
their upper ends terminate in cup-shaped chambers provided with lateral
outlet passages c with which are connected the upper ends of the suction tubes 5
which, as shewn clearly in Figure 4, pass centrally through the before-mentioned
passages 2.
The tank or reservoir A is provided with a lid or cover A¹ hinged thereto by
a rod or shaft a* rigidly connected to the said lid. The lid A' is provided with
a number of holes a so situated that when the lid is closed, as shewn in full
lines in the drawings, each of the said holes will be immediately over one of
the before described valves C. Over each of the holes a is fitted a flanged cap as
having at its upper end a centrally perforated plug a to which are air-tightly
connected the upper ends of two concentric india rubber tubes a¹0 all whose
lower ends are similarly connected to a centrally perforated valve a¹. This
valve a under the influence of a spring a¹³ contained within the space enclosed
by the above named parts a a¹o a and a¹ is adapted to bear upon, and make
a tight joint with, the upper edge of one of the before described cup-shaped
chambers 3. The springs a¹³ also serve to return or assist in returning the
valves C to their closed positions and retain them therein until they are next
raised from their seats in the manner hereinafter fully described.
The lid A' at its underside is provided with india-rubber a for making a tight
joint between itself and the tank A, and on its upper side it is provided with a
suction pump E of any desired construction, for exhausting the air from within
the tank A when the lid A¹ is closed as hereinafter more particularly explained.
To the front part of the tank A is connected the supply pipe F fitted with the
float-controlled valve F1 which in this example, as shewn in Figures 13 and 14
preferably comprises a main valve f¹ adapted to bed on a seating f, and an
auxiliary or relief valve fa adapted to bed on a seating formed on the main
valve f by which arrangement we are able to use a main valve of large area
for effecting rapid filling of the tank A. and ensure that the said valve shall not be
prevented from opening by the pressure of liquid against its back or underside.
Should this pressure, when the valve is closed, (as shewn in Figure 13) be
sufficient to prevent the descent of the main valve f¹ when the level of liquid in
the tank A falls, the float F2 in its downward movement, moves the relief-valve f
down from the main valve as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 13 (this valve f
being so shaped that its surface is exposed to but little unbalanced pressure) and
consequently relieves the pressure upon the main valve f¹ which, immediately
thereafter, by its own weight, falls into its open position as shewn in Figure 14
and thereby allows the liquid to flow freely into the tank A, the relief-valve f
being at this time bedded on its seat. As the level of the liquid ascends in the
tank A the float is raised and the main valve f¹ is moved towards, and ultimately
bedded on, its seat f as shewn in Figure 13, the supply of liquid to the tank Ä
being thereby stopped.
To enable all the valves C¹ to be simultaneously opened and closed we provide
a number of shafts G supported at their ends and centre parts in bearing bars a
secured in the tank A, the centre of these bearing bars being mounted on legs
at a distance from the bottom of the tank so as to allow the liquid to pass freely
below it. On the shafts G are secured a number of forked arms g each of
which engages with a collar or projection on one of the before described tubular
stems of the valves C¹ so that, as these shafts are turned on their axes in one
direction as indicated in Figure 10 they raise the valves C¹ off their seats and
allow the liquid to flow out of the tank A, and as they are turned in the opposite
direction they allow the said valves, under the influence of, or assisted by, the
before mentioned springs a¹³ to return to their closed or normal position. At

page_text: about midway between their ends, the shafts G are provided with forked arms g¹
which engage with pins or projections extending from a non-rotating rod G¹
supported in fixed bearings a (only one of which is shewn in the drawings) so
that it may be moved longitudinally therein, a suitable feather and key-way
or other means being provided for preventing its rotation. The backward end of
the rod G is screw-threaded and extends through the back of the tank A. at
which part it is provided with a nut g², conveniently in the form of a hand wheel
as shewn in the drawings. By rotating this nut or hand-wheel g² in one direction
the rod G¹ is drawn outwards from the tank and, through the shafts G, the
valves A¹, against the influence of the before-mentioned springs a¹³, are all
simultaneously raised from their seats, and by rotating it in the opposite direction
the said valves are allowed, under the influence of the springs a¹³ and their own
weight, to return to their seats. To prevent the nut or hand-wheel g² from being
accidentally unscrewed from off the rod G¹ we may secure a collar g³ on the
latter by means of a pin, this pin being readily removeable so that when necessary
the said collar and nut or hand wheel may be detached from the rod G¹. After
the collar and nut or hand wheel 2 have been taken off the rod G¹ as last
described, the said rod and shafts G, and the valves C', may be removed from
the tank A so as to allow the latter to be thoroughly well cleansed.
The vessels D to be charged with liquid are placed in the receptacle or truck H
the two wheels h of which are adapted to travel along rails h¹ capable of being
raised and lowered beneath the tank A. The bottom of the truck H in this
example, as shewn clearly in Figures 11 and 12 is formed of transverse bearing
rails having intermediate spaces 3 between them. In the truck H we provide
a number of boxes or cases H¹ each for containing one of the vessels D and all
arranged so as to slide freely up and down in the truck H, to facilitate which
movement the vertical walls of the said cases may conveniently be formed of
smooth sheet metal such as tin for example these sheet metal walls if desired
being stiffened by a wooden or other framework which will also serve to
properly centralize the vessels D in the cases H¹.
The rails h¹ are secured to a frame 18 attached to chains 9 passing over guide
pulleys or rollers h¹0 h of which the latter (h¹¹) are mounted loosely upon a
shaft hereinafter more particularly described. The free ends of the chains ho
are attached to weights h¹ of size or capacity sufficient to overcome the weight
of the rails h¹, frame 8 and the truck H filled with empty vessels D but insuffi-
cient to support these devices when the vessels D are charged with liquid.
Between the rails h¹ we provide a moveable platform I into which are fitted
plungers I in number corresponding to the number of the vessels D to be filled.
Each of the plungers I¹ as shewn clearly in Figure 9 comprises two telescopically-
arranged tubes i, a spring which tends always to force the tubes i apart,
and a rod for preventing the separation of the said tubes, and each such plunger
is immediately beneath one of the before described valves C¹.
The platform I is secured to two bearing bars i capable of moving vertically
within gaps h* formed between the adjacent ends of the rails and attached to
chains which are connected to pulleys or drums ; secured on the last mentioned
shaft mounted in bearings at the back of the apparatus, the said chains,
where necessary, passing over suitable guide pulleys ³. The shaft is con-
nected by worm gear 1, Figure 7, with a shaft j on which is secured a hand
wheel by means of which the said shaft and the shaft 11 may be rotated
and the platform I consequently raised or allowed to descend. To facilitate
the raising of the platform I we attach to two of the chains J a weight J to
counterbalance the weight of the said platform and its attachments.
To facilitate the raising and lowering of the tank lid A¹ which is of some
considerable weight, we may provide on the shaft ¹, pulleys or drums adapted
to engage with chains attached to other pulleys secured on the pivot rod a
which, as before described, is rigidly connected to the lid A¹. Normally the
chains are disconnected from the pulleys and hang loosely as shewn in

page_text: Figure 8, and when it is desired to raise the lid A¹ all that is necessary is to
connect the free ends of the chains to perforated lugs 10 provided on the pulleys 7
by means of pins passed through the said chains and lugs, and then turn the
hand-wheel join the necessary direction, the subsequent lowering of the lid being
effected by turning the hand-wheel 16 in the opposite direction; the worm gear-
ing will serve to retain the lid in its raised position for any desired length
of time.
For catching and collecting any liquid which may drip from the conical
mouths C after the withdrawal of the vessels D therefrom, we provide inclined
gutters K which are pivotted by brackets & to lugs k extending downwards from
the underside of the tank A these gutters, at their lower ends, being arranged
to discharge all such liquid into a fixed inclined gutter K' which, in turn, dis-
charges it into a receiver K2; when this receiver becomes filled it may be
removed and an empty one substituted for it. The brackets k at one end of the
apparatus are all pivotally connected to a rod k² on which is pivotted an anti-
friction roller acted upon by a cam secured on the before described shaft j'.
The last described mechanism is so arranged in conjunction with the before
described platform-raising devices that when the platform I is in its lowest
position the swinging gutters K will, as shewn in Figures 6, 8 and 9, be directly
beneath, and catch any liquid falling from, the conical mouths C and when the
platform I is raised to bring the mouths of the vessels 1) into the mouths C,
the gutters K will, as shewn in Figure 10, he swung aside from beneath the
conical mouths C and out of the way of the then-ascending vessels D, any liquid
which, at that time remains upon the swinging gutters K being directed by the
gutter lips or flanges into the aforesaid fixed gutter K.
To maintain the practical continuity of the rails ¹ portions of them are secured
to the bearing bars so as to nearly fill the before mentioned gaps h, and to
ensure the truck H being placed in the position necessary for bringing the vessels
into coincidence with the conical mouths C we may form recesses in the said
rails for receiving the ends of the truck legs h6 as shewn in dotted lines in
Figures 6 and 12.
Assuming the tank A of the last described apparatus to be charged with liquid
up to say the level indicated in Figures 6 and 9, the lid A¹ and valves C¹ and F1
to be closed, and the platform I and frame h8 to be in their lowest positions, which
is the normal condition, the operation may be described as follows:-
A truck H filled with the vessels D is moved beneath the tank A, and the
truck legs he engaged with the rail recesses h³. The operator then turns the hand-
wheel so as to raise the platform I and thereby allow of the ascent under the
influence of the weights 12, of the rails h¹ truck H and vessels D so as to bring
the mouths of the latter into contact with the resilient seatings c¹ whereby the
ascent of the truck is temporarily arrested. By then further turning the hand-
wheel and consequently further raising the platform I the plungers I¹ are
caused to pass through the spaces h³ in the bottom of the truck and push the
bottle-cases H¹ and vessels D upwards (the truck H following up this movement
under the influence of the weights h¹) until the mouths of the said vessels are
all firmly bedded against the resilient seatings c¹, any inequality in the height
of the vessels D being compensated for by the yielding of the plunger-springs 2
as indicated in Figure 10, wherein, as an example of such inequality, the two
cases H and the corresponding plunger tubes i therein shewn, are represented as
raised to different heights. The operator then turns the nut or hand-wheel g
so as to open the valves C¹ and allow the liquid to flow from the tank A into,
and completely fill, the vessels D as shewn in Figure 10, the air during this
charging operation passing from the vessels D into the tank A by way of the tubes c
and outlets, the sleeves co at this time serving to prevent any of the descending
liquid from being carried into the tubes by the outrush of air. The operator
next turns the nut or hand-wheel g so as to allow the valves C to close, and
then operates the pump E so as to form more or less of a vacuum within the

page_text: tank A and thereby cause all the liquid between the lower ends of the sleeves c
and the valves C to be sucked out of the conical mouths C and vessels D by
way of the tubes 5, and discharged into the tank A through the outlets 4, the
withdrawal of the liquid from the vessels D ceasing as soon as the liquid falls
to the level of the lower end of the sleeves c owing to the external air being
then admitted into the vessels D through the tubes a¹ and passages c². The
platform I is then lowered by rotating the wheel 16 in the necessary direction
so as to allow the then-charged vessels and the truck H to descend under the
influence of the weight of the added liquid. After the truck has reached its
lowest position it is moved from beneath the tank A to make room for the next
truck-load of unfilled vessels. During the filling of the vessels D as above
described the level of the liquid in the tank A descends and the float F2 effects
the opening of the valve F1 so as to admit a further supply of liquid into the
tank.
If the mouths of the vessels D come into contact with the sleeves c6 during
the ascent of the said vessels, these sleeves will slide upwards on the tubes,
and afterwards descend into their proper position when the mouths of the vessels
are properly centered by the conical mouths C as previously described with
reference to Figure 5.
In the modification shewn in Figures 15 to 19 of the accompanying drawings
the cover A is not required to make a tight joint, or come into contact, with
the tank A it being supported, when in its lowest position, at a distance from
the tank as shewn in Figures 15, 17 and 19. Each of the holes a is provided
with an axially perforated flanged nipple n to which is air-tightly connected
a compressible hollow india-rubber or equivalent ball or bulb n which, at its
lower part, is similarly connected to an axially-perforated nipple provided
on the upper end of the chamber c³, this latter, as distinguished from the
similar chambers shewn in Figures 6, 9 and 10 being permanently closed at its
upper end, except for the said perforated nipple. The bulbs n¹ serve for con-
necting the valves C¹ to the cover A¹ so that the said valves may be all simul-
taneously raised and lowered by raising and lowering the cover.
The weight
of the cover A' and the resistance to compression of the bulbs n¹ are such as to
cause the valves C₁ to bear tightly on their seats when the cover A¹ is in its
lowest position. The cover A₁ constitutes the bottom of a bellows O the top
plate o, of which is swivelled to the lower end of a screw O¹ working through
a fixed nut o and having a weighted lever or wheel 03 secured thereon as shewn
in Figure 15. The bellows O, is provided with an air-inlet valve o2, as shewn
conventionally in Figure 17. The movement of the bellows plate o away from
the cover A is limited by stops 04 and the movement of the said plate towards
the cover A' is limited by stops 05 only one of which is shewn in the drawings.
In respects other than those herein last described the apparatus shewn in
Figures 15 to 19 may be similar to that shewn in Figures 6 to 14 and conse-
quently further detailed description thereof is considered unnecessary.
The operation of the last described apparatus is as follows:-
The bellows O is first moved into its lowest position, by means of the screw O',
so as, through the compressible bulbs n¹, to press the valves C¹ firmly on their
seats as shewn in Figures 15 and 17. The mouths of the vessels D are then
brought into close contact with the resilient seatings c¹ in the manner previously
described with reference to Figures 6, 8, 9 and 10. The operator next turns
the wheel O and screw O¹ so as to raise the plate o which, in turn, by coming
into contact with the stops o, lifts the cover A', and thereby raises the valves Ci
from their seats and allows the liquid to flow from the tank A into, and com-
pletely fill, the vessels D as shewn in Figure 18. The operator next turns the
screw in the direction to lower the plate o and cover A¹ and thereby close
the valves C, which are kept in close contact with their seatings, by the weight
of the cover A¹ during the time that the plate o travels, in relation to the plate A¹,
the distance limited by the stops of and 05.

page_text: When the cover A¹ bears on the valves C₁, the plate o in being lowered onto
its stops o5, expels the air within the bellows through the axially perforated
nipples n, india-rubber balls n³, axially-perforated nipples c, chambers c³,
annular passages c³, on to the surplus liquid between the valves C¹ and the lower
ends of the sleeves which surplus liquid is thus forced out of the vessels D)
by way of the tubes and outlets into the tank A. In case the quantity of
air expelled by the moving of the plate o towards the cover A¹ is not sufficient
to force all the surplus liquid out of the vessels 1) in one operation, the screw (1
is again operated to raise the plate o (but not the plate A') air being then admitted
into the bellows through the valve o2, and then the plate o is again depressed
so as to force the air through the nipples n and annular passages 2 and thus
complete the displacement of the surplus liquid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. An apparatus for charging bottles or other vessels with liquid, wherein the
bottles or vessels are filled to beyond the required final level and then liquid is
withdrawn to such an extent that the level of the liquid in all the bottles or
vessels is lowered to such an extent that the distance between the surface of the
liquid and the top of the bottle or vessel is the same in all the bottles or vessels.
2. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings for receiving the mouths of the vessels, of
downwardly-depending tubes passing through the said openings and an air-dis-
placer in operative-connection with the tubes substantially as herein before described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings for receiving the mouths of the vessels, of a
displacer for causing the liquid to flow towards and through, and away from,
the said outlet openings substantially as herein before described with reference
to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings for receiving the mouths of the vessels, of a
receptacle for the vessels having partitions for dividing it into compartments,
and means for simultaneously raising all of the vessels so as to present their
mouths to the outlet openings substantially as hereinbefore described with refer-
ence to the accompanying drawings.
5. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings for receiving the mouths of the vessels, of
valves for the said openings, controlling mechanism for operating all the valves
simultaneously and an air-displacer for removing liquid from the vessels sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings for receiving the mouths of the vessels, of
a receptacle for the vessels, a vertically moveable platform carrying plungers
each coinciding with one of the vessels and outlet-openings, and means for
independently raising the said receptacle and platform substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. In apparatus for charging vessels with liquid the combination with a tank
having a number of outlet-openings and a lid or cover capable of being her-
metically scaled to the tank, of valves for the outlet-openings having both down-
wardly-depending tubes adapted to enter the vessels and air inlet and outlet
passages, an opening through the tank lid for connection with each of the valves.
and an air-displacer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for

page_text: charging vessels with liquid substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
9. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
charging vessels with liquid substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 6 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
charging vessels with liquid substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 15 to 19 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of November 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.