New and Improved Machinery for Filling and Stoppering Bottles Fitted with Screw Stoppers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1900-Accepted, 8th Oct.. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New and Improved Machinery for Filling and Stoppering Bottles
Fitted with Screw Stoppers.
We, REUBEN COLE and FRANK COLE, of 60, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, Brass
Founders and Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to new and improved machinery for filling bottles fitted
with screw stoppers and inserting and securing the stoppers in the bottles at one
operation, thereby obtaining rapidity in filling and stoppering bottles when used
for still liquors, and when used for aërated or fermented liquors, preventing the
escape of gas during the interval which usually elapses between filling the bottles
and the insertion of the stoppers.
The object of this invention is to construct machines that will fill the bottles
and insert and tighten the screw stoppers at one and the same operation, and in
the same time as is now occupied in filling the bottles, thereby saving time and
labour; to effect this, the stoppers are inserted in the empty bottles after washing
and cleansing, and the bottles with the stoppers in them are put in the machine,
which will extract the stopper and hold it in position while the bottle is being
filled, and then re-insert it and tighten it before the bottle is released from the
grip of the machine.
In producing this result, the principal means employed are curved racks or
cams placed on a firm stationary frame at the back of the machine, which operate
toothed wheels, levers, or the like, connected to the several devices which raise or
lower the grip which holds the bottle, insert or withdraw the screw stopper from
the bottle, all these appliances being attached to a large revolving toothed disc,
so that each part is operated as it comes into contact with its special rack or
cam; each rack or cam which opens or raises one particular appliance, has its
counterpart which works in an opposite direction to close or lower it.
The revolving toothed disc is fitted with one, two, or more arms or armatures,
each of which contains its filling and stoppering machinery, and as it is revolved,
the parts engage with the racks or cams on the back frame, and the various
operations of filling and stoppering are performed.
Certain improvements are also made in the central flanged cap in which the
filling and snifting arrangements are placed.
Our machinery is fitted on the usual revolving toothed disc, and the required
number of arms for the reception filling and stoppering the bottles are attached
thereto, and as the corresponding parts on each arm are made exactly the same
size, each will in turn be operated by the racks or cams on the frame as it comes
nto contact therewith.
The usual filling cone is provided for each arm, and the bottle with the stopper
inserted is placed in the cone, a sliding driving cap placed above the cone is
forced down on the bottom of the bottle, which presses the stopper into a spring
stopper holder operating below the cone; the driving cap is forced down by a
Price Q77

page_text: curved rack on the frame which actuates a toothed wheel on the end of a spindle
having friction bearings connected by spur wheels on the inside, which lowers
the driving cap until the neck of the bottle is forced into position. The same
result may be obtained by fitting the sliding bar of the driving cap with a fric-
tion clutch to be operated by a lever placed over a cam on the frame; another
lever at the back of the revolving disc then engages with another cam, this
operates a pair of jaws on the sides of the driving cap, these hold the bottle
firmly in position: the next action is by another toothed wheel on a similar
spindle, connected by bevil wheels and rods to an elongated cog wheel, within
which is a rapid screw attached to the holder within the cone already described;
when the toothed wheel engages in the rack provided for it, this screw rotates
the holder and withdraws the screw stopper from the bottle, and holds it while
the bottle is being filled, which is done by the sliding rotary valve inside the
Hanged cap opening the ports and allowing the liquor to pass to the usual filling.
cones by pipes, while the air escapes at the same time. Immediately the bottle is
full, the toothed wheel comes into contact with another curved rack, with its
teeth arranged on the opposite side of the rack, this reverses the action, and the
screw in its revolution will force the stopper holder upward, insert the stopper in
the mouth of the bottle and screw it home. As the arm passes on, the toothed
wheel or lever which actuated the driving cap, comes into contact with another
curved rack or cam, which reverses the former action and lifts the bottle and
stopper from the grip of the holder, then the lever which actuates the jaws passes
over another cam, and the jaws are opened, which releases the bottle so that it
may be removed from the machine, and another inserted to be served in the same
way.
Another short rack is placed on the casing to engage with the screw of the
stopper holder after the bottle has been liberated; this ensures the holder being
always placed at the proper height to receive the stopper; the rack drives the
holder up to its full height, but when in this position, the holder will not grip
stoppers with various lengths of screw, another very short rack is therefore pro-
vided with a reverse action to slightly lower the holder, whch will then always
grip the stopper and hold it in such a position that it will eventually be driven
tightly home in the mouth of the bottle."
To enable the bottles to be more rapidly filled and the air expelled by snifting,
the ports in the flanged cap and the channels in the rotating valve are not put
in the same circle, the port for the syrup and aerated water being preferably
placed outside the snifting port which will permit the filling and snifting to pro-
ceed concurrently.
Dated this 7th day of
1000
New and Improved Machinery for Filling and Stoppering Bottles
Fitted with Screw Stoppers.
.......
We, REUBEN COLE and FRANK COLE; both of '60, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol,
Brass-founders and Engineers, 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:
This invention relates to machinery for use in filling and stoppering bottles
stoppered by screw stoppers.

page_text: Under this invention the operations of removing the stoppers from the empty
bottles, charging the, bottles with the liquid they are to contain, and replacing
the stoppers in the bottles after charging are accomplished in the same machine
or combination of machinery.
The machine in which this invention consists is arranged broadly as follows:-
Mounted on a shaft supported in a suitable frame is a toothed wheel which is
free to be rotated about the said shaft, the latter being stationary. Upon its outer
face the said toothed wheel carries cylindrical arms radiaily arranged and contain-
ing slides acted upon by spiral springs which tend constantly to force the slides
inwards, for the purpose of holding the bottles during the several
The slides carry caps or hoods for bearing on the bottoms of the bottles, as hérein-
operations.
after described. The mouth of the bottle is received and. rests in a chamber
containing a usual india-rubber, sealing cone, and whilst in this chamber the
stopper is withdrawn, the bottle filled and the stopper replaced as the toothed
wheel aforesaid rotates. The withdrawal and replacement of the stoppers are
effected, by means of spring stopper-holders and screw-threaded spindles operated
through toothed or other suitable gearing. After having been filled and stoppered
the bottles are released from the holding pressure exerted by the sliding holders
aforesaid by means of rollers connected to the slides and adapted to travel over and
upon a cam, by which the resistance of the spiral springs in the arms is overcome.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation
of a bottle-filling and stoppering machine constructed in accordance with this
invention. Fig. 2, is a side view of Fig. 1 with the two lower cylindrical arms
and their attendant mechanism removed. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly
sectional, showing in the vertical arm the bottle as placed in the holder and with
the stopper. loosely screwed in. In the other arm the stopper is shown withdrawn
from: the bottle. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a cylindrical arm and bottle-holder.
Fig. 5. is, a vertical section of Fig. 4. These views Figs. 4. and 5-which are
drawn to an enlarged scale, illustrate the means whereby the bottle-holding slide
is operated. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a gripper for gripping the stoppers.
The gripping fingers are shown closed. Fig. 7 is a plan of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows
the stopper-gripping device in elevation. The fingers are in this view shown
spread about and gripping a stopper x. Figs. 6 7 and 8 are drawn to an enlarged
scale. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the toothed pinion wheel which operates the
mechanism by which the stoppers are withdrawn from the empty bottles and
replaced therein after the bottles have been filled. It also fulfils other functions
as hereinafter set forth.
Mounted on a stationary shaft supported in the standard a is a toothed wheel b
free to be rotated about the said shaft by means of the pinion .c.and-driving
pulley d fitted with striking gear which is operated by a rod passed through
the said stationary shaft. The arrow shown at Fig. 1 indicates the direction of
rotation of the toothed wheel b.
Secured upon the face of the toothed wheel b are cylindrical arms e in which
work the slides f-see more particularly Fig. 5-in each of which is contained a
spiral spring 9 which tends constantly to force the slides f inwards, that is to
say, towards the centre of the toothed wheel 6 for the purpose of holding the
bottles h during the several operations. At the outer ends the slides f have
lugs f extending out through slots 2 provided in the walls of the cylindrical
arms e and fixing the range of travel of the slides f. Fixed or clamped in the
ugs f by binding screws f³-see more particularly Fig. 4- are rods to which
re fixed or clamped hoods f which are carried up and down with the movement
f the slides f. The rods f* have attached to them the supports fo to receive the
ottles h. Behind each slide f and fixed thereto is a spindle f7 on which is loosely
entred a roller f. Extending through the cylindrical arms e and slides f are
pindles free to rotate. These spindles are fitted towards their outer ends
ith pinions see more particularly Fig. 9. The pinions are not. keyed to
he spindles i. Below the lower face of the pinion is a leather washer 2 contained

page_text: between the pinion and a fixed collar 23. A similar washer is contained
between the outer face of the pinion and the nut beyond which is a lock
nut. By means of the nut 25 the degree of tightness by which the pinion i
is held in place can be regulated. Accordingly the pinion can be set so
that it will rotate with the spindle i until the bind is overcome by the resistance
due to the stopper having been screwed home, after which the pinion ¹ rotates
idly about the spindle i. j is a stationary disc with inlets j' for syrup, and j² for
aerated water or the like.
The stopper-gripping device shown in the machine illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings consists of a conical sleeve split to form fingers m which are
fixed by screws m¹ to a disc m². The fingers m, being in themselves springs,
yield to pressure exerted by the stopper head through the slide and accordingly
grip the stopper, as shown. The stopper is extracted from the gripper as the
bottles rise with the slides. From the discs m² extend spindles m which are
screw-threaded towards their lower ends as at m-see Fig. 3. The screw-threaded
part m works in a correspondingly-shaped fixed socket or nut me which is
encircled by a pinion m² fixed on the spindle m¹ and gearing with another toothed
wheel me which, in turn, gears with the toothed wheel keyed on the spindle i
passed, as aforesaid, through the arm e.
Pivotted in a bracket n carried on the outer end of each arm e is a pawl having
limbs n and n². To the limb n' is attached one end of a spring n³ which is
secured at the other end to the arm e. The spring 3 tends constantly to pull
down the limb n² and so make the end of the limb n¹ bear on the outer end of
the rod frigidly fixed in the lug fl of the slide f.
Carried in brackets o secured on the frame p is a toothed rack q the teeth of
which are formed on the back face. Another rack r carried in brackets 1 secured
to a frame 3. is situated towards the left-hand bottom corner of the machine, as
shown. A third rack s is situated near the top of the machine, as shown. The
teeth of the racks r and s are formed in the front faces. Nearer to the front than
the racks is a rail t, curved as shown. Another rack u having the teeth on the
back face is carried by the bracket u¹ secured to the frame p. A crescent-shaped
cam or curved plate vis fixed to the standard a and located as shown at Figs. 2,
4 and 5.
The several operations for which the machine is designed are effected in the
order and manner following:-
When each arm e is, in the rotation of the toothed wheel b, brought to the
vertical position, the hood f is in the raised position, being held up by the
roller which stands at its highest point of travel on the cam v. The pawl n¹, n³
'does not bear upon the slide f, and the pinion has passed to the right hand
out of gear with the rack u. The bottle is placed in the supports with its
mouth resting on the usual india-rubber sealing cone situated in the filling
chamber w-see Fig. 3. As the roller f travels off the cam the slide f is
depressed by the spring g rebounding, it having been previously compressed by
the lifting action of the roller fs in mounting the cam v. By the descent of the
slide the hood fo is brought down to bear on the bottom of the bottle h. The
slide having been thus lowered, the pawl n³, n2 is pulled by the spring n³ and the
inclined end of the limb n¹ is brought to bear on the outer end of the rod ft.
Thus the bottle is effectually prevented from moving outwards under the pressure
of charging with aerated or gas-charged liquids. The bottle is held down by the
The screw-stopper -
slide and bears on the sealing cone in the filling chamber w.
see Fig. 3 is forced between and gripped by the fingers m of the stopper-gripping
device.
The pinion on arriving at the rack q gears therewith, and thus rotatory motion
is imparted through the spindle and the toothed wheels i, m8 and m³ to the
spindle m of the stopper-gripping device. By the action of the screw me which
corresponds in pitch to the pitch of the screw of the stopper, the stopper-gripping
device is at the same time drawn away from the bottle, bringing with it the

page_text: stopper x. The liquid is now admitted into the bottle h. On arriving at the.
rack the pinion gears therewith and so causes the stopper to be replaced in
the bottle. When the stopper is tightly screwed in place in the bottle, the
pinion slips around on the spindle i and consequently does not thereafter exert
further screwing action on the stopper.
By contact of the limb n² of the pawl with the curved plate t the limb n¹ is
tilted out of contact with the rod f, and the slide i is thus freed from the restraint
of the pawl. When the roller frises on the cam the slide is moved outward
and the bottle h is then free to be removed.
The maximum limit to which the gripping device can travel towards the bottle
is fixed by a stop, and it is necessary that it should reach this limit. The rack s
ensures this, for if, by reason of variation in the stopper, the latter is tight before
the gripper reaches the said normal limit, the gripper is, by the gearing of the
pinion with the rack s, returned to that limit. Inasmuch as the stopper-
gripping device, prior to drawing the stopper out of a bottle, grips the stopper
when the latter is more or less loose, it follows that in replacing the stopper in
the bottle and screwing it tightly therein the gripper should be arranged to travel
further while replacing a stopper than when removing it. To provide for this
the stopper-gripping device, after having reached its limit of outward travel, is
put back in the reverse direction by means of the rack which has teeth on the
back face with which teeth the pinion gears. The movement of driving the
stopper-gripping device fully home is effected after release of the bottle from the
locking pawl n', n² which may take place simultaneously with the outward move-
ment of the slide f. This concludes the operations, which are repeated in respect
of each of the arms e.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In combination with the above described machine for filling screw-stoppered
bottles with aerated and other waters and other liquids, means for gripping the
stoppers preparatory to withdrawing them from the empty bottles; said means
consisting of a conical sleeve split so that each division constitutes a spring finger
which will yield to receive the stoppers and from which the stoppers are readily
withdrawn when the bottles are removed after filling and stoppering, substantially
as hereinabove described and seen more particularly at Figs. 3 6, 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for filling screw-stoppered bottles, means for operating the
stopper-grippers to unscrew the stoppers out of the bottles prior to filling, and
to screw them back in the bottles after filling; said means consisting of the
spindles m with screw-threaded ends m³ working in the nuts me contained within
the toothed wheels m² rotated by the toothed wheels m8 and through the
medium of the spindles carrying the pinions which, by gearing with and
travelling along a rack such as having teeth on the back, cause the stoppers
to be unscrewed and withdrawn out of the bottles, and by gearing with and
travelling along a rack such as r with teeth at front rotate in reverse direction and
return the stoppers and cause them to be screwed back into the bottles, substan-
tially as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The pinion fitted on the spindle i with washers and and nuts
and 6 in such manner that the pinion can be adjusted to bind so as to rotate
with the spindle until the bind is overcome by the resistance due to the stoppers
having been screwed home in the bottles, after which the pinion rotates idly
about the spindle, substantially as hereinabove described and for the purposes
specified.
4. Means for returning the stopper-gripping device fully home in the filling
chamber; said means consisting of the rack s so placed as to engage with the

page_text: pinion whereby the stopper-gripping mechanism is rotated, substantially as
hereinabove described.
5. Means for retiring the stopper-gripping device after having been returned
home so as to bring it to the desired position for gripping the stopper loosely
screwed in the bottle and preparatory to withdrawing the stopper; the said
means consisting of the rack u having teeth on the back face and being so placed
as to engage with the pinion 2 when the latter travels round to it, substantially
as hereinabove described.
6. The combination of parts constituting the improved machine for filling
screw-stoppered bottles, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying sheets of illustrative
drawings.
1
1
ст
1000
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent, Bristol.