Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLIAM HARLOW COMSTOCK, of Oskaloosa, in the County of Mahaska, State of
Iowa, United States of America, Farmer, 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
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bottle filling apparatus
which is simple and durable in construction, and very effective and automatic in
operation.
The Invention consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as
will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which figure 1 is an end elevation of the apparatus, the barrel, from
which the liquid is supplied, being in section Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of
the filling cylinder on the line x-x of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical section on a
larger scale, of one of the bottle-holder's valves. Figure 4, is an under side view of
the bottle holder. Figure 5, is an end elevation of a modified form of the apparatus,
with the supply barrel, or tank, in section, and figure 6, is a vertical section of one
of the filling valves of the modification. The same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in all the figures
Referring to figures 1 to 4, A is a frame supporting the horizontal filling cylinder B
which is fitted with a piston C having a central aperture over which operates a flap
valve D hinged at its upper edge to the piston. The piston rod E slides through the
cylinder head B' and has a handle E', or other means, for operating the piston in the
cylinder. Just within the opposite head B is fixed a strainer D¹ and the said head B*
is provided with an inlet pipe B³ to which is connected a flexible syphon tube B*
entering the bung hole of the barrel or tank B³, containing the liquid to be bottled
At the lower side of the cylinder B, are a number of valve chambers F open to the
cylinder and through the bottom Fi of each of which, passes a hollow stem G¹ closed
at its upper end by a head G' which rests on the bottom F1 when the valve G 1s
closed, and provided just beneath the head G³ with an opening G³ giving passage to
the liquid when the opening is raised above the bottom F1, as illustrated in figure 3.

page_text: Near the lower end of the hollow stem G¹ is a collar G' against which abuts the
mouth of the bottle H to be filled The bottle is held up to the collar, by a holder I
consisting principally of two springs Q fastened at their lower ends within a short
tube J having at its upper end an internal flange J¹ leaving an aperture large enough
to give passage to the bottle mouth The springs are located diametrically opposite
each other, and their upper ends are adapted to engage beneath the bottle rim H¹ and
when sprung apart by the bottle rim being forced between them, their outwardly bent
ends play in notches J' formed in the flange of the tube J as shown in figure 4. The
tube is pivoted on the points of two screws K screwing into the fork L of a lever L
fulcrumed on the points of two screws M screwing in lugs 01 on a bat or bracket O
carried by the frame A. Each lever L has a counterweight P, and its motion is
limited by stops S and S¹ formed on a bracket secured to the main frame A.
A trough R at the lower part of the frame A, serves to catch the drippings.
The
The operation is as follows:-The barrel or tank B is supported at a higher level
than the filling cylinder B, and is connected therewith by the flexible siphon tube B+
which extends from the bottom of the barrel to the inlet B. The machine is started
by moving the piston C close up to the strainer D¹ and then outward in the direction
of the arrow a far enough to create sufficient suction to start the syphon
flexible tube B is now to be compressed at the same time that the piston C is forced
close up to the strainer D' after which the pipe is released and the liquid allowed to
flow into the cylinder through the strainer D and valve D, filling the cylinder B
completely on both sides of the piston C. The valves G remain in a closed position
by their own weight, and by the pressure of the liquid contained in the cylinder B.
ine necks of the bottles to be filled are now forced up through the holders I, and
between the springs Q, pressing the latter outward until their jaws Q' snap under the
rims H of the bottles, as shewn in figure 3. The mouths of the bottles H then
project a short distance above the flange J¹ of the tube J, and each bottle is firmly
supported by the springs Q of its holder I The counterweight P now raises the
bottle holder and bottle until the end of the holder stem G enters the bottle mouth
and the latter abuts against the collar G, the continued upward movement of the bottle
holder causing the bottle to lift the valve until the head G is unseated from the
bottom and the aperture G in the hollow stem G' is opened to the chamber F, so
that the liquid in the cylinder B can flow through the hollow stem G¹ into the bottle.
When the latter is nearly filled, the weight of the bottle and its contents, preponderates
over the counterweight, depressing the bottle holder and allowing the valve G to slide
downward until the aperture G has passed below, and the head G³ is seated up
bottom of the chamber whereby further outflow of the liquid from the cylinder B 1s
prevented, the bottle when filled, causing the valve G to close automatically. The
bottle may now be disengaged, by a downward pull, from the springs Q of its holder-I,
and be replaced by an empty bottle.
upon the
It will be seen that the bottle is suspended directly by its neck in the holder, and an
especial bottom rest, such as shewn in figure 5, is not necessary.
In the modification illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the valve G is held to its seat by
a spring coiled on a reduced extension of the chamber F, and confined between the
bottom of said chamber and the shoulder G on the valve G. Directly below each
valve G is placed a bottle rest T pivoted on a shaft T¹ mounted on the main frame A.
The counterweighted lever V is, in this case, connected by a link U with the bottle
rest T, and the counterweight VI is adjustable on the lever V so as to vary the upward
pressure of the bottle rest T. The latter may also have an extension T connected by
a spring T with an adjustable bolt T bearing against the main frame A whereby to
vary the tension of the said spring T³.
The operation of the modification is as follows:-The valves G are closed by the
springs until the bottle is placed in position with its mouth around the outer end of
the valve G, and its bottom resting on the bottle rest T, as shewn in figure 5
The
weight V¹ and the spring T' are adjusted so as to raise the bottle until by the abutment
of the bottle mouth against the collar G*, the valve G is raised, as shewn in figure 6,
whereby the aperture G³ is uncovered, and the liquid in the cylinder B permitted to

page_text: flow through the hollow stem G¹ into the bottle H
When the latter is filled, it over-
balances the weight V₁ and the spring T3 so that the bottle rest T swings downward
in the direction of the arrow ba short distance, until the head G2 of the valve is
again seated in the chamber F and the flow of the liquid from the cylinder B to the
bottle H ceases. The filled bottle is then removed, and replaced by an empty one,
and the above described operation is repeated
By the combined use of the spring 13 and the weight V₁, the one so modifies the
action of the other, that the weight of the filled bottle will not depress the rest T too
suddenly, as would be the case if a weighted lever only were used, nor will it depress
it too slowly and cause the liquid to overflow as would be the case if the spring T³
were used alone Empty bottles, which are supposed to be alike in every respect,
vary in weight and therefore in capacity, hence some will be quite full and will
depress the rest T, in the absence of the spring T³, so suddenly as to cause the liquid
to be spilt, and wasted by the shock, and when the bottle H is removed the weight
comes down with a clatter, causing a great deal of noise, and moreover the parts soon
get out of order; but by combining the spring T with the weight V₁ the above
objections are avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim 1s
1 The combination with a filling cylinder having an inlet at one end and a valve
outlet between its ends, of a piston within the cylinder provided with a valve opening
away from the inlet end, and a piston 1od passing through the opposite end of the said
filling cylinder, substantially as shewn and described.
2 The combination with a filling cylinder having an inlet at one end, a valve outlet
between its ends, and a flexible siphon tube or pipe connected with the inlet, of a
piston within the cylinder provided with a valve opening away from the inlet, and a
piston rod extending through the opposite end of the cylinder, substantially as shown
and described
3. In a bottle filler, the combination with a filling cylinder provided with short
tubular valve chambers, of a valve held in each of the said chambers and a bottle
holder, substantially as described, located under each of the said valves, substantially
as shewn and described.
4 In a bottle filler, the combination with a valve having a hollow stem provided
with a collar, of a bottle holder located under the lower end of the said stem, so that
the latter passes into the mouth of the bottle and the stem collar rests on top of the
bottle, and a weighted lever carrying at one end the said bottle holder, substantially as
shewn and described.
5. In a bottle filler, the combination with a weighted lever, of a bottle holder
comprising a flanged tube beld on one end of the said lever and springs secured to the
said tube and adapted to engage the neck of the bottle, substantially as shewn and
described.
6 In a bottle filler, the combination with a valve adapted to open into the filling
cylinder and provided with a hollow stem having a collar of a weighted lever
extending with its front end under the lower end of the said valve stem, and a bottle
holder held on the front end of the said lever and comprising a flanged tube pivoted
on the said lever, and springs secured on the said tube and adapted to engage the
neck of the bottle to be filled, the mouth of the said bottle passing over the lower end
of the said valve stem, and the said collar of the latter resting on the top of the bottle,
substantially as shewn and described
7 In a bottle filler, a valve adapted to open into the filling cylinder, a spring for
closing said valve, and a valve tube in which the said valve operates, in combination
with a bottle rest pivoted at its lower end, a link connected with the said bottle rest, a
lever connected with the said link, and a weight adapted to slide on the said lever so
as to counterbalance the pressure of the spring and the weight of the bottle when
filled, substantially as shewn and described.

page_text: 8. In a bottle filler, a valve adapted to open into the filling cylinder, a spring for
closing said valve, and a valve tube in which the said valve operates, in combination
with a bottle rest pivoted at its lower end, a link connected with the said bottle rest, a
lever connected with the said link, a weight adapted to slide on the said lever, an arm
extending from the lower end of the said bottle rest, and an adjustable spring con-
nected with the said extension and operating in conjunction with the said weight so
as to counterbalance the pressure of the spring on the valve and the weight of the
bottle when filled, substantially as shewn and described.
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