Stoppered Bottles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Stoppered Bottles.
We FREDERICK FOSTER of Niagara Works Eagle Wharf Road Hoxton in the
County of Middlesex Engineer and JOHN HENRY HAMILTON of 3 Vernon Street.
Percy Circus Pentonville London in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FILLING
AND CLOSING INTERNALLY STOPPERED BOTTLES
to be as follows:-
"
This improved machine is specially applicable to filling and closing bottles
stoppered by means of an internal ball kept to its seat in the neck of the bottle
by the pressure of the contained gas or gases.
According to our said invention two bottles are operated upon simultaneously
and the whole of the operation necessary for syruping, filling, closing and discharging
the filled bottles from the machine are performed automatically by the machine
which may be driven by steam, hand, or other motive power. The construction of
the machine is as follows: An upright frame carries in bearings near its upper end
a horizontal shaft to the middle of which is secured a cam wheel driven preferably
by means of teeth on its outer circumference gearing into those of a pinion secured
to another horizontal shaft running in bearings also attached to the upright frame
and carrying the fast and loose pulleys driven from the source of power.
The cam wheel revolves partly within a swinging frame carried on horizontal
trunnions and parallel to the shaft also supported in bearings attached to the
upright frame. This swinging frame supports on boards attached to it the bottles
(one on each side of it and of the cam wheel) in an inclined position whilst being
filled and when that operation is complete is tilted upwards by means of a roller
attached to the inner side of one of the cheeks of the swinging frame and operated
by a cam groove on the cam wheel The necks of the bottles enter mouth-pieces
of the usual description each being provided with a syrup discharge valve, filling
valve and snift valve the last two being opened at the proper times by means of
tappet pieces on each side of the cam wheel and closed by springs. The neck of
each bottle is kept up to the rubber'in each mouth-piece by means of a bottle rest
pressed against the lower end of the bottle by the action of a spring.. Each bottle

page_text: rest is attached to the longer arm of a bent lever the fulcrum of which is movable
in a direction parallel or nearly so to the centre line of the bottle preferably this
fulcrum consists of a pin passing through the lever and through one end of a bell
crank lever centred on a stud fixed in the swinging frame. The other end of the
bell crank lever carries a roller operated as described below. Thus as the arm of
the bell crank lever which carries the fulcrum of the bent lever swings through a
small angle on each side of the position in which it is at right angles to the centre
line of the bottle the fulcrum of the bent lever moves approximately parallel to
that centre line and if the bent lever be prevented from turning on its fulcrum
during this motion the bottle rest attached to it will approach directly towards or
recede directly from the lower end of the bottle.
To the horizontal shaft which carries the cam wheel and on each side of the
latter and of the swinging frame and below each bottle is secured a pair of cams,
the cams comprising each pair being side by side. One of the cams of each pair
operates the roller in each of the bell crank levers above described and the other, a
roller on the shorter arm of each bent lever carrying the bottle rest. The former
cams acting in opposition to the spring above mentioned at the proper time cause
the bottle rests to recede from the lower end of the bottles and the latter cams
then allow the ends of the bent levers carrying the bottle rests to swing downwards
and so take the bottle rests clear of the bottles and the latter are then free to slide
out into shoots placed to receive them. The springs which keep the bottle rests
pressed against the ends of the bottles may be connected by a rod to the bell crank
levers carrying the fulcrum of the bent levers on to those fulcrums or to the bent
levers.
Two syrup pumps may be attached to the top of the upright frame and operated
by means of a cam-like projection on the cam wheel. The pumps may be placed
side by side and their plungers may carry a roller between them which roller would
be operated by the cam projection or the roller may be carried by a short lever
centred on a pin in the upright frame which short lever bearing against the lower
ends of the plungers or against rollers therein would transmit the motion to these
plungers.
Or the syrup pumps may be placed one on top of the other or a pump with a
differential plunger may be used, thus a roller on the lower plunger would operate
both plungers.
.
Instead of two syrup pumps one of double the capacity of either may be used
and the pipes leading from the pump to the syrup valve in each mouth piece may
be provided with adjustable cocks or valves so that the relative quantities of syrup
discharged into each bottle may be varied by adjusting these cocks or valves so
that the relative quantities of syrup discharged into each bottle may be varied by
adjusting these cocks or valves or means may be provided whereby the lift of the
syrup discharge valve in each mouth piece may be regulated and the same result
obtained.
As the syrup discharge valves and the filling valves are attached to the swinging
frame the liquid and syrup must be led to them through couplings attached to
the trunnions of that swinging frame and allowing it the requisite amount of
oscillation.
Or either or both sets of pipes may have a piece of india rubber piping interposed
between the fixed and swinging portions. The mode of operation of the machine
is as follows:
The attendant stands in front of or opposite the end of the swinging frame which
carries the bottle rests and holds a bottle in each hand. Having opened the cocks
on the liquid supply pipes and started the machine by throwing the belt on to the
fast pulley he places these bottles in the machine simultaneously when the parts
have come into the proper positions. The bottle rests then rise and press the bottle
necks into the mouth-pieces, a charge of syrup is injected into each and the filling
and snift valves alternately opened and closed till the bottles are sufficiently full.
The swinging frame then tilts upwards and allows the stoppers to roll into their

page_text: seatings in the necks of the bottles the snift valves may then be opened for an
instant to let off the pressure outside the stoppers. The swinging frame then
swings back to its former position the bottle rests are taken clear of the ends of
the bottles and the latter slide out. Two more bottles may then be put in and
the operations repeated.
T
1
1000
.
Improvements in Machines for Filling and Closing Internally
Stoppered Bottles.
We FREDERICK FOSTER of Niagara Works Eagle Wharf Road Hoxton in the
County of Middlesex Engineer and JOHN HENRY HAMILTON of 3 Vernon Street
Percy Circus Pentonville London in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This improved machine is specially applicable to filling and closing bottles
stoppered by means of an internal ball kept to its seat in the neck of the bottle by
the pressure of the contained gas or gases.
According to our said invention two bottles are operated upon simultaneously
and the whole of the operations necessary for syruping filling closing and dis-
charging the filled bottles from the machine are performed automatically by the
machine which may be driven by steam, hand or other motive power.
And in order that the nature of our said invention may be fully understood we
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings of
which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the whole machine, Fig. 2 a front elevation of
the same, Fig. 3 a side elevation of the working parts to a larger scale. Fig. 4 a
side elevation showing the principal working parts in a different position. Fig. 5 a
section through one of the side cheeks of the swinging frame (hereafter described)
on line X X Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 shows the method of operating the filling and
snift valves.
The same reference letters indicate the same parts in all the figures...
An upright- framé A (Figs. 1. 2 & 3) carries in bearings attached to it a
horizontal shaft B to which is secured a cam wheel C and this cam wheel C is

page_text: driven preferably by means of teeth on its periphery which gear into those of
a pinion secured to another horizontal shaft D also carried in bearings attached to
the upright frame A and carrying at its outer end fast & loose pullies to be driven
by a belt from the source of power. The cam wheel C revolves partly within a
swinging frame E which is supported in bearings also attached to the upright
frame A by means of trunnions F (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) cast on the swinging
frame E which is thus capable of oscillating about the axis of these trunnions.
This swinging frame E supports on boards G attached to it, the bottles (one on
each side of it) in an inclined position whilst being filled and when that operation
is completed is tilted upwards by means of a roller H (Figs. 3, 4 and 5).
This roller H is carried on the end of a stud or pin projecting through one of
the cheeks of the swinging frame E and runs in the cam groove formed on one side
of the cam wheel C.
8
The necks of the bottles enter mouth-pieces I. I each provided with a syrup
discharge valve V₁, filling or liquor admission valve V, and snift or air escape
valve V, and a fourth valve V. is preferably used to prevent waste should a bottle
break or the attendant neglect to put in one at the right time. To effect this
object the valve is constructed with a hollow end against which the entering neck
of the bottle is pressed and the valve is thus opened against the action of a spring
which closes it again as soon as that pressure is removed.
"
"
The filling and snift valves V, and V, are opened at the proper intervals by
means of tappet pieces on the sides of the cam wheel C as shown in Fig. 6
where " a is the end of the valve spindle, "b" the tappet piece on side of cam
wheel C and "d" a short lever against which the end of the valve spindle "a"
bears. The end of the lever "d" may carry a roller instead of being rounded as
shown. The valves V, and V, are closed by the action of springs. The necks of
the bottles whilst these are being filled are kept up to the rubbers in the mouth-
pieces I. I by means of the bottle rests K K pressed against the lower ends of the
bottles by the action of springs.
Each bottle rest is attached to the longer arm of a bent lever L the fulcrum f of
which is movable in a direction parallel to or approximately parallel to the axis of
the bottle.
$
"
This fulcrum consists of a pin passing through the lever L and through one end
of a small bell crank lever M (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) which is carried on a stud or
pin "m" as a fulcrum. The stud or pin m is secured in the cheek of the
swinging frame E and the prolongation of this stud on one side may be conveniently
made to carry the roller H above described.
The other end of the bell crank lever M carries a roller R operated as described
below.
Thus as the bell crank lever M moves through a small angle on each side of its
mid position the bottle rest approaches to or recedes from the lower end of the
bottle.
To the horizontal shaft B which carries the cam wheel C and on each side of the
cam wheel C are secured a pair of cams. The cams P and Q comprising each pair
are side by side and the cam P of each pair operates the roller R in each of the bell
crank levers M and the other cam Q of each pair operates the roller R, which is
carried by the shorter arm of the bent lever L which carries the bottle rest on its
longer arm.
The spring S which serves to keep the bottle rest K pressed against the lower
end of the bottle whilst the latter is being filled may be connected with the pin f
which forms the fulcrum of the bent lever L by means of the rod O with hooked
'end as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 or it may be connected with some part of the bent
lever L or bell crank M.
"
A projection "n" on the bent lever L coming against a stop "k" on the swinging
frame E prevents the longer arm of the lever L from moving upwards past its
proper position.

page_text: "
Two syrup pumps N. N may be attached to the top of the upright frame A
(Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and operated by means of a cam projection T on the cam
wheel C (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) coming in contact with a roller J. carried on a pin
passing between two arms บ "cast on a boss W (Figs. 2 and 3) which is carried
by pins or screws in the frame A each of the arms "u" bears against a roller
carried by the plunger or piston rod of a syrup pump, and, thus the plunger or
piston of each pump may be forced upwards by means of the cam projection T on
the cam wheel Ĉ through the intervention of the roller J and arms "u" and the
return stroke may be made under the action of a spring or weight. The length of
the stroke may be varied by regulating the amount by which the plunger or
piston shall descend or one syrup pump may be used and adjustable valves or
cocks placed between it and each mouth piece and the relative quantity of syrup
entering the bottles may be regulated by this means.
As the filling valves V, and syrup valves V₁ are attached to the swinging
frame E the liquid & syrup are led to them through couplings (in the case of the
former) or the pipes Y which pass from the filling cocks Z, Z. through the hollow
trunnions F to the filling valves V, and in the case of the syrup pipe the stationary
portion is connected with the swinging portion by a piece of india rubber tubing t
(Figs. 1, 2 and 3) but both connections may be made either by couplings or by
india rubber tubing.
The mode of working and operation of the machine are as follows:-
The attendant stands in front of the machine at "1" (Fig. 1) having opened the
liquor admission cocks Z. Z. to an extent depending on the size of bottle to be
filled he starts the machine by means of the belt shifter "2" then holding a bottle
in each hand he waits till the parts come into the proper positions (the positions
shown in Fig. 3) for putting in the bottles which he then places one on each side.
The bottle rests now rise by the action of the cams Q and then approach towards
and press against the lower ends of the bottles under the action of the springs S
controlled by the cam "p" roller R and bell crank M. The cam projection T now
comes in contact with the roller J and forces the syrup into the bottles the tappets
on the side of the cam wheel C now alternately open and close the filling valves V
and snift valves V, till the bottles are filled sufficiently. The cam groove now
acting on the roller H tilts the swinging frame E upwards till the parts are in the
position shown in Fig. 4 when the balls roll into the necks of the bottles the
pressure is let off by the instantaneous opening of the snift valves and the swinging
frame E descends again; the bottle rests K recede from the ends of the bottles and
the longer arms of the levers swing downwards till they are again in the position
shown in Fig. 3.
The bottles now slide out over the tops of the bottle rests K. into the shoots 3
and 4 (Figs. 1 and 2).
The operation is repeated with other bottles.
Different sized bottles may be filled in each side by altering the thickness of the
bottle rests K or these may be made adjustable.
By adjusting the syrup pumps the quantity supplied to the bottle on either side
may be varied from nothing to the full charge.
A safety valve is fitted on each pipe leading from the syrup pumps to the syrup
valves V, so as to let the syrup pass back into the syrup tank should the attendant
neglect to put in a bottle at the right time.
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
In machines for filling and closing internally stoppered bottles
1. The use of a swinging frame in combination with a cam wheel to operate it
and carrying bottle supports substantially as described.
2. The construction and use of a bent lever having a movable fulcrum and
carrying a bottle rest on one of its arms so arranged that the turning of the lever

page_text: about its fulcrum may take the bottle rest clear of the end of the bottle leaving
the latter free to slide out substantially as described.
3. In combination with the above lever the use of another (preferably a bell
crank lever) carrying its fulcrum and so rendering it movable substantially as
described.
"
4. The combination of cam projection, roller arms cast on boss each arm bearing
against the lower end of the plunger or piston rod of a syrup pump or against a
roller therein for operating this pump and arranged substantially as described.
5. The general construction and arrangement of the machine whereby one
attendant is enabled to place two bottles simultaneously in the machine which
thereafter performs all the necessary operations automatically substantially as
described.