Improvements in Filling Machines for Aerated Beverages.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filling Machines for Aerated Beverages.
JOHN PERKINS JACKSON, 63, Duke Street, Liverpool, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In filling machines for aerated beverages as at present constructed, as the air
is compressed in the bottle consequent on the inflow of aerated water it is usual
to let the excess of air out by either hand or mechanical "snifting."
By this means the internal pressure of air and gas is seriously reduced the
liquid deteriorated and great irregularity in the final pressure is the result.
In my invention I do not blow the air and gas into the open, but I collect
them in a tubular reservoir or chamber at the side of the machine and all hand
or mechanical snifting is done away with. The cylinder is surmounted by a
safety valve which is set so as to allow the internal pressure to blow off and thus
reduce itself at any regulated limit. The inlet to the pressure cylinder is con-
trolled by a spring push valve.
When the bottle has been put in position and the operation of bottling begins,
the push valve is opened by the motion of any suitable part of the machine such
as the filling handle and at once the internal pressure of the pressure cylinder
and with it any liquor carried over when filling the previous bottle passes into
the bottle now to be filled. As the supply of fresh liquid from the aerated water
reservoir flows into the bottle, the air contained in the latter passes into
the pressure cylinder and with it occasionally some froth or liquid.
When the filling is concluded and the filling handle is reversed the spring
push valve automatically closes and imprisons in the pressure cylinder the air
etc. contained in it and they later on pass into the next bottle to be filled, as
previously described.
In another form I make the pressure cylinder with an open top and a close
fitting piston works up and down with it. The piston is caused to fall by a
weighted lever or spring and it rises by the pressure of the gas and air which
enter the cylinder. The joint is made in the cylinder by a cup-leather and a
bridge over the top of the cylinder forms a guide and stop for the piston rod. I
sometimes dispense with the push valve to close the inlet to the cylinder and
instead of it I have a push valve which at the moment of driving a cork into or
otherwise closing the bottle allows the imprisoned gas etc. to blow off and pass
into the outer air.
Dated this 16th day of Norambor 1907

page_text: Improvements in Filling Machines for Aerated Beverages.
I, JOHN PERKINS JACKSON, 63, Duke Street, Liverpool, 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:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in machines or apparatus for
filling bottles and the like with aerated or carbonated liquids. In filling
machines for aerated beverages as at present constructed, as the air is compressed
in the bottle consequent on the inflow of aerated water it is usual to let the
excess of air out either by hand or mechanical "snifting."
"
By this means the internal pressure of air and gas is seriously reduced, the
liquid is deteriorated and great irregularity in the final pressure is the result.
In my invention I do not blow the air and gas into the open, but I collect them
in a vessel or pressure chamber of cylindrical or other form located at the side
of the machine and all hand or mechanical snifting is obviated. The cylinder is
surmounted by a safety or blow-off valve which is set so as to allow the internal
pressure to blow off and thus reduce itself at any regulated limit. The inlet to
the pressure cylinder is controlled by a spring "push or other suitable valve.
When the bottle has been put into position and the operation of filling begins,
the push valve is opened by the motion of any suitable part of the machine such
as the filling handle and at once the internal pressure of the pressure cylinder
and with it any liquor carried over when filling the previous bottle passes into
the bottle now to filled. As the supply of fresh liquid from the aerated water
reservoir flows into the bottle, the air contained in the latter passes into
the pressure cylinder and with it occasionally some froth or liquid.
When the filling is concluded and the filling handle is reversed, the spring
push valve automatically closes and imprisons in the pressure cylinder the air
ctc. contained in it and they later on pass into the next bottle to be filled, as
previously described.
In another form I make the pressure cylinder with an open top and a close
fitting piston works up and down in it. The piston is caused to fall by a
weighted lever or spring and it rises by the pressure of the gas and air which
enter the cylinder. This cylinder or chamber is of a capacity so proportioned
to the nose of the bottle that the latter may be filled without snifting. The joint
is made in the cylinder by a cup-leather and a bridge over the top of the cylin-
der forms a guide and a stop for the piston rod. I sometimes dispense with the
push valve to close the inlet to this form of open top cylinder and instead of it
I have a push valve which at the moment of driving a cork into or otherwise
closing the bottle allows the imprisoned gas etc. to blow off and pass into the
outer air.
The said pressure chamber may be of any suitable shape or material; in the
form I prefer, it consists of an open ended glass cylinder with a metal top and
bottom attached to the machine frame by brackets or other suitable means.
The introduction of aerated liquid into the bottle may be effected in any of the
usual ways. I use either a quadrant or bent pipe which passes through a stuffing
box at the back of the filling nozzle or in some cases I fill the aerated liquid into

page_text: the bottle by means of a straight pipe which enters at the top of the filling nozzle
and passes vertically to the bottom of the bottle, in which case I dispense with
the aforesaid push valve and make the said vertical filling pipe serve as the
means for opening and closing communication between the said pressure cylinder
and the bottle to be filled, by fixing upon or near the end thereof a collar or
annular valve of suitable size which when the said vertical pipe is withdrawn from
the bottle bears against a seating of rubber or other suitable material provided
within the filling nozzle or cone immediately below the inlet from the said pres-
sure cylinder. The first movement of the said filling pipe when being lowered
into a bottle causes the said valve to leave its seat and establish communication
between the said pressure cylinder and the bottle to be filled before any liquid is
passed into same.
"
I can also obtain a similar result by means of a cock operated by hand or auto-
matically; the plug of this cock may have one or two ways or ports as required.
The figures upon the sheet of drawings appended hereunto illustrate my said
invention, Figs. 1 and 2 being front and side elevations respectively of that por-
tion of a bottling machine of ordinary type where the filling nozzle and my pres-
sure cylinder are located, in which A is the said pressure cylinder connected with
the filling nozzle B by the pipe C, communication being opened and closed by
means of the valve 1 which may be as illustrated, viz. of the ordinary "push
type. This valve may be opened by means of a lever such as E fitted upon the
main lever spindle, which is a part common to many types of bottling machines
and need not be further described. F is a spring-governed safety or blow-off
valve which is adjusted to open and to allow the air or air and gas to escape at
any required pressure, by means of the screw and hand wheel shown. The curved
filling pipe is shewn at G. The formation and construction herein illustrated is
simple and effective but may be varied according to taste or circumstances and
therefore I do not confine myself absolutely to the form, and construction illus-
trated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In the bottling of aerated beverages the method of exerting a pressure,
higher than that of the atmosphere, in the interior of a bottle which is about to
be or is being filled with aerated liquid, the extra pressure (apart from that caused
by incoming liquid) being caused solely by the introduction of waste or surplus
air and gas expelled from a previous bottle or bottles.
2nd. In a machine for bottling aerated beverages the combination therewith of
a vessel or chamber arranged and adapted to receive and retain the overflow (if
any) of liquid from a bottle being filled and so arranged that such overflow may
be discharged into the succeeding bottle or bottles and being operated substan-
tially as herein described and illustrated.
3rd. In a machine for bottling aerated beverages the combination therewith of
a vessel or pressure chamber arranged and adapted to receive the waste or excess
of gas and air expelled from a bottle being filled provided with means for allow-
ing the surplus gas and/or air to blow off and escape when the pressure of same
rises above a suitable and predetermined limit and to allow the residue to pass
into the next succeeding bottle or bottles substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
4th. In a machine for bottling aerated beverages the combination therewith of
a vessel or chamber provided or not provided with a safety or blow-off valve and
arranged to be put into communication with the bottle being filled and arranged
and adapted to contain a cushion or body of compressed air and gas, the said
chamber being of a capacity so proportioned to the size of the bottle that the

page_text: latter may be filled without snifting, and the cushion of compressed air and gas
(apart from air naturally present) being solely composed of the waste or excess
of air and gas issuing from the bottle being filled.
Dated this 15th day of September 1898.