Improvements in Bottle Filling Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Bottle Filling Machines.
We, ROBERT JOHN COUSINS, JOHN WALTER FLOWER and ALGERNON PETER
PROUT, of the Firm of Flower, Cousins & Co., of Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury,
in the County of Dorset, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
t. be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in bottle filling machines of the kind
wherein a rotatable reservoir having filling tubes is employed.
According to our invention we provide means whereby the valve regulating
the flow of the liquid, with which the bottles are to be filled, into the reservoir can
be adjusted so as to vary the height to which the said liquid is allowed to flow into
the reservoir in order to adapt the apparatus for filling bottles of different
capacities. We also provide means whereby the niling tubes are normally closed
and are opened when the bottles to be filled are placed in position on an adjustable
support or stand.
In carrying out our invention we pivot or hinge the filling tubes to the reservoir
and provide them with springs so that the inner end of each of the said tubes is
normally held in contact with the inner side of the reservoir which is provided
with an india-rubber or other suitable seating against which the said inner end
can be pressed. By this means the said filling tubes are normally kept closed.
When a bottle, however, is placed in position on a tube its weight causes the inner
end of the tube to be raised out of contact with the rubber seating so that liquid
can flow from the reservoir into the bottle.
We also provide an adjustable support or stand for the bottles, the said stand
censisting of a circular frame adapted to receive the lower ends or bottoms of the
bottles the said frame being connected to the reservoir by means of a central boss
which works on a screwed spindle whereby the said frame can be raised or lowered
as desired. Suitable means such as a set screw are provided for securing the said
support in the desired position.
A suitable valve which we advantageously employ for regulating the flow of
the liquid into the reservoir consists of a sleeve adapted to fit into and slide in the
upper end of the inlet pipe and connected to a float by means of a nut or internally
screw-threaded cylinder adapted to screw on to an externally screw-threaded spindle
or cylinder connected to the float which is designed to raise the said sliding
sleeve so that its upper end strikes against a rubber or other seating
so as to cut off the flow of the liquid.
As the liquid enters through the inlet pipe the float is gradually raised until it
brings the valve into contact with the valve seat and it will be obvious that, by
adjusting the nut on the externally screwed cylinder, the quantity of liquid
allowed to flow into the reservoir can be increased or diminished as desired.
Our bottle filling machine can be employed alone or in conjunction with a
suitable corking machine in which latter case suitable mechanism is provided for

page_text: enabling the reservoir to be rotated at the same speed as the bottle stand or support
of the corking machine.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1896
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Bottle Filling Machines.
We, ROBERT JOHN COUSINS, JOHN WALTER FLOWER and ALGERNON PETER
PROUT of the Firm of Flower, Cousins & Co. of Fontmell Magna Shaftesbury
in the County of Dorset, 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 improvements in bottle filling machines of the kind
wherein a rotatable reservoir having filling tubes is employed.
According to our invention we provide means whereby the valve regulating the
flow of the liquid, with which the bottles are to be filled, into the reservoir can he
adjusted so as to vary the height to which the said liquid is allowed to flow into
the reservoir in order to adapt the apparatus for filling bottles of different
capacities. We also provide means whereby the filling tubes are normally closed
and are opened when the bottles to be filled are placed in position on an adjustable
support or stand.
In order that our invention may be more readily understood, we have caused to
be attached hereto, one sheet of drawings in which similar letters refer to similar
parts.
The drawing represents a sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Our apparatus consists of a base plate A having on its lower side a boss B with
bush C of suitable material. The lower end of said bush is screwed for the nut D.
forming a union for the inlet pipe E. On the upper side of said base plate A is
a boss F connected to the base plate by means of two webs. The boss F has a
bush G of suitable material. The bushed bosses B & F form bearings for the
revolving tube H which has a thread cut on it outside and a brass lining J inside.
The end of the tube H is formed with a sleeve K preferably of phosphor bronze.
The tube H has also attached to it, by means of a screw L or other suitable means,
a bevil wheel M driven by bevil pinion N on spindle O to which is keyed the
driving pulley P. If desired fast & loose pulleys may be used. The said
spindle runs in suitable bearings as shewn at R and S. The bottle stand
consists of two rings T and U supported by the arms V, preferably cast in the
nut W which can be screwed up and down the tube H to suit the different lengths
of bottles. The nut W is provided with any well known means of locking in any
position on the said tube. To the top of the tube H is fixed the bossed plate X
which has rivetted to it the reservoir Y preferably formed of tinned copper. The
flow of liquid to the reservoir is regulated as follows. A float Z is formed at its
centre into a nut 1 working on the screwed sleeve 2 with lock nut 3. The sleeve 2,
sliding on the guide 4, is formed at its lower end into a fork 5 engaging with the
tubular sliding valve 6 working against an india rubber or other suitable seat 7
fixed to the shackle piece S which is screwed to the top of the tube H. It will be
readily understood that any liquid under pressure, admitted to the inlet pipe E
will rise through the H and valve 6 into the reservoir until the float is raised.
sufficiently to close the valve. Should any liquid be drawn off from the reservoir

page_text: the float will fall, opening the valve and admitting a further supply. By means of
the screw 2 and lock nut 3 the float may be adjusted to maintain any desired depth
of liquid. The filling tubes consists of a suitable number of tubes 9 preferably
about twelve, in the form of syphons hinged at 10 to the projections 11 formed on
a removable angle ring 12. The projections 11 are also provided with suitable
discs 13 preferably of indiarubber forming, with the ends of the filling tubes,
valves regulating the flow of liquid through the syphons or tubes 9. The said
tubes are provided with projections 14 working against flat springs 15 the tendency
of which is to keep the ends of the tubes against the discs. The dotted lines
represent the centre lines of other tubes. A bottle 16 is shewn on the machine
in position for filling. It will be readily understood that the act of putting the
bottle over the tube, causes the end of said tube to move away from the india rubber
discs & so allows the liquid in reservoir to pass into the bottle. As the reservoir
and bottle stand are caused to rotate at a suitable speed, the attendant has simply
to put on the empty bottles and remove the full ones.
Our bottle filling machine can be employed alone or in conjunction with a
suitable corking machine in which latter case suitable mechanism is provided for
enabling the reservoir to be rotated at the same speed as the bottle stand or support
of the corking machine.
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:
1. In bottle filling machines an adjustable bottle stand as and for the purposes
herein described.
2. In bottle filling machines the syphon 9 with valve 13, and spring 15, as and
for the purposes herein described.
3. In bottle filling machines as herein described the movable ring 12 as and for
the purposes herein mentioned.
4. In bottle filling machines the float Z with valve 6, and seating 7 as and for
the purposes herein described.
5. The combination of the various parts forming a complete bottle filling
machine as herein described.
Dated this Fifth day of June 1897.
G. F. HARRAP,
Agent for Applicants.