Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Bottles and other Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Bottles and other
Vessels.
I JOSEPH THOMPSON, trading under the style of J. Thomson & C° of
71 and 72 Fair Street, Horseleydown, in the County of Surrey, 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:-
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus for filling bottles, casks or other
vessels with non aerated liquids; and the Invention consists essentially in a rotary
filling vessel having a constant supply and furnished with radiating siphons
for drawing off the liquid into bottles suitably supported around the rotating stand
and the combination therewith of a float and valve for automatically preventing
overfilling the bottles and of a second valve for preventing the escape of liquid
from the siphons and consequently avoiding the necessity of repriming them when
the full bottles are removed and replaced by empty ones.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved bottle
filling machine.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section showing the valve for preventing the escape of
liquid from the siphons when the bottles are being changed. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts in both the figures.
A is the filling vessel, usually a copper pan supported by a socket B, beneath the
bottom upon a central vertical stationary axis C upon which the socket is fitted to
rotate. Dare the siphons for drawing off the liquid from the vessel A into the
bottles to be filled. E are radiating arms also carried by the socket B and serving
to support the bottles one at each siphon, the arms rotating together with the
vessel and siphons upon the axis C. The short legs of the siphons radiate from
a ring or flange F, standing up from the bottom of the vessel A. and through
which the mouths of the siphons open. This ring which revolves with the vessel
forms a circular seat for a stationary valve G. carried by the axis C and serving
to close the mouth of that siphon which for the time being, comes opposite to it,
the siphons being thus closed in turn successively as the apparatus is rotated.
The vessel A is supplied with liquid through one or more pipes H at top and the

page_text: level of the liquid is prevented from rising above a given point by a float I, within
the vessel guided by a tubular stem K. acting as a valve to cut off the supply of
liquid when the level in the vessel has reached the normal height. This tubular
stem is fitted to slide through and is guided by a gland L held by screw-collars
in an aperture in the top of the vessel which rotates independently of the gland
and collars. On this gland is screwed a cap M into which the pipe H leads and
against the top of which as a seat the upper end of the tube K closes when the
float rises as above mentioned. The tubular stem K gives passage to the liquid
when the valve end is moved away from its seat M. Owing to its tubular form
the area of end surface exposed to the pressure of the liquid is very small, and
consequently a comparatively small float may be used.
This tubular valve and float, are also applicable for controlling the supply to
ordinary non-rotary filling machines.
The float I may be provided with a stem i sliding through a hole in the cover
of the vessel and terminating in a cross-head above the same, to limit the descent
of the float, and act as an index to show whether the float is working properly.
The vessel A may be provided with an over-flow pipe N which discharges the
surplus liquid into a vessel placed below in the event of the float from any
accidental cause failing to act properly. The siphons D rest in notches in the
upper edge of the vessel A and may have a flexible portion d on the long leg near
the bend as usual to facilitate placing them in the bottles. They are closed at the
end d of the long leg and formed with a notch d' in the outer side at a short
distance from the closed end for the outflow of the liquid, the form of said notch
being represented in the detail view figure 3 and being such that no facility is
aflorded for the inlet of air thereat so that when the end of the short leg of the
siphon is closed by the valve G. as above mentioned, the air will be excluded and
the liquid will consequently not run out when the full bottle is removed from the
siphon which will therefore only need to be primed at first starting. The valve G
is carried at the end of a radial arm g traversing a diametrical hole in the upper
end of the stationary axis C, and is pushed outwards by a spiral spring: g¹ whereby
its circular segment shaped face is pressed close up to the circular seat formed by
the ring F.
The axis C, it will be seen, rises through the bottom of the vessel and has a
conical shoulder c fitting in a corresponding conical seat in the socket B, the conical
surfaces supporting the vessel and its adjuncts and making a tight joint to prevent
the escape of liquid through the socket.
The ping serves also to prevent the vessel being accidentally lifted off the axis,
a washer g being placed beneath the pin to form a wearing surface, the pin passing
through a hole in an upwardly turned ear, on the washer, so as to hold the latter
stationary.
The axis C is screw-threaded at the lower part and screws through a corre-
spondingly threaded hole in the boss P of a stand supported upon legs as shown.
Qis a lock nut to make the axis fast in the boss at any height to which it may
be adjusted. C¹ is an index arm fixed on the axis C in alignment with the valve
stem g, for the purpose of indicating the position to be occupied by the attendant
when changing the bottles. The arms E may be fixed in any suitable way to the
boss B or to the underside of the vessel A. They are provided with adjustable
cradles e and pins e¹ fitting in holes in the arms by which the bottles are supported
in position for filling. The vessel, siphons, bottles and their supporting arms are
all rotated together on the axis C to an extent corresponding to the angular
distance between the siphons each time a full bottle is removed and replaced by an
empty one, each bottle being accurately filled to the predetermined height (so that
all waste is avoided) before it comes round to the point at which it was placed on
the machine.
It will be obvious that the vessel with the radiating siphons and circular valve
seat might be stationary and the valve G. be rotated in certain cases, as in filling
casks for instance.

page_text: 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 an apparatus for filling bottles and other vessels, the combination of a
valve seat having draw-off tubes leading therefrom, with a valve adapted to close
Baid outlet tubes in succession, by the relative motion of the valve and seat as
specified.
2nd In an apparatus for filling bottles, and other vessels, the combination with
a reservoir mounted to rotate upon a vertical axis and provided with draw-off
siphons radiating from a circular valve seat therein, of a stationary valve closing
the siphons in succession as they come opposite thereto substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
3rd In an apparatus for filling bottles and other vessels, the combination with
a rotating reservoir receiving a constant supply of liquid and provided with
draw-off siphons, of a float and tubular stem acting as a valve whereby the supply
is arrested when the float rises to a certain point, substantially as specified.
4th An apparatus for filling bottles or other vessels, whether the same be
stationary or movable, the combination with a float, of a tubular stem acting as
a valve and closing against a seat in a cap or chamber in communication with the
supply pipe, substantially as specified.
5th A machine for filling bottles and other vessels, consisting of a rotating
reservoir containing a float with tubular stem acting as a valve to cut-off the
supply and provided with draw off siphons and corresponding bottle supporting
racks, the siphons radiating from a circular valve seat in combination with
a stationary valve closing their orifices in succession, the rotating part of the
apparatus being mounted upon a vertical axis to which the stationary valve is
connected, all substantially as specified.
6th The rotary bottling machine constructed and operating substantially as
herein described and represented in the drawings.