Apparatus for Automatically Conveying Mineral Water and other Bottles after Filling into their Cases, Boxes, or like Receptacles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application 27th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Conveying Mineral Water and other
Bottles after Filling into their Cases, Boxes, or like Receptacles.
We, WILLIAM HUNTINGDON DANCE and WILLIAM SMITH, both of 70 Arundel
Street, Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Mineral Water Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto it has been customary to feed and store bottles, containing liquids after
delivery from the filling machine, into the compartments of partitioned cases or boxes
by hand, thereby necessitating considerable time and labour. Our improvements
relate to an automatically working apparatus hereinafter described whereby the bottles
are supplied from the filling machine and conveyed into their respective positions in
the case or box in a much more speedy and efficient manner than formerly.
«
In accordance with our Invention we make use of a specially constructed shoot or
inclined plane into which the bottles are delivered from the filling machine, and down
which they slide through channels or conduits (fitted with an arrangement of guides,
connecting rods or gates") into their respective compartments provided in the case
or box to be filled, the weight of each bottle when passing down its channel or conduit
being utilized to direct the subsequent or following one into its allotted compartment.
in the case. This latter, after each row of compartments is supplied with bottles, is
caused to travel forward a predetermined distance to be readiness for filling the next
row of compartments by the automatic arrangement hereinafter described.
::
The inclined shoot with its arrangement of channels or conduits in which the guides,
gates" and connecting rods herciabefore referred to are disposed, is conveniently
supported above a rectangular bed or frame on which latter provision is made for the
reception of the case to be filled. As each bottle passes consecutively down the
respective channels or conduits, it comes in contact with a wire "gate" or equivalent
obstruction and by its weight and the impetus gathered in its descending travel opens
said "gate" and passes into its allotted receptacle in the case or box. In opening the
gate, an arrangement of cranks and connecting rods operate the guides at the mouth
of the shoot thereby directing the subsequent bottle into the next or adjacent channel
or conduit, where, coming in contact with, and upon opening a similar gate to that
just referred to, it closes the entrance to its channel or conduit and opens the next in
readiness for the delivery and conveyance of the following bottle through its allotted
channel into the compartment of the case or box aforesaid. This action is continued
until the last bottle of the row to be filled passes down its channel, whereupon, it opens
its gate and by a crank or connecting rod actuates a return "bar which causes the
previously opened gates to close, and their guides to assume their original position in
readiness for filling the next row of compartments in the case. This latter, which is
mounted on a sliding tray capable of horizontal movement on the frame or bed afore
said, is, on the opening of the last gate, and consequent delivery of the bottle, advanced
the requisite distance to bring the following row of empty compartments directly under
the outlet of the channels of the shoot, by the employment of a rack and suitable
arrangement of levers, cranks and connecting rods, which come into operation on the
release by the return rod of a catch pivoted to the side of the frame of the shoot; the
onward travel of said case being accomplished by working the actuating lever by hand,
but we prefer to arrange a projection or equivalent means on the machine, employed
for filling the bottles with liquid, which would at a stipulated period of revolution of
the machine come in contact with and depress, the free end of the actuating lever,
causing a pawl to engago with the rack of the sliding tray thus advancing the latter
the requisite distance to allow of the next row of compartments being filled.
A stop,
with an adjusting device, is provided for regulating the stroke of the actuating lever

page_text: and consequent travel of the sliding tray; and, a weight or spring adapted to one end
of the actuating lever is employed to thrust the pawl of rack forward in readiness for
the next stroke of the lever. A striker may be employed to through the pawl in and
out of gear with the rack as required.
The whole-apparatus, above described, may be partially surrounded with an enclosing
case; and, suitable provision is made for enabling the width of the channels to he
varied to suit various sizes and.shapes of bottles delivered from the filling machine;
also, under circumstances where more than one bottle is delivered from the filling
machine at the same operation a slight modification in the arrangement of the
channelled shoot and guides would be made without departing from the main features
or principle of our Invention.
We wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details
herein specified; nor do we limit ourselves to any particular number of channels,
gates, connecting rods or cranks; and guides, as it will be obvious that these will
differ in construction and number according to the various uses and conditions under
which they are employed.
Dated this 27th day of September 1889
JAMES
STEVENSON,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Conveying Mineral Water and other
Bottles after Filling into their Cases, Boxes, or like Receptacles.
We, WILLIAM HUNTINGDON DANCE and WILLIAM SMITH, both of 70 Arundel
Street, Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Mineral Water Manufacturers,
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:-
.Hitherto it has been customary to feed and store hotties, containing liquids after
delivery from the filling machine into the compartments of partitioned cases or boxes
by hand, thereby necessitating considerable time and labour. Our improvements
relate to an automatically working apparatus, hereinafter described, whereby the bottles
are supplied from the filling machine and conveyed into their respective positions in
the case or box in a much more speedy and efficient manner than formerly.
In accordance with our Invention we make use of a specially constructed shoot or
inclined plane into which the bottles are delivered from the filling machine, and down
which they slide through channels or coniluits (fitted with an arrangement of guides,
connecting rods and "gates") into their respective compartments provided in the case
or box to be filled, the weight of each bottle when passing down its channel or conduit
being utilized to direct the subsequent or following one into its allotted compartiment
in the case. This latter, after each row of compartments is supplied with bottles, is
caused to travel forward a predetermined distance to be in readiness for filling the next
row of compartments by the automatic arrangement hereinafter described.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of our
apparatus.shown partly in section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the inclined shoot, and Figures 3 and 4 details of same.
Figures 5 and 6, by side elevation and plan respectively, illustrate a shoot devised
to convey and deposit the bottles into the case, mouth downwards, this position some-
times being found preferable.
Figure 7. is a plan of an inclined shoot for use when more than one bottle is delivered
from the filling machine at one operation.
Figure 8. illustrates a convenient means for varying the width of the delivery ends
of the shoot channels to suit different sizes and shapes of bottles.
The inclined shoot B, with its arrangement of channels.or conduits in which the
guides, gates and, connecting rods, hereinbefore referred to are disposed, is conveniently

page_text: supported by cross pieces, bolted to the uprights or supports a, above a rectangular
bed or frame A, on which latter provision is made for the reception of the case to
be filled; another empty case C¹, for convenience, being supported, until required for
filling, on the uprights a. The inclined shoot B, Figure 2, is preferably divided into
four separate channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 through which the bottles consecutively pass on
delivery from the filling machine thence into case C. Each of the gates c², c², c³, c',
which are normally at right angles to the travel of the bottles, is pivotted at the sides
of the channels, being free to turn on the vertical pivot rod a supported at its lower
end on the carrier' a Figure 4. Cranks or fixed pins d', d², d³, d, are connected to
each vertical pivot rod c so that the opening of the gates will operate the guides 6, 12, 1,3
at the mouth b of the shoot and thus direct each consecutive bottle through its channel
into the case. A return bar d, carried on the ends of the crank and connecting
rod d, causes the previously opened gates to close and their guides to resume their
original position in readiness for filling the next row of compartments. The full lines
in Figure 2 show the gates, cranks, return bar and guides in readiness for a bottle to
travel down the first channel number 1, the dotted lines indicating the position they
assume previously to a bottle passing down the last channel number 4 and opening the
last gate c.
When a bottle enters the mouth of the shoot B it is directed by the guides 6162
into the first channel 1, and, by its weight, and the impetus acquired in its travel
opens the gate c' and actuates the return bar d by the crank d so as to close the last
gate at the same time throwing forward the guide & secured to the pivot rod
" the
guide thus closing the entrance to channel 1 and opening that to channel 2. The
next bottle passes between the guides 62 and opens the gate the pin of crank d²,
which moves in a slot in the return bar d, turning the connecting roi a², pivotte:ĺ
at a, into the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the guide 62 closes the entrance
to channel 2 and opens that to channel 3. The following bottle passes down channel 3,
the same action occurs, and the guide is thrown over so as to close the entrance to
channel 3 and open that to channel 4. When the last bottle of a row passes down
channel 4 and opens the gate of the crank d, by a connecting rod d pivotted at de,
actuates the return bar d, and thus causes the previously opened gates, with their
guides and connecting rods, to assume their original position in readiness for filling
the next row of compartments in the case C.
In order to cause the case to advance the requisite distance to bring the following.
row of empty compartments directly under the outlet of the channels of shoot I mount
same on a sliding tray D Figure 1, fitted with runners e, capable of free horizontal
movement on the frame or bed A. A rack D', fitted underneath or at the side of the
sliding tray D, is engaged by a pawl or the hooked end el of a rod e² connected to a
second rode pivotted at e* and fitting within a slot e in the end of an arme at right
angles to the actuating lever E pivotied to the framework at e'. The lever E may be
worked by hand, but we prefer to arrange a projection or equivalent means on the
machine employed for filling the bottles with liquid which would at a stipulated period
of revolution of the machine come in contact with, and depress, the free end of the
lever E thus causing the pawl or equivalent el to engage with a tooth of the rack D¹
of the tray D so as to advance the latter the requisite distance to allow of the next row
of compartments being filled. A stop, with an adjusting device, is provided for
regulating the stroke of the actuating lever and consequent travel of the sliding
tray D.
A weight F, spring or the like, is adapted to the opposite end of the lever E
to thrust the pawl of rack forward in readiness for the stroke of the lever E. When
employing a weight, such as F, to thrust forward the pawl of rack we support the
weighted end of the lever E on a catch pivotted at f¹ so that when the bottle passes
through the last channel of the series and opens the gate or flap G Figure 3, the crank
pin releases the catch from the lever E; the dotted lines, Figure 1, showing the
position of the several parts when the weighted end of lever has descended and the
pawl thrust forward in readiness for the stroke of the lever E. A striker f³, pivotted
at f, serves to throw the pawl e in and out of gear with the rack D' as required.
The tilting arrangement adopted by us for depositing the bottles in the case mouth

page_text: downwards, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, comprises a number of cylindrical casings H,
constituting the shoot channels, loosely and independently pivotted on a rod supported
by the sides of the shoot. A second rod gl, parallel with the rod g, serves to loosely
support a number of arms g² connected by the rods g³ to the lower ends of the
catches I pivotted at i to lugs or brackets carried by the support h. When a bottle
passes down the shoot into one of the cylinders H it comes in contact with
the arm g, withdraws the pivotted catch I from the projection or snap h, and allows the
cylinder, by the weight of the bottle, to turn on its pivot and deposit the bottle in the
required position in the case whereupon the rod on the end of cylinder strikes against
the pivotted bent crank and so actuates the guide mechanism at the mouth of shoot
as previously explained. The cylinders and pivotted catches are returned to their
normal position by suitable springs such ass and s respectively. In the drawing one
cylinder H is shown as having been released from the catch I and turned on its pivot
in the act of depositing the bottle in the case; and the guides ready for the travel of
the subsequent bottle.
In Figure 7 it will be seen that when more than one bottle is delivered at the same
time from the filling machine we dispense with the return bar d and direct the first
two bottles through the channels 1, 1, the second two through the channels 2, 2; the
bottles upon opening their respective gates actuating the guides at the mouth of the
shoot, for the next delivery, by the arrangement of connecting rods and cranks as
shown.
The whole apparatus, above described, may, if desired, be partially surrounded with
an enclosing case; and, the width of the channels varied, to suit different sizes and
shapes of bottles delivered from the filling machine, by means of adjustable hinged
flaps J, Figure 8, or equivalent means.
We wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details
herein specified, nor do we limit ourselves to any particular number of channels,
"gates," connecting rods or cranks, and guides, as it will be obvious that these will
differ in construction and number according to the various uses and conditions under
which they are employed.
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:-
(1.) The apparatus for automatically conveying mineral water and other bottles,
after filling, into their cases, boxes or like receptacles substantially as herein described
and shown.
(2.) In the apparatus referred to in the preceding claim the employment of an
inclined shoot B in combination with its gates, cranks, connecting rods and guides and
with or without the tilting arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 substantially as
herein set forth and shown and for the purposes specified.
(3.) In the apparatus herein described the combination with a shoot B-designed
to automatically convey bottles into partitioned cases or boxes-of a sliding tray D
and means for causing said sliding tray to automatically travel a predetermined
distance after each row of compartments in the case or box has been filled substantially
as herein set forth and shown.
Dated this 27th day of June 1890
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.