Improvements in Machines for Filling and Corking Bottles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Filling and Corking Bottles.
I, SAMUEL BLACKWELL SMALLWOOD, of No. 62-72 Mills Street, Astoria,
Long Island, Queens County, and State of New York, United States of America,
Physician, 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 is a machine for filling and corking bottles, in which the operations
of supplying the bottles to the filling mechanism, filling the bottles with liquid,
transferring the filled bottles to the corking mechanism, corking the bottles, and
conveying them away from the corking mechanism, are all carried on continuously
and automatically with very little care and attention by the attendants stationed at
the machine.
The objects that I bave in view in the present invention are, first, to provide
means whereby a single continuous apron to carry the bottles to and from the
filling mechanism and to and from the corking mechanism; secondly, to auto-
matically fill the bottles with liquid of any desired kind, and control the liquid
supply to the bottles, so that it will not overflow, and at the same time provide for
the escape of air from the bottles while they are being filled with the liquid ;
thirdly, to automatically force the corks into the mouths of the bottles after the
latter have been filled and transferred to the corking mechanism; fourthly, to
make the filling and corking mechanisms adjustable to accommodate bottles of
different heights, and finally to improve the machine in its several parts with a
view to making the same efficient in operation and comparatively simple in
construction.
With these and such other ends in view as pertain to my invention, it consists in
the combination of a filling mechanism, a corking mechanism, and a single conveyor
apron which is common to both the filling and corking mechanisms, and operates
to convey the bottles to the said filling mechanism, to receive the bottles from said
filling mechanism, to convey the bottles from the filling mechanism and deliver
them to the corking mechanism and deliver them to the place of discharge.
The invention further consists in the filling mechanism comprising a vertical
shaft carrying a liquid supply tank, a carrier revolving with the shaft and arranged
below the tank, a series of bottle-disks fitted in the carrier to travel with the same
and capable of a limited vertical movement, a series of filling faucets carried by
the revolving tank and having an automatic valve mechanism adapted to receive
the mouths of the bottles when the bottles are raised, whereby the valve is opened
to permit the liquid to flow from the revolving tank through the faucets, and into
the bottles, and mechanism for positively lifting the disks and the bottles carried
thereon. To enable any desired number of faucets to be used, and to provide for
the free supply of the liquid and the free escape of the air from the bottles while
they are being filled, I employ what I term a filling ring" which is arranged
concentric with the tank and divided into an upper air compartment and a lower
liquid compartment, the upper air compartment being connected through inter-
mediate pipes with the upper air space of the primary stationary cask or tank from
which the liquid is drawn and said air compartment of the filling ring being in
communication with the air tubes of the series of the filling faucets, while the lower
liquid compartment of the filling ring is in communication with the rotating
supply tank on the vertical shaft and is in communication with the liquid tube of
each of the filling faucets. I may employ different kinds of faucets for supplying
the liquid to the bottles and for permitting the air to escape while the liquid is
66

page_text: flowing therein, but in each embodiment of my invention the faucet consists of a
liquid tube, an air tube arranged within the liquid tube, and a vertically sliding
valve-tube which is fitted on the liquid tube and is normally depressed, by a spring
or its equivalent, to shut off the escape of liquid from the liquid tube and to cut off
the admission of the air to the air tube, said valve-tube being provided with a seat
against which the mouth of the bottle is adapted to impinge when the faucet is
fitted into the mouth of the bottle, whereby as the disk and the bottle thereon are
lifted, the valve tube is raised to expose the discharge end of the liquid tube and
the inlet-port to the air tube. The revolvable carrier, the supply tank and filling
ring, the vertically movable bottle-disks, and the faucets rotate with the vertical
main shaft of the filling mechanism, so that the operation of filling the bottle is
carried on continuously while the bottle is carried from the place where it is
introduced to the filling mechanism until the bottle is carried to the place of
discharge from the filling mechanism, and the flow of liquid into the bottle is
automatically stopped when the liquid rises in the bottle to the air inlet port of
the air tube, so that the liquid is prevented from overflowing. The vertically
movable bottle disks are lowered as they approach the place of discharge of the
bottles from the filling mechanisms, so as to release the filled bottle from the
faucet and enable it to readily pass back to the conveyor apron, and said disk
remains in its lowered position until an empty bottle is supplied thereto from the
conveyor apron, whereupon the disk and its bottle are positively lifted to cause
the mouth of the bottle to enter the faucet and open the valve therein, so that the
liquid begins to flow into the bottle and continues to be supplied thereto until
the bottle is filled or until the bottle is carried around with the carrier to the place
of discharge back to the conveyor apron. The means for positively lifting the
bottle-disks and bottles consists of a stationary track below the revolvable carrier,
on which track ride castors attached to the lower ends of stems which depend from
the bottle disks, said track having inclined ends at the places where the disks are
to be lowered and raised when the bottles are to be discharged to and received
from the endless conveyor apron.
The invention further consists in a corking mechanism situated at one side of
the filling mechanism and in close relation to the conveyor apron, said corking
mechanism embodying a step by step rotated carrier arranged to shift the bottle
from the apron to a platen yieldingly held in line with a suspended cork tube,
through which tube plays a vertically reciprocating plunger, the corks being
supplied to the cork-tube one at a time from a horizontally reciprocating slide that
is actuated by trip mechanism controlled by the forcing plunger. I have devised
novel means for feeding either straight, cylindrical corks or tapered corks, to this
horizontally reciprocating slide. The straight cork feed mechanism consists of a
hopper baving a toothed rotary agitator working therein and provided with a
depending feed tube which leads to the feed slide, but in lieu of the straight cork
feed I may use a tapered cork feed mechanism which consists of a reciprocating
hopper having a cork way into which the corks are dropped from the hopper, said
tapered corks being moved along the guide way one at a time so as to discharge,
small end downward, to the feed tube and thus be properly aligned or adjusted as
they are supplied to the horizontal feed slide which carries the corks to the
suspended cork tube and in line with the vertically reciprocating plunger, by which
they are forced through said cork tube into the mouth of the bottle. This cork
tube is yieldingly suspended by springs which permit the said tube to be depressed
with the cork and plunger, whereby the tube is forced over the mouth of the bottle
on the descent of the plunger and the bottle is thus properly centered in the cork
tube to receive the plunger. As this plunger is lifted, the springs elevate the cork
tube, and the horizontally rotating carrier is turned another step to shift the
corked bottle from the bottle-platen onto the conveyor apron for transferring the
filled and corked bottle to the place of discharge from the machine.
To accommodate bottles of different heights, the endless conveyor apron is
sustained by a longitudinal frame which is supported at the ends and middle thereof

page_text: on vertically adjustable standards, and the filling mechanism has its revolvable carrier
and the stationary track made vertically adjustable on the central power driven
shaft, whereby the endless conveyor apron, the horizontally revolvable carrier and
the track of the machine can be raised or lowered relatively to the faucets on the
filling ring, the platform of the corking mechanism being adjustable with the
longitudinal frame for the endless conveyor apron.
And the invention further consists in the combinations of devices, and in the
novel construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully
described and claimed.
To enable others to more readily understand my invention, I have illustrated the
preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification and in which,-
Figure 1 is a general plan view of the machine showing the relation of the
filling and corking mechanisms to the endless conveyor apron, and the vertical
tubular shaft of the corking mechanism in transverse section.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the machine, looking at the side thereof on which the
endless conveyor apron is located.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the filling mechanism, the apron being omitted.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the filling mechanism,
showing the liquid supply tank on the power driven shaft, the filling ring, one form
of the filling faucet, and the primary liquid supply tank which feeds the tank on the
shaft; also the liquid and air pipes between the rotating tank and the primary
stationary tank or barrel.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views of different forms of the automatic
valved filling faucets.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged detail views of the vertically adjustable bottle
disks on which the bottles are seated and carried while they are being filled.
Figure 11 is a detail vertical sectional view through the vertically adjustable
central standard of the conveyor apron frame and the revolvable carrier and track of
the filling mechanism.
Figure 12 is an elevation partly in section of the corking mechanism.
Figures 13, 14 and 15 are detail views of parts of the corking mechanism.
Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 are enlarged detail views of the taper cork feeding
devices for supplying the corks to the feed slide.
Figures 20 and 21 are detail views of the automatic valve and the rotary
agitator, respectively, of the corking mechanism.
Like letters and numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the
figures of the drawings.
A designates the endless conveyor apron, B denotes the filling mechanism, and
C the corking mechanism, of my machine for filling and corking bottles automatically
and continuously.
These filling and corking mechanisms are situated on one side of the apron A
and in such relation thereto as to receive the bottles from, and discharge them
to, the said conveyor apron, and it is thus only necessary for the attendants to
place the bottles on the front receiving end of the apron, A, and to remove
them from the rear end of the apron after they have been filled and corked.
This apron A is of the endless variety, and it is arranged to pass over
rollers, a, a', which are journalled in suitable bearings at opposite ends of a
longitudinal frame, A', which frame is supported in the standards, 1, 2 and 3,
see Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The longitudinal frame, A¹, is provided
with the slides A", which depend from said frame at the ends and the middle
thereof, and these pendent slides, A", are fitted in vertical ways, 4, provided
for their reception in the standards, 1, 2, 3, whereby the frame A' and the
endless belt may be adjusted vertically to the proper elevation and to enable
bottles of different heights to be properly fed to the filling and corking
mechanism. The pendent slides, A", are held in their adjusted positions by
means of the clamping screws, 5, 6, which find bearings in the fixed standards

page_text: and are adapted to bide against the pendent slides; and to provide for the
convenient elevation or depression of this longitudinal frame and the conveyor
apron I employ the vertical adjusting screws, 7, 7, which have the bearings, 71,
in the standards and operate against, or are connected to, the vertically
pendent slides A" on the longitudinal frame, as shown by Figure 11 of the
drawings.
I will now proceed to a detailed description of the filling mechanism, B, reference
being had more particularly to Figures 3 to 11, inclusive.
A vertical shaft D is provided for carrying the revolvable tank E and the
horizontal carrier, F; and this shaft is stepped at its lower end in a suitable step-
bearing 10 fixed to the floor of the apartment in which the machine is located, and
the shaft is journalled near its upper end in a suitable fixed bearing, 11, see
Figures 3 and 4. Near the upper end of this shaft, is secured a driving pulley, 12,
around which passes an endless belt, 13, which derives its power from a suitable
line of shafting or motor, whereby the shaft D is positively driven.
The revolvable tank E is located at a suitable place on the vertical shaft, D,
below the driving pulley 12, and this tank is made fast to the shaft in any suitable
way to rotate therewith. The horizontal carrier, F is made in the form of a skeleton
ring or spider, and consists of a solid periphery, f, a series of radial arms, and a
hub, f, all of which are made in a single piece. This hub, f1, of the horizontal
carrier is fitted on, and clamped to the shaft, D, in the manner hereinafter described,
whereby the carrier F is made vertically adjustable on the shaft D but normally
remains fast to the shaft to revolve or turn so that the carrier and tank preserve
the same horizontal positions relative to each other.
G is the filling ring which is arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane
with the revolvable tank, E, and is concentric therewith; and this filling ring, G,
lies in the vertical plane of the horizontal carrier, F, and also concentric with the
latter, as shown by Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. This filling ring, G, is
chambered or made hollow, and it is divided, by a horizontal partition or division
wall, g, into two compartments, the upper compartment 15 being the air compart-
ment and the lower compartment 14 being the liquid compartment.
To the lower side of the filling ring, G, is fastened a series of filling faucets, H,
which depend from said filling ring a suitable distance, and these filling faucets are
arranged in the vertical plane of the vertically-movable disks, I, which are movable
in a horizontal plane with the revolvable carrier F but which disks, I, are capable
of a limited vertical play or movement in said horizontal carrier.
I may provide any number of filling faucets and their corresponding disks,
according to the size and capacity of the filling ring and horizontal carrier. Each
of the filling faucets, H, is provided with a liquid supply tube, h, an internal air
tube, ', and a sliding valve-tube ", the latter being normally depressed by a coiled
spring, 17, or its equivalent, to normally close the liquid supply tube, h, and the air
inlet port to the air tube, '.
These valved filling faucets, the filling ring, G, and the revolvable tank, E, are
so combined and connected together as to permit the air in the bottle while it is
being filled to escape or be drawn therefrom through the air tube at the same time
that the liquid is supplied through the liquid tube, h, into the bottle, and to the
accomplishment of these ends, I connect the filling faucets in a peculiar way to the
filling ring and provide liquid and air pipe connections between the filling ring,
the revolvable tank, and the primary stationary tank, J.
The liquid-tube, h, of the filling faucet is connected directly with the lower
compartment, 14 of the filling ring, while the internal air tube, ', of the faucet is
extended through the liquid compartment, 14, of filling ring, and has its upper
end fastened in the division wall, g, so that the air tube, ', is in direct communi-
cation with the upper air compartment, 15, of said filling ring. The liquid is
supplied to the lower compartment, 14, of the filling ring by means of hollow
arms or pipes, E', which connect the tank and the filling ring together, and within
these hollow arms or pipes, E', are provided with air pipes, 18, the outer ends of

page_text: which are connected with the air compartment, 15, of the filling ring or with the
upper ends of the air tubes, ', of the series of filling faucets. The liquid is
supplied to the revolving tank, E, from the primary stationary tank, J, which may
be of any suitable construction and of such capacity as to always insure a full supply
of liquid to the filling mechanism of the machine. The upper end, D¹, of the
vertical central power shaft, D, is made hollow or tubular in form, as shown by
Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, and the lower part of this tubular upper end, D¹
of the shaft D, is extended into the tank, E, such lower end of the shaft, D', being
provided with transverse ports or apertures, d, see Figure 4, through which the liquid
is free to escape into the tank E. To the upper end of the tubular shaft, D, is
fitted a head J', which remains stationary while the shaft, D¹, D, rotates freely,
and to this hollow head, J', is connected the liquid supply pipe J", which leads to
and is connected with the bottom part of the primary stationary tank, J, whereby
the liquid is permitted to flow from the primary tank, J, through the pipes, J, and
the head, J, to the tubular part, D₁ of the shaft D, and thence to the revolvable
tank, E. Within the lower part of this tubular shaft, D', is fitted a chambered
head, 19, to which is connected the inner ends of the air pipes 18 that extend
through the radial arms or pipes E' and connect with the air compartment 15 of the
filling ring or with the air tubes, h', of the filling faucets and from this chambered
head, 19, rises a vertical air pipe, 20, which extends through the tubular upper
end, D¹, of the shaft D, and through a stuffing-box 21 in the upper end of the
stationary head, J', this vertical air pipe being carried to and connected with the
upper head of the primary stationary tank J so that the air tube is in direct connection
with the air space in the primary stationary tank, J, as shown by Figures 3 and 4.
It will thus be seen that the liquid is constantly supplied from the primary tank J
to the revolvable tank E through the pipe J", the head, J¹, and the tubular end D¹,
of the shaft, D, to the tank E.
When one of the valved filling faucets is opened by the upward lifting of its
corresponding disk, I, and the bottle thereon, the liquid flows from the tank E,
through the pipe or arm E', the lower chamber 14 of the filling ring G, and the
liquid supply tube h of the filling faucet to the bottle; and as the bottle is being
filled with the liquid, the air is displaced thereby and escapes through the air
tube h', the upper compartment 15 of the filling ring, the pipe 18, the head 19, and
the pipe 20, whereby the air displaced from the bottles is supplied to the primary
tank J to compensate for the liquid drawn from the tank J to supply the tank É
and the bottles. It is important to have the bottles tightly seated against the
faucets, or in other words, to tightly hold the bottles between the faucet and the.
vertically-movable disks, I, in order to prevent the fluid from overflowing when
the bottles are filled and to exclude the admission of outside air during the filling
operation; and by the construction of the filling faucet, the employment of the
vertically-movable disk, and the independent air connections between each faucet
and the air space of the primary tank J, I am able to draw the air, by suction,
from the bottles during the filling operation because the liquid as it flows from the
closed tank J creates a partial vacuum in the upper air space of the tank which
is in communication through the pipes 20, 18 and the tube with the empty space
in the bottle.
The vertically movable disks, I, which are fitted to the revolvable carrier F to
travel in a horizontal plane therewith, are each provided with a depending stem i,'
which passes through and is journalled in a tubular boss or bearing that depends
from the lower side of the carrier ring F. Below this carrier ring F is arranged
a horizontal track K which is supported in a fixed position on the vertical power
shaft, and on this track K travels the castor wheels which are carried on the lower
ends of the vertical pendent stems of the disks I. This track is concentric with
and in the vertical plane of the solid periphery f.of the carrier F, and at the place
where the track is close to the endless conveyor A and where the bottles are received
from and discharged to the said conveyor, this track is provided with the
inclines I, I, which are placed reversely in relation to each other, see Figure 3.

page_text: The
'There is an opening or space between these inclines I', I", of the stationary track, I,
and as each disk I approaches the place where the bottle is to be discharged from
the filling mechanism, the castor wheel of said disk rides down the incline I" so
as to lower the disk I to a level with the carrier F and withdraw the bottle from
the faucet H, the latter being automatically closed as the bottle is withdrawn
therefrom, thus permitting the filled bottle to be easily shifted from the carrier F
back to the conveyor apron A. The disk I from which the bottle has been thus
discharged, continues to travel with the carrier F, and remains in its lowered
position because the castor is travelling across the open space from the incline I"
toward the incline 1', but by the time the castor of the empty disk I reaches the
incline 1', an empty bottle will have been supplied to the disk I from the apron A,
whereby as the carrier moves the disk around the castor rides up the incline I'
and thus lifts the bottle thereon to cause its open mouth to receive the filling faucet
in line with disk I, the faucet being opened on the upward movement of the bottle
and disk I to cause the liquid to flow from the faucet into the bottle.
horizontal part of the track K is arranged at such distance below and concentric to
the carrier that the disks I and the bottles thereon will be held in their elevated
positions by the castors i" riding on the horizontal part of said track K, and this
elevation of the bottles and disks is maintained during the whole time that each
bottle travels around with the carrier from the incline I' until it reaches the
incline I", whereupon the disk I is lowered and the faucet automatically closed
prior to the filled bottle being discharged from the carrier F back to the apron A.
Each bottle carrying disk I is adapted, when lowered, to be fitted in a recess or
seat 25 provided in the upper surface of the solid periphery f of the carrier F to
enable the bottle to be readily passed to or from the apron A and carrier F,
and to properly centre the bottle on the disk when it is supplied thereto, I
provide the disk with the upright stem 26 on which is fastened or clamped the
angular brackets 27, 28, each of which consists of two arms disposed at right
angles to each other, see Figure 9, and said brackets being disposed one above
the other on the stem 26 and in vertical alignment with each other. As each
disk travels down the incline I¹¹ of the track K and the conveyor apron A to
discharge the bottle, the disk I must be turned to a position where the
brackets 27, 28, face the apron, and to accomplish this turning of the disk, I
provide the pendent stem with a double armed cam 29 see Figures 2, 3, 8,
and 10, which is adapted to have one of its arms strike against a fixed post or
arm 30, which post is arranged in the path of one of the arms of said cam 29
and at a suitable place on the main frame to actuate the cam and the disk I
at the proper time. The disk I is prevented from turning too far on the
carrier when the cam 29 is acted on by the post, by means of the stop 31
which is fixed to and depends from the disk 1, and this pin 31 plays in a
segmental slot or groove 32 which is formed in the carrier F within the
seat 25 therein for the reception of the disk I when the latter is in lowered
position. The disk remains in the seat 25 flush with the carrier as the castor 11
of the stem on the disk travels across the throat or space between the
inclines I, I, during which interval the empty bottle. from the conveyor
apron A is supplied to the disk I and between the arms of the brackets 27, 28,
and the disk and its bottle are turned to their normal position so that the
castor will properly ride up the incline I' by the other arm of the double
cam 29 coming in contact with a vertical post 34, suitably journalled on the
machine frame, the pin 31 being brought against the other end of the segmental
groove 32 to limit the movement of the disk 1 in the opposite direction when
the cam 29 is actuated. A rock shaft 35 is extended above the carrier F, and
at its upper end is provided a presser arm 35' which is controlled by means of
a coiled spring 36, the presser, arm being arranged in the path of the bottle on
the disk so that it will press against the bottle and force the latter snugly
against the brackets 27, 28, after the cam 29 strikes the lower part of the
post 34 and just prior to the bottle being engaged with the filling nozzle H

page_text: in line with the disk I. I have shown different forms of the filling faucets in
Figures 4, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the faucet H in the last named Figure 7,.
being provided when the bottles are to be filled with a carbonated beverage or
other liquid containing gas under pressure so that the bottles can be filled
without causing the liquid to foam therein. In Figures 5 and 6, the internal
air tube is provided at its lower extremity with an enlarged head 40 which
constitutes the plug valve by which the lower end of the filling faucet is closed.
where the valve tube is lowered, and this air tube h' is provided with an inlet
port 41 which opens through one side of the valve plug 40. This valve plug, 40,
is equal in diameter to the liquid pipe and the valve tube h, and this valve plug-
is provided with circumferential seat 42 in which is placed the elastic gasket 43,.
upon which gasket 43 rests the lower end of the valve tube so as to secure the
necessary tight fit between the valve plug and the valve tube, when the latter is.
pressed down by the spring, and thus prevent leakage of the liquid. The liquid.
tube terminates a short distance above the valve plug, but the valve tube h"
slides over the liquid tube, and said valve tube is rigidly attached to a cross
head 44 which is slidably fitted on the liquid tube h, a stuffing box gland 45 being
provided between the boss of the cross head and the liquid tube, as shown by
Figure 5. On its lower side, the sliding cross head is provided with an elastic seat.
or washer, 45, against which the mouth of the bottle impinges when the bottle is
raised with the disk I to open the faucet H by raising the valve tube and its
cross head away from the seat 42 on the valve plug, and the bottle is guided to the
faucet by means of a flared guide 46 which is suspended from the cross head 44 by
the rods or stems 47, said flared guide, 46, being concentric with the filling faucet.
and of such diameter as to receive the neck of the bottle and permit the latter to
pass through the guide, whereby the bottle is properly centered by the guide 46 to
cause the plug 40 and filling tube to pass into the bottle mouth while the upper
edge of the bottle impinges against the washer 45' on the cross head. It will be.
readily seen that as the bottle is lifted with the disk I and the faucet enters the
mouth of the bottle, the upward thrust or pressure of the bottle against the cross
head 44 lifts the latter and the valve tube h¹¹ against the pressure of the coiled
spring and the valve tube is thus moved away from the seat 42 of the valve
plug 40, thus exposing the lower end of the liquid tube and the inlet port 41 of the
air tube whereby the liquid is free to flow through the tube around the
plug 40 and the air, displaced by the liquid in the bottle, passes into the air
port 41 and the air tube ¹, the liquid continuing to flow until its level reaches the
air port 41 of the tube when the air escape is cut off and the flow of the liquid
is stopped automatically to prevent it from overflowing the bottles. In the
embodiment of the filling faucet shown by Figure 6 of the drawing, I dispense
with the flared guide and the sliding cross head on the filling tube, and in this case
the sliding valve tube " is provided with the lifting collar 47 at an intermediate
point of its length, said lifting collar serving as the abutment against which the
coiled spring presses to normally close the sliding valve against the seat in the
valve plug 40 which is attached directly to the lower end of the air tube. This
lifting collar is provided in its lower side with the washer 45, against which the
upper edge of the bottle is adapted to press when the bottle is lifted with the
disk I to raise the sliding tube ¹ and expose the filling tube and the lateral inlet
port 41 to the air tube of the filling faucet, said sliding valve tube being tightly
fitted around the fixed liquid supply tube. In the embodiment of the filling faucet
shown by the vertical sectional view, Figure 7, of the drawing, the sliding valve
tube and the valve plug 40 are arranged a considerable distance below the
valve tube and the fixed filling tube h. This filling tube his fast with the usual
bushing 48 by which the faucet H is attached to the lower side of the filling
ring G, and the lower end of the tube terminates some distance above the lower
open end of the sliding valve tube". The air tube h¹ is arranged within the
liquid tube and it passes up through the bushing 48 to the wall g in the filling
ring, while the lower end of said air tube has a lateral or horizontal offset 49

page_text: which is attached to the filling tube near its lower end, said lateral offset 49
opening through a side of the filling tube h so as to form the inlet port 41 to the
air tube.
The
The valve tube h" slides freely on the liquid filling tube a packed gland 50
being employed to secure a tight sliding joint between the filling and valve tubes,
and against a collar of this gland presses the coiled spring 17 as shown.
upper end of the sliding tube h" is formed with a collar 51, provided on its lower
side with a washer 52, against which bears the upper end of a slidable guide 53.
This guide 53 is movable freely in the sliding valve tube, and its lower side is open
and inclined to form the flared mouth, having the elastic washer 54 on its inner
surface, and thus the necessary tight joint is secured between the slidable guide 53
when the bottle is fitted therein, the upward thrust of the bottle when lifted with
the disk I serving to lift the guide 53 which acts against the collar 51 to raise the
valve tube away from the valve plug. The plug 40 is held stationary by a stem
or wire 55 which extends through the tubes A, 1, and has its upper end attached
to a bridge piece 56 which spans the opening in the attaching bushing, and the
sliding valve tube ¹ is also provided with an air port 57 which, when the tube "
is lifted, aligns or coincides with the air port 41 to the air tube. This construction
of the filling faucet shown by Figure 7 is intended primarily to supply the effer-
vescent liquid to a bottle in a manner to prevent foaming or frothing thereof. It
will be seen that "the tube. " and the plug 40 will pass into the bottle nearly to
the bottom thereof, and when the upper edge of the bottle lifts the guide 53, and
the valve tube to bring the port 57 in line with the port 41 of the air tube
and thus lift the lower end of the tube h" away from the plug 40, the liquid from
the tube is conducted by the tube" to the bottom of the bottle so as to discharge
the effervescent liquid below the surface of the liquid in the bottle and thus
prevent foaming or frothing of the liquid in the bottle.
When the bottles are placed on the receiving end of the endless conveyor
apron A, they are guided between the guard rails 60 suitably attached to the sides
of the longitudinal frame as shown by Figures 1 and 2, and the guard rail on the
offside of the apron is extended to form curved guide arm 61 which extends across
and above the apron A at the place where the bottles are to be discharged from
the apron A onto the disks I of the filling mechanisın, and in order to prevent the
bottles on the apron from crowding each other when they reach the deflected
curved guide arm 61 and to positively shift the bottle from the apron onto the
disks as they are successively brought by the carrier F opposite to the arın 61,
I provide the positively driven turnstile 62 at the opposite inner side of the apron,
whereby the turnstile is arranged to receive the bottles one after the other between
its arms and to move the bottles off the apron A onto the disk I. The turnstile
consists of a vertical shaft with one or more series of arms attached to the
shaft and extending radially therefrom, aud this shaft is journalled in suitable
bearings on the frame A" of the conveyor apron aud in a bail-shaped frame 62
rigidly attached to the frame A", the turnstile being positively driven by sprocket
chain and wheel connections 64 with the vertical shaft D of the filling mechanism
as shown by Figures 1 and 3, of the drawings. Although I prefer to employ the
rotary turnstile 62 in connection with the guide arm 61 to shift the bottles from
the conveyor apron A onto the disks I as the latter are successively brought
by the carrier F opposite to the turnstile, yet I do not limit myself to the use of
the turnstile geared to the power shaft of the filling mechanism because the
conveyor apron and the carrier F may be arranged in such relation to each other
that the bottles can be delivered to the disks 1 as they are brought close to
the conveyor without the intervention of the turnstile or an equivalent shifting
device.
When the conveyor apron A and its frame A" are adjusted vertically, the
carrier F must also be adjusted, and the track K adjusted with the carrier to be at
the same relative distance to said carrier for the disk stems to ride thereon,
whereby to accommodate the filling mechanism to bottles of different heights;

page_text: and in Figure 11 of the drawing I have illustrated one construction for adjusting
the carrier F and the track K to bring said parts in proper relation to the con-
veyor apron. As shown by the Figure 11, the shaft D of the filling mechanism
is provided with screw threads 65 for a certain portion of its length, and on this
threaded part 65. of the shaft is fitted a vertically adjustable nut or collar 66, the
threads of which engage the thread 65 of the shaft. The hub f¹ of the spider
shaped carrier F is prolonged or extended downward to form the sleeve or
thimble 67, which is fitted on the shaft in direct contact with its cylindrical and
threaded part and the lower end of which thimble rests upon the adjustable nut or
collar 66, said thimble of the carrier being made rigid with the shaft D in order
that the carrier may rotate therewith, as for instance by binding screws or a spline
or key. To this thimble or sleeve of the carrier F is rigidly clamped a supporting
collar 68 which has a set screw or screws 69 for holding it tightly on the thimble,
the collar 68 being disposed above the adjustable nut 66 on which the thimble and
carrier are supported; and on this adjustable collar 68 fits the lower side of the
hub of the track K, whereby the track is loosely fitted on the rotating thimble of
the travelling carrier F so that the latter is caused to turn with the shaft D while
the track remains at rest or stationary, the track K being connected by a bridge
piece 70 with the vertical adjustable pendant slide of the central standard 3, said
bridge piece being below the path of the castor wheel on the disk I when the
latter is lowered and carried along with the carrier F across the throat or space
between the inclines I¹, I", as clearly indicated by Figure 11.
To provide for the discharge of the bottles from the filling machine back to the
conveyor A after they have been filled and when the disks are carried close to
the conveyor A, I provide a curved guide 71, see Figure 1, which extends across
the conveyor apron A, above the same and into the path of the bottle. This
guide 71 is curved reversely to the other guide 61 which operates in conjunction
with the turnstile 62, and the discharging guide 71 serves to deflect the filled
bottle, as the disk I is lowered and carried along with the carrier F past the
arm 71, from said disk onto the conveyor apron, the depression of the disk I
serving to withdraw the bottle from the faucet H and to lower the stem 26 and
brackets 27, 28, on the disk below the horizontal plane of the discharging guide 71,
to enable the disk and its brackets to pass beneath the part 71, the latter being
continuous with one of the side guard rails 72 between the filler and corker
mechanisms.
1 will now proceed to a detailed description of the mechanism for forcing the
corks into the bottles after they have been filled with the liquid in the filling
machine. B and discharged from the latter into the conveyor A. This conveyor
carries the filled bottles to a platform L and a shifting device M by which the
bottles are carried one after the other into vertical alignment with a cork tube O
through which plays a vertically reciprocating plunger P that serves to force the
corks through the tube O in the bottles. This platform L is attached to the
longitudinal frame A' and is vertically adjustable therewith, and as the platform L
and frame A are below the cork tube the machine is adapted to be raised or
lowered in order to feed bottles of different heights to the corking mechanism.
75, 76, designate two parallel platforms or tables arranged at suitable distance
one above the other and suitably fastened to the upright frame of the corking
mechanism, said tables being furnished with vertically aligned openings or
bushings 77, 77, through which openings or bushings plays the vertically
reciprocating plunger P, the purpose of which is to force the cork through the
vertical cork tube O into the bottle resting in the horizontally rotating shifting
device M.
From the lower side of the lower platform 76 depends a guide tube o, and in this
guide tube o is fitted the cork tube O, which is free to play or move vertically a
limited distance therein, said cork tube O being yieldingly suspended by means of
the coiled springs of having their ends attached respectively to the flared mouth o
of the cork tube and to the bottom side of the platform 76, see Figures 12 and 14.
D

page_text: The lower end of this yieldingly suspended cork tube is enlarged and flared at o' to
form a bell shaped mouth, the inner surfaces of which is lined with rubber or other
soft material to afford a cushioned seat for the mouth of the bottle, said flared
mouth o serving to centre the bottle within itself and the cushion and springs
affording a yielding connection to secure the necessary tight fit or joint between
the mouth o of the cork tube and the mouth of the bottle when the tube O is
forced downward by the action of the plunger against the cork in the tube, O,
the bottle resting on a vertically movable platen Q that is arranged in vertical
alignment with the cork tube O and the reciprocating plunger P.
The carrier apron A extends directly through the corking mechanism, at or
about its vertical centre, and the corking mechanism is situated at one side of the
vertical centre of the machine and the carrier apron, see Figure 12. As the carrier
apron is not capable of standing the strain and impact of the plunger when the cork
is forced into the bottle, and as the vertically movable platen Q controlled by the
weighted lever Q1 affords a yielding resistance to the plunger and bottle to, obviate
breaking the mouth of the bottle when the cork is forced therein, I employ the
horizontally rotatable shifting device M to move the bottles one at a time from the
carrier apron to the platen Q, the shifting device M is then stopped momentarily
while the plunger descends to force the cork into the bottle, and the shifting device
is again turned to shift the corked bottle from the platen Q back to the off-bearing
side of the carrier apron A, the shifting device M being rotated with a step by step
feed. This shifting device is preferably constructed in the form of a disk or disks,
and provided with a series of radial seats m, see Figure 13, which illustrates four
of the seats and shows two of the seats m in line with the apron A and another
seat m adapted to be brought into line with the cork tube O and platen Q, the
fourth seat being empty.
This rotary shifting device M is arranged just above, but close to the apron A
and it is fixed to and rotates with a vertical shaft M', which shaft is journaled in
vertically aligned bearings in the upper and lower tables 75, 76. The upper end of
the shaft is driven from a power shaft 80 by the intermeshing gears 81, 82, which
are so formed as to impart to the shaft M' and the carrier M an intermittent or
step by step feed in order that the carrier may remain stationary for a moment or
1wo while the cork is being forced into the bottle. The drive gears 81, 82, in the
instance shown are adapted to turn the shaft M and shifting device Ma
quarter turn, then stop, then another quarter turn, and so on, which is effected by
removing certain of the teeth from one of the gears 82, at two points in the
periphery of the gear, thus forming a mutilated drive gear, in the vacant spaces of
which the teeth on the gear 81 remain idle while the gear 82 on the shaft 80
continuously rotates. Although I have shown and described a drive gear as
adapted to rotate the shifting device M with a rest between each quarter turn, yet
it is obvious that the shifting device may be stopped at more or less frequent
intervals according to the speed desired for corking the bottles.
The platen Q is loosely fitted and guided in the platform L, and to a depending
stem on the platen is connected the short arm of the lever Q', the latter being
fulcrumed to a hanger or stud g on the fixed platform, L, see Figures 2 and 12.
The platen Q is adapted to receive the bottle as it is brought by the shifting
device M to a position beneath the cork-tube, and as the shifting device stops,
the plunger C descends to force the cork into the tube, the cork being compressed
in the tube ○ so as to force the tube O downward a limited distance with the
cork and plunger, whereby the flared mouth o' of the cork tube is caused to fit
over the mouth of the bottle and the necessary tight joint is secured between
the cushioned seat in the flared mouth of the tube O and the mouth of the bottle.
The bottle mouth is also centered in the cork tube, and the platen being
controlled by the weighted lever, affords sufficient resistance to the depression of
the bottle when the cork is forced therein so that the bottle can be properly
corked, but in case this cork does not properly enter the bottle, the downward
Tressure of the plunger acts to depress the bottle and the platen against the

page_text: action of the weight in order to prevent breakage of the bottle under undue
strain.
The upper end of the plunger P is connected with the pitman P₁ by the cross-
head and pivot connection p, and the pitman and plunger are reciprocated by a
crank disk 84 which has a wrist pin 85 on which the pitman works, said disk 84
being fixed to a shaft 86, which is journaled in suitable bearings on the machine
frame, the shaft 86 being belted or geared as at 87 in Figure 2, to the power
shaft.
On the under side of the lower table 76 of the machine is formed or provided
a horizontal guide way which extends at right angles to the cork tube O, one
end of the guide way opening into the space between the cork tube and the
aperture 77 through which the plunger P reciprocates. In this horizontal guide
way is fitted the horizontally reciprocating feed slide R, the purpose of which
is to feed the corks to a position over the tube O in the path of the plunger P.
This feed slide R is provided at one end with elastic or yielding jaws which
are formed by spring plates attached to the opposite edges of the slide and having
their free projecting ends curved reversely to each other, see Figure 15, to
enable a cork to be fed or dropped into said jaws when the feed slide is
reciprocated to bring the jaws in line with a feed spout S. This feed slide R is
positively reciprocated in one direction by connections with the plunger P, and
in Figure 12, of the drawings, I have shown these connections as consisting of
a bell crank lever T, a pitman t, and a reciprocating stem T. This stem T¹ is
disposed vertically alongside of the plunger and slides in a fixed bridge t¹ and having
its upper enlarged end in the path of the cross head p of the plunger so that
as the plunger and cross head are lifted the head and rod T will be raised
to actuate the feed slide. The bell crank lever T is fulcrumed in suitable bearings
on the table 76, and the upper end of this lever is connected by the link t to a
lug or stud 88 on the vertically reciprocating stem T¹. The lower arm of the
bell crank lever T plays freely in a slot in the table 76; said arm has a pin
and slot connection 89 with the feed slide, the pin being attached to the slide R
and working in a slot in the guideway r, see Figure 14. The feed slide is
normally drawn back by a coiled retracting spring R' which is attached to the
slide and to a suitable lug on the bottom of the table 76 on the guide way
that the jaws are normally in position beneath the feed tube S and as the
plunger Prises, its cross head p strikes the head of the stem T', lifts the latter,
and operates the link and lever T to force the feed slide R forward to convey the
cork in the jaws to a position beneath the plunger and above the tube O,
whereby on the return stroke of the plunger P the cork is forced into the tube O,
the spring R' returning the feed slide to its normal position beneath the feed
tube S.
so
The corks are automatically supplied one at a time to the feed tube S, and
I have devised mechanism by which either straight or tapered corks may be
fed to the feed slide. The straight cork feed mechanism consists of a hopper U
supported in an elevated position above the table 75, and from the bottom
of this hopper U leads the tube S, which is continuous from the table 76
to the elevated hopper. This hopper is preferably tapered as shown, and through
the bottom thereof opens the upper end of the feed tube S. To agitate the
corks in the hopper and cause them to properly enter the feed tube, I provide
an agitator V which preferably consists of a roller which is fitted in an opening
in the side of the hopper and has its shaft journaled in suitable bearings thereon.
This roller is constructed to fit closely to the upper open end of the feed tube,
by forming an annular channel or groove in the middle part of the roller, see
Figure 20, said channel or groove being semi-circular or approximately V-shaped
in contour to receive the cork tube, and on annular ledges of the roller are
provided tangential pins or projections which are arranged to lift the corks
and cause them to enter the open receiving end of the feed tube. The roller V
is positively rotated by means of an endless belt or sprocket chain, which

page_text: passes around a pulley or wheel on one end of the roller shaft and around a
suitable driving pulley or wheel on one of the overhead shafts of the machine.
This elevated hopper U may be supplied with corks in any suitable manner,
and as one mechanism for supplying corks to this elevated hopper I provide
the endless elevator W, the feed chute W' the primary hopper X, and a mechanism
for agitating the corks in the primary hopper. This hopper X may be of large
holding capacity so as to contain a barrel of corks which may be dumped
promiscuously therein.
The endless elevator passes around suitable rollers w,
being journaled in suitable bearings on the upper frame work of the machine and
being geared to a counter shaft w' which is belted or geared to the power shaft
of the machine, and the lower roller wll having its shaft journaled in bearings
within the hopper X. The feed chute W' leads from the discharge end of the
elevator to the elevated hopper U so as to properly direct the corks therein.
The buckets on the elevator belt are so proportioned and shaped as to each
receive and contain one cork, and in the path of these elevator buckets is
. arranged the free end of an agitator lever 90, which is hung near its rear end
to a wall of the hopper X. A spring is connected to the heel of this lever 90
and the lever carries a knocker a¹ which is pivoted at its heel to the lever and
normally lifted by a coiled spring so as to strike an apron or plate 91 which
is attached to a fixed partition 92 in the hopper X, whereby the corks on the
apron or plate 91 are agitated and supplied to the buckets on the elevator.
The mechanism for righting tapered corks so as to turn them to a vertical
position, small end downward, and the feed corks successively in such righted
position to the feed slide J, is shown in Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 and also
partly shown by Figures 1 and 2. On the upper table 75 of the machine, I arrange
the reciprocating hopper 95 which is supported to move in a horizontal path
lengthwise of the table 75. At the opposite ends of the table 75 are fixed the
short upright bearing pieces 96, 96, and these bearing pieces are rigidly secured
the parallel fixed rods 97, 97, which sustain and guide the reciprocating cross
heads 98, 99, that carry the hopper 95.
The cross heads 98, 99, are arranged in front and rear of this hopper, and said
crossheads are connected together by means of the longitudinal parallel plates or
rods 100 fastened to the crossheads and to which the hopper is fastened, and these
cork plates or rods 100 are formed in a cork way or guide below the hopper and in
front of the same. A discharge opening 101 is formed in the bottom of the hopper,
and to this opening leads the inclined front wall 102 of the hopper so as to properly
discharge the corks to the opening 101, through which they pass to the cork way
formed by the reversely inclined plates 100, the plates being so spaced as to permit
the small ends of the corks to pass between them while the larger ends of the corks
are caught and held by the plates, whereby the corks are suspended or hung small
end downward in proper position to be dropped or discharged in the opening or
short feed tube S leading to the feed slide R. The hopper is reciprocated back
and forth over the table 75, by the lever 102, shown in Figures 1 and 12. This
lever is hung or pivoted at its upper end to a fixed bracket of the machine, and the
lower end of the lever 102 is slotted to receive the stud or pin 103 projecting from
the rear crosshead 99 which is movable with the plates or rods 100 and the
hopper 95 and the lever is swung back and forth by a wrist pin on the crank
disk 104, said disk being carried by a shaft 105 which is suitably journaled on the
machine and the disk is rotated by a belt or chain 106 driven from one of the
overhead shafts of the machine, see Figures 1 and 12. As the corks are suspended
small end downward between the corkway formed by the plates or rods 100, and as
the hopper reciprocates back and forth toward and from the upper end of the feed
tube S devices must be provided for moving the corks one at a time longitudinally
along the guide way 100 in order that the corks may be supplied successively to
the feed the tube S, and these adjusting devices for feeding the corks along the guide
way in one embodiment of my invention consists of a detent 107 and a swinging
cork plate 108, the detent operating on the rearward motion of the hopper to force

page_text: the suspended cork from a position below the opening 101 toward the front
crosshead, and the swinging cork plate being held in a raised locked position during
a portion of such rearward motion of the hopper so as to detain the cork between
the cork way plates until the inclined cork way plates are moved rearward far
enough for the cork, so held by the locked cork plate, passes between the widened
opening 120 at the extreme forward end of the guide way, whereby the suspended
cork is adapted to drop through the opening 120 as the hopper reaches the limit of
its rearward stroke.
The detent 107 is rigid with the rock shaft 109 which is journaled on the
table 75 at the rear end of the hopper 95 and this shaft 109 has a crank arm 110 to
which is connected one end of a link 111. The cork plate 108 is rigidly fastened
to another rock shaft 112 journaled on the table 75, below the guide rods and in
front of the hopper, and the ends of the rock shaft 112 are provided with
arms 113, 114 which extend upward between the fixed guide rods and the rods or
plates 100, forming the cork way along the bottom of the hopper, the upper free
ends of the arms being provided with counterweights 115 which are of sufficient
weight to give the shaft and cork plate the desired quick throw. To one of the
arms 113, of the rock shaft is pivoted the forward end of the link 111 so that the
two shafts which carry the detent and cork plate are connected together for
simultaneous operation, and on this link 111 is pivoted the latch 116 which is
controlled by a spring 117 so that its free end is normally in the path of a stul or
lug 118 which is fixed to one of the guide rods 97 so that the latch is adapted to
come into the locking engagement with said fixed stud 118.
On the forward motion of the hopper, the detent 107 and the swinging cork
plate 108 remain depressed to allow the corks suspended from the hopper and the
cork-way plates to pass over said detent and cork-plate as shown by Figure 17,
and at the completion of such forward motion of the hopper and way plates, the
detent and cork plates are both raised to an inclined vertical position as shown in
Figure 16 by a stud or pin 119 on one of the cork way plates 110 coming against
one of the weighted arms of the rock shaft 113, see Figure 16.
The detent and
cork plate are locked in this position by the latch 116 coming in locking engagement
with the fixed stud 118 on one of the guide rods 97, the link or bar moving with
the rock shaft 112, and cork plate so as to throw the rock shaft and its detent 107
to the raised position and bring the latch into engagement with the stud 118.
As the hopper is moved rearward by the lever, the cork plate and detent are
held in their fixed raised positions by the tripping locking mechanism, and the
detent and cork plate act as follows on such rearward motion of the hopper and its
attached cork way plates:-The detent serves to draw a cork from the bottom of
the hopper and force it between the inclined plates forming the cork way to a
position where the cork so advanced will be brought, on the next forward motion
of the hopper; over the cork plate, while the swinging cork plate itself, which is
locked during such rearward motion of the hopper, holds the cork until the inclined
cork way plates are moved to a position where the opening 120 is sufficiently wide
for the cork to drop down and into the cork tube S that leads to the feed slide.
During this rearward movement of the hopper, the detent has advanced a cork
between the inclined guide way plates, and at the completion of the rearward
motion of the hopper, both the detent and the cork plate are returned to their
depressed horizontal positions by a stud 121 which is carried by an arm 122 fixed
to the front crosshead, 98, so that when the hopper again moves forward, the corks
in the bottom thereof and the cork way plates will pass over the detent and cork.
plate and thus be brought to a position in front of the detent and cork plate when
they are again raised to their vertically inclined position.
The purpose of the locking mechanism for the cork plate is to hold the latter in
fixed relation to the cork way and hopper when raised to the vertically inclined
position during the completion of the forward motion of the hopper and while it
is travelling rearward, so as to prevent a cork from upsetting or turning the cork
plate and detent backward to their horizontally depressed positions should the cork

page_text: bind in between the inclined plates forming the cork way, and this latch is release:1
by the stud 121 on the arm 122 which extends backward from the front crosshead
a sufficient distance to release the latch when rearward movement of the hopper is
nearly completed.
In corking bottles which are filled with charged liquid, such as beer and
carbonated water, it is necessary to supply gas under pressure to the bottle just
previous to the operation of forcing the cork into the mouth of the bottle, in order
that the gas will be compressed in the bottle between cork and the liquid therein,
and this object is attained in my invention by providing a gas inlet port or tube 125
in the flared mouth of the cork tube, from which port 125 leads a flexible tube or
hose 127 which is connected to an automatic closing valve 130 providing with a
turning plug which is so controlled by a weight, or its equivalent that the plug
normally cuts off the passage of gas through the valve, the latter being supported
on the machine frame and having a pipe connection 128 to a gas-tank or generator
in which the gas is stored under pressure. This valve 130 has its plug provided
with an arm 131 which lies in the path of a tappet 132 on the plunger P and as
the plunger descends and forces the cork into the tube O and the latter is depressed
over the mouth of the bottle to form a tight joint therewith, the valve 130 is
momentarily opened by the tappet 132 acting against the arm 131 to admit the
gas below the cork and into the tube P and the bottle, and as the corks are forced
by the continued descent of the plunger, into the bottle and the gas thus compressed
therein, the cock is automatically closed by the tappet 132 clearing the arm 131
of the valve, the tappett on the upstroke of the plunger riding past the arm 131
80 as not to open the valve and thus obviate waste of the gas.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of filling and corking a bottle, each
of the bottles undergoing the same movements as it passes through the filling and
corking mechanisms B, C. The bottles are placed on the receiving end of the
conveyor apron A and each bottle is carried to the turnstile 62 and the guide
arm 61 adjacent thereto, which operate to shift the bottle onto one of the disks I,
the latter being lowered flush with the carrier and presented by the latter opposite
to the apron A at the proper time for the turnstile to pass the bottle thereto.
The carrier F now moves the disk I along with it, and as the castor approaches
the post, 34, and its cam 29 strikes the same to oscillate the disk horizontally to the
limit permitted by the segmental slot and pin 31, 32, and at the same time the
castor of the disk ascends the incline I¹, thus lifting the disk and bottle thereon
to bring the mouth of the bottle against the filling faucet, H, the bottle being
seated between arms of the brackets 27, 28, on the disk I by the action of the
spring controlled pressure arm 35' which yields as the bottle and disk pass the said
arm 35. This upward movement of the disk and bottle raises the valve tube h¹¹
.and opens the faucet to permit the liquid to flow from the tank E and filling ring G
into the tube and thence into the bottle, and at the same time the air in the bottle
escapes through the port 41 and the tube ¹ up to the filling ring and thence to the
tank; and as soon as the liquid reaches the port 41 of the air tube, its How is
arrested. In the meantime, the bottle is being carried around with the carrier F,
and being held in its raised position along with its disk I by the castor riding
on the horizontal part of the track K, and as the bottle and disk approach the
place of discharge 71 from the filling mechanism, the castor rides down the
incline to withdraw the bottle from the filler faucet, which is automatically and
tightly closed by the action of the spring pressed sliding valve tube, h". As the
disk and bottle are lowered at the place of discharge, the disk is turned so its
bottle holding brackets 27, 28, face toward the conveyor A by the cam 29 striking
the post 30, and the bottle now comes against the discharging guide 71 which
shifts the bottle back to the conveyor A the disk I being carried across the space
between the inclines I", I to receive an empty bottle from the conveyor A and
turnstile. The filled bottle just placed on the conveyor apron is now carried to
the shifting device M and the bottle is placed in the seat m then in line with the
apron, and this shifting device is now turned a quarter turn to bring the filled

page_text: bottle on the platen Q. The plunger now descends and forces a cork through the-
tube O, and the latter is depressed with the plunger and cork until the cork tube O
fits over the mouth of the bottle, the continued descent of the plunger forcing the
now lifted and the
cork through the tube O and into the bottle. The plunger
springs o lift the cork tube clear off the bottle, and the shifting device M is again
turned a quarter revolution to place the bottle, which has just been corked, back
upon the apron A which now carries the bottle to the rear delivery end of the
machine. It will be understood that a number of the bottles are supplied to the
apron A to the disks and faucets I, H of the filler, and to the corking mechanism,
so that when one bottle is filled and corked, another bottle takes its place, the-
operation of filling and corking being carried on continuously and automatically
without attention by the men stationed at the machine, but care must be taken that
the first and last bottles to be corked are properly supplied to the turnstile 63 of
the filler and to the shifting device M of the corker.
I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details:
of construction of the mechanisms herein shown and described as embodiments of
my invention can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the
advantages of my invention and I therefore reserve the right to make such.
modifications and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The combination of a bottle filling mechanism, a mechanism for forcing the
corks into filled bottles, and a conveyor to carry the bottles to the filling mechanism.
and to the corking mechanism, substantially as described.
2. The combination of an endless conveyor, a filling mechanism contiguous to
said conveyor and operating to receive empty bottles therefrom and discharge the
filled bottles thereto, and a corking mechanism receiving the filled bottles from the
same apron and discharging the filled and corked bottles thereto, substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism
embracing a rotary shaft, a carrier, a supply tank, and a series of automatic faucets,.
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism
embracing a rotating tank, a series of filling faucets arranged to receive bottles.
from said conveyor and discharge them thereto, and movable disks carried by the
revolvable carrier in alignment with said filling faucet, and means for raising and
lowering said disks as they move with the carrier, substantially as described.
5. The combination with an automatic closing filler faucet, of a movable disk.
adapted to carry a bottle, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a tank, of a series of automatic closing filling faucets.
supplied from said tank, a series of movable disks in alignment with said filling
faucets, a movable carrier in which said disks are supported, and a track upon
which ride shoes attached to pendent stems of said disks, substantially as.
described.
7. The combination of a supply tank, a series of automatic filling faucets.
connected therewith, a revolvable carrier below the faucets, a series of movable
disks fitted in the carrier, an endless conveyor apron, and a track below the
carrier and provided with inclines I', I", adjacent to the conveyor, substantially
as described.
8. The combination of a revolvable tank, a divided filling ring in communication.
with said tank, a series of air escape filling faucets connected with both compart-
ments of the filling ring, a revolvable carrier, and bottle disks in the carrier in
alignment with the filling faucet, substantially as described.
9. A bottle filling machine provided with a filling ring G and a series of automatic

page_text: filling faucets provided with outlets for the air from the bottles during the operations
. of filling the same, substantially as described.
10. The combination with a primary tank, of a revolvable supply tank having
independent air and liquid pipe connections with said primary tank, a divided filling
ring connected with said revolvable tank, and a series of filling faucets connected
with the independent compartments of the filling ring, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
11. The combination with a primary tank, of a revolvable supply tank connected
by separate liquid and air pipes with the bottom and top of the primary tank, a
series of valved filling faucets each having its liquid tube in communication
with the revolvable tank and its air escape tube in communication with the air
pipe connections to the primary tank, and a bottle carrier, substantially as
described.
12. The combination with a primary closed tank, of a vertical shaft having the
hollow upper end in direct communication with the lower end of said tank, a
revolvable tank secured to the shaft to receive the liquid from its hollow upper
portion, a series of filling nozzles having their liquid tubes in communication with
the revolvable tank and provided with air escape tubes, and pipe connections
through the revolvable tank and the hollow between the air tubes of the faucets
and the upper part of the primary tank, substantially as described.
13. A bottle filling machine having an automatic filling faucet comprising a
liquid tube, an air tube within the same, a valve plug below the liquid tube, and a
sliding tubular valve normally pressed by a spring upon the valve tube,
substantially as described.
14. A bottle filling machine having an automatic filling faucet comprising a liquid
tube, an air tube within the same, a valve plug supported by the air tube and
having a lateral air port, a sliding valve tube having a lifting collar with which
the edge of the bottle is adapted to contact, and a coiled spring to normally depress
the valve tube, upon the valve plug, substantially as described.
15. A bottle filling machine having an automatic filling faucet in which the valve
tube and valve plug are extended some distance below the filling tube and the air
tube and said valve being provided with an air port and with a spring pressed
lifting collar, substantially as described.
16. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism
comprising a horizontally revolvable carrier arranged close to said apron, a tank,
filling faucets, and a device for shifting the empty bottles onto said carrier,
substantially as described.
17. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism com-
prising a tank, a series of filling faucets, a horizontally revolvable carrier below
the faucets, a guide and turnstile for shifting the bottles onto the carrier, and a
discharging guide for moving the bottles from the carrier back to the apron,
substantially as described.
18. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism
comprising a tank, filling faucets, a horizontally revolvable carrier, a series of
movable disks each provided with means to receive and retain the bottles and each
disk being capable of a limited turning movement in the carrier and means for
automatically turning each disk to cause its bottle support to face the apron as the
disk reaches the place of discharge to the apron and to reverse the disk and bottle
support after an empty bottle has been placed on said disk, substantially as
described.
19. The combination with a conveyor apron, of a bottle filling mechanism
embodying a tank, filling faucets, a carrier, a series of disks in alignment with said
faucets, and a yielding pressure device in the path of the disks to force the bottle
into its seat on the disc, substantially as described.
20. The combination with a filling tank carrying a series of filling faucets, of a
revolvable carrier adjustable vertically relative to the tank, a track below the

page_text: carrier, bottle disks mounted on the carrier and riding upon the track, and an
adjustable conveyor apron, substantially as described.
21. The combination with a vertical shaft, and a filling tank thereon carrying a
series of filling faucets, of a revolvable carrier clamped to said shaft and vertically
adjustable thercon toward or from the faucets, a stationary track below the carrier
and adjustable vertically therewith, and a conveyor apron adjustable vertically in
its frame to normally lie in substantially the same horizontal plane as the revolvable.
carrier, substantially as and for the purposes described.
22. The combination with a bottle bed, of a cork tube in line with said bottle--
bed, a reciprocating plunger, and a horizontally movable feed slide adapted to carry
a cork to point in line with the plunger and cork tube, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
23. The combination of the cork tube and a plunger, of a horizontally
reciprocating feed slide arranged to receive the corks from a source of supply,.
and mechanism actuated by the plunger to move the feed slide in a direction
across the line of movement of the plunger, substantially as and for the purposes.
described.
24. The combination with a bottle-bed, and a plunger reciprocating in line with
said bed, of a yielding cork tube in line with the plunger and constructed to be
depressed a limited distance with the cork and plunger, whereby the cork tube is
adapted to fit over the mouth of the bottle, substantially as and for the purposes.
described.
25. The combination with a bottle-bed, and a plunger, of a movable cork-tube
provided with a flared mouth at one end to receive the neck of a bottle, and tension.
devices which yieldingly sustain the cork tube and permit it to move a limited.
distance on one stroke of the plunger and to return said tube cork to its initial
position on the reverse stroke of said plunger, substantially as and for the purposes.
described.
26. The combination of a yielding cork tube, a movable bottle-bed or platen, a
movable bottle-bed or platen sustained in line with the plunger and cork-tube by
devices which permit said platen or bed to be moved away from the cork tube.
under undue pressure of the plunger, and a feed mechanism for supplying the corks
to the cork tube, substantially as and for the purposes described.
27. The combination with a plunger, a cork-tube, and a feed mechanism, of an
endless conveyor apron at one side of the cork-tube and plunger, and a horizontally
movable shifting device operated with a step by step motion to transfer the bottle
from the conveyor to a position in line with the plunger and cork-tube, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
28. The combination with a plunger, a cork tube, and a feed mechanism for
supplying corks to the cork-tube, of an endless conveyor apron, a bottle shifting
device supported to rotate in a horizontal plane and transfer the bottles from said.
conveyor to a position below the cork tube and plunger, and a drive mechanism for
rotating the bottle-shifting device with a step-by-step motion substantially as and
for the purposes described.
29. The combination of a table, a cork tube thereon, a horizontally-movable feed
slide guided in a suitable way on said table back and forth across the cork tube,.
a plunger, a bell crank lever connected with said feed-slide, and a trip arranged in
the path of the plunger and connected to said bell crank-lever, substantially as and.
for the purposes described.
30. The combination of a cork feed-tube, a plunger at one side thereof, a cork guide
tube in line with said plunger, a feed slide provided with cork grasping jaws which
receive the corks from the cork-feed tube, and operating mechanism for the feed
slide to move the same to a position where the cork grasping jaws are in line with.
the cork guide tube, substantially as and for the purposes described.
31. The combination of a table, a cork guide tube, a plunger adapted to pass.
into said cork guide tube, a feed tube at one side of the guide tube, a feed slide
operating between the feed and guide tubes, and an automatic cork feed mechanism
C

page_text: for supplying the corks successively and in a vertical position to the feed tube,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
32. The combination with a cork guide tube, a plunger, and a feed slide, of a
cork feed tube arranged to deliver the corks to the feed slide, a cork hopper.from
which the corks are delivered to the feed tube, and an agitator operating in said
hopper, substantially as and for the purposes described.
33. The combination with a cork-tube, and a feed-slide of a feed tube, a cork
hopper to deliver to the feed tube, and a primary hopper and elevator arranged to
deliver the corks to said hopper, substantially as and for the purposes described.
34. The combination with a cork tube, a plunger, and a feed slide, of a feed tube
to said slide, an elevated cork hopper to deliver to the feed tube, a primary
hopper, an endless elevator between the two hoppers, and a vibrating agitator
supported in the primary hopper in the path of the elevator buckets to be operated
thereby, substantially as and for the purposes described.
35. The combination with a cork-guide tube, a plunger, and a feed slide, of a
feed tube to said slide a reciprocating hopper movable to and from the feed slide
and having a cork-way between which the corks are to be suspended, detents
operating synchronously with the hopper to move the corks along its guide way,
and means for supplying corks to the hopper, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
36. The combination with a cork tube and plunger, of mechanism for auto-
matically supplying gas under pressure to the cork tube on the descent of the
plunger and cork, substantially as and for the purposes described.
37. The combination with a cork tube and plunger, and a bottle-platen or bed, of
a gas supply pipe connected with the cork tube, and an automatic controlling valve
operated on the descent of the plunger to admit gas under pressure to the bottle
on said platen or bed, substantially as and for the purposes described..
Dated this 17th day of July 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.