An Improved Bottle-filling Machine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bottle-filling Machine.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son of 151 Strand in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion (a communication to me from William R. Dannals of Philadelphia in the State
of Pennsylvania United States of America, Inventor,) to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of bottle-filling machines in which a series of
bottles are filled at one time, my invention comprising certain details in construction
of the machine, as fully described hereinafter, with a view of simplifying said
construction, and insuring a rapid and accurate filling of the bottles.
The machine consists of two side-frames connected by a transverse bar to which
is secured a series of filling-cylinders arranged side by side, each of the cylinders
having a plunger or piston, the rods of which are connected to a transverse bar or
frame guided in its vertical movement upon opposite rods near each side of the
machine. The said bar or frame is suspended by short rods or links from a lever
which is hung by means of links to the opposite side frames of the machine, and
extends out in front of the machine so as to be readily manipulated by the attendant.
The opposite end portions of the said bar or frame are acted upon by springs which
tend to elevate said bar or frame and the plunger rods carried thereby to an extent
which is limited by contact of lever with a transverse bar the latter being
adjustable vertically and being secured in position after adjustment by bolts
carried by the bar and guided in slotted plates on the side frames of the
machine.
At the back of the machine is a cylindrical drum or reservoir which during the
operation of the machine is kept constantly filled with the liquid for supplying the
bottles, this liquid flowing by gravity or being drawn through a pipe into the reser-
voir on the operation of the plungers in the cylinders, the said pipe communicated
with the main reservoir or source of supply.
The reservoir has a series of discharge pipes one for each of the filling-
cylinders, each pipe communicating with one branch of the casing of a three-way
valve having another branch communicating with the lower end of the filling-
cylinder, and a third branch communicating with a filling pipe or nozzle, so that
the valve may be turned to provide communication between the reservoir and the
filling cylinders or may be rotated to the extent of a quarter of a turn so as to cut
off communication with the reservoir and open communication between the filling-
cylinders and the nozzles. In the rear of the nozzles are other nozzles which are
carried by blocks guided in a transversely slotted frame and adjustable laterally
therein to accord with the varying diameters of the bottles to be filled, suitable
clamping bolts provided with nuts and washers being employed for confining the
said blocks between the front and back bars of the frame so as to insure the
securing of said blocks and their nozzles in the proper position after adjustment.
The said frame is suitably guided at each end upon rods and is supported by
springs hung to a bar or other support so that the frame and nozzles are free
to rise and fall, the nozzles being connected by means of flexible pipes or tubes.
The tray carrying the rows of bottles is mounted on a carriage having wheels
adapted to the notched track upon a platform or table which is mounted at an
angle upon the side frames or supports of the machine the nozzles being mounted
and guided in a plane at right angles to that of the table or platform so that when
a row of bottles has been brought under and in line with the row of nozzles the
latter may be depressed so as to enter the bottles, such depression being effected
by connecting the nozzle carrying frame by means of cords or chains to a treadle

page_text: and this treadle being also connected by cords or chains to the operating arms or
handles of the three way valves whereby on depressing the treadle so as to cause
the nozzles to enter the bottles the three-way valves will be simultaneously
operated so as to open communication between the filling cylinders and the nozzles
thus permitting the liquid in said cylinders to be forced through the nozzles and
tubes into the bottles.
The arms or handles of the three-way valves are connected to a rod which is
acted upon by springs so as to restore the valves to their former position on the rise
of the treadle the latter movement being effected by means of a spring and the
elevation of the bar and its nozzles being effected by springs when the treadle is
permitted to rise. The movable nozzles have pointed lower ends to facilitate their
entrance into the mouths of the bottles and said nozzles project some distance down
into the bottles and have discharge openings near their lower ends.
Sliding on each of the nozzles is a cap which is acted upon by a spring tending
to depress it, this spring in the present instance being shewn in the form of an
elastic tube interposed between the cap and a plate or washer on the bottom of the
frame suitable guide rods serving to prevent twisting of the cap on the nozzle.
The lower end of the cap has a washer for bearing upon and closing the mouth of
the bottle this washer having a central opening for the passage of the nozzle and at
one side of the same a smaller opening for the escape of air from the bottle as the
latter is being filled and for the escape also of any surplus liquid from the bottle in
case the capacity of the bottle is not equal to the charge, this surplus liquid being
conveyed from the cap through a branch into a trough carried by and extended
through the length of the frame and discharging at one end into any suitable
receptacle.
On one side of the movable nozzle at a point adjacent to the cap is a rib or
projection, which serves to so locate the nozzles in mouths of the bottles that the
opening in the washer will always be in communication with the interior of the
bottle when the nozzle is inserted therein.
T
HORN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bottle-filling Machine.
I WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the firm of Horn and Son 151 Strand
in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (a communication to me from William R. Dannals of Philadelphia State of
Pennsylvania United States of America, Inventor) and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to that class of bottle-filling machines in which a series of
bottles are filled at one time, my invention comprising certain details in construction
of the machine, as fully described and claimed hereinafter, with a view of simplifying
said construction and insuring a rapid and accurate filling of the bottles.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a bottle-filling machine constructed in accord-
ance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detached views, on an enlarged scale, illustrating parts of
the machine.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a special form of the filling-nozzle.
Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a modification of part of the invention, and
Figs. 9 and 10 are views illustrating one of the features of the invention.
A A represents the fixed side frames of the machine, and B a transverse bar, to
which is secured a series of filling-cylinders D, arranged side by side, each of these

page_text: cylinders having a plunger or piston, the rods a of which are connected to a trans-
verse bar or frame F, suitably guided in its vertical movement upon opposite
rods b, near each side of the machine. The bar or frame F is suspended by short
rods or links d from a lever G, which is hung by means of links G to the opposite
side frames of the machine and extends out in front of the machine, so as to be
readily manipulated by the attendant. The opposite end portions of the bar or
frame F are acted upon by springs f, which tend to elevate said bar or frame and
the plunger-rods carried thereby to an extent which is limited by contact of the
lever G with the transverse bar H, the latter being adjustable vertically and being
secured in position after adjustment by tightening the nuts upon the bolts c, carried
by the bar and guided in the opposite slotted pipes c¹, on the side frames of the
machine as shown in Fig. 2. At the back of the machine is a cylindrical drum or
reservoir I, which during the operation of the machine is kept constantly filled
with the liquid for supplying the bottles, this liquid flowing by gravity or being
drawn through a pipe l'into the reservoir I on the operation of the plungers in
the cylinders, the pipe I' communicating with the main reservoir or source of supply.
The reservoir I has a series of discharge-pipes 12, one for each of the filling-
cylinders D, each pipe communicating with one branch of the casing of a three-
way valve J, having another branch, communicating with the lower end of the
filling-cylinder, and a third branch i³, communicating with a filling-pipe or nozzle i,
so that the valve may be turned, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide communication
between the reservoir I and the filling-cylinders, or may be rotated to the extent of
a quarter of a turn, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to cut off communication with the
reservoir and open communication between the filling-cylinders and the nozzles i.
In the rear of the nozzles i are a corresponding numbers of nozzles m, which are
carried by blocks m', guided in a transversely-slotted frame K and adjustable
laterally therein to accord with the varying diameters of the bottles to be filled,
suitable clamping-bolts n, provided with nuts and washers, being employed for
confining the blocks m' between the front and the back bars of the frame K, so as
to insure the securing of said blocks and their nozzles in the proper position after
adjustment. The frame K is suitably guided at each end upon rods k, and is
supported by springs p hung to a bar or other support p', so that the frame K and
nozzles m are free to rise and fall, the upper ends of the nozzles m being connected
to the nozzles i by means of flexible pipes or tubes m², as shown in Fig. 1.
The tray carrying the rows of bottles is mounted on carriage L, having wheels
adapted to the notched tracks upon a platform or table M, which is mounted at
an angle upon the side frames or supports A of the machine, the nozzles m being
mounted and guided in a plane at right angles to that of the table or platform M,
so that when a row of bottles has been brought under and in line with the row of
nozzles the latter may be depressed, so as to enter the bottles, such depression being
effected by connecting the frame K, by means of cords or chains s, to a treadle P,
and this treadle being also connected by cords or chains s¹ to the operating arms or
handles J of the three-way valves J, whereby on depressing the treadle so as to
cause the nozzles to enter the bottles the three-way valves will be simultaneously
operated, so as to open communication between the filling-cylinders and the nozzles i,
thus permitting the liquid in said cylinders to be forced through the nozzles i,
tubes m², and nozzles m into the bottles. The arms or handles J¹ of the three-
way valves J are connected to a rod t which is acted upon by springs t', so as to
restore the valves J to their former position on the rise of the treadle P, the latter
movement being effected by means of a spring P₁, as shown in Fig. 1, and the
elevation of the bar K and its nozzle m being effected by the springs p when the
treadle is permitted to rise. The nozzles m have pointed lower ends to facilitate
their entrance into the mouths of the bottles, and said nozzles project some distance
down into the bottles and have discharge-openings m³ near their lower ends.
Sliding on each of the nozzles m is a cap wc, which is acted upon by a spring w',
tending to depress it, this spring in the present instance being shown in the form of
an elastic tube, interposed between the cap and a plate or washer w³ on the bottom

page_text: of the frame K, suitable guide-rods 1 serving to prevent twisting of the cap on the
nozzle. The lower end of the cap has a washer for bearing upon and closing
the mouth of the bottle, this washer having a central opening for the passage of
the nozzle, and at one side of the same a smaller opening for the escape of the air
from the bottle as the latter is being filled, and for the escape also of any surplus
liquid from the bottle in case the capacity of the bottle is not equal to the charge,
this surplus liquid being conveyed from the cap w through a branch w³ into a
trough, carried by and extending through the length of the frame K and
discharging at one end into any suitable receptacle. On the one side of the
nozzle m at a point adjacent to the cap w is a rib or projection 2, which serves to
so locate the nozzles in the mouths of the bottles that the opening in the
washer a will always be in communication with the interior of the bottle when the
nozzle is inserted therein.
The operation of the device is as follows: The normal position of the parts is
that shown by full lines in Fig. 1. In starting to fill the bottles the lever G is first
elevated to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to charge the
cylinders D, the extent of this elevation being limited, as before mentioned, by the
adjustable bar G, so that the upward stroke of the plunger of each filling-
cylinder is restricted and the amount of liquid drawn into the cylinder thus
regulated.
The carriage L being adjusted to such a position that the front row of bottles
is directly beneath the filling nozzles m, the treadle P is depressed so as to cause
said nozzles m to enter the bottles and at the same time to cause the washers of
the caps w to close the mouths of the bottles. The same movement of the treadle
which effected the entrance of the nozzles into the bottles caused such an operation
of the valves J as to open communication between the filling cylinders and nozzle i
and close communication with the reservoir I, as shown in Fig. 4. The lever G
being now depressed forces the liquid from the filling-cylinders into the bottles,
the amount of the liquid drawn into each filling-cylinder on the rise of the plunger
therein being just sufficient to constitute the desired charge for each bottle.
As the liquid rises in each bottle, the air passes from the same through the
opening in the washer, and through the cap w and its branch w³, and if the
charge of liquid is greater than the capacity of the bottle the surplus liquid also
escapes in the same manner, and is directed by the trough w¹ to a suitable receptacle,
to be returned to the main reservoir. On releasing the pressure from the treadle
the nozzles m and caps ware withdrawn from the bottles, and the valves J are
readjusted to the position shown in Fig. 3, so as to permit the filling of the
cylinders D prior to a repetition of the above described operation when a row of
unfilled bottles has been brought under and in line with the nozzles m. In some
cases the bottles may be filled directly from the nozzle i, sliding caps in this case
serving to properly centre the mouths of the bottles for the entrance of the nozzles,
as shown in Fig. 8, for instance, the bottles in this case being caused to rise as the
nozzles occupy a fixed vertical position, and the caps v. being normally depressed
by means of suitable springs v. When the machine is used for filling bottles with
beer or effervescent liquids, I prefer to use the form of filling-nozzle shown in
Fig. 7, this nozzle being mounted in the same way as the others. In this case the
nozzle is normally closed at the lower end by means of a valve y, carried by
a rod y', which projects below the lower end of the nozzle, so that when the latter
is inserted into the bottle the contact of this rod with the bottom of the bottle will
cause the valve y to open and permit the liquid to flow into the bottle, the valve
closing automatically as the nozzle is raised from the bottle when the filling of the
latter has been completed.
In this case, also, I prefer to provide the discharge branch w³ of the cap w with
a check-valve w, closing upward this valve remaining open as long as air is being
discharged through the cap, but being forced against its seat by any flow of liquid
through the cap, so that while the discharge-branch provides for the escape of air
it will prevent the escape of the liquid, for in the case of beer or effervescent

page_text: liquids any such escaping liquid would be lost, as it could not be returned to the
main reservoir again. The side bars of the frame of the machine have a series of
openings u for the reception of the pins ', whereby the links G are hung to said
side frames, so that the fulcrum-point of the lever G may be raised or lowered, in
order to provide for the most effective operation of said lever under different
circumstances. When a force or pressure supply of liquid to the bottles is not
required, the use of the cylinders D may be dispensed with and the liquid permitted
to flow directly from the reservoir I to the nozzles i without gaining any access to
the said cylinders, the two positions of the three way valve under such method of
operation being those shown in Figs. 9 & 10, a simple reversal or half turn of the
plug of the valve being all that is required to adapt it to this new method of
operation.
Having now particularly described and 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, in a bottle-filling machine, of a movable-bottle support, a
row of filling nozzles a series of caps surrounding said nozzles and adapted to close
the mouths of the bottles, springs serving as backings for said caps, and means for
moving the nozzles from and toward the bottles, substantially as specified.
2. The combination, in a bottle-filling machine, of a bottle-holder or support a
liquid reservoir, a series of filling cylinders having plungers therein, a series of
filling nozzles, and three-way valves whereby the cylinders may be caused to
communicate either with the reservoir or with the nozzles substantially as
specified.
3. The combination, in a bottle-filling machine, of a bottle-holder or support, a
liquid reservoir, a series of valve nozzles communicating with said reservoir, a
series of laterally adjustable filling nozzles for entering the bottles, and flexible
connections between said valved nozzles, and said adjustable filling-nozzles, sub-
stantially as specified.
4. The combination, in a bottle-filling machine, of the filling nozzle having a rib
or projection at one side with a cap surrounding said nozzle and having a flat
gasket or washer adapted to close upon the top of the bottle-mouth, said cap and
washer having an air-discharge vent therein adjacent to the rib or projection on the
nozzle, substantially as specified.
5. The combination, in a bottle-filling machine, of the filling nozzle, a vented
cap for closing the mouth of the bottle, and a valve closing the said nozzle and
having a rod projecting downward beyond the same, so as to be operated to open
the valve by contact with the bottom of the bottle substantially as specified.
Dated this 30th day of September 1891.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.