Improvements in Apparatus for Bottling Liquids.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Bottling Liquids.
FREDERIC GEORGE RILEY, 256, South Lambeth Road, S.W., in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Consists of improvements on a former invention, for which I obtained Letteri
Patent No. 524, A.D. 1881, and various other patents being modifications and
improvements on this original patent and numbered 9446, 1884-8447, 1885-
14797, 1888-16567, 1889-17425, 1891 namely for the same purpose of filling
bottles with liquids, either with, or without pressure, and in which the various
movements, for filling and corking or filling and stoppering the bottles, were
obtained, by means of a revolving camplate or a moving filling device over a
fixed camplate and which also operated, by means of raised cams giving alternate
openings of inlet, and air exit valves, (and vacuum, when employed). And
when these machines were used in connection with aerated waters, the control-
ling of the filling, for the various sized bottles, was obtained by means of, snift
cams with inclined planes; in such a manner, that, as they were pushed further
out from the camplate, it gave an increased duration of time for the valve to be
open, by giving it a longer portion of cam to pass over.
What I now desire is, to obtain the same varying periods for the filling valve
to be open, and also prevent the undue wear which hitherto took place on the
point of these valves, as it has to open against a pressure.
This result I obtain
by, in the first place, reversing the valve, and so arrange, that it is equally
balanced; the orifice closed by the valve, being the same area as the valve spindle,
and required to be closed by a spring, and secondly, instead of opening the
valve by the direct action of the camplate, I use a separate spindle, to which I
attach, a hand wheel, and provide a thread on the spindle, and connect it with
the filling valve, in such a manner, that the screwing of the spindle, in and out,
causes it to come into contact with a longer or shorter portion of the raised cam
on the camplate, sufficient screw being provided that the spindle can be removed
entirely from the action of the camplate, entirely preventing the valve opening,
and stopping all wear when machine is running idle, or it can be immediately
opened to its fullest extremity.
The cam path instead of being level on its face, as it has hitherto been, is made
with long inclined planes, to give this result, it being fully understood, that the
inlet of the liquid, is not controlled by the amount the valve is opened or lifted
from its seat, but by the duration of the period it remains open. The advantage
of this is, that the controlling is obtained from the front of the machine whilst
working, instead of as hitherto, by stopping the machine and altering the snifts
from the back. The snifts however, may still have the same means of regulation
as hitherto. I also, for the purpose of easily renewing these cams, fix them on
one separate plate, in which the snift blocks are also connected, and, attach it
to the camplate, so they can be easily renewable. The snift blocks have stiff
coil springs underneath them, so that, while strong enough to open the valve
against the pressure at which the machine is working, vet, in the event of their
being pushed out too far, instead of being broken off, they will yield.

page_text: The principle of the inclined path for the filling valve, the disconnecting of
the filling valve, and attaching it to another spindle so that the latter is operated
by the cam path, can be applied to any machines, which have, either moving cams
over stationary valves, or moving valves over stationary cams.
Dated this Twelfth day of January 1899.
Improvements in Apparatus for Bottling Liquids.
FREDERIC GEORGE RILEY, 256, South Lambeth Road, S.W., in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, 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:-
-
Consists of improvements on a former invention for which I obtained Letters
Patent No. 524, A.D. 1881, and various other patents being modifications and
improvements on this original patent, and numbered 9446, 1884, 8447, 1885,
14797, 1888, 16567, 1889, 17425, 1891-namely for the same purpose of filling bottles
with liquids either with or without pressure, and in which the various movements
for filling and corking or filling and stoppering the bottles were obtained by
means of a revolving camplate, or a moving filling device over a fixed camplate.
And which also operated, (by means of raised cams) giving alternate openings
of the inlet and air exit valves, (and vacuum also when so employed). And when
these machines were used in connection with aerated waters, the controlling of
the filling, for the various size bottles, was obtained by means of, snift cams
with inclined planes, in such a manner, that, as they were pushed further out
from the camplate, it gave an increased duration of time for the valve to be open,
by giving it a longer portion of the cam to pass over.
What I now desire is, to obtain the same varying periods for the filling valve
to be opened and also prevent the undue wear, which hitherto took place on the
point of these valves, as they had to open against a pressure.
In order that my said invention may be perfectly understood, I shall now
more particularly describe the same, and for that purpose, shall refer to the
several figures on the accompanying sheets of drawings, which show two types of
machines only, although the principle can be applied to other machines, as des-
cribed in the before mentioned patents, the same letters of reference indicating
the corresponding parts in all the figures.
Sheet 1, Figs. 1 and 2, are respectively front and side elevations of a machine
for filling and syruping bottles, closed with screw stoppers, (such as described in
Specification of Letters Patent granted me No. 8198, A.D. 1885).
Whilst Figs. 10 and 11 Sheet 4, are enlarged details in part section of the
filling device for same.
Sheet 2, Figs. 3 and 4, are respectively front and side elevations of a machine,
for filling and syruping bottles, closed with corks.
Whilst Sheet 5, Fig. 12 and 13, are enlarged details of the filling device for
use with same.
Whilst Fig. 14 on the same sheet, is a plan of the device for feeding the cork.
Referring to Sheet 1, Figs. 1 and 2, this machine consists of a standard A, on
which is mounted a camplate B. This has a conical periphery and engages with
the friction pinion C, which is driven by a belt from any prime mover, and by
means of a spring C₁, is caused to engage with the periphery of the camplate B,
causing it to revolve. Means for stopping and starting, are obtained in the first
place, by the lever C, which is fulcrumed to the top of the standard A, and is

page_text: connected with the rod C³, to the hand lever C, pivotted to the bottom of the
-standard A in such a manner, that as the lever is depressed it raises the pinion C
entirely away from the camplate B. The extremity of the lever C, is prolonged
and forms a brake C, which engages with the periphery of the camplate B,
and is held there, by the spring C¹, as the rod C³ has passed over the centre on
which the lever C is fulcrumed.
The standard A is provided in the first place with a bottle gripping block A',
which is free to rise and fall into suitable slides provided, and by the action of
the cam quadrant A3, which is mounted on a shaft, carried in the bracket A³,
and is held in its position by the spring A', exercising a torsional strain upon it.
This quadrant is operated by the cam B', which engages on a roller A5, shifting
the quadrant and allowing the block A¹ to descend when a bottle is to be inserted.
The latter being gripped when the quadrant is released by means of the spring A*,
thus allowing for the varying lengths of the bottles employed, the quadrant only
taking the stroke required to grip the bottle. The bottle being put into the
machine, with the stopper having been previously inserted in it, the stopper is
inserted into the twisting device, and the bottle is gripped. The block A6, is
raised and by means of the geared quadrant A7 engaging with the rack A8 the
stopper is removed entirely from the bottle. The block A that operates the
syrup pump is then raised and the requisite quantity of syrup is sucked into
the pump and forced into the bottle. This is then filled and snifted, (as described
later on), and the stopper is replaced in the bottle, the latter is released and
another is inserted. In order to safe-guard the operator, whilst working the
machine, the screen A10, which is hinged and fixed to the standard A, is caused
to open by the spindle A", operated by the camplate B pushing it open, when a
bottle is to be inserted,--it being closed by means of a spring not shown on the
drawing. The whole of the movements required to grip the bottle, remove the
stopper, syrup, fill, and replace stopper, release the bottle, open and close the
protecting screen, being obtained from one revolution of the camplate.
The machine for filling and corking bottles as shown on Sheet 2 Figures 3
and 4, has the same standard, camplate, B, pinion C, the latter in this case, by
preference. having teeth in lieu of being operated by friction, and has the same
method of gripping, syruping and filling the bottle, as previously described,
but in lieu of the block A, for operating the twisting device it has a block A¹
which is provided with a plunger A¹³, and it also has a cork feeder, which is
shown on an enlarged detail Sheet 5, Fig. 14, and a similar screen for shielding
the operator. The whole of the movements required to feed the cork under the
plunger, grip the bottle, drive the cork into the cone syrup and fill, cork and
release the bottle, open and close the protecting screen, being obtained from one
revolution of the camplate.
In filling bottles with aerated water under pressure, in order that the varying
sizes of the bottles may be accurately filled, according to my system, I have
always hitherto adopted the principle of controlling the filling, by regulating
the exit of the air, (or snifting), and this principle applies perfectly well, when
the bottles do not vary from more than five ounce to ten ounce capacity, and
where it is desirous to fill bottles from five to thirty ounces in the same machine,
this principle is not sufficient, and the object of the present invention is to con-
struct machines to fill all sizes of bottles, irrespective of the quantity they hold,
and in reference to Sheet 3, Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 this principle is particularly
shown. The camplate B (a portion of which is shown in section) has secured to
it. the small removable and easily renewable, camplate E containing the whole
of the valve opening cams required.
The air exit cams, or snift blocks, E and E³, are brought out of action by the
hand wheel E3, but are forced into their position by the spring E, and if the
work is more than they are intended to execute, they will yield, and not break
off.
The number of the sniftblocks are varied, in accordance with the special re-

page_text: quirements of the liquids that are required to be filled, but for the present' pur-
pose of explanation, only two are described.
+
In filling bottles under pressure, the liquid being admitted, the bottles, fill
to the same proportionate height irrespective of their capacity, and until the air
is released, no more liquid enters.
The filling valve then being closed, and the snift valve, or air exit, opened,
liquid flows in again, and the amount that so flows in, will depend upon the
extent that the air exit valve has been opened, and the pressure released, the
second filling is automatically arrested by the pressure of the air or gas left in
the bottle.
The filling valve is then shut, and the second snift block operates the valve,
to reduce the pressure, enabling the cork or screw stopper to be inserted into
the bottle, and also prevent the bottle bursting after being filled.
In my former inventions the filling valve had a definite opening F as shewn
in Fig. 7, the valve being a fixed length, and the cams that operated it, were
cast on the large camplate, and were straight on their faces.
The cams which
opened the snift, or air exit valves, as previously mentioned, being made with
inclined planes, the action of these being shewn in Fig. 9, Sheet 3, the duration
of the period they were opened, being obtained by setting the snift cams further
in or out.
According to my present invention, I incline the filling cams in such a manner
that by altering the length of the valve, I obtain a similar controlling means for
altering the period the filling valve is opened, such as shewn at G Fig. 8, and
by continuing to reduce the length of the valve, it can have no opening at all,
or be immediately given its full period of opening, it being distinctly understood
that the amount it is open, does not control the quantity of liquid that passes
through, but the duration of time it is open, the filling cams and the adjustable
snift, or air exit cams, being carried on the removable camplate E, as shewn in
Fig. 5 & 6 Sheet 3.
There are several methods by which this result can be obtained, and in refer-
ence to Sheet 4, Figs. 10 and 11, which shows the filling device for the screw
stopper machine, it will be seen that the brasswork H, has in it the filling
valve H', this being balanced so that it requires little power to open, it being
closed by a spring not shewn,-is operated, not direct from the camplate, but by
means of the spindle H³.
This spindle is made of a metal that will not rust, has upon its extremity a
steel point H³, easily renewable, which engages with the camplate and has a
definite arbitrary stroke, when screwed down to its fullest extremity. It has
screwed on it a small block H* bearing on the end of the valve H¹, and when
screwed out as shewn, will give this valve its fullest period of opening, but as
it is removed away from the action of the camplate, it will have a varying open-
ing, as required, and if screwed far enough, will have no operation on the filling
valve whatever.
The balancing of the filling valve referred to, has for its object the reduction
of the wear taking place on the end of the spindle that opens it, as shewn in
Fig. 10, Sheet 4, or Fig. 13, Sheet 5, through the friction against the opening
cams, as the liquid enters at high pressures, and although according to my pre-
sent invention, these are provided with renewable steel points, and are adjust-
able as to the length to compensate for wear; and the cams that open it are
easily renewable. By prolonging the end of the valve through the stuffing box
or gland formed in the cover, this pressure is reduced or equalised, and the end
of the valve can be utilised as shewn in Fig. 13 Sheet 5 to take the regulating
wheel. Formerly, these valves, which were a fixed length, had to be constantly
replaced and by my present invention, this is obviated.
The syrup pump, which is operated, by the block A, which has a fixed stroke,
gives a varying quantity, by allowing the block to pass over the plunger, the
amount being adjusted by the screwed nut on same, but when a greater capacity

page_text: of-variation is desired, the barrel itself is, as shewn on Fig. 11 Sheet 4, remov-
able, and a smaller one, with its proper plunger substituted, without disturbing
the valves and connection, which are fixed to the filling device.
In reference to Sheet 5, another system of operating the valve is shewn, and
in this case, the brasswork J has a filling valve J, which is screwed at the end
into the bush J2 which has a renewable piece, as before described, J, and the
spring J keeping the valve on its face, the action of this is similar to that of
the other arrangement described, the hand wheel J causing the spindle to screw
in and out, into the bush J2, shortening or lengthening the valve causing it to
have the varying periods of opening as required. The cork feeder in this machine
is shewn in Fig. 14 and is opened by the spindle J, engaging with a suitable
cam on the camplate. When a cork is dropped into the chamber provided, J7,
the spindle J, being removed from the action of the cam employed to open it,
the spring Js brings the cork beneath the plunger J, and drops it into the cork
cone J, into which it is driven and the bottle, is then filled in the usual manner.
The moment the cork is driven into the cone, the spindle J opens again, and
compresses the spring Js, and another cork is inserted. In the description given
herewith, reference has been made more particularly to the two types of machines
shown, but the principle of altering the length of the filling valve, can be applied
to all machines that have a revolving camplate over stationary filling device.
or a revolving filling device over a stationary camplate, where it is desirable
to give a controllable varying means of filling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be formed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
No. 1. The employment of an inclined cam path in connection with an adjust-
able filling valve, in order to obtain varying periods of filling, such as herein
described and shown.
No. 2. In connection with machines for filling and corking or stoppering
bottles, the employment of a removable plate, containing the adjustable snift
blocks and filling cams as described and shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.
No. 3. The construction of a machine for filling bottles closed with a screw
stopper, in combination with inclined filling cams, as shown on Fig. 1 and 2
Sheet 1, and Figs. 10 and 11 Sheet 4.
No. 4. The construction of a machine for filling and syruping bottles, closed
with corks, in combination with an inclined filling cam, as shown on Figs. 3
and 4 Sheet 2, and Figs. 12 and 13 Sheet 5.
No. 5. In connection with a machine for filling and corking or filling and
stoppering bottles, in which the movements are obtained from a revolving cam-
plate over a stationary filling device, or a moving filling device over a stationary
cam, the arrangement of the filling valve whereby the power required to open
same is reduced by balancing the valve, in the manner herein shown and
described.