Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Bottles with Liquids.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Bottles with Liquids.
We, THE CROWN CORK COMPANY LIMITED, and ELBERT KIRK MOORE, Engineer,
both of 79 &81, Paul Street, Finsbury, E.C., in the County of London, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment;
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for filling bottles with
liquids and has reference to a filling device applicable more particularly to the
class of machines described in the Specification of former British Letters Patent
No. 7877 of the year 1892 and now well known as Crown Cork machines.
The object of the invention is to provide convenient means for enabling bottles
which are to be corked, to be previously filled in the same machine with either
aerated or still liquids.
According to the said invention the filling device comprises two spring controlled
valves arranged in a suitable metal block or casing, which can be readily fitted
to the head of the machine. These valves are operated by a handle of special
construction which has a limited angular movement and is arranged to open one
or other of them when in either of its extreme positions, whereas when released,
it is caused to assume an intermediate position by the action of the valve spindles,
the valves themselves at the same time closing under the action of their springs.
The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a general view of a machine of the kind referred to having applied
thereto a form of my improved filling device which is suitable for cases wherein
the air is to be sucked out of the bottle.
Figure 2 is an elevation partly in vertical section showing the said device to an
enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles to Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an underside view of the said device with the handle removed.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the handle as it appears when removed from the
device.
Figure 6 is an elevation of another form of the device which form is suitable for
cases in which no suction is desired and in which the pressure in the bottle never
falls below atmosphere.
Figures 7 and 8 are horizontal sections taken respectively on the lines and y y
of Figure 6.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 5. A is the filling device, B is the
main head of the machine, and C is the depressible head thereof. This depressible
head is operated in the well known manner and serves both to form a movable
connection with the top of the bottle D and also to fix the corks in position in
the usual way.
The device A is secured in position against a faced up portion E of the main
head by means of a stud or bolt F which passes through an aperture in the
device. The side of the latter which abuts against the portion E of the head is

page_text: also faced up to make a proper fit, and a pin or projection on the head fits in a
recess G to keep the device truly in position.
a is the body of the filling device. This body is formed of a single casting of
brass or other suitable metal and has arranged in it a series of passages a¹ a² a²³ a¹
which communicate with a pair of tubular nipples or projections a aª one of
which can be connected to the liquid supply and the other to a vacuum pump or
chamber. is a plug which serves merely to close the end of the passage a³
after same has been drilled.
b, b, are the spring controlled valves the latter valve being indicated only in
dotted lines. The spindles 61, 63, of these valves extend through the passages a¹, a³
respectively and project slightly at the upper ends of said passages. The con-
nection between the valves and their spindles is formed by short rods 60 of reduced
diameter which are screwed into the ends of the spindle.
3, are cup leathers for preventing the flow of liquid past the spindles. The
valves serve to control the communication between the passages a¹ a³ and the
nipples and are normally pressed upon their seats by brass or other suit-
able springs arranged in hollow hexagonal caps or plugs 65. Each of these caps
has a flange or collar 66 and a screw-threaded portion 7 whereby they can be
screwed into cavities 68 in the body of the filling device.
c is the operating handle above referred to which in this arrangement is situated
at the upper part of the device. The said handle is provided with a lateral pro-
jection on which are formed two inclined faces which are adapted to bear
against the projecting ends of the valve spindles 61 62 when the handle is in one
or other of its extreme positions.
The handle has an enlarged disc-like boss and is mounted in a projection d
on the body of the device by means of studs or pivots extending laterally
from the centre of the boss 3.
For the purpose of preventing the handle c working slack, the pivot c¹ is made
of tapered or conical form and is forced into a correspondingly tapered recess c
in the body of the device, by means of a spring arranged in an annular recess d
in a cap or cover 3 which is secured to the projection d by screws d'.
The other pivot of the handle may be plain or cylindrical and be fitted into
a central recess or cavity in the cover d³.
The action of the aforesaid spring tends to maintain a moderately tight fit of
the conical pivot in the recess and thus prevents the handle working loose.
The filling device is fitted to a machine in such a manner that the passage a
coincides with the usual passage which leads to the depressible head C of the
machine. The connection between these passages is rendered fluid tight by a
dovetailed indiarubber washer or gasket a fitted in the end of the passage at
and projecting slightly therefrom so as to be pressed tightly against the faced
portion E of the head of the machine when the device is secured in position
thereon.
The action is as follows:-
When the bottle is in position under the head of the machine, the said head is
depressed until the india-rubber ring or gasket with which it is provided makes
a tight joint with the upper edge of the mouth of the bottle. Communication is
thus established between the interior of the bottle and the passage a through the
ordinary passage in the head of the machine. At this time the valves bbx
are both closed and the nipple 5 is connected to the liquid supply while the
nipple is connected to the vacuum pump or chamber.
The operator preferably grasps the handle in such a manner that by drawing
it back he can cause it to act on the stem of the vacuum valve 6* so as to open
the latter, while by pressing it forward it can be caused to open the valve b. By
working in this way it is much easier to watch the filling operation carefully than
it would be if the movements were reversed.
In filling the bottles the depressible head is lowered until it forms a fluid tight
connection with the mouth of the bottle, whereupon by momentarily opening the

page_text: vacuum valve * the air is exhausted from the bottle after which the handle is
pressed forward in the direction of the arrow Figure and opens the valve b to
admit the liquid to the bottle, and at the same time allow the vacuum valve to
close.
At intervals during the filling it may be necessary with some liquids to renew
the vacuum in the bottle and this can readily be done by momentarily opening
the vacuum valve when desired.
Referring now to the modified arrangement shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, which
is as stated more particularly suitable for cases wherein no vacuum is set up in
the bottle the construction of the device as regards the valves b, b, the handle c
and the passages a¹ a², is substantially similar to that hereinbefore described, but
instead of the device having two nipples, it has only a single nipple as for con-
nection to the liquid supply. The latter is effected under pressure so that when
the liquid enters the bottle it gradually compresses the air therein to its own
pressure whereupon the filling will stop, until the air so compressed is liberated.
In order therefore to be able to liberate the air at intervals, the device has its
valve arranged as a snift or relief valve in combination with two air ports
and having rubber rings or gaskets a similar to that before described.
These ports are connected together by a passage all.
The port a admits the compressed air from this bottle and when the valve b
opens the port 10 allows the said air to escape through the head of the machine
to atmosphere.
A second port 12 also having a rubber washer is arranged at the lower end of
the device and communicates with a passage in the depressible head of the
machine to admit the liquid to the bottle.
The said depressible head can thus commuicate with the supply nipple a8
through the valve and the port a³, or with the air port 10 through the port a
the valve and the passage all
It will be readily seen that the valves and * control these communications,
so that the bottle can be put either into communication with the liquid supply
or the air ports at will by merely operating the handle e as in the previously
described arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A filling device having its handle provided with a tapered boss and having a
spring to keep said boss pressed into a corresponding recess, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
2. A filling device constructed and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, or to Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.