Patent ID: 6901972

Claim:
A device for filling empty medicine capsules with a filler material comprising a) a base having an enclosure and a central shaft having a vertical axis of rotation, b) power means for rotating said shaft within said enclosure, c) a removable upper cover for said enclosure having a central inlet opening coaxial with said shaft, d) a capsule holder disk connectable to said shaft for rotation therewith, and having a plurality of peripherally evenly spaced holders each adapted to receive and support an unfilled open capsule with its open end directed upward, e) a distribution drum associated and aligned with said capsule holder disk for rotation therewith as a unit, said distribution drum having i) a peripheral collection surface, ii) an impeller plate having an impact point concentric with said shaft for receiving filler material introduced at said impact point and flinging it radially against said peripheral collection surface by centrifugal force during rotation, thereby spreading and holding the material in an even layer upon said peripheral collection surface during rotation, and iii) a plurality of uniformly spaced collection pockets in a peripheral array beneath said peripheral collection surface and adapted to receive and collect said filler material flowing by gravity therefrom, each said pocket being generally funnel-shaped with a downward-directed discharge opening aligned with an associated holder of said capsule holder disk, whereby upon the cessation of rotation a substantially equal quantity of filler material flows by gravity from the peripheral collection surface into each collection pocket, and thereafter through the collection pocket discharge openings into each open capsule.