Patent ID: 6983577

Claim:
A continuous circular motion apparatus for filling a group of containers arranged in parallel single file rows comprising: a conveyor for conveying a group of empty containers arranged in parallel rows; a rotating turret which continuously rotates about a single vertical turret axis; a plurality of articulating filling heads carried by said turret circularly arranged about said turret, said filling heads rotating along a radial path for continuously and successively filling said groups of the containers on said conveyor during a fill operation; a group of filling elements carried by said filling heads arranged in groups corresponding to the arrangement of said group of containers for aligning with said containers as said filling heads are lowered into engagement with said groups of containers; and a filling-head motion converter operatively connected to said filling-heads causing said filling heads to move generally in a straight line motion along a chordal path while said filling heads rotate about said single turret axis and are lowered to engage said containers.