Patent ID: 7210507

Claim:
Capsule filler for packaging bulk substances in hard gelatin capsules, of the type comprising a carousel ( 1 ) which rotates about its own vertical axis ( 101 ) and carries on it a coaxially positioned hopper ( 2 ) into which the product (P) for dosing is placed in the loose state, and a plurality of volumetric dosing devices fed with the product from the periphery of the said hopper and closed at their lower ends by external movable stop means, which are removed and replaced, after the dose has been formed, by corresponding housings ( 34 ) each of which houses the base (C 2 ) of a capsule and has its upper aperture placed next to the lower end of a dosing device to receive therefrom the dose of product following the downstroke of a piston of the said dosing device, characterized by the use of volumetric dosing devices having their bodies fixed to the carousel ( 1 ) and their dosing chambers ( 22 ) constantly engaged, from above, by corresponding dosing pistons ( 9 , 9 ′) which slide in these chambers with good lateral sealing characteristics, each of said chambers being provided with a lateral aperture ( 42 , 42 ′) connected with a seal to the lowest and peripheral part of the hopper ( 2 ) to receive therefrom the product for dosing, and being closed at its lower end by an external stop means ( 24 ) which can be movable if necessary, and which is designed to close or open this dosing chamber and which, in the opening stage, does not create cavitation phenomena in the said chamber, in order to avoid the disintegration of the dose of product to be transferred into the base of the capsule.