Patent ID: 7997048

Claim:
A container filling plant for filling containers with liquid, said container filling plant comprising: a rotary container filling machine being configured and disposed to fill containers with liquid; a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey containers to be filled to said container filling machine; said container filling machine comprising: a rotatable carousel; a vertical machine column; said rotatable carousel being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotatable carousel about said vertical machine column; a plurality of container filling elements for filling containers with liquid being disposed on the periphery of said rotatable carousel; each of said plurality of container filling elements comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold containers to be filled; each of said plurality of container filling elements being configured and disposed to dispense liquid into containers to be filled; at least one liquid reservoir being configured to hold a supply of liquid; and at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one liquid reservoir to said container filling machine to supply liquid to said container filling machine; a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move containers into said container filling machine; a rotary container closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled containers; a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move containers out of said container filling machine and into said container closing machine; said container closing machine comprising: a rotatable carousel; a non-rotating central pillar; said rotatable carousel being connected to said central pillar to permit rotation of said rotatable carousel about said central pillar; said central pillar having a diameter being substantially smaller than an outer diameter of said rotatable carousel; a plurality of closing devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotatable carousel; each of said plurality of closing devices being configured and disposed to place closures on filled containers, said closures comprising at least one of: screw tops and crown corks; and each of said plurality of closing devices comprising a container carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold filled containers; a third star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed containers out of said container closing machine; and the weight of said closing machine being supported essentially only by said non-rotating central pillar.