Patent ID: 8096330

Claim:
Isobaric rotary filling machine for filling containers, which comprises a support structure having, rotatably mounted thereon, a rotating table which supports a tank for containing a liquid gasified under pressure, which is provided with a supply pipe and a plurality of valve units which are mounted peripherally and each have: a filling duct for supplying the liquid from said tank to a container, associated with first shut-off means for controlling the flow of liquid to said container; an air return pipe, associated with second shut-off means for controlling the pressure balance between said container and said tank; first raising means able to adjust the height of said rotating table; said machine comprising at least one flushing station operationally associated with said rotating table, but fixed with respect thereto and having at least one receiving tray connected to a flushing circuit and able to be operated by movement means so as to move between a non-operative position, where it is situated outside the travel path of said valve units, and an operative position, where it is situated underneath one or more valve units able to pass over it, said first and second shut-off means being able to perform the opening of each filling duct and each pipe with said receiving tray in the operative position and with said flushing circuit connected to said supply line of said tank, causing the liquid to fall from said one or more valve units into said receiving tray and the circulation of said flushing fluid inside said flushing circuit via at least said filling duct, said air return pipe and said receiving tray; and wherein said machine further comprises one or more of the following operating circuits: a gas-release circuit connected to each valve unit for ensuring that the container is under atmospheric pressure again at the end of filling; a self-levelling circuit for reaching the desired liquid level inside the containers; a pre-evacuation circuit for drawing the air from said containers prior to the introduction of said liquid; a back-pressure circuit for keeping said tank at a desired overpressure; wherein each of said one or more operating circuits is provided with corresponding fourth shut-off means which can be actuated so to open with said receiving tray in the operative position so as to cause the circulation of said flushing fluid of said flushing circuit through said at least one operating circuit.