U.S. patent number 3,731,716 [Application Number 05/108,924] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-08 for drawback sleeve slide valve.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cozzoli Machine Company. Invention is credited to Joseph R. Darish.
United States Patent |
3,731,716 |
Darish |
May 8, 1973 |
DRAWBACK SLEEVE SLIDE VALVE
Abstract
A drawback slide valve for liquid charging apparatus which
delivers a measured quantity of liquid into a container. The
drawback slide valve has a hollow spindle with two sections of
different external diameters. The spindle has two lateral openings
in the spindle which communicate with the bore or hollow interior
of the spindle. The bore is closed by a plug between the lateral
openings. The spindle is partially enclosed by a sleeve which is
slidable on the spindle. The sleeve has different diameters at
different portions thereof which mate with the different diameters
of the two spindle sections. The sleeve also forms an annular
chamber having a diameter exceeding that of the larger spindle
section and extending between the lateral openings of the spindle.
In a first position of the sleeve relative to the spindle, the
annular chamber forms a passageway between the two lateral openings
of the spindle to permit a flow of liquid through the spindle, and
in a second position of the sleeve, the sleeve blocks the upper
lateral opening to block the flow of liquid through the spindle.
The upper or upstream lateral opening is located on the larger
diameter section of the spindle so that when the sleeve is shifted
toward the second position to block the upstream opening, the
available volume of the chamber between the sleeve and the spindle
expands to create a negative pressure therein. The volume of the
chamber is increased because the sleeve chamber is moved more along
the smaller diameter section of the spindle. With the diameter
smaller, the chamber between the sleeve and the spindle increases
in volume. The negative pressure due to the increasing volume and
blocked entrance opening to the chamber functions to draw back
liquid from the downstream lateral opening into the chamber and
thereby prevent any drip from the valve after cut-off of the flow
of liquid at the upstream lateral opening of the spindle.
Inventors: |
Darish; Joseph R. (Plainfield,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
Cozzoli Machine Company
(Plainfield, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
22324839 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/108,924 |
Filed: |
January 22, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/117; 222/522;
222/108; 251/344 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67C
3/28 (20130101); B67C 3/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B67C
3/02 (20060101); B67C 3/28 (20060101); B67C
3/26 (20060101); B65b 003/04 (); B67c 003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/117,115,116,137
;222/108-110,522,523,525,571 ;251/343,344 ;222/493 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
459271 |
September 1891 |
Dreisorner |
2717176 |
September 1955 |
Osrow et al. |
|
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston S.
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire
to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:
1. A valve comprising a spindle having a bore extending
therethrough, a first lateral opening in communication with said
bore, a second lateral opening in communication with said bore,
blocking means located in said bore for preventing communication
between said first lateral opening and said second lateral opening
through said bore, said spindle having a constant external diameter
section extending from a location between said first and second
lateral openings past said second lateral opening and a reduced
external diameter section extending from said location between said
first and second lateral openings past said first lateral opening,
a sleeve disposed over said spindle and movable in an axial
direction relative to said spindle and having a first position and
a second position relative to said spindle, said sleeve having a
portion with an increased internal diameter defining an annular
chamber with said spindle, said chamber having an axial length
greater than the axial length between said first and second lateral
openings, said sleeve preventing communication between said second
lateral opening and said chamber in the first position of said
sleeve relative to said spindle and establishing communication
between said first and second lateral openings through said chamber
in the second position of said sleeve relative to said spindle,
said first lateral opening communicating with said chamber when
said sleeve is in its first position relative to said spindle, said
chamber having a first volume when said sleeve is in its second
position relative to said spindle, said chamber having a volume
greater than the first volume with said sleeve in its first
position relative to said spindle with the pressure in said chamber
being lower than when said sleeve is in the second position
relative to said spindle whereby excess fluid is drawn back from
the tip of said spindle into said bore.
2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said blocking means
includes a plug positioned in said bore of said spindle to
interrupt the flow of fluid through said bore, said plug being
disposed between said lateral openings of said spindle.
3. A valve according to claim 1 further including means for
selectively moving said sleeve to the first and second positions
relative to said spindle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
A drawback slide valve which, when moved to cut-off position, pulls
back liquid into the valve so as to prevent dripping of any liquid
from the discharge orifice of the valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention relates to valves and relates, more particularly, to
a drawback slide sleeve valve for delivering a liquid in a fashion
such that when it halts flow of a liquid from the valve, there is
no subsequent drip from a discharge orifice. The valve may be used
with liquid charging apparatus designed to discharge any one of a
variety of liquids, whether into a container or not. When used in
conjunction with an apparatus for charging containers, it is
ideally suited to filling bottles, ampules, jars or the like. The
containers may be filled accurately with liquids such as water,
flowable chemicals, honey, creams, syrups, pastes or flowable
powders. It will be understood from the foregoing that the term
"liquid" as used herein embraces any non-gaseous flowable
material.
One of the many difficulties existing heretofore with respect to
valves used in conjunction with filling or charging apparatus was
the excess liquid which dripped from the orifice of the filling
nozzle subsequent to completion of the filling operation. This
occurred notwithstanding the prompt cut-off of the liquid to the
nozzle by means of a suitable measuring unit. Despite the prompt
cut-off, a drop or two, or more, of accumulated liquid tended to
fall from the nozzle. The reason for this past cut-off drip was
that at least some of the liquid tended to accumulate at the nozzle
orifice and coalesce into an overheavy mass from which portions
detached themselves under the influence of gravity. Horizontal and
vertical movement of the nozzle, as part of the operating cycle in
the liquid charging apparatus, encouraged this difficulty because
of the inertial forces caused by starting or stopping movement of
the nozzle. Moreover, since as often was the case the nozzle was
connected by a flexible feed tube to a metering device, there
occurred an unwanted discharge of liquid from the nozzle when the
tube was bent and its internal volume accordingly reduced. Such
discharge of liquid was undesirable from the point of accuracy of
fill and of economy where the liquid to be charged into the
container was costly. Such liquid discharge was also undesirable
from the standpoint of precision where the liquid dosage was potent
or for medical purposes. This post terminal discharge is a further
nuisance in that it also dirties the apparatus and containers to be
filled, and, if allowed to accumulate and harden, interferes with
proper operation of the apparatus. More troublesome is the viscous
liquid which will not cut off evenly and thus strings out from the
discharge orifice thereby necessitating cleaning the filling
machine, the nozzle orifice or exposed portions of the container.
The cleaning procedures cause additional expense and production
slowdown.
Various suggestions have been made to overcome the aforementioned
drawbacks. For instance, anti-drip devices have been proposed that
included metering cut-offs, sub-atmospheric liquid pullbacks and
foot valves. None of these proposed devices have, however, been
very successful. The metering cut-offs still allowed liquid drops
to accumulate at and around the discharge orifice of the nozzle.
Sub-atmospheric liquid pressure applicators, by reducing the
pressure in the feed tube, tended to pull remnant liquid back into
the discharge nozzle and even into the feed tube. However, these
applicators were costly and bulky, required additional equipment
(e.g., suction pump, additional tubing and valves) and added
considerable overhead to the production costs as well as upkeep of
the filling apparatus. Foot valves (valves at the outflow terminals
of filling nozzles) in general, have thus far, except for the
structure shown, described, and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,920
issued Sept. 14, 1965, been ineffectual because they permitted
liquid to flow over a surface which was exposed after the valve was
closed and this liquid accumulated on the exterior of the valve
from where it would drip or shake off when the nozzle started and
stopped during the operating cycle of the liquid charging
apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the principal objects of the present invention is to avoid
the aforedescribed drawbacks of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of
the character described having an anti-drip device in the form of
drawback sleeve valve, which minimizes accumulation of liquid on
the exterior surface of the discharge nozzle.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a drawback
sleeve valve which is simple and positive in operation and yet
requires very little maintenance.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a drawback
sleeve valve which consists of relatively few parts and is
inexpensive to make and use.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-drip
device which requires no auxiliary pump or additional tubing.
It is another object of the invention to provide a drawback sleeve
valve that will cut off cleanly and sharply the final portion of
the discharge and which is particularly useful in connection with
viscous fluids since it is thereby able to prevent the formation of
hanging strings.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth
in part in the following specification and in part will be obvious
therefrom without being specifically referred to. With the above
and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists
in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of various
devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof one
embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and described in the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a multiple line filler
which includes a group of filling nozzles that have anti-drip
devices constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical partially sectional view through one
of the anti-drip drawback valves, shown in FIG. 1, taken
substantially along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the
nozzle in closed (shut off) position above a container;
FIG. 3 is a vertical view partially in section of the anti-drip
drawback sleeve slide valve constructed in accordance with the
present invention and showing the valve in open position;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4--4
of FIG. 3 illustrating the chamber formed between the sleeve and
the spindle of the anti-drip drawback valve;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the
line 5--5 of FIG. 3 illustrating the upstream and downstream
openings or parts of the spindle and illustrating the sleeve in
half section; and
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6--6
of FIG. 2 illustrating part of the mechanism for moving the sleeve
of the anti-drip valve.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10
denotes a multiple line filler. Except for the special anti-drip
device which is the subject of the instant invention, the multiple
line filler may be of any conventional construction. Typical
fillers of this type are illustrated, for example, in U. S. Pat.
No. 1,700,494 for a Filling Machine issued Jan. 29, 1929, and U. S.
Pat. No. 1,992,464 for Straight Line Multiple Filling Machine,
issued Feb. 26, 1935. Another typical machine of the same nature
and which is essentially similar to the multiple line filler 10
depicted in the accompanying drawings, is shown, described and
claimed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,100,513, issued Aug. 13, 1963, for
Multiple Line Fillers by Joseph M. Cozzoli and Harold F. Scribner.
The particular details of the multiple line filler 10 are not a
part of the present invention; nevertheless the following simple
description of the basic elements of such a filler will assist in
understanding the operation of the within unique anti-drip
device.
The multiple line filler 10 includes a frame (not shown) from which
the various moving parts are supported. One of the moving parts
constitutes an endless conveyor such, for instance, as a belt 12
trained about guide and drive pulleys of which only one pulley 14
is shown. Said pulleys lead and move the endless conveyor 12
through a path which includes a horizontal reach that is supported
on a horizontal plate 15. The plate 15 constitutes a part of the
stationary frame of the machine. Containers, such, for instance, as
bottles 16, are located on the conveyor 12 supported by the
horizontal reach 15 and are moved without stopping at a constant
speed of travel through the illustrated filling station of said
machine. The placement of the bottles 16 on the conveyor 12 and
their removal therefrom may be performed either automatically or
manually. Said bottles 16 are located on the conveyor 12 in
uniformly spaced and predetermined positions, and move in the
direction indicated by the arrow A. The only containers 16 that
have been shown in FIG. 1 are those directly below filling nozzles
22. The remainder of the containers 16 have been omitted for
simplicity of illustration.
The containers 16 are adapted to be filled (charged) by a flying
filling head 20. The head 20 includes a group of filling nozzles
22; four being shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The actual number
of the nozzles 22 will depend upon the design of the machine.
Suitable means is included to reciprocate the flying filling head
20 in two different directions. One direction is vertical for
insertion of the group of filling nozzles 22 into a corresponding
group of bottles 16 and subsequent withdrawal from the bottles 16.
The other direction of the flying filling head 20 is horizontal to
match the speed of movement of the filling head 20 to the speed of
movement of the bottles 16 with the conveyor 12 during the
discharge cycle of metering pumps 23 and then to return the filling
heads 20 to a position above the next succeeding group of bottles
16.
More particularly, the flying filling head 20 includes a platform
24 to which the filling nozzles 22 are secured. The platform 24 is
provided with wheels 26 that slidably mount said platform on a
horizontal elongated bar 28 for reciprocating movement restricted
to a direction parallel to the length of the bar 28. The bar 28 is
attached at its opposite ends to vertical posts 30 slidable in
vertical journals 32 (only one of which is shown) that are fast to
the frame of the machine. The lower end of each post 30 is provided
with a follower 34 that rides on a cam 36 fixed on a horizontal cam
shaft 38. The cam 36 is eccentric with respect to the shaft 38 and
is so configured that for each revolution of the cam shaft posts
30, the bar 28 will be raised once and lowered once. In the
uppermost position of the bar 28, the tips of the filling nozzles
22 are higher than the bottles 16 and, in the lowermost position,
the tips of the filling nozzles 22 are inside the bottles 16. Since
the platform 24 rides on the bar 28, it likewise is raised once and
lowered once for each revolution of the cam shaft 38. Each such
revolution of the cam shaft 38 constitutes one cycle of operation
of the multiple line filler.
The apparatus also includes a cam shaft 40 which is kinematically
connected, e.g., by gearing, to the cam shaft 38 so as to turn
synchronously therewith. The two shafts 38 and 40 are connected in
a one-to-one turns relationship. The shaft 40 has mounted thereon a
closed cam track 42 in which there rides a cam follower 44. The cam
follower 44 is mounted on one end of a connecting link 46. The
other end of the link 46 is pivoted by a pin 48 to an actuating
link 50 which is pivoted to the frame. A guide link 52 pivoted to
the connecting link 46 and to the frame holds the link 46 in proper
position during its operation. The upper end of the actuating link
50 has mounted thereon a roller 54 that rides in a vertically
elongated slot 56 formed in a depending arm 58 functionally
integral with the platform 24.
By virtue of the foregoing construction, as the two shafts 38 and
40 rotate in synchronism, the platform 24 will be raised and
lowered and will be horizontally shifted to and fro. The two cam
tracks are so relatively and independently configured and
synchronized to movement of the conveyor 12 that the filling head
20 will experience the following movement for each cycle of the
machine.
After filling a group of bottles 16, the head 20, while still
moving with and at the same speed as the bottles 16, is raised to
lift the filling nozzles 22 from the bottles 16. As soon as the
nozzles 22 have been withdrawn, the flying filling head 20 is moved
in a direction opposite to the arrow A until the filling nozzles 22
reach a fresh group of bottles 16 just behind the group of bottles
16 that last has been filled. Then the filling head 20 is lowered
to insert the filling nozzles 22 into the necks of the fresh group
of bottles 16. The filling head 20, as this occurs, has its
direction of travel reversed and is moved forward with and at the
same speed as the bottles 16 while the metering pumps 23 are
actuated to force liquid through the filling nozzles 22 primarily
into the bottles 16. Since the present invention is concerned with
the anti-drip valves or filling nozzles 22, reference is made to
the aforesaid patents and application to more fully explain the
mechanism for moving the filling head 20 and synchronizing it to
the conveyor 12.
Each of the filling nozzles 22 is connected to a separate metering
means schematically illustrated as a group at 23 by a different
flexible tube 62. The metering means 23 may be of any standard
construction as, for example, they may constitute a series of
metering pumps which are adjustable so that during the discharge
portion of each cycle a predetermined, i.e., measured, amount of
liquid will be forced through the flexible tubes 62 to each
discharge nozzle 22 and thence into the bottle 16 in which the
nozzle 22 then is located. The tubes 62, for example, may
constitute a flexible synthetic plastic such, for instance, as a
polyvinyl plastic or rubber. The flexibility is desired in order to
permit the flying filling head 20 to reciprocate vertically and
horizontally as it performs its previously indicated functions.
However, because the tubes 62 experience changes in curvature upon
the movement of the filling head 20, said tubes 62 tend to
constrict and expand creating a pumping action which might cause
undesired post-terminal discharge of liquid from the nozzles 22
after the metering means 23 are cut off and during a non-filling
portion of the cycle. The post-terminal discharge is prevented as
is hereinafter described by the anti-drip valve 22 which is the
principal subject of the present invention.
All of the valves or filling nozzles 22 are alike. Accordingly,
only one such nozzle 22 is shown and described in detail. Referring
now to FIG. 2, each nozzle 22 includes at its upper end a thimble
64 which is tightly fitted in an opening, not shown, in the
platform 24 described above. A thin-walled vertical pipe 68 is
tightly fitted into the thimble 64 and extends upwardly from the
thimble 64 where it is coupled to the associated one of the
flexible hoses 62 shown in FIG. 1. The lower end of the thimble 64
is fitted against and in communication with the bore 66 of a
vertical discharge tube or spindle 70.
The spindle 70 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as
stainless steel, depending on the exigencies of the filling
operation and the liquid to be used in conjunction therewith. The
spindle 70, which may have a unitary construction or be of a
plurality of joined pieces, has a straight, central, or concentric
bore 66 therethrough. The upper end of the spindle 70 is connected
to the source of liquid supply from which the liquid under a
suitable supra-atmospheric pressure enters the spindle 70.
Telescopically ensheathed around part of the outside of the spindle
70 is an outer valve sleeve 72. As is hereinafter described in
detail, features of this invention relate to the configuration of
the spindle 70 and of the sleeve 72 and to the spacing between them
for the different positions of the sleeve 72 on the spindle 70.
The filling apparatus includes operating means to cause the valve
sleeve 72 to move or slide relative to the spindle 70. Such
operating means is actuated in synchronism with the movement of the
filling nozzle 22. The timing is such that the valve sleeve 72 will
be in raised position as shown in FIG. 3 when the metering pumps 23
in FIG. 1 are operative and when the filling nozzle 22 is located
within the bottles 16. The sleeve 72 will be in a lowered position,
shown in FIG. 2, when the metering pumps 23 are cut off. The
operating means for each valve sleeve 72 comprises a pneumatic
actuator 75 that includes a cylinder 74 in which there is slidable
a piston, not shown. Air under pressure is selectively admitted to
either the upper or lower end of the cylinder 74 through one of a
number of tubes 78 to drive the piston in either vertical
direction.
The piston is connected to a piston rod 80, the lower end of which
carries a fork 82, shown particularly in FIG. 6. The twin arms of
the fork 82 ride in an annular horizontal groove 84 formed in the
periphery of the sleeve 72. The stroke of the pneumatic actuator 75
is such that in its lower position, the valve sleeve 72 liquid can
pass through the spindle 70 to a bottle 16, and in its upper or
raised position, the liquid is blocked or cut off. Fixed to the
bottom end of the spindle 70 is a coupling 92 which, in a preferred
embodiment, is provided with a female thread 88 so as to engage a
male thread 86 formed at the lower end of the spindle 70.
Liquid exits from the spindle 70 through a filling spout 90 which
is provided with a male thread 93 operable to engage a female
thread 94 formed at the lower end of said coupling 92. Both the
spindle 70 and the coupling 92 are stationary during the filling
operation but are jointly vertically movable respectively toward
and away from the container 16 before and after filling.
The spindle 70 is further provided with at least two axially spaced
lateral openings 96 and 98 which communicate with the bore 66 in
the spindle 70. Between the lateral openings 96 and 98 is a plug or
stopper 100 which is secured in the bore 66 to block the flow of
fluid therethrough. The first lateral opening 96 is upstream of the
plug 100 and the second lateral opening 98 is downstream of the
plug 100. As described above, the sleeve or operator 72 is
telescopically disposed around the spindle 70 and is slidable
axially over at least a portion of the spindle 70. This is
accomplished by disposing the spindle 70 in a slide fit through a
central bore in the sleeve 72. Two O-rings 95 and 97 form air-tight
seals preventing any liquid from the bore 66 to leak out through
the top of the sleeve 72. Preferably, both ends of the spindle 70
protrude from the sleeve 72 in all positions of the sleeve 72.
The interior of the sleeve 72 defines, in cooperation with the
spindle 70, an annular chamber 102 of an outer diameter larger than
the spindle 70. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
sleeve 72 has a non-uniform internal diameter. The annular chamber
102 may be formed in a unitary or one-piece cast sleeve 72, or may
be formed utilizing a plug or stopper 114, shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and
5 adapted to engage the external diameter of the spindle 70. The
proper placement of the plug 114 effectively seals one end of the
annular chamber 102.
The spindle 70 has a non-uniform external diameter: the diameter
below the upstream lateral opening 96 is less than the diameter of
that part of the spindle 70 disposed at and above the lateral
opening 96. In like fashion, the internal diameter of the sleeve 72
is non-uniform and is increased near the area of communication with
the lateral openings 96 and 98. The open position of the valve
sleeve 72 is such that the annular chamber 102 is disposed so as to
connect the first lateral opening 96 with the second lateral
opening 98. The annular chamber 102 is such that its axial length
is at least equal to and preferably greater than the distance
between the two lateral openings 96 and 98. There is thus formed a
conduit for the uninterrupted flow of fluid therethrough. This
arrangement causes deflection of the flow back into the bore 66 of
the spindle 70 via the second lateral opening 98 and to ultimately
discharge the liquid from the filling spout.
When the sleeve 72 is moved down with respect to the spindle 70
from its position shown in FIG. 2 to a position shown in FIG. 3 so
as to close the valve 22, the top or opened end of the annular
chamber 102 is brought into alignment with that portion of the
spindle 70 which lies below the first lateral opening 96. This cuts
off or closes the passageway through the chamber 102 to interrupt
the flow from the bore 66 to the annular chamber 102 to effectively
close the valve 22. The movement of the sleeve 72 from the open
position (FIG. 3) to the closed position (FIG. 2) interrupts the
flow into the annular chamber 102 by shifting the position of the
chamber 102 below the area of communication with the first lateral
opening 96. When the chamber 102 is shifted downward to its
position shown in FIG. 2, it defines a space having a larger
volumetric capacity than the space defined by the annular chamber
102 when same communicates with the first lateral opening 96 in the
open position of said valve 22 (FIG. 3). The reason for the
difference in volumetric capacity is caused by the fact that when
the valve 22 is in the opened position (FIG. 3), a relatively long
length of the greater external diameter section of the spindle 70
is exposed to the annular chamber 102, whereas in the closed
position (FIG. 2), a relatively long length of the small external
diameter section of the spindle 70 is exposed to the annular
chamber 102.
As described above, when the sleeve 72 is moved down with respect
to the spindle 70 from its position shown in FIG. 3 to its position
shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 102 is moved away from the opening 96
causing the sleeve 72 to block the opening 96. With the opening 96
blocked by the sleeve 72, the flow of the liquid through the bore
66 is cut off or interrupted. The sleeve 72 blocks the opening 96
after a very small downward movement of the sleeve 72 during the
initial part of movement of the sleeve to its position shown in
FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sleeve 72 moves down a
considerable distance beyond that necessary to block the opening
96. The movement of the sleeve 72 through this larger distance
accomplishes a number of functions which are supplimentary to the
cut-off function of the sleeve 72. One additional function of the
sleeve is to move the O-ring 97 to a position below the opening 96
such that the O-rings 95 and 97 effectively seal both the upper and
lower directions of possible leakage from the opening 96. A second
additional function provided by the sleeve 72 is the anti-drip
function provided by the valve or nozzle 22.
As indicated above, the anti-drip feature is accomplished by
increasing the volume of the chamber 102 as it moves down from its
open position of FIG. 3 to its closed position of FIG. 2. The
increase in volume is accomplished because of the reduced diameter
of the lower portion of the spindle 72. The chamber 102 which is
formed between the sleeve 72 and the spindle 70 has a changing
volume as the sleeve 72 changes its position relative to the
spindle 70. The plug 114 of the sleeve 72 has a smaller internal
diameter than the upper portion of the sleeve 72 and mates with the
smaller outer diameter of the lower portion of the spindle 70. With
the chamber 102 in its upper or open position, it is formed mainly
by the larger diameter portion of the spindle 70 and accordingly
has a relatively smaller volume. As the chamber 102 is moved down,
an increasingly larger inner surface for the chamber 102 is formed
by the smaller diameter portion of the spindle 70. The smaller
diameter portion of the spindle 70 provides for a greater volume in
the chamber 102.
The upper stream or inlet to the chamber 102 from the opening 96 is
blocked, as indicated above, but a passageway remains provided
through the downstream opening 98 to the bore 66 of the spindle 70.
Some liquid will be present in the bore 66 below the opening 98 as
the cut off of the liquid flow is accomplished during the initial
downward movement of the sleeve 72. As the volume within the
chamber 102 is increased, it creates an effective partial vacuum to
pull back any liquid in the bore 66 below the opening 98. The
partial vacuum or negative pressure created in the chamber 102, in
this manner, functions to retract any excess fluid drops at the
filling spout 90.
The sleeve 72 remains in its closed or downward position until the
next bottle 16 is to be filled. With the spout 90 inserted in the
bottle 16, the sleeve 72 is moved to its position illustrated in
FIG. 3 to permit the liquid flow through the bore 66. As the sleeve
72 is moved to the position of FIG. 3, it develops initially a
small pumping function as the volume in the chamber 102 decreases
before the opening 96 is cleared. The decreasing volume of the
chamber 102, as the diameter of more of its inner surface is
increased, starts the movement of the liquid in the bore 66.
Accordingly, as the opening 96 is cleared, the liquid flow is
immediately and fully commenced. In this manner, the head 20 in
FIG. 1 raises and lowers the valves or nozzles 22 with respect to
the moving bottles 16. In its lowered position, the nozzles 22 are
operated so that the respective sleeves 72 are moved to their open
or raised position. The sleeves 72 are returned to their closed
position before the valves 22 are raised from the bottles 16. Each
bottle is accordingly filled with the predetermined metered amount
of liquid, and as each filling operation terminates, any drops at
the filling spouts 90 are retracted.
It thus will be seen that there is provided apparatus which
achieves the objects of this invention and which is well adapted to
meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible
embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various
changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to
be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the
accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not
in a limiting sense.
* * * * *