Container Filling Apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for filling a container with a liquid wherein a reservoir or tank is provided with a nozzle having a vent tube extending therethrough. The nozzle is provided with a bellows-like member that coacts with a valve member on the vent tube for sealing the liquid contained within the reservoir. The reservoir is subjected to a vacuum which is communicated to the containers by way of said vent tube.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for handling fluent material with specific emphasis being placed upon drip prevention by flow reversing.

The usual bottle or container filling machine or apparatus consists of a reservoir or tank having a plurality of filling nozzles or tubes, each of which is provided with a closure valve to control the flow of a liquid, such as milk, into the bottle or container. The liquid is delivered to the container upon the raising or elevating of said container into sealing engagement with the lower end of the filling nozzle or tube, which action usually results in unseating the valve and permitting the fluid from the reservoir or tank to flow into the container. The filling nozzle or tube usually has associated therewith a vent tube or passage that communicates with a space above the liquid in the tank or reservoir so that as the fluid flows into the bottle or container, the air contained therein will flow through the vent tube or passage and into the space above the liquid in the tank.

It is customary in an apparatus of this type to maintain the tank or reservoir under an operating vacuum during the filling operations. Inasmuch as the vent tube is open at its upper end to the low pressure area of the tank or reservoir air is consequently withdrawn from the bottle or container through said vent tube into the upper portion of the tank or reservoir when the bottle or container has been raised or elevated into sealing engagement with the lower end of the filling nozzle or tube thereby reducing the pressure in the bottle or container to the same pressure that exists in the upper portion of the tank or reservoir. Thus, as the valve is unseated upon the raising of the bottle or container the air remaining in the bottle or container is forced through the vent tube as the liquid from the tank or reservoir flows into the bottle or container and said air is gradually discharged through the vent tube.

Upon the completion of the filling operation, the container or bottle is lowered from the filling nozzle or tube which action results in the valve member engaging its seat for closing the passage of fluid to the bottle or container. Upon the seating of the valve member and the gradual withdrawal of the bottle or container from the filling nozzle or tube, the liquid which has risen within the vent tube to the level of the supply in the reservoir is forced back into the lower pressure area of the reservoir by atmospheric pressure operating through the open vent tube as the container is removed therefrom. This concept eliminates any dripping of the fluid contents from the vent tube and from the nozzle structure and at the same time assists in maintaining a uniform fill height in the bottle or container.

In the majority of instances the type of container that is usually employed in present day usage is of a cardboard carton type or a relatively thin flexible plastic type of container both of which are readily capable of receiving and holding a fluid, such as milk, when same are subjected to the normal and customary usage. The use of a plastic container has been found to be highly desirable, but with present day apparatus for filling such containers, it is necessary to materially reduce the vacuum pressure that is maintained within the tank or reservoir from the pressure that is commonly employed in filling conventional containers. If the same vacuum pressure were to be maintained in the tank or reservoir when using a plastic container as is maintained when using other types of containers, the plastic container would collapse or become distorted during the venting or filling thereof and thus be incapable of usage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the concept of improving the filling nozzle and vent tube structure so that same may be readily used with conventional tanks and reservoirs and wherein the vacuum pressure within the tank or reservoir may be reduced to permit the use of containers formed from relatively thin plastic material. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a filling nozzle or valve in a vacuum type of apparatus for filling containers formed of relatively thin plastic material wherein foaming of the liquid is reduced and said nozzle or valve is dripless.

Another object is to provide a filling nozzle or valve which permits uniform and accurate filling of various types of containers.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for filling plastic type and other nonrigid containers with a desired quantity of a liquid with the aid of vacuum without collapsing the container and without loss of liquid due to excessive filling and resultant overflow.

Another object is to provide a liquid dispensing and a receptacle filling apparatus which obviates certain of the disadvantages and objections found in the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide a filling level which will keep to a minimum the afterdrip even if no vacuum is used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view partly in section of a container filling apparatus showing a filling nozzle and valve structure embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the container filling apparatus shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the filling nozzle and valve in an operative state;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the filling nozzle and valve, the view being taken on the line 3 -- 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a container filling apparatus showing a modified form of a filling nozzle and valve in a closed or inoperative state; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the container filling apparatus of FIG. 4 showing same in an operative state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a portion of a tank or reservoir 10 which contains a suitable liquid, such as milk, that is to be delivered to various and sundry types of containers or receptacles for filling same. The tank or reservoir 10 is provided with a conventional cover or lid, not shown, for effectively sealing and closing said tank or reservoir to permit the maintaining of a sub-atmospheric pressure therein. The lower or bottom surface of the tank or reservoir 10 is provided with a discharge aperture or nozzle 12 which may be formed integrally with said tank or reservoir or secured thereto by any suitable means. The lower most end of the filling tube or nozzle 12 constitutes an annular seat 14 for the reception of the upper ring-like portion 16 of a bellows or diaphragm member 18. The bellows 18 is formed with a spaced lower ring-like element 20 which with the upper ring portion 14 provide the bellows with a central chamber or compartment 22. The lower ring element 20 has secured to its inner surface thereof an annular nipple-like member 24 which is relatively rigid and projects in a downwardly manner from the bellows or diaphragm member 18.

The depending filling tube or nozzle 12 and the bellows or diaphragm member 18 have extending therethrough a vent tube or pipe 26 which has mounted thereon adjacent to the lower end portion that extends through said bellows or diaphragm member, a valve member 28. The vent tube or pipe 26 is also of such length as to project from the valve member 28 upwardly above the level of the liquid in the tank or reservoir 10 and the upper or free end of said vent tube terminates within the air space between the cover of the receptacle and the liquid therein as shown in FIG. 1. The lower most end portion of the valve member 28 is formed with a tapered or downwardly inclined surface 30 which is designed to engage the upper ring-like portion 16 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 to provide an effective seal between said valve member and said upper ring-like portion 16. The valve member 28 is formed of any suitable material so that same will not float within the liquid in the tank 10 but will have sufficient weight so as to overcome the bouyant force or action of the liquid in the tank and to seat upon the upper ring-like portion 16 of the bellows member 18 and thus provide for an effective seal for the depending filling tube or nozzle 12. The inclined surface 30 of the valve member 28 is preferably provided with a plurality of depending fingers or rod-like members 32 which are utilized to effect the unseating of the valve member 28 from the upper ring-like portion 16 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18. As an alternative configuration the fingers or rod-like members 32 could be provided in the upper portion of the nipple member 24, not shown. The lower most end portion of the vent tube 26 is provided with an enlarged bead or projection 34 which may be formed with a tapered or undulating surface 36. The external diameter of the enlarged bead or projection 34 on the vent tube 26 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the annular nipple-like member 24 carried by the lower ring-like element 20 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 so that said bead 34 will have a free movement with respect to the inner surface of the nipple-like member 24.

In the operation of filling containers or bottles a conventional mechanism such as a filling or lifting platform, not shown, is employed to support a container 38 for the purpose of elevating and lowering same with respect to the bellows or diaphragm member 18. The raising of the container 38 by the filling platform will bring the annular lip 40 of the container into sealing engagement with the external surface of the lower ring-like element 20 of the bellows diaphragm member 18. The continued movement of the lifting or filling platform causes the ring-like element 20 to be elevated resulting in an initial compression of the bellows member 18 to the point wherein the annular nipple-like member 24, which is carried by the lower ring-like element 20 of the bellows diaphragm member 18, to move into engagement with one or more of the depending fingers 32 carried by the lower end of the valve member 28. A further upward movement by the lifting platform serves to raise the valve member 28 as well as the vent tube 26 so as to unseat the inclined surface 30 of the valve member 28 from the upper ring-like portion 16 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 at which time the liquid from the reservoir or tank 10 will flow through the filling tube or nozzle 12 and the diaphragm member 18 and the nipple-like member 24 and into the container 38. The liquid flowing from the tank or reservoir 10 through the filling tube 12 and the nipple-like member 24 will tend to strike the enlarged bead or projection 34 on the end of the vent tube 26 and due to the surface provided thereon the liquid will be directed radially towards the sides of the container in order to minimize any foaming tendency of the liquid in entering the container. During the filling of the container 38 the air that is contained therein is expelled through the open vent tube 26 and any foam that might be produced during the filling of the container will tend to rise through the vent tube 26. As the container 38 becomes filled the liquid will enter the vent tube 20 and rise to the level of the liquid in the reservoir or tank 10.

Upon the filling of the container 38 the movement of the lifting or filling platform is reversed so as to lower the container with respect to the bellows or diaphragm member 18 and as the container 38 descends the bellows or diaphragm member 18 will expand from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 1 which movement will permit the vent tube 26 to move downwardly so that the inclined surface 30 of the valve member 28 will engage the upper ring-like portion 16 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 to effectively seal the reservoir or tank against further flow of liquid through the bellows or diaphragm member 18 and the annular nipple-like member 24. The lowering of the container permits a spring-like expansion on the part of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 which creates a suction action by the bellows so that liquid from the vent tube 26 will be drawn through the nipple-like member 24 and into the chamber 22 of the bellows. This suction action causes the liquid within the vent tube 26 to be lowered at which time the container 38 would be completely lowered from the nipple-like member 24 resulting in a withdrawal of the lower most end portion of the vent tube from the container as shown in FIG. 1. At the moment that the container is moved out of engagement with the ring-like member 20 and away from the lower end of the vent tube 26 the vacuum in the reservoir 10 need only be slightly greater than that required to balance the weight of liquid contained within the vent tube in order to effectively draw that liquid through the vent tube and into the tank or reservoir 10 to clear the vent tube.

Upon the removal of the container 38 from the filling or lifting platform, another container is positioned thereon and the filling operation is repeated. In this connection it is to be noted that as a subsequent container is moved upwardly into engagement with the ring-like element 20 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 and continued movement of the container causes a collapsing or compressing of the bellows-like element, the liquid contained in the chamber 22 will be delivered into siad container through the nipple-like member 24. This initial delivery of liquid into the container will occur as the bellows-like element is being compressed from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that as shown in FIG. 2.

In the present invention action of the bellows or diaphragm member 18 withdrawing liquid from the upper end portion of the container and from the vent tube 26 as the container is being lowered with respect to the filling tube or nozzle permits the liquid in the vent tube to be brought to a very low point in said tube so that only a relatively small vacuum is required to be maintained in the upper portion of the tank 10 in order to effect a withdrawal of the liquid in the vent tube upon the removal of the container from the filling tube or nozzle. This is extremely effective in permitting the use of thin flexible containers as the maintaining of a relatively high vacuum pressure within the space between the level of the liquid and the container or reservoir 10 and the top of said container would result in a substantial collapsing of the container as it is elevated and brought into initial sealing engagement with the ring-like element 20 on the bellows or diaphragm member 18. However, through the use of a relatively low vacuum within the head space in the container or reservoir 10 the valve device of the present invention readily permits the use of such types of containers. This suction-like action of the bellows member in permitting the fluid to be withdrawn from the vent tube 26 and the consequent lowering of the fluid in the vent tube just prior to the final separation of the container from the ring-like element 20 is of particular importance as such action results in a material reduction in the head of fluid that is retained within the vent tube at the time the container is finally separated from the ring-like element 20. It is due to the relatively small amount of liquid within the vent tube 26 that a reduced vacuum may be maintained within the head space of the reservoir 10.

In the modified form of the filling device as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, parts that are similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are represented by the same reference numerals. The only appreciable difference in the modified form is in the configuration of the depending filling tube or nozzle 44 which as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is of a relatively elongated form. The lower end 46 of the filling tube or nozzle 44 is encased within the upper annular enlarged portion 48 of the bellows or diaphragm member 18. The enlarged portion 48 of the bellows member 18 is formed with an annularly inwardly projecting rib like segment 50 upon which the inclined surface 30 of the valve member 28 is adapted to seat for effectively sealing the filling tube 44 and reservoir 10. In the modified form as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as well as in the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper annular portion of the diaphragm member 18 constitutes the seat upon which the valve member is seated to effectively seal the reservoir or tank 10 against the passage of fluid through the filling tube or nozzle.

In the modified form the valve member 28 is unseated in the same manner as described with respect to the structure shown in FIG. 1 and the filling of the container 38 is carried out in the same manner as described herein above with respect to the structure as shown in FIG. 1.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specfic terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining and that various re-arrangement of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for filling a container with liquid from a reservoir having a discharge aperture comprising a resilient bellows-like member mounted on the discharge aperture, a portion of said bellows-like member constituting a valve seat, a valve member engaging said seat to control the flow of liquid from the reservoir through said discharge aperture, a vent tube carried by said valve member and arranged to extend above the liquid level in the reservoir and through said discharge aperture and bellows member, means provided on said valve member, means carried by said bellows and engageable with said means on said valve member for raising said valve member and vent tube upon the engagement of said bellow by a container for delivering fluid through said discharge aperture into said container, said tube venting said container and permitting fluid to flow therein to the level of the fluid in the reservoir, said bellows expanding upon the removal of the container therefrom and the seating of said valve member on said bellows, the expansion of said bellows creating a suction to withdraw fluid from said tube whereby the level of the fluid in said tube is lowered.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower end of said vent tube is provided with an enlarged projection that lies within the means carried by said bellows.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bellows-like member has spaced upper and lower ring-like members with the upper-ring like member engaging said nozzle and defining a seat for said valve member, said lower ring-like member having an annular nipple-like member mounted thereon for engaging said member on said valve member.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said valve member is formed with a surface thereof for engaging said upper ring-like member of said bellows and said surface is provided with a plurality of depending fingers engageable by the lower ring-like member of said bellows.