U.S. patent number 3,871,425 [Application Number 05/405,095] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-18 for bottling method and apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Federal Mfg. Co.. Invention is credited to David C. Fee, William F. Hammernik.
United States Patent |
3,871,425 |
Fee , et al. |
March 18, 1975 |
BOTTLING METHOD AND APPARATUS
Abstract
A filling system for light weight semi-rigid bottles made of
resiliently deformable material. The rising bottle empties and
closes the bellows-type sealing rubber, and continues to rise and
opens the filling valve. After the bottle is filled, the descending
bottle closes the valve, and as the bottle continues to descend,
the bellows-type sealing rubber expands to create a vacuum. A
controlled amount of fluid is sucked up from the top of the bottle
while the flexible side walls move inward, thus assuring an
accurate uniform height of fill. As a substitute for the
bellows-type sealing rubber an expandable and contractable cylinder
unit may surround the supply passage.
Inventors: |
Fee; David C. (Elm Groove,
WI), Hammernik; William F. (Milwaukee, WI) |
Assignee: |
Federal Mfg. Co. (Milwaukee,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
23602258 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/405,095 |
Filed: |
October 10, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/5; 141/117;
141/295; 141/293; 141/351 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67C
3/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B67C
3/02 (20060101); B67C 3/26 (20060101); B65b
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/1,4-7,59,114,116,117,291-300,392 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nilles; James E.
Claims
We claim:
1. The method of filling a resiliently deformable bottle with
liquid which comprises:
a. placing the empty bottle into communication with separate
supply, vent and suction passages;
b. feeding liquid into the bottle through said supply passage while
maintaining said vent and suction passages separately in
communication with said bottle;
c. closing said supply and vent passages after liquid has passed
through the filled bottle into said vent passage;
d. temporarily applying suction to said suction passage while said
supply and vent passages are closed, until part of the bottle
content has been withdrawn through said suction passage; and
e. removing the bottle from the closed supply, vent and suction
passages.
2. The method set forth in claim 1 and further comprising the step
of closing said suction passage after part of the bottle content
has been withdrawn therethrough.
3. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the empty bottle is
first brought into communication with said suction passage and
thereafter into communication with said supply and vent
passages.
4. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein said supply and vent
passages are simultaneously brought into communication with the
empty bottle.
5. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the empty bottle is
first brought into communication with said suction passage and then
with said supply and vent passages, and wherein said supply and
vent passages are closed before said suction passage is closed.
6. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said supply and vent
passages are brought simultaneously into communication with the
empty bottle, and wherein said supply and vent passages are
simultaneously closed before said suction passage is closed.
7. The method of successively filling bottles with liquid which
comprises:
a. placing a first empty bottle into communication with separate
supply, vent and suction passages;
b. feeding liquid into said first bottle through said supply
passage while maintaining said vent and suction passage separately
in communication with said first bottle;
c. closing said supply and vent passages after liquid has passed
through the filled first bottle into said vent passage;
d. temporarily applying suction to said suction passage while said
supply and vent passages are closed, until part of the content of
said first bottle has been withdrawn through said suction
passage;
e. removing the first bottle from said suction and closed supply
and vent passages;
f. placing a second empty bottle into communication with said
supply, vent and suction passages;
g. feeding said withdrawn part of the contents of said first bottle
through said suction passage and also fluid through said supply
passage into said second bottle;
h. closing said supply and vent passages after liquid has passed
through the filled second bottle into said vent passage; and
i. removing the second bottle from said suction and closed supply
and vent passages.
8. A bottle filling valve comprising a tubular spout element, a
tubular vent element extending axially through and spaced inwardly
from said spout element so as to divide the interior of said spout
element into separate fluid and vent passages; means securing said
spout and vent elements against axial displacement relative to each
other, valve means including a seat on said vent element and a
sleeve element shiftable axially relative to said spout and vent
elements in cooperable relation to said fluid and vent passages so
as to open both of said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve
element out of engagement with said valve seat and so as to close
said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve element into
engagement with said valve seat; and annular axially expandable and
contractable wall means operatively associated with said sleeve
element so as to provide a suction chamber around the latter and a
suction passage in communication with said suction chamber at the
radially outer side of said sleeve element.
9. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 8 and further
comprising resilient pressure means biasing said sleeve element
axially upon said valve seat so as to close said fluid and vent
passages; an annular valve element connected with said wall means
and biased by axial expansion of the latter upon said valve seat so
as to close said suction passage; and abutment means on said sleeve
element engageable by said annular valve element upon axial
contraction of said wall means so as to move said sleeve element in
opposition to said resilient pressure means away from said valve
seat.
10. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 9 wherein said
valve seat comprises an O-ring sealingly engageable by said sleeve
element and by said annular valve element.
11. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 9 wherein said
resilient pressure means comprise a coil spring reacting axially
between said spout and sleeve elements.
12. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said
axially expandable and contractable wall means comprise a bellows
member sealingly connected at one of its axially opposite ends with
said sleeve element and having an annular portion at the other of
its axially opposite ends in surrounding, radially spaced relation
to said sleeve element so as to define a suction passage between
said sleeve element and said other end of said bellows member in
communication with the interior of the latter.
13. A bottle filling valve comprising a tubular spout element, a
tubular vent element extending axially through and spaced inwardly
from said spout element so as to divide the interior of said spout
element into separate fluid and vent passages; means securing said
spout and vent elements against axial displacement relative to each
other; valve means including a seat on said vent element and a
sleeve element shiftable axially relative to said spout and vent
elements in cooperable relation to said fluid and vent passages so
as to open both of said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve
element out of engagement with said valve seat and so as to close
said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve element into
engagement with said valve seat; a first bellows member surrounding
said sleeve element and sealingly connected at one of its axially
opposite ends to said sleeve element, an annular valve element
secured to the other end of said first bellows member in
surrounding, radially spaced relation to said sleeve element so as
to define a suction passage between said valve element and said
sleeve element in communication with the interior of said first
bellows member; said valve element being movable into and out of
sealing engagement with said valve seat on said vent element by
axial expansion and contraction, respectively, of said first
bellows member; and a second bellows member coaxial with said first
bellows member sealingly connected at its axially opposite ends to
said spout and sleeve elements, respectively.
14. A bottle filling valve comprising a tubular spout element, a
tubular vent element extending axially through and spaced inwardly
from said spout element so as to divide the interior of said spout
element into separate fluid and vent passages; means securing said
spout and vent elements against axial displacement relative to each
other; valve means including a seat on said vent element and a
sleeve element shiftable axially relative to said spout and vent
elements in cooperable relation to said fluid and vent passages so
as to open both of said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve
element out of engagement with said valve seat and so as to close
said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve element into
engagement with said valve seat; a cup member connected with said
sleeve element and a reciprocable piston within said cup member in
cooperable relation thereto and to said sleeve member so as to form
an annular axially expandable and contractable suction chamber
around said sleeve member, said piston having an axial aperture
coaxial with and spaced radially from said sleeve member so as to
provide a suction passage in communication with said suction
chamber exteriorly of said sleeve element; and resilient pressure
means biasing said sleeve element into sealing engagement with said
valve seat.
15. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 14 wherein said
resilient pressure means comprise a coil spring reacting axially
between said spout and sleeve elements; and wherein another coil
spring is operatively interposed between said cup member and piston
so as to urge the latter into sealing engagement with said valve
seat.
16. A bottle filling valve comprising a tubular spout element, a
tubular vent element extending axially through and spaced inwardly
from said spout element so as to divide the interior of said spout
element into a separate fluid and vent passages; means securing
said spout and vent elements against axial displacement relative to
each other; valve means including a seat on said vent element and a
sleeve element shiftable axially relative to said spout and vent
elements in cooperable relation to said fluid and vent passages so
as to open both of said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve
element out of engagement with said valve seat and so as to close
said passages by axial shifting of said sleeve element into
engagement with said valve seat; a cup member connected with said
sleeve element and cooperable in axially slidable engagement with
said spout element so as to form an annular axially expandable and
contractable suction chamber around said sleeve element, the bottom
wall of said cup member being axially apertured to provide a
suction passage in communication with said suction chamber; and
resilient pressure means biasing said sleeve element into sealing
engagement with said valve seat.
17. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 16 wherein said
axially apertured bottom wall and said valve seat are cooperable
with each other to close and open said suction passages upon axial
back and forth movements, respectively, of said sleeve element
relative to said vent element.
18. A bottle filling valve as set forth in claim 16 wherein said
resilient pressure means comprise a coil spring reacting axially
between said spout element and said cup member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for filling liquids. It is
concerned more particularly with the filling of liquids to a
precise fill height in semi-rigid plastic bottles.
In automatic bottle filling, it is customary to use a turret type
machine in which a series of bottles are filled with liquid from a
supply bowl while the bowl and bottles rotate about a vertical
axis. In such a machine the bottle filling cycle is started by
lifting an empty bottle from a position below a filling valve into
an elevated position in which the filling valve has entered into
the mouth of the bottle to a certain depth. While the neck of the
bottle telescopes over the filling valve, a supply passage of the
valve opens automatically and after the bottle has arrived in the
raised position the supply passage is kept open for a length of
time to permit fluid to accumulate in the bottle. A vent passage of
the valve provides for the escape of air from the bottle as the
liquid level rises in the bottle. The flow of liquid into the
bottle is stopped by lowering the bottle from its raised position
and thereby closing the supply passage. In some filling systems the
fluid in the vent tube is retained by automatically closing the
vent passage at its lower end. In other filling systems as
disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,349, issued Aug. 8,
1950 to J. B. McCabe, the fluid in the vent tube is held in pipette
by closing the upper end of the vent passage. In other filling
systems the fluid in the vent tube moves upward to a low pressure
area above the liquid in the supply tank at the time the filled
bottle separates from the valve and exposes the lower opening of
the vent passage to the atmosphere.
Rigid containers, such as glass bottles which do not expand under
the hydrostatic head of the liquid therein and in the supply bowl,
can be satisfactorily filled with conventional turret type filling
machines. Semi-rigid containers which are made of resiliently
deformable material, such as plastic bottles, can also be filled
satisfactorily in like manner if the design and strength of side
walls is such that the hydrostatic head causes only minimal
expansion of the container. However, it is the semi-rigid bottle
which distends to a greater degree that presents a problem.
If the supply and vent passages were closed while the bottle is in
distended condition, and the bottle were then withdrawn from the
filling valve, the resulting relief of pressure on the liquid in
the bottle would cause the bottle to contract somewhat and some of
the liquid therein would be spilled over the edge of its mouth.
Such spilling of liquid from the bottle is, of course,
objectionable and various attempts have heretofore been made to
avoid it. According to one suggestion which has heretofore been
made to prevent the spilling of liquid from a plastic bottle due to
its contraction after removal from the filling valve, steps are to
be taken as follows. Liquid is allowed to flow from the supply bowl
to an antechamber until the antechamber is filled; thereafter a
connection is established between the antechamber and the bottle; a
vent stack is opened to the top of the bottle; the antechamber is
opened to the bowl for gravity refilling thereof as the contents of
the antechamber drain into the bottle; the bottle is allowed to
fill completely as the fluid level rises in the vent stack; the
vent and the communication between the bowl and the antechamber are
substantially closed to establish a substantially closed system in
which the antechamber and the bottle form communicating parts; the
volume of the antechamber is expanded while the antechamber and the
bottle are in communication as parts of the substantially closed
system and as a result of the expansion of the antechamber the
volume of fluid between said parts is shifted to cause the bottle
to assume a normal or near normal configuration; the communication
between the bottle and the antechamber is then substantially
interrupted and the mechanical connection between the bottle and
the antechamber is separated.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an
improved bottling method and apparatus which avoids spilling of
liquids from a plastic bottle due to its contraction after removal
from the filling valve, the improved method and apparatus being
greatly simplified as compared with the mentioned prior art
procedure which involves the use of an antechamber and shifting of
liquid between parts of a substantially closed system. The
simplicity of this filling valve is especially important in meeting
the high sanitary requirements for the filling of milk and also
pharmeceutical liquids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing objects in mind the invention contemplates the
following steps. Placing the empty bottle into communication with
separate supply, vent and suction passages; feeding liquid into the
bottle through the supply passage while maintaining the vent and
suction passages separately in communication with the bottle;
closing the supply and vent passages after liquid has passed
through the filled bottle into the vent passage; temporarily
applying suction to the suction passage while the supply and vent
passages are closed until part of the bottle content has been
withdrawn through the suction passage; and removing the bottle from
the closed supply and vent passages.
By performing these process steps according to the invention, a
certain amount of liquid is withdrawn from the completely filled
bottle after the supply and vent passages have been closed and
while the trapped fluid in the bottle is still under the pressure
which has been built up therein by the hydrostatic head of the
liquid in the supply bowl and in the supply and vent passages. The
withdrawn liquid is excess liquid whose removal from the bottle
room into which liquid in the bottle may expand during contraction
of the bottle. The amount of withdrawn excess liquid may readily be
proportioned so that the bottle in its normally filled condition
contains a precise, predetermined amount of liquid for
marketing.
The equipment for performing the improved process steps is
relatively simple and readily lends itself to the frequent cleaning
which is required when potable liquids are being handled.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention
will become more fully apparent as this specification proceeds with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a bottle filling valve embodying
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 5-10 are views similar to FIG. 1 at a reduced scale, showing
various phase of the operating cycle of the FIG. 1 valve in
connection with a plastic bottle;
FIG. 11 is a vertical section of a first modification of the FIG. 1
valve embodying the invention;
FIGS. 12-17 are views similar to FIG. 11, at a reduced scale,
showing various phases of the operating cycle of the FIG. 11 valve
in connection with a plastic bottle;
FIG. 18 is a vertical section of a second modification of the FIG.
1 valve embodying the invention;
FIGS. 19-24 are views to FIG. 18 at a reduced scale, showing
various phases of the operating cycle of the FIG. 18 valve in
connection with a plastic bottle;
FIG. 25 is a vertical section of a third modification of the FIG. 1
valve embodying the invention;
FIG. 26 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 25;
FIG. 27 is a section on line 27--27 of FIG. 25;
FIGS. 28-33 are views similar to FIG. 25 at a reduced scale,
showing various phases of the operating cycle of the FIG. 25 valve
in connection with a plastic bottle; and
FIG. 34 is a view similar to FIG. 25 and shows a modification of
the FIG. 25 valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The reference character 1 in FIG. 1 designates part of the liquid
supply bowl of a turret type bottling machine. A bottle filling
valve generally designated by the reference character 2 is
connected in depending position to the bowl 1 and comprises the
following principal parts; namely, a tubular spout element 3, a
tubular vent element 4, an axially back and forth shiftable sleeve
element 6, and a bellows element 7 which forms an annular axially
expandable and contractable suction chamber around the lower
attenuated end 10 of the sleeve 6. The spout 3 is rigidly secured
to the supply bowl 1, and the vent tube 4 is suspended in a
vertically fixed position on the spout 3 by means of a supporting
spider 8. The vent tube 4 extends axially through the spout 3 and
terminates at its lower end in a circular head 9. The upper part of
the vent tube 4 extends within the supply bowl 1 to a height above
the level of the fluid stored therein, in conformity with
conventional practice. The interior of the vent tube 4 provides a
vent passage 5 (FIG. 2) which is open on top and terminates at its
lower end in a radial aperture 12 as shown in FIG. 3.
The sleeve 6 is telescopically fitted into the spout 3 and provided
with an O-ring 13 which seals the sleeve at its periphery against
the interior of the spout 3. The radial space between the vent tube
4 and spout 3, and between the vent tube 4 and the sleeve 6
provides a supply passage 14 through which fluid may flow from the
supply bowl 1 to the lower end of the sleeve 6. As shown in FIG. 2,
the vent tube 4 is stabilized within the sleeve 6 and for that
purpose is provided with an arcuate peripheral surface and with a
rib 16 which bears against the cylindrical inner surface of the
sleeve 6.
The lower attenuated end 10 of the sleeve 6 telescopically engages
the head 9 of the vent tube 4. An O-ring 17 within a groove 11 of
the head 9 forms a valve seat which in the condition of the valve
as shown in FIG. 1 is engaged by the circular lower edge of the
attenuated sleeve end 10. A coil spring 18 surrounding the spout 3
reacts between the latter and the sleeve 6 so as to urge the
circular edge of the sleeve end 10 into sealing engagement with the
O-ring 17 and thereby closes the supply passage 14. A deflector
plate 19 is seated on a flange portion of the sleeve 6 below the
coil spring 18.
The bellows element 7 is made of rubber or rubber-like material and
is shown in FIG. 1 in its axially expanded condition. At its upper
end, the bellows 7 is sealingly secured to an annular shoulder of
the sleeve 6 above the attenuated end wall 10 thereof and at its
lower end the bellows 7 is provided with a metal ring 21 which
surrounds the sleeve end 10, but whose inside diameter (FIG. 4) is
somewhat larger than the outside diameter of the sleeve end 10. The
annular space 20 between the metal ring 21 and the sleeve end 10
forms a suction passage in communication with the interior of the
bellows 7. In the condition of the valve as shown in FIG. 1, the
axial expanding force of the bellows 7 urges the lower edge of the
metal ring 21 into sealing engagement with the O-ring 17.
The metal ring 21 forms an axially reciprocable annular valve
element which defines the suction passage 20 exteriorly of the
sleeve 6 and which is moved into and out of sealing engagement with
the valve seat 17 on the element 4 as will be explained later.
FIG. 5 illustrates the condition of the FIG. 1 valve at the
beginning of a filling cycle. A bottle B of resiliently deformable
material such as an ordinary plastic milk bottle has been raised to
a position in which the mouth of the bottle just touches the lower
end of the axially expanded bellows 7 on a circular surface
surrounding the suction passage 20. This establishes communication
of the suction passage 20 with the bottle. However, the supply
passage 14 and the vent passage 5 are closed by engagement of the
sleeve end 10 with the O-ring 17. Fluid from the bowl 1 fills the
supply passage 14, and the lower end of the vent passage 5 is
sealed by engagement of the sleeve end 10 with the O-ring 17 under
the pressure of the coil spring 18.
In FIG. 6, the bottle B is shown raised a distance from its FIG. 5
position which causes full axial contraction of the bellows 7. In
this condition of the bellows 7 the valve ring 21 bears against a
shoulder of the sleeve 6 while the spring 18 keeps the sleeve end
10 in sealing engagement with the O-ring 17. Contraction of the
bellows 7 forces air or liquid if present from the interior of the
bellows into the bottle through the suction passage 20.
In FIG. 7, the bottle B is shown raised a distance from its FIG. 6
position which causes the sleeve 6 to be lifted in opposition to
the pressure of the coil spring 18. The upward movement of the
bottle is transmitted to the sleeve 6 through the lower end of the
contracted bellows 7. Lifting of the sleeve 6 to the FIG. 7
position places the supply passage 14 and the vent passage 5 in
communication with the bottle B. Fluid from the supply bowl 1 will
now flow into the bottle while air therein is expelled through the
vent passage 5. Any liquid which might have stood in the vent
passage 5 before the sleeve 6 is lifted from the FIG. 6 to the FIG.
7 position will drain into the bottle as soon as the lower sleeve
end 10 is unseated from the O-ring 17. Continued fluid flow from
the bowl 1 through the supply passage 14 fills the bottle and
thereafter enters into the vent passage 5 before the fluid flow is
stopped by lowering of the bottle to the position in which it is
shown in FIG. 8.
When the bottle is full and liquid stands in the supply and vent
passages the hydrostatic head of the body of liquid in the bottle,
in the supply and vent passages, and in the supply bowl causes the
bottle to distend. In the case of an ordinary plastic milk bottle
the volume increase due to such distention will be substantial, and
the amount of liquid held by the distended bottle will be
appreciably larger than the amount of liquid which the bottle would
normally be able to hold, that is, when it is distended only by the
hydrostatic head of the liquid therein without the hydrostatic head
of the supply passage and bowl.
In the FIG. 8 condition of the valve, the supply passage 14 and the
vent passage 5 are closed due to lowering of the bottle from its
FIG. 7 position, and the suction passage 20 of the contracted
bellows 7 is in communication with the bottle. The liquid in the
bottle is under the pressure which has been built up by the
hydrostatic head of the liquid in the supply and vent passages and
the bowl, and the bottle is therefore in an appreciably distended
condition.
In FIG. 9, the bottle is shown lowered a distance from its FIG. 8
position, which causes the bellows 7 to expand and apply suction to
the fluid in the bottle through the suction passage 20. Since the
supply passage 14 and the vent passage 5 are closed by sealing
engagement of the sleeve end 10 with the O-ring 17, the suction
produced by expansion of the bellows 7 will draw an appreciable
amount of the pressurized liquid from the bottle into the bellows 7
through the suction passage 20. Upon arrival of the bottle from the
FIG. 8 position in the FIG. 9 position, the bellow 7 has not yet
fully expanded but the interior of the bellows still communicates
with the bottle through the suction passage 20. Due to the
withdrawal of liquid from the bottle into the bellows while the
supply passage 14 and vent passage 5 are closed the distending
fluid pressure within the bottle will be diminished. In that
condition the bottle will still be under some residual fluid
pressure in excess of that which is produced by the hydrostatic
head of the normal fluid content of the bottle, that is the
hydrostatic head of the fluid to be held by the bottle for
marketing.
The residual FIG. 9 fluid pressure within the bottle is dissipated
by lowering of the bottle from the FIG. 9 position to the FIG. 10
position. Such lowering of the bottle first causes closure of the
suction passage 20 by seating of the valve ring 21 on the O-ring
17, and then separation of the mouth of the bottle from the bellows
7. When the valve ring 21 becomes seated on the O-ring 17, the head
9 of the vent tube 4 still projects into the depressurized fluid in
the neck of the bottle. As lowering of the bottle continues the
head 9 pulls out of the bottle and the depressurized fluid drops to
a level somewhat below the edge of the top opening of the bottle,
as indicated by the line 24 in FIG. 10. The liquid withdrawn into
the bellows is excess liquid, that is, liquid in excess of that
which is to be held by the bottle for marketing. During the filling
of the next bottle the excess liquid will be forced through the
suction passage 20 from the bellows into the new bottle while the
new bottle is lifted from the FIG. 5 to the FIG. 6 position.
Filling of the new bottle will be completed as before during the
FIGS. 7 to 10 phases of the filling cycle.
The FIG. 11 modification is generally similar to and involves the
same operating principle as the FIG. 1 embodiment of the invention.
Like the FIG. 1 valve, the FIG. 11 valve incorporates a spout tube
3, a vent tube 4, an axially back and forth shiftable sleeve 25
surrounding the vent tube 4, and a bellows 7 surrounding the
attenuated lower end 10 of sleeve 25. In lieu of the coil spring 18
of the FIG. 1 valve, the FIG. 11 valve is provided with a second
bellows 26 which is sealingly secured at its upper end to the lower
end of the spout 3 and at its lower end to a portion of the sleeve
25 above the bellows 7. The sleeve 25 has an upper flange 27 which
limits upward movement of the sleeve by engagement of the flange
with the lower end of the spout 3. The radial space between the
vent tube 4 and the spout 3 and between the vent tube 4 and the
sleeve 25 in conjunction with the interior of the bellows 26,
defines a fluid supply passage and the interior of the vent tube 4
defines a vent passage 5, the same as the vent passage 5 in FIG. 1.
The FIG. 11 valve of the invention has a suction passage 20 between
a valve ring 21 and the tubular sleeve end 10. O-ring 17 on the
head 9 of the vent tube 4 is sealingly engagable by the lower edge
of the sleeve end 10 and the valve ring 21.
The operating phases of the FIG. 11 valve which are illustrated by
FIGS. 12 to 17 correspond to the operating phases of the FIG. 1
valve which have been explained hereinbefore with reference to
FIGS. 5 to 10 and therefore are believed to require no further
detailed explanation.
The FIG. 18 modification of the valve is generally similar to the
FIG. 1 embodiment of the invention in that it comprises a tubular
spout element 3, a vent tube 4, an axially shiftable sleeve 28
having an attenuated lower end 10, and a contractable and
expandable suction chamber 29 surrounding the sleeve end 10. As in
FIG. 1, the radial space between the vent tube 4 and the spout 3
and between the vent tube 4 and the sleeve 28 provides a fluid
supply passage and the interior of the vent tube 4 provides a vent
passage.
The contractable and expandable suction chamber of the FIG. 18
valve comprises a rigid cup member 31 secured to the sleeve 28 and
surrounding the tube end 10 in radially spaced relation thereto.
Slideably fitted into the cup member 31 is a piston 32 which is
sealed against the inner wall of the cup member 31 by an O-ring 33
and which has a circular central aperture accommodating the sleeve
end 10. The inside diameter of the piston aperture is somewhat
larger than the outside diameter of the tube end 10 so as to
provide a suction passage 20 corresponding to the suction passage
20 of the FIG. 1 valve. The FIG. 18 valve incorporates a valve seat
formed by an O-ring 17 like the O-ring 17 of FIG. 1 which is
sealingly engageable by the circular edge of the tube end 10 and
the circular edge of the central aperture of the piston 32. The
underside of the piston 32 is circularly recessed and is provided
with a soft rubber sealing ring 34 for cooperative engagement with
the mouth of a bottle to be filled. A coil spring 36 within the
suction chamber 29 biases the piston 32 into sealing engagement
with the O-ring 17.
The operating phases of the FIG. 18 valve which are illustrated by
FIGS. 19 to 24 correspond to the operating phases of the FIG. 1
valve illustrated by FIGS. 5 to 10.
In the FIG. 19 condition of the valve, the mouth of the bottle B
engages the sealing ring 34 to place the suction passage 20 into
communication with the interior of the bottle B. In the FIG. 20
condition of the valve, the suction chamber is contracted and air
or liquid, if present, are forced from the suction chamber 29 into
the bottle B through the suction passage 20.
In the FIG. 21 condition of the valve, the supply passage 14 and
vent passage 5 have been opened by upward movement of the bottle B
from its FIG. 20 position. Lifting movement of the bottle B from
its FIG. 20 to its FIG. 21 position is transmitted to the sleeve 28
by the piston 32 which is bottomed in the suction cup 31 against
the pressure of the coil spring 36. Upward movement of the sleeve
28 in opposition to the pressure of the coil spring 18 opens the
fluid supply and vent passages 14 and 5, respectively. In the FIG.
22 condition of the valve, the bottle B is lowered to bring the
lower sleeve end 10 into sealing engagement with the O-ring 17 and
thereby close the supply passage 14 and the vent passage 5 by the
pressure of the spring 18. In the FIG. 23 condition of the valve,
the suction chamber is expanded and excess liquid is withdrawn from
the bottle B through the suction passage 20 in the same manner
which has been explained hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 9.
FIG. 24 shows the final phase of the operation cycle of the FIG. 18
valve which corresponds to the final phase of the operating cycle
of the FIG. 1 valve which has been explained hereinbefore with
reference to FIG. 10.
The FIG. 25 embodiment of the invention is generally similar to the
FIG. 18 embodiment of the invention but simplified in that only one
coil spring 37 is used to perform the functions of the coil springs
18 and 36 in the FIG. 18 valve. In the FIG. 25 valve, the
contractable and expandable suction chamber is formed by a cup
member 38 which is solidly connected to the lower end of the
reciprocable sleeve 39 surrounding the vent tube 4. The suction cup
38 telescopically engages the spout barrel 41 to which it is sealed
by an O-ring 42. The bottom of the suction cup 38 has a circular
series of apertures 43 which terminate above the O-ring 17 to
provide a suction passage 20' (FIG. 26) corresponding to the
suction passage 20 in FIG. 1. The coil spring 37 reacts between a
flange of the spout barrel 41 and a flange on the cup 38 so as to
force the circular edge of the sleeve 39 into sealing engagement
with the O-ring 17 and at the same time, seal the vent passage 20'
by engagement of the bottom of the suction cup with the O-ring 17.
Like the FIG. 18 valve, the FIG. 25 valve has a soft rubber ring 34
for sealing engagement with the mouth of a bottle to be filled.
The operating phases of the FIG. 25 valve which are illustrated by
FIGS. 28 to 33 correspond to the operating phases of the FIG. 18
valve which have been explained hereinbefore with reference to
FIGS. 19 to 24.
The FIG. 34 embodiment of the invention differs from the FIG. 25
embodiment in that the suction passage 20 is arranged to remain
open throughout the entire operating cycle of the valve. To that
end the head 9' and the attenuated sleeve end 10' of the FIG. 34
valve are made longer than the head 9 and sleeve end 10 of the FIG.
25 valve so that in the valve closing position in which the sleeve
39 is shown in FIG. 34, the O-ring 17 is contacted only by the edge
of the sleeve end 10'. When the sleeve 39 and cup 38 are lifted,
fluid if present in the suction cup will flow through the passage
20 into the bottle, and when the bottle is lowered fluid will be
drawn through the passage 20 into the cup 38. The fluid drawn into
the cup will be retained therein by pipette like action when the
filled bottle is withdrawn from the valve.
Extending the head of the vent tube and the length of the
attenuated sleeve end as shown in FIG. 34 also has the advantage
that free fluid flow from the valve is less apt to be impeded when
the bottle to be filled has a short neck of relatively small
diameter.
The vent tube 4 in each of the herein disclosed embodiments of the
invention extends axially through the tubular spout element 3 and
is spaced inwardly therefrom so as to divide the interior of the
spout element into separate fluid and vent passages 14 and 5,
respectively. The spider 8 provides means securing the spout and
vent elements against axial displacement relative to each other. In
each of the disclosed embodiments of the invention valve means are
provided by a seat, represented by the O-ring 17, on the vent tube
and by a sleeve element, represented by the sleeve 14, which is
shiftable axially relative to the spout and vent elements in
cooperable relation to the fluid and vent passages so as to open
both of said passages by axial shifting of the sleeve element out
of engagement with the valve seat and so as to close said passages
by axial shifting of the sleeve element into engagement with the
valve seat.
In the FIG. 1 and FIG. 11 embodiments of the invention annular
axially expandable and contractable wall means are afforded by the
bellows 7. In the FIG. 18 embodiment of the invention such wall
means are afforded by the cup 31 and piston 32, and in the FIGS. 25
and 34 embodiments of the invention such wall means are afforded by
the cup 38 and the spout barrel 41.
* * * * *