Filling cylinder insert to reduce volume

A filling cylinder assembly for a container forming and filling system that simultaneously forms and fills a container from a preform with fluid, the filling cylinder assembly comprising:

• a cylinder having an inner wall defining a cavity;
• a top plate that is removably coupled to an upper portion of the cylinder, the top plate defines a rod bore;
• a piston rod extending through the rod bore;
• a first piston head configured to be coupled to a distal end of the piston rod, the first piston head has a first diameter;
• a second piston head configured to be coupled to the distal end of the piston rod, the second piston head has a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter;
• an insert configured to be seated in the cavity to provide the cavity with a reduced volume such that with the insert seated within the cavity the cavity has a first volume, and without the insert seated in the cavity the cavity has a second volume that is greater than the first volume;
• wherein when forming and filling a first container with a first capacity that is less than a second capacity of a second container, the insert is seated within the cavity to provide the cavity with the first volume, and the first piston head is coupled to the piston rod;
• and
• wherein when forming the second container with the second capacity that is greater than the first capacity of the first container, the insert is not seated within the cavity to provide the cavity with the second volume that is greater than the first volume.

A method for simultaneously forming and filling containers with fluid using a container forming and filling system, the method comprising:

• forming and filling a first container having a first volume by pumping fluid into a first preform with a filling cylinder assembly having a piston assembly that actuates in a cavity having an insert that provides the cavity with a first volume;
• removing the insert from within the cavity to make the cavity larger and thereby provide the cavity with a second volume that is greater than the first volume;
• and
• forming and filling a second container having a second volume that is greater than the first volume by pumping fluid into a second preform with the filling cylinder assembly having the piston assembly that actuates in the cavity having the second volume.