Vent tube for bottling machine and related methods
AssigneeM&M Machinery Services, Inc.
InventorAlton W. Mowdy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas stem assembly is disclosed including a vent tube having at least one protrusion extending radially from the vent tube and a receiver having a non-circular opening and an attachment surface at an end of the non-circular opening. The vent tube is at least partially insertable through the non-circular opening of the receiver when the vent tube and the at least one protrusion are aligned with the non-circular opening. The attachment surface of the receiver contacts the at least one protrusion to inhibit the at least one protrusion from passing back through the non-circular opening when the at least one protrusion is misaligned with the non-circular opening.
Claims18
A vent tube for connecting to a receiver of a gas stem base of a bottling machine, the vent tube comprising:
- a body extending along an axis and defining a passageway therethrough to vent gas from a bottle;
- the body having an exterior surface along which fluid flows to fill the bottle, the exterior surface including at least one annular groove at an end portion of the body configured to cause a seal to form when fluid flows over the at least one annular groove;
- and
- a non-circular cross-sectional portion of the body to be inserted into a non-circular opening of the receiver of the gas stem base;
- the non-circular cross-sectional portion of the body being insertable into the non-circular opening of the receiver when the non-circular cross-sectional portion is aligned with the non-circular opening of the receiver, the non-circular cross-sectional portion to engage an attachment surface of the receiver when the non-circular cross-sectional portion is misaligned with the non-circular opening of the receiver to inhibit the non-circular cross-sectional portion from passing back through the non-circular opening of the receiver.
A vent tube for connecting to a receiver of a gas stem base of a bottling machine, the vent tube comprising:
- a hollow, cylindrical body;
- at least one protrusion extending outward from the body;
- the body includes at least one annular groove at an end portion of the body configured to disrupt flow of fluid along an exterior surface of the body to form a fluid seal;
- and
- an insertion portion including a portion of the body and the at least one protrusion, the insertion portion insertable into a non-circular opening of the receiver when the at least one protrusion is aligned with the non-circular opening and the insertion portion being unable to be withdrawn from the receiver once inserted therein when the at least one protrusion is misaligned with the non-circular opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.