System for filling liquid containing bottles

A system for removing and replacing screw tops on refillable liquid containing bottles comprising:

• a frame;
• a bottle spindle mechanism having a bottle receiving receptacle supported by said frame for relative rotation;
• a drive motor for rotating said receptacle;
• said drive motor being operable for rotating said receptacle and a bottle received therein in one rotary direction while the screw top is manually retained against rotation for unscrewing the screw top from the bottle and enabling removal of the screw top from the bottle;
• and
• said drive motor being operable for rotating said receptacle and a bottle received therein in an opposite rotary direction subsequent to filling of the bottle with liquid and upon repositioning of the screw top on the bottle and manual retention of the screw top against rotation for screwing the screw top onto the bottle.

A method of filling with liquid bottles having removable and replaceable screw tops comprising the steps of:

• providing a rotatable bottle receiving receptacle and a liquid dispensing head;
• placing a bottle with a screw top in place in said receptacle;
• rotating said receptacle and a bottle placed therein in one rotary direction while retaining the screw top against rotation for unscrewing the screw top from the bottle and enabling removal of the screw top from the bottle;
• introducing liquid from the liquid dispensing head into the bottle in the receptacle subsequent to removal of the screw top for filling the bottle with liquid;
• replacing the screw top on the bottle in the receptacle subsequent to filling with liquid and rotating the receptacle and the bottle therein in an opposite direction while retaining the screw top against rotation for resecuring the screw top on the bottle filled with liquid;
• and
• removing the bottle filled with liquid from the receptacle.