Method and apparatus for filling containers
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorAlfred W. Kinney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for high speed filling of containers with product such as ice cream and the like. The apparatus includes a turret driven by power means for moving containers from a feed station to a fill station for filling of the container and then to a capping station for placing a cap on the container and finally to a removal station. A lift is provided to move the containers toward and away from a dispensing nozzle which dispenses product into the containers. Pneumatic control means are provided to cooperate with the lift and a shut-off valve in the dispensing nozzle for independent adjustment of the timing of the operations thereof.
Claims11
An apparatus for filling containers with product such as ice cream or the like, said apparatus including:
- a. a support structure;
- b. a container transporting means mounted on said support structure for sequentially moving containers;
- c. a container feed station adjacent said transporting means for feeding containers to said transporting means;
- d. a container fill station having means for dispensing product from a source into containers moved by said transporting means, said dispensing means includes a downwardly directed nozzle with said nozzle having a pneumatically operated valve member cooperating therewith and operable to selectively close same and prevent flow of product therefrom and includes means remote from said nozzle selectively operable for dumping of product instead of filling a container;
- e. a container capping station adjacent said transporting means for placing caps on said containers after same have product dispensed therein;
- f. conveying means adjacent said transporting means for removing containers with caps thereon therefrom;
- g. a movable platform mounted on said support structure adjacent said fill station and below said nozzle and being selectively movable toward and away from said nozzle;
- h. power operated moving means mounted on said support structure and cooperating with said platform for selectively moving same;
- and
- i. control means cooperating with said dispensing means and said moving means and operable for controlling timing of the operations thereof relative to one another, said control means is adjustable and includes an air logic circuit with a pneumatic programmer operably connected to said pneumatic valve member and said dumping means and the air logic circuit is operable for changing relative timing of the controlled operations.
An apparatus for filling containers with product such as ice cream or the like, said apparatus including:
- a. a support structure;
- b. a container transporting means mounted on said support structure for sequentially moving containers, said transporting means includes a turret operably connected to power drive means;
- c. a container feed means adjacent said transporting means and operable for feeding containers to said transporting means;
- d. a container fill means for dispensing product from a source into a container moved by said transporting means, said fill means includes a dispensing nozzle with a pneumatically operated valve operable to selectively stop flow of product from said nozzle;
- e. a platform mounted on a pneumatic ram which is mounted on said support structure with said platform being positioned adjacent and below said nozzle, said platform is selectively movable toward and away from said nozzle;
- f. a container capping means adjacent said transporting means and operable for placing a cap on a filled container;
- and
- g. pneumatic control means operably connected to said pneumatic valve and said pneumatic ram and operable for controlling timing of the operations thereof relative to one another, said control means includes a pneumatic programmer which has exposed cams which are adjustable in phase for changing relative timing of the controlled operations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.