Container filling machine

A filling machine having a stationary support structure, conveyor means for advancing containers along a generally horizontal path with adjacent containers spaced apart a preselected pitch distance, at least first and second valved dispenser assemblies for dispensing product into containers as they are advanced by the conveyor means, each valved dispenser assembly including a dispenser body having a product inlet and a downwardly opening product outlet and each valve dispenser assembly having a dispenser valve means on the dispenser body movable relative thereto between a closed position blocking flow from the product inlet to the product outlet and an open position for passing product from the product inlet to the product outlet, first and second dispenser mounting means each including crank means mounted on the stationary support structure for rotation about a generally horizontal crank axis and each having an eccentric connected to a respective one of the dispenser bodies to move the dispenser body in a generally upright closed loop course having horizontal and vertical components of movement, means for driving the crank means of the first and second dispenser mounting means in timed relation with the conveyor means and 180.degree. out of phase with each other and such that the horizontal component of movement of the associated dispenser body is in the direction of movement of the conveyor means during the lower half of the closed loop course and in the opposite direction during the upper half of the closed loop course, common product supply means for supplying product to both the first and second valve dispenser assemblies, first and second fluid pressure operated valve actuator means respectively mounted on the dispenser body of the first and second valved dispenser assemblies for movement therewith and having an output member movable relative thereto and connected to the associated dispenser valve means for rapidly moving the dispenser valve means to its open position when the fluid pressure operated valve actuator means is operated to a first condition and for rapidly moving the dispenser valve to its closed position when the fluid pressure operated valve actuator means is operated to a second condition, control means for controlling application of fluid pressure to said first and second fluid pressure operated valve actuator means in timed relation to the movement of said first and second dispenser assemblies in their closed loop courses and substantially 180.degree. out of phase with each other to operate said fluid pressure operated valve actuator means to said first condition as the dispenser body moves through at least a portion of the lower half of its closed loop course and to operator said fluid pressure operated valve actuator means to said second condition during the remainder of the closed loop course.