Flowable product metering and dispensing machine

The improvement in a device to process measured amounts of a flowable product into receptacles comprising:

• a transportable sanitary rectangular frame of welded seamless stainless steel tubing;
• pneumatic programming means;
• a chemical impervious plastic housing for said programming means;
• and a sanitary stainless steel product reservoir, all mounted on said frame;
• a sanitary acrylic plastic transparent distribution manifold having a cylindrical spool valve chamber;
• a first pair of ports interconnecting said reservoir and said valve chamber;
• a second pair of ports extending from said valve chamber to the exterior of said manifold;
• a pair of plungers in said second pair of ports;
• a pair of pneumatic cylinders adapted to reciprocate said plungers;
• a pair of slotted plates secured to said frame, said pair of cylinders being adapted to be releaseably secured to said pair of plates for shifting along said slots to permit insertion and withdrawal of said plungers from said manifold;
• a pair of product dispensing heads;
• a third pair of ports interconnecting said valve chamber and said pair of dispensing heads;
• a spool valve in said valve chamber programmed to sequentially open and close said first and third pairs of ports;
• said pair of pneumatic cylinders being programmed to reciprocate said pair of plungers in timed relationship with the opening and closing of said first and third pairs of ports to draw a measured amount of product from said reservoir into said valve chamber when said first pair of ports are open and said third pair of ports are closed, and to move said product from said valve chamber to said pair of dispensing heads when said first pair of ports are closed and said third pair of ports are open;
• said pair of dispensing heads being programmed to open when said third pair of ports are open and to close when said third pair of ports are closed;
• said pair of dispensing heads being mounted on a fixture;
• means to orbit said fixture;
• means to open said dispensing heads after approximately 90.degree. of orbit from top dead center and to close said dispensing heads after approximately 150.degree. to 180.degree. of orbit from top dead center;
• means thereafter to air pulse said dispensing heads to remove product residue from said dispensing heads after said closing thereof;
• cam means to actuate said programming means;
• means to convey receptacles beneath said dispensing heads;
• and means to drive said cam means in synchronization with the conveyance of said receptacles.