Method and apparatus for filling transparent beverage receptacles

A beverage receptacle-filling apparatus for filling transparent receptacles (3) comprising

• a rotatable carrier having a plurality of spaced receptacle sites (2) on its periphery;
• a plurality of filling means for filling receptacles at said receptacle sites (16);
• electrically operated flow control means for individually controlling the flow of beverage from said filling means to said receptacles (3);
• measuring means stationarily mounted adjacent said carrier (1) for observing the level of filling in said receptacles (3) relative to a filling limit level (20) and to transmit closing signals to said control means associated with receptacle sites (2) at which receptacles (3) have reached said limit level, said measuring means comprising
• a video camera (14) having a field of view (15) encompassing a plurality of receptacle sites (2),
• an image analyzer (18) connected to receive signals from said video camera for generating signals driving said control means, said image analyzer including means for monitoring continuously said observed receptacles crossing said field of view, measuring the level (19) to which receptacles in a plurality of angular positions are filled and, when the limit level (20) is reached in a receptacle, generating and transmitting a signal to said flow control means of the identified receptacle site to terminate filling of said receptacle.