Packaging machine system for filling primary and secondary products into a container

A fill system in a packaging machine for filling a container with a primary and a secondary product, the fill system comprising:

• a primary fill pipe connected to receive the primary product, the primary fill pipe having an outlet overlying a container processing path along which the containers are filled and sealed by the packaging machine, the container processing path being generally perpendicular to the orientation of the primary fill pipe;
• a nozzle connected at the outlet of the primary fill pipe;
• a secondary fill pipe connected to receive the secondary product, the secondary fill pipe being concentrically disposed in the primary fill pipe and having an outlet overlying the container processing path;
• and
• a valve mechanism including a sealing member disposed at the outlet of the secondary fill pipe for controlling the flow of the secondary product from the secondary fill pipe the valve means comprising
• an actuator;
• and
• a valve rod disposed concentrically within the secondary fill pipe and connected to the actuator, the sealing member being disposed at an end of the valve rod proximate the outlet of the secondary fill pipe,
• the sealing member comprising a sealing ring engaging the valve rod at a flared section of the valve rod, and a nut connected to the valve rod, the nut including a flange engaging the sealing ring, the sealing ring being disposed between the flared section of the valve rod and the flange of the nut.

A fill system in a packaging machine for filling a container with milk having a user specified milkfat content, the fill system comprising:

• user interface means for allowing a user to specify the milkfat content of the milk;
• a primary pump having a piston, the length of the stroke of the piston determining the amount of skim milk dispensed into the container, the primary pump having an inlet receiving the skim milk and an outlet;
• a primary fill pipe connected to receive the skim milk from the outlet of the primary pump, the primary fill pipe having an outlet overlying a container processing path along which the containers are filled and sealed by the packaging machine;
• a secondary pump having a piston, the length of the stroke of the piston determining the amount of cream dispensed into the container, the primary pump having an inlet receiving the cream and an outlet;
• a secondary fill pipe connected to receive the cream from the outlet of the secondary pump, the secondary fill pipe being concentrically disposed in the primary fill pipe and having an outlet overlying the container processing path;
• and
• control means accepting the milkfat content specified by the user at the user interface means for controlling the length of the stroke of the primary pump to dispense a predetermine amount of skim milk into the container and for controlling the length of the stroke of the secondary pump to dispense a predetermined amount of cream into the container.