A pneumatic control head for controlling the supply of a product into a container, said head adapted to be used with a filling head, said filling head having a sensing tube, said sensing tube having a sensing opening at the end thereof, said control head comprising:
- (a) a manifold, said manifold having a main air input for receiving main air at an operating pressure, a blow down air input for receiving blow down air, and a filling head output, said filling head output being adapted to permit connection to said sensing tube of said filling head;
- (b) a cylinder in said manifold, said cylinder having a piston adapted to operate said filling head;
- (c) a pilot air duct within said manifold for conducting pilot air at a pressure near in magnitude to said operating pressure;
- (d) a start valve in said manifold having a start switch accessible from a front surface of said manifold, an input for said main air, and an output at said pilot air duct, said start valve having a closed position wherein said main air is blocked from said pilot air duct and an open position wherein said main air is allowed into said pilot air duct, said start switch putting said start valve into said open position when actuated;
- (e) a pilot valve in said manifold having an open position in response to high pressure pilot air in said pilot air duct wherein said main air is allowed into a cylinder air duct to activate said cylinder, and having a closed position in response to a drop in pressure in said pilot air duct wherein said main air is blocked from said cylinder air input and said cylinder air duct is exhausted;
- (f) a flow regulator mounted to said manifold having an input for receiving sensing air and an output, said flow regulator providing regulated sensing air at a sensing pressure at said flow regulator output;
- (g) a blow down valve in said manifold having a blow down switch accessible from said front surface of said manifold, an input for said main air, and an output at a filling head source control duct, said blow-down valve having an open position wherein said main air is allowed into said filling head source control duct and a closed position wherein said main air is exhausted from said filling head source control duct, said blow down switch putting said blow-down valve into said open position when actuated;
- (h) a filling head source valve in said manifold having an input for said regulated sensing air, an input for said blow down air, and an output to said filling head output, said filling head source valve having a sensing position in response to a lack of said main air in said filling head source control duct wherein said sensing air is allowed to said filling head output and a blow down position in response to said main air in said filling head source control duct wherein said blow down air is allowed to said filling head output;
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- (i) an overpressure valve mounted to said manifold having a closed position in response to said regulated sensing air at said sensing pressure and an open position in response to said regulated sensing air at a pressure higher than said sensing pressure wherein said pilot air is exhausted from said pilot air duct;
- (j) said start switch and said blow down switch each including a collar and ball bearing, said ball bearing being captured by said collar when said collar is installed in said manifold, whereby said switch is actuated when said ball bearing is pressed into said manifold.