Container filling apparatus and methods
AssigneeKnight, LLC
InventorsPaul M. Beldham, Donald W. Smeller, Christopher W. Nesselroad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular container filling apparatus includes a simple pilot valve which can be operated by a push button, a bottle-engaging yoke, or a manual valve at the distal end of a bucket filling hose. The modular construction of the apparatus allows a plurality of units to be mounted side by side on a modular water manifold by bayonet-type sealing connections. An anti-foam venturi and spout mixes chemicals with the water and minimizes foaming when filling a bottle. A plurality of chemicals can be selected by a rotational selector without intermixing.
Claims4
An anti-foam splash-proof nozzle for filling containers, comprising:
- an air gap section, said air gap section comprising:
- a hollow barrel having a water inlet and lateral openings;
- an elastic sleeve surrounding said barrel and forming therewith a resiliently openable seal, said sleeve, when said seal is opened, defining a water path between said barrel and said sleeve into said plenum while at the same time sealing said plenum against ambient air;
- a venturi section, said venturi section comprising:
- a venturi;
- a water inlet from said plenum to said venturi;
- a passage for conveying a foam-prone chemical into the throat of said venturi to mix it with water flowing through said venturi;
- and
- an outlet adapted to communicate with a container to be filled;
- wherein said venturi section is comprised of integrally molded plastic;
- and
- a plenum between said air gap section and said venturi section, said plenum being in communication with ambient air in the absence of water flow.
A method of filling containers with a mixture of water and chemicals, using an anti-foam nozzle, comprising:
- selecting a desired flow rate for said nozzle;
- selecting an integrally molded venturi section for producing the selected flow rate;
- inserting said integrally molded venturi section into said anti-foam nozzle,
- introducing water into said nozzle, such that it flows into a space between a barrel and a sleeve in said nozzle, thereby expanding the sleeve until it acts to seal said venturi section against entry of air thereinto;
- introducing a chemical into said venturi section, beneath a throat thereof, to draw the chemical into a water stream passing through said venturi section, thereby forming a fluid mixture;
- and
- discharging said fluid mixture into a desired container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.