Beverage bottling plant for filling containers, such as bottles and cans, with a liquid beverage, a filling machine for filling containers with a liquid, and a method for filling containers with the filling machine

A method for the hot bottling of a liquid in bottles, kegs or similar containers using a filling machine comprising:

• a plurality of filling elements;
• each of said filling elements comprising a liquid duct, a dispensing opening disposed at the end of said liquid duct, and at least one liquid valve disposed in said liquid duct being configured to control dispensing of the hot liquid being bottled to a container;
• a liquid source being configured and disposed to supply liquid to said filling elements;
• and a reservoir being configured and disposed to receive liquid from said liquid source;
• wherein said method comprises the steps of:
• filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material;
• upon an interruption in the filling of bottles, stopping the flow of heated liquid beverage into the bottles;
• recirculating heated liquid beverage from said liquid beverage into said filling elements, through said filling elements and into said reservoir, through said reservoir and back into said liquid source to essentially maintain the temperature of at least one of:
• said filling devices and said heated liquid;
• and
• resuming filling of bottles upon termination of the interruption in the filling of bottles.

A method for the hot bottling of a liquid in bottles, kegs, or similar containers using a rotatable beverage filling machine being configured and disposed to fill beverage bottles with liquid beverage material;

• said beverage filling machine comprising a rotatable bottle carrier ring;
• said bottle carrier ring comprising a plurality of bottle holding receptacles disposed on the periphery being configured to hold bottles to be filled with heated liquid;
• a boiler apparatus being configured and disposed to heat liquids to be bottled;
• said beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling devices for filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material disposed on the periphery of said beverage filling machine;
• each of said plurality of beverage filling devices being configured and disposed to fill bottles with heated liquid;
• each of said plurality of beverage filling devices comprising:
• a filling element being configured to dispense liquid into a bottle located below said filling element;
• said filling element comprising:
• a dispensing opening being configured and disposed to dispense heated liquid into a bottle;
• a liquid duct being configured and disposed to connect a liquid supply line to said dispensing opening to permit flow of heated liquid;
• and a first liquid valve being disposed in said liquid duct;
• said first liquid valve being configured and disposed to control dispensing of heated liquid into bottles to be filled;
• said beverage filling machine comprising a return duct arrangement being configured and disposed to permit flow of heated liquid from said filling devices to said boiler apparatus upon an interruption in process of filling of bottles, said return duct arrangement comprising:
• a plurality of substantially cap-shaped elements, each of which being disposed on said carrier ring adjacent a corresponding one of said plurality of bottle holding receptacles;
• each of said plurality of substantially cap-shaped elements being configured and disposed to be moved by said carrier ring into engagement with a corresponding dispensing opening to form a passage with said corresponding dispensing opening upon an interruption in the bottling process;
• each of said substantially cap-shaped elements comprising an interior portion configured and disposed to receive heated liquid upon said substantially cap-shaped element being engaged with said dispensing opening;
• an O-ring being configured and disposed to form the edge of the opening of said substantially cap-shaped element, said O-ring comprising an elastic material;
• said O-ring being configured and disposed to be moved to contact and sealingly engage with said ring-shaped protrusion upon an interruption in the bottling process;
• a reservoir for receiving and holding heated liquid from said filling devices;
• and a liquid duct arrangement to permit flow of liquid from said substantially cap-shaped elements to said reservoir;
• and said return duct arrangement being configured to permit flow of heated liquid through said filling devices and said return duct arrangement upon an interruption in filling of bottles to essentially maintain the temperature of said filling devices and said heated liquid to essentially kill germs to essentially prevent contamination of the liquid and said filling devices, said method comprising the steps of:
• filling beverage bottles with liquid beverage material;
• upon an interruption in the filling of bottles, stopping the flow of heated liquid beverage into the bottles, then moving said cap-shaped elements below corresponding dispensing openings of said filling devices;
• engaging with said cap-shaped elements said dispensing openings to form a seal and a path for heated liquid beverage;
• recirculating heated liquid beverage from said boiler into said filling devices, through said filling devices into said return duct arrangement, through said return duct arrangement into said reservoir, through said reservoir and back into said boiler to essentially maintain the temperature of said filling devices and said heated liquid to essentially kill germs to essentially prevent contamination of the liquid and said filling devices;
• and
• moving said cap-shaped elements out of engagement from said dispensing openings and moving bottle holding receptacles under said filling devices upon resuming filling of bottles.