Machine for filling and closing containers

A machine for filling and closing containers comprising:

• a first conveyor, activated in a variable operating step, for moving a plurality of containers in an advancement direction, towards a gripping station;
• a second conveyor, located downstream of the first conveyor, step-activated in phase with the first conveyor and ring-wound in a substantially horizontal plane and laterally provided with a plurality of gripping and supporting devices able to receive, at the gripping station, containers released by the first conveyor;
• the second conveyor having an active branch in which the containers supported by the gripping devices are arranged in line with the first conveyor, the containers moved in the same advancement direction, the active branch with said containers being subjected to a main gas flow, substantially vertically directed, of a sterile substance;
• a filling station, located along the active branch and downstream of the gripping station, the filling station having a plurality of nozzles operated for batched filling of the containers located at said filling station with a product, and weighing devices which detect a correct filling of the containers;
• a closing station, located along the active branch and downstream of the filling station, the closing station having capping devices operated to pick up caps from a store, bring the caps in proximity of opening mouths of the containers, and to press-insert the caps in the mouths to close the containers;
• and sensors for detecting correct closure of the containers by the capping devices;
• a release station, located along the active branch and downstream of the closing station, the release station having manipulator devices responsive to at least signals coming from the weighing devices and the sensors, the manipulator devices being either deactivated to allow transit of incorrectly filled or incorrectly closed containers a reject conveyor located downstream of and in line with the active branch of the second conveyor receiving said incorrectly filled or closed containers;
• or activated to operate in a transversal direction with respect to the advancement direction, to pick up correctly filled or closed containers from the active branch, an outlet conveyor, located adjacent and parallel to the reject conveyor, receiving the correctly filled or closed containers picked up by the manipulator devices.