Apparatus for filling containers with liquid

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID COMPRISING, A VALVE HOUSING INCLUDING AN INNER CYLINDRICAL WALL AND A REMOVABLE COVER THEREFOR, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED TO AN UPPER PORTION THEREOF BENEATH SAID COVER AND AN OUTLET CONNECTED TO A LOWER PORTION THEREOF, A MAIN VALVE SEAT BETWEEN SAID HOUSING PORTIONS AND SPACED FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID INNER WALL; A HOLLOW, CYLINDRICAL, RECIPROCABLE MAIN VALVE DISPOSED IN SAID UPPER HOUSING PORTION AND HAVING AN UPPER PERIPHERAL EDGE SEALINGLY ENGAGING SAID INNER WALL, SAID MAIN VALVE HAVING A HEAD ADAPTED FOR SEATING UPON SAID MAIN VALVE SEAT AND CARRYING A VALVE STEM EXTENDING INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOUSING, AN APERTURE IN SAID MAIN VALVE HEAD HAVING AN EDGE FORMING A SEAT FOR A PILOT VALVE AND COMMUNICATING SAID INLET WITH SAID OUTLET WHEN THE PILOT VALVE IS UNSEATED, A PASSAGE FROM SAID INLET EXTENDING AS A BY-PASS AROUND SAID INNER WALL AND ADAPTED TO SUPPLY LIQUID CONSTANTLY FROM SAID INLET INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID MAIN VALVE, A PILOT VALVE FOR DRAINING LIQUID THROUGH SAID MAIN VALVE, THE RATE OF FLOW OF LIQUID PAST THE OPENED PILOT VALVE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE RATE OF FLOW PAST THE OPENED MAIN VALVE, SAID PILOT VALVE HAVING A VALVE STEM INCLUDING A MEMBER FOR ENGAGING AND LIFTING SAID MAIN VALVE STEM IN ORDER TO RAISE SAID MAIN VALVE FROM ITS SEAT, MEANS BIASING SAID PILOT VALVE TOWARD SEATING POSITION UPON ITS VALVE SEAT, VALVE ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHAFT MOUNTED IN SAID LOWER HOUSING PORTION AND OSCILLATABLE ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, MEANS RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ENGAGING SAID PILOT VALVE STEM UPON SHAFT ROTATION IN A FIRST DIRECTION AND FOR DISENGAGING THE SAME UPON ROTATION IN A SECOND DIRECTION, MEANS DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR LIMITING THE EXTENT OF INITIAL SHAFT ROTATION IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION THEREBY TO LIMIT THE OPENING OF SAID MAIN VALVE WHILE BEING LIFTED BY ENGAGEMENT OF ITS STEM WITH SAID PILOT VALVE STEM MEMBER, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE DEPTH OF LIQUID IN A CONTAINER BEING FILLED FOR DISCONNECTING SAID SHAFT-ROTATION-LIMITING MEANS FROM SAID SHAFT AND FOR PERMITTING ADDITIONAL SHAFT ROTATION IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION IN ORDER TO RAISE SAID MAIN VALVE TO FULLY OPENED POSITION BY THE LIFTING OF SAID MAIN VALVE STEM IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PILOT VALVE STEM MEMBER AND TO INCREASE THE RATE OF FLOW THROUGH SAID MAIN VALVE, A HANDLE ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT FOR SELECTIVELY ROTATING SAID SHAFT IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIRECTIONS, AND MEANS FOR LIMITING THE EXTENT OF ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION.