Sterile food packaging operation

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PACKAGING A LIQUID-CONTAINING FOOD PRODUCT IN A CONTAINER, WHICH COMPRISES IN SEQUENCE: (1) SUPPORTING AT AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION A FILLING CHAMBER HAVING A BOTTOM OPENING; (2) SUPPORTING A CLOSURE AT A FIRST POSITION IN ALIGNMENT WITH AND AT AN ELEVATION JUST BELOW SAID OPENING; (3) LOWERING SAID FILLING CHAMBER UNTIL AT A LOWER POSITION AT WHICH SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE WHILE STILL AT SAID FIRST POSITION IS NOW ABOVE SAID OPENING AND ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; (4) SUPPORTING A CONTAINER HAVING A TOP OPEN END BELOW AND SPACED FROM SAID OPENING OF SAID LOWERED CHAMBER; (5) RAISING SAID SUPPORTED CONTAINER UNTIL A PART OF IT CAN BE ABUTTED BY SAID OPENING TO CLOSE SAID LOWERED CHAMBER; (6) MOVING LATERALLY SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER NOW CLOSED UNTIL OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER; (7) COMMUNICATING A GAS INLET OF SAID CONTAINER WITH A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS TO PROVIDE AN ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER; (8) FLOWING SAID FOOD PRODUCT THROUGH A DIFFERENT INLET OF SAID CHAMBER INTO SAID CONTAINER; (9) CEASING SAID FLOW; (10) MOVING SAID CLOSURE LATERALLY TO SAID FIRST POSITION WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; (11) RAISING IN UNISON SAID CHAMBER AND SAID CONTAINER TO FORCE SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE ONTO SAID CONTAINER IN HERMETICALLY SEALING RELATIONSHIP WHILE SAID CHAMBER IS AT AN UPPER POSITION; (12) CLOSING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GAS INLET AND SAID SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (13) RELEASING PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER THROUGH AN INLET OF SAID CHAMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE; (14) LOWERING SAID CONTAINER AND SAID CHAMBER IN UNISON UNTIL SAID CHAMBER IS AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION; AND (15) LOWERING SAID CONTAINER ONLY WHILE SUPPORTING SAID CHAMBER AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PACKAGING A LIQUID-CONTAINING FOOD PRODUCT IN A CONTAINER, WHICH COMPRISES IN SEQUENCE: (1) SUPPORTING AT AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION A FILLING CHAMBER HAVING A BOTTOM OPENING; (2) SUPPORTING A CLOSURE AT A FIRST POSITION IN ALIGNMENT WITH AND AT AN ELEVATION JUST BELOW SAID OPENING; (3) LOWERING SAID FILLING CHAMBER UNTIL AT A LOWER POSITION AT WHICH SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE WHILE STILL AT SAID FIRST POSITION IS NOW ABOVE SAID OPENING AND ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; (4) SUPPORTING A CONTAINER HAVING A TOP OPEN END BELOW AND SPACED FROM SAID OPENING OF SAID LOWERED CHAMBER; (5) RAISING SAID SUPPORTED CONTAINER UNTIL A PART OF IT CAN BE ABUTTED BY SAID OPENING TO CLOSE SAID LOWERED CHAMBER; (6) MOVING LATERALLY SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER NOW CLOSED UNTIL OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER; (7) COMMUNICATING A GAS INLET OF SAID CONTAINER WITH A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS TO PROVIDE AN ELEVATED GASEOUS PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER; (8) FLOWING SAID FOOD PRODUCT THROUGH A DIFFERENT INLET OF SAID CHAMBER INTO SAID CONTAINER; (9) CEASING SAID FLOW; (10) MOVING SAID CLOSURE LATERALLY TO SAID FIRST POSITION WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; (11) RAISING IN UNISON SAID CHAMBER AND SAID CONTAINER TO FORCE SAID SUPPORTED CLOSURE ONTO SAID CONTAINER IN HERMETICALLY SEALING RELATIONSHIP WHILE SAID CHAMBER IS AT AN UPPER POSITION; (12) CLOSING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GAS INLET AND SAID SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS; (13) RELEASING PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER THROUGH AN INLET OF SAID CHAMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE; (14) LOWERING SAID CONTAINER AND SAID CHAMBER IN UNISON UNTIL SAID CHAMBER IS AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION; AND (15) LOWERING SAID CONTAINER ONLY WHILE SUPPORTING SAID CHAMBER AT SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION.