Metering trap construction, apparatus and method for filling individual containers with fluid materials

Claim 1

The method of packaging fluid materials comprising: a. storing the material to be packaged in a rotatable cylindrical supply container and which mounts in a concentric circular configuration around the container for rotation therewith a plurality of evenly peripherly spaced uniform metering trap chambers, each chamber having an inlet communicating with the container for receiving material and an outlet for discharging material and having between said inlet and outlet a nonlinear elongated constantly open path adapted in a first rotative position to receive from said container and hold in excess of a unit of material, in a second rotative position to trap and discharge back to said container through said inlet all except a unit of material and between said second and a third rotative position to guide said unit towards said outlet and at said third position to discharge said unit through said outlet; b. continuously rotating the container and chamber around a central horizontal axis to move the chamber successively past filling and discharge stations located proximate the lower half of the path of rotation; c. at the filling station positioning each chamber successively to cause said path to assume said first position; d. subsequent to leaving said filling station and prior to reaching said discharge station positioning each said chamber in such manner as to cause said path to assume said second position; e. at the discharge station positioning each chamber to cause said path to assume said third position to allow discharge of said unit of material from said outlet; f. continuously guiding and moving past the discharge station a series of fill containers, the movement of respective fill containers being synchronized to mate with a respective chamber and the presence of a respective unit of material discharge, such that the fill containers are successively guided to the discharge station and individual fill containers are filled with a unit of material from said supply container and are then moved away from said discharge station; and g. continuously measuring the level of material in the supply container and replenishing the material to maintain some predetermined level in the lower portion thereof and effecting said chamber filling and discharge steps when each respective chamber is in a position below the material in said lower portion.

Claim 2

The method of packaging fluid materials comprising: a. storing the material to be packaged in a rotatable cylindrical supply container and which mounts in a concentric circular configuration around the container for rotation therewith a plurality of evenly peripherly spaced uniform metering trap chambers, each chamber having an inlet communicating with the container for receiving material and an outlet for discharging material and having between said inlet and outlet a nonlinear elongated constantly open path adapted in a first rotative position to receive from said container and hold in excess of a unit of material, in a second rotative position to trap and discharge back to said container through said inlet all except a unit of material and between said second and a third rotative position to guide said unit towards said outlet and at said third position to discharge said unit through said outlet; b. continuously rotating the container and chamber around a central horizontal axis to move the chamber successively past filling and discharge stations located proximate the lower half of the path of rotation; c. at the filling station positioning each chamber successively to cause said path to assume said first position; d. subsequent to leaving said filling station and prior to reaching said discharge station positioning each said chamber in such manner as to cause said path to assume said second position; e. at the discharge station positioning each chamber to cause said path to assume said third position to allow discharge of said unit of material from said outlet; f. continuously guiding and moving past the discharge station a series of fill containers, the movement of respective fill containers being synchronized to mate with a respective chamber and the presence of a respective unit of material discharge, such that the fill containers are successively guided to the discharge station and individual fill containers are filled with a unit of material from said supply container and are then moved away from said discharge station; and g. continuously measuring the level of material in the supply container and replenishing the material to maintain some predetermined level in the lower portion thereof and effecting said chamber filling and discharge steps when each respective chamber is in a position below the material in said lower portion.

Claim 3

An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units, comprising: a. a container containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units; b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trap chambers mounted for rotation aS an integral structure around a central horizontal axis, each chamber providing at least one open nonlinear elongated fluid material flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet; c. means for rotating said chambers at a uniform predetermined speed and in a constant direction around said central axis, each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with said container at a first rotative position to receive a portion of said fluid material into said path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first position all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative position to a discharge station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet simultaneous with said chamber arriving at said second position; and d. means for guiding and longitudinally moving a continuous series of separate containers to be filled past said discharge station, each said container to be filled having an open end adapted to mate with and receive the discharge of a unit of material from a selected said chamber outlet.

Claim 4

An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units, comprising: a. a container containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units; b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trap chambers mounted for rotation aS an integral structure around a central horizontal axis, each chamber providing at least one open nonlinear elongated fluid material flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet; c. means for rotating said chambers at a uniform predetermined speed and in a constant direction around said central axis, each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with said container at a first rotative position to receive a portion of said fluid material into said path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first position all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative position to a discharge station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet simultaneous with said chamber arriving at said second position; and d. means for guiding and longitudinally moving a continuous series of separate containers to be filled past said discharge station, each said container to be filled having an open end adapted to mate with and receive the discharge of a unit of material from a selected said chamber outlet.

Claim 13

An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units, comprising: a. a cylindrical container containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units; b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trap chambers mounted on said container for rotation as an integral structure around a central horizontal axis, each chamber providing at least one open nonlinear elongated helical-shaped fluid material flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with the interior of said container and said inlet aNd outlet being laterally displaced along the axis of said path and the axis of said path being oriented parallel to said central axis; c. means for rotating said chambers at a uniform predetermined speed and in a constant direction around said central axis, each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with said container at a first rotative position to receive a portion of said fluid material into said path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first position all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative position to a discharge station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet simultaneous with said chamber arriving at said second position; d. filling means comprising a storage receptacle containing a volume of said material, conveyor means to convey said material from said receptacle to said container and levelling means controlling said conveyor means and effective to maintain a predetermined level of material in said container; and e. means for guiding and longitudinally moving a continuous series of separate containers to be filled past said discharge station, each said container to be filled having an open end adapted to mate with and receive the discharge of a unit of material from a selected said chamber outlet.

Claim 14

An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units, comprising: a. a cylindrical container containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units; b. a plurality of uniformly spaced and circularly arranged metering trap chambers mounted on said container for rotation as an integral structure around a central horizontal axis, each chamber providing at least one open nonlinear elongated helical-shaped fluid material flow path extending between an inlet and an outlet, said inlet communicating with the interior of said container and said inlet aNd outlet being laterally displaced along the axis of said path and the axis of said path being oriented parallel to said central axis; c. means for rotating said chambers at a uniform predetermined speed and in a constant direction around said central axis, each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with said container at a first rotative position to receive a portion of said fluid material into said path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first position all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative position to a discharge station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet simultaneous with said chamber arriving at said second position; d. filling means comprising a storage receptacle containing a volume of said material, conveyor means to convey said material from said receptacle to said container and levelling means controlling said conveyor means and effective to maintain a predetermined level of material in said container; and e. means for guiding and longitudinally moving a continuous series of separate containers to be filled past said discharge station, each said container to be filled having an open end adapted to mate with and receive the discharge of a unit of material from a selected said chamber outlet.