Apparatus for aseptically filling initially covered containers

Claim 2

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers: means for supporting the containers with the covers on the upper ends of the container bodies; means engageable with both the container bodies and covers for moving the bodies and covers along said supporting means; means engaging opposite sides of said covers for lifting the covers completely from the container bodies while the container bodies and covers are being moved along the supporting means; and means engaging opposite sides of said covers for enabling the covers to lower into closed position over the container bodies while the container bodies are being moved along the supporting means.

Claim 3

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers: means for supporting the containers with the covers on the upper ends of the container bodies; means engageable with both the container bodies and covers for moving the bodies and covers along said supporting means; means engaging opposite sides of said covers for lifting the covers completely from the container bodies while the container bodies and covers are being moved along the supporting means; and means engaging opposite sides of said covers for enabling the covers to lower into closed position over the container bodies while the container bodies are being moved along the supporting means.

Claim 4

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers: means for supporting the containers with the covers on the upper ends of the container bodies; means engageable with both the container bodies and covers for moving the bodies and covers along said supporting means; means engaging opposite sides of said covers for lifting the covers completely from the container bodies while the container bodies and covers are being moved along the supporting means; and means engaging opposite sides of said covers for enabling the covers to lower into closed position over the container bodies while the container bodies are being moved along the supporting means.

Claim 5

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; and means for maintaining the covers above and in vertical alignment with the container bodies during lifting and lowering of the covers from and toward closed position on the container bodies.

Claim 6

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; and means for dispensing a desired medium into the uncovered container bodies.

Claim 7

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; means for dispensing a desired medium into the uncovered container bodies; and means for maintaining the covers in alignment with the container bodies during removal of the covers from the bodies, dispensing of the medium into the uncovered bodies, and replacement of the covers on the bodies.

Claim 8

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said lifting means comprising lifting bars inclined to said supporting means and engageable with opposite sides of the covers; said lowering means comprising lowering bars inclined to said supporting means and engageable with opposite sides of the covers.

Claim 9

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said lifting means comprising spaced lifting bars inclined upwardly from said supporting means in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with opposite portions of the covers; said lowering means comprising spaced lowering bars inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting bars in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable wIth opposite portions of the covers.

Claim 10

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; the covers each having a skirt fitting over the upper wall portion of an associated container body; said lifting means comprising lifting bars inclined to said supporting means and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies; said lowering means comprising lowering bars inclined to said supporting means and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies.

Claim 11

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; the covers each having a skirt fitting over the upper wall portion of an associated container body; said lifting means comprising spaced lifting bars inclined upwardly from said supporting means in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies; said lowering means comprising lowering bars inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting bars in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies.

Claim 12

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said lifting means comprising spaced lifting bars inclined upwardly from said supporting means in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with opposite portions of the covers; said lowering means comprising spaced lowering bars inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting bars in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with opposite portions of the covers; and means for maintaining the covers above and in vertical alignment with the container bodies during lifting and lowering of the covers from and toward closed position on the container bodies.

Claim 13

In apparatus as defined in claim 1; the covers each having a skirt fitting over the upper wall portion of an associated container body; said lifting means comprising spaced lifting bars inclined upwardly from said supporting means in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies; said lowering means comprising lowering bars inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting bars in the direction of movement of said bodies and covers and engageable with the lower edges of the skirts on opposite sides of the container bodies; and means for maintaining the covers above and in vertical alignment with the container bodies during lifting and lowering of the covers from and toward closed position on the container bodies.

Claim 14

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means engageable with the perimeters of said covers and container bodies for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members.

Claim 15

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means engageable with the perimeters of said covers and container bodies for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members.

Claim 16

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said simultaneously moving means including generally vertically disposed members engageable with the perimeters of the covers and bodies to maintain the covers above and in vertical alignment with the bodies during lifting and lowering of the covers from and onto the bodies.

Claim 17

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said simultaneously moving means including generally vertically disposed members engageable with the perimeters of the covers and bodies to maintain the covers above and in vertical alignment with the bodies during lifting and lowering of the covers from and onto the bodies.

Claim 18

In apparatus as defined in claim 12; said vertically disposed members comprising first portions engaging the perimeters of the bodies only and second portions engaging the perimeters of the covers only.

Claim 19

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said simultaneously moving means including vertical pins extending between said guide members, lifting members and lower members and engageable with the perimeters of the covers only, and collars on said pins between said guide members and engageable with the perimeters of the bodies only.

Claim 20

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said simultaneously moving means including vertical pins extending between said guide members, lifting members and lower members and engageable with the perimeters of the covers only, and collars on said pins between said guide members and engageable with the perimeters of the bodies only.

Claim 21

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said moving means including a conveyor member, vertical pins secured to said conveyor member and extending between said guide members, lifting members and lowering members and engageable with the perimeters of the covers only, and collars on said pins between said guide members and engageable with the perimeters of the bodies only.

Claim 22

In apparatus for lifting and lowering container covers from and on container bodies of containers, the covers having skirt portions extending downwardly along the exterior of the bodies: spaced guide members on which the lower ends of the bodies rest; spaced lifting members above and inclined upwardly from said guide members; spaced lowering members above said guide members and inclined downwardly from the upper ends of said lifting members to said guide members; said lifting and lowering members being engageable with the lower edges of the skirt portions to lift and lower the covers from and onto the container bodies as the covers and container bodies are moved along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; and means for simultaneously moving the covers and container bodies along the guide members and lifting and lowering members; said moving means including a conveyor member, vertical pins secured to said conveyor member and extending between said guide members, lifting members and lowering members and engageable with the perimeters of the covers only, and collars on said pins between said guide members and engageable with the perimeters of the bodies only.