Apparatus for filling containers

Claim 2

A container filling apparatus for transferring product from a product source to a container comprising: a valve body having a product inlet communicating with said product source; a valve chamber within said body; means establishing communication between said product inlet and said valve chamber; means defining a cylinder extending outwardly from said valve body in communication with said chamber; a piston reciprocally mounted in said cylinder; drive means for moving said piston within said cylinder; a product discharge nozzle positioned in an outlet end of said chamber; a control valve spool mounted for movement within said chamber between a first position and a second position, said spool including a plunger portion for forcing product from said inlet to said cylinder when said valve spool moves from said first to said second position, and said spool including a control portion movable from a position preventing product from flowing from said inlet to said cylinder in the first position of said valve spool while allowing product to flow from said cylinder outwardly of said chamber through said nozzle, said control portion being movable to a position allowing product to flow from said inlet into said cylinder in the second position of said valve spool while preventing product from flowing from said cylinder; and means for shifting said spool in timed relationship to the drive to said piston so that said piston moves away from said chamber in a product intake stroke when said valve spool is in said first position and said piston moves toward said chamber in a product discharge stroke when said valve spool is in said second position.

Claim 3

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for preventing product from leaking from said nozzle after said valve spool moves into said second position.

Claim 4

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said spool shifting means is defined by a rotatably mounted cam and a follower associated with said spool, said cam having an offset portion for moving said valve spool from said second position toward said first position to create a suction on said nozzle and prevent product from leaking therefrom.

Claim 5

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for adjusting the length of the stroke of the piston whereby the volumetric output of the pump can be varied.

Claim 6

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said piston includes a rod extending outwardly of said cylinder and piston drive means includes a pivotally mounted lever, means for oscillating said lever, and linkage means connecting said lever and said rod for reciprocation of said piston in response to movement of said lever; and wherein said stroke length adjustment means includes means for controlling the length of arcuate movement of said lever.

Claim 7

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said arcuate movement controlling means includes a rotary shaft, cam means on said shaft, pivotally mounted support means having a follower thereon engaging said cam means for oscillating said support means upon rotation of said shaft, a motion transmitting member carried by said support means, means for adjusting the position of said motion transmitting member relative to the pivotal mounting of said support means whereby the length of arcuate movement of said motion transmitting member can be varied, and means connecting said motion transmitting member to said lever.

Claim 8

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve body includes a plurality of said valve chambers each having a product inlet communicating with said product source and each having an identical valve spool mounted for movement therein, said valve chambers each having an identical product discharge nozzle positioned in an outlet end thereof, said valve body also including a cylinder in communication with each chamber and a piston reciprOcably mounted in each cylinder, said drive means being connected to each of said pistons for simultaneous movement thereof, said shifting means being connected to each of said spools for simultaneous movement thereof between said first and second positions in said timed relationship to the movement of said pistons, whereby product is simultaneously discharged from each nozzle, conveyor means for moving containers past each of said nozzles and including means for supporting sets of containers side by side so that a respective container in each of said sets arrives at a nozzle simultaneously with the arrival of the others of said set at a nozzle, and means for supplying containers simultaneously in sets, one set at a time to said supporting means on said conveyor from a plurality of stacks of nested containers.

Claim 9

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said means for supplying containers defines a magazine assembly supporting said stacks therein and includes a first pair of coplanar plates, means for moving said plates outwardly from a first position confronting one another in engagement with the lowermost container in each stack for supporting said stacks to a second position spaced from one another and from said stacks, a second pair of coplanar plates positioned below said first pair of coplanar plates, means for moving said second pair of plates outwardly from a first position confronting one another to a second position spaced from one another, said first and second pairs of plates being spaced sufficiently from one another in said second positions to allow said stacks to move downwardly therebetween, platform means below said second pair of plates and adapted to engage the lowermost container in each stack for supporting said stacks when said first and second plates are in said second positions, said platform means being spaced below said second pair of plates by a distance allowing the lowermost container in each stack to drop below said second pair of plates when they are in the second position, means for moving said plates inwardly to a position where the first pair of plates engage the second lowermost container in each stack and the second pair of plates are positioned above the lowermost container in each stack, means for moving said first pair of plates upwardly relative to said stacks while said second pairs of plates remain stationary to strip the lowermost container from each stack, and means for shifting said platform means relative to said conveyor for transferring each dispensed lowermost container to said supporting means on said conveyor, said product being thereby simultaneously and repetitively dispensed to complete sets of containers.

Claim 10

A container dispensing and filling apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said nozzles are aligned side by side in a row, and wherein said container supporting means includes a container holding member having a plurality of openings therein each providing a support surface therearound for engaging beneath a container enlargement, each stack of containers being positioned in longitudinal alignment with one of said nozzles, and said openings each being movable along a longitudinal path beneath one stack and one nozzle.

Claim 11

A container filling apparatus for transferring product from a product source to a container comprising; a valve body having a product inlet communicating with said product source; at least one valve chamber within said body, said valve chamber including first, second and third axially spaced portions of equal diameter, there being a fourth chamber portion of enlarged diameter between said first and second chamber portions, and a fifth chamber portion of enlarged diameter between said second and third chamber portions; means establishing communication between said product inlet and said fourth chamber portion; means defining a cylinder extending outwardly from said valve body in communication with said fifth chamber portion; a piston reciprocally mounted in saiD cylinder; drive means for moving said piston within said cylinder; an extension sleeve secured in said first chamber portion in axial alignment therewith, the internal surface of said sleeve having the same diameter as said first, second and third chamber portions; a product discharge nozzle positioned in said third chamber portion; a control valve spool mounted for movement within said chamber between a first position and a second position, said spool including first and second land areas of equal diameter separated by a stem portion of reduced diameter, said first land area being movable in sealed relation between the end of said extension sleeve in the first position of said spool and said first chamber portion in the second position of said spool, and said second land area being movable from a position within said second chamber portion and spaced from said third chamber portion in the first position of said valve spool to prevent product from flowing from said inlet to said cylinder in said first position while allowing product to flow from said cylinder outwardly of said chamber through said nozzle, said second land area being movable to a position within said third chamber portion and spaced from said second chamber portion in the second position of said valve spool to allow product to flow from said inlet into said cylinder while preventing product from flowing from said cylinder into said third chamber portion; and means for shifting said spool in timed relationship to the drive to said piston so that said piston moves away from said fifth chamber portion in a product intake stroke when said valve spool is in said first position and said piston moves toward said fifth chamber portion in a product discharge stroke when said valve spool is in said second position.

Claim 12

A container filling apparatus for transferring product from a product source to a container comprising; a valve body having a product inlet communicating with said product source; at least one valve chamber within said body, said valve chamber including first, second and third axially spaced portions of equal diameter, there being a fourth chamber portion of enlarged diameter between said first and second chamber portions, and a fifth chamber portion of enlarged diameter between said second and third chamber portions; means establishing communication between said product inlet and said fourth chamber portion; means defining a cylinder extending outwardly from said valve body in communication with said fifth chamber portion; a piston reciprocally mounted in saiD cylinder; drive means for moving said piston within said cylinder; an extension sleeve secured in said first chamber portion in axial alignment therewith, the internal surface of said sleeve having the same diameter as said first, second and third chamber portions; a product discharge nozzle positioned in said third chamber portion; a control valve spool mounted for movement within said chamber between a first position and a second position, said spool including first and second land areas of equal diameter separated by a stem portion of reduced diameter, said first land area being movable in sealed relation between the end of said extension sleeve in the first position of said spool and said first chamber portion in the second position of said spool, and said second land area being movable from a position within said second chamber portion and spaced from said third chamber portion in the first position of said valve spool to prevent product from flowing from said inlet to said cylinder in said first position while allowing product to flow from said cylinder outwardly of said chamber through said nozzle, said second land area being movable to a position within said third chamber portion and spaced from said second chamber portion in the second position of said valve spool to allow product to flow from said inlet into said cylinder while preventing product from flowing from said cylinder into said third chamber portion; and means for shifting said spool in timed relationship to the drive to said piston so that said piston moves away from said fifth chamber portion in a product intake stroke when said valve spool is in said first position and said piston moves toward said fifth chamber portion in a product discharge stroke when said valve spool is in said second position.

Claim 13

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said valve body includes a plurality of identically shaped chambers, each chamber having an identical valve spool mounted therein, the fourth portion of each chamber being interconnected to provide a common outlet manifold communicating with said product inlet.

Claim 14

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which the piston rod of each cylinder associated with each chamber extends outwardly of one end of its respective cylinder, and wherein said piston rods are connected to a common actuating member that is driven by said drive means.

Claim 15

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which each valve spool includes a portion extending outwardly of its respective extension sleeve, and wherein each valve spool portion is connected to a common actuating member that is driven by said spool shifting means.

Claim 16

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including common means for adjusting the length of the stroke of the piston associated with each cylinder.

Claim 17

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 10 including means for preventing product from leaking from said nozzle after said valve spool moves into said second position.

Claim 18

A container filling apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said leaking prevention means includes means for moving said valve spool from said second position toward said first position.