Multipoint product filling machine

Claim 1

Apparatus for filling ring doughnuts with a flowable filling material comprising a conveyor including a plurality of circular recesses therein each having an outer predetermined diameter and arranged in rows transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor; each said recess having an annular configuration for receiving one of said ring doughnuts; a plurality of filling stations vertically spaced above said conveyor and aligned in a row, said stations corresponding in number to the number of said recesses in each recess row; means for advancing said conveyor intermittently to bring a respective one of said rows into vertical alignment with said filling stations; a plurality of filling injector means corresponding in number to said filling stations and located respectively in each said filling station; each of said injection means having a plurality of injector needles arranged in a circular pattern with a diameter less than said predetermined recess diameter; means providing vertical movement of said injector needles into and out of said recesses; a plurality of sensor means corresponding in number to said plurality of injector means and associated respectively therewith; each said sensor means comprising a ring element surrounding said plurality of injector needles at each filling station, and pivotable lever means mounted on said apparatus to which said ring element is attached; and stop means mounted on said apparatus against which said lever means is adapted to abut to prevent upward movement of said ring element as said plurality of injector needles is withdrawn from said recesses to thereby remove any ring doughnuts impaled on said injector needles.