Container filling machine

Claim 2

In a container filling machine, the combination comprising: a plurality of container platforms; a bulk supply tank for storing fluid; a plurality of piston pumps each including a piston rod; a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of valves, each one of said valves being associated with and having an individual piston pump and individual nozzle connected thereto, said nozzle projecting downward from said valve above a particular one of said container platforms; means for delivering fluid from said bulk supply to said valves; means for operating said valves to deliver fluid from said bulk supply tank into said piston pumps during a charging cycle, and from said piston pumps into said nozzles during a discharge cycle; cam controlled pumping means including: a barrel-like pump actuating cam having a track; and cam follower means resting partially within and guided by said track, for providing pumping movement correspondence with the profile of said track; said cam controlled pumping means providing in combination with said valve operating means, greater than 180° of machine time for continuously discharging fluid from said nozzles during the discharge cycle; and stroke adjusting means including: a plurality of crank levers pivotally connected between said cam follower means and individual ones of said piston rods of said piston pumps, respectively; and means for controlling the pivoting of said plurality of crank levers for providing infinite adjustability in a range between zero and maximum stroke of the stroke of said piston pumps without necessitating changing of the profile of said pump actuating cam.

Claim 3

The container filling machine of claim 1, wherein the combination of said cam controlled pumping means and said stroke adjusting means further includes: a rotatable center column; an upper rotary plate mounted between said center column and an uppermost portion of said cam; a lower rotary plate mounted upon said center column below said upper rotary plate; a plurality of first and second slide shafts mounted between said upper and lower rotary plates, and juxtaposed to said cam and column, respectively, each one of said first and second slide shafts being associated with a particular one of said piston pumps; a plurality of cam slides, each one of which is mounted upon an individual one of said first slide shafts, for vertical movement thereupon; a plurality of cam followers rigidly mounted one upon each cam slide, each cam follower having a free end protruding into and guided by said track of said cam; a plurality of pump slides, each one of which is mounted for vertical movement upon an individual one of said second slide shafts, and rigidly connected to a lower end of an individual one of said piston rods; and said means for controlling the pivoting of said plurality of crank levers includes: a plurality of pivotal connection means; said plurality of crank levers each being pivotally connected via an individual one of said plurality of pivotal connection means between individual opposing ones of said cam and pump slides, and each one of which contains a slot therein; a plurality of pivotal attaching means; a plurality of coupling means; and a plurality of pivot brackets, each one having an upper end pivotally attached via an individual one of said plurality of pivotal attaching means to a position within the slot of an individual one of said crank levers, and a lower end adjustably coupled via an individual one of said plurality of coupling means to said lower rotary plate.

Claim 4

The container filling machine of claim 2, further including means for providing individual adjustment of the stroke of each one of said piston pumps.

Claim 5

The container filling machine of claim 3, further including means for providing simultaneous adjustment of the stroke of each one of said piston pumps.

Claim 6

The container filling machine of claim 3, wherein said means for providing individual adjustment of the stroke of each one of said piston pumps, includes: a plurality of adjuster blocks, each one of which is rigidly mounted to the lower end of an individual one of said pivot brackets beneath an opening in said lower rotary plate; a plurality of stroke adjusting screws, each one of which is threadably mated to and through an individual one of said adjuster blocks; means for turning each one of said plurality of stroke adjusting screws; and a plurality of pairs of bearing means rigidly attached to said lower rotary plate, individual ones of said screws being retained by one of said pairs of bearings, with one end of said screws protruding through its respective bearing means for individual connection to said turning means, and when said protruding end is turned by said turning means, its associated adjuster block moves along said screw for positioning the upper end of said pivot bracket in the slot of said crank lever, for changing the stroke of the associated piston pump.

Claim 7

The container filling machine of claim 5, wherein said means for providing simultaneous adjustment of the stroke of each one of said piston pumps further includes: chain and sprocket means carried by said upper and lower rotary plates, and interconnecting the protruding ends of said stroke adjusting screws, for simultaneously turning said screws in the same direction and to the same degree.

Claim 8

The container filling machine of claim 1, wherein said cam controlled pumping means further includes: a rotatable center column; an upper rotary plate mounted between said center column and an uppermost portion of said cam; a lower rotary plate mounted upon said center column below said upper rotary plate; a plurality of first slide shafts mounted between said upper and lower rotary plates, juxtaposed to said cam, and associated with a particular one of said piston pumps; a plurality of cam slides, each one of which is both mounted upon an individual one of said first slide shafts, for vertical movement thereupon, and pivotally connected to one end of an individual one of said crank levers; and a plurality of cam followers rigidly mounted one upon each cam slide, each cam follower having a free end protruding into and guided by said track of said cam.

Claim 9

The container filling machine of claim 7 wherein said stroke adjusting means further includes: a plurality of second slide shafts mounted between said upper and lower rotary plates, juxtaposed to said column, and each being associated with a particular one of said piston pumps; a plurality of pump slides, each one of which is mounted for vertical movement upon an individual one of said second slide shafts, and rigidly connected to a lower end of an individual one of said piston rods; and said means for controlling the pivoting of said plurality of crank levers includes: a plurality of pivotal connection means; said plurality of crank levers each being pivotally connected via an individual one of said plurality of pivotal connection means between individual opposing ones of said cam and pump slides, and each one of which contains a slot therein; a plurality of pivotal attaching means; a plurality of coupling means; and a plurality of pivot brackets, each one having an upper end pivotally attached via an individual one of said plurality of pivotal attaching means to a position within the slot of an individual one of said crank levers, and a lower end adjustably coupled via an individual one of said plurality of coupling means to said lower rotary plate.

Claim 10

In a container filling machine, the combination comprising: an upper horizontal support plate providing an uppermost mounting platform for said filling machine; a base plate providing a lowermost mounting platform for said filling machine; a lower horizontal support plate located between said upper support and base plates; a rotatable center column passing through a hole in said lower horizontal support plate, and mounted for rotation between said upper support and base plates; sleeve-like means keyed to and slideably mounted upon said center column between said upper horizontal support and base plates; a plurality of fluid dispensing means arranged in a circle, evenly spaced about, and rigidly coupled to an uppermost portion of said sleeve-like means between said upper and lower support plates; a lower rotary plate rigidly mounted upon a lowermost portion of said sleeve-like means between said lower support and base plates; an upper rotary plate rigidly mounted to a portion of said sleeve-like means between said lower support plate and lower rotary plate; a plurality of cam controlled pumping means rigidly mounted between said upper and lower rotary plates, each one of which provides pumping power to an individual one of said plurality of fluid dispensing means; a plurality of container elevating platform means each including a container platform located directly below an individual one of said fluid dispensing means above said lower support plate, and rod-like means slideably mounted with and through said upper and lower rotary plates, for controlling the vertical position of said container platforms relative to said fluid dispensing means; and, container height adjusting means located between said lower support and base plates for raising and lowering said upper and lower rotary plates, pumping means, and fluid dispensing means, all in unison while permitting the rotation thereof and without changing the vertical position of said container platforms, for accommodating various sizes of containers.

Claim 11

In a container filling machine, the combination comprising: an upper horizontal support plate providing an uppermost mounting platform for said filling machine; a base plate providing a lowermost mounting platform for said filling machine; a lower horizontal support plate located between said upper support and base plates; a rotatable center column passing through a hole in said lower horizontal support plate, and mounted for rotation between said upper support and base plates; sleeve-like means keyed to and slideably mounted upon said center column between said upper horizontal support and base plates; a plurality of fluid dispensing means arranged in a circle, evenly spaced about, and rigidly coupled to an uppermost portion of said sleeve-like means between said upper and lower support plates; a lower rotary plate rigidly mounted upon a lowermost portion of said sleeve-like means between said lower support and base plates; an upper rotary plate rigidly mounted to a portion of said sleeve-like means between said lower support plate and lower rotary plate; a plurality of cam controlled pumping means rigidly mounted between said upper and lower rotary plates, each one of which provides pumping power to an individual one of said plurality of fluid dispensing means; a plurality of container elevating platform means each including a container platform located directly below an individual one of said fluid dispensing means above said lower support plate, and rod-like means slideably mounted with and through said upper and lower rotary plates, for controlling the vertical position of said container platforms relative to said fluid dispensing means; and, container height adjusting means located between said lower support and base plates for raising and lowering said upper and lower rotary plates, pumping means, and fluid dispensing means, all in unison while permitting the rotation thereof and without changing the vertical position of said container platforms, for accommodating various sizes of containers.

Claim 12

The container filling machine of claim 9, wherein said container height adjusting means includes: a plurality of jackscrews rotatably mounted between said upper support and base plates: a plurality of nuts each one of which is threadably mated to an individual one of said jackscrews; a rotary bearing rigidly mounted upon said nuts for supporting said upper rotary plate at an edge, said upper rotary plate being rotatable upon said rotary bearing; and means mounted upon said jackscrews for turning said jackscrews to move said nuts to a given vertical position.

Claim 13

The container filling machine of claim 10, wherein said turning means includes: a plurality of chain sprockets each one of which is rigidly mounted upon an individual one of said jackscrews at a like vertical position thereupon; a chain interconnecting said sprockets; and driving means connected to the upper end of one of said plurality of jackscrews, for turning this one jackscrew a given amount in a given direction, thereby causing each one of said jackscrews to be identically turned via said chain, for moving said nuts to a desired vertical position relative to a container height.

Claim 14

The container filling machine of claim 11, wherein said driving means is a handwheel.