Patent US4363338A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4363338A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid filling machine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-09-08
•
Granted: 1982-12-14
•
Expires: 2000-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A liquid filling machine suitable for filling a container, for example with wine, wherein a closure grips the dispensing closure of the container from an intermediate level, lifts it from the container, moves it to one side and at the same time moves the filling head over the now open mouth of the container, lowers the filling head into the container, charges the container with liquid, raises again to the upper level and indexes back to again position the closure above the container, drive the closure back into the container down to the lower level wherein the closure is permanently retained and releases the closure.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert M. Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:09
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67C; B67C3/00; B67C3/02; B67C3/22; B67C3/26; B65; B65B; B65B3/00; B65B3/04; B65B3/045; B67C2003/266
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A liquid filling machine which is useful for filling, with liquid, a container of the type which has a dispensing closure axially movable into or out of a flanged sleeve, comprising: a frame; sleeve retaining means for releasably retaining said flanged sleeve; a head assembly comprising closure grip means and a filling head, cooperable guide means respectively on the frame and head assembly for guiding the head assembly for planar movement in a horizontal plane and linear movement in a vertical direction at right angles thereto, and limit means for limiting the linear movement to movement between three levels, respectively a lower level, an intermediate level and an upper level; slave power means operably coupled between the frame and head assembly for effecting said movements and also to effect said filling of the container; and master control means coupled to said slave power means for effecting said head linear movement so as lift said dispensing closure from said flanged sleeve between said intermediate level and said upper level, thereafter effecting said planar movement of said head assembly to remove said dispensing closure from the locality of said flanged sleeve and position said filling head over said sleeve, thereafter causing the filling of the container with said filling head and thereafter effecting said planar movement in reverse and then a downward linear movement to the lower level so as to reinsert said dispensing closure into said flanged sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
A liquid filling machine which is useful for filling, with liquid, a container of the type which has a dispensing closure axially movable into or out of a flanged sleeve, comprising: a frame; sleeve retaining means for releasably retaining said flanged sleeve; a head assembly comprising closure grip means and a filling head, cooperable guide means respectively on the frame and head assembly for guiding the head assembly for planar movement in a horizontal plane and linear movement in a vertical direction at right angles thereto, and limit means for limiting the linear movement to movement between three levels, respectively a lower level, an intermediate level and an upper level; slave power means operably coupled between the frame and head assembly for effecting said movements and also to effect said filling of the container; and master control means coupled to said slave power means for effecting said head linear movement so as lift said dispensing closure from said flanged sleeve between said intermediate level and said upper level, thereafter effecting said planar movement of said head assembly to remove said dispensing closure from the locality of said flanged sleeve and position said filling head over said sleeve, thereafter causing the filling of the container with said filling head and thereafter effecting said planar movement in reverse and then a downward linear movement to the lower level so as to reinsert said dispensing closure into said flanged sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 1 further comprising gas control means having a valve, and a conduit extending to said head assembly, said gas control means comprising evacuator means also controlled by said master means to evacuate air from said container after said removal of the dispensing closure from the flanged sleeve and before said filling of the container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 2 further comprising an inert gas source coupled to said gas control means and controlled thereby to purge the space in said container after said filling thereof, but before said reinserting of the dispensing closure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve retaining means comprises a pair of spaced plate-like jaws defining between them a recess of such width that it accepts said flanged sleeve with flanges thereof above and below, but contiguous with said plate-like jaws, and securing means securing the plate-like jaws to the frame of the machine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 4 wherein said sleeve retaining means further comprises an ejection cylinder and piston rod assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said head assembly closure grip means comprises a plurality of fingers each having edges defining a respective recess, and a piston/cylinder combination operatively engageable aginst the fingers to control movement between retracted positions and flange engaging positions, the finger recesses being located over a flange of said dispensing closure when the fingers are in a flange engaging position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a vertical post of circular cross-section, and said co-operable guide means comprises a sleeve surrounding the post, arms extending from the sleeve carrying the closure grips means and the filling head in circumferentially spaced relationship with one another but spaced equally radially from the sleeve, bushes interposed between the sleeve and the post guiding the sleeve for slidable movement over the post and also for rocking movement about the post.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 7 further comprising a latch, a piston/cylinder combination on the frame carrying the latch, a rocker piston/cyinder combination operatively interposed between the frame and the sleeve operable to effect said rocking movement of the sleeve about the post and thereby effect said planar movement, an elevating piston/cylinder combination also operatively interposed between the frame and the sleeve operable to effect said slidable movement of the sleeve and thus said linear movement of the head assembly, said latch in its operative position limiting sleeve movement to said intermediate level, but when in its retracted position allowing sleeve movement between said upper and lower levels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
A liquid filling machine according to claim 1 wherein said filling head comprises a flange sealing gasket which sealably engages an upper surface of said flanged sleeve when the head is in said intermediate position, a piston actuated liquid dispensing valve member movable between an open position and a closed position and being operable to control liquid flow into said container, and a piston actuated gas valve carried by said liquid dispensing valve member operable to control gas flow into and out of said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A liquid filling machine accordng to claim 1 or claim 9 wherein said master control means comprises a sequential pneumatic logic circuit.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of filling, with liquid, a container of the type which has a dispensing closure axially movable into or out of a flanged sleeve, comprising: locating the sleeve on sleeve retaining means so as to releasably retain the sleeve in a position fixed relative to a frame of a liquid filling machine, lowering closure grip means of a head assembly of said machine from an upper level to an intermediate level over said closure and gripping said closure with said grip means, raising said closure grip means vertically to said upper level to remove said closure from said flanged sleeve, moving said closure grip means in a horizontal plane away from alignment with said flanged sleeve and at the same time bringing a filling head into alignment therewith, lowering said head assembly to said intermediate level and thereby bringing said filler head into sealable engagement with an upper surface of said flanged sleeve, evacuating air from said container through said filler head, and filling the container with liquid, lifting said head assembly back to its upper level and returning said closure grip means to vertical alignment with said flanged sleeve, and lowering said head assembly to a lower level to reinsert said closure into said flanged sleeve, releasing said closure grip means from said closure, raising said filler head to its upper level, and removing the filled container from said sleeve retaining means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of filling, with liquid, a container of the type which has a dispensing closure axially movable into or out of a flanged sleeve, comprising: locating the sleeve on sleeve retaining means so as to releasably retain the sleeve in a position fixed relative to a frame of a liquid filling machine, lowering closure grip means of a head assembly of said machine from an upper level to an intermediate level over said closure and gripping said closure with said grip means, raising said closure grip means vertically to said upper level to remove said closure from said flanged sleeve, moving said closure grip means in a horizontal plane away from alignment with said flanged sleeve and at the same time bringing a filling head into alignment therewith, lowering said head assembly to said intermediate level and thereby bringing said filler head into sealable engagement with an upper surface of said flanged sleeve, evacuating air from said container through said filler head, and filling the container with liquid, lifting said head assembly back to its upper level and returning said closure grip means to vertical alignment with said flanged sleeve, and lowering said head assembly to a lower level to reinsert said closure into said flanged sleeve, releasing said closure grip means from said closure, raising said filler head to its upper level, and removing the filled container from said sleeve retaining means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3403826A
Cited
US3516452A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-12-13 | 1986-06-14 | 1986-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-13 | 1990-06-14 | 1990-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-13 | 1994-06-14 | 1994-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |