US4597245A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for filling and sealing a container
Assignee: Dow Chemical Co
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Filing: 1985-03-29
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Granted: 1986-07-01
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Expires: 2005-03-29
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for filling a container (12) having a receiving passage (14) with material and sealing the receiving passage (14) with a spherical sealing plug which is larger than the receiving passage (14) of the container (12) with the container (12) being subjected to a vacuum before and while being filled. A snout assembly (54) is movably mounted on a support structure (20, 22, 24) and includes a large piston-like portion (59) in sliding engagement within a guideway (28) in a housing (26) with a smaller tubular snout member (62) extending downwardly and into a fill passage (30) which is in sealing engagement with the receiving passage (14) of the container (12). The larger piston-like portion (59) of the snout assembly (54) has a material-receiving chamber (63) and a tubular valve member (68) engages a valve seat (66) to control the flow of material from the material chamber (63) to the delivery passage (56) and out the discharge end (58) of the smaller tubular snout member (62). The tubular snout member (62) is inserted into the container-receiving passage (14) for filling the container until the container (12) is full of material to the discharge end (58) whereupon material flow through the snout member (62) ceases. The valve member (68) is then closed against valve seat (66) to terminate material flow into the snout member (62). The snout member (62) is then retracted to empty the material in the snout member (62) below or downstream of the closed valve member (68) into the receiving passage (14) of the container, the volume of material emptied from the snout member (62) into the receiving passage (14) being insufficient to completely fill the receiving passage (14). After the snout member (62) is withdrawn, a spherical sealing plug is dispensed from a magazine and rolled into position engaging the container-receiving passage after which the spherical sealing plug is engaged with the discharge end of the snout member to force the sealing plug into the container-receiving passage for sealing the container.
Inventors
- 👤 Wendell E. Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:52
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B31/00; B65B31/04; B65B31/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
321 words
A filling assembly (10) for filling a container (12) through a receiving passage (14) of a predetermined length therein with particulate material, said assembly (10) including a housing (26) having a fill passage (30) for communicating with the receiving passage (14) of a container (12), by snout means (54) movably supported by said housing (26) and having a material delivery passage (56) for receiving material and having a discharge end (58) opening into the container-receiving passage (14) which is communicating with said fill passage (30), said snout means (54) being movable in said fill passage (30) between an initial position in said fill passage (30) and a fill position extending through said fill passage (30) and, to a predetermined extent, into the receiving passage (14) of the container (12) for delivering material through said delivery passage (56) until the container (12) is full of the material to said discharge end (58) whereupon particulate material flow through said delivery passage (56) automatically ceases, and material delivery valve means (68) movably mounted within said snout means (54) and having a downstream end (70) controlling the flow of material into said delivery passage (56), valve actuation means (74) for moving said valve means within said snout means to terminate the flow of material into said delivery passage (56) after the container (12) is full to said discharge end (58) and snout actuation means (72) for retracting said snout means (54) from the receiving passage (14) of said container (12) to empty the material in said snout means (54) downstream of said downstream end (70) of said material delivery valve means (68) into the receiving passage (14) of the container without overflow of said receiving passage (14), the volume of said delivery passage (56) below said delivery valve means (68) being less than the volume of said predetermined extend of extension of said snout means (54) into the receiving passage (14) of the container (12).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
321 words
A filling assembly (10) for filling a container (12) through a receiving passage (14) of a predetermined length therein with particulate material, said assembly (10) including a housing (26) having a fill passage (30) for communicating with the receiving passage (14) of a container (12), by snout means (54) movably supported by said housing (26) and having a material delivery passage (56) for receiving material and having a discharge end (58) opening into the container-receiving passage (14) which is communicating with said fill passage (30), said snout means (54) being movable in said fill passage (30) between an initial position in said fill passage (30) and a fill position extending through said fill passage (30) and, to a predetermined extent, into the receiving passage (14) of the container (12) for delivering material through said delivery passage (56) until the container (12) is full of the material to said discharge end (58) whereupon particulate material flow through said delivery passage (56) automatically ceases, and material delivery valve means (68) movably mounted within said snout means (54) and having a downstream end (70) controlling the flow of material into said delivery passage (56), valve actuation means (74) for moving said valve means within said snout means to terminate the flow of material into said delivery passage (56) after the container (12) is full to said discharge end (58) and snout actuation means (72) for retracting said snout means (54) from the receiving passage (14) of said container (12) to empty the material in said snout means (54) downstream of said downstream end (70) of said material delivery valve means (68) into the receiving passage (14) of the container without overflow of said receiving passage (14), the volume of said delivery passage (56) below said delivery valve means (68) being less than the volume of said predetermined extend of extension of said snout means (54) into the receiving passage (14) of the container (12).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including sealing plug means (38) for delivering a sealing plug larger than the container-receiving passage (14) to said fill passage (30) and further characterized by said snout means (54) being movable to a ram position extending through said fill passage (30) and into the receiving passage (14) of the container (12) for forcing the sealing plug into the receiving passage (14) to seal the container (12).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said snout means (54) including a material delivery chamber (63) above said delivery passage (56) thereof, said material delivery valve means (68) controlling the flow of material from said delivery chamber (63) to said delivery passage (56) of said snout means (54), and a material delivery tube (64) communicating with said delivery chamber (63) and adapted for connection to a source of material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by including snout actuation means (72) for moving said snout means (54) and said delivery valve means (68) between said initial, fill and ram positions while maintaining said delivery valve means (68) closed to prevent material flow from said delivery chamber (63) into said delivery passage (56).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by including valve actuation means (74) for opening said delivery valve means (68) to allow material flow from said delivery chamber (63) into said delivery passage (56) to fill the container (12) when said snout means (54) is in said fill position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by including vacuum means (32) for withdrawing gas from the container (12) and fill passage (30) and delivery passage (56) while said snout means (54) is in said initial position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by said sealing plug means (38) including a plug passage (40) for delivering a sealing plug to said fill passage (30), plug stop means (42, 44) for retaining a sealing plug in said plug passage (40) and allowing the sealing plug to pass into said fill passage (30), and plug magazine means (46, 48) movable between a sealing position for sealing off said plug passage to maintain a vacuum therein and an open position for delivering one plug to said plug passage (40) upon each opening thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by including support structure (20, 22, 24) supporting said housing (26) and said snout actuator means (72), said valve actuation means (74) being supported by said snout means (54).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized by including an annular valve seat (66) between said delivery chamber (63) and said delivery passage (56) of said snout means (54), said delivery valve means (68) comprising a tubular valve member (68) having an annular sharp end (70) for engaging said valve seat (66).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 9 further characterized by including a cylindrical sealing mandrel (78) supported in a stationary fashion by said support structure (20, 80) and extending through said tubular valve member (68) to a pointed lower end (82) so that the pointed lower end (82) engages the inner periphery of said annular valve seat (66) inside of said tubular valve member (68) when said snout means (54) is in said initial position to maintain the vacuum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 10 further characterized by said housing having a cylindrical guideway (28), said snout means (54) including a circular piston-like portion (59) in sliding engagement with said guideway (28) and a tubular snout member (62) of smaller diameter than said piston-like portion (59) and extending downwardly therefrom and into said full passage (30).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 11 further characterized by said plug being a sphere and said discharge end (58) of said tubular snout member (62) being shaped for complementary engagement with the sphere.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-30 | 1989-12-30 | 1990-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-30 | 1993-12-30 | 1994-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-30 | 1997-12-30 | 1998-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |