Can filling system to prevent damage to cans

Claim 2

A can filling device for minimizing damage to cans during filling comprising: rotating filler wheel means for transporting said cans in a substantially horizontal, circular path; filler wheel pocket means having upper and lower pocket portions for engaging said cans at substantially vertically displaced upper and lower portions of said cans at in a manner sufficient to maintain said cans in a substantially vertical orientation during movement in said path around said rotating filler-wheel means; star wheel means for transporting said cans to said rotating filler wheel means; star wheel pocket means for transferring said cans to said upper and lower pocket portions of said filler wheel pocket means, said star wheel pocket means being shaped to provide sufficient clearance in a tangential direction relative to said substantially circular path of the filler wheel means to prevent damage to said cans during transfer from said star wheel pocket means to said filler wheel pocket means; locator brush means adjacent to the location where said cans were transferred from said star wheel pocket means to said filler wheel pocket means for locating said cans in the proper relationship with said filler wheel pocket means prior to being filled by engaging said cans at a location between said upper and lower pocket portions to force said cans in a radially inward direction relative to said substantially circular path against both said upper and lower pocket portions of said filler wheel pocket means; and means for moving filler units for filling said cans over the tops of said cans while said cans are in contact with said locator brush means to substantially prevent damage to the tops of said cans.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 further comprising: hold down guide means contacting the tops of said cans for holding said cans in a downward direction to prevent damage to said cans during transfer of said cans into said filler wheel pocket means.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower pocket portions comprise rigid full control can pockets having a high tolerance semi-circular shape for precisely controlling movement of said cans.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said star wheel pocket means comprise partial pocket portions having a plurality of interlocking radii of curvature which form a continuously curved surface.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4 wherein said pocket portions further comprise flat cut-away portions adjacent said continuously curved surface.

Claim 7

The device of claim 2 wherein said hold down guide means is pivotally connected to said can filling device and has spring plungers for maintaining the position of said hold down guide means.

Claim 8

A can filling device for minimizing damage to beverage cans during filling comprising: rotating filler wheel means for transporting said cans in a substantially circuiar path in a substantially horizontal plane with the axis of said cans substantially parallel to a substantially vertical axis; filler wheel pocket means disposed on said rotating filler wheel means and having upper and lower arm portions with rigid substantially semi-circularly shaped can pockets formed therein for holding said cans along substantially vertically displaced upper and lower portions of said cans which are spatially separated along said axis of said cans to prevent radially inward and tangential displacement of said axis of said cans from said substantially vertical axis; star wheel means for transferring cans from a can supply to said filler wheel pocket means; and star wheel pocket means disposed in said star wheel means and having a nonsymmetrical curved surface for transerring said cans to said filler wheel pocket means with sufficient clearance to prevent damage to said cans; and further comprising: locator brush means adjacent to the location where said cans are transferred from said star wheel pocket means to said filler wheel pocket means for locating said cans in said filler wheel pocket means by inducing a radially inward force on said cans at a location between said upper and lower portions of said cans to induce movement of said cans in a radially inward direction against said filler wheel pocket means; means for moving filler units for filling said cans over the tops of said cans while said cans are in contact with said locator brush means to substantially prevent damage to said cans; and hold down guide means contacting the tops to said cans for holding said cans in a downward direction against said substantially horizontal plane to prevent damage to said cans during transfer of said cans into said filler wheel pocket means.

Claim 9

A can filling device for minimizing damage to beverage cans during filling comprising: rotating filler wheel means for transporting said cans in a substantially circuiar path in a substantially horizontal plane with the axis of said cans substantially parallel to a substantially vertical axis; filler wheel pocket means disposed on said rotating filler wheel means and having upper and lower arm portions with rigid substantially semi-circularly shaped can pockets formed therein for holding said cans along substantially vertically displaced upper and lower portions of said cans which are spatially separated along said axis of said cans to prevent radially inward and tangential displacement of said axis of said cans from said substantially vertical axis; star wheel means for transferring cans from a can supply to said filler wheel pocket means; and star wheel pocket means disposed in said star wheel means and having a nonsymmetrical curved surface for transerring said cans to said filler wheel pocket means with sufficient clearance to prevent damage to said cans; and further comprising: locator brush means adjacent to the location where said cans are transferred from said star wheel pocket means to said filler wheel pocket means for locating said cans in said filler wheel pocket means by inducing a radially inward force on said cans at a location between said upper and lower portions of said cans to induce movement of said cans in a radially inward direction against said filler wheel pocket means; means for moving filler units for filling said cans over the tops of said cans while said cans are in contact with said locator brush means to substantially prevent damage to said cans; and hold down guide means contacting the tops to said cans for holding said cans in a downward direction against said substantially horizontal plane to prevent damage to said cans during transfer of said cans into said filler wheel pocket means.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7 wherein said hold down guide means is pivotally connected to said can filling device and has spring plungers for maintaining the position of said hold down guide means.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9 comprising the further step of: inducing a downward force on the tops of said cans prior to and during transfer of said cans from said star wheel to said filling wheel to maintain said cans in a downward direction to prevent damage to said cans.