Abstract: A double seat valve includes a housing with a pair of valve disks independently movable within the housing between a closed position and an open position. Further, the valve disks can also be moved as a unit. A hollow leakage space is located between the valve disks. Leakage can be conveyed from the space to the exterior of the housing. Each valve disk has a separate valve seat and a cylindrically shaped wall surface extends between the valve seats and defines the radially outer boundary of the leakage space. A seal mounted in the first valve disk contacts the first valve seat in the closed position and moves in sealing contact with the cylindrically shaped wall surface as the first valve disk moves from the closed position toward the open position so that leakage losses from the valve are avoided.

Abstract: In a filling valve for a counterpressure filling machine for filling containers, such as bottles, cans and the like, comprising a filling valve body including a filling channel, a centering tulip for positioning a container below the filling channel in sealed connection therewith, second channels in said valve body coacting with said filling channel for at least one of evacuating, pressurizing and relieving a container located within said second channels, wherein the improvement comprises each said auxiliary valve includes an axially elongated control bolt located in said filling valve body for opening one of said second channels, said control bolt having a first end located within said filling valve body and a second end located on the outside of said filling valve body, a cam plate located opposite the second end of said control bolt outside of said filling valve body and selectively engageable by the second end of said control bolt, and means associated with said centering tulip for cooperating with said c

Abstract: A filling valve fills liquid from a filling machine vessel into containers. When the filling valve is opened a complete pressure equalization takes place between the vessel and the container to be filled. The container is held in the filling position by a vertically movable centering member. At the end of the filling operation, with the centering member still holding the container, a return gas tube extending into the container can be emptied and the volume of the container above the liquid level can be relieved without any inflow of atmospheric air. Further, the usual expansion below the liquid level is avoided. The centering member along with the filling valve can be lowered into the filling position by a cam disc and a pressure spring and/or assisted by the overpressure within the filling machine vessel. After movement by the cam disc the centering member and filling valve can be pressed against the container opening by the pressure spring and/or the pressure in the vessel.

Abstract: In a filling machine for filling liquid into containers, such as bottles or the like, the lower end of a return gas tube inserted into the container determines the filling height. Rapid adjustment of the position of the lower end of the return gas tube can be provided when different sized containers are used in the filling machine. Two different adjustment devices are used, one for the movement of the return gas tube with a centering device which holds the container during the filling operation and another one for producing precise adjustment of the lower end of the return gas tube with respect to the desired filling height and with such movement being relative to the centering device in the container holding position.

Abstract: In a rotating machine for filling liquid into bottles in similar containers, a centering member including the filling valve is vertically movable between a lower centering or holding position and an upper release position. The centering member in the lower position seals the bottles during the filling operation. Accordingly, a large number of centering members and filling valves are located next to one another on the periphery of the machine. When the filling operation takes place under counterpressure, there is the danger of bottles breaking and damaging the centering members. Accordingly, a control support block on the machine includes a guide bushing laterally enclosing the centering member in its upper position. The lower section of the centering member projects from the guide bushing in the lower centering position.

Abstract: For the automatic checking of the operational accuracy of inspection machines used in a bottle inspection operation, a star wheel with angularly spaced pockets for the bottles is rotated past testing heads. One or more checking parts are positioned relative to the star wheel to provide an automatic check of the accuracy of the inspection afforded by the testing heads. The checking operation can be effected without interrupting the inspection procedure. The checking can be performed continuously or at specific intervals. Accordingly, a continuous check can be kept on the inspection procedure, in particular without the use of test bottles.

Abstract: In accordance with a method of filling liquids under counterpressure in containers, such as bottles, cans, and the like, reaching or raising the liquid into a rear gas portion is prevented, and evacuation of a surrounding air from the interior of the container as well as pre-tensioning and unloading of the container take place via passages which are not loaded with liquid residues, wherein the evacuation is performed via a gas path which is used for pressurizing of the container, filling step is stopped shortly before reaching the gas path, the unloading takes place after termination of the filling of the container, and at least one of the evacuation or unloading steps is carried out at least partially via this gas path.

Abstract: A double seat valve comprises a housing having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and two axially displaced valve seats between the inlet and the outlet. A pair of valve discs are moveable independent from each other between open and closed positions with respect to the valve seats, one of the valve discs engaging during its opening movements the other of the valve discs and forming in the closed position with the other valve disc a chamber from which a leak fluid passage leads to the surrounding air. A tubular displacement rod is connected at one end to the one valve disc and extends with a radially enlarged end portion into a cylinder of a main displacement mechanism which is axially displaced from the housing. The radially enlarged portion forms at the junction with the remainder of the tubular rod a shoulder and a piston is connected axially displaced from the shoulder to the enlarged portion.

Abstract: Heat losses in a bottle cleaning machine are kept to a minimum by recirculating a first liquid from a pre-heating zone, where the bottles are showered with the first liquid, in indirect heat transfer relationship with a recirculating second liquid from a re-cooling zone, where the bottles are showered with the second liquid.

Abstract: An arrangement for centering containers in a bottle treatment machine, particularly in a bottle filling machine, has centering elements arranged to be located below filling valves and movable in vertical direction, bottle lifting organs having a receiving plane and movable below the centering elements in the vertical direction, and a curved guiding element arranged to guide the bottle lifting organs so as to lower the latter in an outlet region and thereafter, after taking over a bottle and passing an inlet region, to raise them again, wherein the guiding element is formed so that the receiving plane of the lifting organs prior to a contact point between a filling path and an inlet star path, as considered in a supply direction of the bottles, coincides with a bottle supply plane of the inlet star, and during further rotation in direction toward the contact point the receiving plane of the lifting organs is located higher than the bottle supply plane of the inlet star.

Abstract: During the process of filling containers with an oxygen-sensitive liquid under pressure, a buffer layer of gas is maintained over the surface of the liquid throughout the filling process in order to maintain the liquid separated from any oxygen which may be present within the container.

Abstract: A device for detecting and sorting out bottles of improper size is suggested in a bottle treatment machine of the type including a filling and closing sections switched in series. The bottles are fed to a cleaning test device and on the way thereto are tested by a recognition device which scans the bottles of improper size and actuates a closing control arrangement adapted to activate grippers on the device of transferring bottles to the cleaning test device such that those grippers do not grip defective bottles which are then withdrawn from the bottle transferring device.

Abstract: A suction arrangement for removing labels from bottles comprising a label-softening container adapted to contain a liquid, a plurality of elongated bottle-receiving cells having each an open end for insertion and withdrawal of bottles into and from the cell and provided at its opposite end with a plurality of openings, a conveyor for transporting the cells closely adjacent each other and closely past an opening in a bottom portion of a wall defining a suction compartment within the container while liquid is continuously sucked out of the suction compartment and returned into the container so that a stream of liquid passes from the container through that cell which is located at any instant adjacent the opening in the bottom portion of the wall defining the suction compartment to thus remove the labels from the bottles and transport the labels through the opening into the suction compartment while transversely spaced bars extend in the suction compartment over the opening to prevent the bottles to pass togethe

Abstract: An arrangement for closing containers with crown corks and the like, has a piston, a guiding opening in which the piston reciprocates, and a passage for supplying a cleaning liquid, which passage is open into an annular gap formed between the piston and the wall bounding the guiding opening. The passage may include a radial passage portion arranged to communicate with a liquid supplying conduit, and a distributing passage portion communicating with the radial passage portion.

Abstract: Crown corks are conveyed from a supply source along an aligning track to a helically shaped guide track and then on to a capping device. A conveying disc rotates about a central axis and has a planar surface extending transversely of the central axis adjacent to the guide track. The conveying disc moves individual crown corks from the aligning track through the guide track to receiving pockets in the capping device. The receiving pockets travel along a circular path which has a transfer point disposed tangentially to the circumferential edge of the planar surface of the conveying disc.

Abstract: In a bottle cleaning operation, bottles to be cleaned are introduced into a machine housing divided into a first housing and a separate second housing intercommunicating with one another through a bottle transfer section. Bottles are introduced into carrier compartments mounted on a first endless circulating chain in the first housing. After undergoing certain cleaning procedures in the first housing, the bottles are transferred into the second housing with the bottles passing in a free-falling manner from the first circulating chain. Within the second housing the cleaning operation is continued with the bottles held in carrier compartments on a second endless circulating chain. After being treated within the second housing, the bottles free-fall from the second circulating chain and return into the first housing for completing the cleaning operation before the bottles are discharged from the first housing.

Abstract: A container conveying device includes two conveyor wheels mounted for rotational movement for conveying containers along either one of a main path of movement for containers to be used later, or a shunt path of movement for containers to be removed and inspected or discarded. A pair of tongue members are mounted for pivotal movement in the vicinity of both of the wheels, one of the members conforming to the contours of the containers to engage and confine containers moving along either one of the paths. The other tongue member is adapted to engage and confine containers moving along at least the main path of movement.

Abstract: In cleaning plate-type filter elements in a tank filter, the tank is opened and a cleaning tube is placed upwardly around one of the downwardly extending filter elements providing an annular flow space along the length of the element. A seal member is located in the upper end of the cleaning tube to close off the upper end of the annular flow space. Pressurized cleaning fluid is supplied into the lower end of the tube where it flows upwardly through the annular space and then into the filter element to dislodge any contamination. The material displaced continues its flow through the filter element in the same direction as is taken by the fluid being filtered.

Abstract: A filling machine for filling of liquids into a container has a vessel and filling elements operatively connected with the liquid vessel and including a liquid input conduit, an advance and return gas conduit, and a pressure relief conduit. Elements for establishing a pressure difference between the interior of the container and the interior of the liquid vessel are provided, including a channel adapted to be maintained at a pressure which is lower than that in the liquid vessel and higher than that of the outer atmosphere, and a branch conduit communicating the interior of the container with the interior of this channel. A one-way valve is arranged in the branch conduit and is operative for closing the same when the pressure in the channel increases and opening the same when the pressure in the channel decreases relative to the pressure in the interior of the container.

Abstract: In cleaning plate-type filter elements in a tank filter, the tank is opened and a cleaning tube is placed upwardly around one of the downwardly extending filter elements providing an annular flow space along the length of the element. A seal member is located in the upper end of the cleaning tube to close off the upper end of the annular flow space. Pressurized cleaning fluid is supplied into the lower end of the tube where it flows upwardly through the annular space and then into the filter element to dislodge any contamination. The material displaced continues its flow through the filter element in the same direction as is taken by the fluid being filtered.