Abstract: A clean-in-place filling machine which includes a supply tank connected to a filling nozzle by a filling unit and additionally a flush tank connected to a pump or drain outlet by a valve. A programmable controller operates the machine to fill a container with product from the supply tank via the filling unit and the nozzle, and performs a clean-in-place with a pre-rinse, a wash and a final rinse. The initial rinse is performed by rinsing with a rinsing fluid introduced into the supply tank and exiting the drain outlet via the filling unit, the nozzle, the flush tank and the valve. This is followed by washing with cleaning fluid from the flush tank via the valve, the pump, the supply tank, the filling unit and the nozzle back to the flush tank. This is a closed loop wherein the pressure is provided by the pump and the filling unit is operated to drain the supply tank.

Abstract: A filling and capping machine including a computer controlled turret having a plurality of pockets for positioning a plurality of containers to at least a fill position and a capping position along the turret's path. The controller programmably positions the turret to these positions for variations of the locations of the pockets on the turret and accommodates for variations in the size and number of the container pockets and the type of fill product and type of containers. The controller also controls the position of the filling unit for the type of fill product as well as controlling the positioning of the filling unit and the capping unit for variations in the type of container. The controller uses a combination of servo motors and fluid motors to vertically and rotationally position the elements.

Abstract: A metering pump wherein the head is provided with internal threads terminating adjacent to internal shoulders at each of the pump cylinder, inlet valve and outlet valve ports. The cylinder, inlet valve and outlet valve each include a flange secured to the shoulder by a collar threadably received in each of the ports. O-rings are provided in a circumferential groove in the body or cylinder of the pump inlet valves and outlet valves downstream of the flange. A piston pump structure includes a bushing mounted to the piston rod between the piston head and a second breakaway stop connected to the piston rod. The piston head includes a plurality of circumferential grooves for receiving respectively a cup seal or an O-ring seal. A suck-back mechanism is provided in a bore in the head and includes a stem having an eccentric cam which interacts with the valve structure to adjust the degree of closure by rotation of the stem.

Abstract: A filling machine including a manifold having a supply inlet and supply outlet and one or more nozzles connected to the manifold by individual time controlled valves. A circulation system is provided connecting a supply and the manifold for continuously circulating liquid through the manifold from the supply inlet to overflow the supply outlet such that the supply outlet determines the liquid level in the manifold and the head pressure at one or more nozzles. The manifold is structured to have a manifold section with a supply inlet on the manifold section and a stand pipe connected to the manifold section. The stand pipe includes the supply outlet and is vented to atmosphere. By varying the height of the stand pipe or the location of the outlet, the level within the manifold and the head pressure at the nozzles is adjusted. For sequential filling, bulk fill nozzles are controlled by a single timer and one or more fine fill nozzles are controlled by individual timers.

Abstract: A filling machine wherein a lost motion mechanism is provided with a counteracting element to counteract forces between the driver and the filling unit to assure that the lost motion mechanism operates with lost motion. The counteracting element is provided between the lost motion mechanism and the driver and is operable during the suction stroke and inoperable during the discharge stroke.

Abstract: A volume control for a multi-nozzle rotary pump filling system in which a plurality of rotary pumps are driven from a common drive. Each pump is connected with its own nozzle by way of a connection that includes a volume control operable to adjust the back pressure on the rotary pump to thereby vary the amount of product dispensed by the nozzle. In case of more viscous products, a by-pass line which includes a relief valve is also provided between the inlet side of the control unit and the in-feed side of the pump.

Abstract: A capping machine in which open containers are successively brought to a capping station where a respective container is held against rotation to permit closing of the open container by rotating movement of a cap fed from a reservoir to a pick-up station; a head frame assembly of the machine includes a spindle assembly carrying a chuck at the lower spindle end and drivingly connected by way of an adjustable clutch and by way of a positive drive connection with a driving motor; additionally, the spindle assembly includes a double-acting pneumatic cylinder to cause reciprocation of the spindle in its axial direction; the various components of the head frame assembly are balanced about a pivot shaft on which they are mounted for pivot movement in unison so that the actuating force for pivoting the head frame assembly can be kept relatively small; in operation, the head frame assembly is pivoted from a capping position where the chuck is in alignment with the open end of the container, into a pick-up position whe

Abstract: A filling nozzle valve structure, with a first housing member provided with a chamber-like recess terminating in an outlet bore, an annular diaphragm member in the bottom of the recess, a valving member operable to engage with the diaphragm, and a second housing member operable to be screwed together with said first housing member and holding said valving member in place within the recess; the valving member is provided with a central bore extending therethrough and with two annular diaphragm-engaging surfaces spaced in the radial direction and leaving therebetween discharge bores in communication with the central bore; the outer annular surface thereby engages with the outer area of the annular diaphragm member so as to prestress the same in the flow direction to thereby cause the inner area of the annular diaphragm to deflect in the opposite direction and thereby engage with the inner annular surface of the valving member whereby the valve structure is closed; a predetermined pressure on the diaphragm will

Abstract: An improved filling machine with tandem-operated diaphragm filling units is disclosed. The filling machine comprises a plurality of individual filling units operated in common from a common drive bar.

Abstract: A self-pressurizing pinch valve is disclosed which is suitable for controlling the flow of liquid in a filling machine for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid. The pinch valve comprises a flexible hose for conveying the liquid, a chamber defined about at least a portion of the flexible hose, the flexible hose being adapted to be pinched in the chamber for valving the flow of liquid therethrough, and a valve arrangement responsive to movement of the flexible hose for controlling the pressure in the chamber so that it substantially balances the internal pressure in the hose.

Abstract: A filling machine for filling containers with an accurately predetermined amount of a fluid product in which a flow meter for accurately measuring the flow rate of a fluid product fed to a filling nozzle is provided in the feed line leading to such nozzle which generates signals in its output indicative of the amount of flow; the signals are counted in a counter which causes the feed line to be shut off when a predetermined programmed number of pulses has been reached. The counter is reset automatically by an indexing device which indicates that the filled container has left the filling position and a new container has arrived in the filling position; resetting of the counter causes the vavle to reopen, thereby restarting the filling operation.

Abstract: A filling machine for filling containers with a fluid product by the use of filling nozzles with two substantially parallel filling channels which are formed in part by two separate conveyors, with a vacuum filling mechanism connected with the filling nozzles, with a support for the filling nozzles, with a mechanism for lowering and raising the nozzle support and therewith the filling nozzles into and out of containers held stationary under the filling nozzles, with an indexing mechanism for determining the correct number of containers to be filled at the same time in a respective channel during a given filling operation while held stationary in their filling positions, with a reciprocating mechanism for the nozzle support to alternately place the filling nozzles over the containers to be filled in one channel and after completion of the filling operation to move the nozzle support over the other channel to fill the containers which have been brought into filling position in the meantime in the other channel

Abstract: An automatic high-speed filling machine with lowerable nozzles for simultaneously filling a predetermined number of containers, in which the control of the machine is transferred to the star wheel of the indexing mechanism, when the star wheel is released after completion of the filling operation; the drive actuating the filling units is thereby stopped while the star wheel performs its indexing function during rotation thereof.

Abstract: A stoppering machine is disclosed which includes an inclined rotatable member which contacts a supply of stoppers for selectively arranging and feeding the stoppers to a stopper inserting device where they are inserted into the openings of successively presented containers such as bottles. An arrangement is also disclosed wherein the stoppers are guided to and supported at a position immediately over the openings of the successively presented containers for insertion into the openings of said containers by the inserting device. Further, an arrangement is disclosed for blocking the movement of the stoppers being guided to the aforementioned position when the inserting device inserts the stoppers into the openings of the successively supplied containers.

Abstract: A suck-back arrangement for a sanitary filling unit in which a threaded adjusting member adapted to be selectively moved into and out of the path of the valve member of the outlet valve assembly is in threaded engagement only with a support member disposed externally of the outlet valve assembly while an unthreaded portion of the adjusting member extends into an unthreaded bore of the outlet valve housing so that no threaded parts are exposed to or come in contact with the product dispensed by the filling unit.

Abstract: A volume-adjusting mechanism for a filling machine adapted to fill a number of containers with a predetermined amount of a product from a corresponding number of filling units; to enable a volume adjustment while the machine is running, the part of the filling unit normally connected with a relatively fixed part of the filling machine includes a selectively adjustable lost motion volume-adjusting mechanism to permit adjustment of the suction and discharge stroke of the filling unit.

Abstract: A fine adjusting mechanism for a number of individual filling units of a high-speed filling machine, operated in tandem from a common drive, which provides an adjustable lost motion between a common drive bar and the pivotal connection with the piston rod of a respective filling unit; the lost motion is adjustable by screwing an adjusting member more or less into the path of the sliding movements of a bearing member sliding in an elongated slot of a swivel member.

Abstract: A filling machine for filling several containers with predetermined amounts of a product in which the several filling units are actuated by a common driving member; the common driving member itself is actuated by two eccentric drive mechanisms each including a volume-changing adjusting mechanism of the lead screw type; the eccentric drive mechanisms are adapted to be stopped in a predetermined position by a volume-changing stoppage device to enable the installation of an interconnecting member between the two volume-changing adjusting mechanisms to assure identical adjustments.

Abstract: An indexing system for filling machines used to fill small containers transported on an endless conveyor belt, which includes a container-driven star-wheel, a member preventing the free rotation of the star-wheel and a cam-operated control for enabling and disabling the free, container-driven rotation of the star-wheel.

Abstract: A high-speed filling machine for filling a fluid product into small containers, in which a continuously moving conveyor belt brings empty containers to their filling position underneath filling nozzles, where the empty containers are held stationary by an indexing mechanism while the filling nozzles are lowered into the empty containers, the fluid product is discharged into the containers and upon completion of discharge stroke of the filling units, the nozzles are again raised whereafter the indexing mechanism will release the filled containers for further movement by the conveyor belt; the single channel from the inlet end thereby branches out into two parallel channels upstream of the filling station, each provided with its own indexing mechanism, while a nozzle support structure which raises and lowers the filling nozzles into the containers, is also adapted to reciprocate so that alternately the empty containers in one channel and then in the other channel are filled.