Abstract: A sanitary pump with gear shaft bearing blocks in opposed cylindrical portions of a pump body bore, blocks constituting hand removable structural pump ends. Gear shaft bearings extending completely through blocks for easy cleaning, sealed by O-rings and clamp plates. Oval gear cavity bore between cylindrical portions of body bore extends only length of largest of interchangeable gears. Seals at end of gear cavity eliminate entrapment zones. Minimal intrusion of bearing blocks into gear cavity allows large operating temperature range. Shaft seals are contained in a hand removable cartridge. Complete pump disassembly by one manually operated clamp. Gear shaft diameters differ assuring correct assembly. Mount receives pump, tie rods sealing pump and securing to mount. Mount allows pump removal without changing pump-drive alignment. Pin and groove engagement of pump to mount allows 90° interval pump ports orientation. Pump displacement is altered with interchangeable gears and drive end bearing blocks.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the high speed dispensing of all beverages, and particularly carbonated beverages. The major elements of the device include a main flow control valve (3) coupled to a pressurized container (1) such as a beer keg, a positive shut-off filling nozzle (10), a pressure control valve (7) associated with the filling nozzle, and requisite control electronics and actuators to establish a dispenser operating sequence.

Abstract: A sanitary design gear pump in which two gear shaft bearing blocks constitute hand removable structural end bodies of the pump. The gear shaft bearing journals extend completely through the blocks for easy cleaning and are sealed by O-rings retained by simple clamp plates. Gear cavity bore extends only the length of the largest gears, among interchangeable gear sizes. Bearing block to gear cavity seals are located at the ends of the gear bore to eliminate entrapment zones, minimal intrusion of the bearing blocks into the gear cavity allowing a large pump operating temperature range. Shaft seals of many different types can be contained in a simple hand removable cartridge. Complete pump disassembly is by one manually operated tee-handled clamp fastener. The drive and driven gear shafts are of different diameters to aid and assure correct assembly. The assembled pump slides into a pump mount with integral tie rods sealing the pump and securing it to the mount.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a method and apparatus providing for the continuous stream blending, preferably on a mass ratio basis, of two or more liquids. Each individual liquid stream is synchronously dosed in precise mass ratio to a common mixing point. The flow of each stream is on-off or digital. Repeated mass ratio doses of defined and matching flow interval, referred to as synchronous digital flow, interspersed with a defined interval of no flow, constitutes digital flow at a net rate sufficient to meet or exceed some required take-away of the blended liquids. In one preferred embodiment, each dose stream flow is produced and measured by a four element apparatus preferably consisting of a servo motor and controller, a precision positive displacement pump, a Coriolis mass meter and a precision flow stream shut-off device. The servo motor and controller establish and control a periodic and intermittent flow rate necessary to displace a defined mass dose in a precisely defined flow interval.

Abstract: Liquid filling apparatus and method of producing a fill or dose of a defined quantity of liquid based upon the mass of the liquid. In one embodiment, a servo motor driven rotary positive displacement pump is used to produce flow through a Coriolis mass flow meter to feed a positive shut-off filling nozzle, wherein mass flow data from the meter is used to control the servo motor-pump-nozzle to produce a precise fill dose of liquid based upon its mass.

Abstract: A filling machine (10) for filling into containers (30), by volume, weight, or level, of products requiring maintenance of a specified temperature. The filling machine includes a product reservoir (14), a filling nozzle (16), a pump (22) and suitable tubes (26, 28) for controlling the flow of product from the reservoir to the nozzle. The above parts are disposed within a double walled enclosure (62). A conveyor (44) having an upper flight (44.2) which supports containers (30) to be filled via the filling nozzle enters and exits the enclosure. A heater (138) is located outside of the enclosure and is connected to the enclosure through an insulated air duct (130) so that forced hot air may be used for heating the enclosure. A heat sensor (158) is provided within the enclosure for controlling the flow of air into the enclosure and also for regulating the output of the heater. The enclosure is provided with two aligned doors (96, 98), and when these doors are opened a blow down cycle is initiated.

Abstract: A diaphragm valve suitable for use as filling nozzle cut-off valve in the container filling industry. The valve includes a valve head (18) having a operational surface (62) provided with a centrally located shallow recessed portion (64) and an air hole (68) extending to the recessed portion. The valve further includes a valve body (16) having a smooth surface disposed in alignment with the operational surface of the valve head, inlet and outlet ports (24, 26, respectively), and spaced apart inlet and outlet passageways (36, 38, respectively) extending respectively from the inlet and outlet ports to inlet and outlet passageway openings (36a, 38a, respectively) in the area of the smooth surface opposite the recessed portion of the valve head, the inlet and outlet passageway openings being arranged in two columns symmetrical with the center of the smooth surface.