With Head, Manifold Or Supply Lowering Means Patents (Class 141/181)
  • Patent number: 5226462
    Abstract: Introducing a measured amount of a liquid into receptacles in a microtiter plate includes locating receptacles in register with the liquid supply. The liquid supply includes pistons and cylinders operated by a stepper motor for adjustable measured and controllable incremental delivery of amounts of liquid simultaneously to the receptacles. A liquid source is located below the support for the receptacles and the receptacles are transversely moveable on a conveyor away from a filling station so that the liquid can be obtained from the liquid source. Pneumatic means moves both the cylinders and the pistons in the liquid supply upwardly and downwardly relative to the receptacles and the liquid source. The stepper motor moves the pistons upwardly and downwardly relative to the receptacles and liquid source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Inventor: Richard A. Carl
  • Patent number: 5213140
    Abstract: A drum is filled with two liquids of different densities which are immiscible when combined, such as white phosphorus and water. The drum is positioned on a scale beneath a fill pipe. An actuator lowers the fill pipe into the drum. A quantity of water is injected, followed by a quantity of white phosphorus, followed by a quantity of water to rinse the fill pipe. The fill pipe is raised just out of the liquids and allowed to drip, and then is fully raised to enable the filled drum to be replaced by an empty drum. The white phosphorus is injected at varying flow rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Atochem
    Inventors: Michel Miscevic, Claude Cochet
  • Patent number: 5067531
    Abstract: A bench top volumetric container filler is provided and consists of a mechanism to pump a predetermined amount of fluid from a reservoir into a container by using a volumetric piston pump operated by a vertical pump driving cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Inventor: Kenneth Herzog
  • Patent number: 5035270
    Abstract: An automatic conveyorized volumetric container filler is provided and consists of a mechanism to pump a predetermined amount of fluid from a reservoir into containers by using volumetric piston pumps operated by a pump drive cylinder. The containers are automatically conveyed to a plurality of filling nozzles for receiving the fluid therefrom so that after the containers are filled, they can be conveyed away to be capped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Herzog
  • Patent number: 4942910
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for making a shaped frozen confection. The apparatus has a plurality of nozzles for extruding the shaped confection in a variety of contoured shapes. The nozzles simultaneously move in a vertical direction and circularly in a horizontal direction, thereby moving in a spiral path to produce a spirally-shaped frozen confection. A variety of differently shaped frozen confections can be made by varying the rate of extrusion from the nozzles, or the rate or direction of vertical movement of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Fantasy Flavors Inc.
    Inventor: Akimitsu Hamamura
  • Patent number: 4921022
    Abstract: For filling insulating glass with a special gas, a probe (17) that can be introduced through an opening (25) in the spacer (26) for filling with the special gas, and a device (19) for sealing the opening(s) (25, 27) in the spacer (26) after completion of the filling process are arranged on a joint component (16) on the outlet side of a platen press (1, 2) for applying pressure to the glass plates of the insulating glass. The component (16) can be displaced from a readiness position wherein it is arranged below the conveying route (3, 13) for the insulating glass into a first operative position wherein the probe (17) is associated with the filling openings (25) in the spacer (26) and into a second operative position wherein the device for sealing the openings, which device preferably comprises filling nozzles (19) for feeding sealing compound (28) into the openings to be sealed, is associated with the openings (25, 27) in the spacer (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: Peter Lisec
  • Patent number: 4915147
    Abstract: Apparatus for filling fluid products into container which comprises at least one feed line connectable with a reservoir for fluid products and a filling valve connects to the feed line. The filling valve comprises a tubular portion connected with the feed line. The tubular portion comprises, at its free end, a lateral end wall and an aperture. A slide sleeve is reciprocated by a positioning device and is movable coaxially of the tubular portion between open and closed positions. In its closed position, the slide sleeve sealingly engages the end wall to closed the aperture of the tubular portion. In its open position, the slide sleeve opens the aperture for product flow. Means are provided to lower the filling valve into a filling opening of a container positioned underneath the filling valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Dover Corporation
    Inventor: Hubert Skibowski
  • Patent number: 4848421
    Abstract: Pouch filling apparatus having a horizontal rotatable drum, an inclined spout plate rotatably mounted above the drum and a metering wheel mounted above the spout plate. A plurality of duck bill spouts are mounted on the spout plate and a plurality of cams are mounted on the drum. The duck bill spouts carry cam followers that engage the cams as the inclined spout plate moves the spouts downwardly with respect to the drum that carries the cams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: R. A. Jones & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Froese, Mark A. Leonhardt, Michael J. Roy
  • Patent number: 4688608
    Abstract: A filling valve mechanism for cans is presented. The valve includes a sleeve slidably mounted on a pair of pins and limited in downward motion by means of a stop. The sleeve carries an O-ring circumferentially thereabout for engaging within the throat of a container or can to be filled. The O-ring is of slightly greater diameter than the throat of the can such that sealing engagement is achieved. Also carried on the sleeve is a resilient compressible stripping member adapted for engaging the mouth of the can. The stripping member compresses against the mouth of the can, short of full compression by virtue of the limited downward movement of the sleeve against the stop. After the can is filled, the stripping member urges the O-ring from the throat of the can while holding the can in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Figgie International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley J. Puskarz, Herbert S. Shalit, Shiva S. Singh
  • Patent number: 4674547
    Abstract: The container filling device includes a first piston slidably mounted within a first cylinder for raising and lowering a nozzle into and out of operative engagement with a container to be filled. A sealing ring is mounted on the lower end of the first piston for sealing engagement with the rim of a container to be filled and a passage is provided for allowing gas pressure within the container to enter the bottom of the first cylinder to provide a pressure differential on the first piston depending upon the diameter of the container. A second piston is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocating movement within a second cylinder and is operatively connected to the first piston. First and second pneumatic pressure supplies are connected to the second cylinder above and below the second piston for regulating the pressure applied between the sealing ring on the first piston and the rim of a container being filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Inventor: Andriano Simonazzi
  • Patent number: 4494583
    Abstract: An improved bung alignment mechanism for liquid filling apparatus is characterized by an infrared sensor which aligns the vertical axis of the filling lance and bung. The apparatus includes a wheeled carriage which moves along a stanchion, the carriage being operatively associated with the filling lance. A wiper ring assembly, a drip collection assembly, and a fume disposal assembly which contains or entraps substantially all sources of fume generation are also provided as part of the filler apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Assignee: Velasco Scale Company
    Inventors: Robert H. Reeves, Jr., Don G. Chandler, H. A. Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 4359072
    Abstract: Associated with a horizontal pouch making machine for packaging a free flowing granular product between webs of flexible packaging material is a product lay down mechanism operable for receiving measured amounts of the product and depositing it in precisely defined areas of one of the webs being processed and in a flattened configuration such as to minimize the amount of packaging material required to contain said product. A product shaping member contacting the web surface during a dwell in the web feed cycle is formed with apertures which in combination with the web define cavities or molds which shape each deposit of product delivered thereto into the desired configuration having uniform height over substantially the entire surface area of the web portion upon which it is laid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1982
    Assignee: General Foods Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Bardsley, William M. Marks
  • Patent number: 4313476
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: National Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Bennett, Lawrence W. Buckley
  • Patent number: 4306595
    Abstract: A device for loading a dosage layer of material, preferably concrete, at a laying-down position for manufacturing tiles and the like comprising, a conveyor for supplying a continuous layer of the material, a bell having a diaphragm and edges surrounding the diaphragm defining a dosage space for receiving a dosage layer of the material and a driving unit for driving the bell to move it into engagement with the continuous layer on the conveyor to receive a dosage layer of material in the dosage space. A suction pump is connected to the interior of the bell for establishing an underpressure therein so that the dosage layer of material is held by suction in the dosage space. A plurality of the bells may be provided on a single turret so that one dosage layer of material is being drawn up while another dosage layer of material is being laid down at another location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Centro di Ricerca Enrico Longinotti Firenze S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alfredo Longinotti
  • Patent number: 4294294
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: National Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard N. Bennett
  • Patent number: 4142561
    Abstract: A filling machine for filling containers with a product that is not liquid at normal room temperature, in which the filling nozzle or nozzles to be lowered into a respective container as well as the associated filling units are housed within a temperature-controlled chamber, in which the temperature is maintained such that the product supplied in liquid condition remains in substantially liquid condition during its passage through the filling unit and discharge nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Assignee: National Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Bennett, Lawrence W. Buckley
  • Patent number: 4094344
    Abstract: An apparatus for mending surface irregularities of wooden plates such as those of plywood is provided. Recesses on a plate are automatically filled with putty by this apparatus. Putty is pressurized and the filling of the recesses therewith is controlled by a plurality of needles provided to detect these recesses. In this way, irregularities on a plate are effectively and automatically smoothed regardless of their shape or size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1978
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuji Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 4073322
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: National Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Nelson Bennett
  • Patent number: 4000765
    Abstract: A container-filling machine having a cut-off valve positioned above the container to be filled and a retractable filler spout movable down through said valve to the bottom of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: Simplex Filler Co.
    Inventor: George C. Lydiksen
  • Patent number: RE32074
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: National Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard N. Bennett