Pneumatic apparatus for a carousel filling machine

Abstract

 The cylinder-and-piston unit (G) which upwardly pushes the slide (11) with the gripper (14) for the raising of the bottles (B) is placed laterally to said slide and is provided on the opposite ends with coaxial connections, for example having the shape of stakes. The upper stake (117) is blind and is removably fixed to a lateral appendix (20) of the upper end of the slide. The lower stake (221) is axially hollow for the communication with the internal pressure chamber of the unit, and is removably coupled with a lateral seal in a hole communicating with a circuit (26) obtained in the lower and fixed portion (9) of the head. The circuit (26) is connected to a circuit (27) obtained onto the carousel and which by means of a rotating joint is connected to an external and fixed source (28) for the delivering of a fluid under pressure which pushes said unit in extension. To perform the maintenance of these cylinder-and-piston units (G), it is sufficient to cut-off the delivery of the fluid under pressure and to remove the end connections of each unit from the relative housing seat. The disassembled unit is opened with the extraction of its components (17,21), the worn seal (23) is substituted, the same components are coupled again, and with a rapid and simple operation every unit (G) is re-assembled onto the carousel.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to vertical axis carousel machines for filling bottles or other containers with liquid products. The peripheries of the carousels of these machines are fitted with equidistant heads, connected to the reservoir of liquid product with the interposition of a valve means the opening and closing of which is actuated by controls governed by a cam and which is oriented downwards with its own discharge mouth fitted with an annular gasket against which the mouth of the bottle to be filled is brought by command to cooperate coaxially and tight. A tube protrudes from the lower discharge mouth of the head and extends coaxially downwards and engages the bottle for a section of predetermined length, as the bottom end of this same tube itself determines the filling level of the liquid in the bottle. The tube makes the gas escape from the bottle while this is progressively filled with liquid and even before filling the same tube is often also used for putting gas under pressure, usually carbon dioxide, into the bottle, and is also useful for washing the inside of the bottle itself and for other purposes.

[0002] The heads which are referred to, usually extend upwardly with a cylindrical body, having a round section, inside which there are axially movable means for the axial activation of said tube (if required) and onto which there is slidably mounted a slide which carries fixed rods which extend downwardly and which support under the said head a gripper for the gripping of the neck of the bottle. Said slide is laterally provided with a roller which detects the shape of a cam usually with simple action, which is surmounting the same roller and cylinder-and-piston and fluid pressure means are provided to constantly upwardly push said slide, to ensure the contact of the said roller with the relative cam.

[0003] The prior art is oriented in the sense of the integration of the cylinder and piston means in the unit of the slide and of the body which guides the same, with the advantages in the reduction of the overall dimensions and in the constructive simplifications of the heads which are referred to. This solution, however, complicates in remarkably manner the maintenance of the said cylinder and piston means, which periodically necessitate the substitution of internal seal or gasket of the same piston. In order to substitute this simple seal it is necessary to dismount many components of the head, it is necessary the intervention of qualified technicians and the machine must remain inactive for a long time.

[0004] Object of the invention is to obviate these drawbacks with the following idea of solution. Said cylinder-and-piston unit is placed laterally to the slide and is provided onto the opposite ends, with co-axial connections, for example having the shape of stakes, the upper of which is blind and is removably fixed to a lateral appendix of the upper end of the slide, while the lower stake is axially hollow for the communication with the internal pressure chamber of the unit and is removably coupled and with lateral seal, in a hole communicating with a circuit obtained in the lower and fixed portion of the head and connected to a circuit obtained onto the carousel and which by means of a rotating joint and connected to an external and fixed source for delivering a fluid under pressure which pushes said unit into extension. To perform the maintenance of these cylinder-and-piston units, it is sufficient to remove the delivery of the fluid under pressure to the same and to remove the end connections of each unit from the relative housing seat. The disassembled unit is opened with the extraction of its components, the worn seal is substituted, the same components are coupled again and with a rapid a simple operation every unit is re-assembled onto the carousel.

[0005] Further characteristics of the invention, and the advantages which derive from it, will appear more evident from the following description made with reference to the figures in the two attached sheets of drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows laterally and with portions in section a filling head with the improvements to the elevation unit of the bottles;
• Figure 1 a shows laterally a different elevation unit of the bottles connected to a filling head and provided with the improvements which are referred to;
• Figures 2 and 3 show other details of the head of Figure 1, taken respectively according to the sections II - II and III - III.

[0006] In the Figures, reference numeral 1 indicates partially the carousel which is rotating around a vertical axis and onto the perimeter of which carries laterally fixed and with angular equal-spacing, by means of screws 2, the filling heads formed by a distributor box 3 having the shape of a parallelepiped, provided at the bottom with a discharging mouth 4 downwardly open, against which there is placed with lateral seal the mouth of the bottle B to be filled, in said box being housed the valve means intercepting the connection between said mouth 3 and the feeding duct 5 of the product P, obtained in the carousel 1. From the mouth 4 there is co-axially projecting the tube 6 which in the phase of filling engages the bottle B to determine in this the maximum level of the fed liquid. Reference numeral 7 indicates the external control of an air valve, not relevant for the understanding of the invention, which is driven by means of fixed portions during the rotation of the carousel 1.

[0007] On the box 3 there is fixed with screws 8 (Fig. 2) a flange 9 which on its turn carries fixed a tubular body 10, vertical and with rounded section which is completing the filling head in the operative connection with the feeding parts of the gas under pressure to the tube 6, to the axial displacement means of the same tube and to the driving parts of the valve placed in the box 3, means not considered here in their details because not necessary for the understanding of the invention. On the lower portion of the body 10 slides the tubular slide 11 which on the lower end carries an enlarged base 111 to which there may be fixed in 112 the upper end of a couple of vertical rods 12 which pass through guide holes 13 obtained in the flange 9 and which with the lower end carries the gripper means 14 for the gripping of the neck of the bottle B, for the raising of the same against the discharging mouth 4 of the head. For the vertical displacement of the slide 11 with the gripper 14 provide the rotation of the carousel 1 and one fixed and simple effect cam 15, with which co-operates a horizontal axis roller 16 laterally mounted on the base 111 of the same slide 11. Because of the simple effect shape of the cam 15, means must be provided to upwardly push the slide 111, in such a manner to maintain said roller 16 in contact with the control cam 15. According to the invention, these means are constituted by a cylinder and piston vertical unit G, placed laterally to the slide 11, in a distant position from the roller 16 in such a manner to not interfere with the cam 15. The unit G comprises an external cylindrical jacket 17, having rounded section, the upper end of which is closed and bell-shaped, and carries in integral manner a co-axial stake 117, having a rounded section, externally provided with an annular seat with a rubber O ring 18 which friction engages a hole 19 obtained in a base 20 provided with an annular portion with which is inserted and fixed with any suitable technique to the upper end of the slide 11. The jacket 17 has a height or length which is superior to the run C performed by the movable portions of the head in their operative movement (Fig. 1) and in the same jacket there is co-axially housed a rod 21, axially hollow, the upper end of which is externally enlarged as indicated with reference numeral 121, to realise a piston which is laterally provided with a seat for a guide ring 22, for example in suitable rigid plastics or other suitable material and which above this carries a seat for at least a lip annular seal 23, which is exposed to wear and which periodically must be substituted. Inside of the rod 21 there is housed (if required) a counteracting spring 24 with cylindrical spiral, with suitable features, which operates between the portions 21 and 17 and which simply has the function to maintain the unit G in the correct position, also without air under pressure in the relative feeding circuit (see further). When the unit G is in the retracted position, as shown in Figure 1 with continuous line, the rod 21 projects for a correct portion from the lower end of the jacket 17, with its lower end co-axially provided with a stake 221 which is axially hollow in order to communicate with internal pressure chamber of the unit G and which is externally provided with an annular seat for a rubber O ring 25, in such a manner that the same stake engages with lateral seal a vertically hollow and open upwardly hole, obtained in the flange 9 and which constitutes the terminal portion of a circuit 26 obtained in the same flange, open on the side of this toward the carousel 1 and communicating with a distribution annular chamber and/or with a duct 27 placed onto the carousel 1 and in its turn connected with a centralized source 28 for the feeding of compressed air at pre-established and constant values of pressure, through a rotating distributor (not illustrated) placed for example onto the vertical axis of the same carousel, the whole in a manner which is conceivable and easily realisable by the persons skilled in the art. The air under pressure which arrives from the duct 26, passes through the axial cavity of the stake 221 and enters in the internal seal chamber of the unit G which in such manner is pushed in extension to raise the slide 11 and to maintain the roller 16 in the requested co-operation with the cam 15.

[0008] It is clear how, in absence of air under pressure in the circuit 26 and when the heads are at the level of the raising station of the gripper 14, only by operating with the hands or with a gripper which may be given in the kit, it is easy to press the units G in opposition to their weak internal spring 24, with the short run necessary to extract the stakes 117 and 221 from their seats so as to remove the units G from the carousel, to proceed to the substitution of their internal gasket 23. Once the gasket is substituted, the inverse operation is repeated and the units G are re-assembled in their seat, the whole with an easy, quick procedure which can be performed also by personnel not qualified, because it is not necessary to operate onto other portions of the heads and of the filling machine. It is to be understood that in the field of the invention there is comprised also that embodiment not shown in the drawings, according to which the G unit is fed not through one of its end axial stakes, but through an external lateral duct, flexible for example, provided at the ends with screw connections or with quick and removable connection couplings to the delivery circuit of the air under pressure.

[0009] The internal chamber of the unit G which is placed under the piston with the sliding and seal gaskets 22, 23, is downwardly open and is automatically protected from the inlet of foreign particles. However, it is to be understood that, if required, the unit G may be reversed with the rod upwardly oriented and that said chamber may be differently upwardly open, with axial opening of the stake 117 and with closing of the stake 221 and/or it is to be understood that this same chamber may be protected, for hygienically reasons, by applying by means of snap, screw or other technique, onto the lower end of the jacket 17, of an annular cap and of porous material, not illustrated in the drawings because easily conceivable by the persons skilled in the art. The improvements which are referred to must be intended as protected also for the groups of filling heads illustrated in the Figure 1 a, in which the bottle B is raised by the bottom by means of a plate 14' carried by an arm 114 integral to a slide 11' which runs onto a vertical guide10 disconnected from the filling head (not illustrated in Figure 1a) and integral to the carousel 1 of the filling machine, said slide being laterally provided with a roller 16 which is pushed against the cam 15 (as from the solution of Figure 1) by means of the cylinder and piston unit G, acting between the appendices 211 of the slide 11' and 110 of the guide 10'. The feeding circuit 29 for the air under pressure to the seat 26 in which there is placed the lower stake 221 of the unit G, is now longitudinally obtained in the guide 10' and in its lower appendices 110, as indicated with dotted line. A dowel 30 and a fork 31 may be used to fix in removable manner the upper stake 117 and the lower stake 221 of the unit G to the relative appendices 211, 110. The fork 31 tangentially engages with a lower annular groove of the rod 21 and with its lower appendix is fixed with a screw to the appendix 110.

Claims

1. Pneumatic apparatus for vertical carousel filling machines, provided on the periphery with equidistant filling heads which extend upwardly with a cylindrical and vertical body inside of which there are axially movable means for the axial activation of the filling level tube (6), for the connection of this latter with the delivery of the gas under pressure and the means for the actuation of the interception valve of the duct (5) for the feeding of the liquid product and in which for every filling head there are provided relative vertical guide means (10, 10') upon which is running a slide (11, 11') which carries the gripper or the plate (14, 14') for the raising and the lowering of the bottle during the filling phase and which is provided laterally with a roller (16) which detects the shape of a surmounting annular and fixed cam (15), and in which means are provided to constantly upwardly push said slide (11, 11'), to ensure the contact of the said roller with said cam, characterised by the fact that said means comprise a cylinder-and-piston unit (G) laterally and externally placed with respect to said slide, coupled or removably fixed with its upper end to a part (18, 211) connected to the said slide (11, 11'), and coupled or removably fixed with its lower end to a part (9, 110) connected to the carousel (1) and provided with a removable and preferably quick type connection to a feeding circuit (28) obtained in the carousel (1) and which through a rotating coupling is connected to a source for the delivery of the air at correct values of pressure, which pushes said unit (G) in extension and the said slide (11, 11') upwardly, the whole being provided with the object to allow a quick removal and installation of said cylinder and piston unit during every phase of maintenance of the filling heads.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised by the fact that the said cylinder and piston unit (G) is provided onto the opposite ends of the jacket (17) and of its rod (21) with removable coupling or fixing means to the support portions, with the lower means made by a co-axial stake (221) which is axially hollow for the communication with the internal pressure chamber of the unit and which is prearranged to be removably inserted and with lateral seal in a hole communicating with the feeding circuit (26,29) for the air under pressure obtained in the fixed portion (9, 10') of the head.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the cylinder and piston (G) unit is superiorly provided with an axial and blind stake (117), coupled or removably fixed to a lateral appendix (20, 211) of the upper end of the slide (11, 11').

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the lower and axially hollow stake (221) is externally provided with an annular seat with a rubber O ring (25) which co-operates with lateral seal with the hole of the circuit (26) for the feeding of the air under pressure.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that also the upper and blind hole (117) is externally provided with an annular seat which houses a rubber O ring (18), to ensure a correct friction-cooperation between the same stake and the relative housing hole (19),

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the upper and blind stake (117) is removably fixed to the relative support appendix (20, 211) with a threaded and perpendicular dowel (30) while the lower stake (221) of the same cylinder and piston unit (G) is fixed to the relative support portion (9, 10') by means of a fork with screw (31).

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the cylinder and piston unit (G) is provided with a cylindrical screw spring (24) preferably arranged at the interior, which urges the same in extension with a strength which is sufficient at least to maintain the same unit in the correct position also in absence of air under pressure in the relative feeding duct (26).

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the chamber not under pressure of the cylinder and piston unit (G), chamber which is interposed between the external jacket (17) and the rod (21) of the same unit, is freely open in the atmosphere with its lower end and is therefore downwardly oriented in such a manner to be protected against the inlet of foreign bodies.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the cylinder and piston unit (G) is upwardly oriented with the rod and the chamber not under pressure which is interposed between the external jacket (17) and the rod (21) of said unit, is freely open in the atmosphere with its upper end, in such a manner that the said chamber may retain at its inside lubrication material of the piston-and-cylinder unit and the particles of material produced by the relative sliding of the portions which compose the same unit.

10. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the chamber not in pressure of the piston and cylinder unit (G) chamber which is interposed between the external jacket (17) and the rod (21) of the same unit, may be closed onto its end which is freely open to the atmosphere, with a cap of porous material for example screwed or snap-fixed or with other removable means onto the open end of the said jacket (17).

Drawing