Beverage filling plant for filling beverage containers with a beverage having a device for the feeding and removal of beverage containers
First Claim
1. A beverage container filling plant for filling beverage containers, such as beverage bottles, beverage kegs, beverage barrels, beverage drums, and beverage cans, with a liquid beverage, said beverage container filling plant comprising:
- a rotatable beverage container cleaning machine being configured and disposed to clean empty beverage containers;
a feed arrangement to supply empty beverage containers to said beverage container cleaning machine;
a rotatable beverage container filling machine being configured and disposed to fill empty beverage containers with liquid beverage material;
said beverage container filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage container filling devices for filling beverage containers with liquid beverage material;
at least one storage unit being configured and disposed to store a supply of liquid beverage material;
at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one storage unit to said beverage container filling machine to supply liquid beverage material to said beverage container filling machine;
a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine into said beverage container filling machine;
said first conveyer arrangement comprising;
a first linear conveyor device to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine to said beverage container filling machine;
a first output star wheel structure to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine to said first conveyor device; and
a first input star wheel structure to move empty beverage containers from said first conveyor device into said beverage container filling machine;
a rotatable beverage container closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled beverage containers;
a second conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine into said beverage container closing machine;
said second conveyer arrangement comprising;
a second linear conveyor device to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine to said beverage container closing machine;
a second output star wheel structure to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine to said second conveyor device; and
a second input star wheel structure to move filled beverage containers from said second conveyor device into said beverage container closing machine;
a rotatable beverage container labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage containers;
a third conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine into said beverage container labeling machine;
said third conveyer arrangement comprising;
a third linear conveyor device to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine to said beverage container labeling machine;
a third output star wheel structure to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine to said third conveyor device; and
a third input star wheel structure to move filled, closed beverage containers from said third conveyor device into said beverage container labeling machine;
each of said star wheel structures comprises projecting star arms or prisms being configured to be brought at least partly in contact with beverage containers and to be adjusted to accommodate different beverage containers; and
said star arms or prisms being configured to be driven independently and to be adjusted to accommodate different beverage container diameters by adjustment of their rotational position with reference to at least one of;
the center of the beverage container, the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the beverage container, and the required position of the beverage container in one of said beverage container filling, closing, and labeling machines.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material having a device for the feeding and removal of containers, in particular for the feeding of upright kegs, barrels, cans, bottles and similar containers from a conveyor belt to a linear conveyor or revolving carousel turntable or also for the return of said containers to a removal conveyor belt with a star wheel, the star pockets of which or the arms of which can be brought at least partly in contact with the container and which are realized so that they can be adjusted to accommodate different containers The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
21 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A beverage container filling plant for filling beverage containers, such as beverage bottles, beverage kegs, beverage barrels, beverage drums, and beverage cans, with a liquid beverage, said beverage container filling plant comprising:
-
a rotatable beverage container cleaning machine being configured and disposed to clean empty beverage containers;
a feed arrangement to supply empty beverage containers to said beverage container cleaning machine;
a rotatable beverage container filling machine being configured and disposed to fill empty beverage containers with liquid beverage material;
said beverage container filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage container filling devices for filling beverage containers with liquid beverage material;
at least one storage unit being configured and disposed to store a supply of liquid beverage material;
at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one storage unit to said beverage container filling machine to supply liquid beverage material to said beverage container filling machine;
a first conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine into said beverage container filling machine;
said first conveyer arrangement comprising;
a first linear conveyor device to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine to said beverage container filling machine;
a first output star wheel structure to move empty beverage containers from said beverage container cleaning machine to said first conveyor device; and
a first input star wheel structure to move empty beverage containers from said first conveyor device into said beverage container filling machine;
a rotatable beverage container closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled beverage containers;
a second conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine into said beverage container closing machine;
said second conveyer arrangement comprising;
a second linear conveyor device to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine to said beverage container closing machine;
a second output star wheel structure to move filled beverage containers from said beverage container filling machine to said second conveyor device; and
a second input star wheel structure to move filled beverage containers from said second conveyor device into said beverage container closing machine;
a rotatable beverage container labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage containers;
a third conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine into said beverage container labeling machine;
said third conveyer arrangement comprising;
a third linear conveyor device to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine to said beverage container labeling machine;
a third output star wheel structure to move filled, closed beverage containers from said beverage container closing machine to said third conveyor device; and
a third input star wheel structure to move filled, closed beverage containers from said third conveyor device into said beverage container labeling machine;
each of said star wheel structures comprises projecting star arms or prisms being configured to be brought at least partly in contact with beverage containers and to be adjusted to accommodate different beverage containers; and
said star arms or prisms being configured to be driven independently and to be adjusted to accommodate different beverage container diameters by adjustment of their rotational position with reference to at least one of;
the center of the beverage container, the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the beverage container, and the required position of the beverage container in one of said beverage container filling, closing, and labeling machines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. Device for the feeding and removal of containers, in particular for the feeding of upright barrels, cans, bottles and similar containers from a conveyor belt to a linear conveyor or revolving carousel turntable or also for the return of said containers to a removal conveyor belt with a star wheel, the star pockets of which or the arms of which can be brought at least partly in contact with the container and which are realized so that they can be adjusted to accommodate different containers, characterized by the fact that the pushing and/or centering arms or prisms (2, 2′
- , 8) of the star wheel (1) can be driven independently, and their rotational position can be adjusted to the different container diameter by rotational adjustment with reference to the center of the container, to the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the container and to the required position of the container (4) in the machine.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification