MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY FILLING MEASURED QUANTITIES OF MATERIALS

• US 3,794,087 A
• Filed: 12/14/1970
• Issued: 02/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eduardo Victor Spano, Noem Mabel Campiani, Oscar Pedro Gonzalez, Otilia Sueiro
• Original Assignee: Eduardo Victor Spano, Noem Mabel Campiani, Oscar Pedro Gonzalez, Otilia Sueiro
• Inventors: Spano, Eduardo Victor, Sueiro, Otilia, Gonzalez, Oscar Pedro, Campiani, Noem Mabel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Jr., Houston S.
• Application Number:
  US05/097,925
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 141/129-191,258-262,248
• US Class Current: 141/131
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/38 by pistons co-operating with measuring chambers

Abstract

Improved machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products, into containers; comprising a feeding or dosing mechanism with a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, preferably in the form of cylinders with reciprocable plungers therein, and means for alternately filling the receiving members by way of a valve which has a partition-shaped valve element therein; means for transporting the containers to a filling position, and for elevating them one by one, for receiving the dosed materials from a discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine in an orderly and continuous manner.

Claims

1. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination:

means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle;

means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities;

means for discharging the dosed materials into containers;

means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means;

means for trans-porting the containers to a filling position;

means for el-evating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and

control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine;

further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and

means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said discharging means includes a conduit below said valve means, with a rotatable envelope having a terminal edge portion cooperating with the end of said conduit, for cutting off the material discharge when said envelope is rotated.

2. The filling machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving members are substantially cylindrical and lodge therein respective reciprocable plunger means which constitute said pushing means.

3. The filling machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said control means further includes means for alternately reciprocating said plunger means between respective end positions in which the volumes of said receiving members are selectively and alternately increased and reduced.

4. The filling machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates hereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means.

5. The filling machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said elevating means includes a crank-lever mechanism actuating on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading late.

6. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination:

means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle;

means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities;

means for discharging the dosed materials into containers;

means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means;

means for transporting the containers to a filling position;

means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and

control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine;

further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means dispoSed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and

means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said valve means includes a body defining a cavity, four conduits leading thereto, pairs of which are substantially diametrally opposed, a first opening constituting said inlet, a second said outlet, while the remaining two are connected to respective ones of said receiving members, and furthermore a valve element rotatably disposed in said cavity for selectively interconnecting adjoining pairs of said conduits in respective operative positions.

7. The filling machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said cavity is substantially cylindrical, and said valve element is in the form of a pivotable partition in said cavity with two opposite concave walls defining at their ends curved surfaces, and wherein said control means includes means for alternately pivoting said valve element into its operative positions.

8. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination:

means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle;

means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities;

means for discharging the dosed materials into containers;

means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means;

means for transporting the containers to a filling position;

means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and

control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine;

further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and

means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates thereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means, the latter including a crank-lever mechanism acting on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading plate, wherein said control means further includes means sensitive to the presence of a container at the filling position, for correlating the operations of said dosing means, said discharging means, said pushing means, said transporting means and said elevating means, so as to result in a continuous filling operation, and wherein said sensitive means is in the form of a locking mechanism including electromagnetic means, for interrupting the movement of said convey-er means and initiating the action of said cam mechanism and of said pawl and ratchet mechanism.