Circular motion filling machine for processing parallel rows of containers and method
First Claim
1. A continuous circular motion apparatus for filling a group of containers arranged in parallel single file rows comprising:
- a conveyor for conveying a group of empty containers arranged in parallel rows;
a rotating turret which continuously rotates about a single vertical turret axis;
a plurality of articulating filling heads carried by said turret circularly arranged about said turret, said filling heads rotating along a radial path for continuously and successively filling said groups of the containers on said conveyor during a fill operation;
a group of filling elements carried by said filling heads arranged in groups corresponding to the arrangement of said group of containers for aligning with said containers as said filling heads are lowered into engagement with said groups of containers; and
a filling-head motion converter operatively connected to said filling-heads causing said filling heads to move generally in a straight line motion along a chordal path while said filling heads rotate about said single, turret axis and are lowered to engage said containers.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for processing containers or other articles by using continuous rotation of processing heads in a circular path about a single vertical axis and controlling the processing heads to independently rotate about a swivel axis causing them to move in a straight-line path while the heads are lowered to engage a group of containers or articles arranged in parallel rows. In this manner, a higher production apparatus and method are provided which is simpler, more reliable, requires less floor space, and easy to reconfigure for different applications.
75 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A continuous circular motion apparatus for filling a group of containers arranged in parallel single file rows comprising:
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a conveyor for conveying a group of empty containers arranged in parallel rows;
a rotating turret which continuously rotates about a single vertical turret axis;
a plurality of articulating filling heads carried by said turret circularly arranged about said turret, said filling heads rotating along a radial path for continuously and successively filling said groups of the containers on said conveyor during a fill operation;
a group of filling elements carried by said filling heads arranged in groups corresponding to the arrangement of said group of containers for aligning with said containers as said filling heads are lowered into engagement with said groups of containers; and
a filling-head motion converter operatively connected to said filling-heads causing said filling heads to move generally in a straight line motion along a chordal path while said filling heads rotate about said single, turret axis and are lowered to engage said containers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for continuously filling empty containers moving on a conveyor with a liquid during a fill operation comprising:
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a rotating turret which continuously rotates about a single turret axis during said fill operation;
a plurality of reciprocating filling heads circularly arranged and carried by said rotating turret, and said filling heads rotating about a radial path for alignment and engagement with the containers to fill the containers while the containers are conveyed about an arc of said radial path during said fill operation; and
a conveyor for conveying said articles along said arc. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A continuous circular motion apparatus for processing a group of articles arranged in parallel rows comprising:
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a conveyor for conveying a group of articles arranged in parallel rows;
a rotating turret which continuously rotates about a single vertical turret axis;
a plurality of vertically reciprocating processing heads carried by said turret in a circular arrangement, said processing heads rotating along a radial path for continuously and successively engaging said groups of the articles on said conveyor; and
a processing-head motion converter operatively connected to said processing heads causing said processing heads to move generally in a straight-line along a chordal path while said processing heads rotate about said single turret axis and are lowered to engage said articles. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of filling containers with a liquid during a filling operation comprising:
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providing a plurality of circularly arranged filling heads and continuously rotating the filling heads about a single vertical axis;
feeding containers arranged in groups of parallel single-file rows to an engagement station;
causing the filling heads to sequentially engage said groups of containers at said engagement station for filling the containers;
providing a plurality of filling valves in said filling heads arranged in a pattern corresponding to said group of containers for individually engaging is said containers;
causing said filling heads to move along a combination circular and straight line path during engagement of said filling valves and said containers at said engagement station; and
filling said containers as the containers are conveyed along an arcuate path about said single axis after engagement with said filling valves. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of filling containers with a liquid during a filling operation comprising:
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providing a plurality of circularly arranged reciprocating filling heads and continuously rotating the filling heads about a single vertical axis;
feeding containers arranged in at least one row to an engagement station along said conveyor;
lowering said filling heads to sequentially engage said containers along said engagement station;
causing said filling heads to move along a straight line path while rotating about said single axis as said filling heads engage said containers;
filling said containers as the containers are conveyed along an arcuate path about said single axis while said fillings are rotating about said single axis; and
raising said filling heads to disengage from said containers when the containers are filled.. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification