Crown Simplimatic Incorporated

Felix Tietz

Wolfgang Wilke

A circular filling machine 10 rotates a plurality of filling units 20 through a plurality of actuator stations 30 and 32. The filling machine 10 is characterized by an adjustment valve, including a seal 38 and a positioning member 40, for determining the quantity of the material 14 to be filled into the chamber 34. The seal 38 is biased downwardly against the positioning member 40 by a spring 50 to hold the seal 38against the inside of the chamber 34 in the closed position. The seal 38 may be moved vertically out of engagement with the positioning member 40 to an open position by a cam 62 and cam follower 64 to allow cleaning material 37 to flush the entire chamber 34. In addition, the vertical operating level of the seal 38 and positioning member 40 may be adjusted vertically in unison to adjust the level to which the chamber 34 may be filled to accommodate containers 11 of various different volumes. The positioning member 40 and the seal 38 both depend from a platform 52 by tubular columns 54 and 56 so that the vertical adjustment is accomplished by rotation of a threaded screw 58 threadedly engaging the platform 52.

Valve for adjustable filling chamber

A flange 52 extends upwardly about a filling passage 50 and a flexible tubular valve member 54 having a bead 56 in tension about and in sealing engagement with the flange and extending through an inlet cavity 48 to an annular ring 58 presenting an upwardly facing conical seat 60 for sealing engagement with a poppet valve 62. A helical spring 64 is disposed about the tubular valve member 54 and engages the annular ring 58 to urge the annular ring 58 into engagement with the periphery 46 of the valve seat in the filling position. A mast 66 is connected to the poppet valve 62 and extends upwardly through the chamber 34 for moving the mast 66 vertically between the chamber 34 charging position, as shown in FIG. 4, and the container 11 filling position, as shown in FIG. 5.

Filling valve for container filling machine

A beverage filling machine (10) for conserving beverage at the end of a production run of the type comprising at least one filling assembly (20) for filling a beverage container (22) and a supply tank (12) for supplying beverage (32) to the filling assembly (20). The machine (10) is characterized by the supply tank (12) including a an endless wall (42) movable between an open position disposed above a ledge (38) disposed vertically above said bottom (28) for allowing beverage (32) to level completely across the tank (12) and a closed position in sealing engagement with the ledge for dividing said tank (12) into an isolated volume (34) and a useable volume (36) for removing beverage (32) from said isolated volume (34) and allowing beverage (32) to level only in said useable volume (36). An actuator (46) moves the endless wall (42) vertically between the open and closed positions. A main supply line (60) establishes beverage flow with the bottom (28) of said tank (12) below the ledge (38) and a secondary supply line (62) establishes beverage flow above said ledge (38) and outside of the endless wall (42). Valves (68, 70 and 74) control the flow of beverage to and from the tank (12) and the useable volume (36), abetted by a pump (76).

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Hamburg, Germany

Felix Tietz