Diversified Products, Inc.

Forrest H James, Jr

Ira J Silberman

A system for filling generally cylindrical barbell weight shells with a relatively viscous slurry of cementitious material comprises a roller conveyor which transports a plurality of carriers each supporting a plurality of barbell weight shells thereon through a plurality of stations. At a lubricating station, the exterior of the shells is coated with a light film of oil to facilitate subsequent cleaning thereof. At a filling station, a dispensing hopper having a plurality of downwardly projecting nozzles dispenses the cementitious slurry into the shells. Each of the carriers is positioned beneath the hopper, the shells thereon are aligned with the nozzles, and a lift table lifts the shells off of the roller conveyor into engagement with the nozzles. Vibrator and agitator devices induce the flow of the slurry from the hopper into the shells under the influence of gravity. At a curing station, comprising a dip tank and an elongated roller conveyor section, the cementitious material inside the shells is substantially fully cured. Finally, hydraulically actuated discharge pushers transfer the filled shells from the carriers onto a discharge conveyor.

Method and apparatus for filling containers with a relatively viscous

A system for filling generally cylindrical barbell weight shells with a relatively viscous slurry of cementitious material comprises a roller conveyor which transports a plurality of carriers each supporting a plurality of barbell weight shells thereon through a plurality of stations. At a lubricating station, the exterior of the shells is coated with a light film of oil to facilitate subsequent cleaning thereof. At a filling station, a dispensing hopper having a plurality of downwardly projecting nozzles dispenses the cementitious slurry into the shells. Each of the carriers is positioned beneath the hopper, the shells thereon are aligned with the nozzles, and a lift table lifts the shells off of the roller conveyor into engagement with the nozzles. Vibratory and agitator devices induce the flow of the slurry from the hopper into the shells under the influence of gravity. At a curing station, comprising a dip tank and an elongated roller conveyor section, the cementitious material inside the shells is substantially fully cured. Finally, hydraulically actuated discharge pushers transfer the filled shells from the carriers onto a discharge conveyor.

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Opelika, AL, United States of America

Forrest H James, Jr