Crown Simplimatic Incorporated

Kecheng Ding

Wolfgang Wilke

Jens Naecker

A filling machine assembly (10) for filling a beverage container (12), such as a bottle or can, with a beverage, such as carbonated drinks, juices, or water. The filling machine (10) includes a support housing (14) for supplying the beverage to be discharged into the container (12). A valve housing (22) is mounted to the bottom of the support housing (14) for controlling the discharge of the beverage and a control device (24) is mounted to the top of the support housing (14). A vent tube (30) has a first end disposed within the control device (24) and a second end extending into the valve housing (22). An actuation device (54) moves the vent tube (30) a predetermined stroke between a filling position and a non-use position. The filling machine (10) is characterized by the control device (24) including an adjustment mechanism (80) having a stop block (82) for repositioning the filling position upon movement of the adjustment mechanism (80) thereby adjusting the position of the predetermined stroke. Hence the downward most position of the vent tube (30), i.e., the filling position, may be adjusted without effecting the distance that the vent tube (30) travels between the non-use position and the filling position, i.e., the stroke itself.

Filling machine assembly having an adjustable vent tube

A filling machine assembly (10) for filling a beverage container (12), such as a bottle or can, with a beverage such as carbonated drinks, juice or water. The filling machine (10) includes a support housing (14) for supplying the beverage to be discharged into the container (12). A valve housing (22) is mounted to the bottom of the support housing (14) for controlling the discharge of the beverage and a control device (24) is mounted to the top of the support housing (14). The control device (24) has outer walls (26) defining a working chamber (28) having a top and a bottom. A vent tube (30) has a first end disposed within the working chamber (28) of the control device (24) and a second end extending into the valve housing (22). A piston (38) is secured to the first end of the vent tube (30) within the working chamber (28) for moving the vent tube (30) a predetermined stroke between a filling position and a non-use position. The assembly is characterized by a first input port (70) disposed above the piston (38) at the top of the working chamber (28) and a second input port (72) disposed below the piston (38) at the bottom of the working chamber (28) whereby a fluid medium may pass through the first (70) and second (72) input ports to move the piston (38) and the vent tube (30) between the filling and non-use positions.

Filling machine assembly having a moveable vent tube

A filling machine assembly (10) for filling a beverage container (12), such as a bottle or can, with a beverage, such as a carbonated drink, juice or water. The filling machine (10) includes a support housing (14) having an inner fluid chamber (20) for supplying the beverage to be discharged into the container (12). A valve housing (22) is mounted to the bottom of the support housing (14) for controlling the discharge of the beverage and a control device (24) is mounted to the top of the support housing (14). A vent tube (26) is actuated upward and downward via the control device (24) and extends into the valve housing (22). A support tube (34) extends between the control device (24) and the valve housing (22) and has a bore (36) surrounding the vent tube (26). An actuation device (42) moves the vent tube (26) within the bore (36) relative to the support tube (34) a predetermined stroke between a filling position and a non-use position. An upper tube seal (44) is in sealing engagement between the control device (24) and the vent tube (26) with the bore (36) of the support tube (34) open to the upper seal (44). A lower tube seal (46) is in sealing engagement between the support tube (34) and the vent tube (26) to seal the bore (36) of the support tube (34) between the upper (44) and lower (46) seals. The assembly is characterized by a chamber sealing mechanism (52) selectively sealing the bore (36) between the upper (44) and lower (46) tube seals from the inner fluid chamber (20) to equalize operating pressures against the upper (44) and lower (46) tube seals during the movement of the vent tube (26) between the filling and non-use positions.

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Titusville, FL, United States of America

Kecheng Ding