Scholle Corporation

Other

William R Scholle

Chester Savage

William T Lloyd-Davies

William A Hardwick, Jr

William J Scholle

Peter V Schindler

Michael J Gunning

A container of draft beer is substantially filled with beer having a volume of dissolved carbon dioxide greater than 2.6 and not more than 3.1 times the volume of beer. The beer is packaged in a plastic container that is slightly permeable to carbon dioxide, but retains a satisfactory dissolved carbon dioxide content even after a normal shelf life. Beer is dispensed by gravity, without use of external pressure source, after release of head space pressure. Moreover, when the container contents are partially dispensed by the consumer and then maintained at appropriate low temperature for several days, the remaining beer still retains a satisfactory volume of dissolved carbon dioxide. A spigot on the container employs a barrel valve closure member that seals the pressurized container and is movable to a pressure release position in which pressurized gas within the container is slowly released without forcibly projecting container contents. The barrel valve closure is movable to a dispensing position in which the contents of the container are smoothly dispensed while air is admitted to avoid a blocking vacuum.

Method and apparatus for dispensing liquid

This invention provides a dispenser for a beverage, such as beer, in which the contents of the container are pressurized by gas from a cartridge in the container. A pressure responsive member in the container is movable in response to differences in pressure between that of the atmosphere and of the inside of the container. A valve member is carried by the pressure responsive member and includes a tapered pin for forming an opening through a diaphragm over the cartridge outlet and metering the discharge of gas from the cartridge in response to movements of the pressure responsive member.

Beverage container with regulated pressure

Beverage container

A spigot for association with a spout connected to a container, the spigot including a cylindrical portion to fit over the end of the spout, a diaphragm for engaging the end of the spout to prevent flow of liquid, a toggle member for deflecting the diaphragm and an opening through the cylindrical portion for dispensing liquid upon the deflection of the diaphragm. The spigot includes a downspout extending from the opening and having a sealed outer end which is of a relatively thin-walled construction, the downspout having a thicker wall inwardly of the outer end to prevent collapse of the downspout during deflection of the diaphragm. The spigot member includes a relatively thin-walled portion inwardly of the thickened part of the downspout for facilitating deflection of the diaphragm. The spigot may be sealed by heat sealing together opposed wall portions of the downspout or by a tab heat sealed over the end of the downspout. The tab is a lamination of heat sealable and non stretchable materials, and may be integral with a cover which extends over and is heat sealed to the end of the spigot.

Sealed spigot

A container of draft beer is substantially filled with beer having a volume of dissolved carbon dioxide greater than 2.6 and not more than 3.1 times the volume of beer. The beer is packaged in a plastic container that is slightly permeable to carbon dioxide, but retains a satisfactory dissolved carbon dioxide content even after a normal shelf life. Beer is dispensed by gravity, without use of external pressure source, after release of head space pressure. Moreover, when the container contents are partially dispensed by the consumer and then maintained at appropriate low temperature for several days, the remaining beer still retains a satisfactory volume of dissolved carbon dioxide. A spigot on the container employs a barrell valve closure member that seals the pressurized container and is movable to a pressure relase position in which pressurized gas within the container is slowly released without forcibly projecting container contents. The barrel valve closure is movable to a dispensing position in which the contents of the container are smoothly dispensed while air is admitted to avoid a blocking vacuum.

A device for filling a container through a spout extending from the container includes a sterile chamber having a wall opening therethrough for inserting the spout into the chamber. A cover inside the chamber is positioned over a base plate which encloses the wall opening to prevent the escape of sterile gas from the chamber when the spout is being inserted into and removed from the wall opening. A pair of jaws fit around the spout when the spout is in the opening to hold the spout in position for filling and to prevent contamination of the sterile chamber during the filling operation.

Container filler

Apparatus and method for aseptically filling flexible containers

A spigot for dispensing viscous contents of a container having a filling and dispensing spout comprises an integral elastomeric member having a recessed, transverse diaphragmic wall adapted to fit within the spout and form a seal therewith; an annular radial flange at the outer end of the transverse wall having an arcuate slit therethrough extending a significant angle therearound; and a manipulatable lever on the transverse wall for flexing portions of the wall and the slit portions of the flange to move said portions away from the spout to open the slit and provide a large area dispensing opening through the spigot, the tranverse wall and flange automatically and resiliently snapping back toward spout sealing position upon release of the manipulatable lever. To ensure the integrity, or if sterile, the sterility of the contents until such time as they are to be dispensed, an overlay of thermoplastic or other material may be sealed across and to the flange to cover over and close the slit and facilitate use of the spigot as a drip free shipping cap for a filled container. To minimize passage of atmospheric gases through the spigot, or through any elastomeric closure for the spout, whereby to prevent oxidation of packaged product, an overlay may be provided of gas barrier material and the recess or hollow defined by the transverse wall may be filled with a gas scavenger material or inert gas; or gas barrier material may be placed around the entirety of the spout and closure and sealed to the container.

Dispenser spigot for viscous material

Multiple ply packaging materials formed of an inner ply of substrate material superimposed between outer plies of thermoplastic films exhibit excellent gas barrier properties. The inner ply may comprise any suitable material such as nylon, but for significantly improved gas barrier properties preferably comprises either a plastic film having a metal coating on one or both surfaces thereof, or a metal foil. The inner ply is encapsulated between the outer thermoplastic plies to isolate the inner ply from the contents of the package, especially when the material is exposed to or is employed to package liquids, the outer plies of thermoplastic film being sealed about their edges outwardly from the edges of the inner ply.

Multiple ply packaging material comprising outer plies sealed around an

A spigot for dispensing the liquid contents of a container having a filling and dispensing spout adjacent the bottom thereof comprising an integral elastomeric member of generally cup shape having a peripheral wall complementary to and adapted to fit within and seal against the inner surface of the spout axially inwardly of the lip of the spout, a transverse wall at the inner end of said peripheral wall for closing off the spigot and the spout, and a manipulatable lever on said transverse wall for flexing said transverse wall and a portion of said peripheral wall to move said portion of said peripheral wall radially inwardly away from the spout to permit the dispensing of the contents of the container, said walls automatically and resiliently snapping back into their spout sealing positions upon release of said manipulatable means.

Dispenser spigot

An apparatus for making a battery grid is characterized by a molding die for molding a lead conductor with a plastics frame. The die has runners or channels defining the grid structure, and valves are positioned at the intersections of the channels for the lead conductor and the channels for the plastics frame. The valves are actuable to selectively block the channels for the plastics frame from the channels for the conductor. In the use of the die to form a battery grid, with the valves actuated to block the channels for plastics from the channels for lead, molten lead is injected into the channels therefor and is confined therein to form the conductor. The valves are then actuated to unblock the channels for plastics and hardenable plastics are injected therein to form the plastics frame, with the frame being molded around the conductor at intersections therewith.

Method and apparatus for making battery grids

A normally closed valve is characterized by an integral valve body forming a fluid passage between an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, and a flow barrier within the passage integrally joined with the body to hermetically seal the passage. The barrier is movable or rupturable by a fluid coupler, inserted into the outlet end of the passage, to open the passage between the inlet thereto and the coupler. Preferably, the valve is economically formed of a plastic material, such as polyethylene, and connects at its outlet with a fluid coupler having a normally closed, movable seal at its inlet. In the use of the valve, upon movement of the inlet end of the coupler into the outlet end of the passage, the valve passage forms a fluid seal therewith prior to engagement of the barrier thereby. Continued movement of the coupler into the valve then moves the flow barrier to open the passage, and engages the coupler seal with a plunger to move the seal from a seat at the inlet to the coupler to establish the fluid passage between the inlet to the valve passage and the inlet to the coupler. In consequence of forming a seal between the valve and coupler prior to opening of either the flow barrier or the coupler seal, a connection may be established between the coupler and the valve in a drip-free manner, and the fluid to be valved is at all times maintained out of contact with the atmosphere and in a sanitary condition.

Single operation normally closed coupling valve

A reciprocating, fluid operated pump, which is reversed at opposite ends of its travel by shifting of a directional valve, is characterized by a control valve for rapidly and completely shifting the directional valve. In the disclosed embodiment, the pump includes a pair of pumping portions each operated by a respective reciprocating air motor. The air motors are coupled for conjoint reciprocation, and the directional valve alternately applies compressed air to one and then to the other of the air motors. The arrangement is such that when air is applied to one of the motors fluid is forced from its associated pumping portion to an outlet from the pump while fluid is drawn into the other pumping portion from an inlet to the pump, and when air is applied to the other of the motors fluid is forced from its associated pumping portion to the outlet from the pump while fluid is drawn from the pump inlet into the one pumping portion. The control valve is actuated in response to reciprocating movement of the air motors to each opposite end of their travel to positively, rapidly and completely shift the directional valve, whereby a continuous and substantially constant pressure flow of fluid is provided at the pump outlet. As a consequence of using a control valve to operate the directional valve, as compared with using some mechanical means directly coupling movement of the valve with movement of the motors, the operation of the directional valve is very positive and rapid, and the period during which compressed air is applied to neither of the motors is minimized, whereby the pump is efficient and the fluid outlet pressure therefrom remains substantially constant.

Double-acting, fluid-operated pump having pilot valve control of

Apparatus for and method of filling flexible containers, each having a spout adapted to be closed by a separable cap, characterized in that the containers are connected together seriatim in a continuous row and are fed automatically one after another to a filling and capping station, rather than being hand fed one at a time to the station. This results in increased speed of operation and decreased labor costs. In one embodiment the containers are moved seriatim to the filling station by an intermittently operated conveyor. In another embodiment the weight of the filled containers pulls succeeding empty containers to the filling and capping station. At the station, between the filling and capping steps, the container is manipulated so as to seal off the spout and prevent entry of foreign matter to the container during the time between removal of the filling nozzle from the spout and application of the cap to the filled container.

Apparatus for and method of filling flexible containers

Multiple ply packaging materials formed of certain polymer films, each having a gas permeability of 10 or less cc per 100 square inches per mil thickness over a 24 hour period at one atmosphere pressure, and 73.degree. F. and 50% R.H., such as polyvinylidene chloride, exhibit unexpectedly high gas barrier properties in comparison with a single film of the same equivalent thickness.

Growing community of inventors

Corona Del Mar, CA, United States of America

William R Scholle