GB2027680A - Carbonated Liquid Filling Head for Bottling Machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A filling head 1 for use in filling containers with carbonated liquids and installed within a liquid reservoir 5 comprises a gas tube 12, which cooperates with a cam-operated head 16 and communicates with a gas outlet tube 11, and a liquid passage 18, respective valves being provided at 29, 26 for obturating tube 12 and passage 18. Cam 9 is used to open valve 29, Fig. 2 (not shown), so that the container is pressurized; on equalization of pressures between the container and the liquid pressure on valve 26, the latter is raised by spring 14 to allow liquid flow via passage 18. Subsequently, when liquid covers orifices 25 thereby preventing gas escape, counterpressure prevents liquid flow through perforated plate 20. A shift valve 23 is also provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Carbonated Liquid Filling Valve for Bottling Machines The present invention relates to a valve for use in filling containers with carbonated liquids.

More specifically, the invention relates to a valve which is installed, in use, within tanks or containers of the liquid to be bottled and is designed for the purpose of performing the appropriate filling of the bottles or the like successively by connecting therewith, in such a way that the filling is done automatically, very fast, in sanitary conditions, with a minimum of turbulence or disturbance which would cause the formation of foam. The filling is performed up to a certain level, in accordance with a predetermined value, so that a uniform content is assured in all the bottles, without variations causing the subsequent rejection of the already closed bottle, for not complying with the appropriate specification.

Various filling valves for use with carbonated liquids are known which although accomplishing their purpose in a sufficently fast and efficient way, have constructional and functional complications which involve a plurality of interacting co-operating parts and calibrated springs leading to high cost of manufacture and/or a high possibility of breakages, obstructions and failures in general during assembly, as well as difficulties regarding the cleaning of its integrating parts and the maintenance of the whole valve. This becomes more important in automatic serial filling operation, usually involving the use of rotary tanks provided with several valves, which rotate with the tank and meet successive abutments which cause their operation.With such an arrangement, should a valve fail, the operation of the whole circuit must be stopped, including the devices for supplying and withdrawing containers, causing a delay affecting the whole production program.

In the operational methods contemplated both with said known valves and with the valve of the present invention for the filling of containers with carbonated liquid, the same are subjected to an initial back pressure stage which consists in injecting a gas into the empty container, preferably from the same tank, until a pressure is reached which is of similar magnitude to the one of the effervescent liquid to be bottled. This is to prevent turbulence or disturbance causing the formation of foam and consequently an insufficient filling when the liquid is subsequently introduced into the container. Next, and once the filling is completed, the container is withdrawn to permit the locking thereon of an appropriate top and for this it is necessary in some cases to previously discharge the gas under pressure left in the area of the head or mouth of the container.

This is performed through the opening of a communication valve with the atmosphere before interrupting the connection between the receiving bottle or container and the filling valve.

Furthermore, it is necessary to emphasise that the level or content of each bottle is usually controlled by means of a feeding disconnecting system, which is based on the levelling of the pressure of the remaining gas in the area of the head of the bottle and the pressure of the liquid at the bottom of the tank or containing vessel, this factor being determinant of a capilarity or superficial tension phenomenon in coincidence with a perforated element provided in all valves, which prevents the carbonated liquid from passing through said element when the mentioned pressure levelling takes place.

The physical principles and the operational sequence used with the valve of the invention are similar to those utilized with the already known valves but with the difference that the same result is obtained with a combination of different means, which provided the plurality of advantages stated in its principle.

According to the invention, a valve for use in filling containers with carbonated liquid from a vessel comprises driving means constituted by a sole cam, which co-acts with means for the passage of gas and communication of pressure through the valve and a sole resilient means sensitive to a difference of predetermined pressures, to cause the opening or closing of said valve, that is to say, both said means for the passage of gas and communication of pressure and liquid passage means in response to the successive displacements of the cam and in coincidence with various differences of pressures between the gas contained in the vessel, the gas contained in the container and the liquid at the level of the bottom of the vessel, said driving means being constituted by a cam operationally connected with a head, which head presents an upper configuration defined by two opposed horizontal surfaces joined by a side wail.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 represent a lengthwise vertical section of a valve according to the present invention In its close position; Figure 2 represents a lengthwise vertical section of the same valve in its position corresponding to the state of back pressure, and Figure 3 is a lengthwise vertical section of the valve of the above Figures in its open position.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate equivalent parts or elements of the assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the filling valve, indicated generally by reference 1, is housed inside a vessel which contains liquid 3 in counterbalance with a gas 4, said valve being rigidly connected to the bottom 5 of the vessel, in correspondence with an opening 6 formed therein. Aligned with said opening 6 but in its side wall, the vessel has a second opening 7, provided with adequate gas sealing means, through which extends a shaft 8 of a cam 9. The number of valves 1 of each vessel may vary according to requirements, only one being shown in the case described.

The valve 1 comprises a body 10 intercommunicating co-axial ventilation ducts 11 and 12, a seal holder 13, an expansion helicoidal spring 14 and a slidable sleeve 1 5 rigidly connected to a head 16, said head being in turn operationally connected with the cam 9. The cam 9 is part of the shaft 8, which is joined at its opposite end to a lever 1 7 located outside the vessel. As a consequence of the angular displacement of the vessel, the lever successively faces conventional control abutments or means not illustrated, which determine corresponding turning movements thereof and consequently different positions of the cam 9.

The body 10 of the valve presents a plurality of holes 18 communicating its upper face (and therewith, the bottom of the vessel) with a lower cavity 19, a perforated element 20 being interposed between said upper face and lower cavity. The cavity is defined by a part 21 of elastomeric material and a funnel 22. Laterally secured with respect to said body 10 and in communication with the cavity 1 9 is arranged a discharging valve 23, which may be actuated by means of a plunger 24.

Both the body 10 and the perforated element 20 are provided with both a central duct and an orifice which allow the interconnection of the lower tube 11 and the longer tube 12 which projects upwardly from the upper part of the body 10 forming the ventilation duct which communicates, at certain times, the gas present in the upper area of the vessel with the inside of the bottle or the iike, not illustrated in the drawings, the mouth of which is inserted in the cavity 19. The lower tube 11 is secured in this case by threading, to the body 10, and has near its lower end, a plurality of holes 25 which communicate the ventilation duct with the area of the bottle neck in which the same is located.

The helicoidal spring 14 is mounted axially on the longer tube 12 with its lower end bearing on a projection formed in the connection of the body 10 of the valve with said longer tube 12. The opposite end of the spring bears against the seal holder 13 the lower edge of which is covered with a gasket which constitutes obturation means for the holes 1 8.

On the upper portion of the longer tube 1 2 there is mounted, in a feeely slidable form, a sleeve 1 5, which near to its upper edge presents a plurality of small orifices 27 opposed to corresponding openings 28 of the head 1 6, which is connected, preferably by threading, to said sleeve 1 5. In order to cover the upper end of the sleeve 1 5 a disc or seal 29 is disposed between the head and sleeve 1 5 such disc or seal being the means of obturation of the upper end of the longer tube 12 and consequently of the aforementioned ventilation duct or gas passage.

During a filling operation, the valve 1 operates as follows: In coincidence with the position illustrated in Figure 1, a bottle is positioned by a lifting mechanism (not illustrated), its mouth being inserted in the cavity 19, while the lower tube 11 is introduced into and occupies the area corresponding to the neck of the bottle. Once the bottle is arranged in said position the controlling means acting on the lever 1 7 causes the rotation of the cam 9, which (Figure 2) lifts the head 16, thereby lifting the sleeve 1 5 and the seal 29.The seal 29 separates from the upper mouth of the tube 12, allowing the passage of the gas present in the upper area of the vessel, which after passing through the openings 28 and orificies 27 enters the ventilation duct and reaches the bottle through the lower mouth and the holes of tube 11 , flowing into the bottle until the pressures of the inside of the bottle and of the gas occupying the vessel are equal.

The pressure of the liquid maintains the seal holder 1 3 compressing the spring 14, so that the gasket 26 rests on its seat obturating the holes 18 of the body 10 and thus preventing the exit of the liquid from the vessel. Once the balance between the pressures in the inside of the bottle and the gas occupying the upper area of the vessel has been reached, the helicoidal spring 14 overcomes the pressure of the liquid column and lifts the seal holder 13, consequently separating the gasket from its seat and permitting the liquid to flow through the holes or passages 1 8, the perforated element 20, the funnel 22 and to be poured into the bottle, progressively evacuating the gas which travels the opposite way to the one described above, in order to return to the vessel 2.

Once the time estimated for the opening of the valve has elapsed, the external controlling means actuate the lever 1 7 causing a turn in the opposite direction of the shaft 8 of the cam 9, which releases the head 1 6 (Figure 3) with which the assembly head-seal-sleeve, descends until resting on the seal holder 13, but always keeping open both the valve and the upper mouth of the ventilation duct. Should the bottle break, the lack of a pressure counteracting the pressure of the gas contained in the vessel, would cause the closing of the valve preventing the escape of liquid and gas from the vessel. The gasket 26 is held separated from its seat by means of the seal holder 13 lifted by the expansion spring 14 which, helped by the internal pressure of the bottle overcomes the pressure of the gas plus the liquid column. Should the bottle expiode, the pressure which was added to the force of the spring, is reduced to atmospheric level, at which the seal holder, pressured by the liquid, compresses the spring and closes the passage of said liquid through the valve. On the other hand, the seal 29 closes the upper mouth of the ventilation duct preventing escape of the gas 4.

When the beverage poured into the bottle reaches such a level that the holes 25 of the lower tube 11 are obstructed, the return of gas to the vessel ceases, the gas remaining in the upper area of the bottle and in the funnel 22 causing a back pressure which compensates the pressure of the liquid 3 at the bottom level of the vessel, at this moment producing an effect of superficial tension at the level of the perforated element 21 which prevents the passage of liquid through the same.

Next, and as a consequence of the coordination foreseen in the process, the external lever faces a new butt, or similar means, which causes the rotation thereof, and consequently of the cam 9, that actuates the head (Figure 1) forcing it to descend and by transitive effect causes the closing of the ventilation tube by means of the seal 29 and that of the holes 18 by means of the gasket 26. The bottle being isolated from the vessel, the valve 23 is tripped by a suitable mechanism which operates the plunger 24 thereof and this allows the remaining pressure in the inside of the mouth of the bottle to be discharged into the atmosphere, thus leaving the bottle ready to descend for withdrawal from the machine.

The valve of the invention will be seen to have constructional simplicity, ease of cleaning and maintenance, efficacy of operation and low cost.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A valve for use in filling containers with carbonated liquid, of the type comprising a main body, a driving mechanism in operational connection with the upper part of the valve, means for the passage of gas and communication of pressure through the valve, resilient means sensitive to predetermined pressures, passage means for liquid through the body and means operable to obturate said means for passage of liquids and gas in response to said resilient means in combination with the ratio of pressures so as to cause the closing or opening of said valve, characterised by the fact that said driving mechanism comprises a sole cam operationally connected with an integrating head of the upper part of the valve, which head presents an upper configuration defined by opposed upper and lower horizontal surfaces joined to each other by a side wall, said head being a part of the obturation means for the means of passage of gas and communication of pressures through the valve; said cam and said head defining, jointiy with a sole resilient means sensitive to a predetermined difference of pressures, the controlling means of said means of obturation of the passage of liquid.

2. A valve according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that said means of passage of gas and communication of pressure through the valve are constituted by two co-axial tubes interconnected through a short central duct of the body, which tubes have adjacent their respective ends remote from those having connection with the central duct, a plurality of orifices in their side walls, said orifices of the upper tube being arranged in opposition to corresponding passages provided in the lower part of the head.

3. A valve, according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that said means for'obturating the passage ofliquid through the valve are constituted by a ring or gasket integral with the lower circumferential edge of a bell-shaped tube mounted on an expansion helicoidal spring, slightly longer than said bell-shaped tube, and by a perforated element arranged underneath the plurality of holes that constitute the means of passage of fluid through the body of the valve.

4. A valve, according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that said means of obturation of the means of passage of gas and communication of the pressure through the valve are constituted by a disc seal inserted between the head and a cylindrical sleeve co-axial with the upper tube and mounted externally thereon in correspondence with the upper portion of said tube, said disc seal being opposed to the upper mouth of said tube.

5. A valve for use in filling containers with carbonated liquid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.