Ice cream can filling machine with content varigator

Abstract

Pusher arrangement simultaneously push the open end of an empty container against the inclined side of a downwardly opening delivery cone and simultaneously push a preceeding filled container from below the cone. A spring supported platform below the cone supports the container being filled and lowers it as it is filled. A continuously operating source of material delivers continually to the cone. A first control actuated by the filled container reverses the pusher arrangement. The spring device supporting the container being filled are adjusted to trip the control before the container is fully filled. A second control actuated at the fully advanced position of the pusher arrangement again reverses the pushed arrangement. A first spring connected to the platform has its opposite end connected to a selectively adjustable fixed anchor. A second spring has one end connected to be moved with the extensible end of the first spring; and has its other end connected to the pusher arrangement to tension the second spring in advanced positions of the pusher arrangement.A modified delivery cone has a cylindrical housing intersecting the cone at an angle to the axis of the cone. A tube rotatably mounted in the housing projects in sealed relation into the cone and has plural nozzles projecting in radially spaced relations into the cone. One or more conduits for delivering varigating liquid connect to the housing. The tube has one or more openings to admit the liquid for delivery to the nozzles. The tube has a partition to channel different liquids to different nozzles.

Description

Claims

1. In combination with a contineously operating source of fluid ice cream,

a downwardly enlarged and opening delivery cone connected at its upper end to the lower end of said source,

means for successively delivering empty cans on their sides with the open ends of the cans facing the lower end of the cone,

first pusher means arranged to push each can endwise against the side of said cone,

a vertically movable platform disposed in its uppermost position to receive bottom of the can under said cone,

support means for said platform guiding its movement to a lower position with the can thereon flush with the bottom of said cone,

adjustable spring means biasing said support means to its upper position,

second pusher means arranged to push filled cans off of said platform,

fluid pressure operated means connected to simultaneously advance and retract said first and second pusher means,

a first control element actuated by movement of said platform to lowered position and connected to activate said pressure operated means to advance said pusher means,

and a second control means positioned to be actuated by movement of said pusher means to the limit of their advancing motion and connected to reverse the pressure operated means.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which said second pusher means comprises:

transversely spaced parallel push rods extending in spaced relation from the front and rear side of said platform,

upright posts carried by said push rods and reciprocable therewith

full can pushers pivoted about said posts and projecting horizontally over the surface of said platform,

and stop means co-acting between said full can pushers and said posts, to hold the projecting portions of the pushers transverse to the path of advancing motion thereof while permitting said projecting portions to swing parallel to said push on the retracting stroke.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 in which said stop means comprise:

springs anchored at one end to said posts and having other springable ends anchored to said full can pushers.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which said full can pushers are L-shaped with uprights projecting upwardly above said posts and lower arms swingable over the surface of said platform.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which there is a first spring means having one end anchored relative to said cone and having its opposite end connected to be deflected by downward motion of said platform.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 in which said one end of said first spring is adjustable relative to said cone to change the load required on said platform to actuate said first control element.

7. The combination as defined in claim 5 in which there is a second spring means having one end connected for movement with said first pusher means and its other end connected to said platform whereby lowering motion of said platform under the weight of a filled can and advancing motion of said first pusher means both load the second spring means and the second spring means accelerates return of the platform to elevated position upon removal of the filled can.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 in which said first spring means comprises a coiled tension spring with cables at each end trained around pulleys to the end adjustable relative to said cone and to the support means for said platform,

an said second spring means comprises a second coiled tension spring having one end connected to said second pusher means by a cable passed around a pulley and with its other end connected by a cable to the cable between said first spring means and said support for said platform.

9. A machine for filling cans with ice cream comprising a continuously operating and downwardly directed source,

a cone-like delivery element connected at its upper end to said source and opening downwardly therebelow,

flange means connected around the bottom of said cone-like element and having a periphery projecting horizontally beyond one side of the lower end of said cone-like element,

said flange means being sized to fit slidably into cans to be filled,

means for delivering cans successively to be filled to the side of said delivery element with the plane of the open end of the can at an angle to the plane of said flange means, whereby the edge of the flange means enters the end of the can and cams the can to upright position with the delivery element nested within the can,

a vertically movable support positioned to receive the bottom of the can when nested around said flange means,

an adjustable spring means connected to lower said movable support in response to increase in the weight of the can being filled and the force of material entering the can,

and a control element arranged to actuated by movement of the can to below the level of said flange means,

said control element being connected to initiate successive operation of said means for delivering empty cans.

10. A machine for filling cans as defined in claim 9 in which the center of the lower end of said cone-like element is off-set horizontally from the center of said source, with the projecting side of said flange means on the side opposite from the off-set.

11. A machine for filling cans with ice cream from a continuously operating source comprising,

a downwardly enlarging cone-like delivery element connected to said source and arranged to have empty cans positioned therebelow,

a hollow tubular housing connected to the side of said delivery element at an angle to the axis of the element,

a continuously operating source of varigating syrup connected to deliver into said tubular housing,

a rotatable part rotatable in said housing and sealed to the ends thereof,

a delivery nozzle carried by said rotatable part and projecting into said delivery element in radially spaced relation to the axis of rotation of the part,

one end of said nozzle communicating with the space between said rotatable part and said housing,

and means connected to rotate said rotatable part.

12. A machine for filling cans as defined in claim 11 in which said rotatable part is a hollow tube communicating with the inside of said housing,

and in which there are two angularly spaced nozzles opening from within the tube at spaced points with said cone-like delivery element.

13. A machine for filling cans with ice cream as defined in claim 9 in which there is a hollow tubular housing connected to the side of said delivery element at an angle to the axis of the element,

a continuously operating source of varigating syrup connected to deliver into said tubular housing,

a rotatable part rotatable in said housing and sealed to the ends thereof,

a delivery nozzle carried by said rotatable part and projecting into said delivery element in radially spaced relation to the axis of rotation of the part,

one end of said nozzle communicating with the space between said rotatable part and said housing,

and means connected to rotate said rotatable part.

14. A machine for filling cans with ice cream as defined in claim 1 in which there is a hollow tubular housing connected to the side of said delivery element at an angle to the axis of the element,

a continuously operating source of varigating syrup connected to deliver into said tubular housing,

a rotatable part rotatable in said housing and sealed to the ends thereof,

a delivery nozzle carried by said rotatable part and projecting into said delivery element in radially spaced relation to the axis of the rotation of the part,

one end of said nozzle communicating with the space between said rotatable part and said housing,

and means connected to rotate said rotatable part.

15. A machine for filling cans as described in claim 12 in which there is a partition extending diametrically and axially from end to end of said hollow tube and between said two nozzles,

a second source of varigating syrup connected to said tubular housing in axially spaced relation to the first mentioned source of syrup and connected to deliver into said tubular housing on the opposite side of said partition from the first source of syrup.

and annular seal means located between the inside of said tubular housing and the outside of said rotatable hollow tube.

16. A machine for filling cans as defined in claim 14 in which there is a partition extending diametrically and axially from end to end of said hollow tube and between said two nozzles,

a second source of varigating syrup connected to said tubular housing in axially spaced relation to the first mentioned source of syrup and connected to deliver into said tubular housing on the opposite side of said partition from the first source of syrup,

an annular seal means located between the inside of said tubular housing and the outside of said rotatable hollow tube.

17. A machine for filling ice cream cans with ice cream from a continuously operative source comprising:

a downwardly enlarging cone-like delivery duct connected to said source and having an outlet end smaller than the open end of said cans,

reciprocable means for advancing empty cans successively toward said outlet end with the top to bottom axis of the cans extending below said outlet end and the open end of the can facing said duct,

a vertically reciprocable and horizontal support located below said outlet end,

said duct having an exterior edge engagable within the open end of each can whereby advancing motion of the can tilts the can to upright position on said support,

adjustable spring means biasing said support to a raised position below the advancing lower edge of said can,

first control means actuated by movement of said support to a lowered position with the upper end of the can below the level of said outlet end and connected to reverse said reciporcable means to retracted position,

pusher means drivingly connected to said reciprocable means and movable therewith across the lowered position of said support to push the filled can from under said outlet end,

and second control means actuated by movement of said reciprocable means to advanced position and connected to reverse movement of said reciprocable means toward retracted position.