Claims
- 1. A rotary filling apparatus of the type which uses gravity for filling a liquid into a series of containers, the apparatus comprising:
- a rotary dispensing assembly rotatably mounted along a generally vertical central axis, said rotary dispensing assembly including a liquid reservoir bowl and a dispensing nozzle means through which the liquid is dispensed, said dispensing nozzle means having a nozzle outlet orifice which is spaced a predetermined distance from said central axis, and said dispensing nozzle means directs liquid from said nozzle outlet orifice in a non-vertical direction and toward a sidewall of each container;
- liquid level control means associated with said liquid reservoir bowl, said liquid level control means monitoring and controlling the amount of liquid that is dispensed through said nozzle outlet orifice;
- a turntable including means for positioning each container to be filled at a location below and closely spaced from said nozzle outlet orifice; and
- means for controlling the opening and closing of said dispensing nozzle means when each container to be filled is positioned thereunder.
- 2. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nozzle outlet orifice is substantially external of the container being filled therethrough.
- 3. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispensing nozzle means includes angle bracket means for mounting the nozzle means at a filling angle that is defined by the flow of liquid through the nozzle outlet orifice and the container sidewall toward which the flow of liquid is directed, said filling angle being an acute angle.
- 4. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispensing nozzle means directs liquid from said nozzle outlet orifice generally toward said vertical central axis of the rotary dispensing assembly.
- 5. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turntable includes securement arm means for grasping the container supported on the turntable.
- 6. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 5, wherein said securement arm means includes a slidable magnet assembly and a magnetically activated switch.
- 7. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including a turret centrally located with respect to the turntable and securement arm means having a slidable assembly mounted exteriorly of said turret and a switch mounted interiorly of said turret.
- 8. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including a turret associated with said turntable and securement arm means having a magnetic assembly mounted exteriorly of said turret and a reed switch mounted interiorly of said turret.
- 9. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including a fixed infeed guide having a cam surface and securement arm means on said turntable, said securement arm means including a cam follower that engages said cam surface at a filled container exit location of the turntable.
- 10. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein all electrical interfaces of the apparatus are included within an enclosed chamber that is under a positive pressure of a non-explosive gas.
- 11. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including a turret and associated cabinetry, said turret and cabinetry being generally closed except for gas purging orifices.
- 12. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including a turret, and wherein said rotary dispensing assembly, said turntable and said turret are coaxial.
- 13. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rotary dispensing assembly is mounted onto a gang lifting assembly.
- 14. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turntable includes a hole therethrough in general alignment with the dispensing nozzle means and a liquid receiving trough thereunder, and wherein said rotary dispensing assembly includes means for lowering same and for movement of the dispensing nozzle means to said hole.
- 15. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nozzle outlet orifice is sharp-edged.
- 16. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispensing nozzle outlet orifice has an annular wall that has a truncated conical configuration.
- 17. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispensing nozzle outlet orifice includes a slidably mounted poppet overlying said outlet orifice, and an actuating member for moving said poppet to open and close said orifice.
- 18. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 17, wherein said actuating member is a pneumatic valve.
- 19. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said level control means includes a liquid level sensor and a level control chamber that is a cone jet sensor.
- 20. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said level control means includes a liquid level sensor and a level control chamber that includes a sensor poppet that is responsive the level of liquid within the level control chamber.
- 21. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, further including an automatic valve controller in association with the level control means.
- 22. The rotary filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said level control means includes a liquid level sensor that is spaced from said central axis by a distance that is substantially the same as said predetermined distance such that centrifugal force at the liquid level sensor is substantially the same as that at said nozzle outlet orifice when the rotary dispensing assembly is rotated during filling in order to maintain a substantially constant hydraulic head during operation.
- 23. A method of the type which uses gravity for filling a liquid into a plurality of containers while they rotate about a rotary filling head, comprising:
- positioning a container to be filled onto a turntable having a generally vertical central axis;
- rotating the turntable about its axis to bring the container into alignment with a dispensing nozzle;
- flowing a predetermined amount of liquid from a reservoir and through the dispensing nozzle outlet orifice spaced a predetermined distance from the central axis while the dispensing nozzle outlet orifice and the reservoir are rotating about the generally vertical central axis, said flowing step including directing liquid from said nozzle outlet orifice in a non-vertical direction and toward a sidewall of each container;
- sensing the level of liquid within the rotating reservoir and adjusting the level of liquid within the rotating reservoir in response to the sensing step; and
- said flowing step is responsive to the sensing and adjusting steps in order to control the amount of liquid that is dispensed through said nozzle outlet orifice.
- 24. The filling method of claim 23, wherein said flowing step includes locating the dispensing nozzle outlet orifice substantially externally of the container.
- 25. The filling method of claim 23, wherein said liquid flowing step includes dispensing the liquid at a filling angle that is defined by the flow of liquid through the nozzle outlet orifice and the container sidewall toward which the flow of liquid is directed, said filling ang1e being an acute angle.
- 26. The filling method of claim 23, wherein said liquid flowing step includes directing liquid from said nozzle outlet orifice generally toward said vertical central axis.
- 27. The filling method of claim 23, wherein said sensing step takes place at a location that is spaced from the generally vertical axis by a distance that is substantially the same as the predetermined distance such that centrifugal force at the sensing location is substantially the same as that at said nozzle outlet orifice during rotation thereof, whereby a substantially constant hydraulic head is maintained within the rotating reservoir.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 507,087, filed June 23, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,968 the disclosure thereof being incorporated by reference hereinto.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
507087 |
Jun 1983 |
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