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Automatic Filling Machine
Automated filling machines configured for filling any manner of container processed
through the machine by a conveyor or the like are old and well known in the art. For example, a conventional high-speed filling machine typically uses a wormgear or screw-like device to orient and deliver containers (i.e., bottles) conveyed in single file and in contact with each other. The worm gear engages each container and spaces the containers apart a desired distance corresponding to the spacing ofdownstream filling valves. The containers are typically conveyed from the worm gear to a rotating star wheel that receives the containers in individual pockets or recesses. The star wheel may further convey the bottles to one or more additional starwheels, to a rotating table or platform of the filling machine, or may directly convey the bottles under the heads of the rotary filling machine. Examples of such filling machines are described, for example, in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,666,564;3,519,108; 4,053,003; 4,588,001; 6,253,809 B1; and 6,474,368 B2.
Conventional rotary filling machines of the type described above used in modem high-speed processing lines require relatively sophisticated drives, gearing, and control systems for ensuring precise coordinated movement between the differentin-feed and out-feed star wheels, worm gears, and so forth. Also, the star wheel assemblies take up valuable floor space in use, as a typical star wheel may be, for example, 4 feet in diameter. Further, if different sized bottles are to be run througha given filler, extra star wheels are likely needed for each bottle size, and each bottle may require two or three different star wheels to stabilize different portions of a given bottle. The extra (unused) star wheels and/or sets of star wheels thusrequire a great amount of storage space. The star wheels also require maintenance and upkeep, and generally add to the overall cost of the filling operation.
According to certain aspects of the invention, a rotary filling machine is disclosed for filling containers, the machine including a rotating platform rotatable relative to a vertical rotating axis through a filling zone, and a conveyorconfigured to convey empty containers to be filled to the rotating platform for filling and to convey filled containers from the rotating platform. Cooperating elements are disposed on the rotating platform and conveyor for releasably attaching theconveyor to the rotating platform at least in the filling zone, and a filling turret is disposed generally above the rotating platform and rotatable relative to the vertical rotating axis at a speed corresponding generally to that of the rotatingplatform, the filling turret including a plurality of filling heads movable from a rest position to a filling position as said turret rotates between through the filling zone, each of the filling heads having a plurality of filling elements, the fillingelements movable into engagement with the containers as the filling heads move to the filling position for filling the containers. Various options and modifications are possible.filling machine
by: ericfu