As herein illustrated, the filling machines comprise a filling head provided with
a filling nozzle and a container support so arranged as to enable positioning the nozzle within the open top of the container during the filling operation and separating the nozzle and container from each other following filling and means associated with the filling nozzle operable when the latter is separated from the container to clear the external surface of the nozzle of product adhering to the exterior surface. The nozzle may be positioned in the open top of the container by lowering the nozzle relative to the container support or by raising the container support relative to the nozzle. The means associated with the nozzle to clear the exterior surface comprises means for projecting a stream of gas downwardly against the exterior surface of the nozzle and this latter means may comprise a manifold disposed about the nozzle containing a gas chamber to which gas is supplied under pressure and means defining an opening concentric with the nozzle through which gas is delivered to the chamber may be directed downwardly on the surface of the nozzle. More specifically, the invention relates to rotary filling machines where there are a plurality of filling heads movable in a circular path and a plurality of container-elevating members movable into alignment with the filling heads arranged to elevate successive containers into operative positions relative to the filling heads.