US1919665A - Bottle filling machine and method - Google Patents

Description

Jul 25, 1933 .F. w. MULLER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD File'd Nov. 24, 1930 6 Shets-Sheet 1 Jmntn Fed, W Muller 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 l r' cl I/V. Muller F. W. MULLER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 24, 1950 I @320 M (2km July 25, 11933. F. W. MULLER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed 'NOV. 24, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 m w 1 a 1 m T w n U, w 6 i wJ 9 a I 7 a 5 m a July 25, 1933. F. w. MULLER 19,

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 24, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 4 gin vent Fz ea, IA/l Muller ww l (1!! mega July 5, W33. F. W. MULLER 1,919,665

I, BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 24, 1950 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qwvemtd Wed. W. uller My 25, m3. y. MULLE 1,919,665

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 24, 1950 6 Sweets-Sheet 6 45H :5 iii 3.. F5

Q 2 I Zittfi l 1: "u i rlIIIllIIlIlIIIII/I INVENTOR. Wed, 14/. Muller QQW W W A TIJORNEY.

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK W. MULLER, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BISHOP & .IBABCOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO Application flied November 24, 1930. Serial No. 497,685.

This invention relates to'bottle filling machines and methods and relates particularly to bottle fillinimachines of the type wherein a plurality of ottles continuously fed to the machine are automatically and successively filled with a beverage such as beer, carbonated svrup and the like.

y invention comprises certain features of improvement over the mechanism illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 956,285 and No. 956,286, issued to J. H. Champ, April 26, 1910, to which patents reference may be had for a fuller description of certain auxiliary parts of the mechanism not herein described in detail, these being well known in the art and particularly described in the said prior Champ patents.

- In all prior bottle filling machines with which I am acquainted, a certain undesirable condition has alwa s existed, which though apparently unavoi able, has been a constant source of annoyance to every brewer or other user of these machines who have given the matter any thought. This undesirable condition is the contamination of the beer, or other beverage in the supply tank of the apparatus, by t e air displaced from the bot tles being filled and returned to the beer or beverage supply tank. Such air carries back to the tank with it oxy en dust, odorous matter etc. from the air within the building.

Although all breweries have thousands of dollars invested in equipment to sterilize and wash the bottles, nevertheless the very moment that the otherwise perfectly clean bottles leave the washing machinery, they immediately become filled with the atmospheric air in the plant which is to a greater or less degree impure. Subsequently, in the bottle filling process, in the prior apparatus, this bottle air is displaced by the beer flowing into the bottle and carried back to the upper portion of the filler tank where it remains under pressure in contact with the otherwise sterile and pure beer. The impurities in this air are readily taken up and'absorbed by the beer contaminating it. Even if the air contained no impurities or undesirable foreign material, it still would be very undesirable for it to come in contact withsterile beer because of the oxidation which it effects thereof and which is deleterious to the quality of the beer.

In such prior machines, brewers have commonly observed that at the end of a da s run the foam in the filler tank is often of a rownish color rather than white due to the impurities absorbed thereby in the manner above described, and in some cases a closer observation I proper relation of pressure above the beer inthe tank to maintain the proper level thereof. In other words, it is necessary from time to time to effect a reduction of pressure in the tank in order to let more beer into the tank, and this operation unavoidably efl'ects esca e of gas from the beer itself and additionally causes foaming of the beer in the filler tank.

Not only does this effect a loss of'gas from the beer, which is undesirable of course, but because of creatin foam on the beer, the dust and other impurities discharged into the tank from the bottle air very quickly are absorbed gy the foam and thence compressed into the eer.

An object of my invention therefore is to provide an improved method and mechanism for filling bottles of beer or like beverage wherein the beer supplied to the bottles is maintained substantia ly uncontaminated b contact with air from the bottles being fille It is an object of my invention to provide for the filling of bottles with liquid to a predetermined height of liquid in the bottle, rapidly and successively, so that a lar e number of such bottles may be successive y filled,

each having the same height of liquid in the bottle.

Another object of my invention is to provide for the eflicientsuccessive filling of a large number of bottles by mechanism accomplishin the filling in such a way that agitation o the liquid applied to the bottles is avoided thereby, in the case of carbonated or like liquids, avoiding loss of gas in solution.

Another object is to provide a bottle filling machine of the type referred to in WhlCll the liquid may flow into the bottles by gravity and in whlch the weight of the liquid owing into the bottles is counter-balanced in an improved manner to overcome or counter-balance a part of the force of gravity on the flowing liquid to cause the liquid to flow into the bottles relatively slowly and therefore with the minimum of agitation.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for filling bottles with liquids containing .carbonating gas and in which all of the gas may be retained in the bottles or in the supply tank without losses attending the venting of the same which has been found necessary in prior mechanisms of this kind.

Another object is to provide a machine of the class referred to in which the air which is in the bottles before fillin them with the liquid is suitably discharge therefrom with out bringing it into contact with the supply of liquid in the supply tank, thereby keeping the liquid uncontaminated with impurities which may have been in the bottle and thereby keeping the supply of liquid for the bottles sanitary, clean and sterile.

Another object is to provide in a bottling machine of the class referred to, an improved means for maintaining pressure in thebottles to be filled opposing the pressure of the liquid in the supply tank for filling the bottles and in which the supply tank pressure ma be maintained substantially constant.

nother object is to provide in a bottle filling machine of the class referred to, means for maintaining gas pressure in the bottles being filled, slightly in excess of the pressure in the filling tank above the liquid therein and improved means for maintaining this difference of pressure substantially constant.

Another object is to provide in a machine of the class referred to, means for maintaining said difference of pressure substantially constant even under the tendenc for it to vary due to leakage of bottle air pressure occasioned by broken or chipped bottles.

Another object is to provide in a machine of the class referred to, comprising a supply tank from which the beverage is supplied to fill the bottles, means to maintain the level of liquid in the tank substantially constant by keeping it under substantially constant pressure and by renewing the supply of liquid therein from time to time from a main supply or storage reservoir.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains.

My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view principally in longitudinal vertical medial section of a mechanism embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 taken on anism which I also may employ in connection with the filling machine proper;

Fig. 6 is a vent valve mechanism which I may employ in connection with the bottling machine proper;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of conduit connections between the filling machine proper and a compressed air supply and the balance regulator and vent valve of Figs. 5 and 6 respectively, and accord ing to which the embodiment of my invention ma be interconnected and operated; and

ig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing in addition a main liquid storage supply tank and a compensator valve mechanism such as is illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown at 1 a main supporting base for the mechanism of my invention having a plurality of supporting columns 2 extending upwardly therefrom, and provided with a central tubular column 6 rotatably supporting a super structure comprising a liquid supply tank A at its top. The tank A is rotatable by a tubular casing 5 secured to the bottom of the tank and ri 'dly connected to an axially disposed tube 3 y screws 4, the casing 5 having supports on the column 6 by a thrust ba l-bearing 7 and being guided to rotate axially by a tubular extension 6 on the column 6, telescopically surrounding the tube 3. The tube 3 is rotated by a worm gear 15 secured on the lower end thereof below the column support 6, and a worm gear pulley 16 associated therewith. I I

A large disc 9 having ahub 9" and a flange 9 is secured upon the casing 5 on a suitable provided shoulder adjacent the ball-bearing 7, and the disc is perforated at intervals as at 10 to permit bottle lift-rods 11 and 11 to be described to reciprocate vertically therethrough. Bottle lifts 12 are associated with the disc and rods 11 and 11' and valve mechanism housings ,14 are secured to the tank A and have secured thereto cylinders 13. By the construction thus described it will be apparent that the tank A and the llti entire super structure, including the disc 9, rods 11 and 11', bottle lifts 12, cylinders 13 and valve housings 14 all may be rotated as a unit by rotation of the tube 3. v

A conduit 8 extends the full length of the tube 3 interiorly thereof and at its upper end as at 8' communicates with the interior of the tank A. At its lower end, it joins with a liquid supply conduit 42, which may be coupled as at 43 to a suitable conduit leading from the main liquid supply tank containing the liquid such as beer, carbonated syrup or the like to be bottled.

Since the tank A may contain beer or carbonated flavored liquid or syrup or the like, in the following description and claims where the term beer is used, it is to be considered merely a general term meaning the liquid of whatever kind which is provided with which the bottles of the mechanism are intended to be filled:

The operations of the machine generally with respect to the mechanical movements of the bottles, the period of filling the bottles and the operation of the valve in the housing 14 follows closely the like opera tions described in the aforesaid Champ patcuts and need not be described in complete detail here. It may suflice to say that generally the bottles indicated at 45 and 46 are placed in the bottle lifts 12, a large number of which are provided, one for each lift rod 11 and which are arranged to travel in a circular-pathabout the axis of the rotatable superstructure above described; and that the bottles start in their movements from a depressed position such as that shown for the bottle 45 wherein filling has not yet been started and moved to an elevated position illustrated for the bottle 46 wherein filling may be accomp ished; and that the different bottles progressively move from the preliminary position 45 to the ultimate position 46 and are then filled and thence move to the discharge position on the other side of the machine where they are depressed from the filling position and are then removed from contact with the filling nozzle 17, to be described, and are capped.

The form of the machine shown in the drawings is one adapted to continuously opcrate in connection with a continuous sucthe filling position 45 to the filling position 46fcomprises a ram having the lift rod 11 and piston rod 11 joined to a piston 18 reciprocable 1n a cylinderl3. The rods 11 and 11. arcadj ustably joined together at their lower ends by heads 60.

duit 24 to the valve housing 14. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, a rotatable valve 26 rotatable to difi'erent positions "by a crank 27 as the latter engages stationary abutmentsduring the rotation of the machine super structure, may admit air from the conduit 24 through a valve port 61 to the cylinder 13 above the piston 18 to counter-balance pres- 'sure on the piston from below the same in the cylinder 13efi'eeted by compressed air pressure from the conduit 24 conducted directly to the cylinder 13 below the piston. The piston and rod 11 and lift 12 and rod 11' may thus fall by gravity to dispose the lift in the position for the bottle 45. Upon turning the valve 26 through a part of a revolution, the valve port 61 is closed off and an exhaust port 62, communicating by a duct 63 to the atmosphere, may reduce the pressure above the piston 18 and permit pres sure below it to raise it, thus elevating the bottle to the position 46.

The valve housing 14 has depending thereit. The bottle is sealed on a sealing washer 66 in the cap 65 and the latter is itself sealed as at 67 on a packing 68 in the housing 14.

When the bottle is thus sealed. ready for filling, the valve 26 is turned another part of a revolution which simultaneously opens theport 69 in the valve, effecting communication between the interior of the tank A and v tube 64, allowing liquid in the tank A to flow through the tube into the bottle; and admitting compressed air from a header 7 0 through a conduit 71 and through a second valve port 7 2 to a chamber 73 in the housin 14, and thence through a space 74 aroun the tube 64, into the bottle 46..

As will be more fully described, liquid in the supply tank A is under pressure of gas above the level of the liquid. In a manner to be more fully described, the air pressure applied to the interior of the bottle 46 from the header 70 is maintained slightly in excess of the pressure in the tank A above the liquid so that the remaining force causing liquid to flow from the tank A into the bottle through the tube 64 is somewhat less than the force of gravity or the hydraulic head thereof. The liquid is thus caused to flow into the bottle, filling it, with a slow movement which avoids agitation of the liquid and the escape of gas such as carbonatlng gas therefrom. As the bottle 46 fills, the air therein underthe applied pressure is forced out of the bottle back u through the conduit 71 into the header 70.

After the bottle 46 has been filled, the valve 26 is again turned to shut 03 the ports 69 and 72 and to 0 en the port 61 to permit the piston 18 to ta 1, and the bottle may be removed and capped.

The compressed air header 23 is supplied with compressed air through a conduit 75 carried through the tank A and communicating with a radial arm 76 on a rotary coupling device 77, to be described. The compressed air header 7 0 in the tank A communicates by a pipe 78 with a vertical pipe 79 in the tank A, the latter communicating with a radially disposed arm 80 on the device 77. A

1 third arm 81 on the device 77 communicates with the interior of the tank A by a short conduit 82 in the lid 83 of the tank.

The rotary coupling device 77 comprises a cylindrical body 84 adapted-to rotate within stationary couplings 85, 86 and 87, telescoped and sealed thereon, and each of the couplings 85, 86 and 87 communicating interiorly with external stationary conduits 88, 89 and 90 respectively. An internal duct in the body 84 communicates at one end with the interior of the coupling 85 and at its other end extends through the arm 76 and communicates with the conduit 75. A corresponding duct in the body 84 communicates with the interior of the coupling 87 at one end, and at the other extends through the arm 80 and communicates with the conduit 79. A third internal duct communicates with the coupling 86 at one end, and at the other end communicates with the short conduit 82 and with the interior of the tank A. Thus open communication is at all times maintained between the conduits 88, 89 and 90, and the conduit 75 supplyin compressed air to the head 23, the conduit 9 supplying compressed air to the head '70, and the conduit 82 communicating with the tank A, respectively, as cited, and during rotation of the tank and its super structure relative to the conduits 88, 89 and 90.

The couplings 85, 86 and 87 may be sealed on the cylindrical body 84 in any suitable manner as, for example, by suitable packings, and the packings may be maintained under pressure in the axial direction of the head 84 by a compression spring 91 communicating pressure through a thrust ball-bearing 92 to the couplings. This construction may be variously modified and does not constitute an essential part of my present invention.

The foregoing description ap lies to the bottle filling machine proper and there will now be described the means bywhich the liquid in the tank A is maintained at a substantially constant level and constant pressure of t e gas above the liquid level; and by which the pressure in the bottle is maintained always slightly in excess of the tank pressure; and by which an accumulation of pressure in the header 70 supplying air to the bottles, due to adding to the air in the system the original air content of the' empty bottle; and by which the supply tank A is kept filled to a predetermined level from an external main supply reservoir of the liquid.

Referring to Fig. 8, I have shown at 95 a conduit-connected to a su ply source of compressed air not shown. y means of a conduit 96, compressed air is lead through a compensator shown generally at 97 and illustrated separately in Fig. 4, and thence by a conduit 98 to a large reservoir of the liquid to be bottled, the pressure thus applied to the liquid in the reservoir 99 forcing it out through a conduit 100 coupled as at 43, see Fig. 1, to the conduit 8 by which it is conducted to the supply tank A. Upon first filling the tank A, the air therein may be expelled through a pipe 50, see Fig. 2, controlled by a petcock 51 on its discharge end and by a valve 49 disposed at a suitable level in the tank A and adapted to be closed by a float 47 and a lever arm 48 operated thereby in the tank.

Thus the liquidforced into the tank A fills the same to a predetermined level and then the gas, such as carbonating gas, escaping from the liquid, occupies the space above the liquid and is subjected to the pressure by which the liquid is forced into the tank A.

After the air has initially been discharged out of the tank A by the incoming liquid and gas above the liquid, air is kept out of the tank by the gas therein and although the tank A is continuously replenished by additional liquid forced thereinto as just described, air never contacts therewith in the tank A.

Another conduit 101 connected to the compressed air supply conduit 95, conducts compressed air through a balance regulator 102, shown separately in Fig. 5, and thence by a conduit 103 to the conduit 90, see Fig. 2 and the description thereof, whence compressed air is conducted into the header 70 to supply compressed air to the bottles. 7

By means of a conduit 154, connected to the supply conduit 95, compressed air is conducted to the conduit 88, see Fig. 2, whence 'it supplies compressed air to the header 23 for operating the bottle lift mechanism.

The third conduit 89 of Fig. 2, which as described above communicates with the pressure space in the tank A above the liquid,

bottling machine proper, air may be admitted' to the header 23 by a manually operated valve 110, or,if desired, the valve 110 may be a self-regulating valve to control the pressure su plied through it to the conduit 154. An in lcator .111 may be inserted in the line 15a to indicate the pressure supplied thereby.

' Manually operated valves or regulating valves 155, 158 and 157 maybeoperated to admit pressure respectively to the reservoir tank 99, the bottling pressure head and the space above the liquid in the tank A. The valve 157 may, if desired, be shut 02 after the operation is'once started up.

The compensator 97 operates to maintain a constant pressure and therefore a constant level of liquid in the supply tank A. Heterring toFig. 4, the compensator com rises an upper housing portion 112 and a" ower housing portion 113 bolted together as at 111 and clamping therebetween a diaphra 118. A spring 110 in anelongated portlon oi? the housing 112 and adjustable by a screw 117, tends to force the diaphragm 115 downwardly, as viewed in the drawings. A prejection 98 on the lower housing portion 113 forms a continuation of the conduit 96 of Fig. 8 and has a duct 118 therein extending into the housing and terminating in an axially disposed valve seat 119. At the valve seat 119 the duct 118 opens into a chamber 120 in the housing from which a duct 121 leads, communicating with a projection 98 which forms a continuation o the conduit 98 of Fig. 8.

11. valve 122 is movably axially in the chamber 120 guided by a stem 123 in a corresponding cylindrical bore of the housing and is adapted to move upwardly as views in the drawings to close the valve seat 119 and shut cit flow through the duct 118, or, may be moved toward and from the valve seat 119 to regulate the flow through the duct 118 and into the chamber 120 and out at the duct 121. The valve 122 is connected by a stem 12 1 to the diaphragm 115. The space below the diaphragm is sealed from the chamber 120 by a diaphragm type of seal 125.

The exact details of construction of the compensator 4 do not form an essential part of my invention and it is believed that the brief description hereinbefore will suffice in connection with the drawings, Fig. 4.

The operation of the compensator is as follows. Pressure of the gas above the liquid in the tank A is communicated to the lower side of the diaphra 115 through the conduit 105, see Fig. 8. on withdrawal of liquid from the tank to bottles, this pressure will fall and after a slight reduction thereof will permit the spring 116 to over power the pressure and move the diaphragm downwardly, communicating the movement through the stem 1% to the valve 122, opening the same, and admitting supply compressed air pressure through the conduit 96, duct 118 through the valve seat 119 and the chamber 120and thence out by duct 121 to conduit 98, thus applying pressure to the reserv oir 99 above the li uid therein and forcing liquid up through t e conduit 8 into the tank to replace that which was withdrawn; The. pressure in the tank .11 is thus restored and the diaphragm 115 is correspondingly lifted as viewed in Fig. d and e valve opening at the valve seat 119 is correspondingll y closed, or if necessary complete. ly closed. us the pressure of the gas above the liquid in the. tank A, is maintained substantially constant and the liquid at substantially a constant level therein, this being eh fected as just described by appl ing outside pressure to force liquid from t e reservoir 99 into the supply tank A and controlling the pressure applied to the reservoir 99 by the pressure in the tank A, admitting more pressure to the reservoir if the. pressure in the tank falls, and vice versa.

The operation of the balance regulator 102 and the vent valve 109 tomaintain constant the difierence between the bottle pressure and the tank pressure will now be described. Referring to Fig. 5, the balance regulator comprises a main housing consisting of an upper portion 126 and a lower portion 127 clamped together on generally cir cular portions thereof by bolts 128, a diaphragm 129 being clamped between the portions 126 and 127. Below the diaphragm 129 is a chamber 130 in which is disposed a valve 131 connected to and movable with the diaphragm 129 by the stud and nut construction shown at 132. Below the chamber 130 the housing is elongated to contain and guide a compression spring 133, the upper end of which, by means of transmission members 134.- and 135, tends to move the valve 131 upwardly toward closed position. The lower end of the spring 133 is adjustably movable by a screw 136 whereby the tension of the spring may be varied. The conduit 103 is connected to communicate with the From the foregoing discussion it will be apparent that if the valve 131 is in an open position, supply air pressure from the conduit 101 is applied to the lower side of the diaphragm 129. The pressure in the cham-, her 130 is supplied by conduit 103 to the bottles. The ressure of the space above the liquid level in the tank A is supplied by the conduit 89 to the space above the diaphragm 129. It is desired that the pressure below the diaphragm, that is the bottle pressure, shall be slightly greater than the liquid tank pressure above the diaphragm.

The pressure in the tank is determined by the adjustment of .the compensator, Fig. 4, above described, and is maintained substantially constant by the compensator. Therefore, the pressure above the diaphragm 129 in the balance regulator, Fig. 5, is maintained substantially constant. The pressure ,in the supply conduit 101 is at all times higher than the pressure above the diaphragm and therefore tends to force the diaphragm 129 upwardly as viewed in the drawings, but it the pressure below the diaphragm exceeds that above it by more than a preselected amount, the diaphragm will move upwardly and partially close the duct 137 at the valve seat 138 and tend to reduce the pressure in the chamber 130. Since the pressure of the air entering the chamber 130 through the duct 137 tends to force the valve 131 away from the valve seat 138, the adjustable spring 133 is employed. By adjusting the spring 133, for any given air pressure supplied by the conduit 101,the spring 133 may be adjusted so that a preselected excess of pressure below the diaphragm 129 and in the conduit 103 may be obtained over that above the diaphragm 129 and in the liquid supply tank.

If a leak occurs tending to stop the pressure in the conduit 103, such as a broken or chipped bottle in the machine, the pressure in the chamber 130 will tend to fall, and this will be accompanied by a downward movement of the diaphragm 129 and a farther opening of the valve 131, to tend to restore the pressure.

As will be understood from the above description, in the operation of the machine, the interior of a bottle is first subjected to the pressure of the compressed air and then, as the liquid flows into the bottle, the air is forced out of the bottle and back into the system. Thus there is a tendency for pressure to accumulate in the conduit system 90103, and a tendency for the bottle pressure to exceed the liquid pressure by more than the preselected amount. This would tend to close the valve in the balance regulator, Fig. 5, and tend to stop the supply of compressed air through the conduit 101 from the outside source. To prevent the accumulation of pressure thus occasioned by addin the air that is in the bottles originally to t e air in the bottle pressure system, the vent valve, Fig. 6, and shown at 109, Fig. 8, is connected between the tank pressure conduit 89 and the bottle pressure conduit 90, as shown in Fig. 8.

The vent valve, Fig. 6, comprises an upper and a lower chamber 140 and 146 disposed on each side of a diaphragm 142 and clampingly gripping the same by screws 143. The diaphragm is normally resiliently held upward as viewed in the drawings by a compression 144 adjustably by a screw 145, in a depending sleeve portion 146 of the housing. The space below the diaphragm 142 commu- ,nicates by the conduit 107 with the pressure above the liquid in the tank. The space above the diaphragm 142 communicates by a duct 147 to a chamber in the upper part 01". the housing 148, the chamber being connected by the conduit 108 to the bottle pressure conduit 90. A valve washer 149 on the upper side of the diaphragm is adapted to close a valve seat 150 formed on the upper part of the housing, a port in the seat communicating with an outlet exhaust vent 151. If the bottle pressure in the conduit 108 and therefore above the diaphragm 142 exceeds that in the liquid tank and therefore below the diaphragm 142, by more than a preselected difterence, the diaphragm 142 will be moved downwardly and remove the valve 149 from the valve seat 150 and permit an escape of the air through the vent 151 thus reducing the bottle pressure.

A second diaphragm 152 connected to a plunger 153 may be provided, the plunger engaging the valve washer 149 and also tending to open the valve to vent air through the duct 151 due to the action of the bottle pressure on the diaphragm 152.

As will now appear, the compensator, Fig. 4, operates to maintain the tank pressure substantially constant. The balance regulator, Fig. 5, operates to maintain the bottle pressure always greater than the tank pressure and the vent valve, Fig. 6, operates to maintain a constant excess of bottle pressure over tank pressure. j

In a modification of the system of connections shown in Fig. 7 the liquid is not supplied to the tank A in a manner automatically to maintain its level and pressure. Liquid under pressure may be supplied to the conduit 8 to supply the tank A from any suitable source, and the liquid may be ad mitted or shut off manually by a valve or vallves not shown. With this exception, the diagram, Fig. 7, is the same as Fig. 8. In the operation of the system when connected up as shown in Fig. 7, for any level and pressure in the tank A, the balance regulator 102, see Fig. 5, will draw compressed air from the outsidesource from the conduit 95 to keep the bottle pressure always in excess I of the tank pressure and the vent valve 109,

see Fig. 6, will operatato keep the bottle pressure from exceeding the tank pressure by more than a preselected excess.

When the modification of Fi 7 is used, it will be understood that both t e tank pressure and bottle pressure ma vary at one time being high and at anot or time being lower, but that the bottle pressure will always be maintained in excess of the tank pressure by a substantially constant difierence.

From a consideration of the foregoing description of apparatus embodying my invention, it will be observed that counter-pressure for the bottles being filled is supplied from the tubular header desired form and that the air isplaced by beer or other beverage supplied to the bottles is returned to said header; that automatic controlling means maintains the pressure at a predetermined pressure value, and that the entire counter-pressure and bottle air receiving system is maintained entirely distinct and isolated from the gasabove the level of the beer or other beverage in the supply or filler tank A, so that more or less foul and/or unsterile air from the bottles cannot contaminate the beer or other beverage contained in the filler tank by contact with it.

It will also be observed from the foregoing description that beer or other beverage flows from the supply tank into the bottles at a relatively slow rate and therefore with the minimum of agitation and loss of gas from the beverage. The low velocity of flow into the bottles is, as will now be clear from the foregoing description, eiiected by maintaining a counter-pressure in the bottle greater than the pressure in the tanlr above the liquid by a predetermined amount. If the counter-pressure in the bottle were the same as that above the liquid in the tank, the liquid would flow under the full chest of gravity and at great velocity and furthermore would continue to flow until its how were shut oh by a valve or other means. By providing a bottle counter-pressure, however, greater than the pressure in the tank, the excess pressure will counteract part of the efiect of gravity on the flowing liquid to cause it to flow more slowly. Furthermore, by conducting the liquid into the bottle through a tube or like conduit to a point adjacent the bottom of the bottle, and applying the counter-pressure to the interior 0 the bottle at a higher point or at the bottle mouth, the counter-pressure may be regulated to such a value that when the bottle is filled to the desired level, the excess of the bottle counter-pressure over the pressure in the tank will be just enou h to balance the weight of liquid above the evel in the bottle and it will automatically stop flowing.

Thus I accomplish two very highly desir- 0 which ma be of any able results which I regard as important advances in the art of bottling beverages such as beer. The sterile beer so carefully achieved by the brewer previously to hottling, and very sensitive to the absorption of odorous gases an other foreign contaminating matter which oats in the air of the lant where the filling is done, is maintaine isolated from the air in the bottles exce t as to the negligible contact therewith o the beer flowing into the bottle; and by providsure in the tank above the liquid, the liquid low velocity-and therefore with the minimum of agitation'and loss of gas therefrom.

Both of these advantages are derived from providing the conduit system for the bottle counter-pressure air supply entirely distinct and separate from the pressure space inthe supply tank above the liquid therein.

1 claim: a

' 1. In a bottle filling machine, a substantially sealed liquid supply tank adapted to be partially filled with liquid with a superposed body of confined gas to maintain the li uid under pressure of the gas, separate va ve controlled conduit means for each bottie for discharging liquid from the tank to each of a succession of bottles to be filled,

means supporting said bottles below the level oi liquid in the tank, means providing a chamber for contained compressed counterpressure gas, automatic means responsive to the pressures in said tank and chamber maintaining the counter-pressure gas at a pres sure greater by a predetermined diderential of pressure than the gas pressure in the tank, a valve controlled gas conduit for each of the bottles communicating counter-pressure gas to the bottle, said counter-pressure gas opposing the fiow of liquid therein, said as conduit during filling of the bottle receiving the gas displaced from the bottles and maintaining it out at communication with the interior of the tank, said counter-pressure gas pressure being of such value to increasingly and opposingly restrain flow of liquid into the bottle to gradually reduce the rate oi flow and to ultimately balance and neutralize the efiects of gravity and tank pressure tending to cause further flow intothe bottle, when the bottle has been filled to a predetermined level.

2. In a bottle filling machine, a sealed liquid supply tank, adapted to be partially filled with liquid maintained under pressure by gas confined in the tank above the liquid,

valve controlled conduit means for discharg- ,ing a counter-pressure greater than the prescontainer, valve controlled conduit means for admitting compressed gas to the interior of the bottles to gradually increasingly yieldingly oppose the flow of liquid thereinto, and for discharging the compressed gas from the bottles during filling thereof, control means for the compressed gas in the container to maintain the pressure of the same greater than the gas pressure in the tank by a predetermined amount, the liquid level and gas pressure maintaining means of the tank and the compressed gas control means being operable responsive to andcommensurably to the gas pressure of the tank.

3. In a bottle filling machine, a sealed liquid supply tank, adapted to be partially filled with liquid maintained under pressure by gas pressure in the tank above the liquid, valve controlled conduit means for discharging liquid from the tank to a succession of bottles to be filled, means for maintaining the liquid level and gas pressure in the tank substantially constant during discharge of liquid therefrom, said means being responsive to the tank gas pressure and comprising a liquid reservoir for supplying liquid to the tank, a conduit connection between the reservoir and the tank, a source of compressed gas and valve means for admitting compressed gas from said gas source to the reservoir to force liquid therefrom through the conduit into the tank, the said valve being movable responsive to slight decreases of gas pressure in the tank, a second compressed gas container, asource of compressed gas for the container, a valve controlled conduit means for admitting compressed gas from said second container to the interior of the bottles to yieldingly oppose the flow of liquid thereinto and for subsequently receiving at least part of such compressed gas displaced from the bottles during filling thereof, and control means responsive to the gas pressure of the tank for controlling the pressure of the gas in the second container to maintain the same greater than the gas pressure of the tank by a predetermined amount.

4,. In combination, a beverage tank, conduits for each of a procession of bottles communicating beverage under pressure thereto from the tank, means confining gas under pressure including a second conduit for each bottle, a valve for each bottle sequentially operable to successively open the gas supply and beverage supply conduits, pressure regulating means maintaining the gas at a predetermined positive pressure differential relative to. the beverage flow inducing pressure, said differential being such as to opposingly retard beverage flow during filling and substantially effect a pressure balance between the gas and bottled beverage upon a predetermined level thereof, said gas confining means receiving beverage displaced bottle gas and maintaining it isolated from the beverage in said tan 5. The apparatus substantially as described in claim 4, characterized by the provision of a beverage reservoir containing replenishing beverage for said tank, a replenishing duct for effecting continuous communication between the reservoir and tank, said reservoir containing gas under pressure to cause replenishing flows through said duct, and gas pressure regulating means etfective to increase the supply of gas in the reservoir responsive to reduced pressure of gas in the filler tank, independently of the head of liquid in the reservoir.

6. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid supply tank containing liquid under pressure, conduit means to conduct liquid by gravity from the tank to a bottle to be filled, a source of gas pressure supply, conduit means to conduct gas from the sources to the bottle interior and to conduct away bottle gas displaced by liquid entering the bottle, the conduit means maintaining the gas out of contact with the liquid in the tank, and gas pressure control means for maintaining the pressure of the gas applied to the bottle interior at a value greater by a predetermined amount than the tank pressure whereby the liquid is caused to flow into the bottle to a predetermined level only at which level the pressure supplied to the bottle interior exactly balances the pressure in the tank plus the weight of liquid between the level of liquid in the tank and that in the bottle.

7. The apparatus substantially as set forth in claim 4, characterized by said tank having gas tight confining walls extending above and over the liquid contained therein adapted to confine gas under pressure above the level of liquid in the tank, and automatic means operable under control of pressure of said tank gas for replenishing the tank with beverage to maintain a predetermined head thereof, therein. l)

8. In an apparatus for filling bottles, a sealed liquid supply tank, adapted to be partially filled with liquid to maintain the liquid under pressure by gas pressure in the tank above the liquid, a compressed gas supply conduit, a liquid reservoir supply for the tank, a compressed gas conduit from the supply conduit to the reservoir for applying pressure to the liquid therein, a liquid conduit from the reservoir to the tank, a valve in said gas conduit, means operable independently of the head of liquid in the reservoir responsive to any decrease of gas pressure in the tank-above the liquid to open said valve to force additional liquid from the reservoir to the tank.

9. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid supply tank containing liquid under pressure, conduit means to conduct liquid by gravity from the tank to a bottle to be filled, a source of ts pressure supply, conduit means to con uct gas from the source to the bottle interior and to conduct away bottle gas displaced by liquid entering the bottle, the conduit means maintaining the gas out of contact with the liquid in the tank, and gas pressure control means for maintaining the pressure of the gas applied to the bottle interior at a value greater by a predetermined amount than the tank pressure, whereby liquid will flow into the bottle at gradually reduced velocity, and with minimum agitation, said predetermined bottle contained gas pressure being such as to substantially balance and neutralize the forces including gravity and tank gas pressure causing discharge of liquid into the bottle whenever the bottle is filled to a predetermined level.

10. In an apparatus for sequentially progressively filling a procession of moving bottles with beverage comprising a beverage tank with gas under pressure confined therein above the beverage level, separate conduit means for each of the bottles to communicate beverage through from said tank, a source of counter-pressure gas supply including a conduit leading therefrom to each bottle for supplying counter-pressure gas to bottles inadvance of filling through said conduit and to receive at least a portion of said gas displaced from the bottles during filling, means to regulate the pressure of counter-pressure gas to a predetermined value not less than the pressure of as in the tank, said predetermined value being that which will restrain rate of beverage fiow to the bottles and substantially neutralize gravitational and tank gas pressure forces inducing such flow when a predetermined level of filling is achieved, said counter gas supply having confinin walls maintainin the gas displaced from t e bottles duringhlling entirely out of contact with the liquid in the tank.

11. In a continuously operable bottle filling mechanism, the combination of a beverage supply tank containing a supply of beverage confined therein under gas pressure applied thereto, conduit means separately supplying beverage to each of a succession of bottles sequentially from the tank, a source of counter-pressure gas and conduit means for effecting communication between the in terior of said bottles and said source during filling and receiving at least a portion of such gas displaced therefrom during filling and confinedly maintaining the displaced bottle gas out of contact with the gas in the tank, and gas pressure regulating means differentially operable by pressure of gas in the tank and said source for maintaining the pressure of gas in said source at a value at least as great as that of the gas in the tank,

and of such value as to balance the com- Hressure otherwise tending to fill the bottles igher than a predetermined level.

12. In a continuously operable bottle filling mechanism, the combination of a filler tank and a supply tank, the filler tank being relatively elevated, beverage contained in each of said tanks being under pressure of superposed gas contained in each tank, conduit means effecting free communication of beverage from the supply tank to the filler tank, a source of gas under pressure and means comprising a fluid pressure opefable valve for communicating gas therefrom to said supply tank, under control of gas pressure in said filler tank, and means associated with said valve for predetermining the pressure of filler tank gas effective to operate said valve, said supply tank gas being efi'ective to force beverage from the supply tank to the filler tank independently of the head of liquid in the supply tank.

13. In combination, a filler tank for supplying beverage to bottles, a reservoir tank for replenishing the filler tank from a lower level, said tanks in constant open communication with each other and each with gas under pressure in their upper portions, a separate container for counterpressure gas for the bottles admitted thereto in advance of filling, a separate duct for each bottle communicating with the filler tank, and gas pressure regulating means for said container and for the gas in the reservoir tank, said regulator means measurably responsive at all times to the gas pressure in the filler tank.

14. The process which consists in successively filling bottles with beer or like beverage from a beverage containing filler tank, comprising applying a gas pressure against the tank beverage surface and confinedly c0m municating beverage therefrom separately to the lower interior portions of each bottle, the flow being motivated by the resultant of said gas pressure and gravitational force tending to move beverage from the tank to the bottles, supplying from a separate gas reservoir,

gas under pressure to the bottles in opposition force being effected by placing the bottles substantially lower than the tank beverage level, and said bottle gas pressure being always of higher pressure value than said filler tank gas pressure.

16. The process substantially as described in claim 14, characterized by successively progressively operating upon a plurality of bottles sequentially from the same filler tank and supplying counter-pressure gas from the same source, continuing the filling of any given bottle while a plurality of other bottles successively start their filling periods whereby at any given time diflerent of the bottles are filled to progressively greater levels approaching the said predetermined ultimate level.

17. The process substantially as described in claim 14, characterized by performing the successive operations sequentially on different bottles of a moving train of bottles, each separately supplied with beverage from the same filler tank after receiving a charge of counter-pressure gas from the same source, and during filling with beverage discharging displaced bottle gas back to the said same source progressively and sequentially whereby displaced bottle gas from bottles previously processed will be resupplied as counterpressure gas to other bottles of the train" to be later filled, and isolating said displaced air and gas from any contact with gas or beverage in the filler tank.

18. The process substantially as described in claim 14, characterized by replenishing the beverage supply in the tank against a substantially constant pressure'of gas therein to maintain substantially a predetermined level therein, and at all times maintaining the pressure of the counter-pressure 'gas at a predetermined difierential of pressure compared to the pressure of gas in the tank.

19. The process which consists in successively filling bottles with beer or like beverage from a beverage containing filler tank comprising the application of pressure of gas within the tank against the surface of the evera e therein, and confinedly communieating everage therefrom to the bottom interior bottle portions, while positioning the bottles so that their tops are substantially below the top level of beverage in the tank whereby flow 'from the tank to the bottles is additivcly motivated by said gas pressure and the head of confined communicated liquid, and before beverage is admitted to the bottles, applying from a separate source of gas pressure, counter-pressure gas to the interior of the bottle to effect a gas pressure in excess of that exerted against the tank beverage surface and limited to that ressure which will balance the sum of the aliove recited fiow motivating forces when sufficient beverage has been supplied to the bottle to fill it to the level of the bottle neck, said process characterized by the counter-pressure gas in the bottles being displaced back to said 'source by the infiowing beverage, and isolating displaced bottle gas from any contact with beverage in the tank.

20. The process substantially as described in claim 19, characterized by successively initiating the filling of a plurality of bottles sequentially from the same filler tank and simultaneousl communicating to each of a plurality of bottles, said gas counter-pressure 1n advance of and during filling, whereb filling is retarded and earlier filled bottles at any given time are filled to progressively greater levels approaching the ultimate said predetermied level.

21. The process substantially as described in claim 19, characterized by continuously replenishing the beverage supply in the tank to maintain substantially a predetermied level therein and at all times maintaining the gas in the tank at substantially predetermined quantity and pressure values, having a predetermined differential of pressure value relative to the contemporaneous value of pressure of said counter-pressure gas.

In testimony whereof ll hereunto afix my signature this 8th day of November, 1930.

FRED. w. MULLER.

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