Feb. 11, 1958 L. GROSBOIS 2,822,830 ‘BOPTLE FILLING DEVICES Filed Jan. 26, 1954 2 Sheots-Shoot 1 L INVENTOR. w Oe Graben. MaulageFeb. 11, 1958 L. GRosBoIs 2,822,830 BOTTLE FILLING DEVICES Filed Jan. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheot 2 WJ acearees,United States Patent Office 1 2,822,830 ‘BOTTLE FILLING DEVICES Lucien Grosbols, Lyon, France, assignor to Société Nou- elle des Anciens Etablissements TF, Wenger, Paris France, a limited liability company of France Application January 26, 1954, Serial No. 406,210 $ Claims. (Cl, 141—59) ‘This invention refers to bottle filing devices wherein a partial vacuum created in the storage tank prevents the quid trom flowing from the filing nozzle when the latios is not in engagement with a bottle. When the nozzle is engayed with a bole the liquid may on the contrary flow freely from the nozzle into the bottle wheh is thus progressively filled. When the bottle thus filled is re. moved trom the nozzle, air from the outer atmosphere flows through the nozzle towards the storage tank where by the liquid still within the nozale is expelled into tho tank, A ‘rst abject of this invention is to provide a bottle filing device of the kind above referred to wherein the ‘height of liguid within the filled bottles may be determined by stopping the flow of liguid from the taak into the bottles being filled when the level within the latter hse reached predctermined point, without having to rely fon additional means or on the return of am excess of Liquid from the bot into the tank, ‘Still another object of this invention is to limit the ‘quantity of air sucked into the storage tank, to reduce the ‘minimum value of the negative pressure required in the tank for satisfactory operetion and to avoid aeration of the liguid within the tank by air bubbles from the filling nozzle oF nozzles associated therewith, According to this invention a bottle fling device com- prises a constant level storage tank within whieh there 1s ‘ainisined a substantially constant negative pressure, fil. ing nozzles connected with this tank by the ascendiag branch of passageways in the form of a syphon tube and ‘an air exhaust tube associated to each filing nozzle, the said tube having its lower end so arranged that it is en ‘gaged into the neck of the bottle being filed, while its up. ‘per end opens in the sir space of the storage tank. twill be apprecisted that with such an arrangement the negative pressure within the tank may be 40 adjusted that when no bottle is engaged with a given nozzle the Liquid in the syphon passageway may be located. below the "uppermost point of the latter, whereby no flow of laud through the nozzle caa take place. “When on the conttary the nozzle is in engagement with the neck of a bots, the pressure within the Iatter becomes equal to the re. ° duced pressure prevailing within che tank and liquid may freely flow through the passageway and through the nozzle, the air from the latter escaping progressively through the air exhaust tube, When the level in the bottle reaches the lower end of the ait exhaust tube the air sill present in the upper portion of the botlle neck may 00 ‘more escape and the flow of liquid is stopped. ‘The air therefore raises towards the uppermost point of the syphon passageway where itis so to speak entrapped and therefore prevents any further flow of liquid iato the bottle, When the bottle is removed air from the outer atmosphere flows into the nozale and thus re-establishes the level of liquid in the passageway to its original height, Air also flows into the storage tank through the aif ex: hhaust tube end the small quantity of liqutd present in this tube is thus expelled into the tank, 0 16 20 0 0 50 70 2,822,830 Patented Fek. 11, 1958 2 In the annexed drawings: Fig. 1 is a diggrammatical vertical section of a filing device according to the first embodiment ofthis invention, Figs. 2 to 4 are partial views similar to Fi ing the successive steps of a filling operation, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a filing head ac- cording to the diagrammatical represeatation of Fig. I, Figs. 6 to 10 are views respectively corresponding 6 Figs. 1 to 5, bur illustrating a second embodiment of this inveation, ‘The device diagrammatically illustrate prises a storage tank 1 connected by a tube 2 with a blower or like machine adapted to create within Yank £ {constant negative pressure of relatively small value, for instance corresponding to somo centimetres of water, ‘The tank 1 contains the liquid with which the bottles sve to be filled. | This liquid may be of any kind provided it is not Hable to evolve gas under the action of the Te- duced pressure (partial vacuum) to which itis submitted, ‘The level A—A of this liquid within the tank remains onstaat and in the example illustrated this is oblained by supplying liguid to the tank by means of a pipe 3 closed by a needle valve controlled by a float 5. To the Sotiom of tank 1 there is fixed a downwardly opening hhead adapted to receive the neck of the bottle to be filled, such head being formed with a passageway in the form of @ syphon extending between the task and the portion of the head where the neck of the bottle is to be received. In the example illustrated the head comprises a lower sleeve 6 and an upper sleeve 7 of smaller diam. eter forming an upward extension of the former, these sleeves being connected with each other by a shoulder x. bellshaped body 8 is disposed over the sleeves thus ar. Tanged, its lower edge being at a small distance above the bottom of tank 1. The filing head also comprises an axial air exhaust tubo 9 with its lower end well below the shoulder connecting sleeves 6 and 7 while its upsoe {end opens within tank I above the liquid level A—-A in the The height of the liquid level A—A within the tank and the negative pressure prevailing in the ait space of the same are so determined that when no bottle sen gaged into the heed described the level of liquid within the bell-shaped body $ is situated at B—B above the lower edge of body 8 but below the upper edge of sleeve 7, Xt will be appreciated that the difterence a between levels A—A and B—B corresponds to the nepative pre sure in the air space of the tank with respect to the outer atmospheric pressure. At this position of rest ait com tinuously flows into the tank through the sir exhaust fate 9, but the blower which creates the negative pressure suche this air and maintains the reduced pressure required, Tube 9 may be of relatively small diameter. When the neck of a bottle is engaged into the sleeve 6 (Fig. 2) and is tightly pressed against the shoulder which gonnects the sleeves 6 and 7, the inner space of the fling head is isolated from the outer atmosphere. Due to the presence of the air exhaust tube 9 the pressure within the bottle becomes equal to the reduced pressure prevailing jn the air space of the tank 4 and the difference w of Fig. I no more prevents liquid from risiag within the bell-shaped body 8. ‘The liquid therefore flows over the edge of sleeve 7 into the neck 10 of the botle while the air from the latter escapes axially through the air exhaust tube 9. ‘The syphon is thus started. ‘When the bottle is filled to the desired degree the liquid level reaches the lower end of tube 9 (Fig. 3) and the exhaust of air through the latter is no more pos- sible.” The normal flow of liquid is thus stopped. ‘The small quantity of liquid in the upper portion of the head flows down gently into the bottle along the walls of the neck while the air from the upper portion of the bottle Fig. 1 com.2,822,880 neck rises towards the upper end of the sleeve 7. When ‘the liquid level in the bell-shaped body 8 has reached the edge of sleeve 7, tis residual flow cesses. The level in the bottle neck 10 is now at C=C-slightly. above the Tower end of the air exhaust tube 9 and in the latter it has raised to D—D. ‘The difference b between the levels, CC and D—D is of course equal to the difference between the level A—A and the level EE of the upper end of sleeve 7. ‘When the botile is removed (Fig. 4) te atmospheric pressure is re-established within body 8 aud within the heck 20 of the bottle, The level of liquid in body 8 is thus returned to the horizontal plane B—B of Fig 1 fand the small quantity of liquid which was in tube 9 is ‘expelled into the storage tank 1 Tt is to be remarked that doring-the whole fing op- eration no air has been allowed to bubble through the Figuid. The latter is not therefore unduly aerated. The fiaal level of liquid in the bottle neck is exactly deter- snined by the lower end of the air exttaust tube 9. The ead comprises no liquid nozzle dipping into the bottle whereby the cross-section of the bottle neck may be fully tsed, which is of importance with bottles provided with necks of small diameter. Fig. 5 shows the preferred construction of the head described. In this construction the sleeve 6 is welded to the bottom of the storage tank 4, although it could be fxed by any other means. A lower tubular guide 11 fs slidably arranged in sleeve 6, the said guide having a flaring lower end to recsive the bottle neck. ‘The outer periphery of guide 11 is provided with a. longitudinal Broove 1a into which projects the end of a screw 6a Strowed in the sleeve wall. The upper end of sleeve 6 receives an annular member 12 made of a plastic max ferial such as rubber and on member 42 fits another an- fnular member 13 which plays the role of the sleeve 7 of Fig. 1. The annular member 13 is covered by the body 8 in the form of a conical bell having a cylindrical lower portion which strrounds the sleeve 6 with a substantial Fnermediate annular space, Ribs 14 maintain the cone fal portion of body 8 spaced from the annular member $B. "The lower edge 82 of the lower cylindrical portion Gf body 8 is of smaller diameter and it fis on the sleeve 6 wherein it is Hxed by a bayonet joint. Openings 8 fre provided in the wall of body 8 immediately above the fower edge 8a to permit inlet of liquid into the said ody. The air exhatst tube 9 is passed through the luppermost portion of body 8 where it is screwed. The Tower portion of tube 9 carries a conical deflector 15 Iocated below the annular member 13 to prevent liquid from running along the tube. TE will be observed that the construction described permits of readily removing the parts for cleaning pur poses. "in the modification of Fis. ‘does not extend downwardly as in Fig. 1, but it is cov- Gred by a eylindro-conical cap 16 which extends below ‘ho said body and terminates at a small distance above {he bottom of the tank. This eap also extends upwardly fn the form of a cylindrical sleeve 17 which surrounds fhe air exhaust tube 9 and terminates above the Tiquid fevel AA in the tank, its upper end forming a cali ‘brated annular office around tube 9. ‘In the absence of any bottle the liquid Tevel within cap 16 is at FF, that is between the lover edge of Saly $ and the lower edge of cap 16. Air from the pore atmosphere may therefore low into the nk through ‘he annular passage between the cylindrical extension 17 the Mike tube 9 as well as through the tube 9 itself. But ating to the restricted cross-section of the annular pas- 7 Stes the pressure within the cap 16 is substantially higher than the pressure in the air space of the tank. This dit- ference of pressure is represented by the difference © foween the levels A—A and FF. ‘When the neck of the bottle to be filled is engeged 6 the bellshaped body 8 5 10 6 20 2 20 40 into sleeve 6 (Fig. 7) the pressure decreases in the body 8 and in the bottle, The liquid therefore rises in the head and the syphon is started as in the preceding case. “Tho botile is progressively filled while air escapes chroush ‘the axial tube 9 into the storage tank 1. It will be noted that owing to the pressure drop resulting from the flow ‘of liquid into the bottle the liquid level in the cylindrical extension 17 is at G—G slightly below the level A—A fn the tank. When the level in the bottle reaches the lower end ofthe air exhaust tube 9, the flow of liquid is Hopped and tie level ia the tube 9 rises to a height d (Fig, 8) equal to the difference between the level A—A. in the tank and the level E—E of the upper edge of the upper sleeve 7. "ven the bottle is removed (Fig. 9) the outer air ‘ows into the bottle aeck and into body 8. ‘The small quantity of liquid present in tube 9 is expelled into the fank 1, ~The liquid which was in the upper portion of the cap 46 flows down while air bubbles up through this owing liquid and escapes through the upper end of the extension 17. ‘The liquid level within cap 16 then re- turns to the position F—F of Fig. 6. Tt will be appreciated that the operation of the modi fication described is substantially the same as in the frst embodiment illustriaed in Figs. 1 to 4. The negative [pressure required i however higher since the liquid level In the filing head must be brought lower than in the ‘fist case. The bubbling of air through the liquid when the bottle is removed is sometimes undesirable, ‘The How of air into the storage tenk in the absence of a bot- fle is more important. This modified embodiment may however be of advantage in some cases, for instance then itis desired to feed the storage tank from sn open Texerveir without any pump or the like, which requires i substantial negative pressure ia the tank. Fig, 10 illustrates the preferred construction of the filing head of Fig, 6. The sleeve 6, the slidable guide TH aad the annular member 12 of rubber or other plas: fie material are those already described with reference fo Fig, 5. The anmular member 12 supports a conical body 19 provided with a downward cylindrical exten- Zion which fits en sleeve 6 whereon it is fixed by a bayo- et joint. This body 19 is formed with a contral cavity 20 opening downwardly and with passages 24 in the form. of syphon tubes extending from this central cavity to the Serighery. of the said body. Body 39 in turn carries Pas puter cap 16 of eylindro-conical shape which is spaced therefrom by aibs 16a, The lowermost ribs 162 coop- waste with coasse pitch threads provided on the periphery Gf body 19. Cap 16 extends upwardly in the form of She cplindrical extension or sleeve 17 and the calibrated Gtince of passage is obtained by leaving a sufficiently Shall annular space between extension 47 and the ait SMhaust tube 9 serewed through body 19. Here also the Satious parts are readily removable for cleaning or other purposes. . “The body 19 may be made into two parts disposed one above the other with an intermediate space forming pe sages 24 T claim: 1A filing device for bottles comprising » constant evel storage tank in the sir space of which there is main- {ined a substantially constant negative pressure: a filing vate disposed below the level of liquid within said Reratant level storage tank and connected with said storage tank by a passage in the form of a syphon duct having an Eavendiag branch opening in said tank, the height of the jigoid within the tank above the horizontal plane of the Hover end of said ascending branch being greater than The fective height of said ascending branch and then {he hydraulic head corresponding to the negative pres: rae eyeintsined in the air space of said tank, but smaller thus said hydraulic head plus the effective heisht of said ther ing branch; and an air exhaust tube associated to aid fling nozzle, said air-exhaust tube having its lower2,822,880 5 fend so disposed with respect to said nozzle that it is en- gaged into the neck of the bottle being filled while its ‘upper end opens in the air space of said tank. 2. A filing device for bottles comprising a constant level storage tank in the air space of which there is main- tained a substantially constant negative pressure; a sleeve vertically fixed to the bottom of said tank and opening through said bottom below the level of the liquid within Said tank, said sleeve being adapted to receive the neck. of a bottle to be filled; a sealing washer of plastic material Aisposed at the upper end of said sleeve, sald washer having a lower inner diameter than said sleeve in such 44 manner that the upper end of the neck of the bottle being filled may bear tightly against sald washer; a body mounted at the upper end of said sleeve on said washer, said body having a central cavity opening downwardly, above the central hole of said washer to form # filing nozzle therewith, and ssid body being provided with pas: sages opening on the one side in this cavity and on the other side on the periphery of said body at & lower level than in the cavity so as to form the ascending branches ‘of syphon duct between said tank and said slewve: the height of the liquid within the tank above the horizontal plane of the lower end of said ascending branches being sreater than tne effective height of said ascending branches ‘and than the hydraulic head corresponding to the nega. tive pressure maintained in the air space of said task, Dut smaller than said hydraulic head plus the effective hicight of said ascending branches; and an axial air ex hhaust tube passed vertically through said body with its ‘epper end opening in the air space of said tank and with its lower end so disposed below said washer that itis ex ‘aged into the neck of the bottle being filled substantially at the filling height desired for said bottle, 3. A filling device for bottles comprising @ constant lovel storage tank in the air space of which there is main tained 2 substantially constant negative pressure; a sleeve vertically fixed to the bottom of said tank and opening through said bottom below the level of the liguid within said tank, said sleeve being adapted to receive the neck ‘of a bottle to be filled; a sealing washer of plastic material disposed at the upper end of said sleeve, said washer having a lower inner diameter than said sleeve in such 4 manner that the upper end of the neck of the bottle being filed may bear tightly against said washer; a body ‘mounted at the upper end of said sleeve on said washer, said body having a central cavity opening downwardly, above the central hole of said washer to form a filling fozzle therewith, and ssid body being provided with pas: sages opening on the one side in this cavity and on the ‘other side on the periphery of said body at a lower level than in the cavity so as to form the ascending branches of a syphon duct between said tank and said sleeve, the height of the liquid within the tank above the horizontal plane of the lower end of said ascending branches being ‘eater than the effective height of said ascending branches ‘and than the hydraulic head corresponding to the negn- tive pressure maintained in the air space of said tank. but smaller than said hydraulic head plus the effective height Of said ascending branches; a covering cap disposed oa said body with its lower edge below the openings of said passages on the periphery of suid body, said cep communi cating with the air space of said storage tank through a calibrated orifice; and an axial air exhaust tube passed vertically though said body with its upper end opening in the air space of said tank and with its lower end so 6 disposed below said washer that it is engaged into the neck of the botle being filled substantially at the Ailing height desired for said bottle. 4. A filling device for bottles comprising a constant ‘5 level storage tank in the air space of which there is main. tained a substantially constant negative pressure; « sleeve Vertically fixed to the bottom of said tank and opening through said bottom below the level of the liquid withia said tank, said sleeve being adapted to receive the neck of a bottle to be filled; a sealing washer of plastic material isposed at the upper end of said sleeve, said washer having a lower inner diameter than said sleeve in such ‘@ manner that the upper end of the neck of the bottle being filled may bear tightly against said wasber; a body ‘mounted at the upper end of said sleeve on said washer, said body having a central cavity opening dowawardly, above the central hole of said washer to form a filling nozzle therewith, and said body being provided with pase sages opening on the one side in this cavity and on'the 20 other side on the periphery of said body at a lawer level tan in the cavity so as to form the ascending branches of syphon duct between said tank and said sleeve, the height of the liquid within the tank above the horizontal plane of the lower end of said ascending branches being ‘greater than the effective height of said ascending branches and than the hydraulic head corresponding to the negalive Pressure maintained in the air space of said tani but smaller than said hydraulic head plus the eflecive height of said ascending branches; a covering cap disposed ‘on said body with its lower edge below the openings of sald passages on the periphery of said body, said cap being of evlindro-conical shape and being formed with an upward axial tubular extension opening in the air space of said tanks and an axial air exhaust tube pasied vertically 38 through said body and extending through said tubular ex. tension with a restricted clearance, the upper end of said ‘ube opening in the air space of said tank above tubular extension, while the lower end of said tube is so disposed below said washer that it is engaged into the neck of the bottle being filed substantially at the filling height desired for said bottle. 5. A filling device for bottles comprising & constant lovel storage tank in the air space of which there is maint tained a substantially constant negative pressure; a filling nozzle connected with said storage tank by 2 passage in the form of a syphon duct having an ascending branch ‘opening in said tank, the level ofthe liquid within the tank being substantially above the upper bend of said syphon ddact, and said filing nozzle opening downwardly below the lower end of the ascending branch of said syphon duct within said tank; and an air exhaust tube associated to said filing nozzle, said air exhaust tube having it lower end so disposed with respect to said nozzle tha is received within the neck of the bottle being filled while its. upper end opens in the air space of said tank, 0 1s 25 30 “0 45 50 55 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS eo 1,929,736 Oct. 10, 1933 2,364,400 Dee. 5, 1944 2,533,109 Hannover Dec. 5, 1950 2(607,521 Broadhurst — “Aug. 19, 1952 0s FOREIGN PATENTS 105,733 Australia ~ Nov. 3, 1938