EP0115989B1 - Method for automatically filling and closing containers, and machine for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention essentially relates to a process for automatic and continuous filling and capping of containers, such as for example bottles, flasks or the like.

It also relates to a machine for implementing this process.

Machines are already known for filling receptacles with any liquid, as well as machines making it possible thereafter to stopper these receptacles. However, these two operations are generally carried out by separate assemblies or machines. In addition, other machines must be used when you want to fill and cap a group of containers. Thus, when one wants for example to fill and stop a group of cased bottles, one must necessarily and successively use a bottle decompression machine, a machine or a grouping conveyor to put these bottles in a line, a machine filling machine, a corking machine, a distributor to replace the line of previously corked bottles in several lines or adjacent rows, and finally a machine to collect groups of corked bottles. In other words, we must have a fleet of machines which is bulky and very expensive, and which in total has a poor yield, that is to say a low filling and capping rate given the number of operations carried out by separate machines.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the above drawbacks by proposing a method and a single continuous filling and capping machine for a group of encapsulated containers, this method and this machine allowing a filling and capping rate particularly high and which has never been achieved before.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a process for automatic filling and capping of containers, such as for example bottles, flasks or the like intended to be filled with any liquid and then capped thereafter, characterized in that , during the continuous conveying of a group of receptacles preferably encased, a continuous dosing assembly is scrolled above and directly above this group capable of simultaneously filling the receptacles of said group, and then substituting the dosing unit a set of simultaneous blocking of the containers of the group, and the group of blocked containers is automatically evacuated which is replaced by another group of containers to be filled and closed according to the continuous sequence of the above operations.

According to another characteristic of this process, the corking assembly is automatically supplied with plugs, capsules or the like before being tilted or pivoted so that it replaces the metering assembly after the group of containers has been filled. It will also be added here that after filling, the metering assembly is raised and / or the group of filled containers is lowered to allow the aforementioned substitution and capping.

The invention also relates to a machine for the continuous automatic filling and capping of successive groups of containers, such as for example bottles, flasks or the like, and of the type using at least one chain conveyor or the like without end of transport of these groups of receptacles, preferably encased, this machine being essentially characterized in that said conveyor or first conveyor are associated with mobile metering assemblies each arranged above a group of receptacles, while movable and substitutable stopper assemblies metering assemblies are associated with the first conveyor above each group of containers, or else with a second conveyor driven in synchronism with the first.

It is therefore already understood that the automatic and continuous filling and capping of a group of cased bottles can be carried out using a single conveyor or, at most, two conveyors.

According to another characteristic of this machine, the aforementioned closure assemblies are pivotally or pivotally mounted on the first or the second aforementioned conveyor.

In the case where the metering and closure assemblies are associated with the aforementioned first and only conveyor, each closure assembly is pivotally or tilted on each metering assembly.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, at least the first aforementioned conveyor being constituted by a carousel comprising; for example a pair of endless chains or the like arranged horizontally and provided between them with a plurality of transverse bars, a support plate for a group of containers and a metering unit with its associated pivoting stopper assembly are slidably mounted on each bar or group of bars.

It will also be specified here that the aforementioned carousel is equipped with at least one closed loop cam for controlling the relative position of each metering unit with respect to each support plate.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, each aforementioned closure assembly is provided with a plurality of screwing or snap-fastening heads of plugs or the like conveyed to said heads by a drum carrying fingers and with which is associated at least one chute. for supplying plugs to said fingers.

It will also be added here that the pivoting or tilting control of the closure assembly is preferably carried out by a double-acting cylinder.

• la fig. 1 est une vue schématique et en perspective d'une machine de remplissage et de bouchage conforme aux principes de l'invention;
• les fig. 2 à 6 illustrent schématiquement et en élévation les phases successives de fonctionnement de cette machine, et en particulier les mouvements relatifs des ensembles de dosage et de bouchage;
• les fig. 7 et 8 illustrent schématiquement et respectivement en vue de dessus deux variantes de réalisation de cette machine, et
• la fig. 9 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un troisième mode de réalisation de cette machine.

However, other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings, given solely by way of example, in which:

• fig. 1 is a schematic and perspec view tive of a filling and capping machine according to the principles of the invention;
• fig. 2 to 6 illustrate schematically and in elevation the successive phases of operation of this machine, and in particular the relative movements of the metering and capping assemblies;
• fig. 7 and 8 illustrate schematically and respectively in top view two alternative embodiments of this machine, and
• fig. 9 is a schematic elevational view of a third embodiment of this machine.

According to an exemplary embodiment, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, a continuous automatic filling and filling machine according to the present invention essentially comprises a carousel 1 constituted by a pair of endless chains 2, 3 arranged in the horizontal plane and provided with transverse bars 4, on which are slidably mounted a tray 5 for supporting a group of containers or bottles 6, and a metering assembly 7 with which is associated a closure assembly 8.

More specifically, and as can be seen in FIG. 1, the endless chains 2 and 3 are mounted around two pairs of pinions or wheels 9 integral with a shaft 10 rotatably mounted in the frame 11 of the machine, said chains 2 and 3 carrying parts shown diagrammatically at 12 and on which are fixed the ends of the bars 4 on which are vertically sliding mounted the support plate 5 and the metering assembly 7 of plugging 8, as shown in 5a and 7a.

According to the embodiment shown, the plate 5 and the assembly 7, 8 are slidably mounted on a pair of bars 4, but it could very well, without departing from the scope of the invention, provide for sliding on a single bar or a number of bars greater than two. Likewise, for the sake of clarity, only one support plate 5 has been shown with its associated metering 7 and stopper 8 assembly, but it is understood that the carousel 1 comprises a plurality of means such as 5, and 8, each of these means being slidably mounted on the pairs of successive bars 4.

The carousel 1 is equipped with a cam 13 in a closed loop on which rollers 14 or the like constantly attached to the assembly 7 and capable, by rolling on said cam, during the drive of the chains 2 and 3, varying the relative position of each metering unit 7 relative to the support plate 5 of the group of containers 6 previously crated, as seen in 15. Each plate 5 for supporting the boxes 15 of containers 6 may also include rollers 16 cooperating with another cam, shown diagrammatically at 17, to also optionally allow the relative vertical displacement of said plate relative to the metering and plugging assembly 7, 8.

In 18 have been shown tabs or the like allowing the holding and centering of the boxes 15 on the plate 5, these boxes being conveyed on said plate for example by means of a conveyor 19 with which is associated a gripping device 20 with pliers or movable jaws 21 for gripping the boxes 15 and placing them on each tray 5. But, in this regard, it will be noted that, without departing from the scope of the invention, any other appropriate means could be used to position the boxes 15 on the tray 5, when available.

Each metering assembly 7 is provided at its lower part with a plurality of spouts or the like 22 for filling the containers 6. Each metering assembly 7 is of course connected to a source of fluid with which the containers 6 are to be filled and, once said containers simultaneously filled, the fluid arriving at each metering assembly 7 will be automatically interrupted, for example by simple lifting of the metering assembly 7, that is to say when the spouts 22 have left the necks of the bottles 6.

Each closure assembly 8 essentially comprises a part 23 forming a support for a plurality of heads 24 for screwing or snapping caps, capsules or the like shown at 30. The support 23 for the heads 24 is pivotally mounted on the metering assembly 7 , for example by means of two ears 25, the ends of which are pivotally mounted on each side of the metering assembly 7, as shown in 26. Thus, as can be understood, the closure assembly 8 may tilt or pivot around the axis 26 so that the support 23 of the screwing heads 24 is placed below the pouring spouts 22 and thus replace the metering assembly 7. The pivoting of the closure assembly 8 is by example provided by a jack 27 actuating a rack 28 meshing with a pinion 29 secured to the ears 25.

The heads 24 of the metering unit 8 are each provided with a receptacle or the like 24a capable of receiving, before pivoting, plugs or the like 30 conveyed to the receptacle 24a of the heads 24 by a drum 31 carrying several rows of fingers 32. Chutes 33 arranged perpendicularly to the axis 31 a of the drum 31 bring the plugs 30 onto the fingers 32 which are thus capped by said plugs and which can, as the drum 31 rotates, snap or push the plugs into the receptacles 24a for the heads 24. In this respect, it will be noted that any suitable system can be provided allowing the plugs 30 to snap onto the screwing heads carried by the element 8.

34 shows a conveyor belt for the crates 15 of filled and capped containers, and at 35 an arbitrary gripping system, for example identical to the system 20, which, thanks to movable clamps 36, allows the extraction of the crates 15 of the plate 5 and depositing them on the carpet 34. But, here again, one could very well imagine any other system allowing the evacuation of the boxes of clogged containers.

We will now explain in detail the operation of the machine which has just been described with the aid more particularly of FIGS. 2 to 6.

We will start from the position visible in fig. 2 and in which a box 15 of empty and open containers has been placed on the tray 5. The loading of the tray does not pose any problem, since the metering assembly 7 with its associated closure assembly and not tilted 8 is in position high, that is to say that the rollers 14 of the metering assembly 7 are located on the upper part 13a of the cam 13.

The carousel 1 rotating continuously, the rollers 14 descend on the inclined part 13b of the cam 13, which causes the descent of the spouts 22 of the metering assembly 7 in the necks of the containers 6 in order to ensure filling of these here, as can be seen in fig. 3.

The plate 5 and the metering element 7 continue to rotate and are raised when they reach the portion 13c of the cam 13. Thus, the spouts 22 exiting the containers 6 automatically cut off the supply of liquid to the metering element 7, and the plugging assembly 8 comes to be in line with the supply of plugs 30 by the drum 31. This is what is seen in FIG. 4, where the plugs 30 are successively deposited in the receptacles 24a of the screwing heads 24 which move forward.

Immediately after this operation, and as seen in fig. 5, the pivoting of the plugging assembly 8 is controlled by the jack 27 so as to replace the metering assembly 7. In doing so, the metering assembly 7 rolls on the inclined portion 13d of the cam 13 and descends towards the recipients 6 until, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the screwing heads 24, provided with plugs 30, cover the orifices of the containers 6. The screwing heads 24 are then actuated to screw or snap on the plugs 30.

After this operation, the metering element 7 rises on the part 13e of the cam 13 and the capping element 8 releases the bottles, so that the box which contains them can be evacuated by the belt 34. The capping element 8 is tilted upwards using the jack 27, and the metering element associated with said plugging element is in the high position, so that we find ourselves in the position of FIG. 2, that is to say in the loading position of a new case 15 of bottles 6 to be filled and capped according to the continuous sequence of the above operations.

It is therefore understood from all of the above that a single carousel 1 makes it possible to automatically and continuously carry out the filling and capping operations of a group of cased bottles.

According to the invention, and according to another embodiment visible in FIG. 7, the above sequence of operations can be carried out continuously using two conveyors or carousels, namely a carousel 40 comprising support plates 5 and directly above each plate a metering assembly 7, and a conveyor 50 comprising a plurality of tilting or pivoting plugging elements 8, the two carousels rotating according to the arrows shown in FIG. 7 and being synchronized.

Thus, the boxes 15 of empty and open containers are brought at 41 onto the support plates 5 of the conveyor 40, the containers are filled between the points 42 and 43 where the metering assembly lifts as explained above, then the filled containers are brought by a mat 44 to the stoppering carousel 50, the stoppering being carried out between points 45 and 46, it being understood that the stopper element will have been previously supplied with stoppers, as is lifted 47, then tilted, as explained above, before reaching point 45 so that the capping operation can be carried out. The crates of filled and closed containers are evacuated at 48.

According to the embodiment visible in FIG. 8, crates of empty and open containers are conveyed by a belt 61 to a conveyor 60 for supporting the crates and for filling the containers with metering elements such as 7. To this conveyor 60 is associated a conveyor 70 carrying plugging assemblies, this conveyor 70 being offset in the vertical plane relative to the conveyor 60. Thus, as can be understood from the arrows shown in FIG. 8, the filling is carried out between points 62 and 63, and at point 63 the metering elements will be raised, so that the closure assemblies will replace the metering assemblies 7 of the conveyor 60 for capping or capping the containers between point 63 and point 64, after which the boxes of clogged containers will be removed at 65.

Finally, fig. 9 illustrates a machine comprising a carousel with axes 81, horizontal and supporting by bars 4b metering assemblies 7b with which pivoting assemblies 8b are associated. A mat 90 allows the loading of cases of empty and open containers on trays 5b secured to the rods 4b. The relative movements of the metering unit 7b relative to the plates 5b are carried out by a cam 91 secured to the frame 92 of the machine. Thus, the sequence of filling and capping operations will be carried out exactly as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, except that a cam path 91 is used here which is unidirectional, so that the filled and closed bottles can be evacuated by a mat 93 arranged below the outlet end of the cam path 91 It will be noted here that, when the filling-capping cycle is finished, the assemblies 7b, 8b as well as the plates 5b are found in the inactive position on the upper strand of the conveyor 80, as shown in 94.

A machine has therefore been produced according to the invention for the continuous automatic filling and capping of groups of successive containers, this machine making it possible to obtain particularly high rates and applying to the filling and capping of containers of any shape and may contain any liquids.

Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given by way of example only. This means that the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations, if these are carried out according to the spirit.

Claims (10)

1. Method of automatically filling and stopping vessels such for instance as bottles, flasks or the like, adapted to be filled up with any liquid and then sealed thereafter, characterized in that, in the process of continuous conveyance of a group of preferably encased vessels, one causes a metering system likely to simultaneously fill up the vessels of the said group to continuously travel over and straight above this group, then one substitutes for the metering system a system for simultaneously stopping the vessels of the group and one automatically discharges the group of stopped vessels which one replaces with another group of vessels to be filled up and stopped according to the continuous sequence of the above operating steps. 2: Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that one automatically feeds with stoppers, crown-caps or the like the stopping system before causing same to tilt or pivot in order that it substitutes itself for the metering system after the filling up of the group of vessels.

3. Method according to one of Claims 1 of 2, characterized in that after the filling up one lifts the metering system and/or one lowers the group of filled vessels to make possible the aforesaid substitution and stopping.

4. Machine for automatically filling up and stopping in continuous relationship groups of successive vessels such for instance as bottles, flasks orthe like and of the kind using at least one endless chain conveyor (19) or the like for the transport of these groups of preferably encased vessels (6), characterized in that with the said conveyor or first conveyor are associated movable metering systems (7) disposed each one above a group of vessels, whereas movable stopping systems (8) which may be substituted forthe metering systems are associated with the first conveyor (19) above each group of vessels or with a second conveyor driven in synchronism with the first one.

5. Machine according to Claim 4, characterized in that the aforesaid stopping systems (8) are mounted in tilting or pivoting relationship onto the aforesaid first or second conveyor.

6. Machine according to one of Claims 4 or 5, characterized in that, in the case where the metering and stopping systems (7, 8) are associated with the aforesaid first conveyor (19) only, each stopping system (8) is pivotally or tiltingly mounted onto each metering system.

7. Machine according to Claim 6, characterized in that, while the aforesaid first conveyor (19) consists of a roundabout (1) comprising for instance a pair of endless chains (2, 3) or the like disposed horizontally and provided therebetween with a plurality of transverse bars (4), a tray (5) for supporting a group of vessels and a metering system (7) together with its associated pivoting stopping system are slidably mounted on each bar or group of bars.

8. Machine according to one of Claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the aforesaid roundabout (1 ) is fitted with a came (13) shaped as a closed loop for controlling the relative position of each metering system (7) with respect to each supporting tray.

9. Machine according to one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that each aforesaid stopping system (8) is provided with a plurality of heads for screwing (24) or cogging stoppers or the like fed to the said heads by a drum (31 ) carrying fingers (32) and with which is associated at least one channel for feeding stoppers onto the fingers.

10. Machine according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in thatthe control for pivoting or tilting the stopping system (8) is carried out by a double-acting jack (27).

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