US3236023A

US3236023A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US3236023A
Application number: US264508A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel A Mencacci
Original assignee: International Machinery Corp SA
Current assignee: International Machinery Corp SA
Priority date: 1963-03-12
Filing date: 1963-03-12
Publication date: 1966-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-22
Also published as: NL6402604A; GB1034915A; ES297484A1; BE644804A; DE1258780B

Description

1966- s. A. MENCACCI 3,

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet l N m lfl INVENTOR SAMUEL A. MENCAOCI ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 s. A. MENCACCI 3,236,023

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1963 INVENTOR SAMUEL AJJENCACCI BY g7 ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 s. A. MENCACCI 3,236,023

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 'II3 :EI

INVENTOR m SAMUEL AJAENCAOOI ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 s. A. MENCACCI 3,236,023

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 F'IE q INVENTOR SAMUEL A. MENCACOI BY W/W- ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 s. A. MENCACCI 3,236,023

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 E'IE'I EI INVENTOR SAMUEL A MENCACCI ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 s. A. MENCACCI 3,236,023

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1963 s Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR SAMUEL A. MENCACOI ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,236,023 PACKAGING MACHINE Samuel A. Mencacci, St. Nicolas-Waas, Belgium, assignor to International Machinery Corporation A., St. Nicolas-Waas, Belgium, a corporation of Belgium Filed Mar. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 264,508 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-95) The present invention pertains to packaging machinery and more particularly relates to a machine for evacuating air from a filled container and replacing the air within the container with an inert gas before hermetically sealing the container.

In order to maintain the quality of a product such as powdered milk or ground coffee for a long period, the product must be hermetically sealed in containers from which all of the oxygen had been evacuated. A well known method of packaging this type of material has been to fill containers, such as cans or jars, with the product, loosely cap the container with a cover, and pass the container with its loosely fitted cover thereon through a machine which first evacuates the air from the container and thereafter replaces the air within the container with an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

Heretofore, the machines for evacuating air from containers and replacing the air with an inert gas have been cumbersome, expensive to manufacture, and have not been adjustable for efficiently handling containers of different sizes. Also, in many of these machines the lost time between the vacuumizing step, the gassing step, and the container sealing step has been excessive and has resulted in the re-entry of some air into the container before the container has been hermetically sealed. Thus, this type of machine has not been favorably accepted in the trade because of its high cost as well as the resulting oxidation of the product.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a machine for evacuating air from a container, replacing the air with an inert gas, and thereafter immediately hermetically sealing the container.

Another object is to provide an improved machine for evacuating air from a container and replacing the evacuated air with an inert gas.

Another object is to provide a machine for evacuating air from containers and replacing the air with an inert gas, which machine is readily adjustable to handle containers of different heights.

Another object is to provide an improved container enclosing receptacle, which receptacle is aranged to permit a minimum of re-entry of air into the container prior to the closing operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the packaging machine of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan of the packaging machine of FIG- URE 1 with certain parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section and in phantom.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 2 showing the container confining housing with a container lifting table being shown in solid lines in one operative position and in phantom lines in a second operative position.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken along the same plane as FIGURE 4 and showing the structure for moving the table between its two operative positions.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken along 3,236,023 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 lines 6-6 of FIGURE 2 showing movable housing covers in two operative positions.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged central section taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 8 through a manifold used on the machine of the present invention.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal section taken along lines 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a plan of a fragment of the machine adjacent the closing head.

FIGURE 10 is a pneumatic diagram showing several pneumatic cylinders for operating the different components of the machine and showing the cams which control the operation of the pneumatic cylinders in timed relation.

In general, the packaging machine 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the present invention comprises an intermittently driven turret 11 having a plurality of equally spaced container receiving receptacles or housings 12 thereon which, when sealed, provide vacuumizing and gassing chambers within which containers C are confined. Each housing 12 includes a vertically reciprocable container supporting mechanism 13 which is moved from a position spaced below the body 14 of the housing 12 for receiving or discharging containers from the body, to a position in sealing engagement with the lower end of the body. Each container receiving housing 12 also includes a vertically reciprocable disc-like cover 16 which is movable between a lowered position closing the upper end of the associated body 14 to an elevated position spaced above the upper end of the associated body. Each cover disc is associated with a particular housing body 14 and is mounted on a chain 17 which is guided along a path that registers the cover with the associated body for a major portion of the travel of the body 14 along its circular path, and which thereafter guides the cover away from the circular path so as to open the upper end of the body as the body is registered with a closing head 19 of a closing machine 20 of any suitable standard design. The closing head 19 may be of the type disclosed in the United States Letters Patent No. 2,393,988 which issued to W. D. Jordan et al. on February 5, 1946.

Feed means (FIG. 2), such as a star wheel 21 and a suitable guide rail 21a, are provided to feed filled containers C, with covers loosely fitted thereon, onto each container supporting mechanism 13 as the mechanism is stopped at a feed station A. Each mechanism 13 is then moved upwardly against the lower end of the body 14 to seal the same. Substantially simultaneously with this upward movement of the mechanism 13, the cover 16 is moved downwardly into sealing engagement against the upper surface of the associated body to confine the container within the vacuumizing and gassing chamber defined by the housing body 14, the container support 13, and the cover 16.

The intermittent movement in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2) of the turret 11 then advances the containerreoeiving housings 12, with the filled containers therein, past a low vacuum zone where the housings are subjected to a low vacuum which partially evacuates the air from within the housings as well as from within the filled containers therein. Containued movement of the turret advances the housings past a high vacuum zone which more completely evacuates the air from the housing and from the head-spaces within the containers therein. With the air fully evacuated from the housings and from within the head-spaces of the containers in the housings, the housings are advanced past a gassing zone where an inert gas is introduced into the housings and into the head-space of the filled containers.

The covers 16 are then deflected from their closed positions in registry with the upper ends of the bodies 14 to 3 open the chambers and the bodies are, in turn, moved to a closing station B in alignment with the closing head 19 positioned thereabove.

The container in the body 14 at the closing station B is then elevated through the upper open end of the body 14, permitting the closing head 19 to hermetically seal the cover onto the container body. With the cover sealed onto the container, the container is then lowered to its normal position within the body 14 and, after another indexing movement of the turret 11, is lowered below the lower edge of the body 14 and is subsequently indexed at a discharge station D where any suitable discharge means, such as a star wheel 22 (FIG. 2) and an associated deflecting rail 23, discharges the sealed container from the packaging machine 10.

It will be understood that the closing head 19, the feed means, and the discharge means form no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable type for performing the desired functions on the particular type of containers being handled by the packaging machine of the present invention.

More particularly, the turret 11 (FIG. 3) as well as the closing machine 20 are rigidly secured to a common base 31. The turret comprises a rigid vertically extending post 32 which is bolted to the base 31. A lower support flange 33 is rigidly secured to a reduced diameter portion of the post 32 near the base 31, and a similar support flange 34 is rigidly secured to an oval-shaped portion of the post 32 at its upper end by a pin 36 (FIG. 3.). The lower support flange 33 is bolted to an annular hub 37 of a stationary support table 38 which is also supported near its periphery by a plurality of pedestals 39 (only two being shown in FIGURE 3) which are welded to the table 38 and are bolted to the base 31.

The support table 38 rigidly supports a pair of substantially

annular cams

41 and 42 which are approximately the same diameter as the support table 38. The annular cam 41 has a horizontal upper camming surface throughout its entire length and serves to aid in maintaining certain rotary parts of the turret stable during their movement around the post 32. The annular cam 42 includes a camming surface having a lower portion 44 (FIG. 1) disposed between the discharge station D and the feed station A permitting the container supporting mechanism 13 to be lowered during this portion of their travel. An upwardly inclined portion 46 and a vertical portion 47 connect the lower portion 44 to an upper horizontal portion 48 of considerable arcuate extent which maintains the container supporting tables in the sealed position. The

cams

41 and 42 are supported from the support table 38 by means of brackets 51. The cams may be adjusted vertically by a plurality of cap screws 52 (FIGS. 3 and 5) which are subsequently locked in desired position by lock nuts 53 when the cams are disposed in desired position. The

cams

41 and 42 are rigidly connected together and to the bracket 51 by a plurality of cap screws 54 which extend through slots in the brackets 51 and are screwed into the

annular cams

41 and 42.

An upper, generally annular, cover supporting plate 56 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is welded to an annular hub 57 which is bolted to the upper support flange 34 and has stiffening gussets 58 welded thereto and to the plate 56. The cover supporting plate is stationary and has an arcuate cutout 60 (FIG. 2) within which is fitted the closing head 19 of the closing machine 20 at the closing station B.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the rotatable parts of the turret 11 are keyed to an elongated tubular shaft 62 which is concentric with and disposed around the post 32. At its lower end, the shaft 62 is connected to a flanged sleeve 63 which is journalled on a bushing 64 disposed between the sleeve and the post 32, and on a thrust bearing 66 disposed between the flanged sleeve 63 and the annular hub 37. A bearing 65 (FIG. 7) is disposed between the upper end of the hub 37 and the shaft 62 to 4 provide additional bearing support for the lower end of the shaft 62.

The upper end of the tubular shaft 62 is secured to a collar 67 which has a sleeve bushing 68 secured thereto and journalled on the post 32. The vertically elongated hub '71 of a drive sprocket 72 is slidably received on the threaded upper external surface of the tubular shaft 62 and is connected to the shaft by a flanged key 73. The flanged key is secured to the hub 71 by a cap screw 74 as clearly shown in FIGURE 3. A split ring spanner nut 76 is screwed onto the threaded upper portion of the tubular shaft 62 and bears against the lower surface of the hub 71 to hold the drive sprocket 72 at a desired elevation. The spanner nut 76 is locked in desired position by a cap screw 77 in the usual manner.

A sleeve bushing 78 is pressed into the annular hub 57 and cooperates with a bearing ring 79 which is pinned to the drive sprocket 72 to provide low frictional bearing surfaces between the rotating drive sprocket 72 and the stationary cover supporting plate 56 and hub 57.

It will be appreciated that vertical adjustment of the drive sprocket 72 and the cover supporting plate 56 may be accomplished if it is desired to process containers of different heights, by unbolting the hub 57 from the support flange 34 and by screwing the split-ring spanner nut 76 to the desired position. A spacer will then be placed between the support flange 34 and the annular hub 57 and will be bolted in position to provide the rigid construction required of the cover supporting plate 56. It will be noted that the cover supporting plate 56 is shown in its uppermost position in FIGURE 3.

The previously mentioned tubular bodies 14 are $6 cured near the outer periphery of an annular carrier plate 81 which is welded to a hub 82 that is connected to the tubular shaft 62 by a key 83. The hub 82 is held from axial movement relative to the shaft 62 by a snap ring 84 and a spacer 86 which bears against the hub 82 and against a second hub 87 that is held from axial movement by a snap ring 88 fitted in a groove in the shaft 62. The hub 87 is connected to the shaft 62 by a key 89 and has an annular plate 91 welded thereto.

The aforementioned container supporting mechanisms 13 are carried by the plate 91 adjacent its periphery and are disposed in axial alignment with adjacent ones of the tubular bodies 14. Near its periphery but inwardly of the container supporting mechanisms 13, the annular plate 91 carries a plurality of downwardly projecting cam follower brackets 92 (FIG. 5) which have cam= followers 93 journalled therein. The cam followers 93" engage and roll along the upper horizontal surface of the annular cam 41 to maintain the outer peripheral edge of the annular plate 91 stable.

The rotary portions of the turret 11 (FIG. 1) are driven by a motor 97 which is mounted on a bracket 98 secured to the frame of the closing machine 20. The motor continuously drives a sheave 99 which is connected by V-belts 101 to a driven sheave 102 which is keyed to a shaft 103 journalled in the frame of the closing machine 20. A bevel gear 106 keyed to the shaft 103 meshes 'with a companion bevel gear 107 which is keyed to the upper end of a vertically extending drive shaft 108 that is suitably journalled in in the frame of the closing machine 20. The continuously driven shaft 188 has a gear 109 (FIG. 2) keyed intermediate its ends, which gear 109 engages a mating gear 111 that is keyed to a stub shaft 112. The stub shaft 112 has a Geneva driver 113 keyed thereto which driver 113 includes a drive roller 114 which meshes with the teeth of the Geneva gear 116 and intermittently drives the gear 116 in the usual manner. The Geneva gear 116 is secured to a vertical shaft 117 that is suitably journalled in theframe of the closing machine 20 and has a large diameter drive gear 118 (FIGS. 1 and 2) keyed: thereto. The drive gear 118 meshes with a large diameter ring gear 119 which is secured to the. periphery of the: annula (Earlier plate 81. In this way, the movable portions of the turret 11 are intermittently indexed a distance equal to to the space between the centers of adjacent housings 12 once for each revolution of the vertical shaft 108. The continuously driven vertical shaft 108 also has keyed to its lower end three

cams

121, 122 and 123 which control the actuaton of certain pneumatic cylinders soon to be described.

It will be understood that the components of the closing head 19 and the feed means and discharge means are also driven from the motor 97 by drive means not shown.

As mentioned previously, the container receiving housings 12 each comprises a tubular body 14 (FIG. 4), a container supporting mechanism 13 for closing the lower end of the tubular body, and a cover disc 16 for closing the upper end of the tubular body 14. Each tubular body 14 is made in two sections 14a and 14b so as to adapt the container receiving housing for more effectively handling containers of different heights. An O-ring seal 126 is disposed between the two sections 14a and 14b which sections are connected together by cap screws 128. The lower section 14a is apertured to receive a tube fitting 129 having a tube 131 connected thereto for evacuating the housing and also for directing an inert gas into the housing after the evacuation steps have been completed. An O-ring seal 132 is fitted in a groove 133 in the lower peripheral edge of the section 14a so as to provide an air tight seal against the can supporting mechanism 13 when the mechanism is moved to its uppermost position as shown in FIGURE 4.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the container supporting mechanism 13 comprises an outer tubular shaft 136 having a shouldered pin 137 screwed on its lower end 'with a cam follower 138 journalled on the pin and held from axial displacement therefrom by a snap ring 139. The cam follower 138 rides along the upper periphery of the previously described cam 42.

The outer shaft 136 is slidably received within a bushing 141 which is secured to the annular plate 91 as by welding. The shaft 136 and bushing 141 are provided with mating keyways for receiving a flanged key 142 which is secured to the bushing 141 by a cap screw 143 and permits vertical reciprocal movement of the shaft 136 but prevents rotation thereof relative to the bushing 141.

A container lifting shaft 146 is slidably received within the tubular shaft 136 and is held from rotation relative thereto by a key 147 which is disposed within a keyway 148 formed in the lifting shaft 146 and a mating keyway 149 formed in the internal surface of the tubular shaft 136. The key 147 is secured to the tubular shaft 136 by a cap screw 151. It will be appreciated that the shaft 146 is shown in its lowermost position in FIG- URE 5.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the upper end of the outer tubular shaft 136 is provided with an enlarged section 153 which is provided with a counterbore 154 for the purpose of receiving a compression spring 156. The enlarged section 153 of the shaft 136 is slidably received within a bore 157 provided in the lower surface of a sealing head 158 of the container supporting mechanism 13. The spring 156 is disposed between the lower wall of the aforementioned counterbore 154 and a downwardly projecting hub 159 of the mechanism 13 to thereby resiliently urge the sealing head 158 against the O-ring 132 projecting from the lower preipheral edge of the tubular body 14. In order to prevent leakage of air between the tubular shaft 136 and the container lifting shaft 146, an O-ring 161 is disposed in a groove 162 in the hub 159 and slidably engages the shaft 146.

The upper end of the container lifting shaft 146 is provided with an intermediate diameter portion 163 and a small diameter portion 164 which is threaded to receive a nut 166. A lifting table 167 is fitted within a large diameter counterbore 168 in the upper surface of the sealing head 158 and has a hub 169 which is fitted on the intermediate portion 163 of the shaft 146 and is locked in place by the nut 166. After the nut is tightened in place, a container supporting plate 171 of the lifting table 167 is secured to the upper surface of the body of the lifting table 167 by a flat head screw 172. An arcuate container centering flange 173 projects upwardly from the supporting surface of the lifting table 167 and is formed as an integral part of a bracket 174 which is bolted to the lifting table 167.

As mentioned previously, the upper end of each container must be elevated above the upper surface of the tubular body 14 so that the closing head 19 (FIG. 1) can engage and properly seal the cover onto the body of the container. For this purpose, a T-shaped slot 176 (FIG. 5) is cut through the lower end of the

shafts

136 and 146 so as to receive a mating T-shaped head 177 screwed on the upper end of the piston rod 178 of a pneumatic cylinder 179. When the container receiving housing is being indexed into the closing station B, the T-shaped slot 176 moves into engagement with the T- shaped head 177. It will be understood that the T-shaped head 177 is only Wide enough to engage that portion of the slot 176 which is in the shaft 146 when the housing is indexed at station B.

After the housing has been indexed into the closing station B and the T-shaped projection 177 is received within the slot portion of the T-shaped slot 176 that is in the shaft 146 as shown in FIG. 5, the pneumatic cylinder 179 is actuated so that the piston moves upwardly. Accordingly, the shaft 146 and the lifting table 167 move upwardly to raise the container to a position wherein the cover is engaged by the closing head 19 (FIG. 1) and is hermetically sealed to the body of the container. After the cover has been sealed to the body of the container, the T-shaped head 177 (FIG. 5) on the piston rod 178 is effective in moving the shaft downwardly to its original position as shown in FIG. 5. Upon the next intermittent movement of the turret, the shaft 146 is moved away from the T-shaped head 177 and permits subsequent lowering of the container supporting mechanism 13 and the container supported thereby.

An important feature of the present invention is the manner in which the cover discs 16 are cooperatively associated with the tubular bodies :14. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the covers are evenly spaced along the endless chain 17 which is intermittently driven at the same speed as the turret 11.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an arcuate chain guide 181 is provided to guide the chain 17 along an arcuate path which will position the covers 16 coincident with the circular path of movement of the tubular bodies 14 for a major portion of their travel. An arcuate track 182 is welded to the guide 181 and is slidably received between the upper and lower links of the chain 17 thereby maintaining the chain in a horizontal plane as it moves around the arcuate guide 181.

The chain 17 is trained around a drive sprocket 184 which is journalled to a stub shaft 186 (FIG. 6) that is rigidly secured to and projects downwardly from the cover supporting plate 56. A thrust washer 187 is locked in place on the lower end of the shaft 186 by a snap ring 188 and bears against the hub of the sprocket 184 to prevent axial movement thereof. A take-up sprocket 189 (FIG. 2) is journalled on a stub shaft 191 which is secured to a bracket 192 and is connected to the cover plate 56 by a cap screw 193. It will be noted that the sprocket 189 is so positioned as to cause the path of chain 17 to be deflected away from the closing head 19.

In order to intermittently drive the chain 17 at the same speed as the turret 11, a sprocket 194 (FIGS. 2 and 6) is connected to the drive sprocket 184 by a pin 196 and a cap screw 197. A chain 198 is trained around the sprockets 194 and 72 and is tightened by an idler 7 sprocket 199 which is journalled on a bracket 201 that is connected to the cover supporting plate 56 by a cap screw 202.

The cover discs 16 which are supported by the chain 17 are all identical therefore the description of one will sufiice for all.

Each cover disc 16 is connected to an associated one of the links of the chain 17 by means of a downwardly extending shaft 204 (FIG. 6) which is secured as by welding to the associated link. The hub 206 of the disc 16 is bored to slidably receive the shaft 204 and is provided with a slot 205 for receiving an O-ring 208 which provides an air tight seal betwen the hub 206 and the shaft 204. A keyway 209 is formed in the shaft 204 and receives one end of a key 2111 which is held in place by a cap screw 212 screwed into the hub 206 thereby preventing rotation of the disc 16 relative to the shaft 204. A counterbore 213 in the disc 16 receives a compression spring 214 and a spring retainer 216, which retainer is held from axial movement on the shaft 204 by a snap ring 217. Thus, the spring 214 normally urges the discs 16 upwardly away from the upper peripheral surface of the tubular body 14.

A pin 218 is screwed into the hub 206 of the disc 16 and has a cam follower 219 journalled thereon and held from axial displacement from the pin by a snap ring 220. The cam follower 219 rides along the lower surface of an arcuate cam 222 (FIGS. 2 and 6) Which is secured to the lower surface of the cover supporting plate 56. The engagement of the cam follower 219 against the arcuate cam 222 overcomes the resiliency of the spring 214 thereby urging the cover 16 downwardly against the upper peripheral surface of the tubular body 14 and holds the cover in this position throughout the arcuate range of the cam 222 which begins at a point adjacent the feed station A and terminates at a point adjacent the sprocket 184.

When the cover disc 16 is'held against the tubular body 14, an O-ring 223, which is received in an annular slot 224 in the lower surface of the disc 16, provides an airtight seal between the disc and the tubular body. An annular bead 226 is formed on the lower surface of the disc 16 and includes a tapered outer edge which serves to align the cover disc 16 With its associated tubular body in the event the cover is slightlymisaligned. It will be appreciated that the spring 214 will hold the disc in spaced relation above the. tubular body, as indicated in FIG. 6, when the cam follower 219 is moved out of engagement with the arcuate cam 222 and remains in its uppermost position until it reaches a point adjacent the [fed station A at which time the cam follower 219 again engages. the cam 222.

As mentioned previously, after the filled containers have been sealed Within the tubular bodies 14 by the associated sealing heads 158 of the container supporting mechanisms 13 and cover discs 16, the turret advances each housing 12 through al ow vacuum range, through a high vacuum range, and through a gassing zone. A manifold 231 (FIGS. 3, 7 and 8) is provided to control the flow of air from the closed housings 12 as the housings are moved through the vacuum zones, and to control the inflow of inert gas into the closed housings 12 as the housings move through the gassing zone.

The manifold 231 (FIG. 7) comprises a stationary ring 232 which is connected by bolts 233 to a flange 234 welded on the upper end of the annular hub 37. A gasket 236 is secured to the upper surface of the stationary ring 232 as by cementing. A movable ring 237 registers with the gasket 236 and is urged downwardly thereagainst by a plurality of compression springs 238. The compression springs 238 are seated in holes 239 drilled in the upper surface of the movable ring 237 and are urged downwardly by set screws 24\1 screwed into an annular flange 242 which is rigidly secured to the tubular shaft 62 as by a key 243 and set screws (not shown). The

'rnovable rnig 237 is held from rotation relative to the annular flange 242 by a key 244 which is connected by cap screw 246 to the flange 242 and is received in a key- Way 247 in the movable ring 237. A plurality of evenly spaced L-shaped ports 249, one port being provided for each housing 12, are connected to the associated housings by the previously mentioned tubes 13i1 and by tube fittings 251.

As shown in FIG. 8, three

arcuate slots

254, 255 and 256 are formed in the upper surface of the stationary ring 232 and in the gasket 2 36 for communication with selected ones o'f'the L-shaped ports 249 as they rotate therepast. The slot 254 extends through an arcuate range indicated by the letters LV and is connected to a low vacuum source of approximately 21 to 23 inches of nnercury by a low vacuum conduit 257. The slot 255 has an arcuate extent indicated by the letters HV and is connected to a source of high vacuumat approximately 28" of mercury by a conduit 258. The slot 256 is of an .arcuate extent indicated by the letter G and is connected to a source of inert gas, such as carbon dioxide, at appgcximately 14.2 pounds per square inch by a conduit 2 Thus, after each container has been fed onto the associated container support mechanism 13 and has been sealed in the housing 12 by the associated sealing head 158 and cover disc 16, the turret 11 is indexed causing the housings 12 to communicate With thesour'ce of low vacuum throughout the arcuate range indicated by the letters LV in FIG. 8 thereby partially evacuating the housings and the head space of the container therein. Thereafter each housing is subjected to a high vacuum throughout the arcuate range indicated by the letters HV to remove additional air from the housing and container. Further advancement of the housing causes the housing to communicate with the inert gas while passing through the range indicated by the letter G. In this way, the air which was originally in the filled but unsealed container is replaced by an inert gas which, after the container is hermetically sealed, remains in the container thereby preventing oxidation of the product.

In order to prevent re-entry of air into the containers after the cover discs 16 have been deflected away from the path of movement of the tubular bodies 14, a cover plate 266 (FIGS. 3 and 9) which includes an arcuate portion 266a and an annular portion 266b integral therewith, is positioned closely adjacent the'upper open ends of the tubular bodies 14 and below the cover disc 16 which, at this time, are in their elevated position. The cover plate 266 is adjustably secured to the cover supporting plate 56 and to the housing of the closing head 19 by angle brackets 267, which project upwardly from the plate 266, and by bolts 268.

In addition to the cover plate 266, a small amount of the inert gas is directed into the closing head 19 to aid in-preventing re-entry of air into the containers when the containers are at the closing station B. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a conduit 271 is connected between the inert gas conduit 259 and the closing head 19. A valve 272 is placed in the conduit 271 to provide means for controlling the amount of inert gas entering the closing head 19.

Since it is imperative that the turret 11 index each tubular body 14 in perfect alignment with the closing head 19 at the closing station B, a pneumatic cylinder 274 (FIG. 1) is mounted on a bracket 276 secured to the frame of the closing machine 20 at the closing station B and after the turret completes its indexing movement is activated to move the end of its piston rod 277 into a socket 278 formed in the bushing 141 (FIG. 5) to thereby lock the associated tubular body 14 in axial alignment with the closing head 19. The piston rod 277 is withdrawn from the socket 278 prior to the next indexing movement of the turret 11.

The container supporting mechanisms 13 (FIG. 1) are each raised in turn after receiving a filled container from the star wheel 21 by a pneumatic cylinder 281 located at a lift station L and having an elongated head 282 on its piston rod 283. The piston rod 283 and pusher head 282 are disposed in their lowermost position as shown in FIG. 1 after the turret 11 has indexed one of the container receiving housings 12 over the pusher head 282. Immediately after the start of an indexing movement of the turret 11, the pneumatic cylinder 281 is activated to raise the pusher head 282 which head engages the outer tubular shaft 136 of the associated container supporting mechanism 13 and accordingly raises the associated mechanism 13 to its uppermost position. The mechanism 13 is held in this uppermost position for a time suificient to permit the tubular shaft 136 to slide over the pusher head until the associated cam follower 138 is disposed on the upper horizontal surface 48 of the arcuate cam 42. Thereafter, the piston rod 283 and pusher head 282 are returned to their lowermost position prior to the beginning of the next indexing movement of the turret 11.

After the containers have been vacuumized, gassed, and closed, the container supporting mechanisms 13 are lowered from their uppermost position at a pull-down station PD by a pneumatic cylinder 286 which has an arcuate T-shaped head 287 formed on its piston rod 288. The piston rod 288 and T-shaped head 287 are held in their uppermost position during the termination of each indexing movement of the turret 11 so that the T-shaped head 287 will engage the T-shaped slot 176 formed in the approaching

shafts

136 and 146 as the turret 11 completes its indexing movement and comes to rest in the indexed position. Immediately after the completion of the indexing movement, the pneumatic cylinder 286 is activated to lower the piston rod 288 and T-shaped head 287 with the container supporting mechanism 13 connected thereto. In this way the mechanism 13 is returned to its lowermost position.

Since the operation of the packaging machine of the present invention is closely controlled by a pneumatic system 291 which is illustrated in FIG. 10, the operation of the machine 10 and the different parts of the pneumatic system 291 will be described together. In order to more effectively describe the system 291, each complete rotation of the shaft 108 which corresponds to one indexing movement and dwell of the turret 11, will be referred to as a cycle of operation. Each cycle begins immediately after the turret 11 has completed one of its indexing movements. It will also be understood that during approximately the first 230 of rotation of the shaft 108, the turret 11 will remain stationary in its indexed position and, during the remaining 130 of rotation of the shaft 108 the turret will be moving one indexed position to another.

In operation, the motor 97 (FIG. 1) is first started and the filled and loosely covered containers are fed one at a time onto the container supporting mechanisms 13 at the feed station A by the feed means. Since each container is acted upon in the same manner, the description of the progress of one container through the machine will sufiice for all.

Prior to the beginning of a cycle of operation, the container is positioned on its supporting mechanism 13 which has been indexed to the left station L above the pneumatic lift cylinder 281 (FIGS. 1 and 10). During this time high pressure air is directed through a main conduit 292, through a branch conduit 293, into a valve 294, through an angled passage 296 in the vertical movable core 297 of the valve, and through a conduit 298 to the lift cylinder 281 at a point above the piston 283a thereby holding the pusher head 232 in its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 1. Air is evacuated from the lower portion of the cylinder 281 through a conduit 299, through a straight passage 301 in the core 297 of the valve 294 and out of the valve through a port 302 which is open to the atmosphere.

Immediately after the beginning of the cycle, the continuously rotating cam 121 rotates to a position where a raised portion 303 of the cam engages a cam follower 304 that is connected to the core 297 and shifts the core so that high pressure air is directed from the conduit 293, through an inclined passage 306 in the core 297, and through the conduit 299 into the lift cylinder 281 below the piston 2830 thereby raising the pusher head 282 and can supporting table 13 to their uppermost position. As the piston 283a raises, air is bled from the upper end of the cylinder through the conduit 298, through a straight passage 307 in the core 297 and through a port 309 to the atmosphere.

The raised portion 303 of the cam maintains the valve core in its uppermost position until the indexing movement of the turret 11 (FIG. 1) has moved the associated container receiving housing 12 to a position wherein the cam follower 138 is riding on the upper surface 48 of the cam 42. The cam 121 (FIG. 10) then advances until the small diameter portion 311 of the cam engages the cam follower 304 and permits a spring 312 to shift the core 297 to its starting position thereby causing the lift cylinder 281 to return the pusher head 282 to its lower position prior to the completion of the cycle of operation.

At the completion of the above described cycle of operation, the container receiving housing 14 with a container therein is sealed from the atmosphere by the mechanism 13 and by the associated cover disc 16 which is cammed downwardly by the arcuate c-am 222 (FIG. 2). Also at this time, the sealed housing 12 communicates with the low vacuum zone LV, as indicated in FIG. 8, by means of one of the conduits 131 which conduit is connected thereto and to the arcuate slot 254. The housing 12 remains in communication with the arcuate slot 254 during the next four indexing movements of the turret 11 and complete cycles of operation of the shaft 108.

During the following indexing movement of the turret 11, the conduit 131 moves away from the slot 254 and moves into engagement with the slot 255 in the high vacuum zone HV. The housing 12 remains in communi cation with the high vacuum for three cycles of operation. After evacuation is completed, the next intermittent movement of the turret 11 carries the conduit 131 associated with the housing 12 from a position in registry with the arcuate slot 255 to a position in registry with the slot 256 in the gassing zone G. An inert gas at ap' proximately 14.22 p.s.i. in the arcuate slot 256 then flows into the housing 12 and into the head space of the con tainer. This flow continues for the next three cycles of operation after which time the tube 131 moves out of registry with the slot 256. At this time the cover disc 16 moves away from the upper edge of the tubular body 14 and the tubular body 14 is moved under the cover plate 266 (FIG. 9) to prevent air from entering the tubular body. The next indexing operation moves the tubular body 14 into alignment with the closing head 19 at the closing station B.

As the housing 12 completes its indexing movement into closing station B, the core 314 (FIG. 10) of an air valve 316 is positioned to hold the

piston rods

277 and 178 of the

pneumatic cylinders

274 and 179, respectively, in their retracted position. During this time a cam follower 317 which is attached to the core 314 is resting on a small diameter portion 318 of the cam 122 as illustrated in FIG. 10. High pressure air from the main conduit 292 flows into a branch conduit 321 through an inclined passage 322 in the core of the valve 316 and through

conduits

323 and 324 which direct the high pressure air into the open end of the

cylinders

274 and 179 thereby holding the pistons in their retracted position. Air is evacuated from the lower ends of the

cylinders

274 and 179 through branch conduits 326 which direct the expelled air through a straight pass-age 327 in the core 314 for dis charge from the air valve 316 through a port 328.

After the turret has indexed the container receiving housing 12 at the closing station B, the continuously rotating cam 122 moves to a position wherein a large diameter portion 331 of the cam contacts the cam follower 317 to shift the valve core 314 to a position wherein an inclined passage 332 establishes communication between the branch conduit 321 and the branch conduit 326 thereby causing the

piston rods

277 and 178 to move to their extended positions. Air is evacuated from the open ends of the cylinder-

s

274 and 179 through the

conduits

324 and 323 which directs the expelled air through a straight passage 333 in the core 314 for discharge through a port 334 to the atmosphere. Extension of the piston rod 277 causes its free end to enter the socket 278 (FIG. thereby locking the housing 12 in the indexed position at the closing station. Extension of the piston rod 178 raises the shaft 146 and its lifting table 167 (FIG. 4) to a position wherein the upper end and cover of the can is moved above the upper surface of the tubular body 14 into position to be sealed onto the body of the can by the closing head 19.

It will be understood that as the housing 12 is being indexed into the closing station B, the T-shaped head 177 is held in a position wherein it will be received in the T- shaped slot 176 formed in the lower end of the shaft 146 and will remain in this position during the time that the container receiving housing 12 is indexed atthe closing station B.

The

piston rods

277 and 178 remain in their extended positions for approximately 170 of rotation of the cam 122 which time is ample to complete the container closing operation;

Shortly before the turret begins its next indexing motion, the cam 122 is rotated to a position wherein the cam follower 31-7 is urged down upon the low diameter portion 318 of the cam 122 by a spring 336. Thus, the

piston rods

277 and 178 are returned to their starting positions and remain in these positions until the turret has completed its motion and indexes another container receiving housing 12 into the closing station B.

As the turret 11 indexes the housing 12 from the closing station to the pull-down station PD (FIG. 1) the T- shaped slot 176 registers with the T-shaped head 287 of the pneumatic cylinder 286. During this time the piston rod 288 is held in its uppermost position by air which is directed into the lower portion of the cylinder 286 under control of an air valve 337 (FIG. At this time the core 338 of the air valve 337 is held in its uppermost position by a large diameter portion 339 of the cam 123 which engages a cam follower 341, that is connected to the core 338. At this time air flows from the main conduit 292, through a branch conduit 342, through an inclined passage 343 in the core 338 of the valve 337 and through a conduit 344 which directs the air into the lower portion of the cylinder 286. Air is expelled from the upper end of the cylinder 286 through a conduit 346, through a passage 347 in the core 338 and to the atmosphere through a port 348 in the air valve 337.

After the indexing of the housing 12 to the pull-down station PD has been completed, the continuously rotating cam 123 moves to a position where the cam follower 341 moves onto the small diameter portion 349 and remains in this position for approximately 330 of travel of the cam 123. As the cam follower 341 moves onto the small diameter portion 349 of the cam 123, a spring 351 shifts the core 338 to a position wherein high pressure air from the branch conduit 342 is directed through an inclined passage 352 in the core 338, through the conduit 346 and into the upper end of the pneumatic cylinder 286 above the piston thereby moving the piston rod 288 to its retracted position. Air below the piston is expelled through the conduit 344, through a straight passage 353 in the core 338 and to the atmosphere through a port 354. The piston rod 288 remains in its lowermost position until the container receiving housing 12 is indexed sufficiently to move the T-shaped slot 176 (FIG. 1) in the

shafts

136 and 146 out of register with the T-shaped head 28-7 on the piston rod 288. Before the indexing movement of the turret 11 has moved another housing 12 into the pulldown station PD, the core 338 of the valve 337 is again shifted to its original position by the large diameter portion 339 of the cam 123 thereby placing the T-shaped head 287 (FIG. 1) in its uppermost position in alignment with the T-shaped slot of the next approaching housing 12.

With the container supporting mechanism 13 in its lower most position as above described, the next indexing movement of the turret 11 advances the filled and sealed container to the discharge station D (FIG. 2), where the star wheel 22 of the discharge means will discharge the container from the machine 10.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the packaging machine of the present invention is of simple and inexpensive construction, and is adapted to handle containers of different heights. The machine features a plurality of container receiving housingswhich are each formed of a tubular body movable along a hori- Zontal circular path, a vertically reciprocab'le container supporting mechanism movable along the same path and arranged to seal one end of said body, and a vertically reciproca'ble cover disc which is movable along a path that is coincident with the circular path for a major portion of its travel during which time it closes the upper end of the body and thereafter deviates from this path to fully open the upper end of the body permitting the container lifting table to elevate the container into the closing head through the upper end thereof.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a container vacuumizing and gassing machine, an open top body defining a treating chamber, means for positioning a container in said body, conveyor means for moving said body along a predetermined path, a cover for closing the open top of said body, means for positioning said cover on said body and holding it thereon during a major part of the movement of the body along said path, means for removing air from the interior of said body and replacing it with an inert gas while said cover is in position on said body, means defining a container closing zone at the end of said path, and means for removing said cover from said body shortly before said body reaches said container closing Zone.

2. In a packaging machine having a closing head, the combination of a turret, an open-ended cylindrical body on said turret, a container supporting mechanism mounted on said turret and movable between a container receiving and discharging position spaced from one end of said body to a position supporting the container within said body and hermetically sealing said one end of said body, a cover independent of said container supporting mechanism movable between a position closing the other end of said body and a position spaced from said other end, means for intermittently driving said turret for moving said body and said mechanism in a circular path, means for mounting said cover for movement along a path which corresponds to said circular path for a major portion of its travel and which deviates from said path adjacent the closing head, and means for urging said cover against said other end of said body to seal the same while the cover moves along said major portion of its travel.

3. In a packaging machine having a container closing head and being adapted for vacuumizing, gassing and closing filled containers having covers loosely applied thereto, the combination of an open-ended tubular body, means for supporting a container in said body and for closing and hermetically sealing one end of Said body,

'13 means for intermittently moving said body and said supporting means along a circular path and for indexing said body to a station below the closing head, a cover associated with said body, means for intermittently moving said cover along a second path with the major portion of said second path being coincident with said circular path and with a minor portion of said second path being curved away from said circular path and away from the station below the closing head, means for moving said cover into sealing engagement with said other end of said body when said cover is moving along said circular portion of said second path, and means communicating with said body when said ends are sealed to first vacuumize said body and the head space of the container therein and to thereafter direct an inert gas into. said body and head space prior to the indexing of said body under the closing head.

4. In a packaging machine having a container closing head and adapted for vacuumizing, gassing and closing filled containers having covers loosely applied thereto, the combination of an open ended tubular body, means for supporting a container in said body and for closing and hermetically sealing one end of said body, means for intermittently moving said body and said supporting means along a circular path and for indexing said body to a station below said closing head, a cover associated with said body, an endless chain for supporting said cover, means for supporting and intermittently driving said endless chain along a second path with a major portion of said second path being coincident with said circular path and with a minor portion of said second path being curved away from said circular path and away from said closing head, means for moving said cover into sealing engagement with said other end of said body when said cover is moving along said circular portion of said second path, and means communicating with said body when said ends are sealed to first vacuumize said body and the head space of the container therein and to thereafter direct an inert gas into said body and head space prior to the indexing of said body to the station below the closing head.

5. In a packaging machine having a container closing head and adapted for vacuumizing, gassing and closing filled containers having covers loosely applied thereto, the combination of an open-ended tubular body, means for supporting a container in said body and for closing and hermetically sealing one end of said body, means for intermittently moving said body and said supporting means along a circular path and for indexing said body to a station below said closing head, a cover associated with said body, an endless chain disposed above said body and above said cover, means resiliently connecting said cover to said chain and normally urging said cover away from said body, a cam follower on said connecting means, means for supporting and intermittently driving said endless chain along a second path with the major portion of said second path being coincident with said circular path and with a minor portion of said second path being curved away from said circular path and away from said closing head, an arcuate cam disposed in position to be engaged by said cam follower when said cover is being moved along said major portion of said second path to force said cover into sealing engagement against the other end of said body, and means communicating with said body when said ends are sealed to first vacuumize said body and the head space in the container therein and to thereafter direct an inert gas into said body and head space prior to the indexing of said body under the closing head.

6. In a packaging machine having a container closing head and being adapted for vacuumizing, gassing and closing filled containers having covers loosely applied thereto, the combination of an open-ended tubular body, means for supporting a container in said body and for closing and hermetically sealing one end of said body, means for intermittently moving said body and said supporting means along a circular path and for indexing said body to a station below said closing head, a cover associated with said body, an endless chain disposed above said body and said cover, means resiliently connecting said cover to said chain to normally urge said cover away from said body, a cam follower on said connecting means, means for supporting and intermittently driving said endless chain along a second path with the major portion of said second path being coincident with said circular path and with a minor portion of said second path being curved away from said circular path and away from said closing head, an arcuate cam disposed in position to be engaged by said cam follower when said cover is being moved along said major portion of said second path to force said cover into sealing engagement against the other end of said body, means communicating with said body when said ends are sealed to first vacuumize said body and the head space of the container therein and to thereafter direct an inert gas into said body and head space prior to the indexing of said body to the station under the closing head, and a cover plate disposed immediately above said other end of said container and between said closing head and the downstream end of said cam to minimize escape of said inert gas from said tubular body after said cover has been removed from the body and before the body is positioned under the closing head.

7. In a packaging machine having a closing head, the combination of an open-ended tubular body, container supporting means mounted for movement between a position spaced from one end of said tubular body to a position sealing said one end with a container thereon disposed within said body, means for moving said body and said container supporting means along a circular path to a station immediately adjacent to and below the closing head, a cover disc movable between a position spaced from the other end of said body to a position sealing said other end, movable support means for carrying said cover along a path coincident with said circular path for a major portion of its travel and for deflecting said cover away from said circular path and from said closing head for a minor portion of its travel, means for moving said cover into sealing engagement with said other end of said body when said cover is moving along said circular portion of its path, means communicating with said body when said ends are sealed to first vacuumize said body and the head space of the container therein and to thereafter direct an inert gas into said body and head space prior to movement past the closing head, and means included in said container supporting means for moving the container cover through said other end of said body into the closing head for hermetically sealing the container cover onto the container.

8. In a packaging machine having a closing head, the combination of a turret, means for intermittently driving said turret, a tubular body on said turret and being indexed by said turret under said closing head, container supporting means mounted for vertical movement between a position spaced from one end of said tubular body to a position sealing said one end with the container thereon disposed within said body, a cam follower connected to said container supporting means, an annular cam concentric with said turret and having a low arcuate camming surface for holding said container support means in its lower position and a raised arcuate camming surface for engaging said cam follower and holding said container supporting means in its upper position to seal said one end when said body is indexed under the closing head, a first pneumatic cylinder disposed adjacent one edge of said raised camming surface and having a piston rod for raising said container supporting means from its spaced position to its sealed position whereby subsequent indexing movement of said turret moves said cam follower onto said raised camming surface, a container lifting table included in said container supporting means and movable between a position confining the container within said tubular body and a position wherein the upper 15 end of the container is disposed on said body, a shaft connected to said table and projecting downwardly there from, said shaft having a T-shaped slot in its lower end,

a second pneumatic cylinder disposed below said closing head and having a second piston rod, a T-shaped head on said second piston rod and disposed in position to be received in said T-shaped slot as said shaft is indexed under said closing head, means for activating said second pneumatic cylinder to first raise said table and the container so as to present the container cover to said closing head for hermetically sealing the same to the body and thereafter to lower the table to its container-confining position, and a third pneumatic cylinder disposed'adjacent the other edge of said raised camming surface and having a third piston rod, a T-shaped head on said third piston 15 rod disposed in position to be received in said T-shaped slot as said cam follower is moved 01f said raised camming surface upon a subsequent indexing movement of said turret, and means for activating said third pneumatic cylinder after said last mentioned indexing movement is completed to lower said container supporting means to its spaced position.

References Cited'by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS s. MCGHEE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND GASSING MACHINE, AN OPEN TOP BODY DEFINING A TREATING CHAMBER, MEANS FOR POSITIONING A CONTAINER IN SAID BODY, CONVEYOR MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BODY ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, A COVER FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TOP OF SAID BODY, MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID COVER ON SAID BODY AND HOLDING IT THEREON DURING A MAJOR PART OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE BODY ALONG SAID PATH, MEANS FOR REMOVING AIR FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY AND REPLACING IT WITH AN INERT GAS WHILE SAID COVER IS IN POSITION ON SAID BODY, MEANS DEFINING A CONTAINER CLOS-