Rotary filling machine and method of operating a rotary filling machine

Abstract

A rotary filling machine (20) for filling containers with bridgeable dry material comprises a turntable (30) supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets (32) and a plurality of hopper assemblies (34) located below the buckets (32). A fixed slide (100) is vertically located between the hopper assemblies (34) and the buckets (32). The slide (100) is configured so that the area of ​​the flow path from the bottom of the buckets (32) to the inlet opening of the hopper assembly (34) gradually increases through at least a portion of the circumference of the slide. Each bucket (32) is provided with one or more baffles (80) that hinder "grain shoveling" along the edge of the slide, thereby causing material to fall from the slide one at a time or in small groups rather than in a single block.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the original application with the application date of September 18, 2020, application number 202080066079.1, and invention name “Rotary Filling Machine”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of rotary machines for dispensing controlled volumes of dry materials into containers and, more particularly, to a rotary filling machine for dispensing bridgeable dry materials that are susceptible to clumping and / or sticking and a method of operating such a machine. Background Art

[0003] Rotary filling machines are commonly used to dispense dry materials into containers from above. These machines typically consist of a rotating turntable positioned beneath a rotary combination weigher or other conveyor for dispensing material. The turntable supports a number of circumferentially spaced buckets or boxes with lower openings. Each bucket or box's opening mates with a hopper below. During operation, each bucket receives a specified amount of material as it rotates beneath the conveyor and discharges it into an associated hopper. The material then flows through the hopper and is dispensed into containers below, circumferentially spaced from the conveyor.

[0004] The dispensing of some materials can be problematic because they tend to "bridge," or span, gaps and material paths in the filling equipment and clog the equipment. Some such materials are relatively sticky or have high adhesive properties, which can cause the materials to clump together or stick to each other and / or to the bucket or funnel. A typical example of such materials is "gummy candies," which are relatively soft, chewable sweets. Gummy candies are usually, but not always, gelatin-based. They are most commonly used in candies, but are also used for other materials, such as chewable vitamins and medications. They vary in size and shape, but most are "bite-sized," meaning less than 5 cm in maximum diameter. Some "gummy candies" take the form of fantastical or stylized animals, such as bears or fish. Others are in the form of generally oval tablets. They may or may not be coated with sugar. The tendency of these materials to clump together and stick to filling machine surfaces creates a tendency to bridge or clog portions of the flow path, such as the bottom opening of the bucket or the throat of the funnel. Bridging is a particular concern when filling containers with relatively small diameter filling openings with materials formed from relatively large diameter particles, as the particles must be guided through relatively small filling openings, which are sometimes only 2-3 times the diameter of the largest particle. Even if they do not sufficiently bridge to block the flow path, the material may still adhere to surfaces (such as the bottom of a bucket adjacent to the bottom opening or the side surfaces of a funnel) long enough to delay or prevent dispensing into the container below, or at least fall into the container in clumps rather than one at a time. The resulting delays / blockages can lead to reduced filling accuracy, including partial fills and no fills.

[0005] Other materials don't stick as well as traditional gummies, but they still tend to tangle with each other, allowing them to span openings or spaces. Some nuts, such as cashews, exhibit this property.

[0006] Thus, as used herein, "bridgeable material" refers to any discrete dry particles that have a relatively high tendency to clump and / or adhere to other surfaces by adhering to and / or entangled with each other. Bridgeable materials include, for example, soft candies that are sticky or have high adhesive properties, and some nuts, such as cashews, that tend to entangle.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need to provide a rotary filling machine that can reliably dispense bridgeable dry material in a controlled and predictable manner.

[0008] There is also a need to provide a rotary filling machine that meters the dispensing of bridgeable material in a manner that reduces or prevents clumping and / or bridging.

[0009] There is also a need to provide a rotary filling machine that "breaks" dispensed bridgeable materials so they can be dispensed into containers, typically one at a time, rather than in chunks or batches. Summary of the Invention

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotary filling machine comprises: a rotatable central hub having an opening extending vertically therethrough; a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets positioned above the opening; and a plurality of hopper assemblies mounted on the hub below the opening. Each bucket has an open top, an open bottom aligned with an opening in a wear plate, a peripheral wall, and at least one partition extending between an inner wall and an outer wall and positioned between a first end wall and a second end wall to define discrete chambers within the bucket. Each hopper assembly has an upper inlet positioned below the bottom opening of the corresponding bucket and a lower dispensing outlet. A fixed slide is positioned vertically between the hopper assembly and the bucket. When viewed in the direction of rotation of the turntable, the slide has an upstream end, a downstream end, upper and lower surfaces, and an inner and outer edge. The slide includes a tapered portion whose diameter tapers toward its downstream end such that the diameter of the flow path from the bottom of the bucket to the inlet opening of the hopper assembly gradually increases as the slide tapers. Thus, the slide is configured such that the area of ​​the flow path from the bottom of the bucket to the inlet opening of the funnel assembly gradually increases through at least a portion of the circumferential extent of the slide.

[0011] The inner edge of the tapered portion of the slide plate may taper continuously and evenly over at least a majority of the tapered portion.

[0012] Each bucket may have opposing first and second end walls (an upstream end wall and a downstream end wall) and inner and outer walls, each of the inner and outer walls being adjacent to an associated end of the two end walls. In this case, each bucket may have at least one partition extending at least generally vertically between the inner and outer walls to define discrete compartments within the bucket.

[0013] Each hopper assembly may have an internal dispersion chamber sized and configured to gradually disperse material falling therethrough. The dispersion chamber of each hopper assembly is defined by opposing first and second upper walls, and opposing first and second lower walls. These walls are positioned and configured such that material impinging on the first upper wall is directed toward the second lower wall and out of the dispersion chamber.

[0014] In one arrangement, the dispersion chamber is located in the upper funnel, and the lower funnel presents a flow path having a lower portion inclined at an acute angle relative to an upper portion thereof.

[0015] The rotary filling machine may further include a hopper knocker positioned to resiliently strike the hopper assembly during rotation of the rotary filling machine.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a hopper assembly for dispensing material into a container is provided. The hopper assembly includes an upper hopper and a lower hopper. The upper hopper has an internal dispersion chamber sized and configured to gradually disperse dry, bridgeable material falling therethrough. The dispersion chamber of the upper hopper can be defined by opposing first and second upper walls, and opposing first and second lower walls. In this case, these walls are positioned and configured such that material impinging on the first upper wall is directed to the second lower wall and thereby out of the dispersion chamber.

[0017] A plurality of fingers may project into each funnel assembly between the inlet and the outlet and proximate an axial centerline of the funnel assembly.

[0018] A method of operating a rotary filling machine is also provided, comprising: dispensing material from above into an open top portion of a bucket, the bucket being one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets supported on a rotating hub for rotation therewith; and separating the material into at least a first chamber and a second chamber in the bucket on opposite sides of a partition within the bucket. The material is then deposited from the bucket onto a fixed, circumferentially extending slide positioned below the bucket, and the material is swept from the bucket by movement of the bucket along the slide such that the material falls from the slide in a flow path having an area that gradually increases through at least a portion of the circumference of the slide. The material falling from the slide may fall into the open top portions of a plurality of circumferentially spaced open hoppers supported on the rotating hub for rotation therewith.

[0019] Cleaning may include cleaning material from a tapered edge of the slide, the tapered edge covering a plurality of discharge openings located above the funnel, the discharge openings increasing in area along the circumference of the slide.

[0020] Separating the material into discrete chambers in the bucket by the action of the baffles hinders "shoveling of particles" along the open edge adjacent the slide, causing the material to fall from the slide one at a time or in small groups rather than in a single large piece.

[0021] These and other features and aspects of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings.It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustration and not limitation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary dispensing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of a rotary dispenser;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 A top view of a rotary filling machine;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1-Figure 3 A partial top view of a portion of a rotary filling machine;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 1-Figure 3 A partial radial cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the rotary filling machine;

[0028] Figure 6 The bucket is shown removed. Figure 1-Figure 3 A top view of a rotary filling machine;

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 1-Figure 3 A top view of a slide of a rotary dispenser;

[0030] Figure 8 yes Figure 1-Figure 3 A perspective view of a hopper assembly of a rotary distributor;

[0031] Figure 9 yes Figure 8A front cross-sectional view of a funnel assembly;

[0032] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 and Figure 9 a side cross-sectional view of a funnel assembly;

[0033] Figure 11 yes Figure 1-Figure 3 an isometric view of a hopper beater assembly of a rotary filling machine; and

[0034] Figure 12 is an isometric view of a collapsed funnel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] First turn Figure 1-Figure 3 , shows a rotary filling machine 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The rotary filling machine 20 is configured to receive a bridgeable dry material (as that term is defined above) from a conveyor system and distribute the material in a controlled manner into the containers below. The "controlled" manner can be a specified number of particles per container, a specified weight of particles per container, or a specified volume of particles per container. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor system includes a rotary combination weigher 22 that receives material from a conveyor (not shown) and dispenses a specified weight of material per batch. If, as is typically the case, the average number of particles per given weight is known, the rotary combination weigher 22 can then dispense a specified number of particles per batch. While such rotary combination weighers are available through Yamoto, they can be provided by any number of suppliers. The rotary filling machine shown is optimized for filling bottles with soft candies having a maximum size of approximately 2.25 cm and dispensing these soft candies into bottles with a filling opening diameter of 4.25 cm to 4.50 cm. The machine configuration, particularly the configuration of the funnel assembly described below, can vary significantly depending on the size and characteristics of the particles being processed and the filling opening diameter of the container being filled.

[0036] Still refer to Figure 1-Figure 3 The rotary filling machine 20 includes a rotating turret 30 supporting a plurality (18) of circumferentially spaced buckets 32 and an equal number of hopper assemblies 34, one hopper assembly 34 being associated with each bucket 32. An equal number of container holders 36 (it should be understood that "container" as used herein refers to any receiver configured to receive material from a hopper assembly) are mounted on the bottom of the hub 30 below the hopper assemblies 34 for receiving containers to be filled. Furthermore, it is important that the fixed slide 100 (first at Figure 4 ) is mounted on a turntable 30 and is vertically mounted between a bucket 32 ​​and a funnel assembly 34 for expanding or separating the material flow from the bucket 32 ​​to the funnel assembly 34.

[0037] The container 37 ( Figure 9 and Figure 10 ) are bottles, and the container holders 36 can be considered bottle holders. Each bottle holder 36 has a notch 38 configured for a specific bottle shape and size to receive a bottle 37, thereby holding the bottle in place beneath the associated hopper assembly 34 during the filling operation. The bottles are transported to and received by the container holders 36 by a conveyor (not shown), which transports the empty bottles to an upstream conveyor 40 and receives the empty bottles from the downstream-most bottle holder 36 via a downstream conveyor 42. Each conveyor 40, 42 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced peripheral notches 44, each of which rotates into and out of mating engagement with a notch 38 of an associated bottle holder 36 to transfer bottles between the bottle holder 36 and the conveyor. The conveyors and conveyors 40, 42 are configured to operate synchronously with the turntable 30. Different supply and handling systems can be used for containers other than bottles.

[0038] Reference Figure 1-Figure 5 The turntable 30 includes a central shaft 50 and an upper plate assembly 52 and a lower plate assembly 54. The shaft 50 is driven by a motor (not shown). The upper plate assembly, or "fill plate," 52 is fixed to the shaft 50 and has a segmented circular opening near its outer periphery, each segment of which forms a filling opening 56 that aligns with the bucket 32 ​​from above and with the funnel assembly 34 from below. Each filling opening 56 of this exemplary embodiment is approximately 15 cm long and approximately 10 cm wide. The bucket 32 ​​is mounted on the fill plate 52 inside the filling opening 56. Mounting members are also formed on or in the fill plate 52 for receiving the funnel assembly 34. These mounting members can take the form of openings configured to cooperate with a magnetic quick-mount device of the type described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 8,991,442, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, each mounting member can include spaced holes for receiving spacer bolts that mount the funnel assembly 34 to the bottom of the fill plate 52.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the filler plate 52 is formed of stainless steel or a similar durable, easy-to-clean material. An annular rotating wear plate formed of an annular inner ring 60 and an annular outer ring 62 is mounted on top of the stainless steel filler plate 52, with the annular inner ring 60 and the annular outer ring 62 being located radially inward and outward of the filler opening 56, respectively. The rings 60 and 62 are formed of a material that is relatively hard and wear-resistant but has a relatively low coefficient of sliding friction. HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), (an acetal homopolymer) and UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) are examples of suitable materials, but other materials with similar properties may be used based on availability and product interaction. An annular opening is formed between the inner ring 60 and the outer ring 62 above the fill opening 56. The bucket 32 ​​is supported on the upper surface of the wear plate rings 60 and 62 and attached to the hub 30 as described below.

[0040] Still refer to Figures 1-4 Each bucket 32 ​​is formed of a material that is durable, easy to clean, and has a relatively low coefficient of sliding friction. Any of various grades of stainless steel and materials with similar properties based on product interaction and environment are sufficient. The material may be dented or otherwise modified to inhibit sticky particles from adhering to it. In this embodiment, the shape of each bucket 32 ​​is generally trapezoidal, having opposing first and second end walls 64, 66 or opposing upstream and downstream end walls 64, 66 rotated counterclockwise, and radially inner and radially outer walls 68, 70, respectively, adjacent to the associated ends of the end walls 64 and 66. The outer wall 70 of each bucket 32 ​​is longer than the inner wall 68, and the end walls 64 and 66 are inclined relative to the radial bisector of the turntable assembly, thereby providing a trapezoidal shape that allows the bucket 32 ​​to cover the entire circular area containing the bucket 32 ​​without intermediate gaps. The upper ends of the inner and outer end walls 64, 66 flare outwardly to serve as chutes for directing material to the interior of the bucket 32 ​​that might otherwise miss it. The buckets may be provided in a semicircular subassembly, such as six. A semicircular flange 72 extends rearwardly from the bucket 32. Figure 5 As best seen, each subassembly is held in place by a plurality of spring-loaded plungers 74 that extend through openings 76 in the flange 72 and selectively engage corresponding grooves 78 in the wear plate inner ring 60 to lock the subassembly in place.

[0041] Still refer to Figures 1-4 , especially with reference to Figure 4 In order to prevent the material received from the rotary combination weigher 22 from being simply pushed in front of the upstream end wall 64 of each bucket 32 ​​(this is particularly important for relatively small fills), each bucket 32 ​​can have at least one partition extending at least approximately vertically from the bottom of the bucket 32 ​​between the inner wall 68 and the outer wall 70. In the illustrated embodiment, two equidistant partitions 80 are provided, each partition extending at least approximately parallel to each other and to the front end wall 64 of the bucket 32. As clearly shown in the figure, the partitions 80 in each bucket 32 ​​are longitudinally spaced from each other and extend from the side of the bucket. Thus, three discrete chambers are formed within the bucket 32. During relatively small fills, most or all of the particles are distributed in batches to the chamber furthest downstream. The benefits of this effect will be discussed in more detail below.

[0042] Reference Figure 3-Figure 7 A slide plate or "drop plate" 100 is mounted in the upper groove between the inner wear plate ring 60 and the outer wear plate ring 62 to hold the rings 60 and 62 in place as they rotate beneath it. The slide plate 100 may be The wear plate 100 may be formed of a material that is different from the material of the wear plate rings 60 and 62 to facilitate sliding movement of the two components relative to each other. For example, if HDPE is used for the wear plate rings 60 and 62, Delrin is particularly suitable for use in the skateboard 100. Figure 7 The slide plate 100 shown in FIG is integrally formed with an annular ring 102 that is segmented by a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial connecting arms 104. The inner edge 106 and outer edge 108 of the ring 102 are supported on upwardly directed lips 110 and 112 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner wear plate ring 60 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer wear plate ring 62, respectively. Figure 5 The ring 102 prevents material from accumulating on the lips 110 and 112 during the filling operation. The slide 100 is connected to the lip 110 by a pin or similar device 114 ( Figure 1 、 Figure 3 and Figure 6 ) is held stationary, the device extending downwardly from the fixed mounting into an opening formed in or through the slide 100. The accurate relative positioning of the slide 100 with respect to the rings 60 and 62 of the wear plate can be achieved by forming the opening in the form of a slot or by means such as Figure 7 As shown, two or more spaced-apart circular openings 116 are provided.

[0043] Especially refer to Figure 7 , the radial diameter of the slide 100 tapers over at least a portion of its length so that the effective size of the filling opening 56 encountered by the material in the rotating bucket 32 ​​gradually increases downstream of the rotary combination weigher distributor 22. The tapered portion 122 thus effectively acts as a sliding shutter, which causes the rotating bucket 32 ​​to push particles one at a time or in small groups rather than in a single block into the filling opening 56. As a result, the upstream-most filling opening encountered by the filled bucket 32 ​​is almost completely covered, and the downstream filling openings 6 subsequently encountered are gradually exposed until the filling opening 56 downstream of the slide 100 is completely exposed.

[0044] More specifically, as in Figure 5-Figure 7As best seen, when viewed in the direction of turntable rotation, the slide 100 includes an upstream end 120 of irregular diameter and a downstream end 122 whose diameter tapers toward its downstream end. In the illustrated embodiment, where the slide extends approximately 290 degrees circumferentially, the tapered portion 122 extends through the downstream-most 170-250 degrees of the slide 100. The taper can be continuous and uniform along a portion or all of the tapered portion 122. In the illustrated embodiment, the tapered portion has an arc length of approximately 235 degrees. The tapered inner edge 124 has a radius of approximately 17 degrees over the upstream-most approximately 60 degrees of the tapered portion and a radius of approximately 18.5 degrees over the remaining 175 degrees.

[0045] A notch 128 is formed in the inner edge 124 of the upstream end of the tapered portion 122 so that the leading end of the taper is located above, rather than inboard of, the associated fill opening 56. In the illustrated embodiment, where the fill opening 56 is approximately 100 mm wide, the "effective width" of the fill opening 56, as defined by the portion of the fill opening 56 not covered by the slide 100, increases in diameter from approximately 12 mm at the most upstream end of the tapered portion 122 to a full 100 mm at the most downstream end of the slide 100, where the slide is no wider than the lip 112 on the wear plate outer ring 62.

[0046] Still refer to Figure 5-Figure 7 The upstream end 120 of the slide 100 completely covers the underlying filling opening(s) 56 to provide a gap-free "receiving surface" for receiving the batched particles received from the rotary combination weigher 22 and grading them for subsequent distribution into the filling openings when they are exposed. In the illustrated embodiment, the upstream portion has an arc length of approximately 55-60 degrees. If desired, this arc length can be considerably longer.

[0047] It should be noted that Figure 7 The ring 102 is not necessary for the support or operation of the slide 100. The slide 100 or similarly constructed slides can be provided in the form of a crescent or half-moon shaped element without the ring. Figure 6 Shown without rings.

[0048] Now refer to Figures 8-10Each funnel assembly 34 is configured to dispense material falling through the associated fill opening 56 while further dispersing the material so that the material is dispensed from the bottom dispensing outlet 160 of the funnel assembly 34 in a single file or approximately a single file rather than in a block. The diameter of the outlet 160 is typically no larger than the diameter of the inlet of the container below, or in this non-limiting example, is approximately 20 mm-40 mm, more typically approximately 30 mm. The internal geometry of each funnel assembly 34 can be customized to accommodate the flow characteristics of the material being dispensed. As a rule of thumb, the product flow path should be relatively simple for materials that are relatively sticky or tacky but not particularly prone to tangling (such as soft gummies), and relatively complex for materials that are not sticky or tacky but are highly prone to tangling or at least self-adhering (such as cashews or hard gummies).

[0049] Figures 8-10 The funnel assembly 34 shown in FIG is well suited for dispensing the latter type of material. The funnel assembly 34 shown includes an upper funnel 130 and a lower funnel 132, which are interconnected by a flexible bellows 134. The bellows 134 is held in place by a snap fit between a lower annular flange 136 on the upper funnel 130 and an upper annular flange 138 on the lower funnel 132. The upper funnel 130 can be universal for all dispensed materials or a broad range of materials. The lower funnel 132 can be customized for specific products, most notably for particle diameter, and can thus be considered a container adapter. The interior of each funnel assembly 34 can have a nonlinear and non-uniform volumetric taper so that the material falling therefrom zigzags or bounces from side to side, thereby breaking up clumps of tangled particles and further dispersing or separating the flowing particle stream. A variety of geometric shapes can achieve this effect, some more effective than others for certain particles.

[0050] Specific reference Figure 9 The interior of the upper hopper 130 defines an internal dispersion chamber bounded by an upper set of opposing first and second walls 140, 142, and a lower set of first and second lower walls 144, 146. Each set of walls can be provided on the inner surface of a removable insert 148 (or two or more stacked inserts) that can be dropped from above into the housing 150 of the upper hopper 130 to allow customization for a specific application. The insert 148 and the lower hopper 132 can be made of a durable, low-friction material (e.g., urethane). The upper set of first walls 140 slope downwardly and inwardly to a bottom edge located near the axial center of the upper hopper 130. At least a majority of particles swept into the hopper assembly 34 impact the walls 140 and are transferred to the lower set of opposing second walls 146. The lower set of second walls 146 slope downwardly and inwardly to a bottom edge that directs the particles to the inlet of the lower hopper 132. The upper set of second walls 142 and the lower set of first walls 144 act primarily as stops and see little or no product flow.

[0051] Still refer to Figure 9 , bottom funnel 132 is curved or "bent like a dog's hind legs" at its center portion 151 to define upper and lower portions extending at an acute angle relative to each other. Like upper funnel 130, the interior of lower funnel 132 has first and second upper walls 152, 154, and first and second lower walls 156, 158. The upper set of first walls 152 slope downward and inward to the bottom edge. The second set of second walls 158 slope downward and inward to the bottom outlet 160 of funnel assembly 34. Particles that bounce off the upper set of first walls 152 strike the lower set of second walls 158, where they are further separated as they flow toward lower outlet 160. The upper set of second walls 142 and the second set of first walls 152 primarily act as stops and see little or no product flow.

[0052] Compare Figures 9 to 10 It can be seen that the lower portion of the opening in the lower funnel 132 is as shown in FIG. Figure 9 As shown, it gradually narrows in at least one direction or the "X" direction, while as Figure 10 It is shown widening in the other direction or the "Y" direction. Although tapered in one direction for orientation purposes, this geometry helps prevent bridging of particles at the bottom outlet 160 by maintaining a relatively large flow area at the outlet.

[0053] Now refer to Figure 12 , the funnel assembly 234 may be equipped with inwardly projecting fingers 380 that are intended to be struck by and break up any chunks that may have survived a drop through the upper funnel 330. The funnel assembly 234 of this embodiment is otherwise similar to the first embodiment in that it has an upper funnel 330 and a lower funnel 332 coupled by a flexible bellows 334. The fingers 380 project inwardly into the baffle 334 from the outer periphery of the baffle 334. Three such fingers are provided in the illustrated embodiment, spaced equally around the funnel assembly 234 (with one finger in each direction). Figure 12 Two are shown in FIG. ). Each finger has an inner product-engaging end, which may have a tab thereon, and an outer end, which is clamped between the upper surface of the bellows 334 and the lower surface of the mounting flange 336 of the upper funnel 330. The fingers 380 can be tilted at any desired angle relative to the horizontal plane to achieve the desired scrambling effect, and their tilt angles can be different relative to each other. The fingers 380 can be formed from, for example, stainless steel or spring steel.

[0054] Figure 12 The material flow path in the funnel assembly 234 is also larger than Figures 8-10The material flow path in the funnel assembly 34 is made straighter or more linear to accommodate more tacky or sticky materials that tend to adhere to any surface they come into contact with. In this embodiment, both the upper funnel 330 and the lower funnel 332 are at least primarily frusto-conical. Thus, the sharp turns in the lower funnel 132 are eliminated. Additionally, in the upper funnel 330, the first and second sets of walls having different relative slopes are replaced by a single peripheral wall 340 having a relatively uniform slope.

[0055] certainly, Figure 12 Fingers 380 and other fingers or other elements that protrude into the funnel assembly to help break up clumps may also be provided in the Figures 8-10 in the funnel component.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 、 Figure 5 and Figure 11 , additional means may be provided to impart shock or vibration to the hopper assembly 34, thereby dislodging particles that tend to bridge the hopper or adhere to its inner walls. In the illustrated embodiment, these means take the form of "hopper knockers" 400, which are impacted by the rotating hopper assembly 34. A plurality of such hopper knockers 400 may be spaced about the filling machine 20, in conjunction with some or all of the hopper assemblies that are actually dispensing product at any given time. In this embodiment, six such hopper knockers 400 are provided, spaced circumferentially about the filling machine 20 between the upstream end of the tapered portion 122 of the slide 100 (where particles first fall into the underlying hopper assembly 34) and a position disposed downstream of the downstream end of the slide 100.

[0057] Each funnel knocker 400 includes a rigid mounting arm 402, a spring arm 404, and an impact block 406. Each mounting arm 402 has a base 408 that is bolted to a fixed support surface of the filling machine 20. Each spring arm 404 is relatively flexible and can be formed, for example, from spring steel. Each spring arm 404 has a first end fixed to the mounting arm 402 and a second free end positioned in the path of rotation of the funnel assembly. The radial position of the spring arm 404 relative to the mounting arm 402 can be adjustable, for example, by providing a slot 410 in the spring arm 404 that mates with a spaced hole 412 in the mounting arm 402. The impact block 406 is mounted to the free end of the spring arm 404 by a bolt 414 that extends through the impact block 406, through the spring arm 404, and into a mounting block 416 located behind the spring arm 404. The mounting block 416 provides additional mass for the structure to be deflected by the rotating funnel assembly 34. The impact block 406 is formed of a durable, wear-resistant material (e.g., Delrin). In operation, engagement of the impact block 406 with the rotating funnel assembly causes the free end of the spring arm 404 to elastically deflect out of the path of rotation of the funnel assembly while applying an impact to the funnel assembly 34.

[0058] During operation, the turntable 30 of the rotary filler 20 is driven to rotate while particles of the bridgeable material are deposited from the rotary combination weigher dispenser 22 into the buckets 32. The particles in each bucket 32 ​​initially fall onto the slide 100 and are swept into the filling opening 56 one at a time or in small groups as the buckets 32 rotate on the gradually narrowing tapered portion 122 of the slide 100, thereby tending to separate the particles, or from another perspective, to disperse the particle stream into individual particles or small pieces of particles. If the batch being dispensed is relatively small and does not fill the bottom of the bucket 32, the baffles will hinder the "shoveling of particles" along the opening edge adjacent to the slide 100, rather than sweeping these particles into the filling opening 56, thereby ensuring that the particles fall from the slide 100 one at a time or in small groups rather than in large pieces.

[0059] If the funnel assembly 34 is Figures 1-10 If, for example, the serpentine type shown, the material filled into the hopper assembly 34 will be further separated or dispersed as it bounces back and forth from the upper and lower hoppers 130, 132 before falling from the discharge outlet 160 into the container 37. The falling particles are further separated or dispersed during this process, resulting in the material being dispensed into the lower container 37 in the form of a stream of mostly single particles. During this process, the impact of the hopper beater 400 on the hopper assembly 34 will inhibit or prevent the particles from adhering to any particular surface of the hopper assembly, with a consequent reduction in the risk of bridging.

[0060] On the other hand, if the funnel assembly 234 has a more conventional Figure 12In the orientation shown, the material simply falls through the funnels 330 and 332 and out the discharge opening. Any clumps of material will strike one or more fingers 380, tending to separate particles falling through the fingers. Such fingers may also be provided in the funnel assembly 34.

[0061] Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. Some such variations and modifications are discussed above. Other variations and modifications will become apparent from the appended claims. Many changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of such changes and modifications will become apparent from the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rotary filling machine comprising: rotatable hub; a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets configured to rotate with the hub, each bucket comprising a body having: an open top configured to receive dispensed material during a portion of a rotational phase of the rotary filler, an open bottom configured to discharge material, a peripheral wall including inner and outer walls and first and second end walls, and at least one baffle extending between the inner and outer walls and positioned between the first and second end walls to define discrete chambers within the bucket; a plurality of hopper assemblies configured to rotate with the hub, each hopper assembly having an upper inlet positioned below a bottom opening of a corresponding bucket and having a lower dispensing outlet, wherein the upper inlet is configured to receive material discharged from the bottom of the associated bucket; and a fixed slide positioned vertically between the hopper assembly and the bucket, wherein the fixed slide has an upstream end, a downstream end, an upper surface and a lower surface, and an inner edge and an outer edge when viewed in the direction of rotation of the turntable, and wherein a radial diameter of the fixed slide tapers along at least a portion of the circumferential extent of the fixed slide such that the fixed slide is configured such that an area of ​​a flow path from the bottom of the bucket through the fixed slide to an inlet opening of the hopper assembly gradually increases through the at least a portion of the circumferential extent of the fixed slide.

2. The rotary filling machine according to claim 1, wherein The fixing plate has a tapered inner edge portion configured to gradually reduce a radial diameter of the fixing plate.

3. The rotary filling machine according to claim 2, wherein: The tapered inner edge portion of the fixed slide tapers continuously over at least a majority of the tapered inner edge portion.

4. The rotary filling machine according to claim 3, wherein The tapered inner edge portion of the fixed slide extends over an arc of at least 150 degrees.

5. The rotary filling machine according to claim 1, wherein The fixing slide is integrated into a segmented ring mounted on the hub.

6. The rotary filling machine according to claim 1, wherein The opposing end walls of each bucket have a shorter length than each of the inner wall and the outer wall.

7. The rotary filling machine according to claim 1, wherein Each bucket has at least two laterally extending baffles longitudinally spaced from one another to define at least three discrete chambers.

8. The rotary filling machine according to claim 7, wherein Each baffle of each of the buckets extends at least substantially vertically.

9. The rotary filling machine according to claim 8, wherein An upper end portion of each of the inner, outer and end walls of each bucket flares outward to collectively function as a chute, and wherein the baffle of each bucket has an upper end positioned below the upper end portions of the inner, outer and end walls.

10. The rotary filling machine according to claim 7, wherein Each of the buckets is generally trapezoidal in shape, and wherein the outer wall is longer than the inner wall.

11. The rotary filling machine according to claim 10, wherein The bucket is supported on the hub.

12. The rotary filling machine according to claim 2, wherein The fixed slide has a tapered inner edge portion extending over the first funnel assembly and the second funnel assembly.

13. A method of operating a rotary filling machine, comprising: dispensing material from above into an open top of a bucket, the bucket being one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets supported on a rotating hub for rotation therewith; separating the material into at least a first chamber and a second chamber in the bucket located on opposite sides of the baffle by interacting with the baffle located within the bucket; depositing the material from the bucket onto a fixed, circumferentially extending retaining skid positioned beneath the bucket and integrated into a segmented ring mounted on the hub; The material is swept from the bucket by movement of the bucket along the fixed slide, so that the material falls from the fixed slide in a flow path, and the area of ​​the flow path gradually increases along the direction of rotation of the turntable through at least a portion of the circumferential range of the fixed slide.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: During the sweeping, the material falls from the fixed skids one at a time or in small groups rather than in a single piece.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein: Material falling from the stationary slide falls into the open tops of a plurality of circumferentially spaced open hoppers supported on the rotating hub for rotation therewith.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein: The sweeping includes sweeping the material from a tapered edge of the fixed slide, the tapered edge covering a plurality of discharge openings located above the funnel, the areas of the discharge openings gradually increasing along the circumference of the fixed slide.

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