Filling Machine with Pivotable Bottle Support and Filling Under-Counter Pressure or Without Counter-Pressure

Abstract

A universal valve for aseptic filling of drinking liquids in which a fork is articulated on a fulcrum to allow a bottle inclination during a lifting operation to optimize an aseptic filling process of carbonated drinking liquids by reducing their turbulence.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for usage in a bottle filling machine comprising:
 a universal valve for aseptic filling of flat and carbonate drinking liquids into bottles; and   a gripping fork configured to be kept in a horizontal position resting on a lower fixed contrast element to ensure a vertical position of the bottle, if a flat drinking liquid is bottled, the fork further configured to be articulated on a fulcrum to allow inclination of the bottle during a lifting operation for optimizing an aseptic filling process, if a carbonated drinking liquid is bottled, by reducing turbulences of the liquids.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the valve comprises a sealing ring including a lower surface with a pre-set obliquity that defines exact inclination of the bottle to optimize the aseptic filling process of carbonated liquids by reducing the turbulence thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a rear fixed contrast element limiting the inclination of the gripping fork and defining limits of the obliquity of the lifted bottle. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a lifting equipment including a projection that includes the fulcrum. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the lifting equipment comprises the rear fixed contrast element, which is shaped to project towards the fork. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a vertical guide along which the lifting equipment slides, the vertical guide coupling the lower fixed contrast element to the bottle filling machine. 
   
   
       11 . A bottle filling machine comprising:
 a valve; and   an apparatus of  claim 5 .   
   
   
       12 . A method for aseptic filling flat or carbonated drinking liquids into bottles, comprising:
 providing a rotating filling machine including a universal valve, a gripping fork for holding bottles beneath the valve during a bottling process, a lifting equipment, and a lower fixed contrast element;   keeping the fork with a gripped bottle in a horizontal position resting on the lower fixed contrast element to ensure the vertical position of the bottle if the bottle is filled with a flat drinking liquid; and   articulating the fork with a gripped bottle on a fulcrum to allow the bottle to be inclined during a lifting operation for optimizing an aseptic filling process, if a carbonated drinking liquid is filled into the bottle.