Rotary Filling Machine

Abstract

A rotary filling machine for filling containers with bridgeable dry materials includes a turret supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced drop buckets and a plurality of funnel assemblies located under the drop buckets. A stationary slide plate is located vertically between the funnel assemblies and the drop buckets. When viewed in a direction of turret rotation, the slide plate has an upstream end, a downstream end, and inner and outer edges. A portion of the slide plate is tapered progressively in diameter toward its downstream end such that flow paths from the bottoms of the drop buckets to the inlet openings of the funnel assemblies increase progressively in diameter with the taper of the slide plate. Also provided is a funnel assembly and drop buckets provided with one more partitions that hinder the “snow-plowing of particles” along the edge of the associated fill opening in machine's fill plate rather than the sweeping of those particles into the fill opening.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A rotary filling machine comprising:
 a rotatable hub defining an opening extending therethrough, the opening having upper and lower ends;   a plurality of circumferentially spaced drop buckets configured to rotate with the hub, each drop bucket having an open top, an open bottom in alignment with the lower end of the opening the opening, and a perimeter wall;   a plurality of funnel assemblies configured to rotate with the hub, each funnel assembly having an upper inlet positioned beneath the bottom opening of a corresponding drop bucket, and a lower dispensing outlet; and   a stationary slide plate located vertically between the funnel assemblies and the drop buckets, wherein, when viewed in a direction of turret rotation, the slide plate has an upstream end, a downstream end, upper and lower surfaces, and inner and outer edges, and wherein the slide plate includes a tapered portion that tapers progressively in diameter toward the downstream end thereof such that flow paths from the bottoms of the drop buckets, through the opening the hub, and to the inlet openings of the funnel assemblies increase progressively in diameter with the taper of the slide plate.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the inner edge of the tapered portion of the slide plate is tapered continuously throughout at least a majority of the tapered portion. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the slide plate extends through an arc of 180 degrees to 320 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 3 , wherein the tapered portion of the slide plate extends through an arc of at least 150 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 4 , wherein an upstream portion of the slide plate is untapered, and the tapered portion of the wear plate extends from the upstream portion of the slide plate to the downstream end of the slide plate. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 4 , wherein the slide plate is integrated into a ring mounted on the hub over the opening in the hub. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 1 , wherein each drop bucket has first and second opposed end walls and inner and outer walls, each of which abuts an associated end of both end walls. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 7 , wherein each drop bucket has at least one partition that extends between the inner and outer walls to define discrete chambers within the drop bucket. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 8 , wherein each drop bucket has at least two partitions that are spaced generally equally of one another between the first and second end walls. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drop buckets are supported on the hub. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary filling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the funnel assembly are mounted on the hub. 
     
     
         12 . A drop bucket that is configured to be positioned beneath a discharge opening in a hub of a rotary filling machine and to direct materials from a discharge opening to a funnel located beneath the drop bucket, wherein the drop bucket comprises:
 a body having an open top that is configured to be in alignment with the opening during a portion of a rotational phase of the rotary filling machine, an open bottom that is configured to discharge materials into the funnel, and a perimeter wall including inner and outer walls and first and second end walls; and   at least one partition that extends between the inner and outer walls and that is positioned between the first and second end walls to define discrete chambers within the drop bucket.   
     
     
         13 . The drop bucket of  claim 12 , wherein the drop bucket has at least two partitions that are spaced generally equally of one another between the first and second end walls to define three discrete chambers within the drop bucket. 
     
     
         14 . The drop bucket of  claim 12 , wherein each partition extends at least generally vertically. 
     
     
         15 . The drop bucket of  claim 12 , wherein the drop bucket is generally trapezoidal in shape, and wherein the outer wall is longer than the inner wall. 
     
     
         16 . The drop bucket of  claim 15 , wherein upper end portions of each of the walls are flared outwardly to collectively serve as a chute, and wherein the partition has an upper end positioned beneath the upper ends of the walls. 
     
     
         17 . A funnel assembly for dispensing materials into a container, the funnel assembly comprising:
 an upper funnel having an upper inlet configured to receive dispensed dry bridgeable materials and having a lower outlet; and   a lower funnel having an upper inlet coupled to the outlet of the upper funnel and a lower dispensing outlet configured to dispense the dry bridgeable materials into a container, wherein the upper funnel has an inner dilation chamber that is dimensioned and configured to progressively dilate the dry bridgeable materials falling therethrough.   
     
     
         18 . The funnel assembly as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of fingers that project into each funnel assembly between the inlet and the outlet proximal to an axial centerline of the funnel assembly.