초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for filling a bottle with an oxygen sensitive liquid such as beer in which the bottle is pre-evacuated, pressurized with pure CO2, over-filled with liquid at constant pressure and then brought back to the proper fill level by injecting pure CO2 and forcing the excess back into

A method and apparatus for filling a bottle with an oxygen sensitive liquid such as beer in which the bottle is pre-evacuated, pressurized with pure CO2, over-filled with liquid at constant pressure and then brought back to the proper fill level by injecting pure CO2 and forcing the excess back into the gas pressurized liquid storage tank while the bottle is still coupled to the filling head. After uncoupling, the bottle is transported to under a closure cap applying device at which there are nozzles that project CO2 under the device and over and around the mouth of the bottle so the space even within the cap is purged of air. The CO2 used for purging is adequately free of air since it is taken from the storage tank to which CO2 is returned from the bottles as a result of filling liquid displacing the CO2 gas which is diluted only to the extent that pre-evacuation is not perfect.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of filling containers such as bottles with liquid so the liquid has minimum exposure to air, comprising the steps of: storing the liquid in a tank under a space for containing gas at above atmospheric pressure, coupling a bottle to be filled and containing air to a filler head, evacuating s

A method of filling containers such as bottles with liquid so the liquid has minimum exposure to air, comprising the steps of: storing the liquid in a tank under a space for containing gas at above atmospheric pressure, coupling a bottle to be filled and containing air to a filler head, evacuating said bottle so it contains minimal residual air, filling said bottle with pure CO2 gas at a pressure at least as high as the gas pressure in said tank, and discontinuing said filling, conducting said liquid under the influence of gravity from said tank to said bottle while concurrently conducting to said tank the CO2 gas and residual air mixture displaced from said bottle by filling it with said liquid, injecting pure CO2 at a pressure higher than the gas pressure in the tank into the space above the desired liquid level in the bottle to force a small quantity of liquid back into said tank and replace said quantity with said pure CO2, uncoupling said bottle and moving said bottle to an enclosure element applying device, and maintaining an atmosphere of predominantly CO2 gas in the region of the bottle mouth and the enclosure element at least until the enclosure element is applied.