US3654743A - Container filling - Google Patents

Abstract

Aerosol containers of the internal piston type have gas under pressure introduced thereinto at one side of the piston through the bottom wall of the container. This is done by advancing a gassing head into sealing engagement with the container bottom while automatically opening a passage through the head and the container bottom for discharge of the gas under pressure into the container and then sequentially automatically closing the passage at the bottom wall of the container. The container bottom wall may contain either a normally open valving structure that is automatically closed by a cam actuated impact mechanism after filling, or a normally closed valve that is opened when the gassing head moves against the container bottom wall and automatically closed by gas pressure within the container.

Description

United States Patent McGeary [151 3,654,743 '[451 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] CONTAINER FILLING [72] Inventor: George Jerome McGeary, Bronx, NY.

[73] Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York,

abandoned. which is a continuation ofSer. No. 627.334.

Mar. 31. 1967, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl ..53/88, 53/268, 141/20,

141/1 13, 141/147 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65b 7/16,B65b 31/02 [58] Field of Search ..53/7, 36, 43, 47, 79, 88, 99,

1,058,094 4/1913 Phelps ..14l/113 X 2,989,993 6/1961 Osmond et a1... 141/20 3,176,727 4/1965 Rousseau ..l4l/20 3,179,309 4/1965 Cope ..222/389 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,293,786 4/1962 France ..53/36 Primary Examiner-Edward J. Earls Attorney-Strauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies & Kurz ABSTRACT Aerosol containers of the internal piston type have gas under pressure introduced thereinto at one side of the piston through the bottom wall of the container. This is done by advancing a gassing head into sealing engagement with the container bottom while automatically opening a passage through the head and the container bottom for discharge of the gas under pressure into the container and then sequentially automatically closing the passage at the bottom wall of the container. The

222/389 container bottom wall may contain either a normally open valving structure that is automatically closed by a cam actu- [56] References Clted ated impact mechanism after filling, or a normally closed UNITED STATES PATENTS valve that is opened when the gassing head moves against the container bottom wall and automatically closed by gas pres- 2,189,852 2/1940 Ye cski ..53/79 sure within the container 3,124,917 3/1964 Dobbins..... ...l4l/l13 UX 3,237,659 3/1966 Albrecht ,.14l/20 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 1 l l l I l l l PATENTEDAPR 1 1 I972 3,654,743

SHEEI 1 OF 3 INVENTOR. George Jerome Ma Geary ATTOR N EYS PATENTEmPR 1 1 m2 3,654,743

sumzur'sDISENGAGE 75SEAL 8 FILL INVENTOR. George Jerome Mc Geo/y ATTORNEYS w R m PATENTEDAPR 1 1 I972 SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENTOR George Jerome Me 6 ea ry M%e/%M7 W ATTORNEYS CONTAINER FILLING RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of copending application, Ser. No. 861,224, filed Sept. 17, 1969, which is a continuation of application, Ser. No. 627,334, filed Mar. 31, 1967 for Container Filling, both now abandoned.

CONTAINER FILLING This invention relates to a system for introducing propellant gas into so-called aerosol type dispenser containers of the internal piston type, wherein the gas is admitted through a valving arrangement in the bottom of the container.

Most of the aerosol container gas filling machines in general use introduce propellant gas through the container discharge head, as disclosed for example in U. S. Letters Patent No. 3,013,591. The containers filled in such machines usually have imperforate bottom walls. With the advent of internal piston type aerosol containers came requirements for introducing gas into the container space at the lower side of the piston, and it has been proposed to introduce the propellant gas through a valve opening in the bottom wall of the otherwise complete container structure. The present invention is particularly concerned with a new and useful system and automatic apparatus for the efficient bottom filling of such containers with propellant gas, and this is its principal object.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel system and apparatus for introducing propellant gas through the bottom wall of an aerosol type container wherein a valving structure in said bottom wall is open during admission of the gas and is automatically closed, either by internal gas pressure of the container or by positive action, after the gas filling operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for the automatic gassing of aerosol type containers wherein a gas filling head of novel construction is brought into sealed gas introducing relation with the valved bottom wall of the container and separated therefrom after the filling operation is complete. Pursuant to this object the gas filling head may comprise a passage defining structure connected with a source of gas under pressure and containing a control valve, and the passage is sealed with the bottom of the container before the control valve is opened; and further objects of the invention provide novel structures and combinations of elements for automatic operation in this sequence.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is fragmentary view partially diagrammatic and in section for illustrating a system and apparatus for the automatic gas filling of internal piston container of the aerosol type according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary view mainly in section showing the relative positions of the parts before a container is placed on the tray;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmentary views partly broken away and in section showing the internal structure of a gassing head in two of its operational conditions;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation sequence of the FIG. 1-3 system;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly diagrammatic showing the invention in another embodiment for gas filling the type of container shown in FIGS. 68;

FIG. 6 is an elevation partially broken away and in section showing a container having a different type of valved opening from that of FIGS. 1-3; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional and top plan views respectively of the filling valve used in the container of FIG. 6.

Anaerosol type container 11 is shown in FIG. 1 and it comprises a cylindrical can body 12 the upper end of which is closed by a sealedtop wall 13 mounting the usual dispensing valve having an upwardly projecting hollow discharge stem 14 which may be depressed to open the dispensing valve. Usually the can body is made of stiff metal or plastic.

Apiston 15 is freely slidably mounted within the can body and acts as a pressure responsive barrier separating the container interior into aproduct space 16 above the piston and in communication with the dispensing valve and apropellant gas space 17 below the piston. Piston 15 is preferably a thinwalled integral element formed from a flexible resilient material capable of conforming to the container walls such as from relatively stiff sheet polyethylene, and its dependingcylindrical skirt 18 has its smooth outer periphery in close sliding engagement with the smooth cylindricalinternal surface 19 of the can body.

Space 16 is adapted to be filled with a fluent product to be dispensed, andspace 17 is adapted to contain propellant gas under a superatmospheric pressure which is isolated fromspace 16 by the piston. The gas pressure inspace 17 tends to expand the piston skirt into sealing relation with the can wall. In operation the consumer depresses valve stem 14 to open thespace 16 to atmosphere, and thepiston 15 is displaced upwardly due to the pressure differential to discharge the product fromspace 16.

In practicing the invention the container, withpiston 15 installed inside and having the dome-shaped bottom wall 21 rigidly secured thereon as by thecrimped rim 22, is filled through the open upper end with the product to be dispensed, and then thetop wall 13 mounting the usual dispensing valve is sealingly attached as by the crimped rim at 23.Wall 21 is domed inwardly for pressure resistance. The central part ofwall 21 is formed with an opening 24, which contains either the valving structure 25 of FIGS. 2 and 3 or that of FIGS. 6-8 as will appear.

Referring to FIG. 1, anupper turntable 26 and a series of circumferentially spaced can trays 27 are rotated together about a common vertical axis at a constant continuous speed. Each container to be filled is axially held between thetray 27 and anupper holder 28 on the turntable which is suitably recessed at 30 to engage the container without depressing the valve stem. Eachtray 27 is vertically aligned with aholder 28 on the turntable, there being a series of trays uniformly spaced around the axis of rotation.

A series ofcontainers 11 are fed in single file onto the circumferentiallysuccessive trays 27 at a feeding station so that a container is disposed over eachtray opening 29. As soon as a container is disposed on itstray 27, thetray 27 is displaced vertically upwardly to axially clamp the container between thetray 27 and holder 28 so that the tray, container and turntable rotate together through most of a revolution of the turntable. At the end of a revolution the tray drops down to release filledcontainer 11 which is then removed from the tray. The foregoing may be accomplished in any suitable conventional manner known in the art.

Below-eachopening 29, thetray 27 mounts a fillinghead assembly 31 comprising ayoke 32 rigidly supporting avertical axis cylinder 33 that projects through opening 29. Eachyoke 32 is suspended fromtray 27 as by at least two pairs oftelescoping tubes 34 and 35 having a pin and slot slide connection at 36, 37 and housing acompression spring 38. Eachtray 27 is secured as by aset screw 41 to a verticallyreciprocable post 42 that mounts on its lower end afollower roller 43 engaging astationary cam track 44. When a container is moved onto atray 27, theroller 43 is engaged with a low section ofcam track 44, and then as the tray moves in itscircular path roller 43 moves up a ramp in the track to ahigher track level 45 shown in FIG. 1 wherein thecontainer 11 is clamped between the tray and the turntable.

Spaced posts 46 project down fromyoke 32 and carryrollers 47 engaging a stationarydual cam track 48, and whenrollers 47 encounter a sloping upward change in level oftrack 48 this shiftscylinder 33 vertically upwardly as will be explained.

Cylinder 33 (FIG. 2) is internally formed with a cylindrical bore 51 and the upper end of the bore terminates in a reduced diameter wall opening 52 and an outwardly flared top recess 53. Surrounding recess 53 is an annular groove 54 mounting aresilient seal ring 55 such as a rubber O-ring. The function ofring 55 is to sealingly engage the bottom container wall whencylinder 33 is raised to the FIG. 2 position during operation.

Internally of cylinder 33 avalve element 56 is slidably mounted in bore 51.Element 56 is formed with an annular recessedsection 57 that is disposed opposite a side wall port 58 in the cylinder mounting the end of a flexible gaspressure supply conduit 59.Conduit 59 is connected to the gas pressure source by a suitable manifold (not shown) that permits flow between the stationary source and the moving conduit. Abovesection 57,element 56 is formed with a plurality of longitudinal flutes 61, and its upper end reduces to a small diameter section 62 slidable within opening 52. Above section 62 an axially projectingsolid button 60 is formed onelement 56. The small diameter section 62 is likewise longitudinally fluted at 63. The reduced neck ofelement 56 is formed with an annular groove 64 mounting aresilient seal ring 65 of synthetic rubber which under certain conditions of operation is adapted to sealingly engage theannular face 66 of bore 51 just below opening 52 as will appear.

A stem 67 projects downwardly fromelement 56 in alignment with thestem 68 on aslidable piston 69 in the lower end of bore 51. Stems 67 and 68 are surrounded by acompression spring 71 that tends to urgepiston 69 and element '56 apart.Piston 69 carries a peripheral seal ring 72 to prevent escape of gas from bore 51.

The lower end ofcylinder 33 carries a threadedcap 73 through which slidably projects apiston rod 74 carrying aroller 75 engaged with a thirdstationary cam track 76. A change in level oftrack 76 varies the vertical position ofpiston 69 as will appear.

FIG. 1A shows the relative disposition ofcylinder 33 andtray 27 which exists at the time that thecontainer 27 is placed on the tray and prior to the time that thecylinder 33 is raised to the container engaging and sealing position of FIG. 2. At this time thecylinder 33 is in its lowermost position indicated also at 33 in FIG. 1, withpiston 69 bottomed in bore 51 and withspring 71 expanded to urgevalve element 56 into gas tight sealing engagement with bore 51 so thatseal ring 65 is compressed againstface 66 and no gas escapes through opening 52. Since the upper end ofcylinder 33 is below the level of the top surface oftray 27, it does not interfere with sliding ofcontainer 11 onto the tray.

Operation will now be described after acontainer 11 is placed on thetray 27 and the tray has been displaced upwardly to clamp acontainer 11 in the FIG. 1 position. It will be appreciated thatcontainer 11 at this time already contains the product inspace 16,top wall 13 is sealed in place and piston is at its lowest level as determined byskirt 18 resting on the can bottom wall. In the illustration of the invention shown in FIGS. l-3, the can bottom wall opening 24 contains an admission valve structure in the form of aplug 77 of some plastically deformable material such as lead, solder, plastic or the like formed with an angular through passage 78.

FIGS. 1 and 2 also show the condition whereinyoke 32 andcylinder 33 have been displaced upwardly byrollers 47 encountering an upwardly sloping ramp oftrack 48.Cylinder 33 is projected upwardly throughtray opening 29 untilseal ring 55 compressively engages and seals gas tight with thebottom wall 21 of the clampedcontainer 11.

At thesame time button 60 engagesplug 77 and thevalve element 56 is displaced downwardly against the force ofspring 71 sufficiently to separatering 65 from seat 66 (FIG. 2) and thereby open the passage throughcylinder 33 to gas flow fromconduit 59 to the space between the container and the cylinder. This downward displacement ofvalve 56 results in collapse ofspring 71 and solid abutment of valve stem 67 againststem 68 of thepiston 69. The axial spacing of these stems 67 and 68 must be such as to permit passage opening by the time the stems abut.

Withseal ring 65 out of contact withface 66, there is a through passage for gas under pressure to flow fromconduit 59 throughspace 57, flutes 61, the upper part of bore 51, flutes 63 and the space confined by theseal ring 55 into passage 78 to pressurize thecontainer space 17. This takes only a relatively short period, the parts being in the position shown in FIG. 2. Any necessary downward displacement ofelement 56 is permitted byspring 71 seated onpiston 69 which at the time is held stationary by thetrack 76, and the force needed to overcome the spring is not enough to close passage 78.

Afterspace 17 is pressurized,roller 75 on the piston rod encounters a ramp leading sharply upwardly to a higher track level 79 as shown in FIG. 3,yoke 32 being retained at the same level as during filling, and this results inpiston 69 being quickly upwardly displaced to act through solidly engaged stems 67 and 68 to immediately and quickly displaceelement 56 upwardly to impart a relatively sharp blow to plug 77 with sufficient force to deformplug 77 to permanently close the valve structure passage 78 and thus seal off the bottom ofcontainer 11 against escape of gas under pressure fromspace 17. Upward displacement ofelement 56 also moves theseal ring 65 into compressive sealing contact withseat 66 to arrest further discharge of propellant gas from bore 51. This condition is shown in FIG. 3. The material ofplug 77 is such that it retains the deformed condition imparted to it by the striking force ofbutton 60.

Container 11 is now charged and sealed.Rollers 47 and 75 now encounter downwardly sloping cam track sections, so thattray 27 descends to separatecontainer 11 fromholder 28 andcylinder 33 descends back into tray opening 29 to the FIG. 1A position. Ascylinder 33 descendsroller 75 also encounters a downwardly sloping part oftrack 76 so thatpiston 69 drops back toward the FIG. 2 position, but during thistime spring 71 expands to keepvalve element 56 in its upper sealing position of FIG. 3 to maintain bore 51 sealed against gas leakage.

When the tray containing the filled sealedcontainer 11 reaches a further point in its rotation, the container is removed therefrom and the tray passes on to repeat the foregoing cycle. This action takes place at each tray rotating with the turntable.

FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the cam track arrangement for carrying out the foregoing wherein closing impact atplug 77 is timed to take place at the end of the gas filling operation and prior to breaking of the seal between the gas filling head and the container.

FIG. 5 illustrates another filling head arrangement for gas filling containers of the type shown in FIGS. 6-8.Container 11 is the same as that of FIG. 1 but the valve structure at opening 24 in the bottom wall is different.

In FIGS. 6-8,valving structure 81 comprises a cup shapedsheet metal member 82 having an annular external groove 83 that sealingly fits peripherally incontainer wall opening 24. The lower end ofmember 82 contains an upwardly open annular channel 84 surrounding a circularcentral opening 85 disposed at slightly higher level. Anintegral valve element 86 comprises a plastic or like lightweight flexible disc having an outer diameter about the same as the inner diameter ofmember 82 to which it is peripherally secured at 90.

Disc 86 is formed with a centralspherical seating projection 87 fitting snugly overopening 85 in closed valve position of FIG. 7 and a circular series of throughports 88 that are formed through the relatively thin annular web 89 that connectsseat 87 and the disc periphery and are disposed in a row above channel 84. Whendisc 86 is seated downwardly as by gas pressure inspace 17 withseat 87 on opening 85, the bottom ofcontainer 11 is sealed closed as in the earlier embodiment.Disc 86 is similarly formed top and bottom so that no special care need be taken in assembly.

In FIG. 5 the filling head 91 is rigid withyoke 32 which is mounted to be elevated and lowered by a similar cam track arrangement to FIGS. l3.

Filling head 91 contains an upright cylindrical bore 92 within which is slidable a valve element 93 that is similar tovalve element 56 except for its upper portion as will be described. Valve element 93 is formed with an annular recessed portion 94 that is disposed opposite the side wall port connected togas supply conduit 59. Above recessed portion 94 element 93 is slidably engaged with the bore wall and formed with longitudinal surface flutes 95 communicating portion 94 with the bore above the valve element. The upper end of valve element 93 reduces to a cylindrical section 96 slidable in reduced bore 97 at the top of head 91. The reduced end of the valve element also mounts a resilient O-ring 98 that is adapted to seat on annular surface 99 under the force of spring 101 in the lower end of the bore when valve element 93 is in closed position.

The upper end of valve element 93 carries a rigid button 102 that, as shown in FIG. 5, is adapted to engagedisc 86 and flex it upwardly to unseatprojection 87 from opening 85 when the head 91 is raised to the FIG. 5 position. An internal valve passage 103 is provided between openings 104 near the top of button 102 and openings 105 located upwardly of seal ring 98.

In operation thecontainer 11 is placed ontray 27 overopening 29 in the same manner as in FIG. 1, at which time the filling head 91 is at its lowermost position with its upper end within opening 29 below the tray surface level. The container is clamped between the turntable as in FIG. 1, and then as the tray rotatesrollers 47 encounter an upwardly sloping ramp leading to the high portion oftrack 48 as shown in FIG. 5. This elevates filling head 91 to sealingly engage the bottom of thecontainer 11 and automatically opens the gas supply passage to permit discharge of gas under pressure throughconduit 59, valve element 93 andvalve 81 into the container.

As the filling head 91 is displaced upwardly theseal ring 55 compresses tightly in sealed engagement with the bottom of the container. At the same time button 102 engagesvalve disc 86 whereby the valve element 93 is displaced downwardly within bore 92 until the stems 107 and 106 on the valve element and head respectively abut, and the seal at 98, 99 is separated, spring 101 being compressed, and at thesame time projection 87 is unseated from container valve opening 85 to place the interior of the container in fluid communication with bore 92. Thus gas under pressure flows through the passage consisting of annular space 94, flutes 95, the upper end of bore 92, openings 105, passage 103, openings 104,container valve opening 85 andapertures 88 in the valve disc into thespace 17 within the container.

Afterspace 17 has been charged,rollers 47 encounter a descending ramp whereby the yoke is lowered to allow valve element 93 to be raised by spring 101 to closed position where ring 98 seats at 99 and to separate the filling head from the container. The superatmospheric propellant gas pressure within the container automatically immediately reseatsdisc 86 to closevalve opening 85 and prevent escape of the gas from the container.

In some forms of this embodiment of the invention the stem 106 may be mounted on a piston in bore 92 like the arrangement of FIG. 2, so that after the valve element 93 has been displaced to collapse the spring 101 the valve element may be lifted a small distance, short of engaging seal ring 98 with seat 99, as by the cam and roller arrangement shown in FIG. 2 to effect more positive unseating ofprojection 87 from theopenin 85.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent 1. Apparatus for introducing a charge of propellant gas through filling valve structure in a transverse bottom wall of a container of the type having a dispensing valve in its upper end and wherein said filling valve structure is distinct from said container wall and secured within an opening in said container wall, comprising support means which comprises a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis and adapted for holding a succession of spaced containers upright, a gas filling head disposed below each container, each head having a passage therethrough and being mounted for vertical movement between a lower position out of contact with the associated container on said support means and an upper position where it engages the bottom wall of the associated container on said support means, each said filling head having an upper surface and a compressible resilient annular sealing means mounted on said upper surface in surrounding relation to the upper end of said passage and adapted to sealingly engage the bottom wall of said associated container in surrounding relation to the filling valve structure thereof when said filling head has been displaced to said upper position, filling head raising and lowering means comprising fixed cam track means cooperating with follower means on said head for effecting said headmovements during predetermined distances of rotation of said support means, and normally closed valve means within each filling head having a movable valve element engageable in abutment with the filling valve structure of the associated container to displace said valve element to valve open position when said filling head is moved to said upper position for connecting the interior of said container through said passage with a source of propellant gas under pressure only when said head is sealingly engaged with said container, said valve means being automaticallyclosed when said filling head is separated from said container.

2. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, each said passage comprising a bore, said valve element being slidable in said bore, means resiliently biasing said valve element to close said bore, and means on said valve element projecting out of said bore beyond the upper surface of said filling head for engaging said filling valve structure of the associated container when the filling head is brought into sealing engagement with the container.

3. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, means for securing each container against movement on said support means, said support means having openings over which each container is mounted, said filling head in said lower position being chiefly below said support means and said filling head in said upper position projecting through a support means opening into sealing engagement with said container.

4. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, said valve structure in each container comprising a deformable plug-initially having a through passage, and means for displacing said valve means on each head upwardly to deform said plug to close said plug passage after introduction of fluid pressure into a container.

5. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said means for displacing said valve means to deform said plug comprising means actuated in automatic synchronism with said filling head raising and lowering means.

6. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, cooperating vertically separable means on said turntable for fixing each said container thereon during the gas filling operation, and means for cyclically actuating said separable means in timed relation with filling head said raising and lowering means.

7. Apparatus for introducing a charge of propellant gas through valve structure in a bottom wall opening of a container of the type having a dispensing valve in its upper end comprising support means for holding the container upright, a gas filling head having a passage therethrough mounted for movement between a lower position out of contact with the container on said support means and an upper position where it engages the bottom wall of the container on said support means, said support means comprising a turntable driven about a vertical axis, means for cyclically raising and lowering said filling head comprising fixed cam track means cooperating with follower means on said head, said filling head having an upper surface and a compressible resilient annular sealing means mounted on said upper surface in surrounding relation to the upper end of said passage and adapted to sealingly engage the bottom of said container in surrounding relation to said valve structure when said filling head has been displaced to said upper position, and normally closed valve means within said filling head engageable with said valve structure to open said valve means when said filling head is in said upper position for connecting the interior of said container through said passage with a source of propellant gas under pressure only when said head is sealingly engaged with said container, said valve means being automatically closed when said filling head is separated from said container, cooperating vertically separable means on said turntable for fixing said container thereon during the gas filling operation, and means for cyclically separating and bringing toward each other said separable means in timed relation with said filling head raising and lowering means, said separable means comprising a fixed turntable part engaging the top of the container and a vertically slidable displaceable part on said turntable on which the bottom of said container rests, and said displaceable part having an opening through which said filling head moves to sealingly engage the container thereon.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 3 I 743 Dated April ll, 1972 I Inventor(s) George Jerome McC-l-eary' It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below;

Column 1, line 50, after "FIG. 1 is" insert --a--.

Column 6, claim 6, line 5, after "with" insert --said same line, after "head" delete --said- Signed and sealedthis 29th day of August 1972 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD P I.FLEICHER,JR. I ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents l FORM P0 1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U.. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I909 O-3 $6 334

Claims (7)

1. Apparatus for introducing a charge of propellant gas through filling valve structure in a transverse bottom wall of a container of the type having a dispensing valve in its upper end and wherein said filling valve structure is distinct from said container wall and secured within an opening in said container wall, comprising support means which comprises a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis and adapted for holding a succession of spaced containers upright, a gas filling head disposed below each container, each head having a passage therethrough and being mounted for vertical movement between a lower position out of contact with the associated container on said support means and an upper position where it engages the bottom wall of the associated container on said support means, each said filling head having an upper surface and a compressible resilient annular sealing means mounted on said upper surface in surrounding relation to the upper end of said passage and adapted to sealingly engage the bottom wall of said associated container in surrounding relation to the filling valve structure thereof when said filling head has been displaced to said upper position, filling head raising and lowering means comprising fixed cam track means cooperating with follower means on said head for effecting said head movements during predetermined distances of rotation of said support means, and normally closed valve means within each filling head having a movable valve element engageable in abutment with the filling valve structure of the associated container to displace said valve element to valve open position when said filling head is moved to said upper position for connecting the interior of said container through said passage with a source of propellant gas under pressure only when said head is sealingly engaged with said container, said valve means being automatically closed when said filling head is separated from said container.

2. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, each said passage comprising a bore, said valve element being slidable in said bore, means resiliently biasing said valve element to close said bore, and means on saiD valve element projecting out of said bore beyond the upper surface of said filling head for engaging said filling valve structure of the associated container when the filling head is brought into sealing engagement with the container.

3. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, means for securing each container against movement on said support means, said support means having openings over which each container is mounted, said filling head in said lower position being chiefly below said support means and said filling head in said upper position projecting through a support means opening into sealing engagement with said container.

4. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, said valve structure in each container comprising a deformable plug initially having a through passage, and means for displacing said valve means on each head upwardly to deform said plug to close said plug passage after introduction of fluid pressure into a container.

5. In the apparatus defined in claim 4, said means for displacing said valve means to deform said plug comprising means actuated in automatic synchronism with said filling head raising and lowering means.

6. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, cooperating vertically separable means on said turntable for fixing each said container thereon during the gas filling operation, and means for cyclically actuating said separable means in timed relation with filling head said raising and lowering means.

7. Apparatus for introducing a charge of propellant gas through valve structure in a bottom wall opening of a container of the type having a dispensing valve in its upper end comprising support means for holding the container upright, a gas filling head having a passage therethrough mounted for movement between a lower position out of contact with the container on said support means and an upper position where it engages the bottom wall of the container on said support means, said support means comprising a turntable driven about a vertical axis, means for cyclically raising and lowering said filling head comprising fixed cam track means cooperating with follower means on said head, said filling head having an upper surface and a compressible resilient annular sealing means mounted on said upper surface in surrounding relation to the upper end of said passage and adapted to sealingly engage the bottom of said container in surrounding relation to said valve structure when said filling head has been displaced to said upper position, and normally closed valve means within said filling head engageable with said valve structure to open said valve means when said filling head is in said upper position for connecting the interior of said container through said passage with a source of propellant gas under pressure only when said head is sealingly engaged with said container, said valve means being automatically closed when said filling head is separated from said container, cooperating vertically separable means on said turntable for fixing said container thereon during the gas filling operation, and means for cyclically separating and bringing toward each other said separable means in timed relation with said filling head raising and lowering means, said separable means comprising a fixed turntable part engaging the top of the container and a vertically slidable displaceable part on said turntable on which the bottom of said container rests, and said displaceable part having an opening through which said filling head moves to sealingly engage the container thereon.

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