Importance

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Abstract

A filling machine assembly (10) for filling a beverage container (12), such as a bottle or can, with a beverage, such as a carbonated drink, juice or water. The filling machine (10) includes a support housing (14) having an inner fluid chamber (20) for supplying the beverage to be discharged into the container (12). A valve housing (22) is mounted to the bottom of the support housing (14) for controlling the discharge of the beverage and a control device (24) is mounted to the top of the support housing (14). A vent tube (26) is actuated upward and downward via the control device (24) and extends into the valve housing (22). A support tube (34) extends between the control device (24) and the valve housing (22) and has a bore (36) surrounding the vent tube (26). An actuation device (42) moves the vent tube (26) within the bore (36) relative to the support tube (34) a predetermined stroke between a filling position and a non-use position. An upper tube seal (44) is in sealing engagement between the control device (24) and the vent tube (26) with the bore (36) of the support tube (34) open to the upper seal (44). A lower tube seal (46) is in sealing engagement between the support tube (34) and the vent tube (26) to seal the bore (36) of the support tube (34) between the upper (44) and lower (46) seals. The assembly is characterized by a chamber sealing mechanism (52) selectively sealing the bore (36) between the upper (44) and lower (46) tube seals from the inner fluid chamber (20) to equalize operating pressures against the upper (44) and lower (46) tube seals during the movement of the vent tube (26) between the filling and non-use positions.

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First Claim