A gas stem assembly comprising a vent tube having at least one protrusion extending in a radial direction, a receiver having a hole through which the vent tube extends and having at least one mating recess configured to interact with the at least one protrusion, and a spring configured to bias the at least one protrusion toward the receiver.

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises: a resting plate (12) for a container to be filled; a housing (2) which faces towards the plate (12) and is configured to receive a mouth of the container; a dispenser (3) which opens onto the housing (2) and faces the plate (12), so as to dispense the liquid substance (99) towards the container; a valve (4) which is controllable for allowing and preventing the liquid substance (99) to be dispensed from the dispenser (3). The plate (12) is movable towards or, vice versa, away from the dispenser (3), The housing (2) comprises a bottom wall (24), on which the dispenser (3) opens, and a lateral wall (25), formed at least partly by an annular body (6) that is movable relative to the bottom wall (24), moving towards or, vice versa, away from the plate (12), The housing (2) is fitted with a first annular gasket (21) and a second annular gasket (22): the first annular gasket (21) is smaller in size than the second annular gasket (22) and is positioned on the bottom wall (24); the second annular gasket (22) is mounted on the annular body (6). After a container (90) of the first type has been positioned on the plate (12), the plate (12) is moved towards the dispenser (3) to bring the mouth (91) of the container (90) into contact with the first annular gasket (21). After a container (95) of the second type has been positioned on the plate (12), the annular body (6) of the housing (2) is moved towards the plate (12) to bring the second annular gasket (22) into contact with the mouth (96) of the container (95).

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises a housing (2), configured to receive a mouth of the container, and a dispenser (3) for dispensing the liquid substance (99) through a dispensing opening (30) towards the container. The housing (2) comprises a cavity (26) which is delimited by a bottom wall (24), on which the dispenser (3) opens, and by a lateral wall (25) which at least partly has a truncated cone shape. The housing (2) is fitted with a first annular gasket (21) for the mouth (91) of a container (90) of the first type and a second annular gasket (22) for the mouth (96) of a container (95) of the second type. The first annular gasket (21) is smaller in size than the second annular gasket (22) and is positioned on the bottom wall (24) of the housing (2), encircling the dispensing opening (30). The dispenser (3) has a dispensing duct (31) in whose central region a flow modifier (34) is present, configured to impart a rotational motion on the liquid substance (99) passing through the dispensing duct (31), so that the liquid substance (99) comes out of the dispensing opening (30) with a helical flow. When filling a container (90) of the first type, the liquid substance (99) coming out of the dispensing opening (30) is dispensed directly into the mouth (91) of the container (90) and flows onto an internal surface of a lateral wall of the container (90). When filling a container (95) of the second type, the liquid substance (99) coming out of the dispensing opening (30) flows onto the lateral wall (25) of the housing (2) and, after having entered the mouth (96) of the container (95), flows onto an internal surface of a lateral wall of the container (95).

A machine (100) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance. The machine (100) comprises a carousel filler (1), a first device (11) for loading the containers onto the carousel filler (1), a second device (12) for removing the containers (90) of the first type from the carousel filler (1), a third device (3) for removing the containers (95) of the second type from the carousel filler (1). Each filling unit (2) comprises a plate (21), which forms a resting surface (210) for a container to be filled, and a filling head (22) that is configured to fill containers (90) of the first type and to fill containers (95) of the second type. The first device (11), the second device (12) and the third device (3) are positioned in respective angular positions on the circumferential path (15) of the carousel filler (1), relative to which the third device (3) is in an angular position interposed between the first device (11) and the second device (12). The third device (3) is configured to assume an operating condition, in which the third device (3) removes the container that is located on a plate (21) passing through the angular position of the third device (3), and a non-operating condition, in which in use the third device (3) allows the container on the passing-through plate (21) to continue the path towards the second device (12).

A quick-change coupling is described for a container treatment machine, in particular a capping machine, with an outer member and an inner member engaging therewith in a positive-fit manner, between which members torques in a working direction of rotation and axial forces can be transmitted. Due to the fact that the outer member and the inner member are connectable to each other by pushing one into the other and twisting, a simple connection/separation of the quick-change coupling is possible without tools, as well as reliable and play-free transmission of unidirectional torques and contact pressure forces.

A filling unit (1) for filling containers (90) of a first type, such as bottles, and for filling containers (95) of a second type, such as cans, with a liquid substance (99). The filling unit (1) comprises a dispenser (3), which in use faces towards a mouth of the container to be filled so as to dispense the liquid substance (99) through a dispensing opening (30) towards an internal volume of the container, and a valve (4) which is controllable for allowing and preventing the liquid substance (99) to be dispensed from the dispenser (3). The filling unit (1) further comprises a level sensor (51) for detecting a filled level of the liquid substance (99) in the container, a volume meter (52) for measuring a volume of the liquid substance (99) fed to the dispenser (3), and a control system for controlling the valve (4). The control system is configured to control the valve (4) based on the filled level detected by the level sensor (51), when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (90) of the first type, and is configured to control the valve (4) based on the fed volume that is measured by the volume meter, when the filling unit (1) is used for filling a container (95) of the second type.

A gas stem assembly is disclosed including a vent tube having at least one protrusion extending radially from the vent tube and a receiver having a non-circular opening and an attachment surface at an end of the non-circular opening. The vent tube is at least partially insertable through the non-circular opening of the receiver when the vent tube and the at least one protrusion are aligned with the non-circular opening. The attachment surface of the receiver contacts the at least one protrusion to inhibit the at least one protrusion from passing back through the non-circular opening when the at least one protrusion is misaligned with the non-circular opening.

A method for format adaptation of carriages for the transportation of bottles on a linear motor system and a corresponding linear motor system are described. According thereto, container guides provided on the carriages are adapted to the body cross-section of the bottles by adjusting a guide width in an automated manner between guide jaws of the container guides which in relation to the direction of travel are the leading and trailing ones. There is then no need to replace component parts at the container guides, and the production in filling systems is optimised in terms of staff requirements, resultant production stoppages, and error sources.

A filling machine for pressure-filling containers includes a container receptacle arranged beneath the filling element, a first lift that vertically adjusts the filling element to accommodate different container sizes, a shield that adjusts relative to the filling element and comprises a single-piece partition and that, in a protection position, at least partially surrounds the container during filling thereof. An adjuster adjusts the shield and the receptacle relative to one another between a protection position and a release position by changing the receptacle's position relative to the shield in a region of a feeding-and-discharge device. The adjuster comprises at least one of a second lift and a rotation mechanism that rotates a container about a container axis thereof.

A method of connecting a vent tube to a bottling machine comprising providing a vent tube having a vent tube alignment mechanism, a receiver defining a through-opening and a receiver alignment mechanism, and a biasing mechanism for biasing against at least a portion of the vent tube. Aligning the vent tube with the through-opening and the vent tube alignment mechanism with the receiver alignment mechanism, inserting the vent tube into the receiver against the biasing mechanism, rotating the vent tube such that the vent tube alignment mechanism is not aligned with the receiver alignment mechanism, and locking the vent tube to the receiver using the biasing mechanism to bias the vent tube alignment mechanism out of alignment with the receiver alignment mechanism to form a positive locking feature that keeps the vent tube connected to the receiver throughout bottling machine operations.