Semi-automatic filling head

The pneumatically controlled filling head SAS is an independent unit designed for operation with a filling machine or an evacuation unit. The SAS is semi-automatic and is used for safe and accurate filling/evacuation of LPG cylinders with screw valves. It is mounted on the machine (e.g. a UFM filling machine) with a retractable spring balancer.

When the operator activates the filling process, a locking hook locks the cylinder valve and the filling head, as an internal filling nozzle is seated onto the cylinder valve to create an air-tight seal. When the nozzle is tightly seated on the cylinder valve, an internal gasket unseats against spring forces to open the LPG flow inside the filling head. Filling starts when the cylinder valve is opened by turning the hand wheel on the cylinder valve. This can be done manually or automatically with a valve opener/closer.

The filling head disconnection is performed in two steps after the cylinder valve is closed by turning its hand wheel. First, when the operator deactivates the filling process, the nozzle starts retracting back, closing the LPG flow from inside the filling head using the gasket under spring force. Then, the nozzle is retracted away from the cylinder valve, and the locking hook automatically disconnects from the cylinder valve. Finally, the filling head retracts back under the spring force of the retractable spring balancer.