FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
&
The Patents RuJes, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13)


TITLE OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine
APPLICANTS
Sci-tech Centre, 7 Prabhat Nagar, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India, an Indian company
INVENTORS
Singh Jasjit, a British National and Deshmukh Prakash Harischandra and Barde Mahesh Shrikant, both Indian Nationals and of Sci-tech Centre, 7 Prabhat Nagar, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid,
especially liquid medicine.
This invention also relates to a machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine comprising the above apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Capsules are filled with solid medicines such as powder or granular medicines or liquid medicines. Liquid medicines generally have advantages like uniform dispersion of the active component in the liquid base as compared to solid medicines. A machine for filling capsules with liquid medicine generally comprises an indexing turret disposed for cyclic intermittent rotation about a vertical axis and having a plurality of capsule holders for capsule bodies and capsule caps. The machine is configured to describe cyclic intermittent rotational movement around a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station, capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule ejection station and capsule holders cleaning station. The cyclic operation of the machine is controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Control). A plurality of pairs of sensors are provided at the capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station to sense the presence of pairs of capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders and the sensors are connected to the PLC. The capsule bodies filling station comprises an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid medicine into empty capsule bodies in the capsule holders when the machine indexes at the capsule bodies filling

station and the empty capsule bodies are postioned below the apparatus. The apparatus includes a dosing block and a plunger block and a nozzle block located at opposite sides of the dosing block. The dosing block comprises an oblong bore along the length thereof and a slider forward and backward slidably disposed in the oblong bore. The slider has a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages and discharge passages along the length thereof. A plurality of spaced apart plungers are provided with their proximal ends disposed in plunger holes provided in the plunger block and rigidly fixed in the plunger block. The distal ends of the plungers extend into suction holes provided in the dosing block and adapted to correlate to the pairs of suction passages and discharge passages in the slider. The nozzle block is provided with discharge holes adapted to correlate to the discharge passages in the slider and the suction holes in the dosing block. The discharge ends of the discharge holes in the nozzle block are fitted with nozzles. The apparatus also comprises a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid medicine to be dispensed through the discharge nozzles and filled in the empty capsule bodies. The dosing block also comprises a plurality of suction channels adapted to connect the hopper to the suction passages in the slider. The plunger block along with the plungers is disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and a discharge stroke, respectively and drive is given to the plunger block by a drive arrangement comprising a screw and nut arrangement driven by a motor which is controlled by the PLC in synchronization with the forward and backward movement of the slider. Each of the suction passages in the slider correlates to and communicates with each of the suction holes and suction channels in the dosing block during the suction stroke of the plunger block and plungers. Each of the discharge passages in the slider correlates and communicates with the suction holes in the dosing block and discharge holes in the

nozzle block during the discharge stroke of the plunger block and plungers. When the plunger block along with the plungers describes the backward movement and the suction stroke, the slider is moved forward to align the suction passages therein with the suction holes and suction channels in the dosing block and suction is created within the suction holes in the dosing block. As a result, the liquid medicine in the hopper is sucked into the suction holes in the dosing disc via the suction channels in the dosing block and the suction passages in the slider. The suction stroke is controlled to control the volume of liquid medicine being sucked in corresponding to the dosage of the liquid medicine to be dispensed into the empty capsule bodies through the nozzles. On completion of the suction stroke, the plunger block along with the plungers is moved forward to describe the discharge stroke and the slider is slide back to its original position so as to align the discharge passages in the slider with the suction holes in the dosing block and the discharge holes in the nozzle block and block the suction channels in the dosing block by the slider so as to dispense the liquid medicine into the empty capsule bodies via the nozzles. Since all the plungers are rigidly held in the plunger block, all the plungers together move back and forth with the plunger block to describe the suction stroke and discharge stroke. If the PLC senses all the capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders, then only the plunger block along with all the plungers is moved back and forth to describe the suction stroke and discharge stroke. If the PLC does not sense all the capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders, it does not operate the motor to drive the plunger block and plungers and the slider to describe the suction stroke and discharge stroke. As a result, the capsule bodies are not filled with the liquid medicine and there is productivity loss and the production efficiency of the machine is reduced. There is also loss and wastage of the capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders as

these capsule bodies without liquid medicine and capsule caps are ejected out at the respective subsequent stations.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine, which apparatus increases productivity and has improved production efficiency.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine, which apparatus reduces loss of capsule bodies and capsule caps,
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine, which apparatus is simple in construction and easy and convenient to operate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine comprising the above apparatus which increases productivity and has improved production efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine, comprising the above apparatus which reduces loss of capsule bodies and capsule caps.
Another object of the invention is to provide a medicine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine, comprising the above apparatus which is simple in construction and easy and convenient to operate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine, the apparatus including a dosing block and a plunger block and a nozzle block located at opposite sides of the dosing block, the dosing block comprising an oblong bore along the length thereof and a slider forward and backward slidably disposed in the oblong bore, the slider having a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages and discharge passages along the length thereof, the plunger block comprising a plurality of spaced apart plungers with their proximal ends disposed in plunger holes provided in the plunger block, the distal ends of the plungers extending into suction holes provided in the dosing block, the nozzle block comprising a plurality of discharge holes fitted with nozzles at the discharge ends thereof, the plunger block and the plungers being disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and a discharge stroke respectively, each of the suction passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the suction stroke and each of the

discharge passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the discharge holes in the nozzle block and each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the discharge stroke and a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid to be dispensed through the discharge nozzles, the suction passages in the slider being adapted to be connected to the hopper through suction channels provided in the dosing block during the suction stroke, wherein the proximal ends of the plungers are freely held in the plunger holes in the plunger block and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of clamping and declamping means mounted on the plunger block corresponding to each of the plunger to clamp and declamp the proximal ends of the respective plungers independently selectively and a PLC (Programmable Logic Control) controlling the suction stroke and discharge stroke of the plunger block and the plungers and each of the clamping and declamping means in synchronization with the forward and backward movement of the slider.
According to the invention there is also provided a machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine, the machine including an indexing turret disposed for cyclic intermittent rotation about a vertical axis and having a plurality of capsule holders for capsule bodies and capsule caps, the machine being adapted to rotate cyclically intermittently about a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body and cap presence sensing station, capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule ejection station and capsule holders cleaning station, the cyclic operation of the machine by controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Circuit), the machine comprising an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of the liquid medicine located at the capsule bodies filling station, the apparatus including a dosing

block and a plunger block and a nozzle block located at opposite sides of the dosing block, the dosing block comprising an oblong bore along the length thereof and a slider forward and backward slidably disposed in the oblong bore, the slider having a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages and discharge passages along the length thereof, the plunger block comprising a plurality of spaced apart plungers with their proximal ends disposed in plunger holes provided in the plunger block, the distal ends of the plungers extending into suction holes provided in the dosing block, the nozzle block comprising a plurality of discharge holes fitted with nozzles at the discharge ends thereof, the plunger block and the plungers being disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and a discharge stroke respectively, each of the suction passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the suction stroke and each of the discharge passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the discharge holes in the nozzle block and each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the discharge stroke and a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid to be dispensed through the discharge nozzles, the suction passages in the slider being adapted to be connected to the hopper through suction channels provided in the dosing block during the suction stroke, wherein the proximal ends of the plungers are freely held in the plunger holes in the plunger block and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of clamping and declamping means mounted on the plunger block corresponding to each of the plunger to clamp and declamp the proximal ends of the respective plungers independently selectively and a PLC (Programmable Logic Control) controlling the suction stroke and discharge stroke of the plunger block and the plungers and each of the clamping and declamping means in synchronization with the forward and backward movement of the slider.

The following is a detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :
Figs 1 and 2 are crossectional views of the apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine during the suction stroke and discharge stroke respectively according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig 3 is an isometric view of a part of the slider of the apparatus of Fig 1 or 2; and
Fig 4 is an isometric view of a plunger and C-clamp of a fluid cylinder of the apparatus of Fig 1 or 2.
The apparatus 1 for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid medicine as illustrated in Figs 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings may be used in conjunction with a machine (not shown) for filling capsules with a liquid medicine. The machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine is of known construction and works in known manner. For the purpose of brevity such a machine will be hereinafter referred to as the machine. As is known, the machine includes an indexing turret disposed for cyclic intermittent rotational movement about a vertical axis and having a plurality of capsule holders. The machine is configured to describe a cyclic intermittent rotational movement around a plurality of stations including capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station, capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule body ejection station and capsule holders

cleaning station. The cyclic operation of the machine is controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Control). A plurality of pairs of sensors are provided at the capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station to sense the presence of capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders when the machine is indexing at the capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station and the sensors are connected to the PLC. Being known the machine has not been illustrated and further described as such are not necessary for understanding the invention. The apparatus 1 is located at the capsule bodies rilling station of the machine and comprises a dosing block 2 and a plunger block 3 and a nozzle block 4 located at opposite slides of the dosing block. The dosing block comprises a bore 5 along the length thereof. 6 is a slider forward and backward movably located in the bore of the dosing block and the forward and backward movement of the slider is controlled by the PLC 7 which controls the operation of the machine. The slider comprises a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages 8 and discharge passages 9 along the length thereof. 10 is a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid medicine (not shown) to be dispensed by the apparatus. The dosing block is provided with a plurality of spaced apart suction channels 11 along the length thereof correlating to the suction passages in the slider. The plunger block comprises a plurality of plungers 12 with their proximal ends freely disposed in plunger holes 13 provided in the plunger block. The distal ends of the plungers are slidably engaged in suction holes 14 provided in the dosing block. The nozzle block comprises a plurality of spaced discharge holes 15 with the discharge ends of the discharge holes fitted with nozzles 16. The plunger block is disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and discharge stroke, respectively. Back and forth drive to the plunger block is given by a drive arrangement (not shown) connected to the PLC. The drive

arrangement may comprise a screw and nut arrangement driven by a motor as in the case of the conventional apparatus or any other drive arrangement. Forward and backward movement of the slider is synchronized with the suction stroke and discharge stroke. Proximal ends of each of the plungers 12 is provided with an engaging groove 17 (Fig 4). A plurality of fluid cylinders 18 each corresponding to each of the plungers is mounted on the plunger block. The fluid cylinders may be pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders. The distal ends of the piston rods 19 of the fluid cylinders are provided with C-clamps 20 adapted to engage in and disengage from the engaging grooves at the proximal ends of the respective plungers. 20a is a hole in C-clamps in which the distal ends of the piston rods are fitted (Fig 4). The cylinder side and piston side of each of the fluid cylinders are connected to a solenoid operated 4 -port 2 - position direction control valve 21 via fluid lines 22 and 23 respectively. The valve 21 are connected to a pressurized fluid supply (not shown) and also to the PLC and are operated by the PLC. The inlet port and exhaust port of the valves are marked a and c respectively. The ports of the valves corresponding to the cylinder side and piston side of the cylinders are marked b and d respectively. When the cylinder sides of the fluid cylinders are connected to and pressurized with fluid, the piston sides of the fluid cylinders are connected to the exhaust ports c via ports d and the piston rods with the C-clamps move forward and engage in the engaging grooves at the proximal ends of the plungers so as to clamp the plungers in position. When the piston sides of the fluid cylinders are connected to and pressurized with fluid, the cylinder sides of the fluid cylinders are connected to the exhaust ports c via ports b and the piston rods with the C-clamps retract and disengage from the engaging grooves at the proximal ends of the plungers so as to declamp the plungers. Only two plungers 12, two plunger holes 13 in the plunger block 3, two suction holes 14 and two suction

channels 11 in the dosing block 2 and two pairs of suction passages 8 and discharges passages 9 in the slider 6 and two discharge holes 15 in the nozzle block 4 have been illustrated in the drawings for the purpose of clarity and ease of explanation. There can be many plungers 12 and corresponding number of plunger holes 13 in the plunger block, suction holes 14 and suction channels 11 in the dosing block 3 and pairs of suction passages 8 and discharge passages 9 in the slider 6 and discharge holes 15 in the nozzle block 4. Each of the suction passages in the slider correlates and corresponds to each of the suction channels and suction holes in the dosing block during the suction stroke. Each of the discharge passages in the slider correlates and corresponds to each of the suction holes in the dosing block and discharge holes in the nozzie biock during the discharge stroke. The suction holes, suction channels, suction passages, discharge passages and discharge holes are so configured that during the suction stroke the suction channels, suction passages and suction holes are connected and during the discharge stroke, the slider blocks the suction channels and the discharge passages, suction holes and discharge holes are connected. Each of the plungers corresponds to pairs of sensors at the capsule body and capsule cap sensing station corresponding to a capsule body and a capsule cap. In a cycle of operation of the machine, when the PLC senses all the capsule bodies and capsule caps in the capsule holders at the capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station, the PLC operates all the control valves to connect the cylinder side to fluid supply through ports a and b and pressurize the cylinder sides with fluid and connect the piston sides of the fluid cylinders to the exhaust ports c via ports d. As result, all the piston rods of the fluid cylinders along with the C-clamps move forward and engage in the engaging grooves 17 in the proximal ends of the plungers 12 so as to clamp the plungers in position. During further rotation and indexing of the machine at the

capsule bodies filling station, the PLC operates the drive arrangement of the plunger block to move the plunger block back along with all the plungers. All the plungers move back with the plunger block as they are clamped in the plunger block. As a result, the distal ends of the plungers move back or slide back in the suction holes in the dosing block to describe the suction stroke and create a suction within the suction holes. The slider is moved forward when the suction passages in the slider are aligned with the suction channels and suction holes in the dosing block. Because of the suction effect, the liquid medicine in the hopper is sucked into the suction holes in the dosing block via the suction channels and suction passages. The suction stroke of the plungers is controlled to suck in a predetermined quantity of the liquid medicine corresponding to the dosage to be filled in the empty capsule bodies held in the capsule holders of the machine and positioned below the nozzles at the capsule bodies filling station. The slider is slid back when the suction channels in the dosing block are blocked by the slider and the discharge passages in the slider are aligned with the discharge holes in the nozzle block and the suction holes in the dosage block. The plunger block is moved forward by the PLC along with all the plungers to describe the discharge stroke when the plungers push out the liquid medicine in the suction holes in the dosing block and the liquid medicine is discharged into the capsule bodies via the discharge passages in the slider and the discharge holes in the nozzle block. In case one or more capsule bodies and capsule caps are absent in the capsule holder at the capsule body and capsule cap presence sensing station in a cycle of operation of the machine, the absence of the one or more capsule bodies and capsule caps are sensed by the PLC through the respective sensors and the PLC operates the respective control valves to connect the fluid supply to the piston slides of the respective fluid cylinders through the ports a and d and pressurise the piston sides of the respective

fluid cylinders and to connect the cylinder sides of the respective fluid cylinders to the exhaust ports c via ports b. As a result, the respective piston rods along with the C-clamps retract and disengage from the engaging grooves at the proximal ends of the respective plungers and the plungers will remain free and undamped in the plunger holes in the plunger block. When the plunger block moves back and describes the suction stroke those plungers which are declamped will remain in position and the plunger block will slide back against those delcamped plungers and the declamped plungers will not describe the suction stroke. Only those plungers which are clamped and in respect of which presence of capsule bodies and capsule caps are sensed by the PLC will describe the suction stroke. While the plunger block moves forward and describes the discharge stroke, those declamped plungers will continue to remain in position and the plunger block will move forward and slide over the declamped plungers and the declamped plungers will not describe the discharge stroke. Only those plungers which are clamped in position and in respect of which the PLC has sensed corresponding capsule bodies and capsule caps will describe the discharge stroke and liquid medicine will be dispensed into the corresponding capsule bodies. In the next and subsequent cycles of operation of the machine as and when presence of capsule bodies and capsule caps are sensed in the capsule holder where presence of capsule bodies and capsule caps was not sensed in the earlier cycle at the capsule body and capsule cap presense sensing station, the PLC will operate the respective fluid cylinders through the respective control valves to pressurize the cylinder side with fluid pressure and connect the piston sides to the exhaust ports and exhaust fluid from the piston side of the cylinders so that the respective piston rods with the C-clamps will move forward and engage in the engaging grooves at the proximal ends of the respective plungers to clamp the plungers in position and enable the plungers to

describe the suction stroke and discharge stroke and fill the respective capsule bodies with liquid medicine. According to the invention the apparatus selectively performs suction stroke and discharge stroke of only those plungers which are to perform such strokes and dispense medicine so as to prevent wastage of liquid medicine. Only those empty capsule bodies which are sensed at the capsule body and capsule presence station are selectively filled with the liquid medicine. Therefore, productivity and production efficiency of the machine are improved. Wastage of capsule bodies and capsule caps is prevented and operation of the machine is economical. Similar advantages are obtained if the apparatus is used only for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid. The apparatus is also simple in construction and easy and convenient to operate.
The above embodiment is by way of example and should not be construed and understood to be limitative of the scope of the invention. The construction and configuration of the clamping and declamping means may be different. Instead of fluid cylinder, other clamping and declamping means may be used to clamp and declamp the plungers. Instead of the engaging groove and C-clamp arrangement, other clamp arrangement can be used to clamp and declarnp the proximal ends of the plungers. It is also to be understood that the apparatus of the invention can be used for dispensing measured quantities of any liquid, besides liquid medicine. The invention is essentially in selectively clamping and declamping the plungers as to selectively perform the suction and discharge strokes. Embodiments of the invention comprising constructional variations for achieving the objective of the invention, which are obvious to those skilled in the art are to be construed and understood to be within the scope of the invention

We claim:
1. An apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid, especially liquid
medicine, the apparatus including a dosing block and a plunger block and a nozzle block located at opposite sides of the dosing block, the dosing block comprising an oblong bore along the length thereof and a slider forward and backward slidably disposed in the oblong bore, the slider having a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages and discharge passages along the length thereof, the plunger block comprising a plurality of spaced apart plungers with their proximal ends disposed in plunger holes provided in the plunger block, the distal ends of the plungers extending into suction holes provided in the dosing block, the nozzle block comprising a plurality of discharge holes fitted with nozzles at the discharge ends thereof, the plunger block and the plungers being disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and a discharge stroke respectively, each of the suction passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the suction stroke and each of the discharge passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the discharge holes in the nozzle block and each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the discharge stroke and a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid to be dispensed through the discharge nozzles, the suction passages in the slider being adapted to be connected to the hopper through suction channels provided in the dosing block during the suction stroke, wherein the proximal ends of the plungers are freely held in the plunger holes in the plunger block and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of clamping and declamping means mounted on the plunger block corresponding to each of the plunger to clamp and declamp the proximal ends of the respective plungers

independently selectively and a PLC (Programmable Logic Control) controlling the suction stroke and discharge stroke of the plunger block and the plungers and each of the clamping and declamping means in synchronization with the forward and backward movement of the slider.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping and declamping means comprises a fluid cylinder connected to the PLC and to a fluid supply through a solenoid operated direction control valve, the piston rod of the fluid cylinder comprising a clamp for clamping and declamping the proximal end of the respective plunger.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid cylinder is a pneumatic cylinder and the valve is a 4-port, 2-position valve and the clamp is a C-clamp and proximal end of the plunger comprises an engaging groove for the C-clamp.
4. A machine for filling capsules with a liquid medicine, the machine including an indexing turret disposed for cyclic intermittent rotation about a vertical axis and having a plurality of capsule holders for capsule bodies and capsule caps, the machine being adapted to rotate cyclically intermittently about a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body and cap presence sensing station, capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule ejection station and capsule holders cleaning station, the cyclic operation of the machine by controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Circuit), the machine comprising an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of the liquid medicine located at the capsule bodies filling station,

the apparatus including a dosing block and a plunger block and a nozzle block located at opposite sides of the dosing block, the dosing block comprising an oblong bore along the length thereof and a slider forward and backward slidably disposed in the oblong bore, the slider having a plurality of pairs of spaced apart suction passages and discharge passages along the length thereof, the plunger block comprising a plurality of spaced apart plungers with their proximal ends disposed in plunger holes provided in the plunger block, the distal ends of the plungers extending into suction holes provided in the dosing block, the nozzle block comprising a plurality of discharge holes fitted with nozzles at the discharge ends thereof, the plunger block and the plungers being disposed for back and forth movement to describe a suction stroke and a discharge stroke respectively, each of the suction passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the suction stroke and each of the discharge passages in the slider correlating to and communicating with each of the discharge holes in the nozzle block and each of the suction holes in the dosing block during the discharge stroke and a hopper mounted on the dosing block and containing the liquid to be dispensed through the discharge nozzles, the suction passages in the slider being adapted to be connected to the hopper through suction channels provided in the dosing block during the suction stroke, wherein the proximal ends of the plungers are freely held in the plunger holes in the plunger block and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of clamping and declamping means mounted on the plunger block corresponding to each of the plunger to clamp and declamp the proximal ends of the respective plungers independently selectively and a PLC (Programmable Logic Control) controlling the suction stroke and discharge stroke of the plunger block and the plungers and each of

the clamping and declamping means in synchronization with the forward and backward movement of the slider.
5. The machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clamping and declamping means comprises a fluid cylinder connected to the PLC and to a fluid supply through a solenoid operated direction control valve, the piston rod of the fluid cylinder comprising a clamp for clamping and declamping the proximal end of the respective plunger.
6. The machine as claimed in claim5, wherein the fluid cylinder is a pneumatic cylinder and the valve is a 4-port, 2-position valve and the clamp is a C-clamp and proximal end of the plunger comprises an engaging groove for the C-clamp.
Dated this 16th day of January 2009.