GB2268755A - Cleaning articles carried along a defined path by agitation - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for cleaning fabric articles, particularly postal bags and sacks, the articles are carried along a defined path whilst being agitated to remove any dust or grime therefrom, which is continuously removed from the path. The agitation and removal may be provided by a beater and dust extractor located in a single assembly 70. Articles are drawn along the path by a pair of endless parallel belts 30 supporting carrier bars 50 having studs receiving handles of the articles. A mechanism is provided to lift the handles off the studs 54 after cleaning, comprising a hinged device on the bar 50 and having first parts (66, figure 3A) normally lying between handles and the carrier bar and a second part (62) struck by an actuator (92) adjacent the path causing the mechanism to rotate lifting the first parts and carrying the loops or handles clear of the studs. Means 100 are provided for guiding the article away from the apparatus for further processing. <IMAGE>

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning and more particularly but not exclusively to a method and apparatus for cleaning fabric postal bags and sacks.

There is clearly a need to clean fabric articles such as postal bags and sacks which, in the course of their use, become significantly dirty, e.g. by being dragged along the floor and the like.

A method known to us for cleaning such sacks is to place a number of them in a drum in which they are agitated to loosen dirt or grime attached to them and thereafter to remove the sacks from the drum. After the sacks have been taken from the drum any dirt or grime left in it is removed before the next load of sacks is placed in the drum.

A first object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which will more effectively, and more readily, remove dirt and grime from articles such as postal bags and sacks.

A second object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for cleaning articles such as postal bags or sacks which may be used in a substantially continuous manner.

In a first aspect the invention provides a method of cleaning fabric articles comprising the steps of carrying the articles along a defined path and whilst each is being carried therealong agitating the article to remove dirt particles therefrom whilst continuously removing from said path any dirt particles dislodged from an article on the path, and then removing the article from said path.

In a second aspect the invention provides apparatus for cleaning fabric articles, the apparatus comprising first means for engaging an article tq be cleaned and operable to carry that article along a defined path, second means located adjacent the path which is operated to agitate the article, third means adjacent the path which is operable to remove from said path any particles dislodged from an article thereon by said second means, and fourth means enabling an article to be removed from its engagement with the first means.

Desirably, said second means comprises a beater adjacent the path operable to strike an article being carried therealong.

With advantage the beater is a rotary beater driven to rotate adjacent the path.

With advantage said third means comprises a vacuum dust extractor located adjacent the path.

Preferably, said second and third means are located within an assembly through which said path is routed.

Desirably, said second and third means are provided at the same location on said path.

With particular advantage said first means comprises a pair of endless belts running in parallel and supporting therebetween one or more carrier bars, each carrier bar including means engagable with an article to be carried along said path.

The carrier bars may carry studs over which loops or handles of an article to be carried along the path may be placed.

Said fourth means preferably includes a lifter mechanism operable to lift the loops or handles of said articles carried along said path such that the loops or handles are disengaged from said studs.

Advantageously, the lifter mechanism comprises a hinged device carried with the carrier bar and provided with first parts lying normally in use between said loops or handles and the carrier bar, studs of which engage those loops or handles, actuator a means being provided adjacent the path striking second part of the lifter mechanism causing the mechanism to rotate such that said first parts are lifted away from the associated carrier bar carrying the loops or handles of an article clear of the studs by which they are engaged.

The apparatus may further include means for guiding an article lifted from the studs away from the apparatus.

The above aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of embodiments of the invention now made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a postal sack cleaning apparatus embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a view on the line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 illustrates at A and B plan and end views of a carrier bar included in the apparatus, at C and D views on the lines C-C and D-D of Figure 3A, and at E illustrates the ejection of a bag from the apparatus.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a framework 10 supporting a driven roller 12 and two idler rollers 14 and 16.

Roller 12 is driven to rotate by a geared motor to which it is coupled by an endless belt 20.

The three rollers 12, 14 and 16 carry two endless rubber belts 30 and as roller 12 is driven the belts rotate in the direction of arrow A as shown.

Idler roller 16 is formed of hard rubber and acts to tension the endless belts 30 in the apparatus.

In running between rollers 14 and 12 the belts pass to either side of a table 40.

The belts carry between them three sets of carrier bars 50 each of which (see Figure 3A) comprises a generally flat plate 52 on the leading part of which (as the plate is carried in the apparatus) are formed two upstanding studs 54.

Each plate 52 carries three support members 56 which extend to past the rearmost edge of the plate (as the plate is carried in the apparatus) as shown at Figure 3D. The members 56 terminate in looped ends 58 which rotatably support a circular in section rod 60.

Rod 60 carries at either end an ejector pin 62 (only one of which is shown) which upstands from the plane including plate 52 and'rod 60 as shown at Figure 3C.

Rod 60 fixedly supports, as shown, the ends 64 of two ejector flaps 66.

Each ejector flap 66 runs from rod 60 across the width of plate 52 and the end of it remote from rod 60 is bifurcated with parts lying to either side of the studs 54 on plate 52.

Table 40 has supported thereabove, in frame 10, a beater assembly 70 comprising a number of flaps of material 72 carried on a spindle 74 driven to rotate by a motor 76 to which it is coupled by a drive belt 78.

The beater assembly 70 is mounted in an enclosed casing 80 coupled to a vacuum source 82.

Side arms 90 of the frame (only one is shown) adjacent the driven roller 12 carrying actuator pins 92 (again only one is shown) which lie in the paths of movement of the ejector pins 62 of the carrier plates.

It will be appreciated that as the belts 30 are carried around the rollers 12, 14 and 16, the pins 62 are successively brought into contact with the actuator pins 92 as shown at Figure 3E. When this happens pin 62 will be forced to rotate causing rod 60 to rotate in the looped ends 58 of the support members 56. Rotation is transmitted into movement of ejector flap 66 lifting the flap up and away from the carrier bar 52.

Adjacent the position of the actuator pins 92 is the take off chute 100.

A postal bag 110 to be cleaned is positioned by an operative standing adjacent the apparatus, in particular roller 14 - such that loops 112 thereof (which are used to support the bag in a frame whilst it is being filled) pass over and are engaged by the studs 54 of a carrier bar 50.

Thereafter the operative will generally smooth the bag 110 as it passes onto the table 40.

The movement of the carrier bar 50 with belts 30 will carry the bag 110 into housing 80 in which the bag 110 will be subjected to beating by the flaps 72 as member 74 is driven to rotate. Any dust driven out of the bag 110 will be picked up and removed by the vacuum source 82.

Continued movement of the endless belts 30 will carry bag 110 out of housing 80 and onwardly until the actuator pins 92 strike the ejector pins 62 of the carrier bars 50.

The action of actuator pins 92 hitting the ejector pins 62 will cause rod 60 to rotate and lift ejector flap 66 away from plate 52.

In so doing the loops 112 of the bag 110 will be lifted clear of the studs 54 allowing the leading end of the bag to pass to chute 100 for further processing.

Thereafter the carrier bar 52 is carried by the belts 30 around the roller 16 and back to the loading position at which a further bag may be attached to the apparatus by an operative.

The further processing which may take place after the bag has passed along chute 100 may be further cleaning of the bag e.g. by dry cleaning, steam cleaning or simply the pressing of the bag as desired.

It will he appreciated that various modifications may be made to the arrangements described without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The location of the beaters may if desired be different from that of the vacuum source - they may be provided next to one another rather than at the same location.

The table 22 may be perforated such that any dust driven out of the bag as it passes through the housing 80 falls through the table into a dust box for collection (or into a vacuum source by which it is removed).

The particular arrangements described for moving the bag along the defined path - and for removing it therefrom - may of course be varied.

It will be appreciated that with the apparatus described it is possible for an operative to effect cleaning of bags in a substantially continuous manner as each bag is passed to the apparatus a bag will be being passed to the chute and from the apparatus.

It will of course be appreciated that the described apparatus may be adapted for use with articles other than postal bags - for example curtaining and/or carpeting.

It will be seen that with the apparatus of the invention it is possible for an operative to effect cleaning of bags in a substantially continuous manner - as each bag is passed to the apparatus a bag will be being passed to the chute from the apparatus at the other end.

It will further be seen that the proposed method and apparatus for cleaning bags offers considerable advantage over the known method in which a number of them are placed in a drurn in which they are agitated to loosen any dirt or grime attached to them and after removal of the bags from the drum the dirt or grime in it is rernoved before the next load of bags may be placed in the drum.

Claims (14)

1. A method of cleaning fabric articles comprising the steps of carrying the articles along a defined path and whilst each is being carried therealong agitating the article to remove dirt particles therefrom whilst continuously removing from said path any dirt particles dislodged from an article on the path, and then removing the article from said path.

2. Apparatus for cleaning fabric articles, the apparatus comprising first means for engaging an article to be cleaned and operable to carry that article along a defined path, second means located adjacent the path which is operated to agitate the article, third means adjacent the path which is operable to remove from said path any particles dislodged from the article thereon by said second means, and fourth means enabling an article to be removed from its engagement with the first means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said second means comprises a beater adjacent the path operable to strike an article being carried therealong.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said beater is a rotary beater driven to rotate adjacent the path.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4 wherein said third means comprises a vacuum dust extractor located adjacent the path.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said second and third means are located within an assembly through which said path is routed.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said second and third means are provided at the same location on said path.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said first means comprises a pair of endless belts running in parallel and supporting therebetween one or more carrier bars, each carrier bar including means engagable with an article to be carried along said path.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said carrier bars support studs over which loops or handles of an article to be carried along the path may be placed.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fourth means includes a lifter mechanism operable to lift the loops or handles of said articles carried along said path such that the loops or handles are disengaged from said studs.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the lifter mechanism comprises a hinged device carried with the carrier bar and provided with first parts lying normally in use between said loops or handles and the carrier bar studs of which engage those loops or handles, actuator means being provided adjacent the path for strikinq a second part of the lifter mechanism causing the mechanism to rotate such that said first parts are lifted away from the associated carrier bar carrying the loops or handles of an article clear of the studs by which they are engaged.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 11, further including means for guiding an article lifted from the studs away from the apparatus.

13. A method of cleaning postal pouches as claimed in Claim 1, and substantially as herein described.

14. Apparatus for cleaning postal bags as claimed in Claim 2, and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.