GB2113662A - Machine for washing articles such as kegs - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for washing cylindrical articles such as kegs comprises a tunnel provided with spray means 26, 44, 46 to spray cleaning liquid onto the kegs as they are carried on a conveyor 14 through the tunnel. The spray means includes at least one spray head 40 arranged to direct a fine jet or jets of liquid at high pressure onto an end face of each keg and to move the jet or jets over substantially the whole of the end face. The fine jets cut through any labels on the end face, to allow the cleaning liquid to get to the adhesive by which the labels are fixed. The labels are therefore removed completely by the high pressure jets, or by the subsequent action of low pressure jets 26 in the tunnel. This obviates the need for brushes to brush the kegs mechanically as they pass through the tunnel. The spray head includes an arm 42, rotatable about a vertical axis and axially adjustable to accommodate different size kegs, and nozzles 44, 46 on the arm are spaced at different distances from the axis. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machine for washing articles such as kegs This invention relates to machines for washing cylindrical articles such as kegs.

British patent specification 1 462 764 describes a machine for washing the outer surface of articles such as metal beer kegs, in which the kegs are transported on a conveyor through a tunnel in which water or detergent solution is sprayed onto the kegs whilst rotating brushes brush the surfaces of the kegs. It has been found that such machines are not capable of completely removing labels which are often fixed by adhesive onto the upper face of the kegs, particularly those using modern adhesives which are not easily removed by water or detergent.

This invention consists in a machine for washing the outer surfaces of cylindrical articles such as kegs, comprising a tunnel through which the articles are carried on a conveyor, spray means arranged in the tunnel and adapted to spray a cleaning liquid onto the outer surfaces of the kegs, in which the spray means includes at least one spray head adapted to direct a fine jet or jets of cleaning liquid under relatively high pressure at an end face of each keg to move the jet or jets over substantially the whole surface of the said face.

The use of a fine high pressure jet or jets has the effect of cutting through any label on the upper face so as to allow the cleaning liquid to get to the adhesive, so that the label can be completely removed, either by the high pressure jet or by the subsequent action of the other spray means in the tunnel. The other spray means may be low pressure sprays, similar to those in known keg washing machines.

Preferably, the high pressure spray head has one or more nozzles adapted to produce a narrow fan-shaped jet of liquid.

Preferably, the tunnel has a first, upstream section in which detergent is sprayed onto the cylindrical articles and a second, downstream section in which rinsing water is sprayed onto the articles, and the machine includes a first high pressure spray head at or near the upstream end of the first section and a second high pressure spray head in the second section. The first sprauy head can be arranged to spray detergent or a solvent onto the articles.

With the washing machine of this invention, the efficiency of the high pressure spray head in removing labels means that the machine does not require any brushes to brush the articles mechanically as they pass through the tunnel.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a plan view of a keg washing machine in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a section on line ll-ll of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section on line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a spray head of the apparatus, shown to a larger scale, and Figures 5 and 6 are respectively side elevation and cross-section through a nozzle forming part of the spray head.

Referring to the drawings, a machine for washing the outside surfaces of beer kegs or similar cylindrical articles comprises a tunnel 10 through which kegs 12 are carried on a horizontal conveyor 14. The conveyor 14 may take any suitable form, such as a chain conveyor. The kegs are guided in their movement along the conveyor by lateral guide rails 16, whose position is adjustable so that the machine can handle kegs of different diameters.

The tunnel 10 has a first section 18, through which the kegs travel first, and'a shorter second section 20.

The lower part of the first section 18 of the tunnel forms a tank 22 which in use contains a detergent solution. The lower part of the second section 20 forms a tank 24 which in use contains water for rinsing the kegs. In the first section, nozzles 26 are arranged to spray detergent solution onto the kegs.

The nozzles are arranged at regular intervals along the tunnel, along both side walls 28 and 30 and also above and below the conveyor 14, so that the detergent solution is sprayed onto the entire outer surface iof the kegs. The detergent solution is supplied to the nozzles by a pump 32, which draws detergent solution from the tank 22 and pumps it through suitable filters to the nozzles 26. Means are provided for adding detergent at intervals to the solution in the tank 22 to maintain the solution at the appropriate concentration.

In the second section 20 of the tunnel nozzles 36 are arranged in a similar manner to the nozzles 26 in the first section. A pump 38 draws water from tank 24 through filters and pumps it to the nozzles 36 so that rinsing water is sprayed over the kegs before they emerge from the tunnel.

The tanks 22 and 24 each contain heaters 23 and 25, for example in the form of steam coils, by means of which the detergent solution and rinsing water can be heated to a desired temperature.

Near the upstream end of the first section 18 of the tunnel 10 is a high pressure spray head 40. The spray head 40 has an arm 42 which carries two nozzles 44 and 46. The arm 42 is positioned horizontally above the level of the upper faces of the kegs to be washed, and is fixed to the lower end of a vertical shaft 48 which is rotatable in a housing 50 mounted in the upper wall 78 of the tunnel. The shaft 48 is rotated by an electric motor 52 through a belt 54 driving a puliey 80 fixed to the shaft. The vertical shaft 48 and the horizontal arm 42 are hollow, so that water can be supplied through the shaft and arm to the nozzles 44and46.

The spray head 40 is shown in more detail in Figure 4. The vertical shaft 48 is in two coaxial parts: an outer part 70 which is rotatable in bearings 72 and 74 in the housing 50, and an inner part 82 to which the arm 42 is fixed. The inner part 82 is slidable vertically within the outer part 70, so that the vertical position of the arm 42 can be adjusted to accommodate kegs of different heights. Means are provided to lock the inner part 82 in two or more predetermined vertical positions corresponding to the heights of the kegs to be washed, for example using bolts fitting through aligned holes 86 in the outer part 70 and through a corresponding bore 84 in the inner part 82.

The inner part 82 is formed with a bore 88 which leads to the bore in the arm 42. At its upper end the bore 88 communicates through holes 90 with a recess 92 in the outer part 70, the recess being of sufficient length to ensure that it is communication with the bore 88 in all vertical positions of the inner part 82. At its lower end the recess 92 communicates through holes 94 in the outer member 70 with an annular space 95 in the housing 50. In use, water is supplied through an inlet pipe 96 to the annular space 95, and flows from there through the recess 92 and the bore 88 to the arm 42 and so to the nozzles 44and46.

The nozzles 44 and 46 may consist of high pressure jets of known form, for example as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Each nozzle consists of a body 100 of stainless steel having a bore 102 provided with a guide vane 104. A tungsten carbide insert 106 is fitted into the lower part of the bore. The insert is designed in known manner to provide a narrow, fan-shaped jet of water 110. Water is pumped to the nozzles 44 and 40 by means of a low-consumption, high-pressure pump operating, typically at 200 Kg/ cm2. The nozzles 44 and 46 are positioned at different distances from the axis of rotation of the shaft 48, so that as the shaft and the arm 42 rotate the fan-shaped jets of water are moved over the whole of the upper face of the keg positioned beneath the spray head.

A similar high pressure spray head 60 is positioned near the upstream end of the second section 20 of the tunnel.

To control the passage of kegs through the tunnel 10, adjustable gates 62 and 64 are provided in the first and second sections of the tunnel. The gates 62 in the first section are arranged to hold each keg for a predetermined time in a position below the high pressure spray head 40, and then to release it to ftravel through the tunnel. The gates 64 similarly hold it for a predetermined time beneath the second high pressure spray head 60. The operation of the gates is controlled automatically so that the kegs travel through the machine at a desired rate. The gates are adjustable in position, so as to accommodate kegs of different diameters.

In operation, as each keg moves into engagement with the gates 62, the fine spray of water from the high pressure spray head 40 acts on any labels on the upper face of the keg. The narrow jet of water has a cutting action on the labels, so that water and detergent solution can reach the adhesive beneath the labels. The keg is then released to join the queue of preceding kegs travelling through the first section of the tunnel, in which the spray of detergent solution washes the outer surfaces of the kegs.

When the keg reaches the gates 64, it is held for a time beneath the second high pressure spray head 60, which has the effect of removing any remaining traces of label on the upper face of the keg. The keg then travels through the second section of the tunnel, where it is rinsed with clean water, and is discharged from the machine on the conveyor 14.

It will be appreciated that modifications could be made in the described embodiment. For example, the high pressure spray heads could be arranged to oscillate through 1800 rather than rotating. The first spray head could be arranged to spray detergent or a suitable solvent onto the kegs.

In some cases it is convenient to supply the kegs to the washing machine in an inverted condition. The machine could accordingly be modified by positioning the high pressure heads 40 and 60 beneath the conveyor on which the kegs are supported so that the jets are directed upwards onto the end faces of the kegs.

In a modified form of the apparatus, a unit including only one high pressure spray head is provided. The unit may be made with a relatively short tunnel, with the fixed nozzles, and the second section ofthetunnel omitted. Such a unit could be used in conjunction with a conventional keg washing machine, the unit being positioned adjacent the entrance of the conventional machine so as to treat the kegs before they pass through the conventional machine.

Claims (9)

1. A machine for washing the outer surfaces of cylindrical articles such as kegs, comprising a tunnel through which the articles are carried on a conveyor, spray means arranged in the tunnel and adapted to spray a cleaning liquid onto the outer surfaces of the kegs, in which the spray means includes at least one spray head adapted to direct a fine jet or jets of cleaning liquid under relatively high pressure at an end face of each keg and to move the jet or jets over substantially the whole surface of the said face.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the high pressure spray head has one or more nozzles adapted to produce a narrow fan-shaped jet of liquid.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the spray head has a generally horizontal arm adapted to rotate about a vertical axis, and at least two nozzles carried on the arm atdifferentdistances from the said axis.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the spray head has a generally horizontal arm adapted to reciprocate about a vertical axis, and at least two nozzles carried on the arm at different distances from the said axis.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which the vertical position of the horizontal arm is adjustable relative to the conveyor, thereby to accommodate cylindrical articles of different heights.

6. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tunnel has a first, upstream section in which detergent is sprayed onto the cylindrical articles and a second, downstream section in which rinsing water is sprayed onto the articles, and the machine includes a first high pressure spray head at or near the upstream end of the first section and a second high pressure spray head in the second section.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, in which detergent is supplied to the high pressure spray head in the first section and rinsing water is supplied to the high pressure spray head in the second section.

8. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spray means includes a series of nozzles formed at intervals along the tunnel, and means are provided to supply liquid at relatively low pressure to the fixed nozzles.

9. A machine for washing articles such as kegs, constructed, adapted and arranged to operate substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.