GB2246511A

GB2246511A - Glass cleaning assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2246511A
Application number: GB9115860A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Edward Durham
Original assignee: Clenaglass Electric Ltd
Current assignee: Clenaglass Electric Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-03
Filing date: 1991-07-23
Publication date: 1992-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-23
Also published as: GB2246511B; GB9115860D0

Abstract

A drinking glass cleaning assembly comprising a glass washer 5 and a glass rinser 6. The glass washer comprises a washing bowl 7 having a plurality of motor driven rotary brushes 8, 9 and an overflow outlet drain 15. The glass rinser comprising a rinsing bowl 17 positioned alongside the washing bowl 7 and connected thereto by a duct (18 Fig 2) leading from a lower pant of the rinsing bowl to a lower part of the washing bowl. The duct (18) has a non-return flow valve (19) to allow water to flow from the rinsing bowl 17 into the washing bowl 7. <IMAGE>

Description

GLASS CLEANING ASSEMBLY The invention is concerned with an improvement to a conventional drinking glass washer of a kind which is used behind a bar and which comprises a washing bowl containing a plurality of upwardly extending electric motor-driven rotary brushes. In use, the bowl is filled with water containing a detergent and glasses are cleaned by upturning them and moving them upwards and downwards over one of the brushes usually a central one surrounded by a circular array of secondary brushes, so that both the inside and outside surfaces of the glass are scrubbed clean. The glasses are then left to drain, usually in a wire tray.In our existing glass washer, water is supplied continuously to the washing bowl, from which it overflows into a drain, the temperature of the water in the washing bowl being maintained within the desired range by thermostatically controlled solenoid operated valves in a hot and/or cold water supply conduit or conduits.

In accordance with the present invention, a drinking glass cleaning assembly comprises a glass washer and a glass rinser, the glass washer comprising a washing bowl containing a plurality of upwardly extending electric motor-driven rotary brushes and an overflow outlet drain for water from the bowl; and the glass rinser comprising a rinsing bowl positioned alongside the washing bowl and connected thereto by a duct leading from a lower part of the rinsing bowl to a lower part of the washing bowl, the duct associated with a non return flow valve to allow water to flow from the rinsing bowl to the washing bowl; and means for supplying water to the rinsing bowl.

With this arrangement, the conventional glass washer is modified by the incorporation of an integral glass rinser, whereby glasses which have been scrubbed in the washing bowl can be dipped in the rinsing bowl to remove any suds, before being left to drain and dry. On initially filling the bowls, the water is fed into the rinsing bowl and flows through the duct to the washing bowl, so that both bowls are filled at the same time. In use, as water is displaced from the washing bowl, fresh water flows in through the duct from the rinsing bowl. This ensures a good flow of water through the bowls and eliminates any stagnant regions which would otherwise occur.Displacement of dirty water from the washing bowl through the duct into the rinsing bowl is prevented by the non return flow valve and tests have shown that a simple rubber flap valve is sufficient even when pumping glasses on the brushes in the washing bowl.

A thermostat for controlling valves which in turn control the inflow of hot and cold water, and hence the temperature of water in the assembly, is preferably placed in the rinsing bowl.

In conventional fashion the washing bowl may be provided with means for the continual dosing of detergent, and the rinsing bowl will preferably, similarly, be provided with means for continually dosing the rinsing bowl with a rinse aid.

There may be an overflow outlet in the side of the rinsing bowl which provides an overflow from the rinsing bowl to the washing bowl. When the water in the rinsing bowl is disturbed by immersion of glasses in the rinsing bowl, any detergent suds which have been rinsed off the glasses and accumulated at the top of the water in the rinsing bowl, will then be discharged from the rinsing bowl.

A glass cleaning assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view; Figure 2 is a partial sectional view along line Il-Il in Fig. 3; and Figure 3 is a partial plan.

The assembly has a base housing 4 supporting the essential plastics moulding of a washing unit 5 and rinsing unit 6. The washing unit incorporates a washing bowl 7 containing an array of six brushes, consisting of a ring of five brushes 8 surrounding a central brush 9. One of these brushes has a reduced diameter portion 10 for cleaning smaller glasses. The brushes 8, 9 are mounted on shafts which project through holes 11 in the base of the washing bowl 7 and are rotated via gearing by an electric motor 12 in the base 4. The upper edge of the washing bowl 7 is lower at the rear than the sides and front to provide an overflow outlet 13 onto a draining surface 14. The draining surface 14 leads to a drain outlet 15 from which water is discharged through a pipe. A normally plugged drainage hole 16 is provided at the bottom of the washing bowl 7.

The rinsing unit 6 consists essentially of a rinsing bowl 17, in the shape of a rectangular tank, the bottom of which is connected to the bottom of the washing bowl 7 via a duct 18 with a non return flap valve 19, mounted on the inner wall of the washing bowl and covering the end of the duct. A surface 20 surrounds the front and sides of the bowl 7 level with the upper edge of the bowl. Part of this surface 20 forms a overflow outlet providing a weir 21 from the side of the rinsing bowl 17 at a level below the upper edge of the rest of the rinsing bowl. Hot and cold water spouts 22, connected to appropriate sources of hot and cold water, and the outflow of which is controlled by solenoid valves, which are in turn controlled by a thermostat in the rinsing bowl 17, are positioned to supply hot and cold water into the bowl 17.These are shown mounted on the rinsing unit 6, but they could equally well be mounted on the washing unit 5.

A conventional means 23 for dosing rinse aid into the rinsing bowl 17 is mounted within the bowl 17. A similar means (not shown) is provided for dosing detergent into the washing bowl 7.

Controls for the assembly are mounted on a panel 24.

A drainage tray 25 is mounted above the draining surface 14.

In use, water is continually fed at a slow rate through the conduits 22 into the bowl 17 to maintain the temperature in the bowl as desired. Initially when the assembly is filled, water flows through the duct 18 so that both the bowls 7 and 17 are filled together to the level of the outlet 13. In use, with the brushes 8, 9 rotating, glasses are cleaned by pumping them on the central brush 9 or smaller brush 10, and then dipped in the rinsing bowl 17 before being placed to drain and dry. Water continuously overflows through the outlet 13, across the draining surface 14 and out through the outlet drain 15, being replaced by clean water through the duct 18 from the bowl 17. Water, with any floating suds, is displaced from the bowl 17 over the weir 21 into the washing bowl 7, on occasions when the water in the bowl 17 is disturbed by the dipping of glasses into the bowl to rinse them.

After use, the drainage hole 16 may be unplugged to allow water to drain from both bowls 7 and 17.

Claims

1. A drinking glass cleaning assembly comprising a glass washer and a glass rinser, the glass washer comprising a washing bowl containing a plurality of upwardly extending electric motor-driven rotary brushes and an overflow outlet drain for water from the bowl; and the glass rinser comprising a rinsing bowl positioned alongside the washing bowl and connected thereto by a duct leading from a lower part of the rinsing bowl to a lower part of the washing bowl, the duct associated with a non return flow valve to allow water to flow from the rinsing bowl to the washing bowl; and means for supplying water to the rinsing bowl.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein there is an overflow outlet in the side of the rinsing bowl which provides an overflow from the rinsing bowl to the washing bowl.

3. A drinking glass cleaning assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.