GB617380A - Improved machine for washing casks or barrels and other receptacles - Google Patents

Abstract

617,380. Cleaning casks. RYDER & CO., (MANCHESTER), Ltd., T., LECOMBER, G. W., and DUTTON, A. Sept. 27, 1946, No. 28968. Class 21] A cask washing machine comprises a rotatable housing c having radiating therefrom arms e carrying cask-supporting cradles h, means for tilting the cradles to facilitate withdrawal of the casks, means for inserting a nozzle v into each supported cask and means for withdrawing the nozzle and controlling the delivery of fluid through the nozzle. The cradles h are tilted by a ball-jointed rod p actuated by a pivoted lever having a roller in contact with a cam track t on the fixed base of the machine. Each cradle has two pairs of rollers i mounted on arms j pivoted to swing in or out to accommodate small or large casks. The movement of the arms j is limited by stops m and opposite pairs of these arms on each cradle are joined by a lever k to give simultaneous movement. The nozzles v are raised or lowered by levers positively operated by a cam track 19, and are rotated by shafts and mitre wheels by the motion of the housing c about a fixed toothed member concentric with the central column of the machine. Each nozzle is supplied through pipes 9, 20 from a distributor head 21 having a fixed internal valve 22 about which it revolves. Pipes 26, 24 deliver steam and water separately, supplied in turn to the nozzles according to the disposition of the ports 23, 25 of the valve 22. When a cask is removed from a cradle, a valve 10 is caused to close by a counterweight, cutting off fluid to the nozzle. The valve 10 is opened by the weight of a replaced cask acting through levers. The arms c are supported by rollers f on a track g and the housing c may be motor driven through a worm wheel attached to its central column, and have automatic switches to stop the arms e at positions forloading ordischarging. Further ports may be provided in the valve 22 for further cleaning fluids.