GB652704A - Improvements in machines for cleaning watch parts or other small articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for immersing watch parts or other small articles successively in various liquids of the type in which a wire mesh basket or other holding means is so mounted in relation to a plurality of receptacles for the liquids that it may be raised above such receptacles and when so raised may be brought into any of a series of positions corresponding with the positions of the receptacles by horizontally rotating either the article-holding means or the receptacles and may then be lowered for insertion <PICT:0652704/III/1> into one of the recptacles; and in which the article-holding means or an impeller movable therewith may be caused to rotate, when lowered into any receptacle, by means of an electric motor, so as to circulate the liquid in the receptacle about the articles; a vertical telescopic shaft is provided to communicate the drive from the motor to the article-holding means, the lower member of the shaft being driven directly or indirectly by the motor and the upper member of the shaft being connected to, so as to be vertically adjustable with, a shaft carrying the article-holding means and being linked to such shaft by a belt and pulley drive or other gearing to transmit rotary motion thereto, the motor not partaking of the vertical movements necessary for lifting the article-holding means out of, or for lowering such means into, any of the receptacles. Jars 3, 4, 5 to contain the liquids, and a drying receptacle 6 are mounted on a hollow base 1, the receptacle 6 containing a thermostatically controlled electric heater. Mounted centrally on the base 1 is a fixed sleeve 16, having an internal annular recess 16b with which coacts the head of one or more screws projecting from a sleeve 17 to prevent relative axial movement of the sleeves whilst allowing the inner sleeve 17 to rotate. A further sleeve 18 surrounds the upper part of the sleeve 17 and carries arms 19, 20, 21, the sleeve 18 and arms being spring loaded to the sleeve 17 as at 22 and the sleeve 18 having projections 18a coacting with notches 16a in the fixed sleeve 16. Lids 24, 25, 26 spring-loaded downwardly as at 31 are carried by the arms 19, 20, 21. A screw 23, screwed into the sleeve 18, has a plain extension projecting through a slot 17c in the rotary sleeve 17 and into a slot 32a in a column 32 mounted within the sleeve 17, as that when the column 32 is raised to its uppermost position, the bottom of the slot coacts with the extension of the screw 23 to lift the projections 18a out of contact with the notches 16a, so that column 32, sleeves 17, 18, arms 19, 20, 21 and lids 24, 25, 26 may be rotated together. Formed integrally with the column 32 is an arm 33 carrying a sleeve 35, to the lower part of which are secured fixed inclined vanes connected by a hoop 38, and freely surrounding which is a weighted lid 37. A shaft 43 mounted in the sleeve 35 carries a vaned impeller 42 supporting a removable basket assembly 41 having a knurled rim 41a and projecting pins 41b engaging slots in the impeller, slots in the pins being engaged by leaf springs carried by the impeller. The shaft 43 carries a pulley 44 driven by a belt from the pulley 47 fixed to the upper hollow member 48 of a telescopic shaft, supported within the column 32 by bearings 49, 50, the member 48 having a square aperture at its lower end engaging a squared rod 51 forming the lower member of the telescopic shaft, being supported in a bearing 53 and carrying a pulley 52 linked by a belt to the pulley 54 driven by the motor 54a. The column 32 rests on a pin 55a carried by a lever 55 pivoted at 57 and locked in position by an abutment 1b. In modifications, locking means may be provided to prevent the arms 33 being lowered without lowering the sleeve 18; the sleeve 18 may immediately surround the column 32 or the sleeve 16; the sleeve 17 may be eliminated; the sleeve 16 may be within the column 32; the lower member of the telescopic shaft may be the hollow member; the motor may drive the shaft directly; some or all the lids may be formed integrally; the receptacles may be mounted on a rotary turntable.