GB986538A - Container cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

986,538. Cleaning bottles. PNEUMATIC SCALE CORPORATION Ltd. Sept. 20, 1962, No. 35891/62. Heading B8T. A continuously rotated table 48 carries a number of bottle carriers 10 which receive upright bottles from a star wheel 18 and conveyer 14, and during one revolution of the table the carriers are inverted and the inverted bottles receive nozzles emitting air streams, the carriers are then rotated to bring the bottles to an upright position, and a star wheel 26 returns the cleaned bottles to the conveyer 14. Each carrier 10, Fig. 5, includes a plate 30 which receives two bottles and incorporates clamping means therefore, and the carrier is inverted by rotation about an axis 165 inclined to a radial line 162 extending from the vertical axis of rotation of the table; thus the inverted bottles extending around the table are located in concentric circles equispaced from the circumferential centre line 161. A bracket 34 upstanding from the plate 30 has a flange 36 by means of which the carrier is supported on the end of a rocker shaft 42 mounted in a bracket 46 secured to the table. Rotation of the carriers is effected by a stationary multitrack cam 170, Fig. 3, which cooperates with two cam rolls 172, 174 carried on the end of each rocker shaft, and the arrangement is such that the first 90 degrees of rotation of the carrier is effected by one cam roll with the cam, and the second 90 degrees movement is effected by the other cam roll. The cam track has idle portions to keep the carriers stationary during the cleaning operation and when appropriate. Each bottle is clamped by a member 148, Figs. 6 and 7, urged downwardly by a spring 154, and adjustably secured to a member 150 guided for vertical reciprocation between opposed pairs of rollers 152 on the bracket 34. A cam roll 160 on the member 150 engages a stationary cam 156, Fig. 3, which maintains the clamping member 148 in an elevated position until a bottle is transferred on to the plate 30, whereupon the clamping member is lowered on to the bottle. The inverted bottles are disposed in vertical alignment with their respective air discharge nozzles 22, Fig. 11, carried by vertically reciprocable and rotatably mounted carrier units 24. Each unit has two nozzles on an arm 202 adjustably secured to an upright slide 204 mounted for vertical movement between upper and lower pairs of guide rolls 206, 208. The rolls are supported by a member 214 rotating with the table 48, and the unit is raised and lowered, as appropriate, during its movement around a circular path by a stationary barrel cam 235 co-operating with a cam roll 237 on the slide 204. The support member 214 may be adjusted vertically to effect adjustment of the nozzle units relative the bottle carrier units to thereby accommodate bottles of different heights. Pressure air is supplied to each pair of nozzles during the cleaning period via a feed conduit 265 which, in turn, is supplied via conduits 252, 254, 256, Fig. 3, and an arcuate groove 262 in a stationary member 260. A number of circumferentially spaced ports 263 in the upper sur face of a rotary ring 264 communicate with the groove during the cleaning operation and supply the conduits 265. The nozzles are vertically slidable in hub portions 200, 201 and are normally extended outwardly but may be retracted on striking an obstruction during the elevating movement to the bottle interior. The lower part of the machine is enclosed and contains a suction fan 295, Fig. 1, to remove suspended material emitted from the bottles by the pressure air and supply it to a storage chamber. The main drive shaft 76 is driven by an electric motor 78 via a speed selector, and drives are taken from the shaft to the rotary table, star wheels and a feed screw 16 which spaces the bottles and leads them to the intake star wheel. As shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the feed screw is carried by an assembly attached to vertical arms 54 pivotable at 55 and held by bolts 61, to provide lateral adjustment of the screw to accommodate bottles of different diameter. The star wheel drive is via a driving disc 114, Fig. 8, and a flange 110 having pins 112 engaging openings in the disc; when the star wheel is held stationary by the jamming of a bottle the pins are forced out of openings in the disc 114 whereby the flange 110 is raised to open a switch 128 to stop the motor 78. The discharge star wheel may similarly operate a motor switch should a bottle become jammed therein; a similar safety switch arrangement is provided between the motor 78 and the main drive shaft.