US1660345A

US1660345A - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: US1660345A
Application number: US459299A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert E Merseles
Original assignee: Hobart Manfacturing Co
Current assignee: Hobart Manfacturing Co
Priority date: 1921-04-07
Filing date: 1921-04-07
Publication date: 1928-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1945-02-28

Description

Feb. 28, 1.928.

o f7 f5- J J7 J@ 0 IX' H. E. MERSELES WASHING MAQHINE Filed April *7. 1921 lL vwewtoz E. WAX/Mg w.. @yA/f7) @11 h2 @Hom/ve Patented eb. 28,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

HERBERT E. MERSELES, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR T0 HOBART MAN- UFACTURING COMPANY, OF TROY, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIO. 1

WASHING MACHINE.

Application led 4April. 7, 1921. Serial No. 459,299.

This invention relates to washing machines and has for an object to make the operation of a machine of this class automatic so that it may be rapidly, eiciently and economically -used by unskilled attendants. r

In carrying out the invention the washing machine is provided with an interrupted conveyer which is arranged to move the articles to be washed into washing position, and, after permitting them to remain vthere for an indefinite period, to move them forward through, and out of, the machine.

While the invention is susceptible to numerous other applications, it is of particular advantage when applied to the type of dish washing machine in which thearticles are cleansed by the impact of a washing liquid which is used over and over again and thereafter rinsedby a clean liquid which is used only once. When applied to a washing machine of this character the invention comprises a conveyer which moves the carriers in which the dishes, or other articles, are placed to the point at which the. Washing operation takes' place and permits them to remain there for an indefinite period. When the c( rrier is forced out of the washing position y the action of the conveyer upon a carrierl subsequently placed in the machine the first carrier is picked up by the conveyer, carried through the position where the rinsing takes place and out ofthe machine. The supplyk of thernsing liquid is automaticalcontrolled byg the position of the carrier so l that it is turned on only while a carrier isl passing through the position where the rinse is applied to the articles in it.

Before pointing out other objects and advantages of the ih detail the dish washing machine embodying the invention which is illustrated in the aocompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the Ina-- chine taken upon the lineY 1 1 of Fig. 2 showing two dish carriers in the machine, one of which is shown in section; Fig. 2 is a vplan view of the machine illustrated upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and` Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing one of the dish carriers and the rails and screw of the conyveyer.

vention, 1 will describe in.

The frame of the machine illustrated coml vhood 17 are suspended three curtains 19 which form in the hood the washing chamber A and the rinsing chamber B.

While the particular form oi' apparatus whichlmay be used to eect the washing in the chamber A is immaterial so far as the present invention is concerned, a convenient form of washing apparatus is illustrated in the drawing. It consists of an upper revolvmg spray arm 25 and a lower revolving spray arm 26. Each ofthe

spray arms

25, 26 is provided with .nozzles 27 which are inclined in such a way the liquid forced `out through them causes the spra arms to rotate. The washing liquid w ich lls the tank 16 to the level indicated in Fig. 1 is forced into the

revolvspray arms

25, 26 throughthe pipes 28,

29 by a rotary pump 30 driven bya motor 31. lt is apparent that the liquid which is emitted b the nozzles 27 of the

spray arms

25, 26 Wil tall into the tank' 16 whence it will be sucked up by the intake pipe 32 of the pump 30 and forced again through the spray arms. f

'In the rinsing chamber B are a set of upper spray nozzles 35 and a set of lower spray nozzles 36 which are supplied with clean hot water through the pipe 37. rEhe admission of water to the sprays from the pipe 37 is controlled by a whistle valve 38, the operation of 4which is hereinafter described.

that the reaction of The means for supporting'the carriers in In the form shown, the portion 43 et the rails projecting at the discharge end of the machine is at a slightly higher level than the rest of the rails and connected therewith by an inclined portion 44. y

Aninterrupted conveyer is provided for moving the carriers for articles to be washed along the rails 40, 41. Thi's conveyer comprises a shaft extending the entire length of the tank 16 just below the level of the rails 40, 41 and journalled in the ends yof thetank at 46, 47 and upon a cross-bar 48 at the middle of the tank. The shaft 45 is continuously rtated by the motor 31 which drives the pump 30 by a friction drive conf, nection which, in the form shown, consists of a belt 49 passing over a pulley upon the shaft 45 and a'pulley upon the motorshaft. A worm or screw 50 is formed upon the portion of the shaft 45 which lies in the washing chamber A near the intake end of that chamber. A similar Worm or screw 51 is formed on the portion of the shaft which extends through the rinsing chamber B.

The carriers 55 for the dishes orother articles to be .washed may conveniently be made in the form of shallow receptacles comprising wooden frames 56 provided with transverse rods 57 lfor the support of the articles placed in them. The width of the carriers 55 isl such that they may be seated across the rails 40, 41 as shown in Fig. 3. Just suliicient clearance is allowed between the sides of the carriers vand the vertical portions of the rails to permit the carriers to slide upon the rails. Each carrier is provided with a rack 58 which extends longitudinally of the carrier along the middle of its'A bottom surface. Theteeth of the racks 58 are spaced and inclined so as to engage the threads of the worms 50, 51. The length of each rack 58 is less than the distance bej tween the worm 50 and the worm 51.

means for the valve 38 are so located as to e actuated by the carriers when passing through the rinsing chamber. In the form illustrated in the drawings, such Controlling controlling means comprise a controlling plunger 60 extending from the whistle valve 38 and acam 61 at the outer end of the plunger. When the valve is closed this cam projects through a cut 62 in the vertical portion of the rail 41 into lthe position indicated in Fig. 2. The plunger is normally held in this position bya spring not shown in the drawmgs.

The operation ofthe machine described is as follows :The tank 16 is filled with soapy Vwater to the level indicated in Fig. 1, and the pipe 37 is connected with la source of clean hot water. The motor 31 is 'A then placed in operation. The motor drives the pump 30 which continuously draws the soapy water in the tank up through the pipe 32 and rojects it through the

spray arms

25, 26. Ii`he motor also causes the shaft 45 to rotate arms and the articles in it are subjected to` the impact of the water which is constantly forced through the nozzles ofthe spray arms. Meanwhile another carrier is being filled with articles by the attendant, and as soon as the second carrier has been filled it is placed upon the portioxr 63 of the rails and pushed in so that its rack is engaged by the worm 50 and carried forward into the machine by the worm. Its front end engages the rear end of the first carrier and pushes that carrier forward until the front end of the rack of the first carrier is engaged by the worm 51. The first carrier is then carried forward'by the worm 51, While the second carrier is moved forward by the worm until it reaches the washing* position where it remains until a third carrier has been filled' and inserted in the machine. Meanwhile the first carrier is carried through the rinsing chamber B by the worm 51. In this move? ment, the side of the carrier is brought into engagement with ythe cam 61 of the plunger '60 and forces the plunger inwardly, openmg the valve 38 so that hot water enters through the pipe 37 and is projected upon the articles in the-carrier through the

sprays

35, 36. TheI rinse continues until the 'rear end of the carrier has passed by the cam 61 when the plunger 6() reassumes the position shown in Fig. 2 and automatically cuts off the rinsing water. The first carrier is continuously carriedfforward by the worm 5l and is moved up the incline 44 to the discharge portion 43 o the rails 40, 41. When it reaches this position its rack 58 is disengaged from the worm 51 and the carrier remalns stationary upon the portion 43 of the rails. From this position it is removed and after it has been` in washing position during the entire timel which must necessarily be consumed in filling the next carrier withy soiled dishes or other articles. They rinsing is secured with aes-:deas

chine without danger ofv breakage because of the steady movement given to the carriers by the wormconveyer. If because of an accldent any carrier becomes ]ammed1n the rails, the friction drive of the conveyer slips so that no injury tothe machine or the articlesresults. i Y

The use of the machine described is not limited to the washing of dishes or other food receptacles. It may be used for washing articles of any sort, and the liquids used in the machine maybe varied to suit the particular article operated upon. Thus, the machine may,for example, be used for cleaning metal parts with dilute acid, or other cleaning agent.

Many modifications may be made in the specic washing machine described withouty departing from the scope of the invention. It is evident that should it be desired to provide for a plurality of washings or rinsings of the articles carried through the machine, or to subject the'articles to an additional operation the conveyer may be ex-I tended `so as to move the carriers into any desired number of diderent operative positions and may be interrupted so as to permit each carrier to remain for an `indefinite period in each ofthe operative positions.

' Furthermore, the use of the invention is by no means confined to the particular type of washing machine in connection with which it has been illustrated and described, norto `the particular form of conveyer shown in the drawings. It is not essential that the operative orfengaging portions of the conveyer be mounted upon the same shaft nor that they be driven by the same means, and thel term interrupted conveyer used in the claims which follow should be understood not to import either of these limitations.y kWhile, for reasons above pointed out, the use of a screw conveyer has been found to possess peculiar advantages, the invention may be carried out by the use of other types of continuously moving conveyer/s. While the entire apparatus described forms a unitary automatic washing machine, it is apparent that various features of the-invention may advantageously .be used, independently of the others.

What is claimed is:

ing and rinsing apparatus, the com .ination of rails extending through the machine, carriers for the articles to be washed adapted to slide upon said rails, and an interrupted `screw conveyer extending through the machine in the same direction .as the rails and having a threaded portion adapted to engage successive carriers and move them into washing position and release them there and a spaced threaded portion adapted to engage each carrier when pushed out of washing position by the -succeeding carrier and to move it to rinsing position.

2., ln a washing machine having washing and rinsing apparatus, the combination of a valve controlling th`e admission of water to the rinsing apparatus, rails extending through the machine, carriers for the articles to be washed adapted to slide upon said rails, an interrupted screw conveyer extending through the machine in the same direction as the rails and having a threaded portion adapted to engage successive carriers and move them into washing position and release them there and a. spaced threaded portion adapted to engage each carrier when pushed out of Washing position by the succeeding carrier and to move it to rinsing position, and controlling means for said valve normally projecting between the portion of said rails in the rinsing `position of the machine and adapted to be actuated by contact with each carrier when moved into rinsing position to open said valve.

3. In a washing machine, the combination with washing apparatus, of a plurality of` @arriere for the articles to be washed, each provided with a longitudinal rack, and an interrupted continuously moving screw conveyer having a threaded portion extending to one side of the washing apparatus and a spaced threaded portion extending from the support the carriers and guide them to the washing apparatus, a screw'conveyer located between said rails with its axis parallel to the rails, and a longitudinal rack projecting from the bottom of each receptacle, extending parallel to the sides of the receptacle, and having teeth adapted to engage the screw conve er.

5. In com ination with a machine adapted to operate upon obiects placed in a certain position in it, an interrupted worm con-' veyer havlng a threaded portion arranged to 'engage successive objects, carry them into operative position and release them there,

and a spaced threaded portion adapted to engage each object when pushed out of operative position by the succeeding object and move it forward.

6. In a machine, the combination of a lurality of carriers each provided with a ongitudinal rack, and a screw conveyer having threaded `portions each adapted to enage theraeks of the carriers and separated y lz; distance greater than the length of the rac s.

7. In a machine, a combination of a pluf Imy hand.

ralit of carriers each provided with a 1ongitu inal toothed rack, and a continuously' moving interrupted conveyer having aV plurality of portions each adapted to engage the teeth of the racksof said carriers and move the carriers forward, successive portions of said conveyer being separated by a distance greater than the length of the racks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set HERBERT E. MERSELES.