US1913947A - Bottle washing machine - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1933. G. 1.. o'r'ro 1,913,947

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1930 4 Shets-Sheet l June 13, 1933. G. 1.. OTTO BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jl me 13, 1933. L. OTTO I 1,913,947

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. L. OTTO BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1930 June 13, 1933.

4 Sheets-Sheet -4 mnuni n &

Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice GERALD L. OTTO, OF MENOMONEE FALLS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR- TO STOUT MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF MENOMONEE FALLS, WISCONSIN BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Application'filed April 12,

This invention relates to improvements" in bottle washing machines.-

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a bottle washing machine which is-solconstructed that it'will thoroughly soak I the bottles in a suitable solution, will repeatedly dip the bottles and maintain them in a submergedic-ondition with means for washing the bottles between each submerging operation, andthen thoroughly rinse the bottles with consecutive rinsing operations and' allow them to dry before being removed from the machine.

Another object of the invention issthe pro- R vision of a bottle washing machine including means actuatediin unison for feeding bottles into one end of the-machine and discharging them from the other end of the machine onto a suitable conveyor which is arranged in close proximity to one end'of the machine for carryingthe clean bottles to the place of use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bottle washing machine wherein the bottles are not only. submerged at intervals in a suitable solution of different temperatures, but are also washed with this solution between each submerging'operation and at the end of the submerging operation, the bottles are completely filled with the solution and conveyed to the rinsing compartment, the movement of the bottles through the machine being at a predeterminedispeed to allow the solution to stand in the bottles a certain length of time and then the bottles are thoroughly rinsed with clean rinsing water at different temperatures wherein the bottles are thoroughly rinsed with clean rinsingwater, and the rinsing water applied to the bottles gradually increases in heat and then decreases before the bottles are moved to the drying chamber. With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, the combination and arrange.- ment of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 is longitudinal sectional View 5' through the main'portion of the machine 1930. Serial No. 443,787.

with the conveyor belts for the bottles being illustrated diagrammatically;

Figure 1A is a continuation of Figure 1, showing the dischargeend of the machine;

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view illustrating. the operating mechanism for loading the bottles at one end and discharging the'bottles at the other end; Figure 3is a detailed sectional view of a portionof the loading pocket Figure 4 is a: detailed section on the line L-A of Figure 1A;

Figure 5 is adetailed section of one of the upper rinsing members, particularly adapted for use in the cooling chamber; and,

Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating how the bottles can be removed from the discharge end whereby two rows of bottles may be applied-to the conveyor.

In Figures 1 and 1A, I have illustrated a longitudinal section through the entire bottle washing machine, showing the conveyor chain for the pockets diagrammatically only, it being understood that the construction of this chain forms no part of'the presentinvention and, therefore, the specific illustration is not a necessity in the case. The chain carries a plurality of rows of pockets which extend transversely across the machine, said pockets being illustrated at 1, and are adapted to receive the bottles therein in such manner that the bottles will fit snugly within the pockets and will be retained in proper position during the time that they are passed through the entire machine.

The machine itself includes a plurality of uprights generally indicated throughout the views at 2, which support the main housing for the machine. Within the housing I' provide anumber'of tanks through which the conveyor chain, the pockets and the bottles carried thereby are passed during the operation of washing and rinsing the bottles.

In describing the operation of the machine andthe process through which the bottles pass to be thoroughly washed and rinsed, the movement of the'bottles through the different solutions and through the rinsing operation-will first be described and following that willbe given an illustration as to how the pockets containing the bottles are moved through the machine and the bottles simultaneously deposited in the pockets at one end of the machine and discharged therefrom at the other end of the machine.

The empty pockets are conveyed along the bottom of the housing in a suitable chamber 3 and passing through this chamber, it will be noted that the pockets 1 are in an upright position, but after passing around the guide roll 1, and upwardly, the pockets are positioned in an inclined plane for receiving the bottles from the holder 5. This holder is pivotally mounted at 6 upon a supporting bracket 7 and adjusting rods 8 are provided for adjusting the inclination of the holder 5 should the occasion require. The holder 5 extends transversely across the front of the machine and the empty bottles are placed in this holder from the top and when each set of pockets reaches the position indicated at a, the bottles in the holder are moved from the holder into the set of pockets positioned at a. In moving the bottles from the holder, it will be noted that this is carried out by means of a tubular member 9 which can tends the full length of the holder and is connected at each end of a movable arm 10, which is reciprocated for urging the bottles from the holder.

After the bottles have been deposited within the holders, they are moved upwardly to an inverted position, as shown at b, where they are pre-rinsed before entering the solution, and it will be noted that a supply pipe 11 is so positioned that the jets of water therefrom will pass directly into the necks of the bottles. After the bottles have been pre-rinsed they travel downwardly into a solution supply tank, generally indicated at 12, and as they pass into the tank or at the position illustrated at 0 they begin to fill with the solution in the tank and will remain filled until they start to leave the solution in the tank, due to the fact that the bottles move downwardly and along the bottom of the tank and thence upwardly, as illustrated at the right in Figure 1.

At (Z the bottles begin to empty of the solution received therein from tank 12. This tank 12 preferably contains a solution of 1% alkali and is heated to approximately F.

After the bottles have discharged the solution received from tank 12 they pass upwardly and around an are above the supply pipe 13 which is provided with a plurality of perforations, whereby the bottles directly above the supply pipe and on each side thereof, or at an angle to the longitudinal center of the pipe, receive the jets. This solution which is pumped into the supply pipe 13 and out through the perforations therein, is preferably of a 5% alkali solution, and the temperature is preferably F. After the bottles have received this interior wash ing of the alkali solution of 5%, they pass downwardly into the second alkali tank, generally indicated at 14, and the bottles in the pockets indicated at e begin to fill with a solution in tank 1 1, and they are retained in their full state as they pass downwardly and along the bottom of the tank and 011 their upward movement, until they reach the position of the pockets f, where they discharge their contents back into tank 1 1. This tank 1 1 contains a solution of 5% alkali at 130 F.

The bottles after passing through tank 14 and discharging the contents of the'solution received therein from tank 14, pass upwardly above a supply pipe 13, which is similar to the pipe 13 and is perforated in a like manner so that the bottles as they pass around the are above pipe 13 receive the jets of alkali water pumped from tank 141 to again treat the bottles to an interior alkali wash.

After the bottles have been treated with a second alkali wash from supply 13, they again pass downwardly into a third tank, generally indicated at 15, and when they reach the position indicated at 9, they begin to fill with the solution in tank 15, which is also of a 5% alkali solution heated to 130 F. The bottles pass downwardly after becoming filled with the solution in tank 15 and pass along the bottom of the tank similar to the operation in tanks 12 and 1 1 and then pass upwardly over a third are above the supply pipe where they are again treated to an alkali wash pumped from tank 1 1.

The bottles after being treated with the alkali wash from supply pipe 18a pass downwardly into an additional tank indicated at 16 and as they move downwardly into the '3 pass upwardly on an inclined plane, they retain about two-thirds of the alkali solution I:

received from tank 16. The bottles pass upwardly from tank 16 into an elongated compartment 18 and at the point 70, where they enter this compartment 18 I provide a supply pipe 19, which discharges water into the bottles, so that when they are passed into compartment 18, they are entirely filled with an alkali solution.

The compartment 18 extends from a point adjacent the rear of the machine to the front 3 of the machine and the pockets and the bottles contained therein pass around a roller 20 which serves as a guide for the conveyor chain, the bottles discharging their contents as they reach the point indicated at Z. The

The bottles in 77-75 conveyor carrying the pockets and the bottles, then passes throughan upper rinsing and drying compartment 21 whichextends the full length of the machine. At the forward end of the compartment 21, I provide the lower parallel pipes 22 and the upper set of parallel pipes 23, the lower pipes being provided with a series of longitudinally extending perforations for discharging jets of alkali water into the bottles to provide analkali rinse and the pipes 23 are provided with two rows of longitudinally extending perforations arranged upon opposite sides of the longitudinal sections of the pipes to provide diverging sprays for thoroughly rinsing the bottoms of the bottles with an alkali wash. The solution discharged from the bottles at the position indicated at Z and the Waste solution from this alkali rinsing operation drops downwardly into the bottom of compartme-nt 24, where it passes out through suitable openings 25 into a discharge compartment 26. This discharge compartment 26 is connected by means of a conducting pipe 27 to the tank 16. This conveys the solutions from the bottles back to tank 16 where it was previously received.

WVithin the longitudinal compartment 21, I provide three separate rinsing tanks indicated at 28, 29 and 30.

It will be noted that directly above tank 28, I provide upper and lower discharge pipes 31 and 31. The lower pipe being provided with a single row of perforations to discharge rinsing water into the neck of the bottle to thoroughly rinse the inside thereof, while the pipe 31 is provided with diverging perforations to provide diverging sprays for the bottom of the bottles. This first rinsing operation rinses the alkali water from the inside and outside of the bottles, as well as from the pockets and this rinse water with the alkali solution from the bottles in the pockets may be conveyed in any suitable manner to the discharge or waste pipe.

The bottles in the pockets indicated at m are treated to an inside and outside rinsing from lower supply pipes 32 and upper supply pipes 32, the lower supply pipes 32 discharging a single spray into the neck of the bottles to rinse the inside thereof, while the discharge pipes 32 discharge diverging sprays for thoroughly rinsing the bottles from the bottom. This rinsing water is preferably 120 F. The bottles in the pockets indicated at n are preferably rinsed by discharge sprays from the pipes 33 by a clear water rinse with the water at 180 F.

The waste rinse water from pipes 32, 32 and 33 will drop into tank 29 and as the partition 34 between tanks 28 and 29 is comparatively low, this rinse water from 'tank will flow into tank 28 and pass on out into the usual discharge waste pipe. The

T bottles in the pockets indicated ato are pref- Arranged above these discharge pipes 35 are the hoods 36 having an opening mouth portion 37 at the bottoms, whereby the water received from the sprays in the pipes 35 are passing around in the hoods 36 and then out through the mouth 37 as clearly illustrated in Figure 5. The hot water for the rinsing operation can be brought into the machine from any hot water line pipe leading from any desired type of hot water heater (not shown).

lVhile the bottles are being cooled, the water drains from the interior thereof'and the bottles tend to dry on the inside and the bottles are further dried by natural evaporation while the bottles encircle a guide roller 38 and pass downwardly toward-the rear of the machine.

At this point, I wish to call attention'to the fact that the waste water in tank30 will flow through a connecting pipe 39 which connects tank 30 with tank 29 and this rinsing water-Will continue from tank 29to tank 28 and out through the usual waste discharge pipe.

As the rows of pockets 1 continue clownwardly, they are moved to an inclined position asat s, where they discharge the bottles from the bottom of the pockets onto the discharge platform'40 and then move downwardly on an inclined plane to the compartment 3, where they again pass forwardly to the front of the machine to become filled and in the depressed portion ofthe upper wall 42 of each of these tanks, and this will have atendency to keep the solution in the tanks in a heated condition. The solution in the tank 16 is heated by means of a coil 43. Each of the tanks 12, 14, 15 and 16, are provided adjacent the bottom thereof with suitable outlets whereby the liquid solution within the tank may be easily drained 011.

For the purpose of cleaning the settled alkali from the bottom of the tanks, I provide manhole ports 45 in each one of the tanks which contains the alkali solution, and in order to provide means for gaining access to the tanks, I provide standard manholes 46 in, the upper portion of the tanks above the solution therein. T

In Figure 2 I have illustrated the major portion of the mechanism which operates the arms 10 for feeding the bottles from the holder 5 into the pockets 1 when they reach I the position shown at a, said mechanism also acting to provide movement to the conveyor chain and also to actuate the platform for depositing the empty clean bottles from this platform onto the movable conveyors 4:7. The entire mechanism may be driven from a motor 48, provided with a small pulley 49 around which the belt 50 passes.

This belt 50 passes around a pulley 51 on shaft 52. Shaft 52 extends transversely of the machine and the operating mechanism about to be described is preferably dupli cated upon each side of the main housing for the entire machine, and is preferably arranged within the housing.

For the purpose of describing the operation of the device, it is only essential that the mechanism at one side of the housing be described, together with its operation, and as this is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, it will sufiice to give a clear illustration of the complete operation of the mechanism which operates the machine.

Paralleling shaft 52 is a second shaft 53, and mounted on shaft 53 is a gear 54 meshing with pinion 55 on shaft 52. Shaft 53 also carries a pinion 56 which meshes with the gears 57 and 58, carried by shafts 57 and 58'.

Extending transversely of the machine in front of the main shaft 52 is an upper op erating shaft 59 and a lower operating shaft 60. Connected to shaft 59 is an arm 61, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a pitman rod 62, which in turn is eccentrically connected to gear 57. Therefore, as gear 57 rotates, arm 61 will be rocked back and forth to impart a similar movement to shaft 59. Extending upwardly from shaft 59 is an arm 63 and pivotally connected to this arm 63 is an actuating rod 6% having at its forward end a pivoted dog 65 which is adapted to engage the chain links 66 during the reciprocating movement of rod 64 for imparting a forward movement to the conveyor chain. This rod 64 is positioned directly beneath the upper rinsing compartment 21 adjacent the rear end of the machine.

Secured to shaft 59 for rocking movement is a second arm 67 carrying at its outer end a guide block 68 in which is slidably mounted a rod 69. This rod 69 extends forwardly toward the front of the machine and is pivotally connected to arm 10, as indicated at 70.

As noted in Figure 1, each arm 10 is pivotally mounted on a suitable bracket 71 so that both arms on the sides of the machine will readily swing upon their pivots to cause member 9 to force the bottles from the holder 5.

As noted in Figure 2, the rear end of rod 69 projects beyond block 68 and has an adjusting nut 72 at the rear end and mounted upon rod 69 between block 68 and nut 72 is a coil spring 73. From this construction, it

will be apparent that should the member 9 meet with any obstruction within the holder 5, arm 67 will urge block 68 along rod 69 against the tension of spring 73, whereby the arms 10 will not be swung upon their pivots. However, the tension of spring 73 is usually sufficient to feed the bottles from the holder 5.

Keyed to shaft -is a rocker arm 74, the lower end of whichvis connected by means of rod 75 to pivoted dog which operates in the same manner as pivoted dog 65, in order to urge the conveyor forwardly in compartment 3.

From this, it will be apparent that with the simultaneous operation of rods 64 and 75, together with the simultaneous opera-- tion of dogs 65 and 65, the conveyor will be urged through the entire machine. The upper end of rocker arm 74 has pivotally con nected thereto a pitman rod 62 which in turn is eccentrically connected to gear 58, as shown in Figure 2, and as gears 57 and 58 rotate simultaneously, arm 61 and arm 74 will be simultaneously actuated.

Attached to shaft 60 is a rocker arm 76 carrying at its outer end a block 77 having an opening therethrough to receive the rod 78. At opposite sides of block 77, rod 78 is pro vided with stop collars 79 and 79. The rear end of rod 78 is connected to a rocker arm 80, pivotally connected at 81 to suporting arm 82 for platform 40, it being understood that an arm 82 is arranged at each side of the machine and the platform 4-0 supported by these arms. In the posi ion shown in Figure 2, it will be noted that the rocker arm 76 has been moved rearwardly to actuate the platform 40 and raises the same to receive the bottles from the pockets in the position indicated at .9, and as the bottles drop into the platform 40, when in its raised position, they will be in an inclined position, and, it is, therefore, essential that a guard 83 be provided to retain the bottles on the platform.

As the rocker arm 76 moves forwardly through the rotation of gear 58, block 77 will have a tendency to slide on the rod and engage the collar 79 rocking the platform 40 due to its pivotal connection with red 78 l downwardly to a substantially horizontal position, and on a plane with the conveyors 47.

Connected to shaft 60 is a rocker arm 8d carrying a block 85 similar to block 7 7 and it slidably receives the inner end of rod 86. The rod 86 carries a stop collar 87 adapted to be engaged by block 85 as arm 84 is rocked toward the rear of the machine, this movement urges rod 86 rearwardly and due to its connection with arm 88 mounted on shaft 89,

this shaft 89 will be rotated. The shaft 89 is mounted in a suitable bearing on bracket 90 which supports the conveyor chain.

The bottles after being deposited upon platform 40 are to be urged from this platform onto the conveyors 47 and in order to carry this out, I provide a reciprocating platform 91, which supports in offset relation the angle bars 92 and 92, with one angle of each bar being disposed in a vertical position as at Figure 2, for engaging the bottles adjacent the bottom thereof.

The platform 91 is movable supported by the arms 98 and 94, arm 93 being pivotally mounted at 95 upon one of the supporting standards 2 for the machine, while arm 94; is connected to shaft 89 and moves therewith. From this, it will be apparent that due to the relative positions of rocker arms 76 and 84, arm 84; will actuate the angle push members 9:2 and 92, after the platform 40'has reached a horizontal position aligning with the conveyors 17 By having the angle push members 92 and 92 arranged in offset relation, as shown at Figure 6, two rows of bottles may be placed upon the two conveyor members 47, as it is moved along across the rear of the machine. However, only one of the push members may be positioned at the outer end of bar 91 for use in removing the bottles from the platform if the occasion should require.

It will be noted that when rocker arm 84 moves rearwardly, rod 86 will be actuated rearwardly, rotating shaft 89 for urging arm 94 toward a vertical position, and this'will move the platform 91 toward the conveyors,

moving the bottles from the platform 40 7 onto the conveyors.

Connected to shaft 89 is a weight arm 97 which is raise-d when arm 84: moves rearwardly, but as soon as arm 84 begins to move forwardly, this weight 97 will have a tendency to rotate shaft 89 and cause stop collar 87 to retain its position in contact with block 85, thus returning arms 93 and 94 and platform 91 to its normal inoperative position, as shown in Figure 2.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that I have provided a bottle washing machine wherein the bottles can be readily deposited within themovable pockets when in a predetermined position at the forward end of the machine, and will be passed through a series of submerging and washing operations in alkali solutions at different temperatures and then be subjected to a rinsing operation where the temperature of the rinsing water varies from a comparatively low degree to a higher degree, and thence graduated downwardly to cold water and then dried and deposited upon the platform 10 where, through the simultaneous movement of pitmen 62 and 62, the dry, clean bottles are moved from platform 40 simultaneously with the movement of the dirty bottles from the holder 5 to a new set of pockets.

I claim:

1. In a bottle washing machine, an endless conveyor including upper and lower arms, means for imparting a step-by-step movement to said conveyor including upper and lower rock shafts, oppositely projecting arms carried by each of said shafts, pitman rods pivotally connected to certain of said arms, rotary gears, means for eccentrically connecting the other ends of the pitman rods to the gears, means for imparting a rotative movement to saidgears, and means connected with the other of said arms for engaging the upper and lower runs respectively of the endless conveyor for urging the runs of the conveyor in the same direction.

2. In a bottle washing machine, a housing, an endless conveyor mounted for movement in the housing, a plurality of spaced bottle carriers on the conveyor and means for feeding bottles to the conveyor including a platform arranged in front of the conveyor, links rockably mounted above the platform, means for rocking said links, means carried by the links for movement over the platform for urging bottles thereon into adjacent bottle carriers, means rockably .supporting the platform, and means for adjusting the angle of the platform relative to the bottle carrier.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing I' have hereunto set my hand at Menomonee Falls, in the county of Waukesha and State of Wisconsin.

GERALD L. OTTO.

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