US1977138A

US1977138A - Receptacle cleaning and filling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1977138A
Application number: US865902A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Newey
Original assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Current assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
Priority date: 1933-04-13
Filing date: 1933-04-13
Publication date: 1934-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1951-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1934. w H, NEwEY 1,977,138

RECEPTACLE CLEANING AND FILLING APPARATUS Fild April 15, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I MM 9- 7 6M GLMJLQ ATTORNEY RECEPTACLE CLEANING AND FILLING APPARATUS Filed April 13 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mean/W 7 BY m4 mum ATTORNEY Oct. 16, 1934. w. H. NEWEY RECEPTACLE CLEANING AND FILLING APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 3M QIMM.

ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 RECEPTAOLE CLEANING AND APPARATUS William 1!. Newey, Hinglram, I

Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

a corporation of Application April 13, 1223, Serial No. 625,902 14 Claims. (01. 226-88) This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning containers, and particularly bottles, and also to a unitary machine for cleaning and filling containers, such as bottles.

One object of the invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus for pneumatically cleaning containers, and particularly bottles, and which finds particular use in removing foreign matter from new containers or bottles which may have accumulated therein during the manufacture thereof, and which is capable of cleaning the containers or bottles in a superior and more emcient and rapid manner than has heretofore been possible.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel machine capable of pneumatically cleaning and then filling containers, and particularly bottles, in a more rapid, efiicient, and practical manner than has heretofore been possible.

With these objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the apparatus for cleaning containers, and particularly bottles; in the combined cleaning and filling apparatus, and in the various structures, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bottle cleaning and filling machine; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. I, viewed from the right; and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line 4-4, Fig. i.

In general, the invention contemplates a novel and superior apparatus for pneumatically cleaning containers and bottles, and which finds particular use in removing from new bottles the small particles of foreign matter which may have accumulated therein during the process of manufacture.. In the improved bottle cleaning apparatus provision is made for creating a vacuum within the bottle and utilizing the vacuum thus produced to induce the how into the bottle of a gaseous medium, preferably air, to the end that the foreign matter may be removed by the air current, and experience has shown that difficulties heretofore experienced with the pressure type pneumatic cleaning apparatus, which have heretofore been used, are overcome, as will be described by the present vacuum operated cleaning apparatus. Provision is preferably made for simultaneously cleaning a plurality of bottles and for relatively moving the bottles and individual suction nozzles into sealing engagement to the end that the foreign matter may be removed outwardly through the suction nozzles by the air current and thence conveyed to a storage receptacle in an efficient manner such as to prevent the dispersion of the foreign matter in the room in which the cleaning machine is operating. This feature of the invention is particularly useful in providing sanitary conditions under which bottles and other containers may be filled subsequent to the cleaning operation. In its preferred form the os invention is embodied in a combination cleaning and filling machine, and in which provision is made for pneumatically cleaning a plurality of bottles, preferably by the application of suction, and subsequently filling them in an automatic 1o manner. The cleaning and filling operations are preferably arranged to cooperate with the mechanism for handling and moving the bottles or other containers to the end that uncleaned bottles may be fed continuously into the machine, cleaned 7a automatically, and then filled, and the bottles automatically discharged from the machine.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate the different features of the invention as embodied in a machine for automatically cleaning and filling bottles,- 10 represents a bottle supporting member which in the illustrated machine is adapted tooperatively support a plurality of rows of bottles to thereby permit the bottles in one row to be cleaned while the bottles in a sucas ceeding row are being filled. The machine is further provided with a row of cleaning nozzles 12 and a row of filling nozzles 14, and provision is made, as will be described, for elevating the bottle supporting member at the proper time in the. cycle of operation of the machine to present the mouth of the bottles into engagement with said nozzles to enable the cleaning and filling operations to be performed. Provision is preferably made for feeding the bottles to be cleaned and filled into the machine upon an incoming conveyor comprising a belt 20 and for discharging the filled bottles from the machine upon a discharge conveyor 21.

The empty bottles as they are taken from the shipping cases are ready to be cleaned and filled are deposited on the belt 20 and are carried along by this belt until they reach a stop 22 adjustably supported upon an upright member 24 forming a part of the machine frame. The belt 20 runs over an idler pulley 26 at one end of the machine and over a driving pulley 28 at the other end of the machine. The driving pulley 28 is fast on a shaft-20 driven through mechanism including a p ocket 32 last on the shaft 30, a chain 34 and no a sprocket 36 which turns free on a stud 38 supported on a vertical bracket 39. The sprocket 36 is provided with a bevel gear 40 attached thereto and arranged to mesh with a bevel gear 42 attached to a worm wheel 43, and provision is made for continuously driving the worm wheel 43. As herein shown, the worm wheel 43 is driven from a motor 45 supported upon a platen 47 forming a part of the machine frame through a belt 48 and pulley 49 fast on a shaft 53. The shaft 53 is provided with a worm 51 which drives the worm wheel 43, the latter being fast upon a cam shaft 52. In this manner, a continuous motion is imparted to the conveyor belt 20 to thereby move the empty bottles into a position in which the first bottle rests against the stop 22, while the machine is running.

Provision is made for transferring a plurality of the bottles from their position on the incoming conveyor belt 20 onto the bottle supporting member 10 when the latter is in its depressed position with its surface flush with the surface of the conveyor belt 20. As herein shown, provision is made at each cycle of operation for thus transferring a number of bottles corresponding to the number of cleaning or filling nozzles 12, 14, and during the operation of the machine the transfer of empty bottles from the incoming conveyor belt 20 to the bottle supporting member operates to transfer the previously cleaned row of bottles from a position under the cleaning nozzles 12 into a position under the filling nozzles 14, and simultaneously to effect the transfer of the filled bottles from a position under the filling nozzles 14 onto the discharge conveyor.

As herein shown, the bottle pushing mechanism comprises a bar 58 mounted on a slide 60 guided in brackets 62 mounted on the platen 47 of the machine. The slide 60 has a reciprocating motion imparted to it by a cam 64 which operates on a lever 66 through a cam roll 68 and cam roll pin '70 fastened in the cam lever 66. The upper end of the cam lever 66 has a forked end '72 which embrahes a roll '14 free on a stud 76 fastened in a plate 1'79 adjustably clamped to a bracket 181 attached to the slide 60. The cam 64 is attached to the cam shaft 52 and rotates with it. A counter balance weight 6'7 is attached to the cam lever a chain 69 running over a pulley 73 free to turn on a pin '75 attached to a bracket '17 fastened to the underside of the platen 47.

The bottle supporting and elevating member 10 is formed with downwardly extending sides 78, '79, to form side guides for the empty bottles being conveyed into the machine on the incoming conveyor belt 20 and also for the filled bottles leaving the machine on the outgoing conveyor. Provision is made for automatically moving the bottle supporting and elevating member 10 at predetermined times in the cycle of operation of the machine in order to elevate the bottles to cleaning and filling position and to subsequently lower the member 10 to a position flush with the incoming belt 20 and discharge belt 21, and for this purpose the member 10 is rigidly attached to slide members by means of brackets 81. The slide members 80 are guided in slideways formed in brackets 82 supported by the platen 4''! above referred to. The bottle supporting and elevating member 10 is actuated by a cam 84 fast on the cam shaft 52 by connections between it and the cam including a lever 86 fast on the rock shaft 50 and including a cam lever 88 also fast on the rock shaft 50 and which is provided with a cam roll 92 operating in the path 94 of the elevating cam 84. During the operation of the machine, .when the bottle supporting and elevating member 10 is in its lower position, the bottle pushing bar 58 operates to push a row of empty bottles from the incoming conveyor belt 20 into a position upon the bottle supporting member 10 under the cleaning or suction nozzles 12, and this operation pushes over the row of previously cleaned bottles into a position beneath the filling nozzles 14 and at the same time the row of previously filled bottles are pushed laterally from the bottle supporting and elevating member 10 onto the outgoing conveyor belt 21 to be discharged from the machine.

At each cycle in the operation of the machine, as the bottle supporting member is elevated, two rows of bottles are lifted as shown in Fig. 3 until the mouth of each bottle in each row contacts and makes a tight joint with one of the series of cleaning or filling nozzles 12, 14, respectively.

In order to effect the pneumatic cleaning of the row of bottles contacting with the cleaning nozzles 12, each nozzle 12 has provision for permitting air or other gaseous medium to be drawn into the bottle by suction produced in the bottle in a manner such that the dust and other foreign matter may be sucked with the air current upwardly and outwardly from the bottle through the suction nozzle. As herein shown, each cleaning nozzle 12 comprises a rubber collar 100 fastened to the lower end of a stem 102 slidably mounted in a bracket 103 attached to a longitudinal bar 105, supported by an upright frame 107 resting on the platen 47. Each stem 102 is provided with a passageway leading from the end of the nozzle outwardly through a side nipple 104 to which a rubber or other flexible tube 106 may be attached. The tubes cleaning nozzles are connected to a pipe 108 leading to a vacuum tank 110. A vacuum pump 112 of any usual or preferred construction is driven by a motor 114 by means of a belt 116 and

pulleys

118, 120, and operates to create a vacuum in the tank 110, being connected through a piping 122 and strainer 124. A body of water 126 is preferably maintained in the bottom of the vacuum tank 110 and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the pipe 108 extends down below the surface of the water and is provided with a conical shaped hood 128 to minimize the agitation of the water due to the incoming air. When the vacuum pump 112 is operating, a suction is created within the tank 110 and pipe 108, and also within a row of cleaning nozzles 12. In order to permit an air current to tion created therein, as above described, a small vent tube 109 is provided attached to the inside of each cleaning nozzle,--and the lower end of the vent tube extends below the rubber contact collar 100 of the cleaning nozzles 12 and into the mouth of the bottle when the latter is sealed by the collar 100. The other end of the vent tube is open be drawn into each bottle by the suc- 106 from all of the and extends out through the side of the cleaning 1 .a cam roller 134 attached to a lever 136 by means of a cam roll pin 138. A connecting rod 140 is,

the spring 164 would yield and thus prevent pivotally connected on one end of this lever and operates the valve 130 through swivel connections 142 on the end 01' a valve lever 144. A

spring 146 is connected to the second end of the cam lever 136, one end of said spring being attached to the underside of a platen 47 and operating to keep the cam roller 134 on the surface of the cam 132. The cam lever 136 is pivotally mounted on a stud 148 last in a. bracket 150 attached to the underside of the platen 47. In operation the valve 130 is operated to shut oil? the pipe 108 between the cleaning nozzles 12 and the vacuum tank 110 during the period that the created in the row of empty bottles which are in contact with the cleaning nozzles 12. The vent tubes 109 permit free air to flow into the bottles establishing a current of air through the bottles and outwardly through the suction nozzles into the vacuum tank, enabling any particles of foreign matter contained in the bottles being .cleaned to be sucked out with the air current through the cleaning nozzles 12 and into the vacuum tank 110.

From the description thus far it will be observed that the suction operated apparatus for cleaning the bottles enables the dust and other foreignmatter to be removed from within the bottles and conveyed through a conduit system into the vacuum tank and that the latter acts as a storage for such foreign matter, preventing it from being discharged into the room, preventing contamination of the air and providing more sanitary conditions for the bottle filling operations to be performed. The described suction operated pneumatic cleaning apparatus also eliminates those dimculties which have heretofore accompanied the use of pneumatic cleaning apparatus of the pressure type, because of the condensation of moisture when the air was com pressed and its accumulation within the bottles. The wetting of the. inside of the bottles thus rendered the removal oi the dust and other foreign matter more dimcult and, in some instances, impossible.

While the apparatus thus far described may be used with advantage as a cleaning apparatus, it is preferred to incorporate it in a unitary combination cleaning and filling apparatus, and, as

herein shown, the row of filling nozzles 14 which are arranged parallel to the cleaning nozzles 12, as shown by Figs. 1 and 6, are each slidably mounted in a bracket 158 attached to a longitudinal bar 160 supported by upright frames 162 resting on and fastened to the platen 47 of the machine frame. A spring 164 encircling a stem 166 of each filling nozzle 14 is provided to allow the filling nozzle to yield slightly as the mouth oi the bottle comes in contact with the rubber collar 100 on the bottom of each nozzle. The lower end of the spring 164 rests on a pin 165 fast in the stem 166 of the nozzle, and the upper end of the spring bears against the upper bearing of the bracket 158. Thus it will be seen that ii a bottle should be out of proper alignment with a nozzle when the elevator is raised and any one of the vnozzles should strike the top edge of the bottle,

breakage of the bottle.

As above described, in the operation of the illustrated machine provision is made for eifecting the operation of the bottle filling mechanism to till the row of previously cleaned bottles simultaneously with the cleaning of the row of bottles under the cleaning nozzles 12, and while any filling mechanism may be employed, I prefer to effect the filling of the bottles by mechanism constructed and operating in accordance with the United States patent to Pennock, No. 1,737,677, to which reference may be made. For the purpose of understanding the present invention it is thought suflicient to state that the bottles are filled by the well known vacuum principle as clearly set forth in said Pennock patent. The liquid with which the bottles are to be filled is contained in a tank 1'78 located at the back of the machine and below the level of the bottles to be filled. The liquid is drawn by vacuum created in the bottle through a suction pipe180, one end of which is immersed in the liquid of the tank, the other end of which is connected to the filling nozzles 14 at a nipple 182. A suction pump (not shown) of well known construction is connected to a pipe 184 which leads into and has an opening at the top of an inverted bowl 186. A vacum is created in the bowl 186 by the suction pump and when the mouth of the bottle is sealed by the rubber collar 100, as shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum in the bowl operates through a check valve 188, a pipe 194, a flexible tubing 196 and a passageway 198 extending down through the filling nozzles 14 into the inside of the bottle to evacuate the bottle. The suction of the bottle is connected with the suction pipe 180 by a tubular member 200 positioned concentrically inside'oi an outer tube 202, and the passageway through this tube 200 is connected with a chamber 204 of the filling nozzle 14 which in turn is connected with the suction pipe 180.

When the air is exhausted from the bottle to be filled, the liquid in the tank 178 will be caused to how through the suction pipe 180 through the chamber 204 and through the tube 200 into the bottle. When the bottle is filled so that the liquid reaches the bottom of the filling nozzle 14, the suction from the vacuum pump draws 0d any further liquid coming into the bottle through the passage 198 and chamber 204 and into the bowl 186, and the surplus liquid may subsequently be drawn back to the tank 178, thus filling all bottles to the se height.

It will be observed that the filling operatic automatically coences when the elevator 46 lifts the bottles to filling position and is completed before the elevator again descends. When the elevator 46 descends and the contact is broken between the rubber collar 100 and the mouth of the bottle, the suction in the bottle is broken and the flow of liquid from the tank 178 through the filling nozzles 14 I is terminated. Any surplus liquid that is drawn into the bowl 186 finds its way back to the tank 178 through a drain pipe 206 which is provided on its end with a check valve 208 for preventing the flow of liquid through this pipe when the bowl 186 is under vacuum. As illustrated in Fig. 1, two bowls 186 may be used, and the suction line from the vacuum pump 112 may be connected through a valve, not shown, designed to operate periodically tp release the vacuum on the bowls alternately, as clearly set forth in the Pennock Patent, No. 1,737,677.

After the bottles have been cleaned and filled in the manner described and the elevator has moved to its lower position, the filled bottles are ejected onto the outgoing belt 21 by the movement of the next and previously cleaned row in position beneath the filling nozzles, as previously described. It will be observed that the illustrated machine is designed to automatically handle, clean, and fill the bottles rapidly and in an economical, sanitary, and efllcient manner, requiring minimum handling. The single elevator for simultaneously presenting the row of bottles to be cleaned to the cleaning nozzles, and the previously cleaned bottles to the filling nozzles, together with the vacuum filling mechanism, enables the unitary machine to be of a relatively simple and durable construction.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed is l. The combination with bottle filling mechanism, of conveying mechanism for' conveying bottles into operative position ready to be filled, and means adapted to seal the bottles for pneumatically cleaning the interior of the bottles fed into the machine prior to their movement into filling position, said means being constructed and arranged to prevent contamination of the bottle filling operation by the foreign bodies remove during the cleaning operation.

2. In a machine for cleaning bottles, in combination, a suction conduit, a nozzle pperatively connected therewith, bottle supporting means for relatively moving the nozzle and bottle to seal the mouth of the bottle by said nozzle, said nozzle being provided with two portions, one extending down into the bottle when the latter is sealed and through which air may be drawn into the bottle by the suction created therein, and the other for permitting ,the suction within the suction conduit to draw the air from the bottle outwardly through said suction conduit whereby foreign bodies may be sucked out of the bottle with said air.

3. In a machine for cleaning bottles, in combination, bottle supporting means, a suction noz-' zle, means'for creating a suction within the suction nozzle including a suction conduit and a suction tank, means for relatively moving the bottle and nozzle to cause the nozzle to seal the mouth of the bottle, said nozzle having one portion extending down into the bottle for admitting air thereto when the bottle is sealed and another portion for permitting the air within the bottle to be sucked outwardly through said suction line whereby foreign bodies may be sucked out of the bottle with said air.

4, In a bottle cleaning machine, in combination, aplurality of nozzles, means for simultaneously creating suction within the nozzles and within the bottle for eifecting the cleaning thereof and the conveyance of foreign bodies outwardly therefrom through said nozzles, means for moving the bottles to be cleaned into a position to be sealed by said nozzles, each of said nozzles being provided with a portion extending down into the bottle when the latter is sealed and through which air may be introduced into the bottle by the vacuum created therein.

5. In a bottle cleaning machine, in combination, a plurality of nozzles, means for moving the bottlesto be cleaned into a position to be sealed by said nozzles, and means for pneumatically effecting the cleaning of the bottles and the onveyance of foreign bodies outwardly from thin the bottles through said nozzles, including means for creating suction within the bottles, each of said nozzles being provided with a portion extending down into the bottle when the latter is sealed and through which air may be drawn into the bottle by the vacuum created therein.

6. In a machine for cleaning containers, in combination, container supporting means, a suction conduit, means for connecting the container and suction conduit in, sealed relationship to evacuate the container, and means for permitting an air stream to be introduced to within the container by vacuum within the container including a nozzle extending down into the container, and to thereby enable foreign bodies within the container to be sucked out through said suction conduit with said'air stream.

7. In a machine for cleaning containers, in combination, container supporting means, a suction and storage tank, a suction conduit connected with the tank, means for connecting the container with the suction conduit in sealed relationship to evacuate the container, and means for permitting an air stream to be introduced into the container by the suction created therein including a nozzle extending down into the container when the latter is sealed, and to thereby permit foreign bodies to be sucked from the container with the air stream outwardly through the suction conduit and into said suction tank to be stored therein.

8. In a machine for cleanng containers, in combination, a suction conduit, means for connecting the suction conduit and container, container moving and supporting means, means for permitting the vacuum created within the container to draw in an air stream to thereby enable foreign bodies to be sucked with the air stream outwardly through said suction conduit, and a valve operatively connected with said container moving means controlling the suction in said suction condui 9. The combination with bottle filling mechanism, of conveying mechanism for conveying bottles into the machine, a plurality of suction nozzles each having a portion adapted for insertion into the bottle to permit the suction'created therein to draw air therethrough into the bottle, means for effecting the sealing of the mouth of the bottle by said nozzle, and means including a conduit system having provision for conducting away substantially all of the foreign bodies removed from the bottles during the cleaning operation to thereby prevent contamination of the bottle filling operation.

10. In a bottle filling machine, in combination, a pneumatic cleaning nozzle having a portion adapted for introduction down into the interior of a bottle and through which air is introduced therein, bottle filling means, bottle supporting means for effecting the sealing of a bottle with the pneumatic cleaning nozzle and the supporting of a previously cleaned bottle in bottle filling position, and means rendered operative upon the completion of the cleaning operation and after removal of the aforesaid portion of the cleaning nozzle, for moving a cleaned bottle into a position in alignment with the bottle filling mechanism.

11. In a bottle cleaning machine, in combination, a bottle sealing nozzle having a substantially straight air admitting member for inserfor relatively moving the bottle and said seal-,

3 ing nozzle to seal the-mouth of the bottle, and

means for establishing suction in the suction conduit.

12. In a bottle filling machine, in combination, bottle filling mechanism, bottle cleaning mechanism, said bottle cleaning mechanism including a bottle sealing nozzle having a substantially straight air admitting member for insertion into the bottle, and a suction conduit for drawing air from the bottle outwardly around said air admitting member, means for relatively moving the bottle and sealing nozzle to eiiect the sealing of the mouth of the bottle, and a conduit having provision whereby substantially all of the foreign bodies removed from the bottle may be conducted away from the vicinity of the bottle filling mechanism for the purpose specified.

13. In a bottle filling machine, in combination, a pneumatic cleaning nozzle having a portion adapted forintroduction down into the interior of a bottle and through which air is introduced therein, means for relatively moving the bottle and nozzle to efiect the introduction of the cleaning nozzle down into the bottle and for subsequently removing the same therefrom, means for effecting a pneumatic cleaning of the interior of the bottle while the nozzle is extended therein, including means for creating suction within the bottle, means rendered operative upon completion of the cleaning operation and after removal of said portion of the nozzle for moving the cleaned bottle into bottle filling position, and means for thereafter filling the previously cleaned bottle.

14. In a bottle cleaning machine, in combination, bottle supporting means, means for pneumatically cleaning the interior of a bottle supported on said-bottle supporting means, including a substantially straight air admitting member mounted for insertion down into the bottle and through which air may be introduced into the bottle, a nozzle provided with a suction conduit for drawing air from the bottle outwardly around said air admitting member, means for relatively moving the bottle and said nozzle to cause the mouth of the bottle to engage said nozzle, and means for establishing suction in the suction conduit, said suction conduit being closed for a substantial length thereof whereby to permit the foreign bodies removed from the bottle to be conducted away from the vicinity of the bottle.

WILLIAM H. NEWEY.