US2339832A - Drinking glass washer conveyer - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 19.44.` A. w. ARNoLD DRINKING GLASS WASHER CONVEYER 2 Sheets-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1940 INVENTOR Patented Jamas, 1944 'f' AUNITED STATE-Si" tPT-NT OFFICE- p A f f 2,339,832 t v DmNKrNo GLASS WASHER coNvEYER Alex W. Arnold, La Crosse, Wis. Application November- 25, 1940, lSerial No. 367,053

1o claims. I(el. 19a-107) -My invention relates in general to 'improvements in the art of cleansing objects in succession, and relates more specificallyto improvements in the construction and operation of washing mechanisms for washing and sterilizing ing glasses, cups or the like.

Generally defined, an object of the present invention is to provide' an improvedv cleansing mechanism for drinking glasses or the like, which is simple and compact in construction and highly efficient in use A more specic object ofimy invention is to provide a new and useful drinking glass Washer equipped with improved mechanism for transf-v porting'the glasses to, through and from fthe machine en masse'and without danger of breakage.

provide an improved glass cleansing machine adapted to rapidly and effectively wash and rinse a succession of relatively brittle receptacles' of various sizes, and with minimum effort-'and attention on thepart of the operator.'

A further specific object of my present invention is to provide simplied structure for trans'- porting cup-shaped objects such as inverted drinking glasses along a definite path, both gently and rapidly, and without danger of chipping the mouth engaging rims of the receptacles.

Still another specic object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, durable and reliable machine for thoroughly washing or cleansthe like.

An additional specific object of my inventionis drink- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central 'verticalsection' through the washing unit of Fig'. 1, taken Aalong the line 2-2 and showing the drive and-,other normally concealed details of construction, the discharge lane enclosure likewise having been omitted;`

Fig. 3 .is a bottom view of the enclosurewhich normally houses the washing, vsterilizing and rinsing zone;

Fig. -4 is ya fragmentary horizontal section through the rotor portion of the unit, the section being taken beneath the rotor andfthe latter being shown in dot-and-dash lines;

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentarylongitudinal section through 'the machineA taken 'along the line '5-'5 of 'Fig. l, and showing the transporting bars in t t i the Supply lane elevated to the maximum extent; Another specic object of this invention is ,to

.. .position;

Fig. 1l is a similar section showing Fig. 6 is another fragmentary section through i the supply lane, showingthe transporting bars in medial foremost position; f

Fig.v 7 "is still another fragmentarysection through the glass supply lane, showing thetransporting bars in lowermost` position;` i

Fig. 8 is a motion diagram depicting the movement of the transporting racks or bars in the supply lane; Fig.' 9 is a motion diagram illustrating the movement of the transporting bars or racks in the tumbler discharge lane;

Fig. 10 -is a fragmentary section taken longitudinally' through 'the object discharge lane, and showing the transporting bars in uppermost tilted porting bars in lowermosttiltedposition;

Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical section through Y, the glass or tumbler Washer; taken along the line l2-I2 of Fig. 1; v

to provide an improved object advancing mechanism operable from a single rotary driving shaft to advance the successive objects in one" lanev in a direction opposite to that of the objects inv-'anzi adjacent parallel lane. I These and other specific objectsand advantages of my present improvement, .and `of :the mode of constructing and of "operating drinking 'gla'ss Whilemy inventionv has been washers built in accordance with theinvention, j:

may behad byreierringto the drawingsaccornz-` panying andfforming a part ofzthis spacification 'wherein like referencecharacters designate y lr i same or similar parts in the-various views,` u

Fig. through a lower portion of' the. machinetaken along. the line I3-I 3 of Fig. 2, showing the motorv ldrive and pumps; and n f Fig. l4-is a bottom view of the supply anddiss 'I .,charge lracks and of a portion ofvthe'driving 'mechanism-therefor.I l f shown and described herein as being embodied in a machine' especially adapted to handle and Washl drinking glasses,erf-ytumblers formed of relatively brittle material, it is .not -rnyj-.desire orintention to there- ',by unnecessarily limit or restrict` the scope, or

utility of the improvement forother purposes..v

Referring to the drawings, the improved drinking glass cleanser shown therein comprises in vthe dischargerlane enclosure having been omitted; 55 general a rigid main .frame ll adapted` to t rest the 'trans- 'f 13 is a transverse horizontal section tumbler rinsing basin 23 associated with the upper,

deck I8 near the inlet end of the supply lane I9 and having a. rinsing water supply 4nozzle 24 therein .and -a removable cover 25 therefor; an object advancing rack consisting of a series of parallel interconnected longitudinally and ver-- tically movable transporting bars 26 movable between parallel fixed bars 21, located within-the supply lane I9; a glass supporting and Vrevolving rotor or slotted disk 23 lmounted upon a drive shaft 29 with its upper surface inhorizontalalinement with and in close proximity to the 4delivery ends of the fixed bars 21, the disk 28 being normally covered yby an annular removable hood 43Il and-havinga series of liquid `spray nozzlesr 3|, 32 therebeneath; an object ydischarge rack consistin'g` of a. series of parallel interconnected tiltable and longitudinally movable transporting bars 3-3 movable between parallel fixed bars 34, located within `the discharge lane 20; a -pair of liquid pumps 35, 36 mounted on the. lower deck 22, `and a hot liquid supply pipe 31, for delivering liquid to thenozzles 24, 3|, 32; and an electric motor .3B-mounted on lthe deck 22 andcooperating with the 'transporting racks, rotor and pumps to drive these elements. Y

The. main frame I1 which. provides -a `durable but .portable support for thefwashing unit, maybe formed ofstandard bar and sheet metal, andthe upper ldeck I8 with lwhich the transporting-mechanism'for thetumblers or drinking glasses 39 i-s associated, may also be provided with suitable drainage pans 40, 4I disposed beneath-the :lanes I9,-29 and below the washing zone 2 I, respectively. Theremovable housing orhood-30 is provided with inlet and discharge openings 42, 43 which lnormally-communicate ywith the supply and delivery lanes I9, 29 respectivelyfwhen the hood is in proper position, and the hood 30 may also be provided with a transparent top closure 44 and with` pliable division and wiping partitions 45 depending from the closure 44. These `partitions 45 'must however provide suiiicient clearance to Ipermit passage therebeneath, by the tallest tumblers or glasses 39 which are to be cleansed, and the rotor disk 28 is provided with a series of narrow rslots 46 disposed either radially or circumferentially relative to the shaft 29, for permitting liquid from the nozzles 3|, 32 to strike the advancing objects carried by the rotor. The delivery end of the glass supply lane I9 may-beprov-lded with a guide plate 41 for conducting the glasses 39 en masse into the hood receiving open- -ing 42, and -the iixed bars 21, 34 of the desk I8 extend into close proximity with the periphery of the revolving disk 23. The removable housing 30 maybe supported from the deck I8 centrally ofV within the lanes I9, 20 and which lare adapted to transport the objects or inverted glasses 39 en masse along these lanes to and from the washing zone 2 I, Aare of special and improved construction, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, and in Fig. 14. Both of the transporting racks are simultaneously movable by means of a common transverse horizontal shaft 53 journalled in bearingsV carried by the upper deck I8, and adapted to be` rotated Yat suitable relatively slow speed by the motor 38 through speed reducing chain gearing 54, see Figs. 2, 5, 12 and 13. The chain drive :is applied to the medial portion of the shaft 53 near the central longitudinal partition I8', and the-portion of the shaft 53 beneath the supply v,lane I9 is provided with two laterally spaced eccentrics 55 and an intermediate eccentric 56 and has Va crank-151 at theextreme end thereof, while the .portion of this shaft 53 beneath the discharge lane 20 is provided with only two laterally separated leccentrics 58 :and with an end crank ,59. While all of thev eccentrics 55, 58 are fastened to thshat 53 in the same position relativeftotheshft axis, the cranks 51, 59 are disposed' oppositely with respect to thisv axis, and the eccentrics 55, 58 -coact With vplates 6,0 secured -to the corresponding ends of the bars 26, 33 respectively of the two transporting grates, so thatwhen the shaft 53 rotates these correspondvingbar ends Vare, raised and lowered in unison by these particular eccentrics 55, 58. However, the tumbler `supply bars 26xnust feed the glasses 39 forwardly, while the bars 33 must convey the glasses rearwardly;- and the 4bars 26 move parallel while-the bars, 33 swing about their delivery ends. Because of ithis difference in movement, the mechanisms for producing the desired actions of .the bars 26, 33 `avill'bedescribed separately.

.',leferring particularly to the inlet feed mechanisxn shown in- Figs. 5 to 8inclusive and wherein the .grate bars V2li are movable as shown in the diagram voffFig. '8, the crank 51 is connected by a connecting -rod r6I with a pivot 62 secured to the bars 26 neartheinitial washing basin 23. A bearing .plate 64 is secured to the vbars 26 beneath the pivot 62 and coacts with a roller 85 carried .by one end Iof a lever 66, and ther medial portion of .this lever 66 is fulcrurned upon a fixed pivot pin 61 while the opposite end thereof coacts with the central eccentric 55. The assemblage is .therefore such, that when the eccentrics 55, 56 are revolved by rotation of the shaft 53, the eccentrics .5.5 `will merely raise and lower the adjacentendsof the bars 26, and the central eccentric coacting with the lever 66 will swing this leverso as to cause `the roller 6.5 to simultaneously raise and lower the opposite ends of the bars 26, whilethe crank l5'! acting through the connecting .rodland pin 62 will reciprocate the bars 26 during their up and down movement. During this -reciprocation the plates 6E! ride o n the eccentrics `55 and the plate 64: rides upon the roller 65, and as the bars 26 liftor move upwardly .be-

yond the intervening xedbars 21, `the moving barslift -the inverted glasses 39, carry them forward .toward the `washing zone ;2I, and deposit them in ,advanced position upon the fixed bars 21 -where theglasses remain while the bars 26 are moving downwardly and rearwardly beneath the supporting-surfaces of the fixed bars. Thisstep by step/advaiicement proceeds until the glasses A39 within the lanel I9 have all been delivered to the conveying disk 2,8, and the transportation is .el'ected .gently vand entirely without shock. 'Ihe diagram of Fig. vclearly shows the parallel and advancing movement of the bars 26, and Figs` 5, 6 and '1 clearly illustrate the progress made by each glass 39 during one complete cycle of movement of the bars 26. y Y

Referring more specifically to the discharge mechanism shown in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, and in which the grate ortransporting bars 33 are movable as shown in the diagram of Fig. 9, the crank 59 is connected by a connecting rod 69 to a pin 19 secured to the bars 33 near the tumbler delivery endsthereof. A pair of bearing plates 1l are secured to the bars 33 beneath the pivot pin 19 and coact with rollers 12 journalled on a stationary pin 13, so that when the crank 59 revolves, the bars 33 will be moved longitudinally without causing their delivery ends to raise and lower. The tumbler or glass receiving ends of the bars 33 will however be raised and lowered above and below the top surfaces of the intervening fixed bars 34, when the eccentrics 55 are rotated, but by virtue of the opposite disposition of the cranks 51, 59 with respect to the shaft 53 and to' the eccentrics, 55, 5S, the bars 33 will move in a direction opposite to that of thebars 2B when these bars are disposed 'above` the stationary intervening ' bars 21, 34. During reciprocation of the bars 33 by the crank 59 the plates 1l ride upon the fixed rollers 12, and the plates 60 ride upon the revolving eccentrics 59, andas the forward ends of the bars 33 move upwardly above the top surfaces of the'intervening fixed bars'34, theylift the adjacent inverted glasses 39 and carry them rearwardly along the lane When the bars 33 are subsequently lowered beheath thel fixed bars '34, the glasses 39 are deposited upon the upper surfaces of the stationary bars 34 where they remain while the moving bars 33 are moved forwardly to complete the cycle. This step by step advancement of the inverted glasses 39 continues until the tumblers have been thoroughly drained, dried and delivered from the discharge end of the lane 2D and enclosure 5i, and the transportation is again effected gently and without shock, The diagram of Fig. 9 clearly indicates the oscillatory motion of the bars 33 and the direction of longitudinal displacement of these bars along the lane.

The washing and cleansing liquid may be applied to the glasses 39 in several stages, and when the dirty tumblers or objects are first delivered to the Washing unit, they may be initially rinsed in the basin 23 with the aid ofthe nozzle 2t to which rinsing` liquid may be supplied from the pump 36 through a pipe 15. The pump 35 may be operated by the motor shaft` 59; and the pump 35 which is likewise operable `by the shaft 59, may be caused to deliver chlorinated liquid or the like to the nozzle 32 through a pipe 16. The pipe 31 which is provided with a control valve 11 and communicates with the nozzles 3l, may be connected to a suitable Vhot water supply source or to a third pump mounted on the motor shaft 50, and these three sources of cleansing fluid Awill ordinarily suflice to 'clean glasses and tumblers subjected to ordinary use. Y nozzles 3| are located in one zone formed by the partitions 45, while the'chlorinating nozzles 33 are disposed in a preceding zone likewise defined by these partitions, so that cleansing is infact effected in segregated zones. 'o o It may in; some cases also be desir-able to provide means for thoroughly brushing at least portions of the glasses 39 while they Vare being transported through the .washing zonel 2|, and such mechanism is shown in Figs'.'1,2.and3,and corn'- The rinsing c.'

the lips of the users.

prises a series of rotary bristle brushes 18 each mounted for rotation at the lower end of a spindle 19 journalled in a bearing 80 carried by the inner wall of the hood 39, and having a sheave or pulley 8l at its upper end; a series of driving belts 82 drivingly connecting the successive sheaves 8l with each other, and with a driving pulley 83 carried by a vertical shaft 84 which may be driven from the main drive shaft 59 by means of a belt drive B5; and a series of leaf springs 86 carried by the outer wall of the hood 30 and coacting with the successive tumblers or glasses 39 resting upon the conveyer disk 28, to urge the mouth portions of the tumblers into the zone of action of the brushes 13. With the aid of this brushing mechanism, the'successive tumblers or glasses 39 which are deposited in inverted position upon the conveying disk 28, will be rotated about their own axes and simultaneously thoroughly scrubbed at their mouth portions, as they are being transported by the revolving disk 28, and the leaf springs 86 will function to urge the glasses 39 against the rotating brushes 18. While the brushes 18 may be widened to cause them to cooperate with the entire outer side surfaces of the glasses 39, this is unnecessary in most cases, and it is ordinarily suflicient to merely scrub the rims of the glasses which are brought in contact with Since the use of the scrubbing brushes 18 is optional, and theirgoperation should be clearly apparent from the foregoing description, they will not be further described in the description of the normal use of the machine. l

While the normal use and operation of my improved drinking glass washer should be apparent from the foregoing description, a short resume of this operation will again be given. The dirty glasses presented to the washing unit may, if necessary, be initially washed by subjecting the same to liquid discharged by the nozzle 24, after which the glasses 39 may be set in inverted position upon the bars 25, 21 in the supply lane I9, The moving bars 26 will then cooperate with the glasses to advance them step by step and en masse, toward the inlet opening 42 of the automatic washing zone. As the successive inverted glasses are delivered upon the rotating disk 28, they are advanced over the chlorinating nozzles 32 and over the hot water rinsing nozzles 3l, and are thus subjected to thorough washing action while revolving about the axis of the shaft 29. Upon reaching the opening t3,v the washed and rinsed inverted glasses 39 are removed from the disk 28 by the fixed nose of the housing 39 disposed adjacent to the opening `t3 and extending toward the partition ld. The glasses are subsequently pushed rearwardly into thezone of action 4of the discharge bars 33, and are thereafter gently advanced by successive steps until they are ultimately delivered from the machine. The feeding bars 33 cooperate with the inverted glasses to produce smooth transition of the mass, and

Vthe rotating disk 23 will remove the glasses in -drained therefrom and will be dried by removal 'of vapors from the enclosure 5l, and the operation of the machine' Vafter the initially washed glasses are once placed in the zone of action of the bars 29, is continuous and entirely automatic. In constructing a machine of this type, thefbar's 26,21, 33, 31E-should be made of such width that small glasses will not tilt into the crevices betweenv these bars, and the slots 4S in the' disk 2B must also be of a width which will prevent such undesirable tilting. The machine may be utilized vto lwash glasses or tumblers of various heights and diameters, and while the slots d6 and spaces between the transporting bars have been shown relatively wide for the sake of clearness in illustration, these gaps should necessarily be reduced to a minimum From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved washing unit for drinking glasses, tumblers or the like, which is simple and compact in construction, which has enormous capacity and wherein relatively brittle objects may be most effectively cleansed without danger of chipping or breaking the glasses. The improved washing unit may be utilized to advantage in various places where glasses ordinarily accumulate, such as restaurants, drink dispensarios or the like, and the unit may either be supported from the oor or disposed upon a shelf within a drink dispensing bar. relatively low cost and the rotor and conveying bars are operable with minimum power by a relatively small motor, and while the revolving disk 28 is operating at a relatively low speed and the bars 25, 33 are preferably operable at moderate I speed, it has been found that machines of this type will eifectively handle large numbers of glasses without in any manner damaging the containers.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction, or to the precise mode of operation of machines such as herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l.. Iii-combination. a rotor for transporting articles in succession through a definite zone, parallel feed and discharge lanes leading to and from cles in succession along a curved path about an i upright axis, laterally adjacent feed and discharge lanes leading to and from said path and having spaced parallel fixed bars therein, a series of bars movable to parallel positions above and below the upper surfaces of the xed bars in said feed lane, another series of bars tiltably movable to positions above and below the upper surfaces of the fixed bars in said discharge lane, and means for simultaneously reciprocating said movable bars.

3. In combination, means for transporting articles invsuccession through a definite zone, laterally adjacent feed and discharge lanes leading to and from said zone and having spaced parallel xed bars therein, a series* of bars movable to parallel positions above and below the upper surfaces of the iixed bars in said feed lane, lanother series of bars tiltably movable to positions above and below the upper surfaces of the .fixed bars in said discharge lane, and common The assemblage can be operated at Cai means for simultaneously reciprocating said -movable bars in opposite directions in said lanes when disposed above the adjacent fixed bars.

4. In combination, means providing feed and discharge lanes having corresponding communicating ends and being disposed in-the same approximately horizontal plane, a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel xed bars in each of said lanes, a series of parallel bars movable in parallelism along and-above the iixed bars in one of said lanes, a series of parallel tiltable bars swingably movable above and along the fixed bars in the otherof said lanes, and common means for raising and lowering all of said movable bars in unison and for simultaneously moving the same longitudinally in opposite directions.

5. In combination, means -providing feed and discharge lanes having corresponding communicating ends and being disposed in the same approximately horizontal plane, a plurality of parallel fixed bars extending along each of said lanes, a plurality of parallel simultaneously movable bars interposed between the fixed bars in each lane, and means for simultaneously imparting opposite longitudinal and lvertical motion to the movable bars of both lanes.

6. In combination, means providing feed and discharge lanes having corresponding communicating ends and being disposed in the same approximately horizontal plane, a plurality of parallel fixed bars extending along each of said lanes, a plurality of parallel simultaneously movable bars interposed between the fixed bars in each lane, means for impartingsimultaneous longitudinal and rocking motion to the movable bars'in one of said lanes, and means for imparting simultaneous longitudinal and up and down motion to the movable bars in the other lane while maintaining said movable bars inapproximately horizontal position.

7. In combination, means for guiding a. succession of similar articles along a curved path about an upright axis, laterally adjacent feed and discharge lanes leading to and from the opposite ends of said path and each having laterally spaced fixed bars therein, a series of bars movable to parallel positions above and below the uppersurfaces of the fixed bars in one of said lanes, another series of bars tiltably movable to positions above and below the upper surfaces of the fixed bars in the other of said lanes, and means for simultaneously reciprocating both sets of said movable bars.

8. In combination, means for guiding a succession of similar articles along a curved path about an upright axis, laterally adjacent feed and discharge lanes leading to and from the opposite ends of said path and each having laterally spaced fixed bars therein, a series of bars movable to parallel positions above and below the upper surfaces of the fixed bars in said feed lane, another series of bars tiltablymovable to positions above and below the upper lsurfaces of the fixed bars in said discharge lane, and means for simultaneously reciprocating both sets of said movable bars in opposite directions.

9. In combination, means for Iguiding a succession of similar contacting articles along a delinite arcuate path about va. fixed upright axis, laterally adjacent parallel feed and discharge lanes lying in approximately the same plane as said path and leading respectively to and from the opposite ends of the path, each of said lanes -h'aving laterally spaced fixed bars therein provided with upper surfaces disposed insaid plane, a series path and leading respectively to and from the opposite ends of the path, each of said lanes having laterally spaced xed bars therein provided with upper surfaces disposed in said plane, a series of bars movable to parallel positions above and below the upper surfaces of the xed bars in said feed lane, another series of bars tiltably movable to positions above and below the upper surfaces of thexed bars in said discharge lane, and means for simultaneously reciprocating both sets of said movable bars in opposite directions.

ALEX W. ARNOLD.

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