US2394338A - Piston cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1946. c. A. STlNE PISTON CLEANING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-s 1 Filed 001;. 12 1943 J27 v Tar, Cant/ E Feb. 5, 1946. c. A. STlNF Q 2,394,338

' PISTON CLEANING'APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 721 5.77 to?" E5112! -7.5 tin E Feb. 5, 1946. I c. A. STINE 2,394,338

PI STON CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1943 4 Shets-Sheet 3 .lnv ETTA-01" Eczr'j Q. 5 time Patented Feb. 5, 1946 PISTON CLEANING APPARATUS Carl A. Stine, Van Nuys, Califi, assignor to Turco- P'roducts', Inez, Los Angelcs; C'alifi, a corporation of California.

Application OctoberlZ, 1943,, Serial'Na. 505,961

11 Claims.

My invention has to do with. piston cleaning ap-- paratus- As. is: wellknown, the. pistons of. internal combustionengines-become coated with carbonaceous deposits: which, unless removed, seriously impair efiicient operation of they engine. Heretofore such deposits have. been removed by scraping or by immersing the piston in a. solvent solution.- Ineither case, however, the operation has required a considerable timeel'ement during which the vehicle. or the like driven. by the engine. must remai-nidle.v

As disclosed in my copending applicationSerial No. 414,312,. filed February 1, 1943 (Pat. No. 2376;945', issued May 29, 1945), I have been able to considerably, speedup and increase the efiiciency of carbon-removing. operations by applying rotary. brushes to the pistons whilethey are immersed. in a solvent solution. In my, said. copending. application I employ rotary brushes disposed in a tank containing the solvent solution. My present apparatus embodies improvements over that described inmy copending application and it is among its objects to provide insucha cleaningeapparatus improvedmeans for removing. and applying thepistons, and .for inspecting them during. the cleaning operation, without the necessity of the operator placinghis hands in the solvent solution andv without the necessity of stopping the driving motor.

Another object of the present invention isto provide improved means of adjusting the brushing pressure on the pistons, for detachably holdmg the pistons in positio for cleaning and'for rotating the pistons and brushes.

Another object is to provide an improved brush arrangement- 7 My invention has still further advantages and objects and how those as well as the hereinabove enumerated objects are achieved willbe best une derstood from the followingdetailed explanation of, one form of apparatus in which the invention may be carried out. Eorthepurposes oi the I01? lowing descriptionI shallrefer to. the accompanylng drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsectionetaken. online l'--| of Eig. 3';

Fig.2 is a. section. on. 1ine 2'2.,o'E'ig. Lbut showing the cover lid in open position;

Fig. 3 is a section on line .3--3 of Fig. 2,.butwith thepistons removed;,

Fig. 4.is,a section on line 44 of Fig. 2';

Fig. 5'is anend elevation;

Fig, 6 i'sa iragmentarysection V F g-His. arfragmentary sectionshowing one-of thepiston-holding blocks; and

Fig... 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view ot-a modified form .of apparatus.

In, the drawings, I show a rectangular tank 5 which may or-may not have supporting legs, not shown, and having a cover lid 8 hinged at 6 (Fig. 2) toaflange 5a disposed longitudinally along the top'edge of the tank.

While my apparatus may be adapted to clean any desired number of pistons at once, I show an adaptation for cleaning six pistons P, disposed in two parallelrows of three pistons each.

Securedv to the floor of the tank there are six tables In, the tables being arranged in two parallel row of three tables each. Two pairs of slide bars l2 extend transversely through and are'sli'dable with respect to the tables; the tables providing tubular slideways [0a to pass the bars. Bearingmembers l6 are secured, as by welding, between each pair of slide bars I2. A brush-operating shaft l! is journalledin each bearing It, a. sprocket wheel l8 being secured on the bottom end and a radial brush l9 being secured on the top end ofeach shaft IT. The inner or free ends of the bars l2 areslidably disposed in openings in posts 20, which posts are secured to the floor of the tank.

To operate the respective pairs of slide bars [2 I provide a pair of levers 22, each of thelevers being pivotally secured at its lower end to one pair of the bars l2 and being fulcrumed by means of a bracket 23- secured to the end wall of the tank. A ratchet mechanism (Fig. 6) consisting of a rack 25 andpawl 26 is provided to releasably retain each lever in any adjusted position. The rack 25 is secured to a top plate 24 carried by the tank, the plate presenting a pair of slots 24a to pass the respective levers 22'.

Atop each table l0 I'resiliently mount a stationary brush 1 l by means of an upwardly bowed leaf spring 21. A bearing member 30 is secured to the tank floor-adjacent one end of the tank in a plane between the rows of tables Ill, which bearing rot'atablycarries a sprocket 3|, and a continuous chain belt 34 is disposed in engagement with the sprockets l8 and 3| in a manner to drive adjacent sprockets" I 8 of each row' in opposite directions.

A driven shaft 35 is secured in sprocket 3i and" in a bevel" gear 36, the shaft being journalledin a bracket 37 secured to the end wall of the tank. A drive shaft 40', which may be operatively connected to an electric motor or other source of power; not shown, 'extends through the end wall ofv the tank and has secured thereon a beveled gear 41 which meshes collar 42 which has upwardly opening recesses 42a providing one member of a clutch, as will be described. 7

A plurality of bearing members 50, six in number, are disposed in two parallel rows of three each, are secured to the cover lid 8 and each journals a shaft 52 whose lower end resiliently fits in the socket 53a of a yoke 53. The yoke is longitudinally slotted at 531) to permit sliding movement of a cross pin 520. carried by shaft 52, and a coil spring is interposed between the lower end of the shaft and the bottom of the socket. The yoke engages over a pistonretaining block 54 to which it is secured as by a cross pin 55. A sprocket wheel 55 is secured on each shaft 52, each shaft 52 being positioned to overhang one of the tables II) when the table is down (Fig. 1). Each piston-retaining block 54 is provided with a transverse opening Eda to receive a retaining pin 51, which pin passes through the opening in the block and the wrist pin holes conventionally provided in the piston, so as to hold the piston against longitudinal escape from the block. Each pin 51 may be secured against longitudinal movement in its opening 54a by a diagonal pin 500. (Fig. 7). Each pin 50a is yieldably urged inwardly by a spring 58, the inner end of the pin engaging in an annular groove 59 in a pin 5'I.

. Also secured to the cover lid so as to be coaxial with collar 42 when the lid is down (Fig. 1) there is a bearing 60 journalling a shaft 5|, a sprocket 62 being secured on the shaft. The lower end of the shaft 6| carries a collar 83 which presents teeth 63a engaging inthe recesses 4241 thus providing the other element of the clutch hereinabove mentioned. A continuous chain belt 65 engages with the teeth of sprockets 62 and 58, being so disposed around the latter sprockets as to rotate adjacent sprockets of each row in opposite directions. Collars ID are secured on the projecting top ends of the respective shafts 52', BI, to prevent inward longitudinal movement of the shafts.

A trough member is provided around the top edge of the tank and a depending flange i5 is provided on the cover lid. This trough isnormally kept filled with liquid to provide a seal between the cover lid and tank to prevent escape of vapors. Inpractice the tank is filled with a carbon solvent, many of which solvents are well known in the art, to approximately the liquid level L (Fig. 1).

' For raising and lowering the cover lid 8 I provide means which will now be described.- A pair of posts 80 are supported on brackets 8| carried by the tank, and atop each post a sheave 82 is rotatably carried by a bracket 84. A shaft 85 is journalled in the posts 80 and a pair of drums 81 are secured on the shafts. A pair of cables 88 are windable at one end about the drums and are secured at their other ends to the cover lid so that rotation of shaft 85 and drums 81 wind with gear 36. The top end of shaft 35 carries a an end wall, a bevel gear I02 meshing with gear 4| and one element Iil3a of a clutch. Another coaxial shaft I05 carrying a clutch element I55a is longitudinally slidably and rotatably supported by an end wall bracket I01 and extends through a side wall of the tank, carrying on its outer end a bevel gear I58 adapted to mesh with a bevel gear I08a (Fig. 2) on the shaft 85. A lever IIIl' is pivoted at its lower end on a bracket 8i and has a link III so connected to shaft I55 as to slide the shaft longitudinally but allow rotation of the shaft. A spring II5 urges the lever outwardly to disengage the clutch elements H131: and "35a.

Each brush I9 has a relatively large diameter base portion I9a and a relatively smaller diameter top portion [9b which portions intersect each other in a curved portion I90. Thus the beveled ends of the pistons are reached by brush portion I9a while portion I9b engages the sides and ring grooves of the piston.

For guiding and taking up slack in the belt 34 I provide an idler sprocket I25 'rotatably mounted on an arm I 2| pivotally connected at its other end to a support secured to the tank floor. A transverse slot I22 is provided in the arm through which an adjusting screw I23 extends. Another idler sprocket I25 is rotatably carried by an arm I26 whose other end is adjustably pivotally secured by means of an adjusting screw I21 to a slotted bar I28 carried by support I29 secured to the floor.

In operation the tank is filled to the liquid level L with a carbon solvent and the pistons P are placed on the perspective retaining blocks 54 while the l d is in the raised position of Fig. 2. The lid is then lowered which causes the pistons P to be radially engaged by the brushes I9 4 and to have their lower end resiliently engaged by the stationary brushes II. Also, when the lid is lower, the toothed lower end of the shaft 6| is engaged with the recessed top end of collar 42, so that rotation of shaft 40 causes simultaneous rotation of belts 34, 65 when said clutch is engaged. The levers 22 may be manually'operated to sl de the brushes I9 towards or away from the pistons to compensate for pistons of varying diameters and to increase or decrease the brushing pressure when desired. During the operation the brushes, belts and sprocket wheels also function to agitate the solvent solution and the brushes rapidly remove any loosened deposit to enable the solvent continuously to have access to a fresh surface. I find that by my apparatus pistons may be cleaned in a few minutes which heretofore'have required several hours to clean by known apparatus. When it is desired to inspect the pistons or t remove them, the cover lid is raised, which disengages shaft BI from the driving mechanism so that the pistons cease to rotate and may be handled and inspected without the operator having to place his hands in the solvent as well as without having to stop the driving motor. v

In Fig. 8 I show an adaptation of my invention for the cleaning of engine cylinders and the like. Here the numeral 5b denotes a bottom wall of a tank such as tank 5 hereinabove described. and 8a designates the hinged top wall. A hearing I35 is secured to the bottom wall, within which bearing the lower end of a shaft I36 is journalled. An adapter I3! is secured on the top end of shaft I 35, this adapter presenting an upwardly opening socket I38'of squared cross section. toreceive the squared lower end of the brush shaft I39, which aea igsss carries-atits upper'end a brush'hlll; A -sprocket wheel I41 5 is secured onthe shaft I36; which sprocket is driven by a chain'belt 34a from 'a'drive mechanism such as hereinabove described; A base member M5 rotatably'fits shaft BBQ-the base member-havingaspherical topsurface use to accommodatecylinders C of varying diameters.

A bearingmember I50 is secured to the'top' wall to journal a shaft I51 carrying a sprocketwheel l52'driven by a-chain belt GSa'frQm-a driving mechanism such as before described." A -work retaining yoke I55 is secured to the lower end of the shaft and carries atthe lower ends of its respective arms retaining plates I 56 which" are adapted to be secured as by capscrews l5-lto the-cylinder headportion C. The brush M is rotated against the inner end of the cylinder while the cylinder is rotated in opposite direction by the shaft ll. Since the cylinder is thus rotated and brushed while submerged in the cleaning solvent within the tank or casing, the solvent may enter the cylinder through the ports I60 conventionally provided in cylinder heads. Lifting of the lid or top wall, in the manner before described, removes the cylinder from the solvent solution for inspection or removal.

While I have resorted to considerable detail for the purpose of making my invention understood, I wish it understood that within its broader scope, as defined by the appended claims, various modi fications and adaptations may be made without depart ng from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Cleaning apparatus comprising,-in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid, a work-holding member rotatably supported by the cover lid, a brush rotatably carried in the lower part of the tank for brushing engagement with work held on the work-holding member, and means for rotating the work-holding member and the brush, said cover lid being hingedly mounted on the tank for swinging movement relative thereto whereby the work may be withdrawn from the tank by virtue of swinging the cover lid upwardly therefrom.

2. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid swingably mounted thereon, a work-holding member rotatably supported by the cover lid, a brush rotatably carried in the lower part of the tank for brushing engagement with work held on the work-holding member, driven means for rotating the work-holding member, driven means for rotating the brush, drive means normally operatively connected to said driven means, and a clutch between the drive means and the driven means for rotating the work-holding member, said clutch member being disengageable by virture of swinging the cover lid'relative to the tank.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 which includes hoist means for swinging the cover lid upwardly from the tank and wherein the hoist means is operatively connected to and actuated by the drive means.

4. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combina tion, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid movably mounted for opening and closing the tank, a work holder rotatabl journalled on the lid, a sprocket wheel secured on the work holder, a radial brush mounted for rotation in the lower part of the tank, a sprocket wheel secured to the brush, a first driven sprocket rotatably journalled on the lid, a belt operatively connecting the sprocket with the sprocket wheel secured on the work holder, a second driven sprocket, a belt operativelyconnecting the: second 1' driven sprocket withthe sprocket wheel on' the brush', means for operating" the belts: and a. clutch interposed abe-v tween the last-named means and itherfirstxdriven sprocket, said clutch being disengageable by :virtue ofmovementof the lid to open position.

.5. Cleaning apparatus-comprising, in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a-cover lid movably mounted .for opening and closing the tank, a brush non-rotatably supported in: the bottomportion oi -the tank, a' work holder rotate ably carried by the lid over said brush :whereby work held bythe holder engages said brush; a radial brush supported in the bottom portion of the tank for rotation about an axis laterally oil set "from ztheaxis of "rotation of the work holder whereby to radially engage work held by the work holder, means for moving the radial brush with respect to the axis of rotation of the holder, and means for driving the holder and rotary brush.

6. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid movablymounted for opening and closing the tank, a work holder rotatably carried by the lid,

I said holder being adapted to carry work to be cleaned, a radial brush rotatably journalled in the lower part of the tank, said brush being shaped to conform to the surface of the work to be cleaned and being radiall engageable thereagainst, and means for simultaneously rotating the work holder and brush.

7. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid movably mounted for opening and closing the tank, laterally spaced, alined work holders rotatably carried by the cover lid whereby to be moved into and out of the tank by virtue of closing and opening movement of the lid, laterally spaced alined radial brush elements rotatably journalledin the lower portion of the tank about axes laterally ofiset from the axes of the work holders whereby to laterally engage work carried by the work holders, means for laterally moving the brush element relative to the axes of the work holders and rotative means operatively connected to the work holders and brush elements.

8. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid swingably mounted thereon, a plurality of tables supported in alinement above the floor of the tank, a brush resiliently and non-rotatably mounted on each of the tables, a pair of parallel, horizontally spaced rods longitudinally slidably mounted in the tables, bearings secured between the rods between the respective tables whereby to be laterally movable with respect to the tables, radial brushes one journalled in each of the bearings, work holders disposed in the tank and rotatably carried by the lid in position to overhang the respective tables, said work holders being removable from the tank by virtue of lifting the lid, and drive means for operating the tatably carried by the lid in position to overhang the respective tables, said work holders being removable fromthe tank by virtue of lifting the lid,

. drivemeans operatively connected to the radial thecross pin, a diagonal herein the block communicating with the opening and a pin resiliently mounted in the bore and having its inner end engageable in the groove.

11. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in, combination, a solvent-containing tank having a cover lid swingably mounted thereon, a shaft rotatably carried by the lid and presenting means for detachably holding a cylindric article to be cleaned, a shaft rotatably mounted in the lower part of the tank coaxial with the first-mentioned shaft, a brush secured on the latter shaft in position to extend into said cylindric article carried by the work holder, and means for simultaneously rotating the shafts in opposite directions.

CARL A. STINE.

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