US2568949A - Container cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept? 1951 T. CQOKSON 2,568,949

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE File d June 28, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 RI GHT END LEFT END Zhwentor LEONARD T. COOKSON Sept. 25, 1951 T CQQKSON 2,568,949

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 311m LEONAR T. COOKSON 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 28, 1948 lnnentor LEONARD T. COOKSON LEFT END p 25, 1951 T. COOKSON 2,568,949

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE 'Filed June 28, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 LEFT END RIGHT END FIG. 7

3nventor LEONARD T. COOKSON Sept. 25, 1951 L. T. cooKsoN CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE 8' Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 28', 1948 a GPA FIG-m OZU hum Snnentor L EONARD T. COOKSON Gttorneu Sept. 25, 1951 Filed June 28, 1948 L. T. COOKSON CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 109 lOl FIG. 12 55 Enventer LEONARD T. COOKSON' Sept. 25, 1951 L c s 2,568,949

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 v 3 nnentor LEONARD T COOKSON v I fiKm Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Application J une 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,710

8 Claims. (Cl. 15-304) This invention relates to a container cleaning machine, and particularly to a type thereof in which the container is cleaned by inverting and directing thereinto a stream of cleaning fluid. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 703,126, filed November 6, 1946.

In the art of filling containers, such as bottles, under highly antiseptic conditions it is often desirable to direct a stream of fluid, such as air, into the container immediately prior to filling to insure the removal therefrom of dust particles, or other foreign material, which might have become lodged therein. It is desirable that a machine provided for this purpose work rapidly and efficiently and with a minimum of attention from the operator.

However, in cases where there may not be more than a few hundred of such bottles handled at any given time, or where there may not be more than a few hundred bottles of a particular size and capacity handled at a given time, the expense incident to using a fully automatic machine is not justified. Even if the expense of original purchase or construction might be accepted, it is often not desirable in the case of a few hundred bottles to expend the set-up and adjustment time incident to placing a fully automatic machine into operation.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a machine which will be sufiiciently automatic to provide substantial economy in both time and labor over hand methods of directing a stream of fluid, such as air, into a container. On the other hand, such a machine must be sufficiently simple in construction that it can be readily and quickly adjusted for a given size of bottle within a substantial range and placed into operating condition with a sufliciently small expenditure of time and labor to make its use practicable with small quantities of containers.

It is further desirable that said machine be subject to suiiicient manual control that it can be stopped and started as desired without otherwise interfering with the adjustments of the machine.

Accordingly, a major object of this invention is to provide a semi-automatic machine for directing a stream of cleaning fluid into a plurality of containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid in which the containers will be held in an inverted position while said fluid is being directed thereinto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid which can be readily adjusted to receive bottles within a substantial range of varying sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid in which all necessary adjustments can be quickly and accurately made, whereby the machine may be placed into operation in a minimum amount of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid from which the fluid used for cleaning the containers, as well as any dirt entrained thereby, is removed and disposed of.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid which may be constructed and maintained economically.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with equipment of this type upon reading the following disclosure and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

In constructing a mechanism meeting the objects and puposes above set forth as well as others incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have provided in general a machine having a pair of substantially parallel, spaced platforms which are rotatable about a horizontal axis, and which are both fitted with means upon their remote surfaces for gripping a plurality of containers. Positioned below said platforms are a plurality of nozzles for ejecting cleaning fluid into said containers. Said nozzles are adjustably supported upon a vertically reciprocable bar. This nozzle support bar is so reciprocated that, immediately following the inverting of said containers, the nozzles are moved upwardly to extend into said containers, and a stream of cleaning fluid, such as compressed air, is ejected from each nozzle under sufficient force to remove all dust and other foreign material from the interior of each of said containers.

Suitable means is provided for automatically gripping a group of containers upon the upward- 1y facing platform, rotating said platforms approximately degrees about a horizontal axis, actuating said nozzles upwardly into operable engagement with said containers, and releasing a gas under pressure into said containers from said nozzle by a single movement of a manual control. The next movement of said manual control turns off said gas, moves said nozzles downwardly away from said containers, rotates said platforms back through the said 180 degrees and releases the grip of said means upon said containers.

For illustrations of a preferred embodiment of my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a particular machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of said machine viewed from the rightward end thereof as it appears in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of said machine viewed from the side thereof opposite to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of said machine viewed from the leftward end thereof as it appears in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-V1II of Figure 1 showing the platform assembly inverted with respect to its position in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IXIX of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line X-X of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line XIXI of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of Figure 1 showin the platform assembly inverted with respect to its position in Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a sectional view of the said machine taken substantially along the line XII[ XIII of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a top plan view of a portion of the cleaning machine including the platform assembly.

The above mentioned drawings and the followin description disclose a container cleaning machine which is specifically designed to clean bottles in a variety of sizes ranging from about 3%; inches to about 6 inches in height. However, it should be understood that many of the details of this machine, particularly as to its size, the number of bottles which it will handle, details of its frame, bearings, gears, and similar parts may be freely and widely varied without departing from the scope of the invention. Since this machine is designed to clean bottles intended for pharmaceutical use, terminology appropriate thereto is employed in this application, but such terminology including that referring to the containers is used for illustration only and is not intended to limit the invention.

General construction As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container cleaning machine to which this invention relates, is comprised of a base I0, 2. frame structure U, a rotatable platform assembly |2, a nozzle assembly I3 and a cam assembly I4.

The base l (Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7), which may be fabricated in any conventional manner from sturdy members, such as structural steel base channels l and base plates I6, is rectangular in shape and supports the entire frame structure I I.

The frame structure I I, as appearing in Figure 1, has a leftward end structure I! (Figures 4, 6 and 8), and a rightward end structure l8 (Figures 2, 7 and 9). The leftward end structure I1 is comprised of a pair of parallel, spaced, vertical bars 2| and 22 which are supported and secured at their lower ends upon the base l0 '4 near the leftward end thereof (Figure 1). The vertical bars 2| and 22 are mutually engaged near their upper ends by an upper mounting plate 23, and intermediate their upper and lower ends by an outer mounting plate 24 and an inner mounting plate 25.

The rightward end structure I8 (Figures 2, '7 and 9) is comprised of a pair of parallel, spaced, vertical channels 26 and 2! which are supported and secured at their lower ends upon the base I0 near the rightward end thereof and remote from said leftward end structure ll. The vertical channels 26 and 21 are mutually engaged near their upper ends by an upper mounting plate 28, and intermediate their upper and lower ends by the outer mounting plate 29 and the inner mounting plate 30. The mounting plates 23, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 may be secured to the bars 2| and 22 and the channels 26 and 27, re-

Platform assembly The platform assembly l2 (Figures 1, 3, 5, 11 and 12) which extends between the upper portions of the leftward and rightward end structures H and I3, respectively, may be comprised of a pair of parallel, flat, elongated rectangular platforms 3| and 32 which are spaced from each other by means of the platform end spacers 33 and 34, and the center spacer 35. Said platform assembly I2 is rotatably supported upon the upper, outer mounting plates 23 and 28 by means of the platform stub shafts 36 and 21, respectively (Figures 6, 7 and 14). The stub shaft 36 is secured to the end spacer 33 by any suitable means, such as the lock collar 38, and is slidably received through, and rotatably supported within, a suitable bushed opening in the mounting plate 23 (Figures 1, 6 and 8). The end of the stub shaft 36 remote from the end spacer 33 extends through the plate 23 and is engaged by a frictional drag device 39 of any conventional form which is secured to the outside surface of the mounting plate 23 and prevents backlash of the platform assembly when its rotation is arrested suddenly.

The stub shaft 31 is secured to the end spacer 34 by any suitable means, such as the lock collar 4|, and is slidably received through, and rotatably supported within, a suitable bushed opening in the mounting plate 28. A splined sleeve 42 (Figures '7, 9 and 14), is rotatably supported upon the stub shaft 31 between the end spacer 34 and the mounting plate 28. An adjustable clutching device 43, part of which is secured to the sleeve 42 and part of which is secured to the end spacer 34, is provided for rotating the platform assembly l2 through degrees in either direction when the splined sleeve 42 is rotated by means and in a manner hereinafter disclosed.

The platforms 3| and 32 are both provided with identical bottle guide and gripping mechanisms 44 and 45, respectively (Figures 1, 3, 9, 11 and 14). Therefore, a detailed description will be given of the guide mechanism 44 on the platform 3|, only.

The guide mechanism 44 is comprised of an adjustable guide 46, which is parallel with and opposed by a fixed guide 4'! and a gripper bar 48. The adjustable guide 46, which may be fabricated from a fiat metal strip, extends the entire length of the platform and is adjustably supported thereon with its flat surface substantially perpendicular thereto by means of a plurality, here two, of adjustment bolts 50 and adjustment lugs 5|. The said bolts and lugs are secured to the flat outer side of the guide 46 and to the top of the platform 31, respectively, as by welding. The bolts 50 slidingly extend through suitable openings in the lugs 5| and are held in adjusted position by the lock nuts 52. By suitable manipulation of said lock nuts 52, the guide 65 can be adjusted within a substantial range transversely of the platform 3| to accommodate the guide mechanism 44 to various bottle widths.

The gripping guide 51 (Figure 11) which may be'fabricated from a structural angle,is secured to the platform 3|, for adjustment transversely thereof, by means of bolts which extend through the slots 20a in the horizontal flange [9 of said angle and threadedly engage the platform 3|. Said gripping guide, which extends the length of the platform 3| and is preferably opposite and parallel with the lower portion of said adjustable guide, thus is enabled to coopcrate with the adjustable guide to hold bottles of various diameters along the centerline of said platform. The gripping guide vertical flange 53 and the adjustable guide 46 constitute the walls of a bottle trough 54 which extends the full length of the platform.

A bottle positioning device 55 (Figures 1 and 14) is secured to and supported upon the outside face of the adjustable guide 46 adjacent to the rightward end thereof. The positioning device is comprised of a pair of parallel, horizontal slide rods 56 supported at their extremities upon a pair of slide support blocks 5'! which are secured, as by welding, to said adjustable guide 46. A slider 58, which is adjustably supported upon the slide rods 51, slidably supports a plunger rod 59 which extends through a suitable opening in said slider 58 and may be urged into the bottle trough 54 through an appropriate slot 6| in the adjustable guide 46. A plunger spring 62, which is sleeved upon the plunger rod between its head 53 and the opposing face of the slider 58, tends to resist the extending of the rod 59 through the slot 6|.

The gripper bar d8 (Figures 3, 11, 12 and 14) extends the length of the platform 3| and is comprised of a metal strip 64 to which is bonded a resilient strip 65 made of any suitable material, such as sponge rubber. The metal strip 64 is secured, as by welding, to the upper ends of a pair of pivot arms 66 which are pivotally supported upon the gripping guide 41 so that the resilient strip 65 is above the upper edge of the fixed guide vertical flange and its exposed face H is directly opposite the upper portion of the adjustable guide 46.

The metal strip 64 of the gripper bar 48 is engaged by a pair of bar cams 61 which are supported upon and rotatable with a cam shaft 68. The cam shaft 68 is rotatably supported upon three cam shaft support brackets 69 (Figures 3 and 14) which are secured, as by welding, to the gripping guide 41. Gripper bar springs 12, which are secured at one end to the upper edge of the metal strip 64 and at the other end to the top of a support bracket 69, hold the metal strip 65 in continuous engagement with the cams 61. Said springs and cams cooperate to produce positive means by which the gripper bar &8 may be actuated toward the adjustable guide 16 into bottle clamping position and away from the adjustable guide 46 into bottle releasing po- Sition. 1 r

A cam shaft actuator 13 is supported upon and secured to the leftward end, as appearing in Figures 1 and 14, of the cam shaft 68, which end extends beyond the corresponding end of the platform 3|. The actuator 13 has a large disk provided with a slot 19 (Figure 8) in its outer edge which slot extends toward and is aligned with the axis of the disk.

The guide mechanism 35 (Figures 1, 5, 8, 9 and. 11) which is supported upon and secured to the platform 32 and which, in general, is comprised of an adjustable guide 46, a gripping guide 41, a gripper bar 48a, a bottle trough 5412., a bottle positioning device 55a, and a cam shaft actuator 1301. having a slot 19a, is substantially identical to the guide mechanism 44, as hereinabove described in detail. Hence, detailed description thereof may be omitted.

In order to prevent overtravel of the platform assembly 12 when it is rotated and cushion the stopping of such rotation, which of necessity is rapid, a rotational limit block 14 (Figures 1 and 2), is secured to the upper end of the Vertical channel 26 so that it extends away therefrom toward the platform assembly [2. Resilient pads 15 and 15a are secured to the upper and lower faces, respectively, of the said extended portion of said block 14. A pair of overtravel adjustment bars 16 and 1'! (Figures 1, 9 and 14) are secured to the rightward end (as in Figures 1 and 14) of the platform 3| so that they extend away therefrom toward the rightward end structure l8. Adjustment screws 18 and 18a are threadedly supported in a vertical position through the extended portions of the adjustment :bars 16 and i1. Said adjustment bars are so positioned upon the platform 3| that the screw 18 in the bar 16 engages the upper pad 15 when the platform 31 is in the top horizontal position, and so that the screw 18a in the bar Tl engages the lower pad 15a when the platform 3| is in the inverted or bottom horizontal position. By appropriate adjustment of the screws 16 and 13a, the platform assembly can be caused to stop rotating when the platforms 3! and 32 are level and horizontal.

The nozzle assembly After a plurality of upright bottles A have been gripped within the trough 54 or 54a of the platform assembly l2 (Figure 11) and said assembly has been rotated 180 degrees so that the bottles are inverted (Figure 12), said bottles are each entered by a cleaning nozzle SI of the vertically reciprocable nozzle assembly 13.

The nozzle assembly 13 (Figures 1, 5, 11 and. 12) is comprised of a metal nozzle support angle. 82 having a horizontal flange 53 provided with a nozzle slot 84. The support angle 82 extends between the leftward and rightward end structures I! and I8, respectively. The leftward end of the angle 82 (Figure 1) is secured, as by welding, to the left connector 85 which connector extends through a vertical slot 86 in the inner mounting plate 25 and is in turn secured to the left reciprocation plate 8'! (Figures 4, 8, 11 and 13), which plate is slidably supported upon the mounting plate 25 between the guides 88.

The rightward end of the angle 82 (Figure l) is secured, as by welding, to the right connector 89 which connector extends through a vertical slot 91 in the inner mounting plate 38 and is in turn secured to the right reciprocation plate 92 (Figures 2, 9, 12 and 13), which plate is slidablysupported upon the mounting plate 30' between the guides 93,. Accordingly, the, angle '82. is moved upwardly or downwardly with. respect. to the platform assembly when. but only when, the reciprocation plates .81 and..92 are moved a. corresponding distance. Said reciprocation plates are prevented from moving accidentally. by. means hereinafter disclosed.

A plurality of cleaning. nozzles BI. are adjustably held within the slot. 84 in. the horizontal flange 83 of the angle 02 at, intervals spaced to correspond with the spacing of the inverted bottles and aligned with the openings in. the necks C thereof. The slot 84 allows for longitudinal adjustment of said nozzles along, the angle 82. Vertical adjustment of. the nozzles 81. andthe nozzle assembly I3. iseffected by means disclosed hereinafter.

Although the nozzles 8| may be of any convenient, conventional type. they are herein illustratively shown (Figures 5, 11 and 12) as having a cylindrical nozzle head 94, whose upper surface is provided with a suitable recess 95'for reception of an inverted bottle neck C. Said nozzle head has a coaxial opening, extending downwardly from said recess 95, into which opening the upper end of a tube 96 is inserted and secured. The lower end of said tube 96 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 91. A locking. collar 98, having an enlarged upper portion and an externally threaded, lower portion, is slidably sleeved upon said tube 96 between said. head and the flange 91. The collar 98 is urged against said flange by a nozzle spring 99 which is also sleeved upon the tube 96 and is held under compression between the upper end of the. collar 98 and the lower end of the head 94.

The cylindrical nozzle body IOI has a coaxial cylindrical chamber I02 whose upper end is internally threaded for cooperation with the threaded lower portion of the collar 98. The lower end of the nozzle body IIH is provided with an exhaust nipple I03 communicating with the chamber I02. A suitable, flexible exhaust conduit I04 engages the exhaust nipple I03 and connects it to an inlet nipple I05 on an appropriate exhaust header I06, which header is supported upon the nozzle support angle 82 by means of the exhaust header support straps I01.

A suitable fluid discharge pipe I08 passes coaxially through, but preferably does not engage,

the opening in the nozzle head and the tube 96, and extends into the chamber, I02. The upper end of the pipe I08 extends substantially above the head recess 95, and the lower end of the pipe engages, and communicates with, a flexible supply conduit I09, which conduit is connected to a fluid supply header III, supported upon the ex haust header support straps I01.

Each cleaning nozzle BI is assembled along the nozzle angle horizontal flange 83 by inserting the externally threaded portion of the collar 98 through the nozzle slot 84 and then screwing it into the internally threaded upper portion of the nozzle body IOI until the flange 03 is gripped firmly between the collar enlarged upper portion and said nozzle body.

In this particular embodiment, compressed air is admitted to the supply header and thence through a plurality of the supply conduits I09 to their respective discharge pipes I08 when the inverted bottles are properly seated within the recesses 95 of the nozzle heads 94. The compressed air and entrained dust particles are then exhausted through the tube 96, the chamber I02, the exhaust nipple. I03, the exhaust conduit I04,

the inlet nipple I05v and into the exhaust header I06 for collection by any suitable means not shown.

Cam assembly The cam assembly I4 (Figures 1, 6, '1, 8, 9 and 10) is centered about the cam line shaft II2 which is supported for rotational oscillatory motion at four positions intermediate its extremities within conventional bearings I I3 of any convenient type. The said bearings are mounted upon the bearing supports H4, H5, H5 and H1 which are in turn supported upon and secured to the base It? with the axis of the cam shaft, the axes of the nozzles and the axis of rotation of the platform all in the same vertical plane.

The bearing supports H4 and H5 (Figures 1 and 10) are at the leftward end of the line shaft I I2 and are positioned on either side of the leftward end structure I1. The bearing supports H6 and H1 are at the rightward end of the line shaft I I 2'and are positioned on either side of the rightward end structure I8. The line shaft I12 is held in place with respect to the bearing supports and bearings by means of the locking collars H8.

A reciprocable, hydraulic actuating cylinder H9 of any appropriate type, which is supported upon the outer mounting plate 29 (Figures 1, 2 and 3) by any suitable mountin bracket, has a dependent actuating arm I2I with a rack I22 at its'lower end for engaging a line shaft pinion I23, which pinion is secured to and rotatable with the line shaft I I2. The line shaft is rotated approximately 295 degrees in one direction when the actuating arm I2I is urged downwardly by the cylinder II9, which may be termed a forward cycle, and is rotated back again 295 degrees in the opposite direction when the arm I2I is urged upwardly, which may be termed a reverse cycle. Accordingly, the fluid control cam I24, the gripper cam I25, the nozzle cam I26 and the platform cam I21, which cams are secured to and rotatable with the line shaft I I 2 in any convenient manner, also have a rotational motion when the line shaft I I2 is actuated by the actuating cylinder H9.

The actuating arm I2I of the hydraulic actuating cylinder H9 is urged upwardly or downwardly in a conventional manner when the selector handle I69 is placed in a particular position. The selector handle I68 directs the flow of hydraulic fluid into the cylinder I I9. A hydraulic flow mechanism, including the flow control. I69

supported upon an extension I1I of the outer mounting plate 28 (Figures 2 and 3) and conventional piping I12, move the hydraulic fluid from the reservoir I13 through the hydraulic pump I14, through the flow control I69, through the selector I15 and into the actuating cylinder II9. Suitable return means is provided for returning the hydraulic fluid to the reservoir I13. The pump I14 may be directly driven by a suitable motor I16.

The-fluid control cam I24 (Figures 1, 3, 4, 6 and 10) which is positioned between the bearing supports H4 and H5, has a high dwell I28 of approximatel degrees, a low dwell I29 of approximately 270 degrees, and a rise and fall of about 5 degrees each between the dwells I28 and I29 along the perimeter of the cam. The cam follower I3I, which is pivotally supported upon the fluid control valve I 32, opens said valve when the follower is: on the high dwell I28 and closes said valve when the follower is on the low dwell.

The valve I32, which may be any one of many known to the art, is supported upon the outer mounting plate 24. At the beginning of either the forward or reverse operating cycleof the cam assembly I4, the cam follower I3I is on the high dwell I28 adjacent to a said rise or fall. However, since the low dwell is 210 degrees long, almost the entire cycle is run with the cam follower on the low dwell and, consequently, with the valve closed.

It will be recognized that a rise occurring when the cam is rotated in one direction becomes a fall when the cam is rotated in the opposite direction. This also applies in substance to rises and falls of the cams I25, I23 and I21, herein-..

after described.

When the valve I32 is opened, the cleaning fluid, here compressed air, is permitted to flow from a suitable supply (not shown) through an air filter I30 to said valve 132 and thence through the conduit I33 into the supply header III (Figures 3 and 5) for appropriate distribution to the cleaning nozzles 8| as hereinbefore disclosed.

The gripper cam I25 (Figures 8 and 10) which is positioned between the cam I24 and the bearing support II5, has a cam track I34 with a low dwell of 16.5 degrees, a rise of '75 degrees, a high dwell of 112 degrees, a fall of '75 degrees, and another low dwell of 16.5 degrees. The cam follower I35, which cooperates with the cam track I34, is secured to the lower end of the vertically reciprocable, gripping mechanism actuation post I36 (Figures 6, 13 and 14), which post is slidably supported, near its upper end, upon the upper mounting plate 23 between the post slides I31. A yoke I33, which is secured to the lower end of the post I35, slidably straddles the line shaft II2 between the cam I24 and I25 for the purpose of guiding the lower end of said post during its vertical reciprocation.

At the beginning of the cam assemblys operating cycle, the cam follower I is in one of the low dwell positions at either end of the cam track I34. The rise moves the post I36 upwardly where it remains during the high dwell and is then moved downwardly by the fall. In the reverse rotation of the cam assemblys next cycle, the said fall becomes a rise and the said rise becomes a fall.

The upper end of the post I36, which may extend above the top of the leftward end structure I1 and is adjacent to the leftward end (Figures 1, 3 and 8) of the platform assembly I2, is provided with an adjustable cam actuator engaging pin I39, which pin may be adjusted so that it engages the slot 19 (Figure 8) in the cam shaft actuator 13. When the gripper cam I25 moves the actuation post I35 upwardly dur ing the first portion of the cycle, the pin I39 rotates the cam shaft actuator 13 and the cam shaft 68 so that the bar cams 61, secured thereto, urge the gripper bar into bottle clamping position (Figure 11). When said gripper cam moves said post downwardly, during the last portion of the cycle, the pin I39 rotates said actuator 13 and shaft 63 so that the bar cam 61 permit the gripper bar 48 to return to bottle releasing position (Figure 12) It will be recognized that the pin I 39 can and will engage a slot 13a in the actuator 13a, in a manner similar to its engagement of the slot 13, when the platform 32 is in the top position (Figure 8).

The nozzle cam I26 (Figures 9 and 10) which is positioned between the bearing support H6 and the shaft pinion I23, has a cam track IM which is preferably identical in contour to the cam track I34 in the gripper cam I25. The cam follower I42, which cooperates with the track MI, is secured to the lower end of the vertically reciprocable nozzle raising rack I43, which rack is guided along one edge, near its upper end, by a rack slide I44. The teeth of said rack I43, which are on the opposite edge thereof from said guided edge, engage a nozzle raising pinion I 45 (Figures 13 and 14). Thus the upper end of the rack I43 is held between the pinion I45 and the slide I44, which slide is secured, as by bolting, to the right reciprocation plate 92. A yoke I46, which is secured to the lower end of the rack I43, slidably straddles the line shaft II2 between the nozzle cam I26 and the shaft pinion I 23 (Figure 10) to guide the lower end of the rack during its vertical reciprocation.

The pinion I45 (Figures 8, 9 and 13) is supported upon and rotatable with one end of the nozzle raising shaft I41, which shaft is rotatably supported within suitable bushed openings in the inner mounting plates 25 and 30. The shaft I41 extends through the vertical shaft'slots I48 and I49 in the reciprocation plates 81 and 92,

respectively, which slots permit said reciprocation plates to be moved upwardly and downwardly with respect to said inner mounting plates, as required, without interference from the shaft I41.

That end of the shaft I41 extending through the plate 81 supports and is rotatable with another nozzle raising pinion I5I, which is preferably identical to the pinion I45. The nozzle raising pinions I45 and I5I engage a pair of adjustment racks I52 and I53 (Figures 8, 9 and 13), respectively, which racks are vertically adjustably supported upon the reciprocation plates 81 and 92 by means of the rack locking bolts I54 and I55, respectively (Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12) The rack bolts I54 and I55 extend through their respective racks I52 and I53 and thence through vertical adjustment shaft slots I56 and I51 in the reciprocation plates 81 and 92, respectively. The ends of the bolts I54 and I55 extending through the slots I56 and I51 on the opposite sides of said reciprocation plates are engaged by appropriate nuts whereby the racks I52 and I53 may be adjustably secured to their respective reciprocation plates.

Accordingly, since the racks I 52 and I53 are normally fixed with respect to their reciprocation plates 81 and 92 and are engaged by the nozzle raising pinions I45 and I5I, any rotation I of the nozzle raising shaft I41, which is capable of rotational movement only with respect to the inner mounting plates 25 and 30, will effect a corresponding upward or downward movement reciprocation plates 81 and 92 (Figures 11 and 12), and the nozzle raising shaft I41 is actuated by the nozzle cam I26 through the nozzle raising rack I43 (Figures 9 and 13) as hereinbefore mentioned. One operating cycle of the cam assembly I4, which produces a complete rotational move- I ment of the nozzle cam I26 in one direction, causes the rack I43 to move upwardly, remain there for a short period of time and then move downwardly. Therefore, such motion of the rack' I43 effects a rotation of the nozzle raising shaft ano e-19 11 I41 first in one direction and then, after a short pause, in the opposite direction, which rotation effects a downward movement of the nozzle assembly I3 and then, after a short pause to permit the platform to rotate, an upward movement of said nozzle assembly.

The vertical shaft slots I68 and I49 (Figures 8, 9 and 13) in the inner mounting plates 81 and 92, respectively, permit vertical movement of said reciprocation plates without interference from the nozzle raising shaft M1 which does not move vertically with said reciprocation plates.

The adjustment racks 152 and I53 (Figure 13) rotatably support the opposite ends of the nozzle adjustment shaft I53, which shaft slidably extends through the adjustment shaft slots I56 and I51 in the reciprocation plates 81 and 92, respectively, and also slidably extends through the vertical slots 86 and BI in the inner mounting plates 25 and 35, respectively. The shaft slots 85 and BI (Figures 11, 12 and 13), the shaft slots I48 and I69 and the shaft slots I56 and I51 are all substantially parallel and vertical. A pair of adjustment pinions 55 and 65 (Figure 13) are supported upon and rotatable with the shaft I58 and are positioned within the vertical shaft slots 86 and SI adjacent to the reciprocation plates 81 and 92, respectively. The adjustment pinions I69 and II engage a pair of vertical, fixed racks I52 and I53 which are attached, as by bolting, to the opposed surfaces of the reciprocation plates 81 and 92, respectively, and also lie within the shaft slots 85 and 9!. The end I64 of the adjustment shaft I58 extends beyond the adjustment rack I52 (Figure 3) where it is engaged by an adjustment crank I65 (Figure 4).

The nozzle adjustment mechanism I86 (Figure 13), which includes the above described adjustment shaft I58 and pinions I 50 and ESL and the fixed racks I52 and I63, is provided for the purpose of adjusting the position of the nozzle assembly upwardly or downwardly for bottles of different heights. The adjustment mechanism I66 can be actuated only after the locking bolts I54 and I55 have been loosened to permit movement of the adjustment racks I52 and I53 with respect to the reciprocation plates 81 and 92. Then, by turning the crank 165 in one direction, clockwise as appearing in Figure 4, the reciprocation plates 81 and 92, hence the nozzle assembly I3, are moved downwardly with respect to the mounting plates 25 anddG through the interaction of the adjustment pinions I60 and I6I and the fixed racks I62 and I53, respectively. The adjustment shaft I58 is prevented from moving upwardly or downwardly during the adjustment operation by the adjustment racks 152 and I53 which are held fixed with respect to said inner mounting plates by the locked relationship between the nozzle raising shaft I41, the rack I43 and the cam assembly I4 when said cam assembly is not moving.

If the crank I65 is turned counterclockwise (Figure 4), the adjustment pinions I 60 and I6I urge the fixed racks 62 and IE3, respectively, and the reciprocation plates secured thereto, upwardly, thereby raising the nozzle assembly I3. After appropriate, vertical adjustment of the nozzle assembly I3 has been accomplished, as described above, the adjustment racks I52 and I53 are again secured to their reciprocation plates by tightening the locking bolts 154 and I55, respectively.

The platform cam 21 (Figures 7 and which is positioned between nozzle cam I26 and the shaft pinion I23, has a cam track I11 with a low dwell of 92 degrees, a rise of 111 degrees and a high dwell of 92 degrees. The cam follower I18, which cooperates with the cam track I11, is secured to the lower end of the vertically reciprocabl-e platform rotating rack i 19 (Figures '7, 13 and 14), which rack is slidably guided near its upper end along one edge by the vertical rack slide I8I, which is secured, as by bolting, to the upper mounting place 28. The edge of said rack I19, opposite said guided edge, is provided with teeth which engage an idler gear I82, which gear is rotatably supported upon the mounting plate 28 substantially between, and engaging, both said rack I19 and the splined sleeve 32 of the clutching device 43. A yoke I83, which is secured to the lower end of the rack I151, slidably straddles the line shaft II2 between the cam I25 and the cam I21 for the purpose of guiding the lower end of said platform rack during its vertical reciprocation,

At the beginning of the cam assemblys operating cycle the cam follower I18 may be at either end of the cam track I11. If, for example, the cam follower is in the low dwell of the track at the beginning of an operating cycle, a complete rotation of the cam assembly in one direction will cause the cam track to raise the platform rack I19. This elevation of the said platform will take place during the middle portion of the cams rotation.

The idler gear I82, which is rotated by the said upward motion of the rack I19, rotates the splined sleeve 42, which as aforesaid is preferably integral with a portion of the clutching device 43, and thereby rotates the platform assembly I2 through degrees, as hereinbefore mentioned. The clutching device 43 is preferably designed for overtravel in any conventional manner so that the splined sleeve can be rotated somewhat in excess of 180 degrees by the idler gear I82 and the rack I19 without forcing the platform assembly to rotate more than 180 degrees and thereby damaging the rotational limit block 14 or the adjustment bars 16 and 11. Thus, by permitting the splined sleeve to move slightly more than 180 degrees, but positively holding the platform to movement through 180 degrees only, assurance is had that without unreasonable adjustment problems being encountered, the platform will turn through a full 180 degrees but no more.

When the cam assemblys operating cycle is reversed by appropriate movement of the actuating cylinder arm I2I, the said rise in the cam track I11 becomes a fall, the platform rack is lowered by the cam I21, and the direction of rotation of the idler gear I82, the clutch 43 and the platform assembly I2 are reversed from their most recent direction of rotation.

It will be clearly understood that, although certain parts of the cleaning machine to which this invention relates are herein specifically described for illustrative purposes and in the interest of clarity, such specific identification is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the invention or eliminate mechanical equivalents where their interchangeability would be evident to persons skilled in the art.

Operation The cleaning machine must first be set up for the particular bottles A and B, or other containers to be cleaned thereby. Suitable adjustment must be made in the relative positions of the guides 46 and 41, and 46a and 41a on the platforms 3! and 32, respectively, and the vertical position of the nozzle assembly I3 must be adjusted to the bottle height. The cleaning nozzles 8! must be positioned along the horizontal flange 83 of the nozzle angle 82 to properly engage the inverted bottles and the bottle positioning device 55 must be adjusted to correspond therewith. The motor I76 is energized and the air filter I3!) is connected to a suitable means (not shown) for supplying compressed air.

The operator, Who preferably works from the side of the machine shown in Figure 1, moves the plunger rod 59 into the bottle trough 54 and then slides a line of bottles from a table D, into the trough 54 until the first bottle bears snugly against the said plunger rod. The selector handle I 68 is actuated and the cleaning machine immediately commences a cycle of operation, either forward or reverse, depending upon the position of the actuating arm I2! of the cylinder II9.

A single cycle of the cleaning machines operation includes a single stroke of the actuating arm I2! in one direction and a complete rotational movement of the cam assembly !4 through approximately 295 degrees of arc in one direction. This single cycle, whether forward or reverse, produces a sequence of motions and operations, as follows: The air being emitted from the discharge pipes IllB at the outset of the cycle is shut off as the cam follower I3! moves from high dwell I28 to low dwell I 29, thereby closing the control valve I32, within about the first 10 degrees of rotation. The nozzle assembly remains in the raised position for 16.5 degrees of rotation of the nozzle cam I26 and then is lowered during the next 75 degrees of the cams rotation by an upward movement of the nozzle controlling rack I43 in the manner hereinbefore mentioned. While the nozzle assembly ISis being lowered, the gripper cam IE5 is raising the actuation post I36 which causes the engaging pin I39 to rotate the cam shaft actuator I3 and, therefore, the

bar cams 6'! so that the gripper bar is urged to 4' clamp the bottles A in an upright position.

One-half degree of rotation after the nozzle assembly reaches its low point and the gripper actuation post reaches its high point or, in other words, after the cam assembly has rotated 92 r degrees, the cam follower I'IB encounters the rise in the cam track I'II of the platform cam I2! and the platform assembly is rotated, during the following 111 degrees of cam rotation, until the adjustment screw 18a (Figure 14) strikes the resilient pad 75a (Figure 1) on the rotational limit block 1s, thereby stopping said platform at exactly 180 degrees of rotation even though the splined sleeve 42 turns a few degrees further. The platform 3! and the guide mechanism 3 have now replaced the platform 82 and mechanism 45 in the bottom position on the platform assembly (Figure 8). It will be noted that the bottle clamping action of the guide mechanism 44 and the lowering of the nozzle assembly I3 is necessarily accomplished before the platform assembly is rotated. This is intended to prevent the escape of any bottles A from the trough 54 during the rotation of the platform and to prevent injury of the cleaning nozzles 84 by moving the inverted bottles E (Figure 11) before the discharge pipes I08 have been completely withdrawn from the bottle necks C. The drag device 39 prevents undesirable movement of the platform assembly during and after its rotation.

One-half degree of rotation of the cam assembly I4 after the platform assembly has been completely rotated, that is, after the cam assem- -bly has rotated 203.5 degrees, the cam follower 5 I42 encounters the fall in the cam track I4! of -the nozzle cam I26 and the nozzle assembly is raised during the ensuing '75 degrees of rotation of the cam assembly I4 for insertion of the discharge pipes I08 into the inverted bottles A (Figures 8 and 12). The discharge pipes I08 enter the bottles A through the bottle necks C which rest within the nozzle head recesses 95. During the same 75 degrees of rotation that said nozzle assembly is raised by lowering the nozzle 5 rack 143, the actuation post I36 and engaging pin I39 are lowered. Said engaging pin engages the slot 19a (Figure 8) in the cam shaft actua- -tor 73a, which has now taken the exact position held by the actuator 13 before the platform assembly was rotated, and rotates said actuator, 'hence the bar cams 68, so that the bar springs 12a are permitted to draw the gripper bar 48m back into bottle releasing position (Figure 12). All bottles B, which have been clamped within the guide mechanism (Figure 11) at the beginning of the operating cycle, are now on the top side of the platform assembly (Figures 8 and 12) are now released, may be slid from the bottle 9 trough 54a and replaced by a new set of bottles in substantially the same manner as the bottles "A were fed into the bottle trough 54 as hereinabove described.

During the last 16.5 degrees of rotation of the cam assembly and, in fact, until the selector handle IE8 is so moved that the reverse cycle of operation is commenced, the nozzle assembly f will remain in contact with the bottles A (Figure 12), and the gripper bar 48a will be left in the U bottle releasing position. The cam follower I3! is caused to open the fluid control valve I32 by contacting the high dwell I28 during the last 10 degrees of the operating cycle, thereby permitting the cleaning fluid, here compressed air, to be emitted from the discharge pipes I08 into the 0 bottles A. The fluid continues to flow from the pipes Il8 until the selector handle IE8 is moved to the reverse cycle position and the fluid control valve is closed in proper order at the beginning of the next cycle. The cleaning fluid emitted into the inverted bottles may be exhausted through the exhaust conduits I04 and the exhaust header I86 in a conventional manner. As far as the results are concerned and as far as the operation of the various assemblies 1 need be considered, the sequence of the reverse cycle is identical with the forward cycle hereinabove described. It will be noted that in one cycle the actuating arm I2! moves downwardly and the platform rack moves upwardly and the platform assembly rotates in one direction, whereas in the other cycle such movements and rotations are reversed, however, the sequence of operations throughout the two cycles remains the same.

In general, either sequence comprises: stopping the flow of cleaning fluid, clamping the bottles within the upwardly facing guide mecha- 7 nism, lowering the nozzle assembly away from the bottles clamped in the downwardly facing guide mechanism, rotating the platform assembly 180 degrees, moving the nozzle assembly up to the new batch of inverted bottles, releasing the cleaned bottles from the upwardly facing guide mechanism, and releasing the flow of cleaning fluid into the inverted bottles.

Although the above mentioned drawings and description apply to one particular, preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not my intention, implied or otherwise, to eliminate other varia-- tions or modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for cleaning bottles having openings, the combination comprising: a struc-- tural base and a pair of spaced, upright frame structures secured to said base, said frame structures having inner mounting plates secured to their opposed sides intermediate their upper and lower ends, said plates having vertical parallel slots; a pair of parallel, spaced, horizontal, elongated platforms secured to each other to form a platform assembly and means rotatably supporting said assembly upon and between the upper portions of said frame structures, said rotation being about a horizontal axis, and said platforms facing in opposite directions; a pair of bottle guide and gripping mechanisms adjustably secured and longitudinally disposed along each of said platforms, said mechanisms having means for positioning said bottles with respect thereto; a cam shaft rotatably supported upon said base substantially between said frame structures under said platform assembly and parallel with the rotational axis thereof; a manually controllable reciprocable actuator effecting rotational movement of said cam shaft through less than 360 degrees in each direction; means including a first cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said first cam for rotating said platform assembly; adjustable stop means limiting the rotation of said platform assembly to 180 degrees; means including a second cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable actuation post operable by said second cam for urging said guide and gripping mechanism into and out of bottle clamping position; a nozzle support member extending through the slots in said mounting plates and being adjustably secured to a pair of vertically reciprocable plates slidably supported..adjacent to the mutually remote surfaces of said mounting plates, said member supporting a plurality of bottle cleaning nozzles horizontally adjustable therealong, directly beneath said guide and gripping mechanisms and alignable with said openings in said bottles when inverted by said mechanisms; means including a third cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for lowering and raising said nozzle support; means for vertically adjusting said support member with respect to said reciprocable plates; means including a fluid control valve for supplying cleaning fluid to said nozzle; and means including a fourth cam rotatable with said cam shaft for opening and closing said fluid control valve; all arranged and constructed so that a unidirectional stroke of said reciprocable actuator causes, in sequence, the closing of the cleaning fluid control valve, the lowering of the nozzles, the moving of the guide and gripping mechanism then in the upper position to its bottle gripping position, the 180 degree rotation of the platform assembly, thereby inverting any bottles so gripped by said mechanism, the raising of said nozzles to operably engage and enter said bottles, the release of the 16 other guide and gripping mechanism from bottle clamping position, and the opening of said fluid control valve, thereby releasing cleaning fluid into said inverted bottles.

2. In a machine for cleaning bottles having openings, the combination comprising: a structural base and a pair of spaced, upright frame structures secured to said base; a pair of parallel, spaced, horizontal, elongated platforms secured to each other to form a platform assembly and means rotatably supporting said assembly upon and between the upper portions of said frame structures, said rotation being about a horizontal axis and said platforms facing in opposite directions; a pair of bottle guide and gripping mechanisms adjustably secured and longitudinally disposed along each of said platforms, said mechanisms having means for positioning said bottles with respect thereto; a cam shaft rotatably supported upon said base substantially between said frame structures under said platform assembly and parallel with the rotational axis thereof; a manually controllable reciprocable actuator effecting rotational movement of said cam shaft through less than 360 degrees in each direction; means including a first cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said flrst cam for rotating said platform assembly; adjustable stop means limiting the rotation of said platform assembly to degrees; means including a second cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable actuation post operable by said second cam for urging said guide and gripping mechanism into and out of bottle clamping position; a nozzle support member adjustably secured to and extending between a pair of vertically reciprocable plates slidably supported upon said frame structures, said member supporting a plurality of bottle cleaning nozzles horizontally adjustable therealong, di rectly beneath said guide and gripping mechanisms and alignable with said openings in said bottles when inverted by said mechanisms; means including a third cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for lowering and raising said nozzle support; means for vertically adjusting said support member with respect to said reciprocable plates; means including a fluid control valve for supplying cleaning fluid to said nozzle; and means including a fourth cam rotatable With said cam shaft for opening and closing said fluid control valve; all arranged and constructed so that a unidirectional stroke of said reciprocable actuator causes, in sequence, the closing of the cleaning fluid control valve, the lowering of the nozzles, the moving of the guide and gripping mechanism then in the upper position to its bottle gripping position, the 180 degree rotation of the platform assembly, thereby inverting any bottles so gripped by said mechanism, the raising of said nozzles to operably engage and enter said bottles, the release of the other guide and gripping mechanism from bottle clamping position, and the opening of said fluid control valve, thereby releasing cleaning fluid into said inverted bottles.

3. In a machine for cleaning bottles having openings, the combination comprising: a base and a pair of spaced, upstanding frame structures secured to said base; a pair of parallel, spaced, oppositely facing bottle guide and gripping mechanisms secured to each other to form a bottle supporting assembly and rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon the upper reversible rotation of said cam shaft of less than 360 degrees; means including a first cam rotatable with said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said first cam for rotating said bottle supporting assembly through approximately 180 degrees; means includifig a second cam on said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable actuation post operable by said second cam for urging said guide and gripping mechanism into and out of bottle clamping position; a plurality of nozzles vertically adjustably supported upon a pair of vertically reciprocable plates which are slidably supported upon said frame structures, said nozzles being horizontally adjustable with respect to each other and located directly beneath the axis of rotation of said bottle gripping assembly and alignable with said openings in said bottles when same are inverted by said assembly; means including a third cam on said cam shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for lowering and raising said nozzles; means including a valve for supplying cleaning fluid to said nozzles and means including a fourth cam for opening and closing said valve; all so arranged and constructed that a single actuation of said manually controllable means causes, in sequence, the closing of the said valve, the lowering of the nozzles, the clamping of one guide and gripping mechanism upon a plurality of bottles, the inversion of said bottles, the raising of said nozzles to operably engage said bottles, the release of the other guide and gripping mechanism from clamping position, and the opening of said valve thereby releasing cleaning fluid into said inverted bottles.

4. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination comprising: a base and a pair of spaced, upstanding frame structures secured to said base; a horizontally disposed bottle guide and gripping mechanism rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon the upper portions of said frame structures, said mechanism having bottle positioning means; a rotatable first cam under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said cam for rotating said guide and gripping mechanism through approximately 180 degrees; a rotatable second cam under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable post operable by said second cam for urging said guide and gripping mechanism into and out of bottle clamping position; a pair of vertically reciprocable plates slidably supported upon said frame structures and a nozzle adjustably supported thereon, said nozzle being directly beneath said guide and gripping mechanism and alignable with a bottle inverted by said mechanism; a rotatable third cam under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for lowering and raising said reciprocable plates; means including a valve for supplying fiuid to said nozzle and a fourth rotatable cam for opening and closing said valve; and manually controllable means for effecting a related rotational movement of said cams; whereby a single actuation of said manually controllable means causes, in sequence, the closing of said valve, the lowering of the nozzle, the clamping of the guide and gripping mechanism upon a bottle, the inversion of said bottle, the raising of said nozzle to engage said bottle, and the opening of said 18 valve thereby releasing fiuid into said inverted bottle.

5. In a container cleaning machine, the combination comprising: a frame; a container holding mechanism having releasable container gripping means thereon and being rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon said frame; a rotatable cam shaft under said mechanism and manually controllable means effecting reversible rotation of said shaft; a first cam on said shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said cam for rotating said holding mechanism; a second cam on said shaft and means including a vertically reciprocable post operable by said second cam for actuating said gripping means; a plurality of nozzles adjustably and vertically reciprocably supported upon said frame beneath said holding mechanism and'alignable with containers inverted thereby; a third cam on said shaft and means including a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for lowering and raising said nozzles; means connecting said nozzles to a source of fluid supply; and means including a camfor controlling the flow of cleaning fluid to said nozzles; all arranged and constructed so that a partial rotation of said cam shaft causes, in sequence, the interruption of fluid flow to the nozzles, the lowering of the nozzles, the gripping of a plurality of containers within the holding mechanism, the inversion of said containers, the raising of said nozzles to engage said containers, and the release of fluid through said nozzles into said inverted containers. 7

6. In a container cleaning machine, the combination comprising: a frame; a container holding mechanism having releasable container gripping means thereon and being rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon said frame; a rotatable cam shaft under said mechanism a rd manually controllable means effecting rotation of said shaft; a first cam on said shaft and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said cam for rotating said holding mechanism; a second cam on said shaft and means including a vertically reciprocable post operable by said second cam for actuating said gripping means; a nozzle vertically reciprocably supported upon said frame beneath said holding mechanism and alignable with a container inverted thereby and means connecting said nozzle to a source of cleaning fluid; a third cam on said shaft and means including a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for reciprocating said nozzle; whereby rotation of said cam shaft effects, in sequence, the

' lowering of the nozzle, gripping of the container within the holding mechanism, inversion of said container, and raising of said nozzle into contact with said inverted container.

'7. In a container cleaning machine, the combination comprising: a frame; a container holding mechanism having releasable container gripping means thereon and being rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon said frame; a first cam rotatably supported under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable rack actuable by said cam for rotating said mechanism; a second cam rotatably supported under said mechanism and means including a vertically reciprocable post operable by said second cam for actuating said gripping means; a nozzle vertically reciprocably supported upon said frame beneath said mechanism, alignable with a container inverted thereby and connectable to a source of cleaning fluid; a third cam rotatably supported under said mechanism and means including a ver- 19 tically reciprocable rack operable by said third cam for reciprocating said nozzle; and means effecting related and reversible rotation of said cams, thereby causing, in sequence, lowering of the nozzle, gripping of a container within said holding mechanism, inversion of said container, and raising of said nozzle into contact with the inverted container.

8. In a container cleaning machine, the combination comprising: a frame: a container holdin mechanism having releasable container gripping means thereon and being rotatably supported about a horizontal axis upon said frame; a first actuating means under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable rack actuable by said first means for rotating said mechanism; a second actuating means under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable post operable by said second means for actuating said gripping means; a nozzle vertically reciprocably supported upon said frame beneath said mechanism and alignable with a container inverted thereby; a third actuating means under said mechanism and a vertically reciprocable rack operable by said third means for reciprocating said nozzle and means connecting same to a source of cleaning fluid; and means driving said several actuating means in predetermined, timed relation to each other, thereby causing, in sequence, the lowering of the nozzle, gripping of the container within the holding mechanism, inversion of said container, and railng of said nozzle into contact with said inverted container.

\ LEONARD T. COOKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Taylor Nov. 24, 1931 Risser Apr. 2, 1940 Howard May 12, 1942 Number

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