US2615455A

US2615455A - Apparatus for cleaning watches and watch parts

Info

Publication number: US2615455A
Application number: US25287A
Authority: US
Inventors: Persson Jonas Almer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-05-07
Filing date: 1948-05-05
Publication date: 1952-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1969-10-28

Description

1952 J. A. PERSSON APPARATUS FOR CLEANING WATCHES AND WATCH PARTS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 5, 1948 r u 1 O H 8 0 H 3 r m 0. 8 W 3 2 H J 0 a Q I "II I 1 3 o lillllll J a 5 w E 7 W "9% 0 4 v 4 "M a 4: 2 2 M K t M r 4 3 6 7 4 9 a 5 JJ a a M f M f P 2 0 O 4 W 4 1 IN V EN TOR. Jonas film er Perssorz xhH JIGENZS.

Oct. 28, 1952 J. A. PERSSON 2,615,455

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING WATCHES AND WATCH PARTS Filed May 5, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I '1 f C 11 INVENTOR. I /59 (t L Jonms liimer Persson y 6'5 2 BY Patented Oct. 28, 1952 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING WATCHES AND WATCH PARTS Jonas Almer Persson, Hassela, Sweden Application May 5, 1948, Serial No. 25,287 In Sweden May 7, 194-7 6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a simple and effective apparatus for cleaning watches and watch parts in which a rotatable perforated casing or the like, which is driven by an electric motor and adapted to be raised and lowered, is arranged to be automatically and consecutively lowered into a number of containers containing suitable cleansing liquids and placed on an intermittently rotatable disc.

The invention is substantially characterized by a vertically pivoted link system comprising at least four pivots and co-operating' with. movement transmission members adapted to turn the disc carrying the containers to a certain extent during the upward movement of the. link system.

A specific object of the'present invention resides in the provision of a watch cleaning apparatus' of the described character whichv is constructed so that, during each operation, the containers not then receiving the perforated casing are automatically closed. Y

Another object resides in the provision of apparatus of the described character including heating means arranged to dry the parts in the perforated casing at the conclusion of the cleaning operations.

Another object is to provide a device of the described character embodying a shield for the perforated casing which is automatically removed from covering position, when the casing is lowered, and restored to covering position when the casing is suitably raised.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the described character in whichthe perforated casing is raised mechanically out of the containers and is dropped'gravitationally into the latter so that the movement of the. casing into the successive containers is accelerated. These and other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will be further described below with reference to example of construction'shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a front view of the apparatus having part of the case cut away.

Figs. 2' and 3 are drawn. on a larger scale and show a part of the apparatus in two different operative positions.

Fig. 4 illustrates on a larger scale the actuating mechanism for the intermittently rotatable disc, while Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the intermittently rotatable disc on a smaller scale.

Fig. 6 finally illustrates the electric diagram of connections for the said apparatus;

The apparatus consists of a case I which also serves as a frame. In the bottom 2 of the case i the lower part of ashaft- 3' is rotatably and slidingly mounted, the upper part of said shaft -being journalled in an intermediate floor 4. Spaced from the bottom 2 the shaft 3 carries a disc 5 which is fixedv thereto for rotation with'the shaft. On this disc are placed a number of (in the present construction four) containers 6 containing different kinds of cleansing liquids and a drying container 1. I

A casing ll consisting of wire netting or the like, and intended to receive the watch parts that are to be cleaned, is attached to the lower end of the shaft it of a vertically arranged electric reversible motor 9 suspended above the intermediate floor 4- on upwardly anddownwardly displaceable parallel link arms 8 attached to the frame I. To the end of the shaft I0 is further attached a centrifugal governor I 2 in order to ensure: as uniform a rotation speed as possible. To render possible the lowering of the casing ll into the respective receivers 6 and 1 the intermediate floor 4 is provided. with a cut out portion l3. Around the casing H is arranged an open ended sleeve" 69- formed to slide upwardly and downwardly along gu-ide'bars 61 depending from the motor and being provided with apair of outwardly projecting lift members 68 at its upper end for a purpose later described. Said sleeve 69 is intended to be automatically placed around the casing II, when the latter is raised out of a container, thus forming a splash-guard. In order to limit the downward movement of the sleeve 69- relative to the perforatedcasing to a position in which the sleeve covers the casing, the lower ends 6111 of the bars 61- are bent outwardly (Fig. l) to extend into the path of travel of the sleeve and act as stops.

The pendulous motion of the link arms, and thus the upand downward motion of the casing H is obtained by means of a special mechanism driven by the motor 9.. Hence the upper end- I l of the motors-hart comprises a worm wheel and co-operates with a. gear wheel [5 fixed to a shaft Himounted on top of the motor 9. The shaft I6 is by means of a Cardan join-t l1 connected to a shaft assembly- I 8 extending substantially parallel to the link arms 8 and provided with an auxiliary telescopic coupling 1! The other endof the shaft assembly Mr is in: a similar manner by means of a Cardan: joint connected to a shaft 20 mounted. in the frame I-. Said shaft 2-!!- carries a gear wheel 2-lmeshing with a gear wheel 23 fixed on a worm shaft 22. for rotating the latter. A runner 24- threadedly engages and: travels back and-- forth ontheworm shaft 22 in accordance with. the direction of rotation. of the reversible motgl 9. The: runner 241 is prevented: from rotating with the worm shaft 22 by means of a yoke 25, which engages a shaft 26 arranged above the shaft 22. The side of the runner 24 facing downwards is provided with an abutment 27 arranged to co-operate with the free end of an arm 28. This arm, which is forced upwardly to rest against the runner 24 by a spring 29 is pivoted to one arm 30 of an angular lever or bell-crank pivoted to the intermediate floor 4. The other arm 3| of said angular lever is connected to one of the link arms 8 through a connecting rod 32. A U -shaped member 33 is hinged to the runner 24 and co-operates with a spring catch 34 which is fixedly supported in such a position that, when the direction of movement of runner 24 is reversed near the position occupied in Fig. 2, the member 33 is caught by the catch 34 and swung down toward the arm 28 to disengage the free end of the said arm 28 from the abutment 2T, whereupon, after further movement of runner 24 in the reversed direction sufficient to disengage the member 33 from the catch 34, the member 33 is brought backto its initial position by a spring 35. Thus, disengagement of the end of arm 28 from the abutment 2i permits unimpeded swinging of the bell-

crank arms

36 and 3| in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the motor 9 and the perforated casing i i are lowered gravitationally to project the casing through the opening I3 in the intermediate wall. This free drop of the casing II after release of the arm 28 from the runner 24 decreases the time required for lowering the perforated casing and increases the portion of the period required for an operating cycle during which the casing is immersed.

In order to mufiie the downward motion of the link arms 8 and thus also the motion of the motor 9 and easing H a damper 36, consisting of a cylinder in which a piston is arranged, is mounted between one of the link arms 8 and the intermediate floor 4.

A ratchet wheel 3'! engaging a spring operated ratchet pawl 38 is operable in intermittently turning the shaft 3 to which is fixed the disc 5 carrying the containers 6 and 1. The ratchet pawl 38 is pivoted to a disc 39 which is freely turnable around the shaft 3, the disc being connected to the parallel link arms 8 by means of connecting rods 40 and 4| To the connecting rod 4! is fixed an upwardly inclined arm 42, the upper end of which is brought to engage the upper edge of a link arm 6 in such a manner, that when the latter moves upwards the rod 4! is caused to swing towards the shaft 3, and through the rod 40 operate the disc feed mechanism, thus causing the disc 5 to be turned one step.

Further, one arm of a double-armed lever 43 is attached to the upper end of the shaft 3, the other arm of saidlever 43 being connected to one of the parallel link arms 8 by a connecting rod 44 causing the shaft 3, and thereby also the disc 5 to be raised by the downward motion of the link arms 8. Discs 45 of suitable packing or sealing material are secured to the under surface of the intermediate wall 4 to be engaged by the upper open ends of the containers 6 and I when the disc 5 is raised by the downward motion of the link arms 8. Thus, those containers not registered with the opening I3 are automatically closed during each immersion period of the operating cycle of the described apparatus.

For stopping the motor 9 at the end of a cleaning operation, i. e. when the disc 5, carrying the 1 4 a switch fitted in a switch box 46 is operated by an arm 41 and a rod 48, the latter projecting through the intermediate floor 4 and terminating directly above the disc 5. The switch is adapted to be closed when the rod is in its lowest position in which it is normally kept by a spring 49. The switch is caused to break the circuit when the disc v5 in its final position is raised. An abutment 50 is then located directly below the rod 48 and presses the rod upwards against the action of the spring 49. The upward motion of the rod 48 further operates an arm 5| of some suitable kind of bell 52.

The direction of rotation of the reversible electric motor 9 may be reversed, for instance by reversing the direction of the current through the armature coils or the stator coils of the motor.

This is obtained by providing the slidable shaft 26 with two

stops

53 and 54, so placed that the yoke 25 of the runner 24 engages either of these stops when it reaches each respective end of its path, thus causing a displacement of said shaft 26. One end of an angular lever 55 (Figs. 2 and 3) engages the shaft 26, and is at its other end. connected to a double-armed rod 56 by means of a spring 51. The rod 56 is pivoted on. a stud 58 and is operative to two pairs of

contacts

59, 60 and 6!, 62 respectively, through the

contact members

63 and 64 attached to each end of the rod. The diagram of connections shown in Fig. 6

illustrates how these contacts and contact members are connected to electric circuit. The switch 65 located in the switch box 46 which is operated by the

rods

41 and 48 is also included in this dia gram. 66 designates a heating element parallelly connected to the motor 9 and located immediately below the downwardly open drying container 1 which is arranged above a corresponding opening in the disc 5.

The apparatus operates in the manner described below, when starting from the position in which the casing l I rests in a lowered position between the drying container 1 and the first of the containers 6. The motor is not running as the switch 65 is open on account of the

rods

41, 48 being raised by the abutment 50.

The switch 65 is closed by lifting the casing I l and the motor 9 by hand to their upper position, causing the motor to start in such a direction that the runner 24 starts traveling from right to left, whereupon the disc 5 is rotated by hand to the position in which the first container 6 registers with the cut out portion l3 in the intermediate fioor 4. The motor 9 and the casing H are then allowed to lower themselves by gravity against the action of the damping device 36, causing the free end of the arm 28 to be extended past the runner 24 to its left terminal position. When the casing H is lowered into the container 6 the splash guard 69 is displaced upwards along the guide bars 61 by engagement of the lift members 68 with the intermediate wall 4, thus uncovering the casing ll. During this downward motion, in which also the parallel link arms 6 take part, the disc 5 together with the containers 6 and 1 is raised by the action of the

rod system

43, 44 to close the inactive containers against the pads 45. When the runner 24, after having passed the free end of the arm 28, is adjacent to its left terminal position, the yoke 25 of the runner engages the stop 53, causing the shaft 26 to be carried along. This causes the angular lever 55 to operate the switch device 59--64 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position indicated in Fig. 3. As a result the direction of rotation of the motor, as well as that of the worm shaft 22,

is reversed causing the runner 24 to travel from left to right. The free end of the arm 28 will then engage the abutment 21 of'the runner 2'4, forcing the arm 28 to be carried along with the runner 24 in its rightward motion, which will cause a displacement of the

angular lever

30, 3!, which by means of the connecting rod 32 raises the parallel link arms 8 and their attached motor 9 and casing II to the position shown in Fig. 1. When the link arms have reached such a position that the casing II has just been withdrawn from the container 6, the arm 42 engages the upper edge of the parallel link arm 8 through an adjustable screw H, thereby operating the ratchet mechanism 31-49 by means of the connecting rods 4|, 40 in order to move the disc 5 one step, i. e. so far that the next container is placed under the cut out portion 13.

Before the runner 24 reaches its right terminal position and thus causes the motor and the worm shaft '22 to be reversed by the action of the runner on the shaft 26, the left-hand pointed end of the U-shaped member 33 passes in under the spring catch 34. When the runner 24 once again starts traveling to the left, the member 33 by engaging the spring catch 34, as shown in Fig. 2, will be pressed downwards against the action of the spring 35 and cause the arm 28 to be released so that the link arms 8 with the attached motor 9 and casing I I are lowered independently of the runner 24 to obtain a quicker descent and longer period of immersion.

The sequence described above is repeated till the casing I I has been consecutively dipped into each one of the containers 6 and into the drying container I. After the casing l I has been raised out of the container I and the disc 5 has been turned a step forward, the abutment 50 has once again reached the position in which it registers with the rod 48, which operates the main switch 65. When the link arms 8 in a following step of operation are lowered, the disc 5 is raised and causes the switch 65 to cut the current. When the rod 48 is raised the arm 5| of the bell 52 is simultaneously operated so as to indicate that the cleaning operation is finished.

Naturally the invention is not limited to the construction shown and described above, but may be varied in several ways within the scope of the invention.

Having now particularly described the nature of my invention and the manner of its operation what I claim is:

1. A watch cleaning machine comprising a housing having a horizontal intermediately located wall disposed therein; a vertically extending shaft rotatably and slidably journalled in said wall and extending below the latter; a disc carried by said shaft below said wall; an opening formed through said wall; a plurality of spaced apart containers for containing cleansing fluids carried by said disc and adapted to successively register with said opening; substantially parallel link arms disposed above said wall and each pivotally carried at one end by said housing for swinging in a vertical plane; a reversible electric motor carried by the other ends of said link arms in vertical alignment with said opening and having a vertical rotatable motor shaft; a perforated casing dependingly mounted on said motor shaft and adapted to extend through said opening when said motor is lowered; raising and lowering means actuated by said motor shaft and connected between said housing and one of said link arms adapted to manipulate said link arms and thereby lower and raise saidcasing into and out of the one of said containers registered with said opening; means connected between said. link arms and said first mentioned shaft. adapted to intermittently rotate the latter during the upward movement of said link arms; and lever means connected between said link arms and said first mentioned shaft adapted to raise the latter'when said link arms are lowered and to engage the tops of the containersnot registered with said opening against the lower surface of said wall.

2. .A' watch cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein a heating element is disposed in said housing below said disc in vertical alignment with said casing; and said disc is formed with an opening therethrough adapted to be selectively registered with said heating element to uncover the latter and expose said casing, when lowered, to the heat from said heating element.

3. A watch cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein said raising and lowering means includes a rotatable worm shaft driven by said motor shaft; runner threa-dedly engaging said worm shaft and movable along the latter; switching means connected to said motor and engageable by said runner at the opposite extremities of the travel of the latter and upon such engagement reversing the direction of rotation of said motor shaft and said worm shaft; a lever system connected at one end to said one of said link arms, and at the other end adapted to engage said runner during movement of the latter in one direction raising said link 'arms; disengaging means operative in response to the reversal of movement of said runner from said one direction to the opposite direction to disengage said other end of said lever system from said runner to thereby efiect lowering of said link arms by gravity; and damping means engaging said link arms adapted to dampen the downward movement thereof.

4. A watch cleaning machine according to claim 1, including a source of electrical current; conductors extending between said source and said motor; a normally closed switch interposed in one of said conductors; and switch operating means including a vertically movable operating rod o-peratively connected to said switch and adapted to open the latter when in the raised position, and an abutment carried 'by said disc registering withsaid operating rod in one rotated position of said disc and adapted to raise said rod for opening said switch when said first mentioned shaft is raised with said disc in said one rotated position to thereby cut-01f said motor from said source of electrical current.

5. A watch cleaning machine according to claim 1, including a signal device; a vertically movable operating rod operatively connected to said signal device and adapted to actuate the latter when in the raised position; and an abutment carried by said disc underlying said operating rod in one rotated position of said disc, and adapted to raise said rod for actuating said signal device when said first mentioned shaft is raised with said disc in said one rotated position.

6. A watch cleaning machine according to claim 1, including a sleeve slidably mounted concentric with said casing and adapted to receive the latter, means on said sleeve engageable with intermediate wall from above when said casing is lowered below said intermediate wall and operative to raise said sleeve relative to said casing for uncovering the latter, and means operatively associated with said motor and adapted to limit 7 the downward movement of said sleeve relative to said casing to a position in which said sleeve covers the casing so that, when said motor and casing are raised above said intermediate wall, said sleeve covers and thereby shields said casing.

JONAS ALMER PERSSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Curry July 4, 1905 Number Number 8 Name Date Flegel May 14, 1929 Haber Oct. 29, 1929 Gross Mar. 31, 1931 Olson Sept. 27, 1932 Kirby Mar. 13, 1934 Hensler July 27, 1937 Repasy Dec. 19, 1939 Pabst Mar. 26, 1940 Keehnel May 9, 1944 Friedman Feb. 25, 1947