US2619435A - Cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

N v- 1952 J. K. FLINCHBAUGH CLEANING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1947 INVENTOR. John K. fiirzcllazgk BY ZW..Q;% E14 HTTORNEYS.

1952 J. K. FLINCHBAUGH CLEANING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1947 INVENTOR- LT 0/: n. K. fiz'ncllavgZ. BY aw,

Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLEANING APPARATUS John K. Flinchbaugh, Port Huron, Mich.

Application February 21, 1947, :Serial N 0. 730,107

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus for efficiently cleaning small parts with cleaning fluid.

In the past, it has been a diflicult and arduous job to clean small parts such as electric motors and the like when they are returned for repair work and overhauling. This job has generally been accomplished by an individual using a brush and cleaning fluid and scrubbing the various parts to clean them. This has resulted in dirty cleaning fluid getting on ,the individual doing the cleaning and being spread around the surrounding area.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved means for cleaning grease and grime from small parts such as electric motors and the like so that the parts will be more efficiently cleaned in a relatively short time, and so that the cleaning fluid will not be spread in the accompanying area.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a closed cabinet in which the articles to be cleaned may be placed and rotated during the cleaning operation while the operator stands on the outside of the cabinet and sprays the articles to be cleaned, through a hose, the free end of which is removably and rotatably supported in a wall of the cabinet.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a cabinet of the aforementioned type having a window in one wall so that the operator may watch the articles being cleaned so as to be able to direct the spray of cleaning fluid thereon and be able to tell when the article has been completely cleaned.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a cabinet of the aforementioned type constructed so that the cleaning fluid Will be pumped under pressure from a tank mounted therein, so that the cleaning fluid will be filtered and returned to the storage tank, and so that any fumes from the cleaning fluid will be carried out of the cabinet through a flue.

It is a still further object to provide a cleaning apparatus of the aforementioned type which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partially in section .2 and partially in elevation taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view partially in section and partially in elevation taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view i1lustrating the various rotatable positions of the nozzle end of a hose within a cabinet wall-of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the apparatus of this invention comprises a generally rectangular shaped cabinet, generally indicated at 7, which has a frame formed by a plurality of angle iron members, and a sheet metal skin secured thereto. The cabinet is provided with a pair of vertically swinging lower doors 9, hinged respectively at the opposite sides of the cabinet, and an upper door H hinged at one side of the cabinet. It will be noted that the door H is inclined inwardly and upwardly, for a reason which will later appear.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, a turntable I! having a spindle I9 is rotatably supported on a transverse frame member 2| in a conventional manner by means of a plate 23, an antifriction bearing 25, and a thrust bearing 21. The lower end of the turntable spindle l9 has a conventional pulley 29 fixedly secured thereto by any suitable means. The pulley 29 is connected by means of a belt 3| to a pulley 33 connected to a suitable electric motor 35 mounted on the interior of the cabinet. The turntable is supported adjacent its outer periphery by means of four circumferen tially spaced rollers 31 mounted on bolts 39 supported in a ring 4| which surrounds the turntable. The ring 4| is fixedly connected to a perforated plate 43 which is parallel with the frame member 2| and is supported by brackets 45 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the cabinet.

Positioned on the floor 41 of the cabinet, as shown by Fig. 5, is a cleaning fluid storage tank 49 within which a supply of cleaning fluid is stored. This tank 49 is disposed immediately behind the oppositely hinged lower doors 9 of the cabinet so that by opening the doors 9, ready access to the storage tank may be had. Connected to the under side of the frame member 2| is a trough-like member 5| which has inclined sides so as to direct the flow of cleaning fluid which is sprayed into the upper part of the cabinet, as will be hereinafter described, back into the storage tank. Below the trough-like element El and adjacent the upper end of the storage tank 49, a pair or vertically spaced filters 53 are provided which are supported on the sides of the tank 49 by suitable bracket means 55 and are removable through slots in the front wall of the tank.

Positioned on the floor 41 of the cabinet adjacent to the tank 49 is a conventional fluid pump 51 and its driving motor 59. A conduit BI extends through a wall of the tank 49 adjacent the lower end thereof to connect the pump 51 with the fluid within the tank. A conduit 63 is connected to the outlet of the pump and extends, as can be seen in Fig. 5, transversely across the cabinet behind the fluid tank 49 and passes through the left-hand side wall of the cabinet I. A flexible hose 65 is connected to the free end of the conduit 63 through suitable couplings, and the opposite end of the hose 65 is provided with a nozzle 67.

Secured adjacent the lower edge of the upper door H by means of rivets II, as shown by Fig. 3, is an angle iron strip '13. It will be noticed that the lower end of the door II overlaps the upper end of the cabinet wall I2, and the strip 13 aids in preventing leakage of cleaning fluid from the under side of the door. A channel element T5 is positioned below the door against the outer surface of the Wall "12 to act as a trough to carry away any fluid which may escape through the under side of the door II. This channel element 75 is conventionally welded to the outer surface of the wall 72.

The center of the door II is apertured, as at Tl, and a ring element E9 having a front flange 8| therearcund is positioned in the aperture 11, and the flange 81 is welded to the outer face of the door as indicated at 83. The inner periphery of the ring 19, as can be seen in Fig. 3, is formed with a shallow lip 85 around the outer face thereof and immediately behind the lip 85 the ring is formed with a circumferential groove 8?. A ring element 2'39 having a radially projecting flange d! is fitted into the ring is, with the ring flange 9| flush with the rim lip 85. Adjacent the edge of the ring flange SI a plurality of rollers 93 are provided on the latter which ride in the groove 8! in the rim. The rollers 93 are mounted on rivets 95 which pass through the flange 9!. It will be noted that the outer periphery of the flange 9| does not contact the inner periphery of the rim lip 85 due to the positioning of the rollers 93 within the groove 81. The ring 89 is also formed with a rearwardly extending circumferential flange 97 which has a ring-shaped plate 99 welded to the outer periphery at the rear end thereof. The front face of the ringshaped plate 98 abuts against a radial flange IOI of the ring 19. In this way, the ring 89 is rotatably mounted in the ring 19 but is not free to move laterally with respect thereto.

The inner periphery of the ring 89 is cut back to provide an annular recess I03, which receives a window sealing element or material I55 there in and a circular window I81. The window It? is held against the ring 89 by a suitable ring I08 which is secured to the ring 89 by means of screws I69. Due to the inclination of the door II, previously noted, the window Ill! will likewise be inclined, and therefore will permit the turntable, in the cabinet, to be easily viewed through the window. Depending from the upper wall of the cabinet, adjacent the door II, are lights I I0 which illuminate the turntable to like- 4 wise allow it to be easily viewed through the window I01.

Adjacent the Window ring I08, the ring 89 is provided with an aperture III adapted to receive the free end of the hose nozzle 61 therein. The inner and outer faces of the ring 89 adjacent the aperture III are beveled, as at II3, to permit the nozzle 61 to be rocked in any direction within the aperture III for a reason which will be hereinafter brought out. Adjacent the door II, as viewed in Fig. 1, the front wall of the cabinet is provided with an aperture H5 in which the nozzel 61 of the hose may be inserted when not in use to provide a convenient place to hang the hose.

As viewed in Fig. 2, the articles to be cleaned such as the various parts of an electric motor or the like are placed on top of the turntable I? and are indicated at I". These articles III generally are heavy enough so that when the cleaning fluid is sprayed into the cabinet through the hose, they will not move or slide from the turntable. However, if relatively small and lightweight articles are to be cleaned, it may be necessary to hold the latter on the turntable. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the left-hand wall of the cabinet I is provided with a sliding door I I9 which slides in ways 12 I. A handle I23 is provided for sliding the door IIQ rearwardly in the ways I2I so that the operator may reach through the. aperture I25 in the wall of the cabinet, when the door is open, and hold small workpieces on the turntable while at the same time directing the spray of cleaning fluid from the hose.

Extending upwardly through the top wall of the cabinet I is an outlet pipe or flue I21 which is adapted to conduct the cleaning fluid fumes out of the cabinet and out of the room in which the cabinet is placed. The flue I21 has a fan I2 mounted therein which is driven through a belt by a motor ISI. This fan I29 draws the fumes out of the cabinet and causes them to be blown out through the flue I27.

In operation, the door II of the cabinet is opened and the articles to be cleaned are positioned on the turntable I1. The door II is then closed so as to completely enclose the turntable and workpieces within the cabinet I. The motor 35 which drives the worktable I! is then started causing the worktable I1 to be rotated in a horizontal plane and thus rotate the articles H1. The pump 51 is then started which pumps the cleaning fluid into the hose 65, and the flue fan I29 is started. The nozzle 81 on the free end of the hose is inserted within the aperture III in the rotatable ring 89 and the nozzle 6'! is opened and the cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the articles to be cleaned. The operator by watching through the window I01 can then accurately direct the cleaning fluid spray onto the articles IIl. By applying side pressure on the nozzle 61, the ring 89 can be rotated in the door I I and thus will carry the nozzle end of the hose 65 to any desired position in the plane of substantially vertical rotation of the ring 89, as shown in Fig. 6. Due to the fact that the aperture III in the ring 89 is of a larger diameter than the end of the nozzle 61 and likewise due to the beveled inner and outer faces of the ring adjacent the aperture III, the nozzle 61 can be rocked within the ring aperture III to further aid in the directing of the cleaning fluid spray to various sides and parts of the articles carried on the worktable. In this way, the operator can quickly and efliciently clean the workpieces within the cabinet without spraying himself with cleaning fluid and without having the fumes from the cleaning fluid spread around the area in which he is working.

I claim:

1. In a cleaning apparatus, a cabinet, a horizontal turntable rotatably mounted within said cabinet, means for rotating said turntable, a ring rotatably mounted in one wall of said cabinet, a vision window sealingly secured in said ring for movement therewith, flexible hose means for conducting cleaning fluid, and means for pumping cleaning fluid under pressure through said hose means, said ring having an aperture therein adapted to receive the free end of said hose means whereby said ring and said window may be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to said turntable by the application of manual pressure on said hose end to carry said hose end therewith.

2. In a cleaning apparatus, a cabinet, a cleaning fluid storage tank within said cabinet, a horizontal turntable rotatably supported in said cabinet above said storage tank, filter means disposed between said turntable and said storage tank, means for rotating said turntable, flexible hose means connected to said storage tank, pump means for pumping cleaning fluid under pressure from said storage tank through said flexible hose, a ring rotatably mounted in one wall of said cabinet, and a window sealingly secured in said ring for movement therewith, said ring having an aperture therein adapted to freely receive the remote end of said hose means whereby said ring and said window may be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise within said wall by the application of manual side pressure on the remote end of said hose to carry said hose end therewith.

3. In a cleaning apparatus, a cabinet, a cleaning fluid storage tank supported in the lower portion of said cabinet, a horizontal turntable rotatably mounted in the upper portion of said cabinet and adapted to support articles to be cleaned thereon, means for filtering cleaning fluid positioned within said cabinet between said turntable and said storage tank, a flexible hose, pump means connecting said hose to said storage tank, a substantially vertical door in said cabinet permitting access to said turntable, said door being formed with an opening, a ring, means mounting said ring within said opening for rotation relative to said door, a window sealingly secured in said ring, said ring having an aperture therein adapted to freely receive the remote end I of said hose means whereby said ring may be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to said door by the application of manual side pressure on said hose, and means for carrying away cleaning fluid fumes from the interior of said cabinet.

4. A cleaning apparatus comprising a substantially closed cabinet, means for supporting articles to be cleaned within said cabinet, said cabinet including a wall portion having an opening therein, a ring defining a central opening and having an aperture therethrough spaced from said central opening and adapted to receive a nozzle for directing cleaning material onto said articles, means mounting said ring within said opening in said wall portion for rotation relative to said wall portion about the axis of said ring whereby said aperture may be moved along an arcuate path for positioning said nozzle relative to said articles, and means closing the central opening defined by said ring.

5. A cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said last named means is mounted on said ring for rotation therewith.

6. A cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said last named means includes a transparent portion providing a vision window.

7. A cleaning apparatus comprising a substantially closed cabinet, means for supporting articles to be cleaned within said cabinet, said cabinet including a wall portion having an opening therein, an element mounted Within said opening for rotation relative to said wall portion about the axis of said element and having an aperture therethrough disposed in spaced relation to the center of rotation of said element, said aperture being adapted to receive a nozzle for directing cleaning material onto said articles and movable relative to said element for changing the direction of discharge of said material from said nozzle relative to said element, said element being effective upon rotary movement thereof to move said aperture along an arcuate path for positioning said nozzle relative to said articles.

8. A cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 7, including means defining a vision window through which an operator may observe the cleaning of said articles.

JOHN K. FLlNCHBAUGI-I.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 488,624 Brewster Dec. 27, 1892 783,301 McMillan Feb. 21, 1905 972,736 Tippit Oct. 11, 1910 1,601,147 Ruemelin Sept. 28, 1926 1,633,669 Irvin June 28, 1927 1,693,885 Butterworth Dec. 4, 1928 1,741,329 Montgomery Dec. 31, 1929 2,078,104 Stanley Apr. 20, 1937 2,302,299 Court Nov. 17, 1942 2,385,150 Miller l Sept. 18, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 315,446 Great Britain July 12, 1929

Claims (1)

1. IN A CLEANING APPARATUS, A CABINET, A HORIZONTAL TURNTABLE ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CABINET, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID TURNTABLE, A RING ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN ONE WALL OF SAID CABINET, A VISION WINDOW SEALINGLY SECURED IN SAID RING FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, FLEXIBLE HOSE MEANS FOR CONDUCTING CLEANING FLUID, AND MEANS FOR PUMPING CLEANING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH

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