US2655928A - Bottle cleansing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 20, 1953 J. l.. HEROLD 2,655,928

BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE Filed Jan. l1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAMES LHEROLD BY v ATTORNEY.V

. TH 3., MMM m Oct. 20, 1953 J. 1 HEROLD BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. ll 1950 INVENTOR.

Y, D i www .hf T F. @L T MmA L um Mm on J Oct. 20, 1953 J. L.. HEROLD BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE 3 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 1l, 1950 INVENTOR. JAMES x.. nimm BY www www@ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1953 BOTTLE CLEANSING MACHINE James L. Herold, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Barry- Wehmiller Machinery Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 11, 1950, Serial No. 138,033

12 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle cleansing machines of the type wherein a conveyor is employed to transmit bottles through a cleansing zone. However, some of the novel details are applicable to various kinds of machines wherein it is desirable to rock bottoms, or the like, in a conveyor.

Prior to this invention, traveling bottles have been advanced step by step to successive cleaning stations where the bottles are held in i'lXed positions while streams of cleansing liquid are discharged onto the stationary bottles. Under such conditions there is a relatively low degree of eiliciency because each stream is discharged onto a single point or area of contact with a bottle.

An object of the present invention is to create a commercially feasible means for tilting or rocking the bottles to numerous positions in the cleansing zone, so as to expose numerous areas of each bottle to direct forcible Contact with the I cleansing liquid. A further object is to accomplish these results in a simple apparatus wherein loose bottles are readily pushed over suitable rockers to successive cleansing positions below the cleansing streams. Advantages of the bottlerocking device appear in other types of cleansing operations and include the valuable aid of agitating cleansing liquid inside of the bottles, so as to loosen foreign matter clinging to bottom portions of the bottles, as a preliminary step for internal cleansing which may be completed in a subsequent operation.

Novel cooperative details include rocking track members on which the loose bottles are supported, a conveyor having pushing elements to advance the bottles over said track members, and deflecting elements to shift the loose bottles away from said pushing elements in response to rocking movements of the bottles.

Another object is to conveniently utilize a conventional type of bottle conveyor adapted to push loose bottles along stationary friction track members which contact with bottoms of the traveling bottles. With this object in view, the rockable track members are preferably interposed between lsections of the stationary track members under conditions which allow the traveling bottles to freely enter onto and pass from the rockable tracks.

Another object is to provide novel conditions which enable the rockable tracks to be economically assembled and readily taken apart for inspection or repairs at parts of the machine below the tracks.

In commercial practice, the rockable track device may be employed in an elaborate machine adapted to successively perform different kinds of cleansing operations, and under some conditions it is not necessary to rock the track members. Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide conditions which enable the rocking tracks to be conveniently stopped and positively held in xed idle positions wherein they merely form smooth tracks between the sections of the normally stationary track members.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel combination and arrangement of details herein shown and described to illustrate a specic form of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention extends to variations and modiiications more broadly described by terms employed in the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a portion of the housing of a bottle cleansing machine, with the rockable track device shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. l, showing the conveyor as it appears while moving the bottle holders in the cleansing zone.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view, drawn to ak larger scale, showing a means for rocking the track bars.

Fig. 4 is a section through a clutch device.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a part of the clutch device.

Fig. 'l is a detail view showing one ci the bottle holders and a bottle seated on one of the rockers.

Fig, 8 is a transverse section through a traveling bottle holder, with the bottle as it appears while being pushed along one of the rockers.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing a condition which appears when the bottle holder is at rest, the bottle being rocked onto one side of said holder.

Figures l and 2 show portions of a conventional type of bottle conveyor including a pair of sprocket chains Il! provided with rollers Il supported on tracks l2 at opposite side walls i3 and I4 of a housing, and rows of bottle holders l5 carried by said chains l0. Conveyors of this type are usually moved intermittently, step by step, in an endless course, so it does not seem necessary to show or describe all of the details of a Suitable conveyor.

The bottle holders l5 are large enough to loosely receive bottles I6, and when the bottle holders are located in positions shown in the drawings, the bottles rest upon tracks located below the course of the bottle holders. As `shown in Figures 2 and 3, these tracks may include normally stationary in the bottle holders I5.

track sections I1 and I8, and rockers in the form of track bars I9 between said sections I1 and I8. 'I'he bottle holders i5 travel in the direction indicated by arrows in Figures 2 and 8 to push the bottles I6 on the normally stationary track section I1, and thence along the track bars I9 from which the bottles are eventually transferred to the normally stationary track section I8. The ends of the track bars I9 which lie adjacent to the track section I1 are preferably beveled, as shown at 28, to provide for unobstructed delivery of bottles to the rocking track bars I9. The receiving edge of the normally stationary track section i8 may be beveled as shown at 2I in Figures 2 and 3. While the track sections I1 and I8 are normally stationary, it is to be understood that they may be adjustable relative to the ends of the track bars I9,

The invention may be employed for highly eflicient cleansing of bottles, and the like, in numerous different types of cleansing Zones. However, to illustrate one form of the invention, Figures 1, 2 and 7 show a stationary pan 22 adapted to receive cleansing liquid, said pan being provided with rows of spouts or nozzles 23 for the discharge of streams of liquid onto rows of bottles I 6 Fig. 1 shows one row of spouts 23 above a row of bottle holders I5. Fig. 2 shows that there are several rows of spouts 23 above several rows of bottle holders, the conveyor being movable step by step to progressively advance each row of bottles from cleansing positions below one row of spouts 23 to similar positions below the next adjacent row of spouts.

In this specic form of the invention, a desirable means for rocking the bottles includes the track bars I9 having friction surfaces below the rows of bottle holders I to contact with and support rows of bottles I 6. Each of these track bars I 9 is arranged parallel with the course of the bottle holders in the cleansing vzone, and extended beneath successive rows of said bottle holders, so as to simultaneously contact with a series of bottles in the successive rows.

The tracks I9 herein shown consist of simple T-bars, each having a at seat at the top to receive the bottles and a leg 24 below said seat. These track bars I 8 are to be regarded as rockers, and they can be conveniently supported on transverse bars 25 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7. Simple pivotal mountings may be formed by approximately circular pivot members 26 located in recesses at the bottom of each leg 24 and seated in arcuate recesses 21 at the upper edges of the transverse bars 25, as shown most clearly in Figures 2, 3 and 7. The bars 25 are fixed to a suitable part of the conveyor structure, as is well understood. Each arcuate recess 21 is open at the top (Fig. 7) to detachably receive one of the pivot members 26. This detail provides for very economical assemblage of the several track bars I9 on their pivotal mountings 26-21, and has the further advantage of permitting convenient removal of said track bars by merely lifting them from the stationary transverse supports 25. Such removal 'is occasionally desirable for inspection or repairs at lower portions of the machine.

Each of the track bars I9 shown in the drawf ings has an operating arm 28 united with and extending downwardly from one of its ends, the several operating arms 28 being provided with recesses 29 to receive pins 3B carried by a reciprocating bar 3|, as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

.This bar 3l is supported by hanger arms 32 Ypivotally connected to the bar 3I.

(Fig. 1) suspended from pivots 33 and having their lower ends pivotally connected to said bar 3I. Said bar 3l may be reciprocated with the result of transmitting movement from its pins 3U to the arms 28 of the track bars I9 (Fig. 1), thereby oscillating said track bars about the axes of the pivot members 28. It may be observed that the pins 30 lie in the recesses 29 of the arms 28, and that said recesses are open at the bottom. Under these conditions, the pins 38 can be readily inserted into the open recesses 2S where they serve as drivers for the rocker arms 28, and said arms Will freely pass from the pins 30 when the track bars I9 are removed from their seats 21 on the supporting bars 25.

A suitable means for reciprocating the elongated bar 3I to rock the track bars I8, comprises a crank shaft 34 having a crank pin 35 (Figures 1 and 3) and a forked connecting rod 36, one end of said connecting rod being mounted on the crank pin 35 and the other end being It is to be understood that the elongated operating bar 3| will reciprocate in response to rotary movements of the crank shaft 34 and its crank pin 35. This crank shaft 34 is preferably driven continuously to constantly rock the track bars I9, not only when the bottles are located directly below the spouts 23. but also while the bottle conveyor is moving vto advance the bottles through the cleansing zone.

rThe means for operating the crank shaftr 34 comprises a constantly running drive shaft 31 (Fig. 3), a sprocket wheel 38 on said shaft,A a sprocket wheel 39 on the crank shaft 34 and a sprocket chain 40 connecting these wheels 38 and 39. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a clutch device to detachably couple the sprocket wheel 38 to the drive shaft 31. This wheel 38 is loosely mounted on said shaft 31 (Fig. 4) and provided with an extended lug or tooth 4I adapted to interlock with a shiftable clutch 'device shown in Figures 3 to 6. This shiftable device comprises a sleeve 42 splined to and slidable on the shaft 31 (Fig. 4), a collar 43 xed to the slidable sleeve42, a pair of gripping blocks 44 carried by said sleeve 42, and a plate 45 carried by said blocks, said plate having a notch or recess 46 (Figures 4, 5

Yand 6) to receive the lug 4I on the sprocket Wheel 38. The blocks 44 are firmly clamped onto the sleeve 42 by means of bolts 41. However, in response to'an overload, or if the crank shaft 34 should be Vpositively stopped While the clutch device is coupled to the sprocket wheel 38, the sleeve 42 will rotate while frictionally secured to the blocks 44.

The means for shifting the clutch device to start and stop the transmission of power to the rockable track bars, comprises a manually operated lever pivotally supported at 43 (Figures 1 and 3), said lever having an operating handle 49 and arms 5l) provided with pins 5| located in a peripheral groove of clutch collar 43. The operating handle 49 is movable downwardly as suggested by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby releasing the shiftable clutch device from the sprocket Wheel 38 to stop the transmission of power to the rockable track bars I9. However, when the handle 49 is located in the position shown by full lines in Figures 1 and 3, to provide for the transmission of power, said handle may be arranged in a holder 52 provided with a re- Under normal operating conditions, the track bars I9 are constantly tilted from intermediate horizontal positions shown by full lines in Fig. '1 to oppositely inclined positions, so as to tilt the bottles in the streams of cleansing liquid. However, in washing new bottles, or fairly clean bottles without labels, it is not necessary to rock said track bars I9. In thisevent, it is desirable to maintain the track bars in the horizontal positions shown by full lines in Fig. '1, and other views of the drawings. This avoids uneven wear on the friction surfaces of the track bars, and locates said bars in fixed positions where they merely form smooth continuations of the stationary track sections I1 and I8, shown in Fig. 2.

The means for positively locating the track bars in said intermediate horizontal positions preferably comprises a stop member associated with the means for rocking said bars, so as to stop and hold these bars in their horizontal po sitions, To understand the specific device shown in Figures 1 and 3, it should be noted that when the crank pin 35 occupies its highest and lowest positions, the track bars I9 are located in their intermediate, horizontal positions. The stopping device includes a means for stopping and holding said crank pin 35 in either of said highest or lowest positions after the shiftable clutch member has been released from the sprocket wheel 38. For example, the operating handle 49 (Figures l and 3) is provided with a fork 54 adapted to receive and hold a collar 55 on the crank pin 35. This fork 54 is provided with diverging extensions 56 adapted to engage the collar 55, so as to shift the crank pin 35 to either its highest or lowest position, thereby locating the track bars I9 in their intermediate positions after the transmission of power from the clutch has been discontinued. The track bars are then positively held in said intermediate positions.

Fig. '1 shows a bottle I6 directly below one of the spouts 23 from which liquid is discharged onto the bottle. Dotted lines illustrate the bottle in one of its extreme positions wherein the bottom of the bottle contacts with the tilted track bar I9, while an upper portion of the bottle contacts with a side wall of the bottle holder I5. Study of Fig. '1 will show that the bottle is tilted to numerous different angles while moving from the vertical position shown by full lines to the extreme position in dotted lines, thereby exposing numerous areas of the bottle to direct cleansing contact with the forcible stream discharged from the spout 23. These conditions result in effective removal of labels and other substances clinging to surfaces of the bottles.

Each bottle holder I5 (Figures 2 and 8) is provided with a pushing abutment 51 adapted to contact with andpush the bottle along one of the track bars I9 in response to step by step movements of the bottle conveyor. As shown most clearly in Figures 8 and 9, each bottle holder is also provided with deiiectors 58 diverging from its pushing abutment 51, so as to deflect the bottle away from said abutment 51 in response to rocking movements of the track bars I9. The deflectors 58 preferably lie at obtuse angles to the abutment 51, and these elements 51 and 58 can be conveniently formed by wall members of the polygonal bottle holders I5.

When the conveyor is traveling to advance the bottles in the cleansing zone, each abutment 51 contacts with one of the bottles I6, as shown in Fig. 8. However, when the conveyor stops, or

'6 when it is moving at a very low speed, the rocking movement of the track bars I9 immediately tilts each bottle I6 onto one of the deflectors 58, thereby shifting the bottles away from the abutments 51, and releasing paper, etc. that may be clamped between the bottles and the abutments. This movement of the bottles on the deiiectors 58 also imparts a slight rolling movement to the bottles, and in this manner exposes diierent areas of the bottles to direct impacts of the forcible streams. The normal rocking movements of the track bars I9 constantly shifts the loose bottles to various cleansing positions, and such movements prevent paper and other foreign particles from accumulating between the bottles and inner faces of the bottle holders.

When the track bars I9 occupy tilted positions (see dotted lines in Fig. 7) a side marginal edge of each track bar I9 contacts with a side margin of the bottom of a bottle, all other areas of the bottle being separated from the track bar. Under these conditions, paper and other material is released at spaces between the track bars and bottom faces of the bottles, and readily washed from inclined top faces of the track bars. Furthermore, when the several track bars occupy tilted positions, there are relatively wide spaces between the track bars, and this condition permits free discharge of large fragments of paper, broken glass and other objects between the separated track bars.

The advantage of imparting slight rotary movements to the loose bottles also appears while the bottle holders are traveling in the cleansing zone. .At this time the track bars are tilted to positions suggested by dotted lines in Fig. '1, wherein a side edge of each track bar contacts with a side margin of the bottom of a bottle, while said bottle is being pushed along the track bar. This condition tends to impart a rotary motion to the loose bottle, so as to expose different side areas of the bottle to forcible contacts of the cleansing shower during the next cleansing operation. Upper portions of the bottle holders I5 are provided with openings 59 (Fig. 1) through which some of the liquid from spouts 23 is discharge onto the bottles while said bottle holders are traveling in the cleansing zone.

While I have conveniently referred to step by step movements of a conveyor which transmits bottles through a cleansing zone, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such movements, and that insofar as this invention is concerned, various types of containers may be substituted for the "bottles herein shown and described.

I claim:

l. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottles are subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having rows of elongated bottle holders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders being adapted to loosely receive rows of bottles, and means for rocking the loose bottles in and relative to the longitudinal axis of said holders, said means including track bars having friction surfaces below the rows of bottle holders to contact with and support the rows of bottles, each of said track bars being arranged parallel with the course of the bottle holders in said cleansing zone and extended beneath successive rows of Said bottle holders, so as to simultaneously contact with a series of bottles in the successive rows, pivotal supports for said track bars, and operating means to simultaneously oscillate said track bars on ytheir pivota1 supports and thereby rock the'bottles 'in said successive rows of holders, said bottle holders being provided with pushing abutments to push the rows of loose bottles along the friction surfaces of said track bars.

2. In a bottle washing machine having a cleansing zone wherein streams of liquid are discharged onto the bottles, means for rocking the bottles in said cleansing zone'to dislodge dirt and labels thereon, said means including parallel track bars having friction surfaces at the bottom of said cleansing zone to contact with the bottoms of the bottles, transverse supports having recesses at the top to detachably receive said track bars, the latter being provided with pivot members seated in said recesses to pivotally Support the track bars, said track bars also having extensions provided with recesses open at the bottom, an operating bar having pins located in the last mentioned recesses, oscillatory hangers supporting 'said operating bar, and means for reciprocating said operating bar to rock the track bars.

3. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottles are subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottle holders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders being adapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary friction track-members leading to and away from said cleansing zone, means for rocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means including track bars arranged between said normally stationary friction track members, said track bars being located below said bottle holders to receive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing l zone, pivotal supports for said track bars, the vtrack bars being tiltable on said pivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclined positions, operating means to rock said track bars, and a stopping device t0 discontinue the transmission of movement from said operating means to said track bars, said stopping device being provided with a stop member cooperating with said operating means to stop the track bars in said horizontal positions.

4. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottles are subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottle holders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders being adapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary friction track members leading to and away from said cleansing zone, means for rocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means including track bars arranged between said normally stationary friction track members, Said track bars being located below said bottle holders to receive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing zone, pivotal supports for said track bars, the track bars being tiltable on said pivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclined positions, operating means including a crank to rock said track bars, and a stopping device to discontinue the transmission of operating power to said crank, said stopping device including a fork to receive said crank and stop the track bars in said horizontal positions, said fork having diverging extensions to shift said crank to intermediate positions wherein it locates the track bars in said horizontal positions.

5. In a bottle cleansing machine having a cleansing zone wherein bottles are subjected to cleansing liquid, a bottle conveyor having bottle holders movable through said cleansing zone, said bottle holders being adapted to loosely receive the bottles, normally stationary friction track members leading to and away from said -cleansing zone, means for rocking the loose bottles in said cleansing zone, said means including track bars arranged between said normally stationary friction track members, said track bars being located below said bottle holders to receive and support the loose bottles in the cleansing zone, pivotal supports for said track bars, the track bars being tiltable on said pivotal supports from horizontal positions to oppositely inclined positions, and operating means including a crank to rock said track bars, said crank being in intermediate positions when the track bars occupy said horizontal positions, a clutch member movable to discontinue the transmission of operating power to said crank, and a lever to release said clutch member, said lever having a fork to receive and hold the crank in said intermediate positions, and said fork being provided with diverging extensions to shift the crank toits intermediate positions.

6. In a bottle cleansing machine, a bottle conveying track arranged in the bottle cleansing zone of the machine, bottle pushing means having an abutment wall set traversely of said track and defiectors at each side of said abutment wall projecting angularly forwardly thereof, said pushing means moving along and above said track to slide a bottle along the track, track supporting pivots, and an operating device to rock said track on said supporting pivots, whereby to rock the bottle relative to said pushing means abutment wall 'between said angularly disposed defiectors and cause rotary and tilting movement of the bottle relative to said track and pushing means. I

'7. In a bottle cleansing machine, a bottle sup'- porting track, bottle pushing means movable along and above said track, said pushing means having an abutment wall extending vertically above said track and opposite laterally extending side deflectors, track supporting pivots, and operating means for rocking said track about said pivots in directions transverse to the movement of said bottle pushing means, whereby the bottle is caused to tilt relative to said abutment wall and alternately engage said side deectors with a resulting angular movement having its turning point on said track.

8. In a bottle cleansing machine supplied with a cleansing fluid for effecting removal of bottle labels, a bottle supporting track having a fiat face over which the bottle moves, bottle Apushing means movable lengthwise above said track, said pushing means having an abutment Wall for pushing the bottle along saidtrack, the pushing means acting, at times, to trap a label against the bottle, said pushing means also having side deiiectors angled forwardly of said abutment wall in the direction of movement for maintaining the bottle on said track, spaced track supporting pivots having a common pivot axis, and operating means pivoting said track relative to said bottle pushing means, whereby the bottle is caused to gyrate relative to the pushing abutment wall, side deiiectors and track to prevent trapping labels between the bottle and the abutment wall, deflectors and track.

9. In a bottle cleansing machine for removing labels and the like by application of a cleansing fluid, an elongated track having an upper :dat face to support a bottle, bottle pushing means movable lengthwise of said track, said pushing means having a closed peripheral wall loosely embracing the bottle above said track, track supporting pivot means having an axis parallel with the track, and operating means connected with said track to continuously pivot the same and cause bottle gyrations within said bottle pushing means to prevent trapping a label between said wall and the side of the bottle therein during the cleansing thereof.

10. In a bottle cleansing machine for removing external dirt and labels by application of a cleansing fluid thereto, an elongated flat faced track to support a plurality of bottles, a plurality of adjacent bottle pushing means movable above said track, each pushing means having a closed peripheral Wall loosely7 embracing a bottle, said wall including a bottle pushing abutment facing the direction of bottle travel and forwardly directed side walls next to said pushing abutment, track supporting pivots, and operating mechanism connected with said track to pivotally oscillate said track normal to its lengthwise axis and cause bottle gyrations of both a linear and an angular character to repeatedly change the position of the bottles within said closed peripheral wall and relative to said pushing abutment and side walls.

11. In a bottle cleaning device, a bottle holder having a peripheral wall loosely enclosing a bottle, said holder being axially open at its opposite ends, to expose the mouth and bottom of the bottle received therein, a rocker disposed adjacent the open bottom end of said holder and having a seat on which the bottom of the bottle is supported, means for operating said rocker to vary the area and location of contact between said seat and the bottom of the bottle to rock the bottle Within and relative to the axis of said holder, and cleaning liquid discharge means spaced from the opposite open end of said holder for delivering a stream of liquid onto the bottle to bathe all external surfaces of the bottle as the bottle rocks Within said holder and varies its outer surface contact with the peripheral wall of said holder.

12. In a bottle cleaning machine having a cleaning zone wherein bottles are subjected to a cleaning liquid flow over the exterior of the bottles, a bottle conveyor moving through said cleaning zone, bottle holders on said conveyor said bottle holders having open tops presented to the cleaning liquid ow, open bottoms and a peripheral wall loosely enclosing the bottles, a track bar having an elongated seat parallel with the direction lof conveyor movement and below the open bottoms of said bottle holders, the bottles in said holders being pushed along the track bar seat, and means connected with said track bar to rock the track bar seat laterally relative to the direction of conveyor movement to variT the contact of the bottom of the bottle with said track bar seat, the rocking of said track bar seat being effective to change the position of the bottles being pushed along within said holders so that all external surfaces receive the cleaning iuid flow and foreign matter and dirt are flushed through the open bottoms of said holders.

JAMES L. HEROLD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 730,470 Muller June 9, 1903 837,559 Graham Dec. 4, 1906 861,307 McKinney July 30, 1907 1,900,948 Potthoi Mar. 14, 1933 1,904,685 Gruetter Apr. 18, 1933 1,977,670 Darling Oct. 23, 1934 2,119,192 Alexander May 31, 1938 2,158,404 Chapman May 16, 1939 2,247,978 Van Arkel July 1, 1941 2,347,474 Ernst Apr. 25, 1944 2,446,818 Flam Aug. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 77,898 Sweden July 25, 1933

Images