US2828114A

US2828114A - Device for producing relative movements between a liquid and articles immersed in the same

Info

Publication number: US2828114A
Application number: US247434A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raudszus Oswald
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-09-22
Filing date: 1951-09-20
Publication date: 1958-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-25
Also published as: FR1036711A; CH299343A; LU30981A1; DE968741C; GB710713A; NL81698C; BE501581A

Description

March 25, 1958 o. RAUDSZUS 2,828,114

DEVICE FOR PRODUCING RELATIVE MOVEMENTS BETWEEN A LIQUID AND ARTICLES IMMERSED IN THE SAME Filed Sept. 20, 1951 4 f *1 INVENTOR.

L 36 OSWALD RAUDSZUS as E ATTORNEY United States DEVICE FOR PRODUCING RELATIVE MOVE- MENTS BETWEEN A LIQUID AND ARTICLES IMMERSED IN THE SAME The present invention. relates to: a. device for producing relative movements between a liquid. and articles immersed in the same. More: particularly, the invention relates to devices in which a. swingabl'e body is submerged in the liquid and oscillated therein by suitable exciting means, preferably with frequencies within the sonic or supersonic range.

Devices of the general type, above referred to, are employed for instance for washing of articles such as china'ware' and silverware, for washing of laundry, for washing or dyeing of fibers and. textile fabrics, for the extraction and solution of substances, in connection with electrolytic processes, etc.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device of the general type, above referred to, which is simple, sturdy, and compact in design and which can be inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device which can be directly placed upon the bottom of a vessel containing the liquid or be detachably secured to said vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device by which powerful and efiective relative movements between the liquid and the articles to be treated are obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which coact with an oscillating body so as to improve the efiect of the movements of the same upon the articles to be treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for increasing the relative movements between the liquid and the articles, thereby increasing the effect of said relative movements upon the articles to be treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in which the articles to be treated are-subjected to the combined effect of the movements of the body relative to the liquid and of gas bubbles formed within the liquid. It has been found that such'combined elfect greatly improves'the result obtainable with a device according to the invention, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. 7

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

in the accompanying drawing the single figure shows a'now preferred embodiment of the invention, partly in section and partly in side view, by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. a

The exemplified device according to the invention is shown as comprising a lower portionwhich includes the body to be oscillated and an upper portion which includes the means for imparting oscillations to the said body and feeding a gaseous medium to the device. The device should be visualized as being inserted during operation in a container containing liquid and articles to be treatedso that the oscillating body is submerged in the liquid while the exciting means are above the highest possible level of the liquid.

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Referring now more in detail to the drawing, the oscillating body is shown as a substantially rigid or stiff hollow closed body 1 which is preferably lentil-shaped and may be made of sheetmeta-l. Body 1 is secured to one end of a tube 2. The other end of the tube is attached to the armature 3 of an electromagnet. This magnet comprises an iron. core and an exciting coil 4. Armature 3 is arranged in a conventional manner;'it is capable of oscillating in response to an energization of the coil with a suitable current. The electromagnet ispreferably energized with alternating current of 50 cycles per second. The coil is connected to a source of current by means of a cable 5, the inner connections of the electromagnet being conventional. v

The electromagnet is disposed within a housing 6 made ofmetal or any other suitable material, the cable 5 being extended through the side wall of the housing. The electromagnet can be mounted within the housing by any suitable means. There is shown a sleeve 16 which guides the magnet core 15 and is held in position by a ring 17 and one or more bolts 18'. The latter also serves to secure a cover 1 9 to the housing. The device further comprises one or more diaphragms, two diaphragms 7 and 8 in form of metal discs being shown. Tube 2 is passed through the center portion of the diaphragms and secured thereto by any suitable means. The peripheral margins of the diaphragms are attached to housing 6 directly or by means of a sleeve 20. As will be noted, this sleeve is held between sleeve 16 and a shoulder 21 of housing 6. The diaphragms serve to guide tube 2 and to close the housing space within which the electromagnet is located. As will be obvious, the diaphragms will participate in oscillations imparted to the tube 2 and also amplifying the same to a certain extent.

The device can be placed upon the bottom of the liquid containing receptacle (not shown), by providing a tube 9 extending from housing 6 coaxially with tube 2. The lower end of tube 9 supports or is integral with a frame structure 10. This frame structure surrounds body 1 in a basket like manner and is provided with feet 36 made for instance of rubber.

For the purpose of introducing into the liquid in the receptacle a continuous supply of bubbles of a gaseous medium, such as air, a substantially rigid intermediate wall 25 is disposed within housing 6 between the bottom thereof and diaphragm 8. Wall 25 is formed with one or more transverse apertures 26 therethrough and secured with its outer rim to the wall of housing 6. A flexible disc 27 made for instance of rubber is secured to wall 25 by any suitable means such as rivets 28. One end of disc 27 abuts tightly against the outer wall of tube 2 and the other end overlaps the apertures 26 so as to form a valve with wall 25. Air is admitted into housing 6 through inlet openings 29, preferably disposed adjacent to apertures 26. The interior of the housing communicates with tube 2 through one or more outlet openings 30. The lower end of the tube is open at 31.

As is previously explained, diaphragm his caused to oscillate in response to an energization of the electromagnet. As a result, an oscillatory movement in the upward direction (as seen in the drawing) will suck air into the space above wall 25 and disc 27 and the opposite oscillating movement of the diaphragm will force the air through openings 30 into tube 2 from which it will be discharged into the liquid through the outlet 31.

It is advantageous to dispose wall 25 and wall disc 27 as closely as possible to diaphragm 8 to attain the necessary air pressure in spite of the short stroke of the diaphragm.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a pressure or pump means for the introduction of the gaseous medium into the liquid are combined with the means for oscillating body 1. However, it is also possible to provide separate pump means. It is also possible to employ a bottle containing a medium under pressure and to feed the same into the liquid by means of a hose.

While air has been mentioned as the gaseous medium to be used, other gaseous media can also be employed. For instance inert gases may be advantageously used when the device is employed for extracting, solving and dyeing purposes.

It is further possible and in some instances preferable to release the bubbles within the liquid proper rather than to form the same by introducing a gaseous medium into the liquid. This is accomplished by adding substances capable of generating gas to the liquid. Various substances of this type are well known in the art. They may either be added separately or combined with washing or cleansing agents. The gas generating substances may be of a type which release gas by the effect of the oscillations set up within the liquid or by increases in temperature or by reaction with other substances added to the liquid.

Among the substances which are suitable for the purpose are mixtures of an alkali metal carbonate, such as powdered sodium bicarbonate, and tartaric acid or sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate and tartaric acid. In case the impurities themselves contain weak acids, as for instance, lactic acid, the bicarbonate or carbonate of sodium or potassium alone is sufficient.

The device is further provided with clamping means for removably attaching the same to an edge of a wall, particularly the upper edge of the receptacle containing the liquid. These clamping means are shown as comprising two

jaws

12 and 13, jaw 13 being springy. As will be obvious, the upper marginal portion of the receptacle can be fitted between the two jaws, and the device is then secured by tightening a screw 11.

The provision of the feet and the clamping means permit either to place the device upon the bottom of the receptacle or to clamp the same to the Wall of the receptacle. It is, of course, also possible to rest the device upon the bottom and also to clamp it to the wall thereof. The clamping of the device to the wall also serves to transmit oscillations or vibrations directly to the receptacle which has the advantage of increasing the effect of the oscillations of the system upon the articles to be treated.

Finally, the device is provided with a handle 14 extending from housing 6. This handle serves to facilitate the manipulation of the device.

In case it is desired to heat the liquid, suitable electric heating means can be mounted on a portion of the device which is submerged in the liquid during operation; for instance, one or more heater coils can be secured to frame structure 1d. The heater coils are designated by 22.

It will be apparent from the previous description that an excitation of coil 4- with alternating current of for instance fifty periods will cause armature 3' to oscillate, and that such oscillations will be transmitted to body 1 through tube 2. These oscillations will be within the audible or sonic frequency range. As a result, the liquid, articles submerged in the liquid, and the receptacle containing the liquid, will be caused to oscillate. The oscillations, thus set up, will have entirely different phase positions. These different phase positions effect large gradients of pressure and movement even if the differences in density and elasticity between the liquid and the articles to be treated are only slight. Consequently, the desired relative movements between the liquid and the articles are generated. I As previously mentioned, the relative movements are increased by coupling the entire oscillating system with'the receptacle by the clamping means and also by the presence of the diaphragms.

Extensive tests have conclusivelyshown that by applying mechanical oscillations in the presence of gas bubbles, the treatment effect upon the articles is'very appreciably increased. The theory of this increase is not yet entirely clear but it seems that the addition of gases causes an over-saturation of the liquid with gases at each operational temperature. As a result, very minute bubbles appear to form continuously, particularly on the surfaces of the articles, due to the influence of the oscillatory field. These minute gas bubbles, by reason of their compressibility, make possible stronger relative movements between the vibrated liquid and the articles immersed in the same. An increased relative movement means, of course, an improved treatment effect.

While it is generally preferable and more convenient to operate the device with alternating current, the device can also be operated by means of a D.-C. source. In this case suitable means capable of producing an intermittent direct current must be provided. Circuit means of this type are well known in the art and may be of the buzzer type. They are preferably structurally combined with the device, and the electromagnet of the device may be employed to energize the means for producing the intermittent direct current. The circuit means are generally designated by 23.

Inasmuch as the device is designed to be used in the presence of moisture and comparatively well conducting liquids-the washing liquid may contain for instance chlorine or other chemicals increasing the conductivity of the liquid-the electrical components of the device must be suitably protected. As a protection against dangerously high voltages, the body of the device is preferably grounded by means of a three-wire cable and equipped with a safety plug. In case the available grounding is poor and in order to further increase the safety of the device, the housing and more specifically the current carrying components therein are preferably sealed against water and steam. Furthermore, the current carrying components such as the coil and the electric conductors should be strongly insulated. If the device is used for washing purposes, the coil is preferably so designed that it is protected against water, soapsuds, and heat, and the soldering connections between the coil and the conductors are preferably imbedded in water, soapsuds, and heat resistant insulation material.

While the invention has been described in detail with 4 respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for treating articles placed in a vessel containing a liquid, an oscillating system comprising a housing, electromagnetic means mounted within the housing and including an armature performing linearly reciprocatory oscillations at a frequency within the sonic range upon an excitation of the electromagnetic means, a tube operatively connected on one end with said armature for oscillating in unison therewith, a substantially rigid body secured to the other end of the tube, the resulting reciprocatory oscillations of said body effecting corresponding relative movements of liquid in said vessel and articles placed in the liquid, the said other end of the tube being formed with an outlet opening, and pump means supported by said housing, the intake side of said pump means communicating with a supply of a gaseous medium and the outlet side with said tube, and actuating means included in said pump means and actuated in response to oscillations of said armature for pumping the gaseous medium into said tube thereby forming a multitude of gas bubbles therein.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuat- 5 a 6 ing means comprising valve means arranged to be opened References Cited in the file of this patent and closed for the admission of the gaseous medium in UNITED STATES PATENTS response to the oscillations of said armature.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said oscillat- 1101560 McKmlay June 1914 ing system comprises diaphragm means coupled with the 5 2118480 Somes May 1938 armature for oscillation in unison therewith, and wherein 2193934 Mfmres 1940 said housing includes a pump chamber having wall por- 2527666 Wmter 1950 tions defined by said diaphragm means and by said valve 3 3165 5 Thompson 1950 means, said pump chamber communicating with said Wilcox 1951 tube, and wherein said valve means include a one-way 10 2591990 Wlsdom 1952 valve member adapted to be opened and closed by oscil- 2616820 Bourgeaux 1952 latory movements of said diaphragm means for sucking FOREIGN PATENTS the gaseous medium into the pump chamber and ex- 548 960 Great Britain Oct 30 1942 pelling it therefrom in response to opposite oscillatory movements of the diaphragm means. 15

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said valve means include a flexible valve disc tightly connected to said tube and disposed closely adjacent to said diaphragm.