US3051457A

US3051457A - Cleaning tank closure apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3051457A
Application number: US812286A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gordon L Rice
Original assignee: Purex Corp
Current assignee: Purex Corp
Priority date: 1959-05-11
Filing date: 1959-05-11
Publication date: 1962-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-28
Also published as: CH381497A

Description

Aug. 28, 1962 G. L. RICE CLEANING TANK cLosURE APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1959 YUnited States Patent O This invention relates generally to improvements in the construction of cleaning tanks in which liquid is subjected to agitation so as to improve Iits cleansing eiliciency eof the liquid upon its contact with soils to be removed from parts inserted within a cleaning zone of the receptacle or tank. More specifically, the invention concerns the improved construction of baille means kmovable into and out 'of overlying relation with the interior cleaning zone of the receptacle for conning agitated liquid therein.

The present invention has for its major object the f 3 interior Zone 14 for receiving articles to be cleansed.

provision of novel baille means operable, when in closed position overlying the interior zone of the receptacle, to conilne agitated -liquid therein and also to pass the cleansing liquid below the baille means, as -Well as liquid over- ICC upwardly relative thereto about an axis parallel to the iirst panel axis.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment Will be more `fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the cleaning receptacle liaving the improved baille means incorporated therewith, and in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the baille v panel assemblies in collapsed condition at opposite `sides lying the baille means, through perforations in the baille i 'cleansed therein.

In carrying out these purposes, the invention broadly contemplates the use of a baille panel assembly movable into overlying covering relation with the interior zone of "the receptacle for conining agitated liquid therein, the `panel-s in the assembly extending, when in open position,

in folded together collapsed relation at the receptacle side whereby articles to be cleansed may then be placed down- -wardly into the cleaning zone. Also, means are provided i for moving the baille panel assembly toward and away from the side of the receptacle and out of and into cover- -ing relation with the interior zone thereof.

rIlhus, when in open position the baille panel assembly is -collapsed and folded at the inside of the receptacle, yet

`out of the way of article insertion and Withdrawal into and out of the receptacle. Further, the panel assembly does not overhang the exterior of the receptacle to an undesirable extent, such as would cause the cleaning unit 'to occupy excessive space `which is otherwise useful.

Other objects and advantages of the invention include the provision of a pair of baille panel assemblies and hinge 'means interconnecting the panels in each assembly to fold together upwardlyin response to movement of the panel assemblies toward opposite sides of the receptacle, the

panels in the assemblies extending substantially vertically in folded together and collapsed relation at opposite sides of the receptacle when in open position. Means for moving the baille panel assembly includes an actuator and a follower connected with the assembly and movable transversely by the actuator toward and away from the receptacle side. Preferably, each assembly includes two panels, one of which is mounted :to pivot upwardly about afhorizontal axis adjacent the inner side of the receptacle, the other panel being mounted by the follower to pivot of the receptacle.

Referring iirst to FIGS. l and 2, the cleansing apparatus 10 includes an upright tank 11 which has front and rear walls 12, and opposite side walls 13 together forming an Typically, such articles may comprise jet `engine parts received downwardly Iinto the cleansing zone 14, in a parts basket not shown. The latter seats on a -grating 17 typically having egg-crate design and consisting of two sets of integral panels extending vertically and at right angles to one another to form spaces 18 therebetween into 'which soils removed from the parts are adapted to settle out of the path of -liquid circulation in the receptacle.

The opposite walls 12 of the tank have recesses 19 formed therein which open transversely and divergently toward the cleansing Zone 14. Each of the recesses is preferably in the form of a truncated pyramid having four divergent sides, a vertically spaced pair 20 of which diverge respectively toward the top and bottom of the receptacle. Similarly, a horizontally spaced pair 21 of the recess sides diverge respectively toward the oppositesides 41? of the receptacle, and it will be understood that as a result of this recess configuration the liquid is circulated in the tank in loops which merge in the central regions of the cleansing zone, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. Such liquid circulation is preferably eifected Iby a hydro dynamically designed and reversible thrust propeller 22, typically a three blade screw propeller, operable to displace the `bulk of the liquid therethrough and alternately in axially opposite directions as distinguished from the action of a centrifugal impeller which throws the bulk'of the liquid radially therefrom during impeller rotation and, moreover, is not reversible to displace liquid in opposite directions as desired. Each propeller is attached to a horizontally extending shaft 23 projecting through the wall 12 at its ilat square head or base 24 from which diverge the upwardly and downwardly ilared wall poritions 20 and the horizontally ilared portions Z1 of the receptacle wall 12. Attached to the -base 24 is the housing 28 of an electric motor, which is preferably reversible so that the propeller 22 may be `driven `in opposite directions. Each of these motors maybe of the induction type, so that by changing the polarity of the motor or the phase relationship of the applied current a reversal in the direction of the drive transmitted to the propeller may be secured. Current is applied to each motor through switching mechanism indicated at which is operable to reverse the direction of drive transmission to the propellers from the motors, for purposes to be described. A master control switch is shown at 130.

Typical cleansing liquids consist of trichloroethylene, cyclohexane, and solutions of detergents, or acids or bases, such as strong caustic solutions. Representative soils o-n parts such as bearings, shafts, compressor blades, sleeves and the like include greases, oils, dust, tar, sludge, rust, resin, wax, carbon, lapping and builing compounds, and steel particles.

The tank or receptacle 11 has a sloping bottom 30 tapering downwardly and away from the grating 17 to form a llow space 31 within which collected soils may llow laterally to the normally closed outlet 32. Liquid is typically supplied to the tank through an inlet 33 in wall 13.

Coming now to the construction of the pair of baille panel assemblies previously mentioned, each of these is generally shown at 34 to include two panels 35 hinged together at 36 along a horizontal axis at the edges of the panels, so that when in closed position the panel assemblies collectively extend substantially horizontally, overlying and covering the interior zone of the receptacle. In this coniiguration, each of the panels overlies approximately one quarter of the upwardly projected area of the cleansing zone 14, and acting together the closed panels conilne agitated liquid within that zone.

The outer panel 35 in each assembly 34 is connected `as by hinge means 37 with the upward extension of the end wall 12 of the receptacle, the hinge accommodating upward pivoting of the panel about an axis generally parallel to the axis 36. Thus, the panels in each assembly may be collapsed to extend substantially vertically in folded together relation at the inner side of the receptacle wall 12, as shown in FIG. 3, :allowing downward insertion and upward removal of parts into and from the cleaning zone 14.

The means for moving each panel assembly 34 toward and away from the receptacle side wall includes an actuator 40 comprising a worm gear extending transversely in the direction of assembly movement, and a follower 41 connected with the actuator panel in each assembly and movable transversely toward and away from the side of the receptacle. The follower 41 is mounted on the worm gear in threaded relation therewith to `be movable thereby, and is also connected to the actuator panel 35 by hinge 42, the axis of which extends parallel to the axis 36. Rotary drive is transmitted to the worm gear 40 as by a suitable electric motor and drive mechanism generally indicated `at 43.

The baille panel assemblies are guided in relation to the opposite side 13 of the receptacle by channeled ways 44, which are provided to extend generally parallel to the worm gear 40 and at the inner sides of the receptacle walls 13, `for reception of an end extensions of the hinges 42 carried by the panels.

'I'he baille assemblies are of the leaking type; that is, they will permit upward escape of pressure from the cleansing zone. Therefore, should steam rform, it will escape upwardly through the baille panel assemblies, while lat the same time the latter conilne the agitated liquid within the tank. Furthermore, the baille panel assemblies when in closed position, as seen in FIGS. l and 2, may be used for separating the liquid in the cleansing zone from sealing liquid in the region 50 above the baille panel assemblies. Corrosion inhibitors such as potassium `chromate in the liquid seal, which typically comprises water, are adapted to ilow downwardly through the assemblies into the cleansing solution, there being suillcient restricted communication between the latter and the liquid seal to permit such slow washing of the corrosion inhibitors into the cleansing solution. Leakage through the baille panel assemblies will occur at ythe locations of the two

hinges

36 and 37 and also at the junctures ofthe two baille panel assemblies, as indicated by line 51.

I claim:

1. In combination with an upright receptacle for receiving 'articles to be cleansed by liquid within an interior zone of the receptacle and means within a receptacle side recess for agitating said cleansing liquid, said receptacle having a rectangular opening in a horizontal plane above the level of said agitating means, a baille panel assembly extensible within said opening into substantially horizontal overlying and covering relation with ythe interior zone of the receptacle for confining said agitated liquid therein, said assembly including hinge means interconnecting panels to fold together upwardly thereby lifting the hinge means in response to movement of the assembly toward a first upright wall of the receptacle dellning one side of the receptacle rectangular opening, the panels extending substantially vertically in folded-together relation so as to be conllned adjacent said upright wall and within a vertical projection of the opening, and means for moving said assembly transversely toward and' away from said receptacle wall and out of and into covering relation with said zone, said means being outside said interior zone of the receptacle and the entire extent of said means within said receptacle being confined adjacent a second upright wall extent of the receptacle deilning a second side of the receptacle rectangular opening normal to said one side of said opening, whereby articles to be cleansed may be placed downwardly through said opening and into said interior zone and removed upwardly therefrom without interference from either said folded panels or said means, the edges of the panels when extended into covering relation with the receptacle interior defining leakage paths for ilow of liquid from above the panels downwardly into said interior zone.

2. The invention as dellned in claim l in which the extent of said means within said receptacle includes a screw extending axially transversely in the direction of baille panel assembly toward and away from said rst wall, said assembly including a follower mounted on said screw, said means also including a drive outside the receptacle for rotating the screw thereby to bodily advance said follower therealong in said transverse direction.

3. In combination Iwith an upright receptacle for receiving articles to be cleansed by liquid .within an interior zone of the receptacle and means within 4receptacle side recesses for agitating said cleansing liquid, said receptacle having a rectangular opening in a horizontal plane above the level of said agitating means, a pair of baille panel assemblies extensible toward one another within said opening into `subst-antially horizontal overlying and covering relation with the interior zone of the receptacle for conllning said agitated liquid therein, said assemblies including hinge means interconnecting the panels in each assembly to fold together upwardly thereby lifting the hinge means in response to movement of the respective assemblies toward first and second upright walls of the receptacle defining opposite sides of the receptacle rectangular opening, the panels extending substantially vertically in folded-together relation so as to be everywhere confined adjacent said iirst and second upright walls and within a vertical projection of said opening, and means for moving said assemblies transversely toward and away from said receptacle walls and out of and into covering relation with said zone, said means being outside said interior zone of the receptacle and the entire extent of said means within said receptacle being conned adjacent upright wall extent of the receptacle delining a third side of the receptacle opening normal to said opposite sides of said opening, whereby articles to be cleansed may be placed downwardly through said opening and into said interior zone and removed upwardly therefrom without interference from either said folded panel or said means, the edges of the panels when extended into covering relation with the receptacle interior dening leakage paths for flow of liquid from above the panels downwardly into said interior zone.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which the extent of said means within said receptacle includes a screw extending axially transversely in the direction of baie panel assembly movement toward and away from said receptacle opposite sides, said assemblies including followers mounted on said screw, said means also including a drive outside the receptacle for rotating the screw thereby to bodily advance said followers simultaneously in opposite directions therealong, and transverse ways extending parallel said screw adjacent the third and fourth sides of the receptacle opening and interlitting said assemblies for guiding said assemblies during rotation of the screw.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hoyt Jan. 28, Scott June 30, Walker July 31, Green Sept. 16, Westby Oct. 14, Riton July 1, Griin `Tuly 26, Armstrong Sept. 16, Post Apr. 18, Northrup June 10,