US3429744A

US3429744A - Method and apparatus for washing molded articles

Info

Publication number: US3429744A
Application number: US403200A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Mccormick Jr
Original assignee: Pangborn Corp
Current assignee: Kennecott Corp; Pangborn Corp
Priority date: 1964-10-12
Filing date: 1964-10-12
Publication date: 1969-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-25

Description

25, 1969 w. A. M CORMICK, JR 3,429,744

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR wASHING MOLDED ARTICLES Filed Oct. 12, 1964 INVENTOR 7l7,ZZizzmAM 0orr/Iick,Jn

United States Patent Office 3,429,744 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and assembly for cleaning molded articles including the removal of excess material from the articles by a freeze-blast process and then inserting the articles in a vibratory washer which cleans the articles by rubbing a cleaning media against them. The articles are then separated from the cleaning media and subsequently rinsed and dried.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for washing rubber or thermoplastic molded articles and more particularly to such articles in which the excess trim or fiash has first been removed.

A recently developed deflashing apparatus which is described in US. 3,110,983 effectively removes flash and other excess material by differentially freezing the molded pieces and blasting the pieces with abrasive particles. In this process, however, as in other defiashing processes, a metallic residue from the abrasive is deposited on the defiashed parts which results in varying degrees of discolorization and smudges in accordance with the original color and nature of the rubber or plastic compound.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel method and apparatus for washing molded articles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic View of one embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of a vibrator used in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. I.

In accordance with this invention the defiashed articles are unloaded from the defiasher and conveyed to a vibratory washer. Cleaning media is placed in the washer and vibrated along with the articles. The cleaning media provides sufficient mass to the load to encourage and stimulate the gyratory motion generated in the vibratory machine. Advantageously, a detergent and additional cleaning media are also inserted in the vibratory machine to effectively clean and remove discoloration from the articles. At the completion of the washing cycle the parts are discharged together with the cleaning media into a separating device which separates the cleaning media for reuse in the vibratory washer while the cleaned defiashed partes are conveyed to a rinsing and a drying machine.

As shown in FIG. 1 the articles are defiashed in an abrasive blasting machine 10 such as shown in US. Patent No. 3,110,983. After deflashing the articles are conveyed either manually or mechanically to the vibratory washer 12 and are later discharged to the separator 14 which may be of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,259,519 and illustrated in FIG. 4 thereof.

FIG. 2 shows one form of the vibratory washer 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, vibrator 12 is, for example, of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 379,- 814, filed July 2, 1964 and now US. Patent No. 3,336,701. Vibrator 12 includes a tub 16 resiliently mounted on posts 18. A motor 20 drives a pair of shafts 22 under tub 16. Eccentrics 24 on shafts 22 impart a vibratory motion to tub 16 and induce continuous flow from inlet end 26 of tub 16 toward discharge end 28. The defiashed articles 30 are conveyed either manually or mechanically from deflasher 10 to chute 32 and into inlet end 26 of vibrator 12. The cleaning media 34 is also introduced at inlet end 26 of vibrator 12. This cleaning media is advantageously properly sized aluminum oxide chip which provides sufficient mass to the load to encourage and stimulate the gyratory motion basically imparted by the amplitude and frequency of the vibration generated in the tub 16 of vibratory machine 12. Washing is accomplished by the addition of a satisfactory detergent compound and additional cleaning media such as natural or cellulose sponges, properly sized according to the shape and conformation of the part or parts 30 so as to provide complete contact of the sponges with all surfaces of the parts to be cleaned. The gyratory vibrating action imparted to the sponges provides sufiicient rubbing action in conjunction with the cleaning action of the detergent compound to remove completely all smudge and discoloration from the defiashed parts 30. When the defiashed parts 30 are completely washed, parts 30 and cleaning media 34 including the sponges and compound are discharged from end 28 of tub 16 and conveyed either manually or mechanically to separator 14.

Although FIG. 2 shows vibrator 12 as being partic ularly adapted for continuous type operation, a vibrator such as shown in US. Patent No. 3,063,207 can also be advantageously utilized in this invention for batch type operation,

In separator 14 the washed defiashed parts 30 are separated from the cleaning media and sponges. The sponges, compound and cleaning media 34 are then reconveyed back to vibrator 12 for reuse with other defiashed parts. Washed parts 30 however are conveyed to a rinsing machine 36 where they are subjected to a water spray rinse. Parts 30 are then conveyed to a drying machine 38 and are dryed by a hot air blasting system.

Advantageously, the entire system may be automatically timed and interlocked through timing mechanism 40 on, for example, the control panel of blasting machine 10 so that the entire system operates as a continuous batch processing system.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning molded articles comprising the steps of inserting the articles into a deflashing machine, removing excess material from said articles by a freeze-blast process, unloading said articles from said deflashing machine, conveying said articles to a vibratory washer, inserting cleaning media including sponges and particulate matter in said washer, vibrating said washer to rub said sponges against said articles with the particulate matter providing mass to encourage and stimulate gyratory motion, conveying said articles and said cleaning media to a separator, separating said articles from said cleaning media, conveying said articles to a rinsing and drying device, and rinsing and drying said articles.

2. The method of claim 1v wherein said particulate matter is aluminum oxide chip.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning media is reconveyed from said separator to said vibratory washer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are mechanically loaded into said vibratory washer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are manually loaded into said vibratory washer.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are rinsed by a water spray and dried by hot air blasts.

7. The process of claim 3 wherein batches of said articles are loaded into said vibratory washer.

8. An assembly for cleaning molded articles comprising deflashing means having freezing and blasting means therein for removing excess material from said articles, vibratory washing means for removing smudge and discoloration from said articles, conveying means between said deflashing means and said vibratory washing means for unloading said articles from said deflashing means and inserting them in said vibratory washing means, cleaning means for insertion into said vibratory washer to facilitate the washing of said articles, said cleaning means including sponges and also including particulate matter for providing mass to encourage and stimulate gyratory motion, separating means for separating said washed articles from the cleaning means, and conveying means between said vibratory washing means and said separating means for conveying said articles and said cleaning means from said vibratory washing means to said separating means and for reconveying said cleaning means to said vibratory washing means.

9. The assembly of claim 8 including rinsing and drying means, and conveying means for removing said articles from said separating means and loading said atricles into said rinsing and drying means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,964,429 6/1934 Eberts 134-7 2,554,701 5/1951 Hackett et a1. 134-7 2,862,222 12/1958 Cockrell 1347 3,187,473 6/1965 Ruppe 1347 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

B. S. RICHMAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.