US3698214A

US3698214A - Continuous washing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3698214A
Application number: US879764A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erwin B Bahnsen
Original assignee: Steiner American Corp
Current assignee: Steiner American Corp
Priority date: 1969-11-25
Filing date: 1969-11-25
Publication date: 1972-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-17
Also published as: GB1334246A; FR2072427A5; DE2059327B2; DE2059308A1; DE2059327A1; DK131911B; DK131201C; DE2059336A1; DE2059327C3; FR2072428A5; FR2072426A5; JPS4829838B1; DK137468C; DK136320B; DK137468B; GB1320942A; DK131201B; DK136320C; GB1290960A; CA951530A

Abstract

Method and apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of pervious cloth in which wash solution is applied to the rolls in the form of a plurality of reciprocable cascades to maintain the surfaces of the pervious cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the same; excess wash solution is continually drained from the mass of tightly wound rolls. The cloth articles are transported through a washing apparatus on a conveyor supported by a plurality of shafts extending through movable side walls of the washing apparatus and supported on bearings outside of the washing apparatus to prevent contact of the wash solution with the bearings supporting the shafts, orbital movement of the movable walls imparts similar orbital movement to the conveyor supported by the shafts to impart cycloidal movement to the cloth articles transported by the conveyor. The cloth articles are rinsed by directing a mist of gas and rinse liquid along a path normal to the articles therethrough to prevent puddles of the rinse liquid and the wash solution from forming thereon; thereafter, liquids are expressed from the articles by feeding the articles onto the side of a freely rotatable cylinder and therearound and upwardly between the cylinder and an associated roller, the cylinder and the roller are urged toward each other to press the articles therebetween to express the liquid therefrom. A dryer completes the drying of the articles.

Description

United States Patent Bahnsen 154] CONTINUOUS WASHING APPARATUS [72] lnventor: Erwin B. Bahnsen,1-linsdale, 111.

[73] Assignee: Steiner American Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah [22] Filed: Nov. 25, 1969 [2]] Appl. No.: 879,764

[52] US. Cl ..68/205 R, 118/324, 134/72, 134/129, 134/172 [51] Int. Cl ..B05c 5/00 [58] Field of Search .....68/205 R; 118/239, 324, 314; 134/129, 172, 72, 67, 68,131, 151, 73, 74

Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Attorney-Prangley, Clayton, Mullin,

Dithmar & Vogel 5 7 ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of pervious cloth in which wash solution is applied to the rolls in the form of a plurality of reciprocable cascades to maintain the surfaces of the pervious cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the same; excess wash solution is continually drained from the mass of tightly wound rolls. The cloth articles are transported through a washing apparatus on a conveyor supported by a plurality of shafts extending through movable side walls of the washing apparatus and supported on bearings outside of the washing apparatus to prevent contact of the wash solution with the bearings supporting the shafts, orbital movement of the movable walls imparts similar orbital movement to the conveyor supported by the shafts to impart cycloidal movement to the cloth articles transported by the conveyor. The cloth articles are rinsed by directing a mist of gas and rinse liquid along a path normal to the articles therethrough to prevent puddles of the rinse liquid and the wash solution from forming thereon; thereafter, liquids are expressed from the articles by feeding the articles onto the side of a freely rotatable cylinder and therearound and upwardly between the cylinder and an associated roller, the cylinder and the roller are urged toward each other to press the articles therebetween to express the liquid therefrom. A dryer completes the drying of the articles.

38 Claims, 44 Drawing Figures PATENTEDum 1 1 1912 SHEET [13 0F wwv v? PATENTEDUBI 11 I972 SHEET on or 20 PATENTEDucmmz 3.698.214

SHEET osur 20 322 323 32/ 329 A-Z'Ei I log auw FIGJZ PATENTEDum 1 1 I972 SHEET U801" 20 mm. MR 3 PATENTEDncTmsrz I 3.698.214 SHEET UBUF 2O FI6.I5

PATENTEDHBI 11 I912 3 s 98 2 1 4 SHEET IUUF 20 FIG. I8

PATENTEDnm 17 m2 SHEET 13 [1F 20 .090 nmwnm kmm P'ATENTEDnm 11 m2 SHEET 1n [1F 20 FIG. 28

PATENTEDum 11 1912 SHEET lSDF 2O PATENTEDnm 1 7 um SHEET 1 7 OF mkm Emm QQO @N kmm QOm

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PATENTEDnmmmz 3.698.214 sum 180F 2o FIG.36

" liii II PATENTEDHBI 11 1912 3,698,214

SHEET 1 9 OF 20

Claims

1. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor including a plurality of spacedapart tubes coated on the outside thereof with a vinyl plastic resin for transporting the mass of pervious cloth, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of pervious cloth thereon, mechanism associated with said crib for applying a wash solution to the mass of pervious cloth, said foraminous conveyor facilitating the continual draining therethrough and from said crib of excess wash solution from the mass of pervious cloth transported by said foraminous conveyor, said mechanism serving to maintain the surfaces of the pervious cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the pervious cloth, whereby to Loosen the soil from the pervious cloth.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said foraminous conveyor includes a plurality of spaced-apart slats.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further including drive mechanism operatively connected to said conveyor for causing the same to travel in a closed loop, thereby to transport the mass of pervious cloth through said crib from one end thereof to the other end thereof.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said crib having two spaced openings therein, one of said openings serving as a loading port for introducing the mass of pervious cloth into said crib and the other of said openings serving as a discharge port for the exiting of the mass of pervious cloth from said crib.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the surfaces of said crib exposed to the wash solution are stainless steel.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said crib comprises a plurality of juxtaposed sections with the endmost sections being provided respectively with a loading port and a discharge port, thereby to facilitate easy addition of sections thereto and removal of sections therefrom to change the capacity thereof.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the wash solution applying mechanism is positioned above the mass of pervious cloth.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said wash solution applying mechanism is adapted to apply the wash solution as a continuous cascade to the mass of pervious cloth.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein saId wash solution applying mechanism includes a trough positioned above the mass of pervious cloth, and further includes means for introducing wash solution into said trough to overflow the same and onto the mass of pervious cloth due to the force of gravity without the requirement of a pressure head.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further comprising apparatus associated with said crib for recirculating to said wash solution applying mechanism the excess wash solution drained from said crib.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further comprising apparatus associated with said crib for automatically recirculating to said wash solution applying mechanism the excess wash solution drained from said crib.

12. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multi-layer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon, mechanism associated with said crib for periodically applying a wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls, said foraminous conveyor facilitating the continual draining therethrough and from said crib of excess wash solution from the mass of tightly wound rolls transported by said foraminous conveyor, said mechanism serving to maintain the surfaces of the tightly wound rolls wet for a time sufficient to saturate each of the tightly wound rolls to the innermost layer thereof, whereby to loosen the soil from the cloth.

13. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multi-layer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, supply mechanism associated with said crib including a trough overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanism operable to produce a cascade of wash solution from said trough directed onto said conveyor and periodically onto the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of tightly wound rolls from said loading port through the cascade of wash solution to said discharge port, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess solution from the mass of tiGhtly wound rolls on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, the periodic application of the cascade of wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls during the transport thereof by said conveyor serving to maintain the surfaces of the tightly wound rolls wet for a time sufficient to saturate the innermost layers thereof, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the pervious cloth during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said trough has a length substantially equal to the width of said conveyor within said crib.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said trough has a length substantially equal to the width of said conveyor within said crib, said trough being disposed with the longer dimension thereof generally transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said trough has impervious sides and bottom, thereby to cause wash solution introduced therein to overflow the sides thereof to form the cascade of wash solution.

17. The apparatus set forth in claim 13, wherein said trough is V-shaped in cross section and has on the upper edges of the sides thereof inwardly turned flanges, thereby to cause wash solution introduced therein smoothly to overflow said upper edges to flow along the sides thereof to form at the bottom thereof the cascade of wash solution.

18. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting a mass of pervious cloth, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of pervious cloth thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, supply mechanism associated with said crib and including a trough overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanism being operable to produce a cascade of wash solution from said trough directed onto said conveyor and periodically onto the mass of pervious cloth supported thereby, motor mechanism connected to said trough for reciprocating said trough along a path overlying said conveyor, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of pervious cloth from said loading port through the cascade of wash solution moving in said reciprocal path to said discharge port, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess wash solution from the mass of pervious cloth on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, the periodic application of the cascade of wash solution to the mass of pervious cloth during the transport thereof by said conveyor serving to maintain the surfaces of the cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the pervious cloth, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

19. The apparatus set forth in claim 18, wherein said reciprocal path is in the direction of movement of said conveyor.

20. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting a mass of pervious cloth, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of pervious cloth thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, supply mechanism associated with said crib and including a trough overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanism being operable to produce a cascade of wash solution from said trough directed onto said conveyor and the mass of pervious cloth supported thereby, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of pervious cloth from said loading port through the cascade of wash solution to said discharge port, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess wash solution from the mass of pervious cloth on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, apParatus for collecting the drained wash solution and recirculating the same to said supply mechanism, means including apparatus for mixing water and wash additives for adding make-up wash solution to the drained wash solution in response to depletion of the drained wash solution to maintain substantially constant in volume the cascade of wash solution directed onto said conveyor and the mass of pervious cloth supported thereby, the application of the cascade of wash solution to the mass of pervious cloth during the transport thereof by said conveyor serving to maintain the surfaces of the cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the cloth, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

21. The apparatus set forth in claim 20, wherein said means for adding make-up wash solution to the drained wash solution operates automatically.

22. The apparatus set forth in claim 20, wherein the make-up wash solution added to the drained wash solution is essentially the same as the wash solution in the cascade of wash solution directed on to said conveyor and the mass of pervious cloth supported thereby.

23. The apparatus set forth in claim 20, wherein said means for adding make-up wash solution includes apparatus for mixing water and liquid additives to provide the make-up wash solution.

24. The apparatus set forth in claim 20, wherein said means for adding make-up wash solution include apparatus for mixing water and solid additives to provide the make-up wash solution.

25. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multilayer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, a plurality of supply mechanisms associated with said crib and including a plurality of troughs overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanisms being operable to produce a plurality of cascades of wash solution from said plurality of troughs directed onto said conveyor and periodically onto the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of tightly wound rolls from said loading port through the plurality of cascades of wash solution to said discharge port, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess wash solution from the mass of tightly wound rolls on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, the periodic application of the plurality of cascades of wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls during the transport thereof by said conveyor serving to maintain the surfaces of the cloth wet for a time sufficient to saturate the cloth to the innermost layer thereof whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

26. The apparatus set forth in claim 25, wherein each of said troughs has a length substantially equal to the width of said conveyor within said crib.

27. The apparatus set forth in claim 25, wherein each of said troughs has a length substantially equal to the width of said conveyor within said crib, said troughs being disposed with the longer dimension thereof generally transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor.

28. The apparatus set forth in claim 25, wherein each of said troughs has impervious sides and bottom, thereby to cause wash solutions introduced therein to overflow the sides thereof to form the cascades of wash solution.

29. The apparatus set forth in claim 25, wherein each of said troughs is V-shaped in cross section and has on the upper edges of the sides thereof inwardly-turned flanges, thereby to cause wash solutions introduced therein smoothly to overflow said uPper edges to flow along the sides thereof to form at the bottom thereof the cascades of wash solutions.

30. The apparatus set forth in claim 25, wherein each of said troughs has a length substantially equal to the width of said conveyor within said crib, said trough being disposed with the longer dimension thereof generally transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor, said troughs being longitudinally spaced-apart along the direction of movement of said conveyor.

31. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multilayer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, a plurality of supply mechanisms associated with said crib and including a plurality of troughs overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanisms being operable to produce a plurality of cascades of wash solution from said plurality of troughs directed onto said conveyor and periodically onto the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, motor mechanism connected to said troughs for respectively reciprocating said troughs along longitudinally aligned paths overlying said conveyor thereby to form a plurality of zones, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of tightly wound rolls from said loading port to said discharge port through said plurality of zones formed by the cascades of wash solution, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess wash solution from the mass of tightly wound rolls on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, and apparatus associated with each zone for collecting excess wash solution draining from the mass of tightly wound rolls transported by said conveyor through each of said zones and for recirculating to the associated one of said troughs the excess wash solution so collected, the application of the plurality of cascades of wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls during the transport thereof by said conveyor through said zones serving to maintain the surfaces of the rolls wet for a time sufficient to saturate each of the tightly wound rolls to the innermost layer thereof upon exiting from the last of said zones, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth forming the tightly wound rolls during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

32. The apparatus set forth in claim 31, wherein said reciprocal paths are in the direction of movement of said conveyor.

33. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multi-layer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, a plurality of supply mechanisms associated with said crib and including a plurality of troughs overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanisms being operable to produce a plurality of cascades of wash solution from said plurality of troughs directed onto said conveyor and the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, said troughs being respectively reciprocable along longitudinally aligned paths overlying said conveyor thereby to form a plurality of zones, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of tightly wound rolls from said loading port to said discharge port through said plurality of zones formed by the cascades of wash solution, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual drainage of excess wash solution from the mass of tightly wound rolls on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, apparatus associated with each zone for collecting excess wash solution draining from the mass of tightly wound rolls transported by said conveyor through each of said zones and for recirculating to the associated one of said troughs the excess wash solution so collected, and a plurality of temperature control devices for controlling the temperature of the plurality of cascades of wash solution thereby to apply the wash solution in certain of said zones at an elevated temperature with respect to the wash solution in an adjacent one of said zones sequentially to subject the mass of tightly wound rolls to wash solutions at different temperatures to induce thermal shock in each of the tightly wound rolls, the application of the plurality of cascades of wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls during the transport thereof by said conveyor through said zones serving to maintain the surfaces of the rolls wet for a time sufficient to saturate each of the tightly wound rolls to the innermost layer thereof upon exiting from the last of said zones, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth forming the tightly wound rolls during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.

34. The apparatus set forth in claim 33, wherein said temperature control mechanism is adapted to provide wash solution to said supply mechanisms at a temperature in the range from about 50* to about 200* F.

35. The apparatus set forth in claim 33, wherein the wash solution supplied to said certain of said zones is at a temperature in the range from about 150* to about 200* F.

36. The apparatus set forth in claim 33, wherein the wash solution supplied to an adjacent one of said zones is at a temperature of about 50* F.

37. The apparatus set forth in claim 33, wherein the wash solution supplied to the last of said zones is at a temperature of about 190* F.

38. Apparatus for loosening soil from a mass of randomly arranged, tightly wound, multilayer rolls of pervious cloth comprising a foraminous conveyor for supporting and transporting the mass of tightly wound rolls, a crib surrounding said conveyor for retaining the mass of tightly wound rolls thereon and including a loading port and a discharge port, a plurality of supply mechanisms associated with said crib and including a plurality of troughs overlying said conveyor, said supply mechanisms being operable to produce a plurality of cascades of wash solution from said plurality of troughs directed onto said conveyor and the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, said troughs being respectively reciprocable along longitudinally aligned paths overlying said conveyor thereby to form a plurality of zones, operation of said conveyor serving to move the mass of tightly wound rolls from said loading port to said discharge port through said plurality of zones formed by the cascades of wash solution, said conveyor and said crib being constructed and arranged for the continual draining of excess wash solution from the mass of tightly wound rolls on said conveyor during the passage thereof from said loading port to said discharge port, apparatus associated with each zone for collecting excess wash solution draining from the mass of tightly wound rolls transported by said conveyor through each of said zones and for recirculating to the associated one of said troughs the excess wash solution so collected, and means including apparatus for mixing water and wash additives for adding make-up wash solution respectively to the drained wash solution from each zone in response to depletion of the drained wash solution from the respective zone to maintain substantially constant in volume each of the cascades of wash solution directed onto said conveyor and the mass of tightly wound rolls supported thereby, the application of the plurality of cascades of wash solution to the mass of tightly wound rolls during the transport thereof by said conveyor through said zones serving to maintain the surfaces of the rolls wet For a time sufficient to saturate each of the tightly wound rolls to the innermost layer thereof upon exiting from the last of said zones, whereby substantially to loosen all of the soil disposed on and in the cloth forming the tightly wound rolls during the transportation thereof through said crib on said conveyor.