US3804103A

US3804103A - Automatic bottle cleaning machine

Info

Publication number: US3804103A
Application number: US00330271A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Cozzoli
Original assignee: Cozzoli Machine Co
Current assignee: Cozzoli Machine Co
Priority date: 1973-02-07
Filing date: 1973-02-07
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16

Abstract

A machine for automatically washing bottles including a dirty bottle infeed location, a plurality of cleaning stations and a clean bottle discharge location. A releasable multibottle securing device is attached to a conveyor. The conveyor intermittently and cyclically moves the securing device to and pauses at the dirty bottle infeed location, each cleaning station and the clean bottle discharge location. At the dirty bottle infeed location bottles are directed to the securing device and held thereby. As the securing device pauses at each cleaning station, the bottles held thereby are treated with a fluid so as to be cleaned after passing through the last cleaning station. After leaving the last cleaning station the securing device and the bottles held thereby move to the clean bottle discharge location where the bottles are ejected from the securing device.

Description

United States Patent Cozzoli AUTOMATIC BOTTLE CLEANING MACHINE [75] Inventor: Joseph M. Cozzoli, Plainfield, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Cozzoli Machine Company,

Plainfield, NJ.

[22] Filed: Feb. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 330,271

[52] US. Cl 134/48, 134/133, 134/152 [51] Int. Cl B08b 3/02, B08b 9/08 [58] Field of Search....l.. 134/48, 72, 131, 133, 152, 134/167 R, 171

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,419 4/1948 Trier et a1 134/48 2,508,021 5/1950 Gerlach 134/72 X 2,379,789 7/1945 I Cozzoli 134/72 2,431,988 12/l947 Cozzoli 134/72 X 2,915,773 12/1959 Whelan 134/48 X FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 601,794 3/1926 France 134/72 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Bleutge ABSTRACT A machine for automatically washing bottles including a dirty bottle infeed location, a plurality of cleaning stations and a clean bottle discharge location. A releasable multibottle securing device is attached to a conveyor. The conveyor intermittently and cyclically moves the securing device to and pauses at the dirty bottle infeed l0cation, each cleaning station and the clean bottle discharge location. At the dirty bottle infeed location bottles are directed to the securing device and held thereby. As the securing device pauses at each cleaning station, the bottles held thereby are treated with a fluid so as to be cleaned after passing through the last cleaning station. After leaving the last cleaning station the securing device and the bottles held thereby move to the clean bottle discharge location where the bottles are ejected from the securing device. I

24 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR161974 3.804.103

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AUTOMATIC BOTTLE CLEANING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Machine for automatically cleaning bottles and vials.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, machines have been specifically designed and used for automatically cleaning bottles and vials (hereinafter referred to as bottles). One such prior art machine is disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 2,379,789 and included a plurality of movable needles. The needles were hollow and a bottle was positioned so that a needle extended through the opening at the mouth of the bottle and into the interior thereof with each bottle supported on the needle extending into the interior thereof. The needles as they advanced to the different cleaning stations were alternately connected to air and liquid manifolds for the direction of air and liquid into the interiors of the bottles. Other machines had the needles permanently connected to manifolds that moved from station to station, being connected to a different cleaning fluid at each station. I

There were certain drawbacks in using machines of these types in cleaningbottles. Perhaps one of the most severe drawbacks arose from the bottles being supported by the needles during the different cleaning operations. As a result of the needles supporting the bottles, the needles had to be relatively thick and thus very frequently there was insufficient clearance between the outside surfaces of the needles and the inside surfaces of the bottle necks to permit cardboard fibres and other foreign materials located in the interiors of the bottles to be flushed through the mouths of the bottles. Additionally, very often the needles vibrated during the washing operation so that the bottles, if made of glass, chipped.

With prior art bottle cleaning machines of the type disclosed in the above identified patent, needles were fixed to carrier manifolds. As each carrier manifold advanced to thedifferent cleaning stations, it was connected and disconnected to washing media valves. Thus liquid might pass through a needle to wash the bottle interior and then air through the needle to minimize the moisture content in the interior.

Very often there were leaks in the connections which, of course, was undesirable. A further drawback of having air and liquid pass through the same needle was that the needle at an air drying station would be moist from the previous liquid cleaning operation. Thus the moist bottle would not be effectively dried during the air drying operation. The problem arising from air and liquid passing through the same needle at different stations also plagued automatic washing machines having manifolds that advanced through the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PURPOSES OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machine for automatically cleaning bottles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for cleaning bottles wherein foreign matter located in the interiors of the bottles is effectively removed.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for cleaning bottles wherein the bottles are supported so as not to vibrate, chip and/or break during washing operations.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for cleaning bottles wherein the needle which is inserted into the interior ofa bottle to air clean and/or dry the same is not moistfrom a previous liquid cleaning operation.

Still another object of the-present invention is to provide an automatic machine for cleaning the insidesurfaces of bottles as well as the outside surfaces thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for cleaning bottles which is relatively simple in construction and reliable in operation.

Other objects of the invention in part will be apparent and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are achieved by an automatic bottle cleaning machine having a drive means. Escapement means driven by the drive means intermittently moves a continuous chain. Attached to the chain is a plurality of bottle securing means for selectively holding bottles and after the bottles have been cleaned, for selectively releasing the same. A plurality of cleaning stations is provided and each cleaning station includes parallel hollow needles. All of the needles in a cleaning station are connected to a common manifold as, for example,

the needles in the first cleaning station are connected to an air manifold while the needles in the third cleaning station are connected to a water manifold. The bottles to be cleaned are successively advanced to each cleaning station and briefly pause there. Means is provided for raising the needles at each cleaning station while the bottles pause there so the needles are thrust into the interiors of-the bottles at that cleaning station, holding the same raised for a short period of time and then lowering the needles. When the needles are in the interiors of the bottles, fluid (air of liquid) from the manifold the needles are connected to is directed via the needles to the interiors of the bottles for cleaning the same. After the bottles leave the last cleaning station, they are released from the securing means and the cycle is repeated.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and series of steps which will be exemplified in the machine and method hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5- 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 1l1l of FIG. 4;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line l212 of FIG. 3; 8

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a bottle-carrying rack supporting a bottle and a needle at one of the washing stations;

FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of a section of the bottle-carrying rack of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a section of the bottle rack of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a section of the bottle clamper slide of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1717 of FIG. 15; I

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 18-18 of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 19-19 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings a bottle washing machine 10 is shown and consists essentially of a bottle feeding loader 12, a bottle cleaner l4 and a clean bottle receiving tray loader 16. The precise structure of bottle loader 12 is not a part of the present invention as any conventional bottle loader may be used. One type of bottle loader that may be used with bottle cleaner 14 of the present invention is disclosed in US. letters I Pat. No. 2,935,173, dated May 3, 1960, to Joseph M. Cozzoli for VIAL ARRANGING AND FEEDING MEANS. In a similar fashion, the particular structure of the tray loader is not a part of the present invention and one type of tray loader that may be used is disclosed in U.

centers of

lobes

28 and 32 is perpendicular to a line passing through the centers of lobes and 34. The tips of the lobes taper downwardly (see FIG. 17) from the upper surface of bottle guide 20 in a direction towards bottle clamper slide 22 to define a conical bottle support and then extend vertically downwardly towards said bottle clamper slide.

Located between

lobes

28 and 30 is a notch 36 having parallel opposed

sides

38 and 40. Side 38 extends away from the portion of lobe 28 closest to lobe 30; side 40 extends away from the portion of lobe 30 closest to lobe 38. An arcuate section 42 spans the ends of

sides

38 and 40 furthest from

lobes

28 and 30, respectively. An identical notch 44 is located between

lobes

32 and 34 and is in registry with and opposes notch 36. In a similar fashion,

notches

46 and 48, identical to notches 36 and 44, are provided with notch 46 spanning

lobes

30 and 32. Notch 48 spans

lobes

28 and 34 and is in registry with and opposes notch section 46.

It is noted that each opening 26 in bottle guide 20 is spaced equidistantly from its adjacent opening. The number of openings that are used can vary; one typical rack has fifteen openings.

s. 16mm Pat. No. 2,738,115, dated Mar. 13, 1956, to

Joseph M. Cozzoli for VIAL ORIENTING AND TRAY LOADING MECHANISM.

The bottles which are to be cleaned are held by a securing means which consists of a rack 18 (see FIGS.

1 14-18). A plurality of racks is utilized in the present invention and, as each rack is identical to the other racks, a description of one such rack will suffice. Each rack is formed from three constituent parts, to wit, a bottle guide 20, a bottle clamper slide- 22 and a base 24 (FIGS. 1410, 18).

Bottle guide 20 (FIG. 15) includes a plurality ofidentically shaped openings 26 which extend in a line along the length thereof; a description of one such opening will suffice for an understanding of the invention. Opening 26 of bottle guide 20 includes inwardly extending

lobes

28, 30, 32 and 34. The tips of the lobes are concave and lie on a common circle.

Lobes

28 and 32 are opposed to and in registry with each other as are

lobes

30 and 34. In addition, a line passing through the Base 24 of rack 18 (see FIG. 14) includes a plurality of openings 50 with each opening having its center-in registry with the center of a corresponding opening in bottle guide 20. As the openings which extend through base 24 are identical to one another, a description of one such opening will suffice for an understanding of the present invention. Opening 50 of base 24 includes inwardly extending

lobes

52, 54, 56 and 58. The tips of the lobes are concave and lie on a common circle.

Lobes

52 and 56 are opposed to and in registry with each other as are

lobes

54 and 58. The radius of the common circle which passes through the tips of the lobes of opening 50'is equal to the radius of the common circle which passes through the tips of the lobes of the corresponding opening of bottle guide 20 and the centers of said openings are concentric.

Lobes

52, 54, 56 and 58 are in registry, respectively, with the four lobes of the corresponding opening of guide 20. Spanning

lobes

52 and 54 is an arcuate notch 60 with the center of said notch being spaced equidistantly from the end of lobe 54 closest to lobe 52 and the end of lobe 52 closest to lobe 54. Identical

arcuate notches

62, 64 and 66' are located spanning the remaining pairs of lobes.

Base 24 includes an upper surface which faces bottle guide 20. A rectangular groove 68 (FIG. 18) extends the length of base 24 beneath the openings in guide 20 and is symmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal sides thereof. Groove 68 serves a purpose that will soon be apparent.

Bottle guide 20 and base 24 have the same width and length and are fixedly secured to each other. The means for securing bottle guide 20 to base 24 consists of having edge plates 70 and 72' (FIGS. 15 and 18) positioned against the edges of the stacked base and bottle guide. Bolts 74, two of which are shown in the drawings, extend through said edge plates into the interior of base 24 at both ends thereof. In addition, bolts 76 extend through the upper surface of bottle guide 20 into tapped openings in base 24 to secure said bottle guide to said base. None of the bolts which are used to secure the bottle guide to the base extend into groove 68.

Bottle clamper slide 22 is slideable in groove 68 with its upper surface in sliding contact with the lower surface of bottle guide 20. Slide 22 includes an up-turned end 78 (FIGS. 15 and 17). A plurality of openings 80 extend through bottle clamper slide 22 with the number of said openings being equal to the number of openings which extend through bottle guide 20 and base 24. The spacing between the openings in bottle clamper slide 22 corresponds to the spacing between the openings of bottle guide 20. Each opening in bottle clamper slide 22 is identical to the other openings extending therethrough and thus a description of one such opening will suffice for understanding of the present invention.

An opening 80 of bottle clamper slide 22 (see FIG. 18) includes

lobes

82, 84 and 86 with

lobes

82 and 86 being opposed to and in registry with each other. A circular section 88 extends between the end of lobe 82 closer to lobe 84 and the end of lobe 84 closer to lobe 82. The center of curvature of circular section 88 is on a line extending from the end of lobe 82 closer to lobe 84 to the end of lobe 84 closer to lobe 82. A further circular section 90, identical to circular section 88, spans

lobes

84 and 86. The remaining portion of opening 80 is defined by a circular section 92 of larger radius which extends from the ends of

lobes

82 and 86 further from lobe 84. Clamper slide 22 can be positioned in groove 68 so that each opening therein is in registry with an opening in guide 20 and base 24.

The distance from the ends of

lobes

82 and 86 closer to base 93 of section 92 measured along the length of clamper slide 22 is greater than the distance between lobe 34 and the ends of

lobes

28 and 32 closer to lobe 34 measured along the length of guide 20 for each opening therein (see FIG. 15). The distance between

lobes

82 and 86 is slightly less than the distance between lobes 28 and 32 (see FIG. 15).

An elongated opening 94 having circular ends extends through bottle clamper slide 22 adjacent upturned end 78. In addition, an elongated opening 96 having an inner closed arcuate end and open remaining end is at the right end of bottle guide 20 for the orientation of the rack seen in FIG. 15. Located beneath opening 96 in base 24 is a keyhole shaped opening 98 with the narrow portion of said keyhole shaped opening being spaced from the right end of base 24. The circular enlarged portion of the keyhole shaped opening is approximately in registry with the circular portion of elongated opening 96 of bottle guide 20 (see FIG. 17).

A drive means for washing machine 10 is provided by an electric motor 100 (see FIG. 4) which through a gear reduction box 102, drives an output shaft 104. R- tatable with output shaft 104 is a sprocket 106. A chain 108 is trained about said sprocket. A shaft 110 (see also FIG. is journalled for rotation in the housing of machine and rotatable therewith is a sprocket 112 about which chain 108 is trained. Rotatable with shaft 110 is a Geneva locking wheel 114 of the type which is disclosed in U. S. letters Pat. No. 2,738,115.

A shaft 116 is journalled for rotation and rotatable therewith is a Geneva wheel 118 which is disclosed in U. S. letters Pat. No. 2,738,155. Rotatable with shaft 110 is a Geneva drive arm 120 having a roller 122 at the end thereof.

Rotatable with shaft '116 is a sprocket 124 and trained about said sprocket is a chain 126. Chain 126 is trained about a sprocket 128 which is keyed to a rotatable shaft 130 located near the outfeed end of ma chine l0. Rotatable with shaft are spaced apart sprockets 132 and 134 (see FIG. 5) which are identical to each other. A rotatable shaft 136 near the infeed end of machine 10 is parallel and in registry with shaft 130 and keyed thereto are a sprocket 138 and a fourth sprocket which is not shown in the drawings but is identical to sprocket 138. Sprockets 132 and 138 are in a common vertical plane at one side of the machine as are sprocket 134 and the fourth sprocket at the other side of the machine. All the sprockets are identical.

All

sprockets

132, 134, 136 and 138 include identical circular indentations 140 on their peripheries. Two identical link chains at opposite sides of the machine are utilized in advancing bottles through the machine. One link chain cooperates with sprockets 132 and 138 while the remaining link chain cooperates with sprocket 134 and the fourth sprocket. Since the cooperation of each link chain with its associated sprockets is identical, a description of the link chain 142 which cooperates with sprockets 132 and 138 will suffice for a complete understanding of the present invention.

Link chain 142 is made up of a plurality of links 144 (FIGS. 4 and 15). Each link includes a trailing male tongue 146 and a forward feniale groove 148. The male tongue of each link is received in the female groove of the preceding link and is secured thereto by a pin 150. The pins allow relative rotation between the securedtogether links and each pin includes a laterally extending rounded head 152 which is cyclically received in a groove 140 of sprocket wheel 132 and a groove in sprocket wheel 138 as the chain advances the racks as is hereinafter described.

Each rack 18 is secured to a different link 144 by a bolt 154, the shank of which passes through the portion of key-shaped opening 98 in base 24 having parallel sides and extends into a link 144 where its threads are in mated engagement with the link. The head of bolt 154 extends into opening 94 of bottle clamper slide 22 and serves to limit the longitudinal movement of said bottle clamper slide as will hereinafter be described. Additionally, the bolt head extends into opening 96; The other end of the rack base is bolted to a link on the remaining link chain in a manner such that the freedom of movement of the bottle clamper slide is not impeded.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, a cam 156 isalso rotatable with shaft 110. A follower arm 158 is provided and is pivotable about a post 160 which is stationary and secured to the housing of the machine. Located in follower arm 158 is an elongated slot 162 which, if extended, would pass through the center of post 160. Secured to follower arm 158 is a cam follower 164. Cam follower 164 is in contact with cam 156 at all times.

A sector gear 166 (see FIGS. 3 and 12) has a depending support extension 168 which is rotatable about a fixed post 170. Secured to depending support extension 168 is a guide block 172 having a central slot 174. Captively slideable in slot 174 is a roller arm 176. Roller arm 176 extends beyond the right end of slot 174 and secured to the right end of roller arm 176 is a roller 178 which is captively slideable in slot 162 and movable therein relative to follower arm 158.

Starting from the left end of roller arm 176 a ably journalled in and extends through an opening in spindle support 182 which is fixed to support extension 168. An enlarged shaft 184 is integral with the portion of spindle 180 which extends through spindle support 182 at the front face 183 of said spindle support. Secured to the left end of shaft 184 is a hand grip 186. A tension spring 188 has a first end secured to sector gear 166 and a second end secured to cam follower arm 158 so as to bias sector gear 166 in a clockwise direction of rotation. A further sector gear 190 is in mesh with sector gear 166 and is rotatable with a shaft 192.

A gear 194 (FIG. 4) is rotatable with shaft 192 and in mesh with an idler gear 196 which turns with a shaft 198. An idler gear 200 is rotatable with gear 196 and turns with a shaft 202. A gear 204 is in mesh with gear 200 and turns with a shaft 206. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the diameters of

gears

194, 196, 200 and 204 are equal.

Shafts

192, 198, 202 and 206 lie in a common horizontal plane.

A vertical rack gear 208 at the right of gear 194 (see FIG. 4) is in mesh with gear 194. An identical rack gear 210 atthe left of gear 204 is in mesh with gear 204. Secured to the uppermost portions of

racks

208 and 210 is a horizontal bridge 212 (see FIGS. 4, 8 and 13). Secured to the foremost portion of bridge 212, as viewed in FIG. 4, is a depending vertical lift arm 214 and fixed to the lowermost portion of vertical lift arm 214 is a forwardly extending horizontal arm 216. Secured to the portion of arm 216 furthest from vertical lift arm 214 is a vertical rod 218 (see FIG. 19). Rod 218 extends through an opening in the bottom of a vacuum manifold 220 at one end thereof.

Vacuum manifold 220 includes opposed elongated

walls

222 and 224 parallel to racks 18 and a bottom wall 226 which has the opening through which rod 218 extends. The upper portion of vacuum manifold 220 is defined by a plate 228. Manifold 220 is maintained at subatmospheric pressure by connection through a tube 229 (see FIG. 7) to a conventional vacuum pump P.

A needle platform 230 (see also FIG. 19) is located in vacuum manifold 220 and has a tapped opening 232 at each end-thereof. The uppermost portion of rod 218 is threadably engaged with one tapped opening 232 of platform 230. Platform 230' is formed by a plate 234 having elongated

longitudinal passageways

236 and 238 which extend through the interior thereof between locations adjacent each end thereof. Passageway 236 is to the front of passageway 238. Said passageways are parallel to each other and are connected to each other through the interior of plate 234. In communication with

passageways

236 and 238 is a tube 240 (see FIG. 17 which is vertical and extends through an opening in bottom wall 226. The opening in bottom wall 226 for tube 240 is only slightly larger than the external diameter of said tube to allow the tube to. move relative to the bottom. Tube 240 is connected to a flexible conduit 242 which is in communication with a pump P which is a source of supraatmospheric pressure clean air.

Spaced along the length of plate 234 above passageway 236 are several threaded plugs 246. Each plug is screwed into a tapped opening in plate 243 with the distances between the plugs in plate 234 corresponding to the distances between the centers of horizontally spaced openings in bottle guide 20. Additionally, the number of plugs associated with each passageway equals the number of openings in a bottle guide 20 and each plug is in registry with an opening in bottle guide 20 when a rack 18 is positioned over passageway 236. Each plug includes a hollow vertical bore 248 which extends to passageway 236. Held in bore 248 of each plug is the lower end of a hollow needle 250. A plurality of openings 252 substantially larger in diameter than those of needles 250 extends through plate 228 and correspond in number and center spacing to the number of and center spacing of needles 250. Secured to the under surface of plate 228, as by bolts, and spanning the length of said plate is a narrow needle guide 254 having small openings in registry with each needle. The width of the needle guide is substantially less than that of openings 252.

Identical plugs, needles and a needle guide cooperate with passageway 238 in the same manner as with passageway 236 and in the interest of briefness, a description of the needles, plugs, needle guide, associated with passageway 238 is not set forth herein. The needles above passageway 236 are at the first cleaning station A and those above passageway 238 are at the second cleaning station B.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, a gear 256 is rotatable with shaft 192 and is spaced from gear 194 being adjacent the other side of machine 10. In a similar fashion, a gear 258, which is in a common vertical plane with gear 256, is rotatable with shaft 206.

Gears

256 and 258 are spaced from

gears

194 and 204, respectively. by slightly less than the width of racks 18. In mesh-with gear 256 is a rack gear 260 which is identical to and in registry with rack gear 208 and in mesh with gear 258 is a rack gear 262 that is identical to and in registry with rack gear 210. A bridge 264, identical to bridge 212, spans racks gears 260 and 262 in the same manner that bridge 212 spans racks gears 208 and 210.

Bridges

212 and 264 extend between at least the third to eighth cleaning stations, C, D, E, F, G and H, the number of such stations being exemplificative. Extending from the front of bridge 264 (the left thereof in FIG. 8) is structure identical to

elements

214, 216 and 218 which cooperates with the other end of platform 230 in the same manner that

elements

214, 216 and 218 cooperate with the first mentioned end of the platform as previously described. It is noted that the rod which is linked to bridge 264 and corresponds to rod 218 extends through the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber in the same way that rod 218 does but is located at the opposite end of the chamber.

As the structure for each of successive cleaning stations three through eight (C, D, E, F, G, H) is identical, a description of the structure at one such station will suffice for an understanding of the present invention and avoid needless repetition. Secured to

bridges

212 and 264 and forming a part of the third cleaning station C are elevator blocks 270 (see FIG. 13). Extending upwardly between the blocks is a rigid pipe 274. Attached to the bottom of pipe 274 is a flexible conduit 276. Secured to blocks 270 is a hollow manifold 278 having an opening through which pipe 274 extends so that conduit 276 is in communication with the interior of manifold 278.

Fifteen openings extend through the top 280 of manifold 278. The center-to-center distances between said openings correspond to the distances between the centers of the openings in rack 18 and the center-to-center distances between the needles in the first and second cleaning stations. The openings in top 280 are in registry with the openings in guide 20 as racks l8 pause over manifold 278. Extending through each opening in manifold 278 is a needle 282 which has a hollow through bore. Fixed on the upper surface of top 280 of manifold 278 and surrounding each needle are individual needle supports 284. Secured to the machine housing is a stationary elongated needle guide 286 which includes openings 288 at its uppermost portion which openings are in registry with theopenings in top 280 in block 278. Stationary needle guide 286 has an inverted U- shape and located beneath the uppermost horizontal portion thereof is a block 290 having vertical openings extending therethrough which are in registry with the openings in top 280 of block 278 and with openings 288. The needles secured to manifold block 278 captively slideably extend through the needle guide 286 as is hereinafter described.

Conduit 276 is connected to a valve 292 (see FIG. 4) which controls the flow of a cleaning fluid to said conduit. A valve control member 294, which may be a solenoid operator, controls opening and closing of

valves

292, 296, 300, 302 and 304. Valve 296 controls flow of a fluid to the fourth cleaning station, valve 298 to the fifth station, etc. Similar valves, shown but not described may be used to control the flow of fluid t the first and second cleaning stations A and B.

A microswitch 306 is secured to the machine housing and includes an actuator which is depressed by bridge 212 when the bridge is in its most elevated position and which is extended when the bridge is below its most elevated position. Microswitch 306 controls the operation of valve operator 294. When the microswitch actuator is depressed, the valve operator causes the valves to open; the valves are closed at all other times.

A sprocket 307 (see FIGS. 4 and 10) is rotatable with a shaft 309. A chain 311 is trained about sprocket 307 and about a sprocket 313 which is rotatable with shaft 110.

Identical cams

308 and 310 rotate with shaft 309 and are spaced from each other along the length of shaft 309. A follower 312 is in contact with cam308 and a follower 314 is in contact with cam 310.

A bottle ejector 316 (see FIGS. 5 and includes ejector fingers 318 the center of which are spaced from one another by the center-to-center distance between the guide openings in'racks 18 and are in registry with the openings in each guide 20 as each rackmoves adjacent the fingers during the operation cycle at clean bottle discharge location X (see FIG. 4). Bottle ejector 316 includes a forward section with which the fingers' are integral. Trailing arms 322 and 324 (FIG. 10) extend rearwardly from adjacent the ends of the forward section. Follower 312 is secured to the foremost portion of arm 322 and follower 314 is secured to the foremost portion of arm 324. A tension spring 326 has one end secured to arm 322 and the other end fixed to a stationary part of the machine housing 11 so that a force is continually applied to follower 312 urging and maintaining the same in contact with cam 308. In a similar fashion, a second tension spring 328 has one end affixed to arm 324 and the other end affixed to a stationary part of the machine housing and applies a continuous force to arm 324 so that follower 314 is urged into and maintained in contact with cam 310. Suitable guide means constrain ejector 318 from moving in any direction except in a fore and aft direction of the machine.

A further c'am 330 is rotatable with shaft 309 and a follower 332 is in engagement therewith. Follower 332 is secured to the lower end of a pivotable arm 334 (see FIGS. 4, 9, 10 and 11). Arm 334 includes a central opening 336 through which an unthreaded portion of a bolt 338 extends and about which the arm pivots. The head of bolt 338 bears against the outside surface of arm 334 and a threaded portion of said bolt is screwed into a block 340 which is fixed to housing 11. Secured to the upper end of pivotable arm 334 spaced from the end of the arm on which follower 332 is mounted and extending therethrough is a bolt 342. Bolt 342 includes a non-threaded section 343 which extends through a lengthwise slot in the pivotable arm with the remaining portion of said bolt being secured to a pin 344 which is captively held in a transverse slot in an elongated movable link 346. The slot in elongated link 346 enables the pin 344 to impart linear motion to the link upon pivotable movement of arm 334.

Link 346 is slideable in a guide block 348 (see FIGS. 9 and 11). Secured to the end of link 346 remote from bolt 342 is a horizontal arm 350 having an elongated vertical slot 352 at the upper portion thereof. Movable in slot 352 is a pin 354. One arm of a bell crank lever 356 is secured to said pin. Bell crank lever 356 is rotatable about a post 358 which is mounted on a bell crank support 360 fixed to the machine housing. Arm 362 of bell crank 356 has an open-ended U-shaped slot 364 with a roller 366 received therein. Roller 366 is carried by the outer end of a rack opening actuating rod 368.

- Rod 368 is slideable in a guide block 370 secured to the movement of bottle clamper slide 22 in a rack pausing at the clean bottle discharge location in a manner that will hereinafter be described.

A tension spring 376 has one end secured to a pin 378 which is fixed on the machine housing 11. The other end of tension spring 376 is secured to the end of link 346 remote from arm 350 to bias link 346 in a leftward direction as viewed in FIG. 9 and to the front of the machine as viewed in FIG. 4.

A shaft 280 (see FIG. 4) rotatably journalled in machine housing 1 l is parallel to and in registry with shaft 309. Rotatable with shaft 309 is a sprocket 382 and an identical sprocket 384 is rotatable with shaft 380. A chain 386 is trained about

sprocket

382 and 384.

Rotatable with shaft 380 is a cam 388 having a follower 390 in contact therewith. Follower 390 is secured to a pivotable arm 392 which is identical to pivotable arm 334 and pivotable about a bolt identical to bolt 338. Secured to the upper end of arm 392 is a bolt which is identicalto bolt 342 and has secured thereto a pin identical to pin 344. The pin secured to arm 392 controls the movement of a link 396 in the same fashion that pin 344 controls the movement of link 346. Link 396 is slideable in a guide block 398 affixed to the machine housing 11. Secured to the end of link 396 remote from pivotable arm 392 is a horizontal arm 400. A tension spring 402 has one end secured to fixed guide block 398 and the other end secured to the end of link 396 closest to pivotable arm 392 so as to urge said link to slide through guide block 398 towards thefront of the machine.

A slot 403 (see FIG. 9) extends through the upper portion of arm 400 and movable therein is a pin 404. Secured to pin 404 is one end of a bell crank 406 with said bell crank rotatable about a post 408 which is secured to a bell crank support 410. An open-ended U- slot 412 is located at the front end of bell crank arm 414. Movable in slot 412 of bell crank arm 414 is a pin 416. Secured to pin 416 is a horizontal rack closer actuating rod 418. Rack closer actuating rod 418 is slideable in a guide block 420 and includes a bottle clamper slide closer 422 at the end of said rod remote from pin 416. Bottle guide closer 422 is perpendicular to the length of rod 418 and is positioned adjacent the dirty bottle infeed location Y (see FIG. 4). The term dirty" as used herein refers to bottles that have not yet been cleaned by the machine, these usually being new bottles that have been received for filling.

Secured to the upper cover 424 of the machine housing 11 are

nozzles

426 and 428 which are located above the upper reach of each link chain.

Nozzles

426 and 428 are connected to a pressurized cleaning liquid source and direct said fluid on the exterior surfaces of bottles carried by racks 18 as said racks are on the upper reaches of the respective link chains.

The power for operating machine is derived from motor 100 which via gear reduction box 102 continuously rotates shaft 104 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. Sprocket 106 via chain 108 rotates sprocket 112 in a counter clockwise direction. Shaft 110 is, accordingly, continuously rotated in a counter clockwise direction Continuous rotation of shaft 110 results in continuous rotation of sprocket 313 and, via chain 311, continuous counter clockwise rotation of sprocket 382 and shaft 309. Chain 386, which is trained about sprocket 382, continuously rotates shaft 380 via sprocket 384 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4.

Continuous counter clockwise rotation of shaft 110 results in continuous counter clockwise rotation of Geneva locking wheel 114 and drive arm 120. Arm 120 cooperates with Geneva wheel 118 to intermittently rotate the same in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. Shaft 116 is accordingly intermittently rotated in a clockwise direction as is sprocket 124. Chain 126, which is trained about sprocket 124 and sprocket 128, intermittently rotates shaft 130 and

sprockets

132 and 134 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. Intermittent rotation of

sprockets

132 and 134 in a clockwise direction results in the link chains moved by said sprockets rotating sprocket 138, shaft 136 and the fourth sprocket intermittently in a clockwise direction. The link chains and racks secured thereto are thus intermittently moved in a clockwise direction through the machine with the top reaches of the chains moving in a direction indicated by the arrow Z from the infeed to the discharge of machine 10.

Continuous rotation of shaft 110 results in continuous counter clockwise rotation of cam 156 and said cam is so contoured (see FIG. 3) that follower 164 during one cycle of rotation of shaft 110 dwells in a maximum position of clockwise rotation with respect to post 160, then is rotated in a counter clockwise direction and dwells in a position of maximum counter clockwise rotation and finally returns to its position of maximum clockwise rotation. The corresponding movement of roller 178 in slot 162 results in sector gear 166 dwelling at a position of maximum counter clockwise rotation shown in FIG. 4, rotating in a clockwise direction to a position of maximum clockwise rotation where it dwells and then rotating back to its position of maximum counter clockwise'rotation for each complete rotation of shaft 110. It is to be appreciated that by adjustingthe position of spindle relative to roller arm 176 the amount of rotation of sector gear 166 can be varied.

The bottles which are supplied to dirty bottle feeding location Y are oriented in a horizontal position in transversely aligned groups of fifteen with the mouths of the bottles facing the dirty bottle feeding location. As noted above, the feeding loader 12-for supplying the bottles to the dirty bottle feeding location is conventional and one such feeding loader is disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 2,935,173. At the time a group of bottles is so fed a rack 18 is located at the dirty bottle feeding location and is stationary due to a pause in the motion of the rack-carrying link chains occasioned by the Geneva drive.

The rack momentarily stationary at the dirty bottle feeding location Y is so arranged that the planes of guide 20, slide 22 and base 24 are vertical and so that guide 20 faces feeding loader 12. Said rack has tra versed the bottom reach of machine 10 after leaving tray loader 16 at which slide 22 has been shifted to a position in which the head of bolt 154 is abutted by the inner closed end of elongated opening 94 of the rack bottle clamper slide as shown in FIG. 15. Now the mouth and neck of each bottle is forced by the feeding loader through a corresponding rack guide opening, a

bottle clamper slide opening which is in registry with the bottle guide opening and through the corresponding base opening. Such movement of the bottles ispossible because in the aforesaid'position of slide 22 the centers of circular sections 92 are aligned with the centers of corresponding openings 26 in the guides 20 and 50 in the base 24 all of which are large enough to pass the mouth and neck of a bottle; the openings 26 in guide 20 are not, however, large enough to pass the shoulder S of a bottle joining the neck to the body of a bottle. The stroke of feeding loader 12 is so adjusted that the shoulders of the bottles seat against the conical bottle supports defined by the tapered tips of the

lobes

28, 30, 32 and 34. The conical configuration of the tips centers the bottles in the rack openings.

After the bottles have been so positioned, the-contourof earn 388, which is continuously rotated, allows follower 390 to swing in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 and pivotable arm 392 to-swing a predetermined amount in a counter clockwise direction, the latter occurring as a result of tension spring 402 (see FIG. 9) moving link 396 towards the front of the machine through guide block 398. Arm 414 of bell crank lever 406 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 9. Rod 418 slides through guide block 420 towards the rack at the dirty bottle feeding location and bottle clamper slide closer 422 abuts upturned end 78 of the bottle clamper slide in the rack at the dirty bottle feeding location Y so that the bottle clamper slide is moved further into slot 68. If the outside diameter of the neck of a bottle is greater than the distance between

lobes

82 and 86 of each bottle clamper slide opening, said lobes at each opening clamp the neck of the bottle against lobe 34 and lobe 58 of the corresponding opening in guide 20 and base 24. If the diameter of the neck of the bottle is less than the distance between

lobes

82 and 86 of each clamper slide opening, then lobe 84 of each slide opening abuts the neck of a bottle and maintainsthe neck of the bottle in contact with

lobes

58 and 34 of the corresponding openings of base 24 and guide 20, respectively. Since the clamping (abutment) aforesaid is under action of spring 402 the bottles will not be subjected to an undue closing force.

Continued rotation of cam 388 swings pivotable arm 392 in a clockwise direction so that link 396 is moved towards the rear of the machine and bell crank lever 406 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Rod 418 is moved sidewise away from the dirty bottle feeding location Y and remains with bottle clamper slide closer 422 away from the dirty bottle feeding location until another rack pauses at the dirty bottle feeding location. This cyclic movement of rod 418 is controlled by the contours of cam 388 and the action of spring 402.

After several imtermittent movements in direction Z of the rack which was loaded with dirty bottles at the dirty bottle feeding location Y, the rack reaches the position shown in FIG. 19 overlaying plate 228 and directly above passageway 236. When the rack is so positioned, the contour of cam 156 (see FIG. 3) which latter is immovable in the direction Z causes shaft 192 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction so that gear 194 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction. Through

idler gears

196 and 200, gear 204 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Gear 256, which rotates with gear 194, likewise rotates in a counter clockwise direction while gear 258, which rotates with gear 204, rotates in aclockwise direction. Gear racks 208, 260, 210 and 262 which previously during each intermittent movement of rack 18 were lowered are now elevated as are

bridges

212 and 264. The contour of cam 156 allows follower 164 to dwell for a brief period of time with the bridges in this elevated position. When bridge 212 is in elevated position, microswitch 306 is closed by the bridge abutting the actuator thereof and valve operator 294 opens

valves

292, 296, 298, 300, 302 and 304.

The upward movement of

bridges

212 and 264 via the vertical lift arms, the arms and the vertical rods causes platform 230 to move from the position shown in dotted lines to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 19. Needles 250 thereby are raised to extend into the interior of each bottle carried by rack 18. Inasmuch as passageway 236 is connected to a pressurized source of air, the interior of each bottle is flushed with air at above atmospheric pressure. In the meantime, the mouths of the bottles are in communication with the interior of vacuum chamber 220 via openings 252 in plate 228 so that a suction is applied to the interior of the bottles which effectively removes debris which may be located therein. Since the needles are relatively thin, compared to the innerdiameter of the mouths of the bottles, there is sufficient clearance therebetween to enable debris to be drawn through the mouth of the bottles into the vacuum manifold 220 from where the debris is sucked. The sundry notches in the guide 20, slide 22 and base 24 provide ample space for outflowing air with entrained debris.

Continued rotation of cam 156 now turns sector gear 166 in a counter clockwise direction and sector gear 190, shaft 192 and gears 194, and 256 turn in a clockwise direction, and gears 204 and 258 turn in a counter clockwise direction. Accordingly, the bridges are lowered as is platform 230 and the needles associated with slot 230 move to the position seen in dotted lines in FIG. 19 thereby withdrawing the needles from the path of travel of the rack in the direction Z, whereby to permit the needles to advance in such direction.

Geneva wheel 118 then rotates shaft 116 so that the sprockets advance the rack to a position over passageway 238 at which time there is a pause in the movement of the rack. The treatment of the bottles positioned over passageway 238 is identical when the bottles are positioned over passageway 236.

The Geneva wheel after three revolutions of shaft (in the machine shown these are two empty stations between stations B and C) moves the rack to the third cleaning station C shown in FIG. 13. Then there is a pause in the movement of the rack due to the Geneva drive, whereupon the bridges are elevated, manifold 278 is elevated and the needles secured thereto are elevated so as to enter the interiors of the bottles carried by the rack. Prior to the bridges being raised, the needles are in the needle guide openings but below the top surfaces thereof. Since the bridges are now in their elevated position, switch 306 is closed and valve operator 294 opens the valves associated therewith. The opening of valve 292 results in liquid being directed to conduit 276, pipe 274 and the interior of manifold 278. The liquid in themanifold passes through the needles into the interiors of the bottles and is discharged from the mouths of the bottles and falls by gravity into a sump beneath the manifold. The bridges are then lowered, lowering manifold 278 and the needles are withdrawn from the bottles while valve operator 294 closes the valves controlled thereby.

Although types of cleaning that occur at stations C, D, E, F, G and H may be varied, it has been found that excellent results are obtained, by detergent washing, air drying, hot water rinsing, hot air drying, cool water rinsing and cool air drying at these respective stations. After the bridges are lowered, the rack is advanced after each cleaning to the succeeding cleaning station as a result of the Geneva wheel intermittent drive. This cycle of needle lifting cleaning and needle lowering continues as the rack passes through the different cleaning stations. As a rack is passed through the cleaning stations, the exteriors of the bottles carried thereby are cleaned by cleaning liquid directed at the bottles from

nozzles

426 and 428. v

A rack having now cleaned bottles ultimately reaches clean bottle discharge location X and is held stationary there during a pause in the movement of the link chains. With the rack at the discharge location the planes of guide 20, slide 22 and base 24 are vertical and the rack faces tray loader 16. Moreover at this station rack opening hook 372 is so positioned (see FIG. 9) that when moved away from the rack, said hook abuts the upturned end of the clamper slide. The continuous rotation of shaft 309 (see FIG. 4) and cam 330 enables the contour of said cam to allow follower 332 to move towards the rear (discharge'end) of machine 10. Link 346 is pulled to the rear of the machine under the bias of spring 376 and pivotable arm 334 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction with the abutment of follower 332 with cam 330 limiting the counter clockwise rotation of said arm and the forward movement of said link. Bell crank lever 356 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction. Rack opening hook 372 is moved away from the rack pulling the bottle clamper slide to a position such that the inner arcuate end of elongated slot 94 abuts the head of bolt 154. The continued rotation of cam 330 causes follower 332 to move towards the front of the machine so that after the rack has been unloaded and prior to another rack reaching the clean bottle discharge location, the rack opening hook is so positioned that when the next rack reaches the clean bottle discharge location said hook is in position to move the rack bottle clamper slide of said next rack as aforedescribed.

At this point (after movement of clamp slide 22 has released the bottles in the rack), the continuous rotation of

cams

308 and 310 allows

followers

312 and 314, and the arms affixed to said followers, to move towards the rear of the machine under the influence of tension springs 326 and 328. The fingers of ejector 316 abut the mouths of the bottles in the rack at the clean bottle discharge location X and push them from said rack to the tray loader.

After the bottles have been ejected from the rack, the contour of

cams

308 and 310

causes followers

312 and 314 to move towards the front of the machine so that ejector 316 is in a retracted position and does not interfere with the movement of the next rack to the clean bottle discharge location Y.

The empty racks from the clean bottle discharge location travel along the lower reach of the link chains with the full cycle of the machine then repeating itself.

It thus will be seen that there is provided an automatic bottle cleaning machine which achieves the various objects of the invention and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

1. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations, and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said bottle securing means including a plurality of racks, each rack including first clamping means and second clamping means, said second clamping means of each rack being movable relative to said first clamping means thereof, said second clamping means of each rack having a bottle clamping position whereby bottles may be clamped between the first and second clamping means of each rack, said first means linked to said drive'including means for moving said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location towards the bottle clamping position.

bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein said third means includes cam means rotated by said drive means and means responsive to rotation of said cam means for causing said second clamping means mover elementto move said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said responsive means includes a cam follower, said cam follower being in contact with said cam means, a first pivotable link, said first pivotable link including a first portion and a second portion, said cam follower being secured to said first portion of said first pivotable link, and kinematic means secured to said second portion of said first pivotable link and to said second clamping means mover element for moving said second clamping means mover element so that the second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location is moved to the bottle clamping position. i

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said kinematic means includes a movable link, said movable link having a first portion and a second portion, a pin affixed to said first pivotable link at said second portion, a slot extending through said movable link at said second portion and said pin receivable in said slot, a bell crank mechanism secured to said first portion of said movable link, said bell crank mechanism linked to said second clamping means mover element, and means biasing said movable link to a position such that said bell crank mechanism causes said second clamping means mover element to move the-second clamping means of a rack located at said bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

6. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles com-.

prising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selec-- tively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning sections, and said bottle discharge location and to pause at thesite of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said bottle securing means including a plurality of racks, each rack including a first clamping means and a second clamping means, said second clamping means of each rack being movable relative to said first clamping means thereof, said second clamping means-of each rack having a bottle clamping position whereby bottles may be clamped between the first and second clamping means of each rack, said second means linked to said drive means including means for moving said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle discharge location away from the bottle clamping position.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said means for moving each rack second clamping means includes a second clamping means mover element and third means linked to said drive means and to said second clamping means mover element to move the second clamping means of each rack located at said bottle discharge location away from the bottle clamping position.

8. A machine according to claim 7 wherein said third means includes cam means rotated by said drive means and means responsive to rotation of said cam means for causing said second clamping means mover element to move said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle discharge location away from the bottle clamping position.

9. A machineaccording to claim 8 wherein said responsive means includes a cam follower, said cam follower being in contact with said cam means, a first pivotable link, said first pivotable link including a first portion and a second portion, said cam follower being secured to said first portion of said first pivotable link and kinematic means secured to said second portion of said first pivotable link and'to said second clamping means mover element so that the second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location is moved away from the bottle clamping position.

10. A machine according to claim 9 wherein said kinematic means includes a movable link, said movable link having a first portion and a second portion, a pin affixed to said first pivotable link at said second portion, a slot extending through said movable link at said second portion and said pin receivable in said slot, a bell crank mechanism secured to said first portion of said movable link, said bell crank mechanism linked to said second clamping means mover element, and means biasing said movable link to a position such that said bell crank mechanism causes said second clamping means mover element to move the second clamping means of a rack located at said bottle feeding location away from the bottle clamping position. i

11. A machine according to claim 7 further including ejector means for ejecting bottles from each rack located at said bottle discharge location after said second clamping means mover element has moved the second clamping means of said each rack away from the bottle clamping position.

12. A machine according to claim 11 wherein said ejector means includes an ejector, said ejector including a plurality of ejecting fingers positioned to be in alignment with the bottles carried by each rack located at said bottle discharge location, and means for moving said ejector towards said bottle discharge location so said fingers eject bottles from a rack located thereat after the second clamping means thereof has been moved away from the bottle clamping position and for moving said ejector away from said bottle discharge location after having ejected bottles from a rack located thereat.

13. A machine according toclaim 12 wherein said means for moving said ejector includes cam means, means linking said cam means to said drive means for rotating said cam means, a follower .in continuous contact with said cam means and means linking said follower to said ejector.

14. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations, and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said plurality of cleaning stations including a particular cleaning station, said bottle securing means including means for holding bottles so that the open mouths of the bottles face each cleaning station as the conveyor means holds the bottle securing means stationary at each cleaning station, said means linked to said drive and located at each cleaning station including a first member at said particular cleaning station having first and second positions, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first member, a first fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means being in communication with said fluid manifold, third means linked to said drive means for cyclically moving said first member to said first position and holding said first member in said first position, moving said first member to said second position and holding said first member in said second position, and said plurality of fluid directing means directing fluid into the interior of each bottle held by said securing means when said securing means is at said particular cleaning station when said first member is in said first position. V

15. A machine according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of fluid directing means includes a plurality of hollow needles.

16. A machine according to claim 14, further including means for withdrawing fluid from the interior of each bottle at said particular cleaning station.

17. A machine according to claim 14 further including a source of fluid and means connecting said source of fluid to said first fluid manifold when said first member is in its first position.

18. A machine according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of cleaning stations includes another cleaning station, said another cleaning station including a first element, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first element, another fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means at said another cleaning station being in communication with said another, fluid manifold, said first element being movable between a first position and a second position, said plurality of fluid directing means at said another cleaning station directing fluid from said another fluid manifold into the interior of each bottle held by said securing means when said securing means is at said another cleaning station and when said first element is in said first position, and

means linking said first element to said first member so that said first element is in its first position when said first member is in its first position and said first element is in its second position when said second member is in its second position.

19. A machine according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of fluid directing means at said another cleaning station includes a plurality of hollow needles.

20. A machine according to claim 18 wherein said third means includes a control means rotated by said drive means and means responsive to the rotation of said control means to move said first member to said first and second positions.

21. A machine for automatically washing bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a motor, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said motor to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said motor and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and temporarily located thereat, said plurality of cleaning stations including a first cleaning station, said securing means including a plurality of separate bottle securing members for holding bottles so that the open mouths of the bottles face each cleaning station as the conveyor means intermittently moves the separate bottle securing members, said first means including a first member at said first cleaning station movable to a first and a second position, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first member, a first fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means being in communication with said first fluid manifold, said first means including means linked to said motor for cyclically moving said first member to the first position and holding said first member in the first position when a bottle securing member is at said first cleaning station, moving said first member to the second position and holding said first member in the second position afterthe bottle securing member at said first cleaning station has been moved therefrom, said plurality of fluid directing means directing fluid from the first fluid manifold into the interior of each bottle at said first cleaning station when said first member is in the first position.

22. A machine according to claim 21 further including means for withdrawing fluid from the interior of each bottle at said first cleaning station simultaneously with said fluid directing means secured to said first member directing fluid into the interior of each bottle located at said first washing station..

23. A machine according to claim 21 wherein said means linked to said motor for cyclically moving said first member includes a control means rotated by said motor, and means responsive to the rotation of said control means to move said first member to said first and second positions.

24. A machine according to claim 21 wherein said plurality of fluid directing means includes a plurality of hollow needles, said plurality of hollow needles extending into the interiors of bottles secured by a securing member located at said first washing station when said first member is in the first position.

Claims

1. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations, and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said bottle securing means including a plurality of racks, each rack including first clamping means and second clamping means, said second clamping means of each rack being movable relative to said first clamping means thereof, said second clamping means of each rack having a bottle clamping position whereby bottles may be clamped between the first and second clamping means of each rack, said first means linked to said drive including means for moving said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location towards the bottle clamping position.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said means for moving each rack second clamping means includes a rack second clamping means mover element and third means linked to said drive means and to said second clamping means mover element to move the second clamping means of each rack located at said bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein said third means includes cam means rotated by said drive means and means responsive to rotation of said cam means for causing said second clamping means mover element to move said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein said responsive means includes a cam follower, said cam follower being in contact with said cam means, a first pivotable link, said first pivotable link including a first portion and a second portion, said cam follower being secured to said first portion of said first pivotable link, and kinematic means secured to said second portion of said first pivotable link and to said second clamping means mover element for moving said second clamping means mover element so that the second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location is moved to the bottle clamping position.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said kinematic means includes a movable link, said movable link having a first portion and a second portion, a pin affixed to said first pivotable link at said second portion, a slot extending through said movable link at said second portion and said pin receivable in said slot, a bell crank mechanism secured to said first portion of said movable link, said bell crank mechanism linked to said second clamping means mover element, and means biasing said movable link to a position such that said bell crank mechanism causes said second clamping means mover element to move the second clamping means of a rack located at said bottle feeding location to the bottle clamping position.

6. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning sections, and said bottle discharge location And to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said bottle securing means including a plurality of racks, each rack including a first clamping means and a second clamping means, said second clamping means of each rack being movable relative to said first clamping means thereof, said second clamping means of each rack having a bottle clamping position whereby bottles may be clamped between the first and second clamping means of each rack, said second means linked to said drive means including means for moving said second clamping means of each rack at said bottle discharge location away from the bottle clamping position.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein said responsive means includes a cam follower, said cam follower being in contact with said cam means, a first pivotable link, said first pivotable link including a first portion and a second portion, said cam follower being secured to said first portion of said first pivotable link and kinematic means secured to said second portion of said first pivotable link and to said second clamping means mover element so that the second clamping means of each rack at said bottle feeding location is moved away from the bottle clamping position.

10. A machine according to claim 9 wherein said kinematic means includes a movable link, said movable link having a first portion and a second portion, a pin affixed to said first pivotable link at said second portion, a slot extending through said movable link at said second portion and said pin receivable in said slot, a bell crank mechanism secured to said first portion of said movable link, said bell crank mechanism linked to said second clamping means mover element, and means biasing said movable link to a position such that said bell crank mechanism causes said second clamping means mover element to move the second clamping means of a rack located at said bottle feeding location away from the bottle clamping position.

13. A machine according to claim 12 wherein said means for moving said ejector includes cam means, means linking said cam means to said drive means for rotating said cam means, a follower in continuous contact with said cam means and means linking said follower to said ejector.

14. A machine for automatically cleaning bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a drive means, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said drive means to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations, and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means to secure bottles fed to it at said bottle feeding location, means linked to said drive means and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and pausing thereat, second means linked to said drive means for actuating said securing means at said bottle discharge location to release bottles thereat, said plurality of cleaning stations including a particular cleaning station, said bottle securing means including means for holding bottles so that the open mouths of the bottles face each cleaning station as the conveyor means holds the bottle securing means stationary at each cleaning station, said means linked to said drive and located at each cleaning station including a first member at said particular cleaning station having first and second positions, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first member, a first fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means being in communication with said fluid manifold, third means linked to said drive means for cyclically moving said first member to said first position and holding said first member in said first position, moving said first member to said second position and holding said first member in said second position, and said plurality of fluid directing means directing fluid into the interior of each bottle held by said securing means when said securing means is at said particular cleaning station when said first member is in said first position.

18. A machine according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of cleaning stations includes another cleaning station, said another cleaning station including a first element, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first element, another fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means at said another cleaning station being in communication with said another fluid manifold, said first element being movable between a first position and a second position, said plurality of fluid directing means at said another cleaning station directing fluid from said another fluid manifold into the interior of each bottle held by said securing means when said securing means is at said another cleaning station and when said first element is in said first position, and means linking said first element to said first member so that said first element is in its first position when said first member is in its first position and said first element is in its second position when said second member is in its second position.

21. A machine for automatically washing bottles comprising a bottle feeding location, a plurality of cleaning stations, a bottle discharge location, said locations and stations being at stationary sites, a motor, a selectively releasable bottle securing means for a plurality of bottles, conveyor means to which said bottle securing means is attached, means linking said conveyor means to said motor to intermittently move said securing means to and past said bottle feeding location, each of said cleaning stations and said bottle discharge location and to pause at the site of each location and station, first means linked to said motor and located at each cleaning station for directing fluid at each cleaning station into the interiors of bottles carried by said securing means and temporarily located thereat, said plurality of cleaning stations including a first cleaning station, said securing means including a plurality of separate bottle securing members for holding bottles so that the open mouths of the bottles face each cleaning station as the conveyor means intermittently moves the separate bottle securing members, said first means including a first member at said first cleaning station movable to a first and a second position, a plurality of fluid directing means secured to said first member, a first fluid manifold, said plurality of fluid directing means being in communication with said first fluid manifold, said first means including means linked to said motor for cyclically moving said first member to the first position and holding said first member in the first position when a bottle securing member is at said first cleaning station, moving said first member to the second position and holding said first member in the second position after the bottle securing member at said first cleaning station has been moved therefrom, said plurality of fluid directing means directing fluid from the first fluid manifold into the interior of each bottle at said first cleaning station when said first member is in the first position.

22. A machine according to claim 21 further including means for withdrawing fluid from the interior of each bottle at said first cleaning station simultaneously with said fluid directing means secured to said first member directing fluid into the interior of each bottle located at said first washing station.