US913544A - Combined bottle-draining and box-cleaning device. - Google Patents

Description

H. W. NOETHIG 6: M. G. BOURGO.

COMBINED BOTTLE DRAINING AND BOX CLEANING DEVICE.

APILIOATION IILED EEPT. 9,1908. 91 3,544, Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

WITNESSES ms NORRIS PETERS cm. wAsmucrcn. n c.

.UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

HERMAN W. NOETHIG AND MITOHAEL G. BOURGO, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1909.

Application filed September 9, 1908. Serial No. 52,281.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Herman XV. Nonrrrrer and Mrrormnn C. Bounce, both citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Bottle-Draining and Box-Cleaning Device, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an apparatus which is designed for emptying and draining bottles, and at the same time cleaning the boxes in which they are contained.

Bottled beer, soda, and the like, are usually packed in cases each containing a dozen bottles, more or less, these cases being divided oif by longitudinal transverse partitions into pockets, and a bottle supported in each pocket.

WVhen the empty bottles are returned in their cases they are frequently in a very dirty condition, and the boxes or cases in which they are packed contain dust and trash. The bottles are often returned with small portions of beer or liquid in them, and sometimes they are found to have been used as receptacles for oil or other substances foreign to their ordinary use. Such bottles, when returned, are usually cleansed by being placed in a bath of strong cleansing fluid; but if the bottles containing remnants of liquid are placed in the bath, the latter is diluted and its strength very materially diminished.

The object of our invention is to provide a means for rapidly and effectually draining thebottles of their dregs, and at the same time cleansing the cases or boxes without taking the bottles out of the boxes.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of our apparatus, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of cleaning and draining tables.

A represents a table of suitable size, shape and material, and supported in anyappropriate manner.

The table is preferably made with a surrounding peripheral ledge or rim 2, with the top of the table sloping or conoaved towards a central drain pipe 3, which latter is ordinarily connected with the sewer. Supported on this table by suitable means, as the braces l, is a tilt-able stand 5 pivoted at (3 so as to be turned through an arc of approximately more or less. This stand 5 is hollowed out, or otherwise has formed in it a main air duct or chamber 7, from which extend the air pipes 9 by which the cleaning out of the case or box is accomplished, as will be shortly described.

The stand or supplemental table 5 is adapted to turn about its pivot and may be held in horizontal, or as near horizontal as desired, position, by suitable means, as the hook 10 on the stand, and the latch spring 11 which has a slot 12 to engage the hook 10. The latch is released from the hook by any suitable means, as the handle 13 which is pivoted to a fixed part of the frame and has an arm 14: to engage back of the latch. lVhen the supplemental table 5 is released from its latch and turned so that it stands in a substantially vertical position, it will permit a box or case 15 of empty bottles, or bottles partly emptied, which has been stood on end, to be shoved along the slide 16 and pushed over a perforated board or bottle rack 17 which is carried by and fixedly spaced from the table 5 by means of the braces 18. This rack 17 has openings 19 which register with the necks of the bottles, and it has other openings through which the air pipes 9 extend a suflicient distance, so that when the air is turned into the chamber 7 and pipes 9, the dirt inside of the box will be blown out. When a box of bottles has been shoved up against the rack 17, as represen ed in dotted lines, F 1, the box, bottles, and stand 5 are all turned about the pivot (3 until the hook 10 engages the latch spring 11; the bottles then being in vertical or nearly vertical position, and their contents draining out on to the troughshaped table A.

The air chamber 7 is flexibly connected with any suitable source of air pressure supply, the air being suitably controlled by an appropriate valve, represented at 20. As soon as the bottles are turned upright the valve 20 is opened and a series of air jets dis charged through the pipes 9 into the box between the bottles, these blasts blowing out all the dust and dirt remaining in the box.

The box thus being cleansed is lifted clear of the bottles which remain in the rack 17.

The bottles are then taken out by the oper-' ator and placed in the washing and cleansmg tank, whereupon the handle 13 1s manipulated to release the latch 11, allowing the stand 5 and rack 17 to be turned once more into vertical position ready for the next case of bottles.

The slide 16 by which the empty cases are fed to the cleaning device may be provided on its upper surface with rollers 21, and this slide is preferably pivoted at 22 and made adjustable at its front end by appropriate means, as the screw 23 is threaded into the table A. The purpose of this screw 23 is to adapt the device to cases and bottles of different sizes.

In order to assist in the ready removal of an inverted box from the rack, we may eniploy the side rests 24 which are preferably rigid with the table A, and between which rests the rack and air-jet stand turn. As a box filled with bottles is set up against the rack with the bottle necks engaged in the rack, and the rack is then turned to invert the bottles, the side edges of the box gradually come in contact with the side guides or rests 24 and operate to lift the box more or less, at the same time not entirely withdrawing the box from the rack. After the box has been cleaned it is easily lifted off of the rack and bottles. These side rests are particularly useful with heavy boxes.

The stand 5 is preferably cast with the air ducts formed in the manner shown.

By this device we are enabled rapidly to prepare the bottles for the subsequent washing, and to cleanse the cases ready to be filled again.

Under some circumstances it may be de sirable to use the apparatus simply for the purpose of draining bottles in their cases.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, thecombination of a tiltable support a rack to fit inside of a case to be cleaned and having openings to receive the bottles in the case, and air supply pipes discharging through the rack between the bottle-holding spaces.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a tilting stand having means for supporting a case and its contained bottles with. the bottles and case inverted, a support for the stand, and means carried by the stand for discharging jets of air into the case between the bottles.

3. In a device of the character described, a tilting rack to fit inside of a case to be cleaned and having openings to receive the bottles in the case, supporting means for the rack, and air supply pipes discharging through the rack between the bottle-holding spaces.

4:. In a device of the character described,

a tilting rack to fit inside of a case to be cleaned and having openings to receive the bottles in the case, air-supply pipes discharging through the rack between the bottle-holding spaces, said rack mounted to turn from a vertical to a substantially horizontal position, a support for the rack and means for holding the rack in ahorizontal position.

In a device of the character described, the combination of a drain table having a trough-like top with a discharge outlet, a tilting stand supported on the table, said stand carrying a rack adapted to fit inside the bottle case and the rack having openings to receive the bottles in the case, and means carried by the rack for discharging a blast of air into the case between the bottles, with the bottles in the rack draining 011 to the table when said rack is in horizontal position.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a table having a troughlike top with a discharge outlet, a tilting stand pivotally supported above the table, said stand having air ducts with air supply connections, said air ducts connected with air jet pipes projecting from the face of the stand, and a bottle rack carried by the stand and through which said air jet pipes discharge.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a table having a troughlilre top with a discharge outlet, a tilting stand pivotally supported above the table, said stand having air ducts with air supply connections, said air ducts connected with air jet pipes projecting from the face of the stand, a bottle rack carried by the stand and through which said air jet pipes discharge, said stand and rack being tiltable from a substantially vertical position to one whereby the inverted bottles in the rack may drain on to the table, and means engaging the stand to hold it and the rack with the bottles inverted.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a tilting stand having means for supporting a case and its contained bottles with the bottles and case inverted, a support for the stand means carried by the stand for discharging jets of' air into the case between the bottles, and side rests engageable by the inverted case between which the stand is turnable.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN WV. NOETHIG. MITGHAEL C. BOURGO. IVitnesses W. A. Bnaon, JAS. R. MoGrRURY.

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