Patent GB-681475-A (GB)
Title: A machine for washing drinking glasses and for like purposes
Inventor: IRONSIDE JAMES GARRICK SUTHERL
IPC: A47L15/00
Filed: 1949-09-19
Abstract: 681,475. Washing tumblers. GASKELL & CHAMBERS, Ltd. Sept. 13, 1950 [Sept. 19, 1949], No. 24027/49. Class 138 (i). A machine for washing tumblers comprises a cylindrical washing chamber containing a compartmental rotor for receiving the tumblers the rotor being rotatable about a vertical axis by an electric motor, a water heater and hot and cold water nozzles, and manually operable controlmeans, the control means comprising a manually rotatable spindle having a cam for actuating the motor and heater switches, a second cam for actuating hot and cold water valves, and spindlelocking means releasable by mains water pressure. Provision may be made for injecting a detergent into the hot water system. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rotatably mounted within the stationary washing chamber b is a rotor e divided by radial walls f into segmental compartments each adapted to receive a tumbler g on a grid h. Each segmental compartment is sealed by rubber strips i. The front of the washing chamber is open as at c and has a tray d, to provide a loading and unloading position. The rotor spindle is driven from the motor q through reduction gearing and a slipping clutch s, which may comprise two parts having serrations held in engagement by a helical spring t, so that the drive is interrupted if the operator's hand gets caught. The tumblers are passed between a pair of spraying heads j, n spraying hot water and then between heads k, o spraying cold water, all the water passing down drain pipe p to waste. Hot water may be supplied from a heater v, replaced by cold water at mains pressure, and cold water is supplied at mains pressure. Detergent may be supplied from a separate container, preferably of transparent material, through a drip-feed valve and be fed by pump u into the hot water system. The drip-feed valve may be solenoid operated so that it is open only when the motor is running. In an alternative water arrangement, to conserve heat, the water from the cold spraying heads k, o is drained to waste, but that from the hot spraying heads j, n is drained back to the heater v. To avoid undue contamination of the hot water a cam-actuated valve admits a pre-determined quantity of cold water under mains pressure into the heater v at every revolution of the spindle r, surplus dirty hot water being displaced to waste. With this arrangement a small auxiliary pump is provided between the heater tank v and the spraying heads j, n. A suitable control device is shown in Fig. 3. A handle 3 is fast with a spindle 2 having cams 4 and 5 thereon. Cam 4 first switches on the heater in tank v and further rotation causes the motor q to be switched on. Cam 5 operates a plunger 6 to open valves 9 and 11 controlling the hot and cold water systems. Accidental movement of the handle 3 is prevented by a spring loaded pawl 18. Movement of the control before the cold water supply is connected is prevented by a spring loaded plunger 14 engaging a catch-disc 13. The plunger is fixed to a piston 15 working in cylinder 16 and is withdrawn from the catch-disc when water mains pressure is admitted above the piston.