Patent GB-767454-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for washing curved sheets
Inventor: COCHRAN CARL JAMES
IPC: B60S3/06
Filed: 1955-01-26
Abstract: 767,454. Washing windshields. PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS CO. Jan. 26, 1955, No. 2340/55. Class 138(1) Apparatus for washing curved sheets such as bent windshields comprises a conveyer along which successive sheets travel with different areas of the surfaces of the sheet at different levels transversely of the conveyer and a plurality of brushes at different locations lengthwise of the conveyer and positioned at different levels to contact the different level areas of the surfaces of each successive sheet as it is advanced along the conveyer. Referring to Figs. 1a and 1b the conveyer 14 is comprised of four endless sections 21, 36, 56 and 58 each comprised of a pair of endless belts passing over end pulleys, intermediate rollers 26 and tensioning rollers 28. The conveyer sections are all driven from a motor 64 driving through a chain and sprocket connection 66, a shaft 65, the latter driving section 58 through a chain 69. The shafts 65 also drives a chain 73 extending throughout the length of the apparatus which chain 73 drives through shafts 76 and chains and sprockets, shafts 51, driving the sections 36, 56 and through a shaft 77 and a chain and sprocket, the end pulley 24 of the section 21.. Three identical groups of stands 16, 18 and 20 for rotary brush pairs are provided along the length of the conveyer 14, each group consisting of three brush stands 32, 38 and 47, the stands 38 being arranged so that their brushes are disposed within the gaps between the conveyer sections. Curved windshield laminations 22, Fig. 1a, prior to being bonded together to form a laminated windshield are passed through the apparatus from the left hand side in the Figure, and are sprayed with liauid as they pass through the brush stands 32, 38, 47 from upper and lower spray pipes 33, 34; 41, 42; and 48, 49. The spray pipe pairs of the brush group 16 are supplied with water to which is added powdered pumice. The spray pipe pairs of the brush groups are all supplied with clean water and the windshields 22 are finally rinsed with clean water by upper and lower sprays 61, 62. Referring to Fig. 4, the brush stand 32 comprises upper and lower tapered brushes 30, 31 (the tapers being oppositely directed) disposed laterally of the conveyer section (in this instance the section 56 is shown). These brushes clean the wing portion of the windshield and are mounted in frames 96 adjustably suspended from the main apparatus frame 10 by bolts 101, 102 pivoted at 100, 103 to the frames and clampable by bolts 105 engaging in slots 106, 107 in the frames 10 and 96, respectively. The brushes 30, 31 in each frame are driven by a separate motor 110 through reduction gearing 111 and chain and sprocket connections 112, 113. The intermediate portions of the windshield between its central portion and wing portions depicted in Fig. 4, are cleaned by brush pairs 39, 40 Fig. 5, of the brush stand 38, these brushes being disposed within a gap between conveyer sections and tapered in opposite directions in a similar manner to the brushes 30, 31. The shafts 119 of the upper brushes 39 are connected by a universal joint 127 and are suspended in an adjustable frame 121. The brushes 39 are driven from the chain 73 through a shaft 75, chain 79, shaft 83, chain and sprockets 136, shaft 133, universal joint 134, shaft 130 and chain and sprockets 129 whilst the lower brushes 40 are driven directly from the shaft 83 and through universal joints 145, 146. When a windshield is being cleaned within a conveyer gap the ends of the windshield are supported by rollers 44, 46, Fig. 1a, carried respectively from the brush stands 32, 38. The central portion of a windshield 22 is cleaned by upper and lower brushes 53, 54 of the brush stand 47, Fig. 6, the upper brush being convex over its length and the lower brush 54 being concave over its length. The upper brush 53 is carried in an adjustable frame 156 and is driven from the shaft 83 through a chain and sprocket' connection 85, shaft 175, chain and sprocket connection 174, shaft 171 and chain and sprocket connection 170. The lower brush 54 is driven directly from the shaft 175. Washing liquid and water is collected in a pan 180 extending across the full width of the main frame 10 and substantially over the whole length of the apparatus, the pan having drains 182 disposed along its length. Windshields of varying curvature may be cleaned in the apparatus merely by adjusting the various brush frames relative to the main frame 10.