Patent GB-190705632-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and connected with Bottle Washing Machines.
Inventor: FLOWER JOHN WALTER
Filed: 1907-03-08
Granted: 1908-03-05
Abstract: 5632. Flower, J. W. March 8. Bottles, washing. - Relates to bottle - washing machines of the type in which the bottles are carried by chains through a soaking-tank and subjected to brushing and rinsing operations. The chains are of special construction. The bottles are brushed externally in the liquid, and they are then sprayed, automatically ejected, and passed to an internal brushing-device. They next proceed to a rinsing and draining wheel, and finally fall upon endless bands which convey them away. Figs. 1 and 2 show the machine in end and front elevations respectively. The chains consisting of alternate links and rings are driven by wheels 5 which are recessed to receive the rings. Each bottle 7 travels between side plates 2, Fig. 5, adjustable by means of screws 3, and is brushed by the brush 8 driven by sprocket gearing 9 and urged towards the bottle by a weight 16. During this brushing operation, water is sprayed upon the bottle bottom by means of a pump and pipe 15. Upon the completion of the journey through the tank, the bottom of the bottle is acted upon by a spring-pressed brush 17, Fig. 6; after being sprayed externally by the adjustable perforated pipe 81, Fig. 15, the bottle is ejected from the chains by a plunger 19 reciprocated by means of a cam-slot and a pin on the rod 20. The bottle falls down a shoot 21 and is received between the blades of an intermittently - rotated paddle - wheel 22. This wheel places the bottle upon a slide 25, Figs. 1 and 18, having a cup-shaped holder 23, and a similar holder 24 is provided with a rotating brush 28 mounted on its spindle by means of a spring 28<a>. The slide 25 is then reciprocated so as to push back the holder 24 and uncover the brush to allow it to clean the interior of the bottle. On the return of the slide, the next movement of the paddle-wheel forces the bottle upon the side of the slide which, at its next reciprocation, places it upon a hollow spoke of the rinsing-wheel 30, Figs. 1 and 9. This wheel is intermittently rotated and has apertures in its hub which are so arranged that air, through the opening 63, and water are successively injected. The bottle next drains and falls upon a travelling band, which carries it to another band 37, conveying it to the point of removal. The chain-driving wheels 5 are intermittently actuated by means of a cam 56, Fig. 2, rotated through bevel - wheels 58 and actuating a cradle 55 through rollers 57, the motion of the cradle being conveyed to the shaft of the wheels 5 by a ratchet pawl 54. The intermittent rotation of the paddle-wheel 22 is obtained as follows. A lever 66, Fig. 1, pivoted at 68, is oscillated by a cam on the shaft 44 and thus raises and lowers a rod 70, Fig. 12 ; this rod carries a nut 71 to which are pivotally attached two links 73 loosely mounted on the paddle-wheel shaft 74. This shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow by means of the ratchet pawl 75 upon the descent of the rod 70. In order to prevent rotation of the shaft 74 beyond the required limits, two oppositelytoothed ratchet-wheels are secured to the shaft and are engaged by pawls 78, 78<a>. The latter prevents backward motion of the shaft, while the former is only allowed to fall upon its ratchet-wheel when the forward movement of the shaft has been completed. During this forward movement, the pawl 78 is held raised, as shown, by a projection on one of the links 73.