Patent GB-659768-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for cleansing drinking glasses and the like
IPC: A47L15/30
Filed: 1948-12-29
Abstract: 659,768. Washing drinking glasses. STANLEY, G. A. Dec. 29, 1948, Nos. 33446 and 33447. Convention dates, Jan. 12, and July 16. [Class 138(i)] [Also in Groups XXIX and XXX] An apparatus for cleansing drinking glasses or the like comprises an openwork table for supporting inverted glasses and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, upwardly directed liquid sprays below the table between loading and unloading stations thereof, a reciprocable power driving means for the table and control means operable manually to cause the driving means to undergo a cycle of two successive strokes in opposite directions and impart an angular movement of predetermined magnitude to the table. General construction. The apparatus, Fig. 1, comprises an openwork table 16 connected to a central disc 14 supported for intermittent rotation about a vertical axis within a shallow tray 10 having a liquid outlet 40, a spray pipe 28 situated below the table and formed in a closed loop having upwardly directed jets 29, and a reciprocating hydraulic motor 19 for imparting movements to the disc 14 and thus the table 16. The pipe 28 and a pipe 22 communicating with the motor cylinder are both connected to a valve chamber 12<SP>2</SP> which is connected by a pipe 34 to a source of liquid under pressure. A hand lever 31 is connected by a spindle 30 to a valve within the chamber 12<SP>2</SP> which valve is thereby operable in conjunction with a disc cam 32 to control the motor 19 and the jets 29. The apparatus is arranged below a bar counter 11 so that that portion of the apparatus which includes the hand lever 31 projects beyond the rear edge of the counter. A splash guard 35 is arranged over the table 16 above the spray jets. Hydraulic motor and control mechanism. The motor 19, Fig. 5, comprises a loose-fitting plunger 20, a plunger rod 20<SP>1</SP> having a spring loaded pawl 21, which is engageable with ratchet teeth 14<SP>1</SP> of which there are six formed on the underside of the disc 14, and a spring 24 interposed between the plunger and one end of the cylinder. The cylinder has an exhaust port 19<SP>1</SP>. As shown in Fig. 3, the hand lever 31 is continually urged to the inoperative position by a spring 31<SP>1</SP>. The spindle 30 is connected coaxially to a spindle 25 on which are mounted a valve 26 and the cam 32. The cam 32 co-operates with one end of a spring loaded pivoted pawl 33 the other end of which co-operates with a ratchet 14<SP>1</SP>. The valve 26 has two wings 26<SP>1</SP>, 26<SP>2</SP>, Fig. 6, which control ports 23, 27 in the valve chamber and communicating with the motor and sprays respectively. The wing 26<SP>1</SP> is wide enough to cover ports 23, 27 simultaneously whereas the wing 26<SP>2</SP> is only wide enough to cover the port 27. Operation. The chamber 12<SP>2</SP> is always filled with liquid under pressure from the pipe 34 and in the inoperative position of the lever 31, Fig. 6, the valve wing 26<SP>1</SP> closes the ports 23, 27 while the ends of the pawl 33 engage with a ratchet tooth 14<SP>1</SP> and a recess 32<SP>1</SP> in the cam 32. On moving the lever 31 to the position shown in Fig 7, the pawl 33 is rocked without any effect at this stage and resumes engagement with the tooth 14<SP>1</SP> and a recess 32<SP>3</SP> on the cam. The port 27 is closed by the valve wing 26<SP>2</SP> and the port 23 is now opened. Liquid under pressure passes through the pipe 22 and thereby causes the plunger rod 20<SP>1</SP> to move outwardly against the action of the spring 24 and perform an idle stroke, the pawl 21 sliding over one tooth 14<SP>1</SP> to finally engage the next tooth 14<SP>1</SP> as shown in dot ted line in Fig. 5. The lever 31 is held for a sufficient period for the rod 20<SP>1</SP> to be fully extended. The lever 31 is then released and moves with the cam under the action of the spring 31<SP>1</SP> to the position shown in Fig. 8, and is retained in this position by the end 32<SP>2</SP> of the cam recess 32<SP>3</SP> abutting the pawl 33. The port 23 is now closed and the port 27 opened. The spring 24 moves the plunger in the opposite direction expelling liquid from the motor cylinder past the loose plunger through the port 19' into the tray 10 and thereby to waste. The pawl 21 engaging the tooth 14<SP>1</SP> thereby moves the table 16 through one sixth of a complete revolution. At the same time liquid is supplied through the port 27 to the jets 29. The table in moving finally causes the lever 31 to be tripped to the in- .operative position by a tooth 14<SP>1</SP> depressing one end of the pawl 33 so that the other end is raised from the end 32<SP>2</SP> of the cam recess 32<SP>3</SP> as shown in Fig. 9. Cleansed glasses drain on the table and return to the rear edge of the counter when the lever 31 has been operated a sufficient number of times. The speed of rotation of the table is independent of variations of pressure in the liquid supply and is dependent only on the rate at which liquid is expelled from the motor cylinder through the port 19<SP>1</SP>. In a modification the valve 26 consists of a single member and is provided in its inner face with a transverse slot. An exhaust port is provided in the valve chamber by the side of the port 23 and this exhaust port is controlled by an adjustable needle valve. In the inoperative position of a weighted hand lever the exhaust port and port to the jets are closed and liquid under pressure is in communication with the motor cylinder to cause the plunger rod to be fully extended against its spring. In the operative position of the lever the cylinder port is connected to the exhaust by the transverse slot in the valve, and liquid is expelled by a tight fitting plunger in the motor cylinder. The control cam is finally tripped by the plunger rod operating a spring pawl engaging with the cam. Radial slots are provided in the central disc instead of ratchet teeth and in the inoperative position of the hand lever the table is restrained from movement in either direction by the pivoted pawl 33 engaging in a radial slot. A larger splash guard is provided and extends approximately over onehalf of the table. An additional spray pipe and a water heater is provided and hot or cold water may be sprayed from this pipe by manipulation of valves. The weighted hand lever is provided with a spring device so as to prevent damage to the mechanism should the lever be inadvertently moved manually to its inoperative position when the cam 32 is retained during the spraying operation i.e. prior to its tripping by the plunger rod.