Patent GB-191110851-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Cleaning Bottles or the like.
Inventor: BOULT ALFRED JULIUS
IPC: B08B9/42
Filed: 1911-05-04
Granted: 1912-01-18
Abstract: 10,851. Boult, A. J., [Epstein, M.]. May 4. Bottles, washing. - A machine for washing bottles &c. internally comprises an open rectangular frame supporting in an horizontal plane an endless bottle-carrying conveyer chain, and a vertical frame which is secured to one side of the horizontal frame, and carries the driving- mechanism and the jetting, brushing, and rinsing apparatus. The bottles are placed neck downwards in the conveyer pockets at one side of the machine, and are fed forward by the conveyer with a step-by-step movement. During the intervals of rest, the bottles are accurately centred by vertically-moving cups engaging the necks, and are cleaned inside by reciprocating jetting and brushing spindles. Figs. 2 and 3 show the machine in elevation and plan respectively. The horizontal frame 38, consisting of rectangular inner and outer rails supporting respectively the conveyer chain 46 and lugs 50 on the pockets 53, is carried on legs 37, and at one side is arranged a vertical frame comprising standards 33 and a top plate 34 supporting the driving-gear. At the corners of the conveyer track are arranged four sprockets, three of which are idle, the driving-sprocket being secured to a vertical shaft 60 actuated intermittently through a Geneva gear 127 from the shaft 115. The timing of the conveyer movements is adjusted by a device shown in Fig. 15, in which the angular position of the parts 63, 64, secured respectively to the driving- pinion and to the shaft 60, is adjusted by setscrews 66. The conveyer chain is adjusted for wear by screws 58 which give a sliding movement to the back sprockets and the back portion of the rectangular frame. Bolts 43 secure the frame in its adjusted position. The shaft 115 drives through another Geneva gear 132 a shaft 136 to which is secured a crank actuating intermittently a rod 138 coupled by levers and a rock-shaft to a cross - head 103. The bottlecentring cups 101, Fig. 19, are carried by brackets 100 guided vertically and actuated by the cross-head 103 through buffer springs 105. The centring-cups 101 are raised before the insertion of the jetting and brushing spindles 84, and are lowered after the withdrawal of the spindles. The timing of the centring-cup crosshead 103 is adjusted by set-screws engaging a lug 162 on the driving-member 131 of the Geneva gear 132. The driving-member of this gear is preferably provided with two pins shown in Fig. 32, so that motion is given to the driven shaft 134 in two stages, and is consequently smoother. The spindle cross-head 76 is continuously reciprocated by an eccentric 116 on the shaft 115 acting through a rod 117, adjustable - throw crank 118, rock - shaft 119, and balanced levers 120. The cross-head 76 is hollow and is divided into two compartments, the larger one communicating with six jetting and brushing spindles 84, the smaller one with two rinsing-spindles 85. Water is supplied to the cross-head through flexible pipes 79 and cocks 80 which are opened and closed by links coupled to cranks on the rock-shaft 119. The spindles 84 are continuously rotated by spur - wheels 75 gearing with pinions 93 and mounted on vertical shafts 74 coupled by bevel-gear to an horizontal shaft 67 mounted in bearings on the top plate 34. The sleeves carrying the pinions 93 are coupled by feather keys to inner sleeves 88 which support the centring-cups 101, and are themselves connected by feather keys to the spindles 84, which carry brush devices and jets at their upper ends. The rinsing-spindles 85 are not rotated. The shaft 67 which rotates the brush spindles is coupled to the gearing on the top plate 34 by a two-speed gear shown in Fig. 24. A frame 151 is mounted to rock and to slide on a driving-shaft 109, and carries an idler pinion 153 gearing with a spur-wheel 15Q on the shaft 109. By manipulating the frame 151, the pinion 153 may be placed into engagement with either of two wheels of different sizes on the shaft 67. The handle 152 is guided in slots in a bracket 157 and is locked by a spring pawl. To enable the machine to be used for washing bottles of various sizes, the plate 149 forming an abutment for the bases of the bottles is adjustable vertically by a hand wheel 147 and screw gear. The machine is driven from a motor coupled either to the shaft 67 or to the shaft 158.