Patent GB-761489-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to washing machines for bottles, jars and like articles
Inventor: WEBSTER ALEXANDER HYDE
IPC: B08B3/14
Filed: 1954-03-10
Abstract: 761,489. Bottle washing machines. WEBSTER & CO., Ltd., R. Feb. 21, 1955 [March 10, 1954], No. 7020/54. Class 138(1) A bottle washing machine comprises a liquid tank through which bottles or like articles are carried on a conveyer, a sepÓrate filtering compartment, a pump or the like acting upon the liquid in the tank whereby to set up a stream of liquid in the tank flowing against and over the outer surface of each article in order to dislodge fibrous matter such a label, adhering thereto, and conduits for conveying liquid carrying the dislodged matter to the filtering compartment and returning such liquid to the tank after filtering. The invention may be applied to a, bottle washing machine as illustrated in Specification 683,815 and wherein an endless conveyer carries bottles successively through a number of tanks in which washing is carried out. Referring to the drawing accompanying the Provisional Specification the endless conveyer 2 fitted with carriers 3 for bottles 4, passes through one such tank 1, in a U-shaped path. Within the tank 1 and the conveyer loop is a chamber 24a formed by a U-shaped imperforate metal plate 5 extending from the front to the rear of the tank 1. The normal liquid level in the tank 1 is as shown at XX and the tank liquid communicates with the chamber 24a through a slot 6 in the plate 5. Within the liquid in the tank 1 and adjacent the slot 6 is a pipe 7 having nozzles 8, which pipe is supplied with liquid under pressure by pump means (not shown). As bottles 4 pass the slot, labels thereon are removed, by the liquid stream from the nozzles 8, and passed through.the slot 6, whereafter they are deflected by a deflector 9 to the bottom of the chamber 24a. The liquid from the nozzles is returned to the tank 1 through a pipe 10 (which may be fitted with pump means and a filter). Labels collected in the chamber 24a are removed through a pipe 11 provided with a cock (not shown) to a tank 12 wherein they sink to the bottom. The liquid is transferred from the tank 12 to a tank 15, past a-filter 16 and through a pipe 14, by applying air pressure through a pipe 13, to the tank 12. A pump 17 returns the liquid from the tank 15 to the tank 1. Since the liquid in the tank 1 can only fall to a level YY when the chamber 24a is emptied, there will always be sufficient liquid in the tank for the main washing action to. continue as the conveyer 2 continues to operate. The cock in the pipe 11 may be interconnected with the pump connected to the pipe 7. If desired the deflector 9 may be flat and hinged to the plate 5 so that it may be swung to close the slot 6. In this case the tank level will remain at XX and the pump in the pipe 7 may be arrested by means actuated upon the movement of the plate 9 to close the slot 6. In the embodiment shown-in the drawing accompanying the complete Specification the pipe 7 and nozzles 8 are omitted and by injecting liquid into the main washing chamber and withdrawing liquid from the chamber 24a there is set up a liquid head between the main chamber and the chamber 24a which causes a steady flow of liquid into the chamber 24a through the slot 6 to remove the bottle labels. As shown, the pipe 11 communicates with an external tank 12 and liquid is returned therefrom to the main chamber by a pipe 22, pump 17 and pipe 23. The entrance of the pipe 11 to the tank 12 is adjacent an endless moving screen or filter 19 which carries the labels into an enclosure 21 where they are removed by a water, jet 24. The liquid returning to the main chamber is delivered near the bottom of the plate 5 in a counter direction ' to the direction of movement of the conveyer 2 and thus assists in ensuring that all labels are passed through the slot 6.