Patent GB-191023690-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Washing and Sterilizing Bottles or the like.
Inventor: BOULT ALFRED JULIUS
IPC: B08B9/36
Filed: 1910-10-12
Granted: 1911-04-13
Abstract: 23,690. Boult, A. J., [Davis Milk Machinery Co.]. Oct. 12. Bottles, washing. - Comprises a construction of bottle-washing machine, of the type in which the bottles are moved in sets along a track over a series of spaced jetting stations with an intermediate brushing station at which sets of waterfed rotary brushes are reciprocated to enter the bottles and scour them internally. According to this invention the bottles are first rinsed with a jet of cold water and then with successive jets of a hot cleansing-solution. An internal brushing-station is situated at an intermediate point in the line of jets, and the bottles are finally sterilized by a steam jet. The bottles are secured in inverted position in trays 67, which are placed on the machine at 21, and are moved intermittently along rails 69 by pivoted pawls 76 on reciprocating bars. Each movement of the trays brings the bottles opposite to one of the chambers 32, which are furnished with spraying-jets in their upper surfaces. The preliminary rinsing-jet is provided with two parallel rows of single holes, and is connected to a coldwater main 125. The dirty water escapes down a waste-pipe 23. The other water jets have a double row of rings of small holes, and are supplied with hot cleansing-solution from the tanks 24, 28 by means of centrifugal pumps 49, 50. Other jets 55 supplied by the same means are directed on to the exterior of the bottles by the baffled cover-plate which returns all the washing-liquid to the tanks. At the brushing- station, rotary brushes mounted on hollow stems supplied with spraying-liquid are raised into each bottle and retracted again between two forward movements of the trays. The brushes are rotated by skew gearing 121, Fig. 8, from a shaft driven by chain gearing, and are mounted on a counterweighted cross-head, which is raised and lowered by a crank and connecting-rod 122. To ensure correct timing of the raising and lowering operation in relation to the reciprocating movement of the tray-actuating bars, the driving-gears shown in Figs. 6 and 7, for the brush and bar-operating mechanism respectively, are used. The bar-operating mechanism is linked to the pinion 81, and passes through a complete cycle of operations while the pinion is engaged with the toothed sector of the wheel 82. During the remaining portion of the revolution of the wheel, a concavity on the pinion engages the smooth projection on the wheel. and locks the bars in position during the period while the brushes are raised and lowered respectively by the engagement of the pinion 89 with the two toothed portions of the wheel 85 mounted on the same shaft as the wheel 82. The steam-jet is supplied by a pipe 61, Fig. 1, and is similar in construction to the preliminary washing-jet. Condensed steam drains into the tank 28 through the passage 127. Branches of the steam-pipe furnished with injector nozzles are used to heat the water in the tanks, and a nozzle is also placed in the chimney 63 to draw off any steam from the tanks. The exits 37 from the tanks to the pump, comprising perforated pipes covered with wire-screens, are fitted into wedge-shaped bearings.