Improvements in Bottle Washing Machinery.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification-Left, 20th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle Washing Machinery.
I HENRY GRASSBY of Tinkle Brewery, Winteringham, in the County of
Lincolnshire, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as
follows:-
--
The object of my invention is to construct a bottle washing machine which shall
effectually cleanse beer and the like bottles without the necessity of them being
subjected to several times handling, thus saving time and labor, preventing
breakages and facilitating generally the washing of bottles.
For the purpose of my invention I employ a large trough in which a steeping
wheel turns, such wheel being mounted in suitable bearings, and being self locking
by means preferably of a ratchet wheel and pawl to prevent it from turning
backwards.
The said steeping wheel is divided into divisions, such divisions being for
receiving the bottles to be washed, one bottle to each division, and being preferably
of lattice work in such a way as to prevent the bottles slipping out. I also employ
a brushing tub with bottle brush mounted on a spindle driven by belt, band or the
like, and adjoining this tub I employ my rinsing apparatus, this rinser consists
preferably of a square or oblong tank having a suitable number of tubes connected
to a water pipe, the said tubes rising vertically, I employ a box having a false
perforated bottom, one of such boxes just fitting the rinser.
The action is as follows:-The bottles to be washed are fed to the steeping
wheel, one in each division, and the wheel set in motion, as they come round those
first put in are taken out having been steeped, and placed one by one on the brush,
which passes through the bottle neck to the inside, the brush cleaning the inside of
the bottle and the operator at the same time cleaning the outside.
The box for receiving the bottles is then put into the rinsing tub one box just
fitting the rinser, and as the bottles come of the brush they are dropped into the
said box, neck downwards slipping through the perforated bottom and on to the
vertical tubes one tube to each bottle, when the box is full the water is turned on
and passes upwards through the tubes thus thoroughly rinsing the bottles in a-few
seconds, the boxes are then taken off and a fresh one put in its place, the operation
continuing as before, a truck being employed for wheeling the boxes away when
a suitable number are filled, this truck being preferably formed like a station truck
to turn in its own length.
The boxes with the bottles in are wheeled away for drying purposes, when dry
the bottles are filled and corked, put back into the boxes which are then laid on
their sides, thus testing the corks and swelling them, and at the same time allowing
a protective film to form on the inside of the cork which prevents mould and allow .
the contents to get into condition sooner, the boxes cau then be delivered, they
being equally applicable either for rinsing, storage or delivery purposes.
With this improved construction of bottle washing apparatus there is very little
handling of the bottles, thus saving much time and labor, and greatly obviating
the danger of breakage so common to bottle washing machines.
Dated this Sixteenth day of March 1894
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: 1 HENRY GRASSBY, of Tinkle Brewery, Winteringham in the County of
Lincoln, Brewer do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to construct a bottle washing machine which shall
effectively cleanse beer and the like bottles without the necessity of them being
subjected to several times handling, thus saving time and labour, preventing
breakages and facilitating generally the washing of bottles.
my improved steeping trough and wheel.
Fig. 2. shows front elevation of rinsing trough and box.
Fig. 3. is front elevation of brushing trough.
Fig. 4. shows plan of most convenient method of arranging the apparatus for
satisfactory working.
Fig. 5. is plan of steeping trough and wheel through A. B.
Fig. 6 shows transverse section of bottle box.
For the purpose of my invention I employ a large trough,A in which a steeping
wheel B. turns, such wheel being mounted in suitable bearings and being self-
locking by means of a ratchet wheel and pawl C, to allow it to turn only one way
and thus prevent it turning backward. The said steeping wheel is divided into
divisions D, such divisions being for receiving the bottles to be washed, one bottle
to each division, and being formed preferably of lattice work in such a way as to
prevent the bottles slipping out. I also employ a brushing tub E, (Fig. 3) with
bottle brush F mounted on a spindle G, driven by a belt, band, foot-treadle or the
like a fast and loose pulley may be employed if desired. This trough E is fed
by a tap with preferably hot water which can be kept continually slowly running
in at the bottom of the trough, causing the water to overflow at the top of trough,
and from thence running through a pipe to bottom of steeping trough for the
purpose of steeping the bottles, it then overflows near top of steeping trough, and
passes away, the water thus being used twice, effecting a great saving.
Adjoining the tub E, 1 employ my rinsing apparatus, this rinser consists
preferably of a square or oblong tank H having a suitable. number of water jets
or tubes J connected to a water pipe K, the said tubes rising vertically. I employ
a box L having a false perforated bottom (Fig. 6) one of such boxes just fitting
the rinser.
This box, which may be called the bottle box, is constructed with a suitable
number of divisions M in it the number of such divisions being the same as the
number of jets or tubes J in the rinser, the partitions N forming the divisions have
projections at their bottom ends, upon which the shoulders of the bottles rest,
these projections being in place of a solid bottom which is dispensed with, the box
being open at the bottom and sides to allow of air passing freely through.
These boxes answer many purposes, they fit into the rinsing trough and allow
each bottle to drop easily on to the corresponding jet in the rinser, and when taken
out of the said trough they can be taken away full of bottles, the water dripping
through the open bottom; they allow the bottles to be quickly dried as there is a
current of air passing through the open bottom and sides.
I may also employ a transit box, this box is divided into suitable divisions for
bottles, and has two half lids, connected by links or the like to its sides, these lids

page_text: turn over and meet on the top where they can be tied together with band or the
like, the ends of the band being sealed inside near the handholes at the ends of the
box, by which means it could be easily seen if the contents had been tampered
with.
When placed in bars, cellars or the like the half lids of the box would drop
down by means of the links or the like and lie flat against the side thus occupying
very little space.
The action is as follows:-The bottles to be washed are fed to the steeping
wheel B one in each division D and the wheel set in motion, as they come round
those first put in are taken out, having been steeped, and placed one by one on the
brush F. which passes through the bottle neck to the inside, the brush cleaning in
the inside of the bottle and the operator at the same time cleaning the outside.
The bottle box L is put into the rinsing tub H one box just fitting the rinser,
and as the bottles come off the brush F they are dropped into the said box, neck
downwards, slipping through the perforated bottom, (the projections O, on the
partitions N of the divisions M preventing them going too far) and on to the
vertical tubes, J, one tube to each bottle, when the box is full the water is turned
on and passes upwards through the tubes thus thoroughly rinsing the bottles in a
few seconds, the box is then taken off and a fresh one put in its place, the operation
continuing as before, a truck being employed for wheeling the boxes away when a
suitable number are filled, this truck being formed like a station truck, to turn in
its own length.
'
The boxes with the bottles in are wheeled away for drying purposes, when dry
the bottles are filled and corked, put back into the boxes which are then laid on
their sides, this testing the corks and swelling them, and at the same time allowing
a protective film to form on the inside of the cork which prevents mould and
allows the contents to get into condition sooner; the boxes can then be delivered,
they being equally applicable either for rinsing, storage, or delivery purposes.
With this improved construction of bottle washing apparatus, there is very
little handling of the bottles, thus saving much time and labour and greatly
obviating the danger of breakage so common to other bottle washing machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For bottle washing purposes a trough A. having a steeping wheel B, with
suitable divisions D formed of lattice work or the like, and with or without ratchet
wheel and pawl C, substantially as shown and described.
2. Rinsing trough H, with water pipe K, jets or tubes J, and constructed to
receive bottle box substantially as shown and described.
3. Bottle box, having projections O on the partitions N forming the divisions M,
for receiving the shoulders of bottles, and having open bottom and sides,
substantially as shown and described.
4. Bottle washing machinery or apparatus consisting of steeping trough and
wheel, in combination with brushing trough, rinsing trough and bottle box
substantially as herein before shown and described.
Dated this Nineteenth day of December 1894.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax
Patent Agent for the Applicant.