AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND CASKS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Laing, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of
Durham, Licensed Victualler, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND CASKS."
Sealed the 14th May 1880, and dated the 20th November 1879.
Sealed the 14th May 1880, and dated the 20th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Laing at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November 1879.
WILLIAM LAING, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of Durham, Licensed
Victualler. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND
CASKS."
My Invention has for its object the cleansing of bottles both inside and outside,
and also the interior of casks.
For washing bottles I employ a horizontal pipe suspended at each end by a
crank-rod worked by a crank supported in a suitable frame work. The cranks are
connected together by a crank axle, to which rotary motion may be imparted by
any approved means.
At intervals along the said pipe are reservoirs communicating with the interior
of the pipe. These reservoirs contain shot, granite dust, or pebbles, and correspond
in number and position with the number of bottles the machine is capable of
cleansing at one time.
The carrier or bottle-rack is secured to the aforesaid pipe, and consists of a long
narrow board provided with openings for the reception of the bottles, which may
be retained in their places by a band or other approved means.
When the machine is in working order the mouths of the bottles are inserted
into the reservoirs & the body of the bottles supported by the carrier, to which
they are secured.
A water supply pipe is connected to one end of the aforesaid horizontal pipe,
the other end being closed, and a stream of water enters the reservoirs, and from
thence into the bottles, carrying with it into each bottle the shot, granite dust,
pebbles, or other material that may be used for the purpose of cleaning the
bottles.
A sufficient quantity of water having been supplied the supply pipe is discon-
nected and rotary motion given to the aforesaid crank axle, which motion by

page_text: means of the crank-rods imparts an upward and downward or shaking motion to
the horizontal pipe and to the bottles which are secured to the carrier or rack.
At every down throw of the cranks the bottles enter a trough of water placed
beneath; by this means the exterior of each bottle is cleaned.
By causing the horizontal pipe by any suitable means to make a half revolution
in the bearings furnished by the aforesaid crank-rods the reservoirs, bottles, and
rack become inverted, the bottles emptied of their contents, and the reservoirs
again receiving the cleansing medium, while the water may be conducted away by
attaching a flexible pipe to the outlet or inlet of the horizontal pipe.
With a suitably constructed holder or carrier casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be washed as described, but in some cases I prefer employing the following
means or apparatus:-Upon a horizontal driving shaft supported in bearings is
keyed a large beveled wheel engaging with four or more smaller ones, according to
the number of casks the apparatus is intended to clean at one time.
These last mentioned wheels have spindles or axles carried or supported by the
frame work of a large wheel, which is keyed upon the before mentioned horizontal
drawing shaft. The outer extremities of these axles are provided with adjustable
clips for holding the casks, which, when motion is given to the working parts, are
made to revolve both with respect to the axle of the working shaft and with
respect to the axle or spindles of the smaller bevelled wheels to which they are
immediately attached, thus ensuring the interior being thoroughly scoured, the
casks having been previously partly filled with the necessary cleansing medium.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Laing in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May
1880.
WILLIAM LAING, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of Durham, Licensed
Victualler. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND
CASKS."
My Invention has for its object the cleansing of bottles both inside and outside,
and also the interior of casks.
For washing bottles I employ a horizontal pipe, each end working in a vertical
guide, and suspended by a crank-rod actuated by a crank supported in a suitable
frame work. The cranks are connected together by a crank axle, to which rotary
motion may be imparted by any approved means. At intervals along the said
pipe are reservoirs communicating with the interior of the pipe. These reservoirs
contain shot, granite dust, or pebbles, and correspond in number and position with
the number of bottles the machine is capable of cleansing at one time. The carrier
bottle holder or bottle-rack is secured to the aforesaid pipe, and consists of a long
narrow board provided with openings for the reception of the bottles, which may
be retained in their places by an elastic band or other approved means.

page_text: When the machine is in working order the mouths of the bottles are inserted
into the reservoirs, and the body of the bottles supported by the carrier, to which
they are secured by the aforesaid elastic bands. A water supply pipe connected to
one end of the aforesaid horizontal pipe, the other end being closed, supplies the
apparatus with water, and drives a stream of water through the horizontal pipe
and enters the reservoirs, and from thence into the bottles, carrying with it into
each bottle the shot, granite dust, pebbles, or other materials that may be contained
within the said reservoirs to be used for the purpose of cleaning the bottles. A
sufficient quantity of water having been supplied the supply-pipe is disconnected
and rotary motion given to the aforesaid crank axle, which motion by means of
the crank rods imparts an upward and downward or shaking motion to the hori-
zontal pipe, and to the bottles which are secured to the same by the carrier or rack.
At every down throw of the cranks the bottles enter a trough of water placed
beneath; by this means the exterior of each bottle is cleaned.
With a suitably constructed holder or carrier casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be washed as above described; or the bottles, casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be arranged in the carrier in horizontal tiers, but in some cases I prefer
employing the following means or apparatus:-Upon the face of a frame or
standard is cast or rigidly fixed in a vertical position a large bevelled cog-wheel.
A horizontal driving axle runs loosely through the centre of this wheel. At one
end of this axle is a winch handle, and to the other end a circular frame work is
keyed, which revolves when rotary motion is conveyed to the said axle by means
of the aforesaid winch handle. This circular framework forms the support or
bearings for four or more spindles (in number corresponding to the number of
casks the apparatus is intended to clean at one time) radiating from the centre of
the said circular framework. Upon each spindle is keyed a small bevelled cog
wheel engaging with the before mentioned rigidly fixed bevelled cog wheel. The
outer extremities of the said spindles or axles are provided with adjustable clips
for holding the casks, which, when motion is given to the driving shaft, are made
to revolve both with respect to the said driving shaft and with respect to the axles
or spindles of the smaller bevelled wheels to which they are attached, thus
insuring the interior of the casks being thoroughly scoured, the said casks having
been previously partly filled with the necessary cleansing medium.
I will now describe my said Invention more fully by aid of the accompanying
Drawing, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved machine for washing and rinsing bottles,
Figure 2 being a cross section of the same on line 1-2 (Fig. 1), and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of my Invention adapted for washing casks.
In Figures 1 and 2 A is the crank or driving shaft, and B¹ the pulleys keyed
thereon, and driven by a belt from the hand wheel C. a, a, are the cranks, and
d, d, the crank rods suspending the horizontal pipe e, which is closed at one end
and provided at the other with a flexible supply pipe g* supplying water to the
apparatus through the cock g. This pipe is provided with guide blocks working
up and down properly formed vertical guide bars ƒ, ƒ, Fig. 2. h, h, Fig. 1, are
reservoirs for receiving the shot or cleansing medium when the machine is not in
operation; h¹, h, are the bottles undergoing the process of cleansing and rinsing.
The mouths of these bottles communicate with and receive the contents of the
interior of the reservoirs, and are held in position by the bottle holder i, the elastic
straps k, k, keeping them in close contact with the orifice of the reservoir, which
latter are provided with india rubber lips l, l, to prevent the liability of breakage
and to insure a water tight connection between the interior of the said reservoir
and the bottles.
This
D, D, Figs. 1 and 2, is the framework of the apparatus supporting the working
parts, and also supporting a water trough E containing water, into which the afore-
said bottles immerge and emerge at every revolution of the cranks a, a.
action cleanses the exterior of the bottles, while the interior of the same are
cleansed by the disturbed condition of their contents produced during the operation

page_text: of the machine by the rapid rise and fall of the horizontal pipe and parts attached
thereto.
When the process of cleaning is completed means are employed as shown on the
Drawing, by which the horizontal pipe may be made to take a half revolution in
its bearings, necessarily carrying with it the reservoirs, bottles, and bottle holder,
thus reversing the relative position of the reservoirs and bottles, and causing the
latter to drain their contents back again into the said reservoirs. It is in this
position that the cleansed bottles are removed and the apparatus refitted with
uncleansed ones. The water and cleansing medium may be used again and again,
or the waste water may be conducted away by attaching a flexible pipe to the
outlet or inlet of the horizontal pipe, and a fresh supply furnished as occasion may
require. Fig. 3 shows my Invention adapted for cleansing and rinsing casks.
Here A is as before the driving axle supported by the frame D, upon which latter
is cast or rigidly fixed the large bevelled cog wheel m concentric with the aforesaid
axle. At one end of the driving axle a winch handle is keyed, and at the other
end the circular frame N supporting and carrying the four spindles o, o, o, o, on
which are keyed the four small bevelled cog wheels p, p, p, p. These engage with
the larger wheel m, and cause the spindles to rotate. At the outer extremity of
the aforesaid spindles are the adjustable clips or claws r, r, r, r, to hold and secure
the casks S, S. When this machine is in operation each cask participates in two
distinct but simultaneous motions, namely, a gyratory motion round the driving
axle A and a rotary motion round the spindle o. The first motion is produced by
the revolution of the driving axle and circular frame, and the second is due to the
bevelled wheels p, p, travelling over the fixed bevelled wheel m during the
revolution of the said circular frame.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, together with the means of carrying the same into practical effect,
I will conclude by observing that what I claim as my Invention and secured to me
by the above in part recited Letters Patent is, the apparatus and means employed
for washing and rinsing bottles and casks, substantially as and in the manner
above particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Laing, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM LAING. (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Laing, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of
Durham, Licensed Victualler, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND CASKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Laing at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November 1879.
WILLIAM LAING, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of Durham, Licensed
Victualler. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND
CASKS."
My Invention has for its object the cleansing of bottles both inside and outside,
and also the interior of casks.
For washing bottles I employ a horizontal pipe suspended at each end by a
crank-rod worked by a crank supported in a suitable frame work. The cranks are
connected together by a crank axle, to which rotary motion may be imparted by
any approved means.
At intervals along the said pipe are reservoirs communicating with the interior.
of the pipe. These reservoirs contain shot, granite dust, or pebbles, and correspond
in number and position with the number of bottles the machine is capable of
cleansing at one time.
The carrier or bottle-rack is secured to the aforesaid pipe, and consists of a long
narrow board provided with openings for the reception of the bottles, which may
be retained in their places by a band or other approved means.
When the machine is in working order the mouths of the bottles are inserted
into the reservoirs & the body of the bottles supported by the carrier, to which
they are secured.
A water supply pipe is connected to one end of the aforesaid horizontal pipe,
the other end being closed, and a stream of water enters the reservoirs, and from
thence into the bottles, carrying with it into each bottle the shot, granite dust,
pebbles, or other material that may be used for the purpose of cleaning the
bottles.
A sufficient quantity of water having been supplied the supply pipe is discon-
nected and rotary motion given to the aforesaid crank axle, which motion by

page_text: means of the crank-rods imparts an upward and downward or shaking motion to
the horizontal pipe and to the bottles which are secured to the carrier or rack.
At every down throw of the cranks the bottles enter a trough of water placed
beneath; by this means the exterior of each bottle is cleaned.
By causing the horizontal pipe by any suitable means to make a half revolution
in the bearings furnished by the aforesaid crank-rods the reservoirs, bottles, and
rack become inverted, the bottles emptied of their contents, and the reservoirs
again receiving the cleansing medium, while the water may be conducted away by
attaching a flexible pipe to the outlet or inlet of the horizontal pipe.
With a suitably constructed holder or carrier casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be washed as described, but in some cases I prefer employing the following
means or apparatus:-Upon a horizontal driving shaft supported in bearings is
keyed a large beveled wheel engaging with four or more smaller ones, according to
the number of casks the apparatus is intended to clean at one time.
These last mentioned wheels have spindles or axles carried or supported by the
frame work of a large wheel, which is keyed upon the before mentioned horizontal
drawing shaft. The outer extremities of these axles are provided with adjustable
clips for holding the casks, which, when motion is given to the working parts, are
made to revolve both with respect to the axle of the working shaft and with
respect to the axle or spindles of the smaller bevelled wheels to which they are
immediately attached, thus ensuring the interior being thoroughly scoured, the
casks having been previously partly filled with the necessary cleansing medium.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Laing in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May
1880.
WILLIAM LAING, of Monkwearmouth, in the County of Durham, Licensed
Victualler. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES AND
CASKS."
My Invention has for its object the cleansing of bottles both inside and outside,
and also the interior of casks.
For washing bottles I employ a horizontal pipe, each end working in a vertical
guide, and suspended by a crank-rod actuated by a crank supported in a suitable
frame work. The cranks are connected together by a crank axle, to which rotary
motion may be imparted by any approved means. At intervals along. the said
pipe are reservoirs communicating with the interior of the pipe. These reservoirs
contain shot, granite dust, or pebbles, and correspond in number and position with
the number of bottles the machine is capable of cleansing at one time. The carrier
bottle holder or bottle-rack is secured to the aforesaid pipe, and consists of. a long
narrow board provided with openings for the reception of the bottles, which may
be retained in their places by an elastic band or other approved means.

page_text: When the machine is in working order the mouths of the bottles are inserted
into the reservoirs, and the body of the bottles supported by the carrier, to which
they are secured by the aforesaid elastic bands. A water supply pipe connected to
one end of the aforesaid horizontal pipe, the other end being closed, supplies the
apparatus with water, and drives a stream of water through the horizontal pipe
and enters the reservoirs, and from thence into the bottles, carrying with it into
each bottle the shot, granite dust, pebbles, or other materials that may be contained
within the said reservoirs to be used for the purpose of cleaning the bottles. A
sufficient quantity of water having been supplied the supply-pipe is disconnected
and rotary motion given to the aforesaid crank axle, which motion by means of
the crank rods imparts an upward and downward or shaking motion to the hori-
zontal pipe, and to the bottles which are secured to the same by the carrier or rack.
At every down throw of the cranks the bottles enter a trough of water placed
beneath; by this means the exterior of each bottle is cleaned.
With a suitably constructed holder or carrier casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be washed as above described; or the bottles, casks, jars, or other like vessels
may be arranged in the carrier in horizontal tiers, but in some cases I prefer
employing the following means or apparatus:-Upon the face of a frame or
standard is cast or rigidly fixed in a vertical position a large bevelled cog-wheel.
A horizontal driving axle runs loosely through the centre of this wheel. At one
end of this axle is a winch handle, and to the other end a circular frame work is
keyed, which revolves when rotary motion is conveyed to the said axle by means
of the aforesaid winch handle. This circular framework forms the support or
bearings for four or more spindles (in number corresponding to the number of
casks the apparatus is intended to clean at one time) radiating from the centre of
the said circular framework. Upon each spindle is keyed a small bevelled cog
wheel engaging with the before mentioned rigidly fixed bevelled cog wheel. The
outer extremities of the said spindles or axles are provided with adjustable clips
for holding the casks, which, when motion is given to the driving shaft, are made
to revolve both with respect to the said driving shaft and with respect to the axles
or spindles of the smaller bevelled wheels to which they are attached, thus
insuring the interior of the casks being thoroughly scoured, the said casks having
been previously partly filled with the necessary cleansing medium.
I will now describe my said Invention more fully by aid of the accompanying
Drawing, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved machine for washing and rinsing bottles,
Figure 2 being a cross section of the same on line 1-2 (Fig. 1), and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of my Invention adapted for washing casks.
In Figures 1 and 2 A is the crank or driving shaft, and B¹ the pulleys keyed
thereon, and driven by a belt from the hand wheel C. a, a, are the cranks, and
d, d, the crank rods suspending the horizontal pipe e, which is closed at one end
and provided at the other with a flexible supply pipe y* supplying water to the
apparatus through the cock g. This pipe is provided with guide blocks working
up and down properly formed vertical guide bars f, f. Fig. 2. h, h, Fig. 1, are
reservoirs for receiving the shot or cleansing medium when the machine is not in
operation; h¹, h', are the bottles undergoing the process of cleansing and rinsing.
The mouths of these bottles communicate with and receive the contents of the
interior of the reservoirs, and are held in position by the bottle holder i, the elastic
straps k, k, keeping them in close contact with the orifice of the reservoir, which
latter are provided with india rubber lips 1, 2, to prevent the liability of breakage
and to insure a water tight connection between the interior of the said reservoir
and the bottles.
This
D, D, Figs. 1 and 2, is the framework of the apparatus supporting the working
parts, and also supporting a water trough E containing water, into which the afore-
said bottles immerge and emerge at every revolution of the cranks a, a.
action cleanses the exterior of the bottles, while the interior of the same are
cleansed by the disturbed condition of their contents produced during the operation

page_text: of the machine by the rapid rise and fall of the horizontal pipe and parts attached
thereto.
When the process of cleaning is completed means are employed as shown on the
Drawing, by which the horizontal pipe may be made to take a half revolution in
its bearings, necessarily carrying with it the reservoirs, bottles, and bottle holder,
thus reversing the relative position of the reservoirs and bottles, and causing the
latter to drain their contents back again into the said reservoirs. It is in this
position that the cleansed bottles are removed and the apparatus refitted with
uncleansed ones. The water and cleansing medium may be used again and again,
or the waste water may be conducted away by attaching a flexible pipe to the
outlet or inlet of the horizontal pipe, and a fresh supply furnished as occasion may
require. Fig. 3 shows my Invention adapted for cleansing and rinsing casks.
Here A is as before the driving axle supported by the frame D, upon which latter
is cast or rigidly fixed the large bevelled cog wheel m concentric with the aforesaid
axle. At one end of the driving axle a winch handle is keyed, and at the other
end the circular frame N supporting and carrying the four spindles o, 0, 0, 0, on
which are keyed the four small bevelled cog wheels p, p, p, p. These engage with
the larger wheel m, and cause the spindles to rotate. At the outer extremity of
the aforesaid spindles are the adjustable clips or claws r, r, r, r, to hold and secure
the casks S, S. When this machine is in operation each cask participates in two
distinct but simultaneous motions, namely, a gyratory motion round the driving
axle A and a rotary motion round the spindle o. The first motion is produced by
the revolution of the driving axle and circular frame, and the second is due to the
bevelled wheels p, p, travelling over the fixed bevelled wheel m during the
revolution of the said circular frame.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, together with the means of carrying the same into practical effect,
I will conclude by observing that what claim as my Invention and secured to me
by the above in part recited Letters Patent is, the apparatus and means employed
for washing and rinsing bottles and casks, substantially as and in the manner
above particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Laing, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM LAING.
(L.S.)