IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ezra Lofts of Cherryhinton in the county of Cambridge,
Engineer, for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ezra Lofts at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1882.
EZRA LOFTS of Cherryhinton in the County of Cambridge, Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND RINSING
BOTTLES,'
The object of this invention is to make certain improvements in my apparatus
for washing and rinsing bottles," for which a patent was granted to me, A.D. 1872,
No 1448, which will enable me to make such apparatus stronger and consequently
more durable, and at a less cost; and, at the same time, reduce the labour and
time of the bottle-washer.
In the place of the skeleton cases, previously specified and used by me, I adapt
an ordinary skeleton frame-work, say with six dozen recesses therein, made of
laths, about an inch square, or of galvanized iron, each recess to contain one bottle,
this frame-work I mount on an axle, which works in suitable bearings, within the
tank containing the cleansing liquid, so that such frame-work may revolve therein.
Instead of the interior of this tank being grooved, fluted, indented, or otherwise
rendered uneven,' it is made quite plain on its inside face.
Near the said tank, the usual tub is placed containing water, or water and soda
or other alkali'; 'over this tub is a horizontal cylindrical brush made of bristles'
or other suitable material. This brush is worked or rotated by treadle, wheel,
and band machinery; but the arrangement of the treadle and bearings makes the
apparatus work much easier than usual on account of the small number of bearings
required, which reduces friction.
"
A little above the level of this brush, I securely fix a circular pan or trough,
about two feet in diameter by three inches deep, divided into two parts by a thin

page_text: water-tight partition; two catches or slots are fixed against the inside of the rim
thereof, at equal distances apart. About level with the upper part of the said rim,
I fix four hollow revolving arms to the central tap, solid at their outer ends; upon
each of these arms, I fix two small vertical metal pipes, perforated at their upper
ends; their lower ends communicating with the channel in the said revolving arms.
The said central tap operates the reverse way to that of ordinary taps; the plug
thereof is hollow and its lower end is fixed to the upper end of the water-pipe, and
the boss or case of this tap revolves and thereby opens and closes the same; the
ordinary channel through such plugs is, in this case, only through one side thereof,
and on a level with the channel in the said arms, so that, when the said water-
pipe is supplied with water under pressure, such water rushes through the plug, by
the one opening in the side thereof, through each channelled arm, when opposite
such opening, and thence up the said vertical pipes and into the bottles to rinse
them.
The whole of the cleansing apparatus is supported by a single post or pillar of
cast-iron.
Directly over the said hollow arms, and a little below the level of the tops of the
said vertical pipes, I fit four flat arms, about the same length as the said channelled
arms, and some three inches wide; each such arm is perforated with two circular
holes, about two inches in diameter, so that the upper ends of the said vertical
pipes pass through them a their respective centres. These holes are also to admit
the necks of the bottles when inverted and placed upon the said vertical pipes to
drain and be rinsed. The flat arms are fixed, by their inner ends, to a solid
continuation of the exterior of the said tap, or by supports fixed upon the hollow
arms; so that the eight arms, vertical pipes, and bottles all revolve together.
In using my said improved apparatus, I proceed thus:-The tank being charged
with a sufficient quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, or other efficient cleansing
liquid, say to cover the bottles in the lower half of the said frame-work; I then
commence filling the latter, at one end, with bottles to be washed, which aids that
part of the frame-work to descend into the tank, so that all the bottles therein
may be charged with the cleansing liquid. These bottles are then taken, one by
one, from the other end of the frame-work, as they rise out of the tank, and are
submitted to the operation of the rotating brush; the workman, at the same time,
washing the outside of each bottle with the liquid in the tub. The bottles are
then, as they are taken off the brush, placed bottom upwards each over one of the
said vertical pipes, and resting upon one of the said flat arms, the tap being turned
off, to drain out the remaining cleansing liquid. When one flat arm is thus
occupied by two bottles, the rotating arms are moved round 90° to the right, to
complete their drainage into the circular pan, whilst the workman brushes and
washes other two bottles and places them on the next vertical pipes and flat arın,
which have taken the place of those just moved away; these arms are stopped, in
the same position, by a vertical loose plug, fitted near the end through each lower
arm, dropping into a slot below it; the latter rotating arm is then moved to the
place of the previous one, which carries the latter over the said partition of the
circular pan; the same operation opens the water tap, and the bottles are rinsed
over the other division of the circular pan.
.
The rinsed bottles are, after their third and last turn on the apparatus, "removed
therefrom and put away to dry" as usual.
The front division of the circular pan, which receives the drainings of the
cleansing liquid, is provided with an outlet-pipe to convey such liquid back to the
tank. The back division of such pan, which receives the rinsings of the bottles is
provided with an outlet-pipe to convey such liquid to the wash-tub or, when not
needed there, the pipe is so arranged so as to allow such liquid to be otherwise
disposed of.
The same simple process is repeated continuously as required.
The advantages of my present improvements consist chiefly in making nearly

page_text: all the machinery of cast-iron, and can therefore be manufactured much cheaper
and stronger than heretofore, and less liable to get out of order, as a large amount
of wrought-iron work is superceded; also it enables a purchaser to fix it without
the aid of a skilled workman, thus saving the expense of such workman. By the
arrangement of the circular pan, the revolving arms, and the new tap, the draining
and rinsing processes, to prevent the cleansing liquid mixing with the rinsing
water, are effected by simply moving each arm and its bottles a quarter of a circle,
in the place of turning a tap to let on the rinsing water, after tipping the receiving
trough the opposite way to catch and discharge the rinsing water; turning the
said tap again to stop the flow of rinsing water into the bottles, and holding such
trough until it receives and discharges the rinsing water; four operations, all by
band, now done by one, momentarily.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ezra Lofts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th November
1882.
EZRA LOFTS of Cherryhinton in the County of Cambridge, Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND RINSING
BOTTLES.'
The object of this invention is to make certain improvements in my 'apparatus
for washing and rinsing bottles', for which a patent was granted to me, A.D. 1872
No. 1448; also for washing and rinsing jars and other similar vessels; which will
enable me to make the apparatus stronger and consequently more durable, and at
less cost; also, at the same time, reduce the labour and time of the workmen
employed.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood, and be more
readily performed, I will explain the same with the aid of the accompanying
drawing, which forms part of this specification, reference being made thereto by the
numerals and letters marked thereon. The same reference letter applies to similar
parts in each figure of the said drawing.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus, on a small scale.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the washing and rinsing portion of the apparatus;
1th full size.
Fig. 3 is a front view, and fig. 4 a side view, of the said apparatus;
th full size.
Fig. 5 is a section of the water-tap; drawn full size.
Fig. 6 shows the water-way in the plug and in the shell of such tap; drawn
full size.
Fig. 7 is an end view of the tank b and the skeleton case a; 11th full size.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the same; 1th full size.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same; 11th full size.
Fig. 10 is a view of the loose plug r, catch j, and end of the revolving arms k
}

page_text: Fig. 11 is a section (one-half full size) of the said tap for rinsing the vessels
twice, instead of once as by fig. 5; or for directing a jet of steam and a jet of
water, or two jets of steam and no water, into the vessels to be rinsed. This can
be accomplished without any additional labour.
Fig. 12 is a sectional plan of the same, on the line A. B, fig. 11. one-half
full size.
The pullies c¹ and c² are for applying steam or other motive power.
In using the tap as shown in figs. 11 and 12, it is only necessary to attach the
water-pipe to the inlet w', and the steam-pipe to the inlet w², see fig. 11, so as to
direct the steam into the bottles, or other vessels, before or after the water; this
depends upon which inlet the steam-pipe is attached to. w³ and w' show the two
outlets, through the plug, when such outlets are opposite the arms k. i fig. 12
shows the partition of the pan h; and w³ shows the position of the brush in
relation to the tap. In this case the bottles or other vessels would be removed to
dry when over the partition i, on the left-hand side.
In this specification the word 'vessels' includes bottles, jars, milk-cans, and
the like.
In place of the skeleton cases previously specified and used by me, I adapt an
ordinary skeleton frame-work a, say with six dozen (more or less) recesses therein,
made of laths, about an inch square, or of galvanized iron, or other suitable
material, each recess to contain one bottle, as at a'.
This frame-work I mount on a central axle, which works in suitable bearings
within the tank b, which contains the cleansing liquid, so that the frame-work a
may revolve therein.
Instead of the interior of this tank being 'grooved, fluted, indented, or otherwise
rendered uneven,' it is made quite plain on its inside face.
Near the said tank b, the usual tub c is placed, as shown in fig. 1, containing
water or water and soda or other alkali; over this tub c is a horizontal cylindrical
brush d. This brush d is rotated by treadle (e), wheels (f), and f', and band (g)
machinery.
In consequence of this arrangement, the machine is worked much easier.
A little above the level of the brush d, I securely fix a circular pan h, about two
feet in diameter by three inches deep, divided into two equal parts, or thereabouts,
by the thin water-tight partition i; two catches or slots j are fixed against the
inside of the bottom and rim of such pan, at equal distances apart or thereabouts.
About level with the upper part of the said rim, I fix four hollow revolving arms k
to a central tap 1; which arms are solid at their outer ends; upon each of these
arms k, I tix two small vertical pipes m, perforated at their upper ends; the lower
ends, of which pipes m, communicate with the channel in the arins k. The central
tap operates the reverse way to that of ordinary taps; the plug thereof is hollow,
l
for the water to pass through, and its lower end is fixed to the upper end of the
water-pipe n, and the boss, case, or shell 1, of this tap, revolves, the plug being
held stationary by the bracket u, and thereby opens and closes the same.
ordinary channel through such plug is, in this case, through the centre and one side
only, as shown in figs 5 and 6, and on a level with the channel in the arms k, so
that when the water-pipe n is supplied with water under pressure, such water
rushes through the said plug, by its one opening w, into and through each arm k,
when opposite such opening, and thence up the vertical pipes m and into the vessels,
placed thereon, to rinse them.
The
Directly over the said channelled arms k, and a little below the level of the tops
of the vertical pipes m, I fix four flat arins p, about the same length as the arms k
and some three inches wide; each arm p is perforated with two circular holes p¹
about two inches in diameter, so that the upper ends of the pipes m pass through
them at their respective centres (see fig. 2); the holes p' are also to admit the necks
of bottles, when inverted and placed upon the pipes m, to drain and be rinsed;
see p² fig. 3. These holes will be varied in shape and dimensions to suit the form
and size of the vessel being cleansed..

page_text: The Hat arms p are fixed, by their inner ends, to a solid continuation of the said
tap, or by supports q, fixed upon the arms k, so that the eight arms k and p,
supports q. vertical pipes m, and yessels all revolve together.
In using my said improved apparatus, I proceed thus:-
The tank 6 being charged with a sufficient quantity of diluted sulphuric acid or
other efficient cleansing liquid, say to cover the vessels in the lower half of the
frame-work a; I then commence filling such frame-work, at one of its ends, with
vessels to be washed, which aids that part of the frame-work in descending into
the tank b, so that all the vessels therein may be charged with the cleansing
liquid; these vessels are then taken, one by one, from the other end of the frame-
work a, as they rise out of the tank b, and are submitted to the operation of the
rotating brush d; the workman, at the same time, washing the outside of each
vessel with the liquid in the the tub c. The vessel, thus washed, is then taken
from the brush d, and placed, bottom upwards, over one of the pipes m, resting
upon one of the arms p, to drain out the remaining cleansing liquid, see p² fig. 3;
the tap 7 being 'turned off.' When one flat arm p is thus occupied by two vessels
the revolving arms are moved round a quarter of a circle to the right, to complete
their drainage into the pan h, whilst the workman brushes and washes other two
vessels, and places them on the next two pipes m, on the following. arm p, which
have taken the place of those just moved away; these arms are stopped in the
same position by vertical loose plugs dropping into the catches j below them;
the latter arm p is then moved to the last place of the previous one, which carries
the said latter arm over the partition i, of the pan h. The same operation opens
the water-tap 1, and the vessels are thereby rinsed, over the other division of the
pan h. The rinsed vessels are, after reaching their third and last stage on the
apparatus, removed therefrom and put away to dry as usual.
Instead of moving the eight arms kand p, supports q, vertical pipes m, and
vessels one quarter of a circle at a time by hand, the loose plugs can be removed,
so as not to drop into the catches j; the whole thing can then be turned by the
action of the treadle on the screw and cog-wheel y; the cog-wheel y being
attached to the four arms k, as shown in figs. 2, 3, and 4. In this case the
movement would be continuous, instead of step by step, but the speed can be
varied by shifting the strap to the various grooves in the pullies z¹ and z².
The first division (next to the brush) of the pan h, which receives the cleansing
liquid from the inverted vessels, is provided with an outlet-pipe at 8, see figs. 2
and 3, to convey such liquid back into the tank b. The back division of the pan h,
which receives the rinsings of the vessels, is provided with an outlet-pipe t, to
convey such liquid to the washing tub c, and thence through the overflow-pipe in
tub c; or, when not needed there, the pipe t is so arranged as to allow such liquid
to be otherwise disposed of, by removing plug z³ fig. 4. The same simple process
is repeated continuously as required.
The chief advantages of my present improvements, consist in making nearly all
the washing and rinsing machinery of cast-iron, instead of so much wrought-iron,
which can therefore be produced cheaper and stronger than heretofore, and be less
liable to get out of order. Also the simple arrangement of the several parts of the
apparatus, makes it very easy to understand and use, and therefore enables a
purchaser to fix and start it without the aid of a skilled workman; thereby saving
expense. Also in working the said apparatus; inasmuch as, by the arrangement of
the revolving arms k and p, with the vessels thereon, and the turning of the tap 1,
conveys the cleansing liquid and rinsing water to the places where required; which
are all effected by simply moving the whole, together, a quarter of a circle,
combined with the arrangement of the pan h; the cleansing liquid is thus returned
to the tank b, and the rinsing water sent where desired. This one easy operation
is in place of the old method of turning a tap to let on the rinsing water (after
tipping the receiving trough the opposite way to catch and discharge the rinsing
water); turning the said tap again to stop the flow of rinsing water into the
vessels; holding such trough until it receives and discharges the rinsing water:-

page_text: four operations, all by hand, now done, as above, by one, and that momentarily; or
without any movement, except that caused by the action of the treadle, see
figs. 2, 3, and 4.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and
the method of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details, nor to the dimensions of the several parts herein
specified and illustrated, as they admit of considerable variation, according to the
description of the vessels to be cleansed, without departing from the main
characteristics of the invention. Further, I do not claim as new the tank b; the
frame-work a; the tub c; the brush d; the treadle e; the jet-pipes m; the tap 7;
nor the arms p, per se; but I claim as new and desire to secure, by the hereinbefore
mentioned in part recited Letters Patent :-
Firstly The construction and arrangement of parts for uniting and rotating the
arms and p together; and for operating the tap 7 at the same time, by the same
motion; for sending the cleansing liquid and rinsing water to the desired places,
aided by the pan h; also, by the same motion for directing a jet of steam into the
vessels when required.
Secondly Simplicitly of construction and arrangement, combined with strength
and durability, consequently producing a cheaper and better apparatus; at the
same time more efficient in operation and easier to work.
Thirdly The combination of the several parts, disclaimed as above, for aiding
in the speedy and efficient cleansing of bottles, jars, cans, and other similar vessels.
Each and all substantially as herein described and shown in the drawing.
In witness whereof I, the said Ezra Lofts, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty-seventh day of November. in the year of our Lord one
thousand, eight hundred and eighty two.
TDA TOUTS