Improvements in Machinery for Washing Plates, Dishes, and similar Articles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1887
Complete Left, 17th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Washing Plates, Dishes, and similar
Articles.
I GEORGE WILLIAM BENJAMIN CREES of Wingfield in the county of Wiltshire,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
I provide a suitable box or receptacle to hold water or liquid either hot or cold. I
further supply one or more brushes which I mount in or upon the box, and which are
rotated or set in motion at suitable speeds by convenient gearing placed either in or
outside the box. I further provide guides of suitable form and material to ensure
the proper position in the box of the plates, dishes, or similar articles to be washed.
On one or more sides of the box which now forms the body of the machine I
provide and fit a frame having lugs, brackets or other projections working in suitable
guides while the frame is being raised or lowered by the action of the gearing which
I provide for that purpose and which consists of one or more spur wheels and pinions
driven by hand or steam power.
One of these spur wheels is fitted at or near the rim with a projecting pin and this
works in a slot of the frame and when the wheel with the pin is made to revolve the
action of the pin in the slot will raise and lower the frame at a corresponding
speed.
Or I may employ for the same purpose a crank with a block or bearing working
in a slotted crosshead of the frame; or I may employ some other mechanical
equivalent.
The frame before mentioned is carried to a convenient distance across, and down
into the box or machine and will consequently rise and descend therein and it is placed
so that this part of the rising and descending frame works clear of the brushes in
motion.
Two or more arms or projections are mounted upon the crossbar at the bottom of
the frame which is inside the box, or machine, and upon which the plate, dish, or
similar article is made to rest while being actuated upon by the brushes in motion.
In working the machine the brushes are rotated, or are otherwise set in motion
while the frame with its appendages rises and falls or descends at a proportionate
sneed

page_text: A plate dish or similar article now placed upon the arms or projections is carried in
a downward direction through, and between the rotating brushes or brushes in motion
and is brought up again by the frame rising being all the time held by the guides in
a vertical position while under the cleaning operation of the brushes.
It may be desirable to rotate the plates dishes &c., upon their own axes while
under the operation of the brushes.
For this end I employ grippers, pliers or similar means to act upon the circumference
of the plate &c. through rods and levers or other gear to turn the plate &c. round
upon its own axis.
I may feed the plates, dishes &c., into the machine by hand or automatically by a
screw, eccentric, endless belt, or similar contrivance.
In a like manner I may arrange the delivery of the plates, dishes, &c. by hand or
automatically by the machine.
I do not confine myself to the arrangement of raising and lowering the plates
dishes &c. between and through the rotating brushes in motion, in as much as I may
arrange my frame or frames to carry the plates, dishes &c. down against one side of a
rotating brush, and up again on the opposite side of it thus clean one side of the
plate, dish &c. first, and then the other side. In this arrangement I may employ only
one brush in connection with each lifting frame, but I may arrange and place any
number of brushes, and frames in one box, or machine, and actuate them all either
separately or together by one or more sets of gearing.
Data: 11007
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Washing Plates, Dishes, and similar
Articles.
I GEORGE WILLIAM BENJAMIN CREES of Wingfield in the County of Wiltshire,
Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in machinery for washing plates, dishes,
and similar articles.
In describing my invention I refer to the accompanying drawings on Sheets 1 to 4
and to the figures and letters of reference thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my apparatus.
On Sheet 2, Figure 2 represents an elevation of the same on the reverse side.
On Sheet 3, Figure 3. represents a central longitudinal section of the apparatus.
On Sheet 4, Figure 4 represents a central vertical transverse section of the
machine.
I provide a suitable box or receptacle A. to hold water or liquid either hot or cold
and the supply and discharge of this might be continuous it passing through the box
or receptacle if deemed desirable.
In the box or receptacle A, I mount brushes B. B₁, on suitable spindles running in
stuffing boxes C. (", fixed on the sides of the box or receptacle A. These spindles
carry spur wheels D.D', gearing one into the other whereby the brushes rotate in
opposite directions.
On the spindle of D'I mount a pinion E. rigidly keyed thereto and which gears
into a spur wheel F. mounted on the driving shaft G. of the machine which may be
driven by hand, treadle, or from a suitable motor.
As shewn a fly wheel is fitted on the shaft for handle or treadle operation.
The shaft G. carries on the opposite side of the box or receptacle a pinion H
gearing with an idle pinion I. which drives a large spur wheel J, for the purpose
hereinafter described.
In the box or receptacle A I provide guides such as K. L, suitably fixed to the box
or receptacle as by brackets M. N, bolted or secured to the same.
The guides K L, extend downwards and between the brushes as shewn.
Working in or on these guides K. L is a frame O, bearing on them and also on
other guides P. Q, on the sides of the receptacle. This frame carries a bar R con-
nected to a boss or crosshead S, working on a fixed rod or standard T carried on the
box or receptacle A. On the outer end of the crosshead S is pivoted a link U
connected by pivoted joint to crank V. carried from spur wheel J.
By the revolution of this wheel the crosshead rises and falls on the fixed rod or
standard T, so working the frame O. up and down.
The end of the crank carries a curved arm or cam end W which can bear
against a rocking bell crank lever X suitably pivoted at Y and which is counter-
weighted or pulled back by a spring. The upper end of the rocking bell crank
lever X carries a plate Z rigidly attached thereto.
The bell crank lever X carries a pin a running in a segmental slot b. suitably
affixed to the machine c is a fixed guide plate for use in feeding the plates dishes
or similar articles into the machine.

page_text: Both plate Z. and fixed guide plate c may be padded with rubber or other soft or
elastic material if required.
d. e. are boxes or sinks to contain respectively the dirty articles to be washed and
the final rinsing water.
The frame O before mentioned is clearly shewn in Figures 3 and 4 and is carried to
a convenient distance across and down into the box or receptacle A. and will conse-
quently rise and descend therein and is so placed that it does not interfere with the
action of the rotating brushes while in motion.
Arms or projections f. are mounted on the crossbar g. at the bottom of the frame O,
and upon these arms or projections f the plate, dish, or similar article is made to rest
while being operated upon by the brushes being set in motion.
In working the machine the action is as follows:
The plate, dish or similar article to be cleaned is placed on the fixed guide plate c
and the machine started; the plate Z, then retreats owing to the curved arm or cam
end W, carried on the crank V, pushing back the same as the wheel J rotates, the
plate dish or other article then descends between the brushes B. B' and guides K L
resting eventually on the arms or projections f.f. carried by the crossbar g, on tho
frame O, which may be padded if desired.
As the machine is further operated the frame O rises carrying with it on the arms
or projections ff. the plate dish or other similar article.
The plate Z, has in the meantime advanced towards the fixed guide plate c. and as the
plate, dish, or other article is lifted by the frame O and its arms or projections f. f. it
slips under the moving plate Z, and is delivered upon the sloping platform h, when it
can glide into the rinsing tank d, filled with water or cleansing liquid it can then be
lifted out and dried as usual. Another plate dish or similar article is then placed
against the fixed guide plate c, and the moving plate Z. which retreating allows the
article to descend between the brushes to be raised and delivered.
If desired fixed brushes might be used but this plan is inferior.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In a machine for washing plates dishes and similar articles the employment of
reciprocating frame such as O upon which the articles to be washed are lowered
and raised in the washing trough while exposed to the action of brushes mounted therein
substantially as described.
2. In a machine for washing plates, dishes,, and similar articles the combination of
fixed guides such as K. L. rotating brushes such as B. B' and reciprocating frame such
as O. substantially as described.
3. In a machine for washing plates, dishes, and similar articles the combination of
fixed guides such as K L rotating brushes such as B. B¹, mounted in a washing tank
or receptacle, reciprocating frame such as O fixed guide such as c and travelling
plate such as Z, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts of apparatus for washing
plates dishes and similar articles substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of March 1888