AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE INTERIOR OF BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: 1 MARTIN PIERCE of Wexford Ireland Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE
INTERIOR OF BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus for cleaning the interior of hottles, flagons,
or any vessels having constricted inlets.
The improvements consist in imparting a rapid reciprocating, or alternating,
rotary motion to and around the axis of a rod which has been passed into the
vessel to be cleaned. This rod has attached to it a chain or chains, or other rubbing
device, of suitable construction and material. This motion can be imparted by
hand, foot, or other power, through the medium of a band, friction, tooth, or other
gear, so that the spindle may be caused to travel first in one direction and then in
the other, or in some cases it may be only in one direction.
I construct one form or modification of the machine with a tripod frame carrying
a seat, on which the person to work the apparatus sits, and at the front, an arm
terminating in a bearing, or bearings, in which the spindle and pulley revolve.
Within reach of the operator's feet, and attached to the frame, I pivot two
treadles; to one extremity of each of said treadles, I fix either end of a cord which
is passed over the pulley before mentioned. It will be readily understood that the
spindle can be made to work with a rapid alternating rotary motion by the
respective movements of the treadles.
I fix in the spindle one end of the rod herein before mentioned, the other end of
said rod I prefer to bend into a forin which will cause its extremity to describe
a circle, in diameter varying according to the size and form of the inside of the
vessel to be operated on. At the extremity of this bend, or at any positions in the
bend, fasten the end or ends of one or more chains, or their equivalent. The
chains or rubbers may consist of links of metal, vulcanite, or any other hard
substance or material, or the chain or chains may be composed of any number of
links, which links carry substances formed so as to act as a brush, for the purposes
hereinafter to be described; or they may be made in one piece of any suitable
flexible material.

page_text: The vessel to be cleaned having been filled, or partially filled, with water, is
passed on to the rod and around the chain or rubber, and when the rod is caused
to rotate as herein before described, the chain, chains, or rubbers, will, by centrifugal
force, expand and impinge on the inside of the vessel, brushing the surface thereof.
The reversing of the motion of the spindle will cause the chain or chains to collapse
and again expand, and if now the vessel be moved lengthwise, the chain or chains
will pass over and brush every portion of the surface to be cleaned.
For effectually cleaning the flat or cone shaped bottom of the vessel, the head-
stock in which the spindle and rod revolve, may be provided with a hinge at its
connection with the frame, to allow of the whole cleaning mechanism to be tilted
to an angle by which means the chain, chains, or rubbers will more readily fall
into and brush the annular or confined space which may form part of the bottom
of the vessel. Or the spindle may be permanently set at an angle to the horizontal
for tho sane purpose. The vessel can be quite easily passed on to and removed
from the rod and its appurtenances, when the spindle is at rest.
To the portion of the machine in which the spindle revolves, I fix an adjustable
guard on which the vessel may be rested, with the object of keeping it concentric
with the revolving rod. This guard I also form into a spout, to convey off any
water which may be forced out of the vessel during the operation of cleaning, or it
may be conveyed through the hollow frame to a tank. There may be a series of
spindles and bottle holders.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: I, MARTIN PIERCE, of Wexford, Ireland, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE
INTERIOR OF BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," and in what manner the same is to
bo performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
Statement :-
This Invention relates to apparatus for cleaning the interior of bottles, flagons,
or any vessels having constricted inlets.
The improvements consist in imparting a rapid reciprocating or alternating
rotary motion to and around the axis of a rod, which has been passed into the
vessel to be cleaned. This rod has attached to it a chain, or chains, or other
rubbing device, of suitable construction and material. This motion can be imparted
by hand, foot, or other power, through the medium of a band, friction, tooth, or
other gear, so that the spindle may be caused to travel first in one direction and
then in the other, or, in some cases, it may be only in one direction.
I construct one form or modification of the machine with a tripod framo carrying
a seat, on which the person to work the apparatus sits, and at the front, an arm
terminating in a bearing or bearings, in which the spindle and pulley rovolvo.
Within reach of the operator's feet, and attached to the frame, I pivot two
treadles, to one extremity of each of said treadles, 1 fix either end of a cord which
is passed over the pulley before mentioned. It will be readily understood that the
spindle can be made to work with a rapid alternating rotary motion, by the
respective movements of the treadles.
I fix in the spindle one end of tho rod herein before mentioned--the other end
of said rod I prefer to bend into a form which will cause its extremity to describe
a circle, in diameter varying according to the size and form of the inside of the
vessel to be operated on. At the extremity of this bond, or at any positions in
the bend, I fasten the end, or ends, of one or more chains, or their equivalent. The
chains, or rubbers, may consist of links of metal, vulcanite, or any other hard
substance or material, or the chain or chains may be composed of any number of
links, which links carry substances formed so as to act as a brush for the purpose
hereinafter to be described, or they may be made in one piece of any suitable
flexible material.
The vessel to be cleaned having been filled, or partially filled, with water, is
passed on to the rod and around the chain or rubber, and when the rod is caused
to rotate, as herein before described, the chain, chains or rubbers will, by centrifugal
force, expand and impinge on the inside of the vessel, brushing the surface thereof.
The reversing of the motion of the spindle will cause the chain or chains to collapse
and again expand, and if now the vessel be moved lengthwise, the chain or chains
will brush every portion of the surface to be cleaned.
For effectually cleaning the flat or cone shaped bottom of the vessel, the head-
stock, in which the spindle and rod revolve, may be provided with a hinge at its
connection with the frame, to allow of the whole cleaning mechanism to be tilted
to an angle, by which means the chain, chains, or rubbers will more readily fall
into and brush the annular or confined space which may form part of the bottom
of the vessel. Or the spindle may be permanently set at an angle to the horizontal
for the same purpose. The vessel can be quite easily passed on to and removed
from the rod and its appurtenances when the spindle is at rest.
To the portion of the machine in which the spindle revolves, I fix an adjustablo
guard, on which the vessel may be rested with the object of keeping it concentric

page_text: with the revolving rod. This guard I also form into a spout to carry off any water
which may be forced out of the vessel during the operation of cleaning, or it may
be conveyed through the hollow frame to a tank.
In order that my invention, and the means whereby the same can be put into
successful operation, may be thoroughly understood, I will now proceed to describe
them in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as
part of this Specification and read therewith, and in which corresponding parts
are marked throughout the figures in which they occur with the same reference
letter.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved apparatus, mounted on a frame and
geared for pedal driving.
Figure 2 is a side elevation.
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the lower half of a champagne bottle,
and of the bont end of a cleaning rod, showing how the latter is bent outwards
according to the diameter of the vessel to be cleaned.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of a bottle, cleaning rod, and chain rubber.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, shewing a method of mounting several cleaning rods
on one headstock to be driven by one band.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the same.
A is the frame, B the operators sent, C, C, the pedals, and D the driving cord.
E is the headstock, on which are revolved the spindle, G, and driving pulley, H.
I is the tilting device, consisting of a pivot or hinge and set screw.-J, J, are the
cleaning rods carried in the socket-ends of the spindle G, and to the outer unds of
which are connected the chain rubbers. K. Lis an adjustable guard, and its
spout.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what
I claim is.
First. In an apparatus for cleaning the interior of bottles and other vessels, the
chain rubbers K carried at the end of cleaning rods J, as herein described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In an apparatus for cleaning the interior of bottles and other vessels,
the use of one or more cleaning rods, J, either straight or capable of being bent
outwards, and carrying chain rubbers K, as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Third In an apparatus for cleaning the interior of bottles and other vessels, the
imparting a rapid alternate rotatory motion to the spindle or spindles that carry
the cleaning rods, as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 11th day of October 1884.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Patent Agents,
22, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.