Improvements in Barrel Washing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Barrel Washing Machines.
I, MATHEUS GOTTFRIED, Brewer, 85 Alexander Street, Chicago, in the County
of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 make a machine by which beer and other
barrels and kegs may be washed, both on the inside and on the outside, by
machinery; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction
hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 represents an elevation of my improved washing machine viewed from
one side;
Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the front end of my machine viewed from
the other side;
Fig. 3 represents a side clevation of the rear end of the machine beginning about
where Fig. 2 leaves off;
Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the front end of the
machine;
Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the rear end of the machine
beginning about where Fig. 4 leaves off;
Fig. 6 represents a plan view of the front end of the machine;
Fig. 7 represents a plan view of the rear end of the machine beginning about
where Fig. 6 leaves off'; and
Fig. 8 represents a transverse vertical section of the machine, taken through the
machine at a point beyond the brushes and looking toward the front end of the
machine, as from line 8 in Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow.
In washing barrels and kegs, and particularly those which have contained beer
or other fermented liquors, it is important that they should be thoroughly washed
or rinsed on both the inside and outside. It is important that the water used for
rinsing the insides of the barrels or kegs should be hot or warm, so that every
particle of must or unpleasant taste, which may have been occasioned by the kegs
standing empty, may be removed. It is important that some means should also be
provided for advancing or moving the barrels forward, so that they may be treated
by machinery and automatically from the commencement to the close of the opera-
tion. It is important that brushes or other means should be employed to thoroughly
scrub and cleanse the outside of the kegs as they are moving forward through the
machine, so that they will be delivered fresh and clean. It is important also that
a constant supply of water should be afforded for the outside of the barrels to
enable the scrubbing brushes to thoroughly do their work. In my improved washing
machine, I make provision for these various features and operations.
In making my improved washing machine, I make a fraine A capable of holding
and containing the various parts that enter into the construction of the machine, as
hereinafter described. At preferably the front end of the machine, 1 provide a
tank or reservoir B adapted to hold a sufficient quantity of hot or warm water. I
also provide a tank or reservoir C adapted to contain a sufficient quantity of cold
water. This cold water receptacle is located at any convenient point, preferably
between the hot water reservoir and the rear end of the machine. I will, in
describing the machine from this point on, describe the operation of the various
parts as a keg or barrel is put through the operation of washing. When the keg is
placed in the tank B, containing the heated water, the bung and the cork hole are
of course open, and, owing to the fact that the bung stave is heavier from being

page_text: provided with an iron bung bush, and from having the riveted, folded portions of
the iron hoops arranged on it, the keg naturally assumes a position with the bung
hole down, so that it immediately fills with a sufficient quantity of hot water.
In the hot water reservoir arrange arms D. of a proper size and shape to
sufficiently encircle the barrel or keg being treated. These arms are mounted on a
shaft d which is provided with a crank connected to a cam d arranged on a
shaft E. This latter shaft is provided at one side with a worm gear e by which it
may be rotated.
As it rotates, it causes the cams at certain intervals to rotate the
shaft sufficiently to lift the arms D and throw the keg or barrel, which they may
lift forward on to the ways so that it may proceed on its course. It rolls
down these ways until it gets to two sets of rollers F. These rollers are mounted
on shafts properly journalled in the frame-work of the machine and are preferably
beveled, so as to keep the keg in a proper central position. The outer edge of the
shafts are provided with gears, which engage with a gear " arranged on a
shaft placed intermediate of the shafts carrying the bevelled rollers F. On the
opposite end of the shaft is arranged a chain or sprocket wheel, by which
it may be rotated through means of a sprocket chain. Other means, however, may
be adopted, if desired, for rotating this shaft.
As the keg is rotated on the rollers F, it is important also that it should be
given an endwise movement, so as to cause the water in it to wash back and forth
from one end of the keg to the other, and thus secure a complete rinsing of the keg.
The most desirable endwise motion to attain is that which approximates or
resembles the motion which a man would give the keg in his hands as he splashed
the water from one end to the other. In order to secure this movement of the keg,
I arrange under the shaft a frame which is provided with bearings F
which encircle the shafts just outside of the rollers F. This frame is provided
with an upward pin or stud immediately under the shaft, and such shaft is
provided with a hub F provided with a diagonal groove in its surface, which fits
over the end of the upwardly projecting pin or stud. As the shaft, with its
hub Frotates therefore, the pin or stud following the diagonal groove causes the
frame to be moved back and forth sideways. This causes the bearings F to
move the rollers F back and forth sideways in a corresponding motion.
imparts to the keg resting on them the alternate back and forth end wise movement
necessary to cause the water in it to be thrown from one end to the other resembling,
as I have said, the motion a man would give to it, if the keg were being rinsed
by hand.
This
After the keg has been rotated and thrown endwise on the rollers a certain
length of time, arms G, of a size and shape to encircle the keg, are caused to rise
and lift the keg and throw it forward, so that it may proceed to the next step of its
course. In order to enable the arms G to rise and lift the keg and throw it forward,
1 mount them on shafts, which are connected by a crank to a cam G mounted
on a shaft G". This shaft is rotated by means of a worm gear g" or any other
convenient means. I have shown the shafts E and connected together by a rod
or bar as a means of holding them more firmly and securely in their bearings,
although it is obvious that the rod may be dispensed with, and I only mention it
because it is represented in the drawings, and might not otherwise be understood.
As the keg is lifted and thrown forward on the ways it rolls on to the rollers II
which are preferably beveled like the rollers F to keep the kegs in a central
position. As the keg moves on to these rollers, they continue to rotate it, but
preferably at a greater speed. The rollers II II are mounted on shafts & provided
with gear's engaging with a gear on a shaft provided with a pinion
through which power is applied to it to cause it to rotate. The shaft is
preferably rotated at a speed fast enough to cause the rollers H to rotate more
rapidly than the rollers Fabove suggested, so as to impart a more rapid speed of
rotation to the keg.
111
While the keg is on these rollers H, it is subjected to the action of brushes, by
which its outside is thoroughly washed and scrubbed. As the brushes are intended

page_text: to operate ou the ends as well as upon the sides of the keg, I do not impart an end-
wise movement to the rollers HI to throw the keg endwise, as when on the rollers F.
Such movement would interfere with, if not entirely prevent, the operation of the
brushes, as hereinafter described. The arrangement of the brushes will be seen
from an inspection of Fig. 8 of the drawing. In that figure I have shown the
brush H' arranged over the keg, of a sufficient length and of a proper shape to bear
against its whole length. This brush is mounted in a bar " extending across the
machine and supported in an angle iron or arm II, shown more particularly in
Figs. 2 and 4. The lower end of this arm is provided with a small roller that
rests on a cam H. This can is mounted on the shaft (, by which it is rotated.
As the cam moves under the small roller, its enlarged portion raises the angle irons
or arms and causes the brush H¹ to be lifted up from the top of the keg, but when
its smaller portion is under the small roller, the brush is allowed to descend and
bear against the surface of the revolving keg. The rotation of this cam is properly
timed so that the brush remains down and in contact with the keg the time desired
to thoroughly scrub and cleanse it. In order to scrub the ends of the keg, I have
arranged brushes I mounted in arms I', which pass up through slots in the bar H"
and are pivoted or hung on a frame 1" at the top of the machine. The arms
hung in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 8, so that as the bar H" descends, as
above described, it bears against the arms and forces their free ends, carrying
the brushes, closer together. This presses the brushes against the ends of the
keg, so that they will operate upon it as it rotates. The bar 1 is provided with
hangers having small rollers i at their lower ends. When the bar II" descends,
these rollers come into contact with the surface of the keg, and prevent the bar
from further descending. If the keg be large, the descent of the brushes will be
the sooner stopped, while if it be small, the brush will continue to descend until the
rollers come into contact with it. Whether the keg being operated upon be large
or small therefore, I am always able to secure a proper adjustment of the brushes
against it, although in making machines, I prefer to provide in the adjustment of
the brushes for only two or three different sized kegs. In the same way, the
rollers in their contact with the surface of the keg ensure the proper position of
the brushes against the ends of the keg.
are
In order to wet or drench the keg with water, while it is being operated upon
by the brushes, I run a pipe J across the machine over the keg being operated
upon by the brushes through which water may be carried, and I provide the pipe
with a number of perforations, to permit the water to flow out and fall on the top
of the keg, preferably in advance of the brush. I also provide branches j leading
down from the pipe and turning towards the ends of the keg. The ends of these
branches are also provided with perforations or small loops, through which the
water may be sprayed against the ends of the keg. The water may be supplied
to the pipe J either from a hydrant, or from a force pump. In my machine
I have shown such a pump J', which may be operated by the same driving
power that operates the rest of the machine. The advantage of thus using a
pump is that the water flowing from the kegs, after they have been sufficiently
In cases where the
rinsed, may be again used for washing their outside surface.
supply of water is limited, the employment of a pump in this way will be found
useful. I have shown and described the arrangement of the brushes at a point in
the operation of the machine after the kegs have been supplied with hot water.
It is obvious, however, that the brushes could be arranged, and the keg operated
upon, at any point in the machine. They could in fact be arranged in advance
of the hot water reservoir, so that the keg would be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned
on their outsides before being introduced into the tank for their supply of hot
water to cleanse their insides.
After the kegs have been rotated on the rollers Henough to have become
thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned by the brushes, the brushes are lifted off of them
as the cam comes around and the kegs are lifted up by arms K operated
similarly to the arms G and thrown forward into the cold water reservoir C. Here

page_text: again they become partially filled, but this time with cold water. They are then
lifted by arms K' and thrown forward on the ways & whence they pass on to the
rollers K. These rollers are operated in a similar manner to the rollers F here-
tofore described, and similar means are employed for giving the kegs an endwise
movement to again thoroughly rinse their inside surface. It will therefore be
unnecessary to again describe in detail the operation of the mechanism at this
point.
After the kegs have rotated a sufficient length of time, they are again lifted by
arms K and thrown forward on to ways whence they pass to the rollers L.
These rollers operate like the rollers H, except that they are rotated at a slower
rate of speed. As the rollers L form the last of the series, it becomes important
here to drain the water from the kegs, and to that end, some means needs to be
adopted to hold the kegs with their open bung holes down. In Fig. 5 I have shown
such means.
A pivoted bar L', having an upward projecting finger 1, is arranged
at that point, so that the finger will enter the open bung hole as the keg is rotated
and hold it at that point. The pivoted bar is provided with a weight L" that
causes the finger to be moved up into the bung hole when the keg has brought the
bung to the right position. As soon as the finger enters the bung, the rotation of
the keg is arrested and the water in it flows out. In order that the keg may be
held on the rollers L, in such position that the finger may enter the bung hole, no
end wise movement is imparted to these rollers, or to the keg while on them, but
they are simply rotated as are the rollers H under the brushes where it is desirable
to hold the keg in a certain determinate position with respect to the sides of the
machine. After the keg has become sufficiently drained, arms M are raised under
it, and it is lifted forward on the ways m. The arrangement and operation of the
arms M are similar to those heretofore described, and need not therefore be again
explained in detail. As the keg falls on the ways m, it rolls down on to a track N
and on to a sufficient distance from the machine to permit it to be received by an
attendant, so that the cork may be again driven in, and the keg set aside and ready
for use.
To engage and disengage the power with my machine, I have shown in
Fig. 1a belt O, by which power is applied, and a bar P leading to the front end
of the machine, in easy reach of an attendant, and which connects with a lever Q
by which a clutch is thrown into or out of gear. Other means, however, for starting
and stopping the machine may be employed, if desired.
I have above described my washing machine with considerable minuteness, and
have explained many details and features of construction that could be easily
changed, without affecting the general plan and principle of my invention. I wish,
however, to have it understood that my invention consists, in general terms of a
washing machine in which the kegs and barrels, after being deposited in the first
tank or water reservoir to receive the necessary quantity of water, are carried by
machinery and automatically over a series of rollers in which they are rotated, and
on some of the rollers given an endwise movement, and in which they are carried
under the brushes that are automatically brought against their outside surface
until they have been sufficiently crubbed, and then removed from them so that
they can be again carried forward on their course, and in which, at a desired point,
they may be held stationary until the water has been drained from them, and then
passed on t paint where they may be received by an attendant. Whether the
rollo cited by worm geis a shaft - 1 have shown them in my
drawings, or by ordinary gears, is a matter of no special importance, nor is it
essential that but four sets of rollers enleyol, as shown in the drawings of any
machine; a less or greater number could be used if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers, means for automatically advancing the barrel from one -et of rollers to the

page_text: next succeeding set in the operation of washing, brushes adapted to be automatically
advanced against and withdrawn from the outside of the barrel at a desired stage
of the operation, and means for rotating the rollers and automatically advancing
and withdrawing the brushes, substantially as described.
2. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel successively passes in the operation of washing, of
which rollers some are simply rotatable and some are both rotatable and movable
end wise alternately toward one side of the machine and then toward the other,
and means for rotating the rollers and imparting the endwise movement to the
desired ones, substantially as described.
3. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel successively passes in the operation of washing, at
least one water reservoir through which the barrel passes in its course and in which
its interior is supplied with water, means for arresting the rotation of the barrel
at a desired point with its bung hole down to drain out the water, and means for
rotating the rollers, substantially as described.
4. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel successively passes in the operation of washing,
brushes adapted to advance against and to withdraw from the outside of the
barrel at a desired stage of the operation, means for spraying the outside of the
barrel with water while under the action of the brushes, and means for rotating
the rollers and automatically advancing and withdrawing the brushes, substantially
as described.
5. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel successively passes in the operation of washing,
brushes adapted to advance against and to withdraw from the outside of the
barrel at a desired stage of the operation, means for automatically adjusting
the extent that the brushes advance to the size of the barrel, and
for rotating the rollers and advancing and withdrawing the brushes, substantially
as described.
means
6. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel passes in the operation of washing, means for
advancing the barrel automatically from one set of rollers to another from
the beginning to the end of the operation, and incans for rotating the rollers,
substantially as described.
7. In a barrel washing machine, the combination of several sets of rotatable
rollers over which the barrel passes in the operation of washing, means for
rotating the rollers, means for supplying the inside of the barrel with water and
draining the same therefrom, means for supplying the outside of the barrel with
water and subjecting it to the action of scrubbing brushes, means for advancing
the barrel automatically from one stage of its progress to another from the
beginning to the end of the operation and discharging it washed and cleaned
both inside and out at the rear end of the machine, substantially as described.
Lul
Amil 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.