A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENT FOR WASHING. AND ` RINSING BOTTLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ezra Lofts, of Cambridge, in the County of
Cambridge, Merchant's Clerk or Assistant, for the Invention of.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENT FOR WASHING. AND `
RINSING BOTTLES."
Sealed the 16th July 1872, and dated the 13th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ezra Lofts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th May 1872.
-
. I, EZRA LOFTS, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Mer-
5 chant's Clerk or Assistant, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENT FOR WASHING
AND RIMBING BOTTLES," to be as follows :-
The object of my Invention is the production of an apparatus or
arrangement for the effectual and expeditious washing and rinsing

page_text: as follows:-
i
I provide a series, generally of three, of skeleton cases, crates, or
framework of galvanized iron or other suitable material, consisting of
three or more racks placed one above another and about 2 or 3 inches
apart; the cross and longitudinal bars of which are so arranged that
when the top rack or lid of the said case is fastened down the bottles
are secured therein. These cases may be of any size, but those con-
taining about two dozen ordinary wine bottles will be found convenient.
I also provide a tank made of wood or other suitable material, the in-
terior of whose sides are grooved, fluted, indented, or otherwise rendered
sufficiently uneven to allow the fluid (diluted sulphuric acid or an
alkaline solution) contained in the said tank to freely enter the bottles.
This tank may be of any size, but one holding three of the aforesaid
cases I find a convenient one. Near the said tank I place an ordinary
tub containing water, or water and soda or other. alkali. Over this tub
is a horizontal cylindrical brush made of bristles, except the end tuft
which is of fine wire. This brush is worked or rotated by ordinary
treadle, wheel, and band machinery. At the back of this tub and at
a higher level than the tank I swing two troughs side by side, which
are pivotted at or near their centres, so that they can be easily tilted
or tipped either end downwards as required. Under these troughs
is a shallow tray connected to the said tank by a tube, pipe, or gutter.
Under the opposite ends of the said troughs is a gutter for the purpose
of receiving and carrying away the waste rinsing water, as herein-after
described. This gutter is provided with a shield or screen to prevent
the water splashing over the gutter. Along the inside of the said
troughs, and a little below the level of their upper parts, I fix two
horizontal water pipes, which are supplied with water under pressure,
in the upper part of each of which I insert a series of small vertical
metal pipes (four in number in this arrangement) fitted at their upper
ends with a perforated nipple, or gas burner or jet.
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.
. In applying my said improved apparatus or arrangement I proceed
thus: The cases, being filled at the store with bottles to be cleansed,
are brought to the side of the said tank, and one after another are raised
by means of a pulley and chain, crane, or other efficient means, and
then lowered into the tank containing a sufficient supply of dilute
sulphuric acid, the weight of the case carrying the bottles below the

page_text: surface of the said liquid. I then raise the case which was first
immersed in the liquid above the level of the top of the tank, and
slide a board or grating there under, on which the said case and contents
rest; the bottles in this case are then taken out one by one, and sub-
mitted to the operation of the rotating brush, the workman at the same
time washing the outside of each bottle with the water in the tub. The
bottles are then as they are taken off the brush placed bottom upwards
over or upon one of the aforesaid vertical pipes to drain off the remaining
diluto acid. When one of the series of vertical pipes is thus occupied
the water under pressure is turned on by means of a cock or otherwise,
and rushes with sufficient force into the said series of bottles to efficiently
tinse them instantaneously, or nearly so, when the water is shut off and
the cleansed bottles removed and put away to dry. Whilst one set or
series of bottles is being rinsed, say by a boy, the workman is placing
washed bottles on the other series of vertical pipes, and so on alternately.
During this process each pivotted trough is, when the bottles are being
drained of dilute acid, tilted towards the tank, so that the drained liquid
may return to the said tank; then the said trough is tilted the opposite
way, so that when the bottles are being rinsed the rinsing water may be
received and carried away by the outside gutter, as previously herein
described.
The advantages of my improved method are, that bottles can be
washed by the small apparatus above described thoroughly and efficiently
at the rate of about 20 dozens per hour by one man and one boy, and at
a cost of from about three-eighths to one-fourth of a penny per dozen.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ezra Lofts in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EZRA
O LOFTS, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Merchant's Clerk
or Assistant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-.

page_text: :
"
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Ezra Lofts, Her special licence, that I,
the said Ezra Lofts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Ezra Lofts, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to 5
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS
OR ARRANGEMENT FOR WASHING AND RINSING BOTTLES," upon the condition 1
(amongst others) that I, the said Ezra Lofts, my exécutors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent 1
Office within six calendar months.next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said 'Ezra 'Lofts, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the 2
following statement :—
The object of my Invention is the production of an apparatus or
arrangement for the effectual and expeditious washing and rinsing of
bottles, and the means by which I propose to effect such object I now
proceed to explain with the aid of the accompanying Drawing which 2
forms part of this Specification.
Figure 1 is a horizontal plan view of my apparatus; Figure 2 is a side
elevation thereof, shewing a case filled with bottles resting on the tank;
Figure 3 is a front end view of the same or the end where the workman
operates the treadle machinery and washes the bottles.
Figure 4 is the opposite or back end view of my said apparatus,
shewing the gutter and pipe which carry away the waste rinsing
water.
Figure 5 is an isometrical perspective view of the bottle case to an
enlarged scale.
In the following description the same parts are indicated in each
Figure where the same index letters and figures appear.
3
3

page_text: I provide a series, generally of three, of skeleton cases A, crates, or
framework of galvanized iron or other suitable material consisting or
formed of three or more racks 6 placed one above another and about
from two to four inches apart, the cross and longitudinal bars c of
5 which racks are so placed or arranged that when the top rack or
☐ moveable lid (shewn by red lines in Figures 2 and 5) of the said case is
fastened down the bottles are secured therein. These cases may be of
any size, but those holding about two dozens of ordinary wine bottles
will be found convenient.
..
'
:
). I also provide a tank T made of wood or other suitable material, one
or both the interior sides of which tank are grooved, fluted, indented, or
otherwise rendered sufficiently, uneven as shewn at d, Figure 1, to allow
¡the fluid contents (generally diluted sulphuric acid or an alkaline
solution) of the said tank to freely enter the bottles.. This tank may
§. be of any size, but one holding three of the aforesaid -cases A¨I find
a convenient one. Near the said tank I place an ordinary tub e of
convenient size containing water, or water and soda or other alkali -
Over this tub is placed a horizontal cylindrical brush made of bristles,
the end tuft of which brush is composed of fine wire for champagne
O bottles and others similarly formed inside at the bottom, but I make it
of bristles for flat bottomed bottles. This brush is worked or rotated.
by the treadle 9, crank and connecting bars 'g' (colored red in the
*Drawing), wheel h, and band i turning the wheel j, and the shaft j?, into
a hole or recess in the end of which shaft. the wire stem of the brush f
5 is inserted. At the back of this tub e, that is, opposite the workman,
and at a higher level than the tank I swing two troughs, & side by side,
which are pivoted at or near their centres, so that they can be easily
tilted or tipped either end downward as required. Under the front ends
of these troughs, or those nearest the workman, I fix a shallow tray. I
O connected with the said tank by a tube, pipe, or gutter A. Under the
other or opposite ends of the said troughs /. I fix a gutter m, which is
provided with a shield or screen m³.to prevent the water from the
troughs splashing over. Along the inside of the said troughs and a
little. below the level of their upper parts I fix two horizontal water'
pipes which are supplied with water under pressure, or by means of a
force pump through the pipe n' which is .connected in any convenient
way with or to the water supply pipe, in the upper part of each of

page_text: which pipes n I insert à series of small vertical metal pipes n³ (four in
number in this arrangement) fitted at their upper ends with a perforated
nipple, or gas burner or jet.
949
1
In applying my said improved apparatus or arrangement I proceed
thus: The cases A being filled with bottles to be cleansed are one i
after another raised above the tank T by means of a pulley p and chain
p¹, or by a crane or other efficient means, and are then lowered into
the said tank, the weight of the case readily sinking the bottles in the
liquid with which the tank is charged. After the three cases have
been sunk in the tank I raise the case which was first immersed in the 1
liquid above the level of the top of the tank, move the said case to that
part of the tank most convenient for the workman by means of the
travelling pulleys p², which travel upon the bars o, and there lower the
said. case on to the board or grating q. The bottles in this case there
partially drain and are taken out one by one and submitted to the
operation of the rotating brush f, the workman operating the said brush
by the treadle machinery with his foot, and at the same time washing
the outside of the bottles with his hands with the liquid in the tub e.
The bottles are, after being sufficiently cleansed, taken off the brush f,
and placed bottom upwards on one of the series of vertical pipes n³
there to drain off the remainder of the liquid received in the tank T;
at the same time the trough under these bottles is tilted forwards
or towards the workman, as shewn in Figure 2, so that the liquid may
be received in the tray and be returned to the tank T through the
gutter. When these bottles are thus drained, and whilst the work-
man is placing washed bottles on the other series of vertical pipes n³
the trough k which is under them is tilted the opposite end downwards
and the water under pressure is turned on by means of a cock or
otherwise, which water rushes with sufficient force into the said four
bottles to effectually rinse them instantaneously or nearly so; the water
is now shut off, and the cleansed bottles removed from the said vertical
pipes and put away to dry in the usual way; the waste rinsing water
is received in the outside trough m, and conveyed away by the pipe m²,
or by any other convenient and efficient arrangement. Whilst one set
of bottles is being drained and rinsed, say by a boy, the workman is
placing washed bottles on the other series of vertical pipes n³, and so 3
on alternately.
2
2

page_text: '
Some of the principal advantages of my improved method are as
follows:-
Firstly. The iron cases are used as baskets in which to convey the
bottles to the apparatus, to sink the bottles in the liquid in the tank, to
lift them out of the said liquid, to empty one half of their liquid contents,
or more if desired by simply tipping the cases forward.
Secondly. The vertical pipes being arranged in two rows or sets
on the right and left hand of the workman, one set of bottles is being
drained whilst another set is being rinsed and put away.
Thirdly. By having swinging troughs to receive the drainage from
the bottles the time and labour of moving the bottles is thereby avoided
or saved, the troughs being tilted towards or into the tray for draining.
off the liquid brought from the tank, and the opposite way for carrying.
off the waste rinsing water.
Fourthly. By my improved arrangement the usual shifting or
removing of water from tub to tub is avoided.
"
:
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the mode of carrying out the same in practice, I wish it
to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular forms,
) sizes, or, dimensions of the several parts of my said apparatus as herein
specified; but I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by the
aforesaid in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The metal skeleton cases.
Secondly. The arrangement of the vertical rinsing pipes in sets.