Improvements in Bottle Washing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application 2nd Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle Washing Machines.
I THOMAS HILL of 4 Regents Terrace, Carr Lane, Hull, in the County of York
Mineral Water Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
:-
My improvements relate to moveable trays, used in revolving bottle washing
machines, and consist of:-
Applying a moveable frame of any suitable material, provided with either
longitudinal, or transverse divisions. This frame is arranged to slide either by
hand, or automatically in any suitable manner, so as to clamp or hold the bottles in
position in the trays whilst filling with water.
The supports for this moveable frame may be made adjustable to suit any size
of bottles.
"
By the above invention, the use of portable "sinkers is obviated.
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle Washing Machines.
I, THOMAS HILL of 4 Regents Terrace, Carr Lane, Hull, in the County of
York, Mineral Water Engineer, 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
This invention relates to bottle washing machines of the class in which the
bottles to be washed are placed in nests or compartments in suspended trays
which are so attached to a revolving frame, as to always remain horizontal as
they are carried round by the said revolving frame. Consequently the bottles are
maintained in a vertical position during the whole of their travel.
To prevent the bottles from floating out of the suspended trays as and when
the same are immersed it has hitherto been the custom to place on each tray
a removeable wire or wood work frame or "sinker" which rests on the mouths
of the bottles and which is sufficiently heavy to keep the bottles down while
they are filling. The use of a removeable "sinker" of this description is
objectionable, first, because it is a separate piece of apparatus which requires to be
put on and taken off every time the bottles are placed in and taken out of the tray,
secondly, because when taken off the tray a place has to be found for it while the
tray is being emptied and filled again, and thirdly, because resting as it does on the
tops of the bottle necks it prevents the bottles from filling so quickly as they
otherwise would do if the passages to their necks were unobstructed.
Now the object of this invention is to provide each suspended tray with means
whereby the bottles therein can be rigidly clamped or locked in position so that
they cannot float out as and when the suspended tray is immersed. Furthermore,
the passage to the bottle necks is unobstructed and the clamping or locking
device is so made and fitted as to be capable of easy and quick manipulation and
practically forms part of the tray to which it is fitted.
The invention will be well understood with the aid of the accompanying
drawings wherein
Figure 1 shews a plan view of a tray with my improved clamping or locking
TDi Q77

page_text: device fitted thereto a few bottles being shewn in the nests or compartments of the
tray and locked therein by the locking device.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same and
Figure 3 is a section taken on the line X Y of Figure 1.
The locking or clamping device consists of a wood, metal, or other frame A B C D
equal in width to the width of the tray and shorter in length than the tray by one
row of compartments or nests. In the example shewn the tray has lengthwise
twenty rows of compartments or nests and the sides A and C of the frame are
equal in length to nineteen of these rows of compartments or nests. The frame
is provided with a number of equidistant transverse cross bars or webs E the
distance between any two contiguous bars or webs being equal to the distance
between two adjacent rows of compartments or nests of the tray. By this method
of construction it follows that if, say, the end B of the frame A B C D is placed
exactly over the end B2 of the tray, all the webs or bars E will lie exactly over
the partitions E2 of the tray and the other end D2 of the tray will be uncovered,
all the nests or compartments will be open and if empty may be filled with bottles.
If now the frame ABCD is slid longitudinally of the tray, the end B will bear
against the necks of the bottles in the first row of nests or compartments in the
tray, the other end D will bear against the necks of the bottles in the last row,
and the webs E will bear against the bottles in the intermediate rows.
frame A B C D runs in guides F secured to the sides of the suspended tray
and having horizontal slots to receive the sides AC of the frame. These
guides may be made adjustable in height so as to carry the frame at various
heights above the tray according to the height of the bottles which it is desired
to wash. In practice however, I make these guides F of varying heights and
fit each tray with guides having their horizontal slots at a height suitable to the
class of bottles which are usually carried in that particular tray.
The
To clamp the bottles in the tray, it is only necessary to slide the frame A B C D
in its guides F lengthwise of the tray when all the bottles will be simultaneously
clamped between the frame and the tray, each bottle being held, on one of its sides
by the frame which bears against its shoulder or neck, its other side being forced
against the further side of the nest or compartment. This is the position shewn in
Figure 1. To release the bottles the frame is simply slid back again until all its
bars are exactly over the divisions of the tray, when free access to the nests is
obtained. If desired, the frame may be supplied with a fastening or catch to keep
it in the clamped position, but I have not found this necessary, as there is little
tendency of the frame to shift out of position as it is lowered into the water.
It will be obvious that the frame may be made with longitudinal bars or webs E
in which case it would slide in guides fixed to the ends B² and D² of the suspended
tray. Although I have described the frame as being shorter than the tray, it may
be made of the same length, but I have found that the form shewn in the drawings
answers the purpose remarkably well and it takes less material than one as long as
the tray besides allowing space at the ends for shifting the frame to and fro.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In bottle washing machines in which the bottles are carried in suspended trays
and are immersed vertically, the means herein described for preventing the bottles
from rising and floating out of the suspended tray as and when the latter is
immersed, consisting of a frame carried by suitable guides in which it is adapted
to slide, and having webs or bars so disposed as to simultaneously lock or clamp
all the bottles when the said frame is moved relatively to the tray substantially as
described.
2. In bottle washing machines in which the bottles are carried in suspended
trays, the means herein described for preventing the bottles from rising or floating
out of the tray as and when the latter is immersed, consisting of a frame or grate

page_text: having a number of longitudinal or transverse crossbars equal to the number of
rows of nests in the tray, the said crossbars corresponding in position with the
longitudinal or transverse partitions of the tray, the frame or grate being adapted
to slide in suitable guides whereby all the bottles in the tray are clamped between
the said sliding frame or grate and the partitions or divisions of the tray when the
frame is moved relatively to the tray, substantially as described.
3. In combination with a suspended tray for holding bottles in a bottle washing
machine, an open frame or grate and guides F secured to the sides of the tray in
which said guides the frame is adapted to be slid so as to clamp all the bottles
in position in the tray substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set
forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 2nd day of June 1892
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.