Improvements in Bottle Washing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle Washing Machines.
I, WILLIAM BENJAMIN GRIFFITHS of Bridgend Glamorganshire Inventor, 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 has for its object to cleanse the inside and outside of a bottle
simultaneously and at the same time to remove any labels from the latter. This I
effect by means of an improved construction of bottle washing and scrubbing
machine which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar letters
indicate corresponding parts and of which the following is a description.
Figure I of the drawings shews a front side elevation of the machine partly in
section.
Figures 2 and 3 shew detail views in side elevation and cross section of a
modified form of the rubber brush for cleansing the inside of the bottle presently
described suitable for cleaning flat bottomed bottles.
Figure 4 is a plan of the valve box whereon the driving pulley revolves.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the back of the machine.
Figure 6 is a front end elevation and
Figure 7 a plan thereof.
the same.
In Figures 1. 5. 6. 7. the bottle is shewn in position for cleaning and is marked B.
a is the frame of the machine having a slot a' formed therein wherein a pivot b
works to and fro to which is attached an adjustable lever c. Pivotted to this lever
is a socket & fitted with a rubber or other elastic lining and working on a pivot e.
This socket receives the bottom of the bottle while the neck thereof is held in a
similar socket fixed to the driving pulley which imparts a rotary motion to the
bottle. This pulley revolves on a valve box g fixed in the frame of the machine
and fitted at its outer end with a nozzle which holds the valve box in position and
through which water is fed into the bottle. The valve box is furnished with a
spiral spring that serves to close an inlet valvej fitted to the outer end of the valve
spindle k. This spindle works to and fro in a tubular casing that screws into the
valve box and such spindle is provided with inlet and outlet orifices ¹, k*, through
which when the lever is pressed against the bottom of the bottle (as shewn in Figure 1)
the water is let in and discharged in the form of a jet inside the bottle thus rinsing
In order to cleanse the interior of the bottle I attach a strip of rubber m
to the valve spindle & and tubular casing and pass a thin metal spring m' Fig. 3
through the same so as to impart increased strength and rigidity thereto thus forming
a rubber brush. When the lever e is pressed against the bottom of the bottle in the
manner above described it compresses the spring inside the rubber m thus causing
such rubber to expand and adapt itself to the shape of the bottle as seen in Figure 1
while as the bottle revolves round the brush by the action of the driving pulley the
consequent friction produced between the brush and the sides of the bottle
thoroughly cleanses the latter from all impurities. When the lever c is withdrawn
from the bottom of the bottle as shewn in Figure 5 the rubber brush is drawn out
by the expansion of the spring m¹ thus allowing the bottle to readily pass over the
same when it is removed from the machine. The valve spindle with its tubular
casing are both made of a half round form for about one half their length the
object of so doing being to afford sufficient space for the rubber brush to collapse
so that the bottle may freely pass over the same. n is a scrubbing brush screwed to
the frame of the machine for scrubbing the exterior of the bottle o is a wire scratch
brush mounted on pivots of working in lugs of fixed to the frame of the machine.
This scratch brush tears off' and removes any labels from the outside of the bottle

page_text: Such brush is furnished with an arm o³ which when the lever c is pressed against
the bottle comes in contact with and is depressed by an arm c¹ formed on such lever
thus bringing the scratch brush in contact with and holding it against the outer
surface of the bottle while it tears off and removes the labels therefrom.
The machine may be driven by steam or other power or it may be worked by
hand. If desired to be worked by hand bevel teeth are cut on the conical
shoulder of the driving pulley and a bevel wheel provided with a suitable
handle is mounted on a boss 7' (Fig. 5) formed on the frame a thus forming a hand
bevel gear by means whereof motion is imparted to the driving pulley to work
the machine. It will be understood that both the rubber brush and the scrubbing
brush are stationary and that the scratch brush is held rigidly in position against
the bottle while the latter is rotated by the driving pulley.
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 combination with a bottle washing machine a scratch brush for removing
labels from the outside of the bottle all substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn.
2° In a bottle washing machine fitting the same with an adjustable lever and
with revolving sockets wherein and whereby the bottle is held in position during
the operation of cleansing all substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
30 In combination with a bottle washing machine a spring rubber brush for
cleansing the inside of the bottle constructed arranged and fitted all substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn.
4° The improved construction of bottle washing machine for simultaneously
cleansing the inside and outside of a bottle and at the same time removing any
labels therefrom all substantially as herein before described and shewn.
Dated this 1st day of April 1891.
ELT & Co.,
33, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London, Agents for Applicant.