Glass washing machine with broken glass removal system

• US 20070034238A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GED Integrated Solutions Incorporated (GED Holdings, Inc. (Delaware))
• Original Assignee: GED Integrated Solutions Incorporated (GED Holdings, Inc. (Delaware))
• Inventors: Hall, Timothy, Dickerson, Brett, Misura, Michael, Foltz, Diana, Sheperd, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,531,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/32
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/20 Cleaning of moving articles, e.g. of moving webs or of objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 11/04 specially adapted for plate glass, e.g. prior to manufacture of windshields cleaning the gap between permanently secured panes E06B3/677
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 23/0075 Cleaning of glass specially adapted to plate glass B08B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/60 Glass recycling

Abstract

A glass sheet washing machine with a broken glass removal system includes a support, a liquid container or reservoir, a pump, a liquid applicator, and a liquid permeable member. The support supports a glass sheet being washed. The liquid reservoir is positioned below the support. The pump is coupled to the liquid reservoir. The liquid applicator is coupled to the pump. The liquid applicator applies the liquid from the liquid reservoir to wash the glass sheet. Excess liquid falls into the reservoir. The liquid permeable member is positioned between the support and the liquid reservoir to catch pieces of glass to inhibit the pieces of broken glass from falling into the liquid reservoir and is moved to remove the pieces from the glass washing machine.

Claims

1. A glass sheet washing machine, comprising:

a) a support for a glass sheet being washed;

b) a liquid container positioned below said support;

c) a pump coupled to said liquid container;

d) a liquid applicator coupled to said pump for applying a liquid from said liquid container to wash said glass sheet, wherein an excess of said liquid falls into said liquid container; and

e) a moveable web positioned between said support and said liquid container to catch pieces of a broken glass sheet to inhibit said pieces from entering said liquid container and remove the pieces from the glass washing machine.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said web is liquid permeable.

3. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said web is supported by first and second rotatable rolls, rotation of said rolls moves said web to remove said broken pieces of glass from a region below said applicator.

4. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein a first end of said web is connected to a first rotatable roll and a second end of said web is connected to a second rotatable roll, rotation of said rolls moves said web to remove said broken pieces of glass from a region below said applicator.

5. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said web is belt disposed around first and second rotatable rolls, rotation of said rolls moves said web to remove said broken pieces of glass from a region below said applicator.

6. The glass washing machine of claim 1 further comprising a trough disposed below said web for receiving said broken pieces of glass.

7. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said web is a perforated belt.

8. The glass washing machine of claim 1 wherein said web is a wire mesh belt.

9. A method of inhibiting pieces of a broken glass sheet from entering a fluid container of a glass sheet washing machine and removing the pieces from the machine comprising:

a) applying a fluid to a glass sheet on a support to wash said glass sheet;

b) placing a web between a glass sheet support and a fluid container of said glass washing machine;

c) communicating excess fluid applied to said glass sheet through said web to said container;

d) catching pieces of a broken glass sheet with said web to inhibit said pieces from entering said fluid container; and

e) moving said web with respect to said machine to remove said pieces from said machine.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said web is supported by first and second rotatable rolls, said rolls are rotated to move said web to remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a first end of said web is connected to a first rotatable roll and a second end of said web is connected to a second rotatable roll, said rolls are rotated to move said web and remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said web is a belt disposed around first and second rotatable rolls, said rolls are rotated to move said web and remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein moving said liquid permeable member removes said broken pieces of glass and drops said broken pieces of glass into a trough disposed below said web.

14-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of removing pieces of a broken glass sheet from a glass sheet washing machine, comprising:

a) applying a fluid to a rotating brush;

b) moving a glass sheet into contact with said rotating brush to wash said glass sheet;

c) placing a fluid permeable belt between said rotating brush and a fluid container of said glass washing machine;

d) communicating excess fluid applied to said brush through said belt to said container;

e) catching pieces of a broken glass sheet with said liquid permeable belt to inhibit said pieces from entering said fluid container; and

f) moving said belt to remove said broken glass pieces from said glass washing machine.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said liquid permeable belt is supported by first and second rotatable rolls, said rolls are rotated to move said liquid permeable belt to remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein a first end of said liquid permeable belt is connected to a first rotatable roll and a second end of said liquid permeable belt is connected to a second rotatable roll, said rolls are rotated to move said liquid permeable belt and remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said liquid permeable belt is disposed around first and second rotatable rolls, said rolls are rotated to move said liquid permeable belt and remove said broken pieces of glass from said glass washing machine.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising moving said liquid permeable belt to remove said broken pieces of glass and drop said broken pieces of glass into a trough disposed below said liquid permeable belt.