SPRAY CLEANING SYSTEM

• US 3,734,109 A
• Filed: 03/08/1971
• Issued: 05/22/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philip G. Hebner
• Original Assignee: Philip G. Hebner
• Inventors: Hebner, Philip G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bleutge, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US05/121,680
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 134/48,49,64,70,72,82,83,131,151,165,199,154,122
• US Class Current: 134/64.00R
• CPC Class Codes: C23G 3/023 by spraying

Abstract

A spray cleaning system adapted to operate upon elements of extended length including a confined area having a path of travel along which the elements are conveyed, a plurality of spray stations each having spraying units aligned on either side of the path of travel, and a pneumatic isolating station positioned between successive spray stations to direct a flow of air upon the surfaces of the elements at a low velocity to prevent cross contamination between liquids sprayed in successive spray stations.

Claims

1. A spray cleaning system for cleaning elements of extended length, said system comprising a plurality of spaced spray stations successively arranged to define a path of travel for the elements, each of said spray stations including spray means for spraying a liquid on said elements;

and a pneumatic isolating station disposed in said path of travel in the space between each successive pair of said spray stations, each said pneumatic isolating station including baffle means providing a low velocity, laminar isolating air flow directed against the elements only in the space between successive spray stations whereby said liquid sprays in successive ones of said sprays stations are isolated from each other by said air flow.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said spray means includes nozzle means disposed adjacent each said pneumatic isolating station to spray a flat sheet of liquid on the elements at an acute angle thereto.

3. The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means is disposed to spray said flat sheet of liquid in a direction away from said pneumatic isolating station and said baffle means is disposed to initially direct said air flow in a direction toward said nozzle means.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3 wherein said baffle means includes primary baffle means supplying a first quantity of air to said air flow and stabilizing baffle means spaced from said primary baffle means and supplying a second quantity of air less than said first quantity of air to said air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4 wherein said stabilizing baffle means is disposed between said primary baffle means and said nozzle means.

6. The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means includes first and second flat spray nozzle means disposed on a first side of said path of travel to provide first and second flat liquid sheets and third and fourth flat spray nozzle means disposed on a second side of said path of travel opposite to said first side to provide third and fourth flat liquid sheets, and said spray means includes a first Plurality of spray heads disposed on said first side of said path of travel between said first and second flat spray nozzle means and a second plurality of spray heads disposed on said second side of said path of travel between said third and fourth flat spray nozzle means.

7. The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said baffle means in each said pneumatic isolating station includes first baffle means disposed on said first side of said path of travel to provide a first isolating air flow adjacent said first flat liquid sheet of one of said spray stations and a second isolating air flow adjacent said second flat liquid sheet of a succeeding one of said spray stations and second baffle means disposed on said second side of said path of travel to provide a third isolating air flow adjacent said third flat liquid sheet of said one spray station and a fourth isolating air flow adjacent said fourth flat liquid sheet of said succeeding spray station.

8. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said first baffle means includes first primary baffle means supplying a first quantity of air to said first isolating air flow, first stabilizing baffle means supplying a second quantity of air less than said first quantity of air to said first isolating air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein, second primary baffle means supplying a second quantity of air to said second isolating air flow and second stabilizing baffle means supplying a fourth quantity of air less than said third quantity of air to said second isolating air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein, and said second baffle means includes third primary baffle means supplying a fifth quantity of air to said third isolating air flow, third stabilizing baffle means supplying a sixth quantity of air less than said fifth quantity of air to said third isolating air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein, fourth primary baffle means supplying a seventh quantity of air to said fourth isolating air flow, and fourth stabilizing baffle means supplying an eighth quantity of air less than seventh quantity of air to said fourth air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein.

9. The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein said first, second, third and fourth flat spray nozzle means are directed away from each said pneumatic isolating station, and said first, second, third and fourth isolating air flows are initially directed toward said first, second, third and fourth flat spray nozzle means, respectively.

10. The invention as recited in claim 9 wherein said first and second spray heads each direct a conical spray transversely toward said path of travel.

11. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said baffle means includes primary baffle means supplying a first quantity of air to said air flow and stabilizing baffle means spaced from said primary baffle means and supply a second quantity of air less than said first quantity of air to said air flow to reduce turbulence and provide laminar flow therein.

12. In a continuous spray cleaning system, the combination comprising a first spray station including first spray means emitting a first liquid;

a second spray station including second spray means emitting a second liquid; and

a pneumatic isolating station having an entrance communicating with said first spray station and an exit communicating with said second spray station, said pneumatic isolating station and said first and second spray stations being aligned to define a path of travel therethrough for an element to be cleaned, said pneumatic isolating station including first baffle means providing a first low velocity,laminar air flow toward said entrance and second baffle means providing a second low velocity, laminar air flow toward said exit, said first spray means including first flat spray nozzle means disposed adjacent said entrance to said pneumatic isolating station to spray a first flat sheet of said first liQuid against an element to be cleaned, and said second spray means including second flat spray nozzle means disposed adjacent said exit of said pneumatic isolating station to spray a second flat sheet of said second liquid against an element to be cleaned whereby said first and second liquids are isolated from each other.

13. The invention as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and second flat spray nozzle means are disposed to direct each of said first and second flat sheets of said first and second flat sheets of said first and second liquids against an element to be cleaned at an acute angle therewith.

14. The invention as recited in claim 13 wherein said first flat sheet of said first liquid is directed away from said entrance of said pneumatic isolating station, said second flat sheet of said second liquid is directed away from said exit of said pneumatic isolating station, said first air flow is initially directed in the same direction as said first flat sheet of said first liquid, and said second air flow is initially directed in the same direction as said second flat sheet of said second liquid.

15. The invention as recited in claim 14 wherein said first baffle means includes first primary baffle means supplying a first quantity of air to said first air flow and first stabilizing baffle means supplying a second quantity of air less than said first quantity to said first air flow to reduce turbulence therein, said second baffle means includes second primary baffle means supplying a third quantity of air to said second air flow and second stabilizing baffle means supplying a fourth quantity of air less than said third quantity to said second air flow to reduce turbulence therein, said first and second primary baffle means are disposed adjacent each other, said first stabilizing baffle means is disposed between said first primary baffle means and said entrance of said pneumatic isolating station, and said second stabilizing baffle means is disposed between said second primary baffle means and said exit of said pneumatic isolating station.

16. The invention as recited in claim 15 wherein said pneumatic isolating station includes a main plenum chamber centrally disposed therein in communication with said first and second primary and stabilizing baffle means, a first return plenum chamber disposed between said entrance and said main plenum chamber and a second return plenum chamber disposed between said exit and said main plenum chamber.

17. The invention as recited in claim 16 wherein said first air flow extends out to a position adjacent said first flat spray nozzle means and curls back to said first return plenum chamber, and said second air flow extends out to a position adjacent said second flat spray nozzle means and curls back to said second return plenum chamber.

18. The invention as recited in claim 17 wherein said first and second spray stations and said pneumatic isolating station are structurally symmetrical about said path of travel therethrough.

19. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein each said pneumatic isolating station includes return plenum chamber means for said air flow to define a circulation path within the space between successive spray stations.