Pail washing machine

• US 4,377,014 A
• Filed: 03/09/1981
• Issued: 03/22/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hugh M. Slaton
• Original Assignee: Hugh M. Slaton
• Inventors: Slaton, Hugh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US06/241,842
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 15/56, 15/57, 15/58, 15/70, 15/75, 15/101, 15/59, 15/71
• US Class Current: 15/56
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/087 by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. brushes, scrapers B08B9/0808 , B08B9/20 take precedence

Abstract

Lubricant pails are quickly washed and dried during an automatic machine operating cycle which is initiated by manual placement of each pail on a holding mandrel and simultaneous operation of an adjacent limit switch. Mandrel and pail rotation are initiated and a rotating brush is moved into engagement with the exterior of the rotating pail while cleaning solvent is delivered onto the pail throughout its length. The brush cleaning cycle is followed by a solvent rinse cycle, which in turn is followed by a blown air drying cycle, after which the clean pail is ejected from the mandrel by positive air pressure. The several cycles are timer controlled. In a modification, closed end pails are laterally loaded on a roller bed.

Claims

1. A pail washing machine comprising a frame means on said frame for supporting a pail, said pail supporting means including a mandrel having a port for air under vacuum and air under positive pressure, vacuum means connected with said mandrel port and a compressed air supply means also connected with said mandrel port whereby pails may be vacuum secured to said mandrel during said pail washing cycle and ejected therefrom by positive air pressure, means for scrubbing the exterior surface of said pail mounted on said frame for movement toward and away from a pail scrubbing position, means on said frame for delivering cleaning solvent onto said exterior surface of said pail when said pail scrubbing means is in said pail scrubbing position, and timing means electrically connected to said solvent delivering means and said pail scrubbing means for automatically operating said machine during a pail washing cycle, whereby during said cycle, solvent is directed onto the exterior surface of the pail by said solvent delivering means and said scrubbing means is moved to said pail scrubbing position wherein said scrubbing means frictionally engages the exterior surface of said pail to wash said pail.

3. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 1 and means for rotating said pail supporting means with said pail thereon about the longitudinal axis of said pail.

4. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 1 or 2 and said pail scrubbing means including a pail cleaning brush, means for rotating said brush about its longitudinal axis and means for moving said brush toward and away from said pail scrubbing position.

5. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 1 or 2 and said solvent delivering means including a solvent storage reservoir, a solvent manifold positioned adjacent said pail supporting means and means connected between said manifold and said reservoir for transferring solvent from said reservoir through said manifold and onto the exterior surface of said pail mounted on said pail supporting means while said pail scrubbing means is in said pail scrubbing position.

6. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 1 or 2 and means on said frame for delivering drying air onto said pail including a drying air manifold and a compressed air supply means connected with said drying air manifold.

2. A pail washing machine comprising a frame, means on said frame for supporting a pail, said pail supporting means including a horizontal roller support bed for each pail, a coacting rotary head for driving each pail on said roller support bed, and means in spaced opposed relationship to said head for engaging the end of each pail most distant from said head to force the pail into driven engagement with said head, means for scrubbing the exterior surface of said pail mounted on said frame for movement toward and away from a pail scrubbing position, means on said frame for delivering cleaning solvent onto said exterior surface of said pail when said pail scrubbing means is in said pail scrubbing position, and timing means electrically connected to said solvent delivering means and said pail scrubbing means for automatically operating said machine during a pail washing cycle, whereby during said cycle, solvent is directed onto the exterior surface of the pail by said solvent delivering means and said scrubbing means is moved to said pail scrubbing position wherein said scrubbing means frictionally engages the exterior surface of said pail to wash said pail.

7. A pail washing machine comprising a rotary mandrel adapted to support pails one at a time requiring washing, rotational support and driving means for the mandrel, a pail cleaning brush movably mounted near one side of the mandrel, rotational support and driving means for said brush including a movable support member, power means to move said support member for moving said brush toward and away from an active pail washing position, a cleaning solvent manifold positioned near said brush and mandrel for delivering solvent onto the latter when the brush is in said active pail washing position, pumping means for cleaning solvent connected with said manifold, a drying air manifold positioned near said mandrel in spaced relation to said mandrel and brush, compressed air supply means connected with said drying said manifold, vacuum means connected with said mandrel and including a connection with the compressed air supply means and being operable to hold each pail on said mandrel during a pail washing, rinsing and drying cycle, and timed control means for the machine including an operating cycle initiating control element activated by the placement of each pail on said mandrel.

8. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 7, and said rotational support and driving means for the mandrel including a drive shaft having an air passage therethrough, said vacuum means being connected with said air passage and including a vacuum pump, and said connection of the vacuum means with said compressed air supply means including a compressed air diverter valve, whereby positive air pressure or vacuum pressure selectively can be delivered to the mandrel through said passage of said drive shaft.

9. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 7, and said timed control means further including independent time means for the support and driving means for the brush, for the pumping means for cleaning solvent and for the compressed air supply means.

10. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 9, and said timers comprising adjustable electrical timers connected with coacting relays, a drive motor for said brush whose starting and stopping is caused by operation of the relay connected with the first-named timer, a cleaning solvent pump motor whose starting and stopping is controlled by the operation of the relay connected with the second-named timer, and a solenoid valve in the compressed air supply means whose activation is controlled by the relay connected with the third-named timer.

11. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 10, and said timed control means additionally comprising another relay, a vacuum pump motor and a mandrel drive motor electrically connected with the last-named relay and being started and stopped by opening and closing of a relay switch of the last-named relay, and said cycle initiating control element comprising a control switch having an actuator in the path of movement of each pail being placed on the mandrel, and said switch being electrically coupled to the last-named relay.

12. A pail washing machine comprising a rotational support for individual pails being washed, power drive means for said rotational support, a movable rotational washing brush parallel to the axis of the rotational support and being swingable in an arc toward and from an active washing position close to the rotational support, separate power means for driving said brush in rotation and for swinging it in said arc, a cleaning solvent manifold fixedly mounted near the rotational support and said brush and parallel to the axes of the latter and adapted to deliver cleaning solvent to the exterior of a pail on the rotational support, a drying air manifold fixedly located near the rotational support and adapted to deliver drying air to the exterior of said pail and timed control means for controlling the time of rotation of said brush and the swinging movement of the brush toward and away from said active washing position of the brush.

13. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 12, and said rotational support comprising a rotational mandrel having a port for air under vacuum and air under positive pressure whereby pails may be vacuumed secured to the mandrel and ejected therefrom by positive air pressure.

14. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 12, and said rotational support comprising a horizontal roller support bed for each pail, and a coacting horizontal axis rotary head for driving each pail on said roller support bed.

15. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 14, and said rotary driving head having spaced driving lugs thereon for entry into driving recesses existing in covers for the pails undergoing washing.

16. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 15, and said rotational support further including a power operated axial plunger device in spaced opposed relationship to said head and engaging the end of each pail most distant from the head to force the pail into driven engagement with the head.

17. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 7 or 12, and a housing for the machine at least partially enclosing said mandrel and brush, and an exhaust conduit for solvent fumes and particles connected in and leading from a wall of said housing.

18. A pail washing machine comprising a substantially horizontal axis rotary mandrel adapted to hold a pail during a pail washing, rinsing and air drying automatic cycle, power means to rotate the mandrel, valved means to selectively deliver vacuum or positive pressure to the mandrel for vacuum holding each pail thereon and for ejecting each pail at the completion of said automatic cycle, a parallel axis laterally movable rotary pail washing implement near one side of the mandrel for washing the exterior of each pail thereon, power means to drive said washing implement in rotation oppositely to the direction of rotation of the mandrel, power means to move the rotary washing implement toward and away from an active pail washing position relative to the mandrel, means to deliver a pail washing liquid onto the exterior of each pail on the mandrel along the full length of the pail, means to deliver drying air to the exterior of each pail on the mandrel along the entire length of the mandrel, and an automatic cycle initiating and terminating control element near the mandrel operated by placement of each pail on the mandrel and removal of each pail from the mandrel.

19. A pail washing machine as defined in claim 18, and an automatic cycle control circuit including said control element and further including timer means to regulate movements of said washing implement and the activation and de-activation of the means to deliver pail washing liquid and drying air.