Parts cleaning machine

• US 5,398,708 A
• Filed: 04/16/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morris W. Sheldon
• Original Assignee: Morris W. Sheldon
• Inventors: Sheldon, Morris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/048,764
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 134/60, 134/86, 134/88, 134/89, 134/90, 134/91, 134/92, 134/105, 134/111, 134/115 R, 134/104.4, 134/108, 134/153
• US Class Current: 134/86
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/006 Cabinets or cupboards specially adapted for cleaning articles by hand
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/022 Cleaning travelling work B08B3/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/06 using perforated drums in which the article or material is placed B08B3/042 takes precedence

Abstract

A parts cleaning machine (10) is provided which includes a cabinet (50) with a rotating carousel (60) therein for supporting articles to be cleaned and a spray bar network (80) for directing cleaning fluid (F) against articles supported upon the carousel (60). The carousel (60) is enclosed within the cabinet (50). A sink (100) is also provided which receives fluid (F) from a line (126) which taps into the spray bar network (80) to utilize cleaning fluid (F) provided by a fluid delivery system (250). The cabinet (50) includes a reservoir (90) at a bottom thereof which collects cleaning fluid (F) utilized by the spray bar network (80) and utilized within the sink (100). A filter (150) processes water from the reservoir (90) to remove contaminants from the cleaning fluid (F). The parts cleaning machine (10) can simultaneously wash articles within the cabinet (50) and within the sink (100).

Claims

1. A device for removing surface contaminants from articles comprising in combination:

a cabinet having an interior receiving the articles, said cabinet including means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid to clean the articles;

a sink having a basin for supporting articles and a means for manually delivering said cleaning fluid to clean the articles; and

a reservoir operatively coupled to both said sink and said cabinet, said reservoir capturing said cleaning fluid after use within said cabinet and after use within said sink, said reservoir including means to provide cleaning fluid such that cleaning fluid is recycled from said reservoir for reuse.

2. The device of claim 1 including a filter operatively coupled to the device such that the cleaning fluid cycles through the filter removing contaminants from the fluid.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein said reservoir includes an inlet means on said reservoir to receive cleaning fluid from said delivery means and an outlet on said reservoir to direct cleaning fluid to said delivery means, such that the cleaning fluid is maintained within a closed system.

3. A device for removing surface contaminants from articles comprising in combination:

a cabinet having an interior receiving the articles, said cabinet including means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid to clean the articles;

a sink having a basin for supporting articles and a means for manually devlivering said cleaning fluid to clean the articles; and

a reservoir operatively coupled to both said sink and said cabinet, said reservoir capturing said cleaning fluid after use within said cabinet and after use within said sink,

wherein said device includes a filter operatively coupled to the device such that the cleaning fluid cycles through the filter removing contaminants from the fluid, and

wherein said reservoir provides cleaning fluid to said means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid and said means for manually delivering said cleaning fluid such that cleaning fluid utilized within said cabinet and said sink is recycled from said reservoir for reuse.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said manual fluid delivery means is supplied with fluid by operation of a valve interposed within said automatic fluid delivery means.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said filter has an input coupled to said reservoir and an output coupled to said reservoir, said filter including a pump for forcing fluid flow through said filter.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein said reservoir includes an access portal, said access portal having a skimmer disc therein partially submerged within the fluid held within the reservoir, said skimmer disc having a scraper abutting thereagainst on opposite side surfaces thereof, such that upon rotation of said skimmer disc contaminants within the reservoir and adhering to the disc are brought out of the reservoir, scraped off of the disc by the scrapers and removed from the reservoir.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein said cabinet includes a rotating carousel therein, the carousel rotating in a substantially horizontal plane, said cabinet including a door which closes said cabinet such that the carousel resides within a closed environment with said means for automatically delivery cleaning fluid oriented to provide the cleaning fluid within said interior of the cabinet, said cabinet in fluid communication with the reservoir at a lower portion of the cabinet below the carousel.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said reservoir includes heating means, whereby fluid within the reservoir is heated for more effective cleaning;

wherein said carousel is rotated by a carousel motor;

wherein said means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid is a network of spray bars comprised of substantially tubular structures with a plurality of small orifices therein, the spray bars and said orifices oriented such that fluid within the spray bars is ejected out of the orifices and toward an article resting upon the carousel, said spray bars in fluid communication with the outlet of a pump which receives fluid from the reservoir, said pump supplying fluid to the spray bars is controlled by a spray bar motor; and

wherein the carousel motor and spray bar motor are coupled to a timer whereby the operation of the cabinet is terminated upon the elapsing of a specified amount of time programmed into said timer, thereby stopping flow of fluid through the spray bars and rotation of the carousel simultaneously.

9. The device of claim 3 wherein said means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid is a network of spray bars comprised of substantially tubular structures with a plurality of small orifices therein, the spray bars and said orifices oriented such that fluid within the spray bars is ejected out of the orifices and toward an article resting upon the carousel, said spray bars in fluid communication with the outlet of a pump which receives fluid from the reservoir.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said means for manually delivering cleaning fluid is a fluid supply tube receiving fluid through a valve interposed within the spray bars of the automatic fluid delivery means and with an end of the tube distant from the valve having an outlet nozzle thereon, the outlet nozzle including a handle for easy grasping by a user and a plurality of bristles at a tip thereof through which the cleaning fluid passes, said tube supported above the sink by passing through a brush support hole located in a back splash of the sink;

whereby a user can manually apply fluid to a part to be cleaned and utilize the bristles of the nozzle to further encourage the removing of contaminants from the article.

11. A device for removing surface contaminants from articles comprising, in combination:

a cabinet having an interior receiving the articles, said cabinet including means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid to clean the articles;

a sink having a basin for supporting articles and a means for manually delivering said cleaning fluid to clean the articles; and

a reservoir operatively coupled to said cabinet, said reservoir capturing said cleaning fluid after use within said cabinet,

said reservoir including means to provide cleaning fluid to said means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid such that cleaning fluid is recycled from said reservoir for reuse, and

wherein a fluid coupling means is interposed between said reservoir and said sink, such that said reservoir can capture cleaning fluid after use within said sink, said reservoir including means to provide cleaning fluid to said means for manually delivering said cleaning fluid such that cleaning fluid utilized within said cabinet and said sink is recycled from said reservoir for reuse.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said manual fluid delivery means is supplied with fluid by operation of a valve interposed within said automatic fluid delivery means.

13. The device of claim 12 including a filter operatively coupled to the device such that the cleaning fluid cycles through said filter removing contaminants from the fluid.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said filter has an input coupled to said reservoir and an output coupled to said reservoir, said filter including a pump forcing fluid flow through said filter.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said reservoir includes an access portal, said access portal having a skimmer disc therein partially submerged within the fluid held within the reservoir, said skimmer disc having a scraper abutting thereagainst on opposite side surfaces thereof, such that upon rotation of said skimmer disc contaminants within said reservoir and adhering to said disc are brought out of said reservoir, scraped off of said disc by said scrapers and removed from said reservoir.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said cabinet includes a rotating carousel therein, the carousel rotating in a substantially horizontal plane, said cabinet including a door which closes said cabinet such that the carousel resides within a closed environment with said means for automatically delivery cleaning fluid oriented to provide the cleaning fluid within said interior of said cabinet, said cabinet in fluid communication with said reservoir at a lower portion of said cabinet below said carousel.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said means for automatically delivering cleaning fluid is a network of spray bars comprised of substantially tubular structures with a plurality of small orifices therein, said spray bars and said orifices oriented such that fluid within said spray bars is ejected out of said orifices and toward an article resting upon said carousel, said spray bars in fluid communication with the outlet of a pump which receives fluid from said reservoir.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said means for manually delivering cleaning fluid is a fluid supply tube receiving fluid through a valve interposed within said spray bars of the automatic fluid delivery means and with an end of said tube distant from said valve having an outlet nozzle thereon, said outlet nozzle including a handle for easy grasping by a user and a plurality of bristles at a tip thereof through which the cleaning fluid passes, said tube supported above said sink by passing through a brush support hole located in a back splash of said sink;

whereby a user can manually apply fluid to a part to be cleaned and utilize said bristles of said nozzle to further encourage the removing of contaminants from the article, and

wherein said reservoir includes heating means, whereby fluid within said reservoir is heated for more effective cleaning;

wherein said carousel is rotated by a carousel motor;

wherein said pump supplying fluid to said spray bars is controlled by a spray bar motor; and

wherein said carousel motor and said spray bar motor are coupled to a timer whereby the operation of said cabinet is terminated upon the elapsing of a specified amount of time programmed into said timer, thereby stopping flow of fluid through said spray bars and rotation of said carousel simultaneously.