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US 4,051,805 AGranted
Can washing and coating system
AssigneeAmchem Products, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Waldrum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeAmchem Products, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Waldrum
Estimating the term…
A system for cleaning, rinsing, coating and drying cans having a circular side wall and a closed end wall at a high rate of speed as the cans emerge from the apparatus by which they are formed. The system basically comprises a washing stage, at least one rinsing stage and a drying stage, with one or more coating stages provided if desired. Each stage is housed in its respective housing and having a can entrance location and a can exit location, with the exit location of one stage being connected to the entrance location of the next succeeding stage by conveyor means. The stages are of a generally similar construction and basically comprise a carrier assembly disposed within the housing for receipt of the formed cans. The carrier rotates about a main longitudinal axis for carrying the cans from the entrance location to the exit location through a circular orbit and in planetary motion, wherein the cans are rotated about their own longitudinal axis as they orbit about the main longitudinal axis of the housing. Reciprocating spray means are provided to reciprocate into and out of the cans as they orbit to spray the interior of the cans while stationary spray means disposed adjacent to the orbit path spray the closed end of the cans as they orbit. Other rotating spray means is disposed about the main longitudinal axis of the housing to radially direct spray at the circular outside walls of the cans as they orbit.
Apparatus for spraying the surface of a plurality of open, cylindrical containers with a fluid at a high rate of speed, each of said containers having a side wall encircling the longitudinal axis of the container and an end wall at one end of said side wall, said apparatus comprising an enclosed housing, hollow carrier means disposed within said housing for receipt of said containers, a stationary raceway disposed about the periphery of said carrier means, said carrier means being rotatable about a first axis for carrying said containers from an inlet location in said housing through a circular orbit about said first axis to an outlet location in said housing, said containers making contact with said raceway to cause said containers to rotate on their respective axes as they move along said orbit, first spraying means including plural heads for spraying a fluid therefrom, each of said heads arranged to reciprocate into and out of a respective one of said open containers as said containers traverse said orbit to spray the interior surface of said side wall and said end wall, second spraying means mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said fluid in a radial direction with respect to said first axis and along a major portion thereof to spray the exterior surface of said side wall and third spraying means stationarily mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said fluid along a portion of the length of said orbit to spray the exterior surface of said end wall.
A system for treating the surface of a plurality of cans at a high rate of speed, each of said cans having a circular side wall encircling the longitudinal axis of the cans and an end wall at one end of the side wall, comprising first washing means for washing the interior and exterior surfaces of said cans, said first washing means comprising a housing, carrier means disposed within said housing for receipt of said cans and for carrying said cans from an inlet location in said housing through a circular orbit about a first axis to an outlet location in said housing, said cans rotating on their respective axes as they move along said orbit and first spraying means including plural spray heads for spraying a washing liquid therefrom, each head arranged to reciprocate into and out of said open containers as said containers traverse said orbit for washing the interior surface of said side wall and said end wall and second spraying means mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said washing liquid in a radial direction with respect to said axis for washing the exterior surface of said side wall and third spraying means stationarily mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said washing liquid along a portion of the length of said orbit to wash the exterior surface of said end wall, first conveyor means for carrying washed cans from said exit location of said first washing means to first rinsing means for rinsing the washed interior and exterior surfaces of said cans, said first rinsing means comprising a housing, carrier means disposed within said housing for receipt of said cans and for carrying said cans from an inlet location in said housing through a circular orbit about a first axis to an outlet location in said housing, said cans rotating on their respective axes as they move along said orbit, first spraying means including plural spray heads for spraying a rinsing liquid therefrom, each head arranged to reciprocate into and out of said open cans as said cans traverse said orbit for rinsing the interior surface of said side wall and said end wall, second spraying means mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said washing liquid in a radial direction with respect to said axis for rinsing the exterior surface of said side wall and third spraying means stationarily mounted within said housing and arranged to spray said rinsing liquid along a portion of the length of said orbit to rinse the exterior surface of said end wall and second conveyor means for carrying rinsed cans from the exit location of said first rinsing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.