Container washing apparatus
AssigneeBarry-Wehmiller Company
InventorMomir Babunovic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for forceably flushing labels from containers being conveyed in pockets through a container washing machine, and a system of fluid flow in the apparatus for extracting the flushed out labels from the washing solution so the latter solution may be recirculated to repeat the flushing cycle. The fluid flow system is arranged to operate in a manner that will conserve energy without impairing the effectiveness of the flushing action.
Claims11
Container washing apparatus comprising a washing solution containing compartment, container carrier conveyor means operable to carry containers in a loop path which is directed downwardly and then upwardly through said compartment, imperforate guide means in said compartment in position to be engaged by the containers in the downward and upward travel, said guide means being interrupted at a zone above the bottom of the loop path where said carrier conveyor and the containers will transverse the interruption, nozzle means disposed adjacent to said interruption in said guide means to deliver a flow of fluid to pass over the containers and through said carrier conveyor for flushing labels therefrom, a pump outside of said compartment having an outlet connected to said nozzle means and an inlet connected into said compartment to receive washing solution from said compartment and circulate it through said nozzle means back to said compartment, filter means submerged in said compartment and located to cover said pump inlet connection into said compartment, said filter means operating to exclude labels from the washing solution drawn in by said pump and a branch connection from said pump outlet extending into said filter means to return filtered washing solution to said filter means to flush labels therefrom.
Container washing apparatus comprising:
- a washing solution containing compartment open at the top;
- a label collecting trough spaced above the bottom of said compartment;
- imperforate sheets extending upwardly in said compartment from said trough and being arranged in spaced relation to guide labels toward said trough;
- one of said sheets being interrupted below the top of said compartment to form an opening into the space between said sheets;
- container conveying means movable into and out of said compartment along the outside of said sheets and around the underside of said trough, said containers traversing said interruption in said one sheet;
- passage means opening from opposite ends of said trough into the bottom of said compartment below said trough;
- first label flushing nozzle means disposed adjacent said interruption to direct a stream of washing solution over the containers to carry the labels into the space between said sheets;
- second label flushing nozzle means in said trough in spaced and opposed relation;
- washing solution circulating means connected from an intake in the space between said sheets to said first and second label flushing nozzle means;
- and baffle means in said trough in position to separate the opposing streams from said second label flushing nozzle means, whereby the labels entrained by the circulating washing solution are prevented from colliding and move through said passage means to the bottom of said compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.