Method and apparatus for cleaning machined parts

Mechanized method of cleaning machined parts in a series of dips into solvent or solvent vapor baths at respective dip stations by means of apparatus comprising a dip basket for each station equipped with rails for holding said parts in the basket and means for lowering and raising the basket and for agitating the same while at a dip station and also comprising sections of fixed rail means respectively located between successive pairs of said dip stations and at loading and unloading stations for interconnecting the basket rails in a raised position of the baskets to form a track for transferring said parts into and out of said baskets, said method comprising the steps of:

• loading a predetermined number of said parts on a first section of said fixed rail means at said loading station;
• advancing said parts, while said baskets are in said raised position so as to transfer said loaded parts at said loading station to a first basket of said baskets which is adjacent to said loading station, to transfer also the contents of each basket, except the last along said track, to the next basket along said track and to transfer the contents of said last basket to one of said fixed rail sections which is at said unloading station;
• lowering said baskets into said baths and exposing said parts in said baskets to cleaning action in said baths;
• raising said baskets from said baths to said raised position thereof, and
• repeating the foregoing steps a plurality of times, the repetition of said loading step being performed prior to the step of raising said baskets in the previous cycle.

Apparatus for mechanized cleaning of machined parts by means of successive dips of said parts into solvent or solvent vapor baths at a succession of dipped stations, comprising:

• a plurality of containers, open at the top thereof, suitable for containing an organic liquid solvent and disposed in a row;
• a corresponding plurality of rigid baskets for containing batches of said parts, each of said baskets having rail-like guides enclosing spaces for holding said parts therein in positions exposed to vapor or liquid surrounding the basket, said guides being oriented in lines parallel to the row formed by said containers, said guides of the several baskets being aligned with the guides of the corresponding baskets and being shaped so that said parts may be shifted there along;
• means for supporting said baskets and for raising and lowering said baskets together between respective first positions within the respective containers and second positions above said containers at the same level thereabove;
• intermediate guide sections for interconnecting in a continuous track said guides of said baskets when said baskets are in said second positions thereof;
• loading and unloading guide sections in fixed position aligned with said guides of said baskets when said baskets are in said second position thereof;
• means for barring said guides of said baskets near the extremities of said guides just before actuation of said means for lowering said baskets, for preventing said parts from sliding out of said baskets when said baskets are not in their said second positions;
• means for unbarring said guides just after said baskets reach said second positions, and
• means for advancing equal batches of said parts simultaneously from said loading guide into a first basket of said row of baskets, from each of said baskets except a last basket in the row thereof to the next basket in said row, and from said last basket in said row to said unloading guide.