US RE31,203 E · Apparatus for cleaning inside and outside surfaces of containers

Abstract

Apparatus for cleaning open-mouthed cylindrical containers has a plurality of pot assemblies mounted on a turntable rotatable to move each pot assembly past an unloading station for discharge of containers from the pot assemblies and a loading station for insertion of containers into the pot assemblies. Each pot assembly comprises a body co-operating with a lid to define a cavity for reception of a container, the cavity having a shape corresponding approximately to that of the container and having a size such that the container subdivides the cavity into two chambers in which the walls of the cavity are spaced close to the inside and outside surfaces of the container. Cam rollers on each pot assembly co-operate with cam tracks, upon rotation of the turntable, to open the lid immediately prior to passage past the unloading station and to close the lid immediately after passage past the loading station. During passage between the loading and unloading stations cleaning liquid is circulated through the chambers, the liquid flowing along the inside and outside surface of the container to clean the surfaces. The liquid flows at high speed due to the small volume of the chambers. Rinsing water is then circulated through the chambers, and finally drying fluid to dry the container before discharge at the unloading station.

Claims28

Dependent claims

Apparatus for cleaning an open-mouthed container of a given size, comprising at least one pot assembly having a core, a shell and a lid defining a cavity for reception of the container, the cavity having walls and the lid being movable into an open position to permit introduction of the container into the cavity;

container centering means in form of a plurality of fins on at least one of said walls of said cavity, said fins having chamfered ends adapted to engage the mouth of the container in the cavity and the cavity having a shape corresponding approximately to that of the container and a size such that the container subdivides the cavity into two chambers in which the walls of the cavity are spaced close to the inside and outside surfaces of the container;
and conduit means for passing cleaning fluid through said chambers so that the cleaning fluid fills the chambers and flows along the inside and outside surface of the container.

Apparatus for cleaning open-mouthed containers of a given size, the apparatus comprising a frame;

a turret rotatably mounted on said frame;
a plurality of pot assemblies supported on the turret, each pot assembly having a core, a shell, and a lid co-operating with said core and shell to define a cavity for reception of one of said containers and said cavity having at least one wall;
means for centering the container in the cavity, the cavity having a shape corresponding approximately to that of the container and a size such that the container therein subdivides the cavity into two chambers in which the wall of the cavity is spaced close to the inside and outside surface of the container, and conduit means for passing cleaning fluid through said chambers so that the cleaning fluid fills the chambers and flows along the inside and outside surfaces of the container, drive means operable to rotate the turret so that each pot assembly passes in succession past a container unloading station and a container loading station, lid control means operable to move the lid of each pot assembly into an open position immediately prior to passage of the pot assembly past said unloading station to permit ejection of a cleaned container at said unloading station and introduction of a container to be cleaned into the cavity of the pot assembly at said loading station, said lid control means also being operable to move the lid of each pot assembly into a closed position immediately after passage of the pot assembly past said loading station, and valve means for regulating flow of fluid through said conduit means and chambers only during passage of each pot assembly between said loading station and said unloading station.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for cleaning inside and outside surfaces of containers

Life of this patent

Apparatus for cleaning inside and outside surfaces of containers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28