Case washing machine

Claim 2

In a system for washing bottle cases and cartons, a substantially closed washing area, means in said washing area for applying scouring jets of wash fluid to a center portion thereof; a substantially closed rinsing area, means for directing a rinse spray toward a central portion thereof, means for transporting bottle cases and cartons and such containers into said washing area and through said central portion thereof that include moving fingers operating in conjunction with slide guides, said slide guides supporting the containers during passage of the containers through the washing system while said moving fingers move the containers through said system, means for transporting said containers from said washing area to said rinsing area that include a rotatable reversing platform operating in conjunction with said moving fingers by which containers are transported from said washing area to said rinsing area, and means for transporting said containers through said rinsing area that include slide guides operating in conjunction with said moving fingers.

Claim 3

In a washing machine for washing and rinsing bottle containers, cases, cartons and the like, a washing area, said washing area being substantially enclosed from the outside atmosphere, a rinsing area, said rinsing area being substantially enclosed from the outside atmosphere, said washing and rinsing areas being in a back-to-back position and on opposite sides of a rigid and immovable partition member, a transport means for moving said containers through and between said washing and rinsing areas that comprises a series of guide slides, said guide slides defining a passageway having a vertical cross-section of generally U-shape with the bottom portion of said U-shape being flat and with said U-shape cross-section being inclined toward said partition, transport means operating in conjunction with said guide slides for propelling said containers therealong, said transport means including flexible moving fingers protruding through said U-shaped passageway along the side thereof adjacent to said partition and means for powering said movable fingers to move containers through said machine, and means for supplying jets of washing fluid to containers located in said washing area and for supplying rinsing spray to the containers located in said rinsing area.

Claim 4

In a washing machine for washing and rinsing bottle containers, cases, cartons and the like, a washing area, said washing area being substantially enclosed from the outside atmosphere, a rinsing area, said rinsing area being substantially enclosed from the outside atmosphere, said washing and rinsing areas being in a back-to-back position and on opposite sides of a rigid and immovable partition member, a transport means for moving said containers through and between said washing and rinsing areas that comprises a series of guide slides, said guide slides defining a passageway having a vertical cross-section of generally U-shape with the bottom portion of said U-shape being flat and with said U-shape cross-section being inclined toward said partition, transport means operating in conjunction with said guide slides for propelling said containers therealong, said transport means including flexible moving fingers protruding through said U-shaped passageway along the side thereof adjacent to said partition and means for powering said movable fingers to move containers through said machine, and means for supplying jets of washing fluid to containers located in said washing area and for supplying rinsing spray to the containers located in said rinsing area.

Claim 5

A washing system for washing and rinsing rigid and reusable bottle cases, containers and the like that includes a washing area, means within said washing area for supplying jets of scouring washing fluid to containers passing therethrough, a rinsing area, means within said rinsing area for applying a rinse spray to containers passing therethrough, said washing and rinsiNg areas spaced on opposite sides of a rigid solid partition member, a movable finger transport means having movable fingers adapted for flexibly contacting said containers, said fingers moving in a path through and between said washing and rinsing areas, a plurality of slide guides arranged and spaced in relationship to one another to define a passageway through said washing area having a generally U-shaped vertical cross-section, a similar series of slide guides similarly arranged extending through said rinse area, a reversing platform located at one end of said partition member and extending at the outer circumference thereof from the washing area to the rinsing area, said platform positioned to receive containers from the washing area and to deliver them to the rinsing area.

Claim 6

A washing system for washing and rinsing rigid and reusable bottle cases, containers and the like that includes a washing area, means within said washing area for supplying jets of scouring washing fluid to containers passing therethrough, a rinsing area, means within said rinsing area for applying a rinse spray to containers passing therethrough, said washing and rinsiNg areas spaced on opposite sides of a rigid solid partition member, a movable finger transport means having movable fingers adapted for flexibly contacting said containers, said fingers moving in a path through and between said washing and rinsing areas, a plurality of slide guides arranged and spaced in relationship to one another to define a passageway through said washing area having a generally U-shaped vertical cross-section, a similar series of slide guides similarly arranged extending through said rinse area, a reversing platform located at one end of said partition member and extending at the outer circumference thereof from the washing area to the rinsing area, said platform positioned to receive containers from the washing area and to deliver them to the rinsing area.

Claim 7

The washing system of claim 3 which includes a table loading and transport for receiving containers as from a conveyor and for rotating and transporting them to adjacent a portion of said flexible-finger transport system, said flexible fingers of said transport system being flexible so as to yield upon interference with a divider or other portion of said container.

Claim 8

The washing system of claim 4, supra, which includes an automatic control system that comprises a timer, means interconnecting said timer and a power operation means for said table orientation and transport, a switch located on said table to sense the presence of a container, so that said table orientation and transport member will be caused to operate at regular intervals so long as containers are supplied thereto as from a conveyor.

Claim 9

In a washing system for bottle cases and cartons, a central rigid and solid partition, washing area on one side of said partition, a plurality of jet nozzles spaced from one another within said washing area, conduit and supply means for supplying washing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause scouring jets of washing fluid to be directed to a central portion of said washing area, a rinsing area on the other side of said partition, a plurality of spray nozzles spaced from one another within said rinsing area, conduit and rinse supply means for supplying rinsing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause a supply of rinse spray to be directed to a central portion of said rinse area, transport means for moving cases and cartons sequentially through said washing and rinsing areas within a guide channel, said guide channel having a generally flat bottomed U-shape in vertical section and extending through said washing area, between said washing area and said rinsing area, and through said rinsing area, said guide channel being defined in said washing and rinsing areas by a plurality of laterally spaced slide rods, the slide rods on at least one vertical side portion of the U-shaped guide channel being carried by support members being adjustable in direction perpendicular to said side of the guide channel so as to permit adjustment in the width of said guide channel and said guide channel being defined in the area between said washing and rinsing areas on a bottom portion thereof by a reversing platform that extends and rotates between the bottom portions of the guide channel in the washing and rinsing areas and along one vertical side portion thereof by a plurality of interspaced slide rods carried by support members adjustable in a direction perpendicular to a plane tangent to the guide channel, and means for powering said reversing platform to cause said rotation.

Claim 10

In a washing system for bottle cases and cartons, a central rigid and solid partition, washing area on one side of said partition, a plurality of jet nozzles spaced from one another within said washing area, conduit and supply means for supplying washing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause scouring jets of washing fluid to be directed to a central portion of said washing area, a rinsing area on the other side of said partition, a plurality of spray nozzles spaced from one another within said rinsing area, conduit and rinse supply means for supplying rinsing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause a supply of rinse spray to be directed to a central portion of said rinse area, transport means for moving cases and cartons sequentially through said washing and rinsing areas within a guide channel, said guide channel having a generally flat bottomed U-shape in vertical section and extending through said washing area, between said washing area and said rinsing area, and through said rinsing area, said guide channel being defined in said washing and rinsing areas by a plurality of laterally spaced slide rods, the slide rods on at least one vertical side portion of the U-shaped guide channel being carried by support members being adjustable in direction perpendicular to said side of the guide channel so as to permit adjustment in the width of said guide channel and said guide channel being defined in the area between said washing and rinsing areas on a bottom portion thereof by a reversing platform that extends and rotates between the bottom portions of the guide channel in the washing and rinsing areas and along one vertical side portion thereof by a plurality of interspaced slide rods carried by support members adjustable in a direction perpendicular to a plane tangent to the guide channel, and means for powering said reversing platform to cause said rotation.

Claim 11

The washing system of claim 6, supra, in which said slide rod support members are resilient and yieldable in a direction perpendicular to a side of said U-shaped guide and channel.

Claim 12

In a washing system for bottle containers such as cases and cartons, a generally central partition, a washing area on one side of said partition, a plurality of jet nozzles spaced from one another within said washing area, conduit and supply means for supplying washing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause scouring jets of washing fluid to Be directed to an area extending generally through the center portion of said washing area, a rinsing area on the other side of said partition, a plurality of spray nozzles spaced from one another within said rinsing area, conduit and rinse supply means for supplying rinsing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause a supply of rinse spray to be directed to an area extending through a generally central portion of said rinse area, transport means for moving cases and cartons sequentially through said washing and rinsing areas within a guide channel, said guide channel having a generally flat bottom U-shape in vertical section and extending through said washing area, between said washing area and said rinsing area, and through said rinsing area, said slide channel being defined in the area between said washing and rinsing areas along a bottom portion thereof by a reversing platform that extends and rotates between the bottom portions of the guide channel in the washing and rinsing areas, said reversing platform having an average linear speed throughout the said bottom portion of the U-shaped guide channel in excess of the linear speed of the said transport means for moving containers through the washing and rinsing areas so as to provide separation between the containers on the reversing platform.

Claim 13

In a washing system for bottle containers such as cases and cartons, a generally central partition, a washing area on one side of said partition, a plurality of jet nozzles spaced from one another within said washing area, conduit and supply means for supplying washing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause scouring jets of washing fluid to Be directed to an area extending generally through the center portion of said washing area, a rinsing area on the other side of said partition, a plurality of spray nozzles spaced from one another within said rinsing area, conduit and rinse supply means for supplying rinsing fluid to said nozzles so as to cause a supply of rinse spray to be directed to an area extending through a generally central portion of said rinse area, transport means for moving cases and cartons sequentially through said washing and rinsing areas within a guide channel, said guide channel having a generally flat bottom U-shape in vertical section and extending through said washing area, between said washing area and said rinsing area, and through said rinsing area, said slide channel being defined in the area between said washing and rinsing areas along a bottom portion thereof by a reversing platform that extends and rotates between the bottom portions of the guide channel in the washing and rinsing areas, said reversing platform having an average linear speed throughout the said bottom portion of the U-shaped guide channel in excess of the linear speed of the said transport means for moving containers through the washing and rinsing areas so as to provide separation between the containers on the reversing platform.