Apparatus for washing oriented stoppers in a closed environment

Claim 1

An apparatus for washing position oriented stoppers in a closed environment while retaining the orientation of the stoppers, the apparatus comprising: a closed chamber; a chain conveyor located in the closed chamber for receiving position oriented stoppers, the chain conveyor including two spaced chain wheels, a chain passing over the chain wheels; and a plurality of dogs fixedly attached to at least some of the chain links, said chain conveyor defining curved portions around said chain wheels and straight portions interconnecting said curved portions; supply conveyor communicating with the closed chamber at a location of one of the chain wheels; a washing station located along one of the straight portions for washing the stoppers; and a closed delivery means in communication with the closed chamber at a location of the other chain wheel and adapted for receiving washed stoppers remaining in the oriented position; wherein said dogs are adapted for gripping stoppers, each stopper between two adjacent dogs, and carrying them along the straight portions of the chain conveyer, said dogs being adapted for moving away from each other together with the chain links while passing along the curved portions of said conveyor to allow receiving the stoppers from the supply conveyor in between the dogs, and further adapted for carrying the position oriented stoppers clamped between the dogs along the straight portion past said washing station and for releasing the grip and feeding the stoppers in the retained orientation to the delivery means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for washing position oriented stoppers in a closed environment while retaining the orientation of the stoppers, the apparatus comprising: a closed chamber; a chain conveyor located in the closed chamber for receiving position oriented stoppers, the chain conveyor including two spaced chain wheels, a chain passing over the chain wheels; and a plurality of dogs fixedly attached to at least some of the chain links, said chain conveyor defining curved portions around said chain wheels and straight portions interconnecting said curved portions; supply conveyor communicating with the closed chamber at a location of one of the chain wheels; a washing station located along one of the straight portions for washing the stoppers; and a closed delivery means in communication with the closed chamber at a location of the other chain wheel and adapted for receiving washed stoppers remaining in the oriented position; wherein said dogs are adapted for gripping stoppers, each stopper between two adjacent dogs, and carrying them along the straight portions of the chain conveyer, said dogs being adapted for moving away from each other together with the chain links while passing along the curved portions of said conveyor to allow receiving the stoppers from the supply conveyor in between the dogs, and further adapted for carrying the position oriented stoppers clamped between the dogs along the straight portion past said washing station and for releasing the grip and feeding the stoppers in the retained orientation to the delivery means.