US2556389A - Container brushing machine - Google Patents

Description

June 12A, 1951 A F, DARRAH 2,556,389

CONTAINER BRUSHING MACHINE Inventor Arthur E Darrah /////////////////////////////////////1/11 41mss\\\\\\\\\\m\\\\\\\\\\w A. F. DARRAH CONTAINER BRUSHING MACHINE June 12, .1.951

2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, '1949 Nm hv Inventor Armar E Darm/7 entire area of the bottom is Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CONTAINER BRUSHING MACHINE Arthur F. Darrah, Rochester, Vt.

Application August 3, 1949, Serial No. 108,285

3 Claims. f (Cl. 15-72) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in structural refinements in brushing machines for containers such as buckets, etc., and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate cleaning of the interior of such containers, particularly, the bottom of such containers, this being effected in a highly convenient, expeditious manner.

In particular, the instant invention concerns itself with certain improvements in the device which constitutes the subject matter of my copending application, Serial Number 55,796, filed on October 27, 1948, dealing generally with a device of this type. Thus, this application is a continuation-in-part'of my earlier application above identified. However, while the device disclosed in my earlier application is well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended, I found that the same lends itself to certain improvements, particularly in the means for brushing the interior of the bottom of containers, and the primary feature of the apparatus herein disclosed, therefore, resides in the specific structural arrangement of my improved means for brushing the container bottom in such manner that the contacted by the scrubbing brush unit.

Some of the advantages of the invention, as in my previous device, lie in its simplicity of conlstruction, in its convenient and expeditious operation, and in its adaptability to use on containers of different sizes and types.

With the above more important objects and features in View and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2 2 in Figure l, and, showing the brushes in their extended position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but showing the brushes retracted;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional detail, taken Substantially in the plane of the line 4 4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of line 5 5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a brush holder used in the invention; and,

Figure 7 is a perspective View of one of the brush sections or members used therein.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the general reference character l0 designates a container brushing machine such as is generally disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application, the same embodying in its construction a tube i2 which is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing I4 and is rotated in any convenient manner.

A shaft I8 is slidably positioned in the tube l2, sliding thereof being effected by means of a pivoted lever 2G which operatively engages a bearing unit 22 provided with diametrically projecting trunnions 2li, as is shown in Figure l. That is to say, the trunnions 24 of the bearing 22 are disposed in suitable slots 26 formed in a forked end portion of the lever 2&1, so that by simply moving the lever from the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 to the position shown by the dotted lines 28, the shaft i8 may be slid in the tube I 2 from left to right and vice versa.

Pairs of brackets 30 are welded or otherwise secured to an intermediate portion of the tube I2 and a set of bell cranks 32 are pivoted as at 34 to these brackets, the bell cranks 32 carrying at one end thereof suitable pivotally mounted brushes 36 adapted to scrub the inner surface of the side wall of the container, while the remaining ends of the bell cranks are operatively connected by means of pivoted links 38 to a pair of trunnions 40 which are provided at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft I8 and are slidable in longitudinally extending slots i2 with which the intermediate portion of the tube l2 is formed. It will be apparent from the foregoing that by simply imparting rotation to the tube l2 and sliding the shaft I8 so that the lever 28 occupies the position indicated at 28, the brushes 3G will be pressed outwardly from the tube l2 into engagement with the side wall of the container, the latter being indicated at t4.

The structure as above described is very similar to that disclosed in my earlier, co-pending application, and the instant invention deals with improved means for scrubbing the inner surface of the bottom 46 of the container 411, which means will now be described.

These means involve the provisions of a brush unit designated generally by the reference character 48, consisting of a channel-shaped holder 56), best shown in Figure 6, which has secured to the center portion thereof a cylindrical shank 52, slidable in and projectable outwardly from the free end portion of the aforementioned tube I2. To assure simultaneous rotation of the brush member 8 with the tube I2, a diametrically eX- tending pin 54 is provided on the shank I8 and is slidable in a pair of slots 56 provided in the tube, while an additional pin 58 extends transversely of the tube and is slidable in a pair of slots 66 with which the shank 52 is formed. A compression spring 62 is positioned between the shank and the tube, one end of the Vspring bearing against the pin vEll while the remaining end thereof bears against the pin 58, whereby the brush assembly 48 is urged in engagement with the bottom 46 of the container 44.

The brush unit i5 also includes a `pair of brush sections 64, equipped with individual, vchannelshaped holders 66, which are juxtaposed and slidable in the holder 56, as will lbe Y'clearly apparent. The holders 66 or the brush sections v6d are equipped with suitable studs 63 which are slidable in pairs of slots i6 with which the holder 350 is formed, the studs or screws 68 extending through the brush sections 6s as well `as through the holders 6%, 5D, so that the brush sections are not only retained in position in the respective holders 66, but so that the brush sections, including the holders 65, are retained in position in the holder A pair of iieXible cables i2 are connected at one end to the aforementioned trunnions di), while the remaining end of each cable is connected to one of the studs 6B of the respective brush sections te, it being noted that the cables l2 pass around suitable guide pulleys 'is which are mounted on the holder d6. These pulleys are so arranged that the cables i2 extend to opposite sides of the tube i2, it being apparent from the foregoing that when the apparatus is in operation and the shaft i3 is slid in the tube i2 so as to engage the brushes 36 with the side walls of the container, the cables 'i2 will be drawn Vin the direction of the arrow .78 (see Figure l) and the brush sections will be slid in relatively opposite directions, outwardly from the holder 56, so that they span the entire Vdiameter of the container bottom d6.

However, means are provided for retracting the Abrush sections 6ft after the lever 26 is actuated so as to draw the brushes toward the tube l2, these last mentioned means consisting of a pair of tension springs 8B, connected at one end to f,

studs 68 of the brush sections, while the remaining ends of the springs are anchored on suitable posts or detents 62 with which the holder 5B is provided.

.scription thereof at this point is deemed unneceSSaTY.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed Aas new is:

l. In a machine for brushing the interior of a cylindrical container, the combination of a rotatable tube, a plurality of outwardly and inwardly swingable levers pivoted to said tube, brushes mounted on said levers and adapted to engage `the side Wall of a container, a shaft slidable in said tube, trunnions secured to said shaft and projecting outwardly through longitudinally extending slots provided in said tube, links pivoted to said trunnions and to said levers whereby said brushes may be swung inwardly and outwardly by the sliding of said shaft, an additional brush -umt adapted to engage the bottom of a container and comprising a channel-shaped holder mounted transversely at one end of said tube, a `pair of juxtaposed brush sections slidable in opposite directions and projectable from opposite ends of said holders, resilient means for retracting said brush sections vinto the holder, and means responsive to the sliding of said shaft for projecting said brush sections.

2. The device as dened in claimv 1 wherein said last mentioned means include guide pulleys mounted on said holder, and exible elements passing around said pulleys and Yconnected at one end to said brush sections, the remaining ends of said lelements being connected to said trunnions.

3. rEhe device as deiined in claim l together with a spring pressed shank slidabie in yone end portion of said tube, said holder lbeing mounted on said shank.

ARTHUR F. DARRAH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,366 Roberts Oct. ll, 1887 1,240,860 Levy Sept. 25, 1917 .1,685,328 Kogler Sept. 25, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number `Country Date 336,067 France Feb. 26, 1904

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