Patent Application
20240326099
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for washing articles and more particularly relates to a combination sink washer and jet washer apparatus for washing articles such as automotive parts to remove grease, oil and other contaminants, preferably using a washing fluid which consists of a non-solvent based, non-flammable, biodegradable and environmentally acceptable washing solution.
Exemplary, parts washers, such as sinks, cabinets, and the like, are often used in machine shops, manufacturing, automotive transmission, and engine repair shops. Also used in cleaning are soak tanks. Soak tanks are vessels containing a solvent, such as a mixture of water and detergent, which may take hours to “soften” the built-up road grime, fluids, tars, and oils enough to be manually rinsed off prior to disassembly and repair. Heating the solution and brushing can aid in loosening dirt and grime.
Gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene were commonly used to clean and degrease parts. Later, chlorinated solvents used in vapor degreasers were common. Environmental concerns led to the banning of chlorinated solvents for parts cleaning, which lead back to aqueous-based cleaning systems, but with improvements. Hydraulic sprays may be used to improve the cleaning of parts by directing a pressurized solvent stream at a part from nozzles typically placed in fixed locations, as is the case in manufacturing, so that spray may applied where needed to effectuate cleaning.
Typically a parts washer may require a drive system to move various mechanical components like conveyors, pumps and the like. Such machinery through the use of such solvents, greases and oils being cleansed tends to broadcast, spray, or deposit slippery substances on the machine and over nearby surfaces. This may cause problems with mechanical linkages that may be used to drive various components by friction. Also, it may be advantageous to have a drive system that has a limited amount of slip built in so that if a device being driven jams that the device attempting to turn it does not burn out.
A common low cost drive mechanism with built in slip may be a drive belt and pulley system. However, in a slick environment the lubricating substances can foul the belt causing it to completely loose friction, and hence drive capability. A typical solution could be to use gears that engage each other directly. However, gears tend to be expensive to produce and require more precise alignment for proper engagement. Also, direct gears are unforgiving as there is no slip typically allowed between the driving gear and the gear being driven.
Another solution might be to use a drive chain and a toothed sprocket. However while low cost, no built in slip is allowed either.
It would be advantageous to have a parts washer with a drive system with limited slip that works in a slippery environment that contains fluids and other slippery substances, is inexpensive and has some built in slippage in the drive.
The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present example provides a parts washer which can be utilized as a parts washing sink and which can also be utilized as a jet wash having a drive system with limited slip by utilizing a minimum grip drive sprocket. A minimum grip drive sprocket having a knurled chain engagement surface rotably engages a drive chain typically in an environment exposed to a slick or lubricating medium allowing an acceptable degree of drive chain slip while maintaining rotation of the minimum grip drive socket.
Briefly, the present invention relates to a versatile parts washer which uses a water-based, biodegradable detergent solution for cleaning and degreasing mechanical parts such as automotive parts. The washer can be utilized both as a parts washing sink as well as a jet washer and is efficient to use and compact and economical to manufacture. The invention is a combination unit which provides the benefits of a sink washer and a jet washer in a single, compact, mobile unit requiring minimal shop floor space.
The washer has a sink, and a jet washer cabinet, which is preferably mobile, and is mounted on casters or wheels so it may easily be moved about in a shop. The cabinet may be any shape but is preferably square or rectangular and fabricated from steel suitably finished and insulated. The cabinet defines a sink, a reservoir, a mechanical enclosure and a jet washer compartment which contains electrical connections and other components. A heater may be provided for maintaining the washing solution at a suitable temperature for effective contaminant removal. Safety controls, such as a low water level heater shutoff sensor, is located within the housing.
In the Jet washer section a basket for receiving parts to be washed is located within the housing and mounted for rotation in suitable bearings. The basket is foraminous and is rotatably driven in the upper part of the cabinet either by a minimum grip drive sprocket having a knurled chain engagement surface that rotably engages a drive chain allowing an acceptable degree of drive chain slip while maintaining rotation of the minimum grip drive socket. The basket is disposed approximately 1″ to 14″ below the upper edge of the cabinet so that parts may be easily placed in the basket and removed once cleaned.
The pump has an inlet near the bottom of the housing which will deliver pressurized fluid to a manifold spray which directs pressurized fluid both vertically and horizontally for total coverage of the parts basket in the jet washer compartment.
The upper open end of the cabinet receives a parts sink which may be steel, stainless steel or other durable, chemical resistant material. The sink also serves as a lid or cover for the jet wash compartment in the cabinet. The sink is hinged to the cabinet so that it may be pivoted to the open position to access the interior of the cabinet. Preferably the sink is connected to the cabinet by a suitable mechanism such as a gas spring which will maintain the sink in the open position and dampen the return of the sink to the normal closed position overlying the cabinet.
The sink has a downwardly inclined bottom surface which directs fluid and contaminants to a central drain. The central drain discharges through a strainer. A baffle in the jet spray compartment deflects the jet spray so it does not discharge through the sink drain.
The present invention provides a versatile parts washer providing the combined features of both automatic and manual cleaning utilizing a water-based solution, or the like. In one mode of operation, the device is a portable parts washing sink. The cleaning solution is delivered to a brush via a hose and valve to regulate the flow. The parts washing sink can be utilized to clean smaller, less contaminated parts. The jet washer will normally be used to clean larger, more contaminated parts which makes the process more efficient. Small parts may also be washed and cleaned in the jet washer.
The parts can be automatically washed by pivoting the sink to the open position and placing the parts in the basket. The sink is closed to cover the cabinet compartment and the automatic cycle is initiated, causing cleaning solution to be sprayed from a manifold covering the parts in the cleaning basket.
Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.
The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.
The examples below describe a minimum grip sprocket drive system. Although the present examples are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in a parts cleaning system having a combined jet washer and a sink, the system described is provided as an example and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of parts washing systems in which the drive may be subjected to fouling by wet and/or slippery substances, such as separate sink washers, jet washers and the like.
The minimum grip drive sprocket is useful in applications where slippery substances are present that might foul, or cause complete loss of traction. The minimum grip drive sprocket may slip somewhat, but in general it continues to engage with a coupled drive chain-even when coated with slick and slippery substances. It is particularly useful as a cost effective drive system in low torque applications, and those where some slippage may be tolerated, as opposed to directly engaging gears, or a rubber belt that tend to foul and completely loose traction in a slippery environment.
One type of parts washer that may utilize a minimum grip sprocket is the sink-type washer which uses a recirculated solvent which dispenses a cleaning solution at a nozzle or brush. The user will simply scrub the part with the brush and the solvent will assist in removing contaminants. Sink-type parts washers, since they are manual, may be messy and time-consuming in use.
These devices may have a sink mounted on a housing which has a reservoir with an accessory such as a flow-through brush, spigot and drain strainer for catching parts. The parts are washed and the solvent flows through the drain into a fluid tank below the sink. A pump that may include a minimum grip sprocket may be used to advantageously move the solvent without jamming in a dirty environment.
Automatic jet washers are another type of parts washers. These type of devices have a cabinet in which is located a spray system connected to a pump for delivering pressurized cleaning solution. Such a pump may utilize a minimum grip sprocket as well to drive the pump as it tends to prevent excessive slippage and also prevent jamming of the pump in a dirty environment. A standard jet washer usually includes the cabinet, a basket or turntable on which the parts are to be cleaned and one or more spray manifolds.
Alternatively, a sink washer and a jet parts washer may be combined. In the example described below a combination jet washer and sink washer that utilizes a minimum grip sprocket drive system is described.
Turning now to the drawings, the parts washer of the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 and includes a lower cabinet generally designated by the numeral 12. The lower cabinet is shown as being generally square or rectangular in horizontal cross-section having front wall 14, rear wall 16 and opposite sidewalls 18 and 20. It will be apparent that the cabinet may be other shapes such as round.
The rear wall of the sink is hinged to the rear wall of the cabinet by spaced-apart butt-welded hinges 170. The hinges allow the sink to be pivoted to the open position shown in
A suitable closer 190 extends between the sink sidewall 138 and the upper end and at sidewall 20 of the cabinet. Although only one closer is shown, two may be used. The closer serves to maintain the sink in the generally vertical, open position, as seen in
The cabinet has a floor 22 and defines a chamber having jet cleaning chamber 25 in its upper end and a fluid reservoir 26 in its lower end. A vertical panel 28 extends between the front wall (14 of
The cabinet 12 may be fabricated from a suitable material such as a 12 gauge, rolled steel which is preferably insulated having a laminated insulative covering. A layer of fiberglass over the steel with a covering a sheet metal stitch-welded to the cabinets is a suitable material for this purpose. The cabinet may be mounted on casters 15 for mobility.
As best seen in
The conduit communicates with a spray manifold 47, 48, 4950A, 50B, 50C having upper horizontal section 47, lower horizontal section 48 and vertical section 49. The horizontal sections 47, 48 extend at least half way across the interior of the cabinet. A plurality of orifices 50B are positioned at spaced-apart locations in the vertical manifold section 49. Similarly, a plurality of spaced-apart orifices 50A and 50C are disposed in the horizontal sections 47, 48 of the spray manifold 47, 48, 49 and are disposed to deliver a jet spray upwardly, downwardly and horizontally. The combination of the vertically disposed spray and the horizontal disposed spray patterns will provide a substantially full coverage to insure adequate cleaning of the parts on the parts basket 60 as it rotates with contained parts.
The parts basket 60 is shown as being generally circular with a bottom 62 and a peripheral sidewall 64 of steel mesh or equivalent. Typically, the diameter of the basket is approximately 18″ to 24.″ A shaft 65 extends downwardly from the center of the bottom 62 of the basket 60 and is mounted in journal bearing 66 for rotation.
Rotation to the basket 60 in this first example of a basket rotation mechanism may be imparted by fluid flowing from the reservoir 26 into the pump inlet conduit 44. The conduit 44 is in close proximity to a plurality of vanes 70 arranged peripherally around the lower end of the shaft 65. The fluid flow passing the vanes 70 induced by the suction of the pump will cause the shaft 65 and basket 60 to rotate. However while allowing slippage in the drive system since a fluid flow is used to turn the shaft by fluid pressure on the vanes, this arrangement typically does not produce as much rotational torque to turn the basket as one that has direct contact with the shaft 65. However if the basket jams causing rotation to cease, the motor is not overtaxed since there is no direct connection between the motor in the pump and the shaft.
In a second example (Shown in
In a third example (Shown in
The third example of drive mechanism 900 is particularly well suited to oily and dirty environments. In the parts cleaner not only are slippery solvents present, but dirt and greasy substances from the cleaning process tend to be washed into the cleaning solution. This dirt and grease can also become deposited on the internal mechanisms of the washer interfering with the operation. In particular the dirt can build up between drive belts or chains and wheels and sprockets. This can cause slippage and even cause the belt to “jump off” of its sprocket or pulley. The third example of drive mechanism 900 is particularly immune to dirt build up over most other drive mechanisms. Around the outer edge of the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101, is a knurled (3103 of
In a fourth example (not shown) of a basket rotation mechanism basket rotation may be achieved by direct drive. A conventional gear motor with an internal clutch may be configured to drive the shaft 65. However the addition of a clutch tends to increase the cost of manufacture.
In use, the reservoir in the cabinet contains a suitable cleaning solution such as a water-based, non-flammable, biodegradable detergent as manufactured by Golden West and sold under the trademark Insta-Clean MB5. The effectiveness of the cleaning solution is enhanced by heating a solution to a suitable temperature, as for example 150. degree. F. Heating is accomplished by a heating element 90 which is shown as an electric resistance heating element (or equivalent) that extends into the reservoir 26 at a location above the floor of the cabinet. A thermostat 92 may be attached to wall 32 and the opening around the thermostat may be sealed. The thermostat may be connected to a source of electricity and controls the temperature of fluid within the reservoir.
In the sink 110 parts cleaning or washing fluid is directed to the sink through a flexible hose 175 which, at its distal end, terminates at a handle and brush assembly 178. The hose 175 is connected at a proximal end to the manifold 47, 48, 4950A, 50B, 50C so that pump 40 provides a flow of pressurized cleaning solution to the brush. The brush may be metal or a synthetic material. In use, the mechanic may direct a regulated flow of cleaning solution through the brush by manual adjustment of flow control valve 182.
Items to be cleaned may be placed in the sink 110 or held over the sink and manually cleaned by brushing the parts using the brush. The flow of cleaning solution through the brush will assist in removing contaminants and will serve to flush the contaminants from the sink into the center drain (145 of
The rear of the sink may also be provided with a fixed nozzle 185 which may be operated to direct a stream of washing fluid on to the part or the item to be cleaned. The stream will flush away contaminants and allows hands-free operation as the part can be placed in the sink with cleaning fluid directed on to the parts. The reservoir 26 may be periodically drained and flushed at drain plug 188.
As indicated, the reservoir 26 contains a suitable cleaning solution such as a water-based, non-flammable, biodegradable detergent solution. The effectiveness of the solution may be enhanced by heating the solution. The pump 225, when actuated, withdraws fluid from the reservoir 26 and discharges it through the spray nozzles or through the manual brush or both.
As mentioned above, a unique aspect of the present invention resides in the versatility of the device in that it can be used as an automatic jet washer, as well as a parts washer. When used as a jet washer, the sink will be pivoted to the open position as shown in
Fluid is delivered through hose 175 to the brush 178 from the manifold 47, 48, 4950A, 50B, 50C. Fluid and removed contaminants are removed from the sink by hand washing and will be discharged from the sink into the cabinet reservoir. It is not necessary for the user to place the parts to a separate sink such as the side-by-side sink of a conventional part washer. The design of the parts washer of the present invention is extremely versatile, compact and economical. The user is not required to buy three separate units as is often the case with conventional washers.
Further, the device is portable as the casters 15 allow the device to be easily transported to the area where the mechanic is working, as for example as is the case when a vehicle is on a lift and the mechanic is replacing brake parts and the brake components require cleaning. In this case, the sink can be positioned below the brake assembly. The brush can be applied to the brake parts on the vehicle and the fluid and contaminants collected in the sink and will flow into the sink and will flow into the cabinet.
In
The minimum grip drive sprocket outer edge 303 may include a knurled 3103 pattern that can include various patterns of ridges 306 and groves 307. The knurling 3103 may be provided to aid in engaging the rollers 313 of a chain to turn the chain. One chain link 312 of an exemplary drive chain is shown in engagement with the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101. The chain link shown is a conventional drive chain including links 314 for retaining rollers 313, and coupling to adjacent links (not shown) that make up the drive chain. The minimum grip drive sprocket 3101 may also include a bevel 304 that thins the body 301 material so that the rollers 313 of the chain may contact the knurled 3103 outer edge 303.
The exemplary minimum grip drive sprocket 3101 may be constructed from ferrous metal, although in equivalent examples, aluminum, brass, plastic, nylon or the like may be used.
Adjacent to the outer edge 303 of the minimum grip drive sprocket there are typically a bevels 304, 305, reducing the thickness 311 of the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101. A reduction in thickness may be desired to provide clearance of the space between the links of an engaged drive chain (not shown) so that the knurled 3103 outer edge may engage the chain roller links (not shown). Various types of reductions in thickness may be provided. Here a linear reduction from overall thickness 311 to minimum grip drive sprocket outer edge thickness 303 is a linear taper. However in equivalent examples reductions of thickness may be made by one or more steps or the like.
The ring shape facilitates coupling to a hub (of
The surface of the outer minimum grip drive sprocket edge 303 is typically parallel to an axis of rotation 309 of an installed minimum grip drive sprocket 3101.
The knurl 3103 may be in a pattern of parallel lines as shown, or other equivalent pattern (cross hatched, dimpled or the like) disposed around the outer edge of the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101. Alternatively other irregular or rough surfaces may be utilized that are sufficient to contact the rollers of a drive chain, to the extent needed to turn the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101, while allowing some slippage. The knurl 3103 in the example shown is a series of parallel groves 307 and ridges. In practice the knurled pattern may be considerably finer than as shown here.
The sprocket outer edge 303 may be knurled or textured. The top and bottom bevels are calculated to reduce the sprocket thickness so that parallel chain links clear the sprocket in the beveled area and allow the sprocket outer edge to engage rollers of the chain with its knurled outer edge.
The knurls tend to provide traction against the rollers 313 in a slippery environment. Also, if something happens to prevent the chain from turning the minimum grip drive sprocket may continue to turn by slipping over the knurled 3103 surface of the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101. The knurls also aid in pushing oil and grease from between the chain links and the sprocket so that contact may be maintained between the sprocket and chain surfaces.
If not beveled 304, 305 around the outer edge 303 the links 314 may contact the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101 body first preventing the knurled surface 3103 from reaching and contacting the rollers 313. When sized so that the rollers 313 contact the outer edge 303 the bevel is angled so that the links 314 contact the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101, or are sized so that there is clearance 315 between the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101 and links 314. The bevels 304, 305 also tend to help center the chain 312 on the minimum grip drive sprocket 3101.
Here the two minimum grip drive sprockets are shown as identical. However, this need not be the case as different diameters or sizes may be used as well as more minimum grip drive sprockets as called for in a given application. Also a single minimum grip drive sprocket may be used in conjunction with other types of minimum grip drive sprockets if desired. In use a slick environment may be present due to a solvent sprayed by sprayer 3505 within the machine 3507. If a belt and pulley were used, even with a tensioning device 3503 excessive belt slippage is more likely to occur than the arrangement using a minimum grip drive sprocket 3301.
The bevel 3105 allows the knurled surface 3103 to extend between the links and contact the chain rollers 3605. The chain 3501 has an overlap 3601 allowed by the bevel 3105. In alternative examples a minimum grip drive sprocket may be made of a uniform thickness sufficient to fit between the links 3603. In further alternative examples the bevel 3105, instead of being a uniform slope may be a step or other suitable shape so that the knurl 3103 may reach and engage rollers 3605.
It will be seen that the present invention provides a unique, efficient parts washer. Because of the compactness of design and its ability to be used as both a manual sink, an automatic jet washer and an undercarriage parts cleaner. As such, the washer of the present invention replaces several units in the shop area providing substantial economy to the shop operator. The washer is mobile and may be transported to a work location as beneath a lift or hoist to assist a mechanic working on a brake system. Both jet and manual cleaning can be accomplished at the same time with the same unit further increasing efficiency of the mechanic and increasing profitability.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to make various changes, alterations and modifications to the invention described herein. To the extent such changes, alterations and modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, they are intended to be encompassed therein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63441832 | Jan 2023 | US |
