Claims
- 1. Glassware washing apparatus comprising:
- a housing presenting a loading zone for receiving dirty glassware, a washing zone for washing and rinsing the glassware, and an unloading zone for removal of clean glassware;
- a rack mounted in said housing for rotation about a generally vertical axis, said rack being adapted to receive and support glassware thereon;
- three partitions carried on said rack for rotation therewith and dividing said rack into three separate adjacent compartments, each of said compartments being successively positioned in the loading zone, the washing zone and the unloading zone upon rotational indexing of said rack;
- means for washing the glassware disposed on said rack in the compartment positioned in said washing zone while said rack is stationary;
- means operable subsequent to said washing means for rinsing the glassware disposed on said rack in the compartment positioned in said washing zone while said rack is stationary; and
- an opening in said housing providing simultaneous access to both said loading and unloading zones for loading of dirty glassware into the loading zone and unloading of clean glassware from the unloading zone, thereby permitting each batch of dirty glassware to be loaded onto said rack in the loading zone, washed and rinsed in said washing zone following one rotational indexing of the rack, and unloaded from the rack in the unloading zone following another rotational indexing of the rack.
- 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
- said rack is generally circular and said partitions are oriented at substantially 120.degree. relative to one another, said compartments being presented between said partitions and moving successively among the loading, washing and unloading zones upon rotational indexing of said rack.
- 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including means for sealing said partitions with said housing in a manner to seal said washing zone from the loading
- and unloading zones, thereby preventing leakage of water out of said washing zone.
- 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a removable hood supported on said housing at a location to cooperate therewith in a manner to enclose said washing zone.
- 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, including:
- an upper edge of said housing on which said hood is supported, said upper edge having a flange thereon extending inwardly and downwardly into the washing zone; and
- a lower edge of said hood having a flange thereon extending inwardly and downwardly into the washing zone and overlying said flange of said upper edge to support said hood on the housing.
- 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said lower edge of the hood overlaps the upper edge of the housing outwardly thereof.
- 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including a basin in said housing underlying said washing zone and having a bottom panel spaced well below said rack, said washing means comprising a spray arm disposed in proximity to said bottom panel and operable to spray washing fluid against the glassware in said washing zone.
- 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, including:
- means mounting said spray arm for rotation about a generally vertical axis;
- pump means for pumping washing fluid into the spray arm;
- means for effecting rotation of said spray arm about said axis; and
- a plurality of outlet openings in said spray arm for discharging the washing fluid in a spray against the glassware in said washing zone, each outlet opening being elongated and having a longitudinal axis which is angled relative to the length axis of said spray arm, whereby the washing fluid encounters the glassware in the washing zone in a path effecting swirling motion of the fluid around the inside surfaces of glassware articles disposed on said rack in inverted positions.
- 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, including:
- a pump in said basin operable to pump washing fluid into said spray arm for spraying against the glassware and to pump the washing fluid out of the basin after the glassware has been washed;
- a first intake port in said basin for directing washing fluid into said pump for pumping into said spray arm;
- a second intake port in said basin for directing washing fluid into said pump for pumping out of said basin, said first and second intake ports being spaced apart; and
- a screen element substantially surrounding said first intake port to prevent solid particles from entering the first port, whereby solid particles are pumped out of said basin through said second intake port.
- 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each partition has a top edge portion, a side edge portion and a bottom edge portion, and including seal means providing liquid tight seals between said housing and each edge portion of the partitions which define the compartment located in the washing zone.
- 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including means providing fluid tight seals between said housing and the surfaces of said partitions facing into said washing zone.
- 12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including:
- a sealing curtain mounted to a top portion of said housing for sealing against the top portions of the partitions;
- means urging said curtain toward a raised position wherein the partitions can pass beneath the curtain upon rotation of said rack; and
- means for lowering said curtain from its raised position to a sealing position wherein the curtain effects a liquid tight seal against the surface of the adjacent partition facing into the washing zone.
- 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said rack includes a center post defining the axis of rotation of the rack, said lowering means comprising a pin element projecting outwardly from said post at a location wherein upon rotation of the rack, said pin element engages the curtain in a manner to pull the curtain downwardly from its raised position to its sealing position.
- 14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including:
- a first seal element mounted on a top portion of said housing at a location above said washing zone adjacent one side thereof, said first seal element effecting a liquid tight seal with the partition located adjacent said one side of the washing zone, the seal being effected adjacent the top of the partition on a side thereof facing into the washing zone;
- a second seal element for sealing against the partition located adjacent the other side of the washing zone;
- a bracket carrying said second seal element;
- means mounting said bracket to said top portion of the housing at a location above said washing zone adjacent said other side thereof, said mounting means permitting pivotal movement of second seal element between a raised position wherein the partitions can pass beneath the second seal element and a sealing position wherein said second seal element effects a liquid tight seal with the partition located adjacent said other side of the washing zone, said seal being effected adjacent the top of the partition on a side thereof facing into the washing zone;
- means for biasing said second seal element toward said raised postion; and
- means for lowering said second seal element to the sealing position thereof in response to movement of a partition to a position adjacent said other side of the washing zone.
- 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said rack includes a center post defining the axis of rotation of the rack, said lowering means comprising:
- at least one laterally projecting element carried on said post at a location to engage said bracket in a manner to move said second seal element downwardly to the sealing position thereof whenever one of the partitions approaches said other side of the washing zone.
- 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said rack includes a center post defining the axis of rotation of the rack, said lowering means comprising:
- a laterally projecting element for each partition, said elements projecting from said post at locations generally above the respective partitions and engaging said bracket in a manner to move said second seal element to the sealing position when the respective partitions approach said other side of the washing zone.
- 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including:
- a generally circular rim for said rack projecting generally upwardly therefrom;
- an outer edge portion of each partition located adjacent said rim;
- a first seal element mounted on the housing and overlapping said outer edge portion of a partition located adjacent one side of the washing zone in a manner to effect a seal against the partition; and
- a second seal element mounted on the housing at a location generally below the first seal element, said second seal element effecting a seal against said rim of the rack at a location adjacent the partition positioned at said one side of the washing zone.
- 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, including:
- a pair of plate members each having an upper surface;
- means for removably mounting said plate members to said housing at locations wherein said upper surfaces underlie said washing zone adjacent opposite sides thereof;
- a lower edge portion of each partition extending below said rack; and
- a seal element carried on the lower edge portion of each partition, said seal elements effecting seals against said upper surfaces of the plate members when the partitions carrying the seal elements are moved to positions adjacent said opposite sides of the washing zone.
- 19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said hood includes:
- a pair of side panels and a back panel connected with one another and adapted to rest on said housing to cover the back and sides of said washing zone;
- a top panel; and
- means coupling said top panel with the side panel for sliding movement relative thereto between an assembled position wherein the top panel covers the top of the washing zone and a disassembled position wherein the top panel is separated from the side panels.
- 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said coupling means comprises:
- a flange on the upper edge of each side panel; and
- means providing a channel on each side edge of the top panel for receiving the corresponding flange to support the top panel on the side panels for sliding movement thereon between the assembled and disassembled positions.
- 21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said pump means is located below said bottom panel of the basin, said housing having a generally vertical panel extending from side to side in the housing forwardly of said pump means to enclose same in a compartment presented behind said vertical panel and below said bottom panel of the basin.
- 22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including:
- an upper edge, a lower edge and an outer edge of each partition;
- flange means on the upper, lower and outer edge of each partition located to project into the washing zone when the partition is positioned on either side thereof; and
- deflectors on said housing extending along the opposite sides of the washing zone and spaced closely from said flange means for cooperation therewith to deflect liquid in the washing zone in a manner to substantially prevent liquid from leaking out of the washing zone.
- 23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said flange means comprises a pair of flanges extending along said upper, lower and outer edge of each partition and projecting therefrom in opposite directions.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation in part of our earlier application Ser. No. 148,739, filed May 12, 1980, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
148739 |
May 1980 |
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