US3413672A - Basket cap for glass washing machine - Google Patents

Description

BASKET CAP FOR GLASS WASHING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1968 J. F. GALLO 3,413,672

BASKET CAP FOR GLASS WASHING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Unite States Patent O 3,413,672 BASKET CAP FR GLASS WASHING MACHINE `lohn F. Galio, 3530 19th Ave., Kenosha, Wis. 53140 Filed May 29, i967, Ser. No. 642,073 10 Claims. (Cl. 15-76) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is a cap or bumper ring for a glass washing machine of the type having a motor driven basket and brush assembly which is rested in a sink basin or tank partially iilled with water. The cap is constructed of an impact resistant plastic and is in the form of an annular ring with inner, outer and intermediate concentric depending flanges. The intermediate ilange is relatively deep as compared with the other anges and is located outside the lip or rim of the basket and extends below the rim to prevent lemon rinds, debris, etc., from getting into the area of the motor switch actuating arm and to prevent water from overflowing the basket rim. Radial vanes or jetties located on the undersurface of the cap return the centrifugally swirling water into the center of the basket as it climbs to the top, The vanes deiiect the Water in the form of a series of high velocity water jets having an inwardly curved trajectory. In one embodiment, the cap is provided with upstanding tabs to mount a stationary brush which projects inwardly toward the center of the basket and which is utilized to clean the stem of the glass.

Background of invention The present invention relates to improvements and further developments of the subject matter disclosed in my previous patents No. 3,204,273 and 3,315,294, and in particular to an improved cap, guard or bumper ring for a glass washing machine.

Summary of invention The cap of the invention includes an annular top ring with inner, outer and intermediate concentric depending ianges. The outer flange is adjacent the outer margin of the top plate and the inner flange is adjacent the inner margin. The intermediate flange is spaced between the inner and outer shallow anges. The intermediate ange provides a shield to prevent debris from fouling the motor switch actuating lever located adjacent the basket.

The deep ange also guides basket movement and eliminates the need for the guide plugs disclosed in my Patent No. 3,315,294 and accordingly aiords easy removal f the basket for cleaning purposes. The close tolerance of the deep ange to the basket wall also minimizes water overiiow over the basket rim.

Rotation of the basket during operation causes a centrifugal swirling of the water contained therein. The cap is provided with radially extending vanes or jetties located between the deep or intermediate ange and the inner ange. The vanes create a series or plurality of high velocity water jets which ow inwardly in a curved path or trajectory toward the center of the basket. This jet action assists in cleaning the stems or bases of glasses which ordinarily are not engaged by the rotating brushes in the basket. The water jets replace the water in the center region of the basket which was centrifugally removed or exhausted during basket rotation and thus enhance the cleaning capacity of the brushes.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the cap is provided with upstanding tabs molded integrally with the annular top ring which facilitate the mounting of a stationary brush which extends inwardly toward the center of the basket to engage and clean the stem or base of a glass which is rotating with the basket. A pair of tubes or elbows direct a water ow on the brush.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.

Drawings FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away side elevational View of a glass washing machine embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partially broken away plan view of the glass washing machine shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view of the glass washing machine cap in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the water ow path within the basket and cap.

Detailed description Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other speciiic structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a glass washing machine which is designated 15 and which, except for the cap 53 hereinafter described in detail, can be constructed in accordance with my Patent No. 3,315,294. The glass washing machine 15 is shown located in a sink or basin 16 which has a horizontal bottom wall 17. The machine includes a base 18 having a horizontal top wall 19 and a rounded downturned marginal flange 20 forming an open bottom chamber 21. The bottom wall 17 is provided with suction cups 23 to secure the washing machine to the bottom wall of the sink, thus to rmly support the base 18. The base 18 includes an upstanding embossment 24 which receives a tubular column or post 25 which encloses a drive shaft 26 driven by a motor and drive train located within a motor housing 27.

The glass washing machine has rotary brushing means which include an open topped cup-like member or basket 28 which has an apertured bottom wall 31 from which upstands a central tubular hub or sleeve 32 and a concentric outer wall 33. The tubular hub or sleeve 32 surrounds a shaft 34. Rotation of the basket by the motor in housing 27 is aiiorder by pulleys 35 and 36 respectively located on the shafts 26, 34 and a belt 37 -reeved in the pulleys.

The basket 28 also includes three outside glass cleaning brushes 41 which can be detachably mounted on the basket vwall 33 in accordance with the disclosure in my Patent 3,315,294. The hub 32 also supports a central interior cleaning brush 42.

The basket 28 is surrounded by a concentric cylindrical and stationary open-topped outer casing or shell 43 which is supported ton the base 18 and secured to embossment 24 by a screw 44.

The motor is actuated by a switch (not shown) located within the motor housing 27. The switch is actuated by a switch actuating rod 45 which extends longitudinally within the interior of tubular post 25. The rod 45 has a laterally bent lower end 46 which extends through a short vertical slot 47 in the post 25 and is threaded to receive a sleeve nut 48 which carries thereon a follower or nylon roller 51. The roller 51 rides on the upper surface of a peripheral ange 52 which extends outwardly from the side wall 33 of the basket 2S. The basket is normally biased or urged upwardly under pressure of a coil spring (not shown) located within hub 32 to maintain the switch actuating rod 45 in a raised position and the motor switch in a normally open condition when the machine is not in use. The motor switch is actuated by insertion of a glass over the central brush 42 and depressing the basket slightly by downward pressure permitting the switch rod 45 to descend slightly and allow the switch to assume its closed position and energize the motor. Problems have been encountered in preventing fouling of the switch actuating rod 45 and the roller 48 by debris.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a basket cap, lor bumper ring which is designated generally 53 and which is desirably injection molded of a high resistant plastic such as polypropylene. The cap includes an annular top ring S4 which has an undersurface 55 and concentric inner, outer and intermediate depending anges respectively 56, 57 and 58. The inner ange 56 forms the inner margin of the cap 53 and is rounded to form a smooth throat 59 or entrance to the basket. The outer depending flange is adjacent the outer margin of the top plate 54 and is located exteriorly of the shell or casing 43 and frictionally ts with the upper edge 61 of the shell to secure the cap in place. The intermediate ange 58 is relatively deep as compared with the inner and outer anges 56, 57 and is located exteri'orly of the basket wall 33 and extends downwardly to a position overlapping the top margin of the basket and slightly above the peripheral switch actuating ange 52. The intermediate flange 58 serves as a guide or support for the upper edge of the basket for guiding basket rotation and preventing lateral displacement of the basket as a glass is urged against the side cleaning brushes 41. The deep flange accordingly obviates the need for the cylindrical plugs disclosed in my Patent No. 3,315,294, thus affording easy basket removal for cleaning purposes.

The intermediate deep flange 58 is provided with a notch 62 which receives the nylon roller 51 thereby permitting the ange 58 to extend downwardly to the lower edge 63 of the roller. Thus, the deep intermediate flange 58 functions as a shield to prevent solids or other particles removed from the glass from traveling into the area of the nylon roller or peripheral ange 52 to cause accidental actuation or fouling of the motor switch. The deep flange also minimizes outow of the water over the basket rim 65 as hereinafter described.

To direct the centrifugally swirling water toward the center of the basket and to enhance the cleaning capability of the washing machine as hereinafter described, the cap 53 is provided with a series of substantially radially disposed jetties or vanes 70 (FIGS. 3, 4). The vanes 70 are spaced circumferentially around top plate 54 and extend radially inwardly toward the axis of rotation `of basket 28. i

The vanes 70 can depend from the undersurface 55 as shown in FIGURE 3 or they can extend from flange 58 and be spaced slightly from undersurface 55.

To secure the cap 53 against angular displacement relative to the outer casing 43 and to assist in aligning the notch 62 around the nylon roller 51, the `outer flange 57 is provided with two spaced and outwardly projecting ears 68 which form an intermediate gap or notch 69 which receives the tubular post 25.

When the glass washing machine is in use it is normally operated in a sink basin 16 with the water level 71 slightly beneath the cap 53 as shown in FIGURE 1. Water flows into the basket from the sink basin through the apertured basket bottom wall 31. When the motor is actuated by inserting a glass and depressing the basket, the rotating basket together with the side brushes located in the basket causes a centrifugal swirl 66, as shown in FIGURE 6, of the water in the basket. Since the basket is rotating at speeds between 250 and 300 revolutions per minute, the centrifugal forces involved cause the water to climb the wall 33 to the basket 28 until the water reaches the undersurface 55 of the cap 53. The deep intermediate flange 58 minimizes outow of water over the basket rim 65, as shown in FIGURE 4. The centrifugally pressurized and swirling water climbing the .basket wall impinges on the sides of the stationary vanes 70. The vanes 70 act as water baffles to deflect the water radially inwardly and create a plurality of radial water jets 73 as shown in FIGURE 5, FIGURE 6 to assist in cleaning the base or stem of the glass 72. The jets 73 may merge laterally to form a continuous funnel-shaped web or umbrella of water pouring onto the central zone of the basket.

Rotation of the basket 28 also causes a vortex around the central brush 42. The water jets replace the water which is centrifugally exhausted from the region surrounding the central brush by basket rotation. Thus, the return of water in the form of high velocity water jets to the region surrounding the central brush continuously wets down the brushes, flushes dirt from the glass and brushes and enhances and promotes the cleaning action of the brushes on the glass.

In a further embodiment of the cap 53 of :the invention as shown in FIGURE 5, the cap 53 is provided with two upstanding brackets 77 integrally molded to the cap to serve as mounting supports for a xed brush 78. The brush 78 projects inwardly toward the center of the basket and cleans the base or stem of a glass 72 when the glass 72 is partially released from the grip of the operator and permitted to rotate with the basket 28. The cap 53 also includes two upstanding hollow tubes or elbows 79 which extend through the top plate 54 of the cap 53 and receive centrifugally pressurized water from beneath the cap 53 and direct the water over and on the brush 78.

I claim:

1. In a glass washing machine having a rotary basket with brushes therein, a stationary cap at the top of the basket and a motor for rotating said basket and causing a centrifugal upward swirl of the water contained in said basket when said motor is energized, the improvement in which said cap comprises an annular top ring having an undersurface and inner and outer edges, concentric outer and intermediate anges depending from said top ring, said outer ange depending from said outer margin, said intermediate flange extending below the upper margin of said basket and spaced radially from said basket so as to guide basket rotation, and a series of circumferentially spaced radially extending vanes depending from said top ring and located between said intermediate and inner anges and disposed to deect the swirling water in said basket inwardly in the form of water jets which return the water toward the center of the basket.

2. In a glass washing machine having a rotary basket with brushes therein, a stationary cap at the top of the basket and a motor for rotating said basket and causing a centrifugal upward swirl of the water contained in said basket when said motor is energized, the improvement in which said cap comprises a series of circumferentially spaced radially extending vanes disposed to deflect the swirling water in said basket inwardly in the form of water jets which return the water toward the center of the basket, and wherein said cap has two upstanding spaced apart ears, and a stationary brush removably secured to said ears, said brush projecting inwardly toward the center of said basket.

3. The improvement of claim 2 including a Water supply tube for said brush, said tube having an inlet beneath said top plate and an outlet above said stationary brush.

4. A cap for a glass washing machine having an outer casing and a rotating basket therewithin, said cap being mounted on said casing and comprising an annular top ring having an undersurface and inner and outer margins and concentric inner, intermediate and outer anges depending from said top ring, said inner and outer flanges being relatively shallow and said intermediate ange being spaced between said inner and outer flanges and being relatively deep and disposed exteriorly of said basket and overlapping the upper margin of the basket to guide basket rotation.

5. A cap in accordance with claim 4 including two upstanding spaced apart ears, and a stationary brush removably secured to said ears, said brush projecting inwardly toward the center of said ring.

6. A cap in accordance with claim 4 including a series of circumferentially spaced radially extending vanes, said vanes being located between the intermediate ange and the inner ange.

7. A cap in accordance with claim 6 in combination with a glass Washing machine having a rotatable basket and a stationary cylindrical casing concentrically surrounding said basket and wherein said outer flange of said cap frictionally engages said casing and said intermediate ange extends between said casing and said basket.

8. In a glass washing machine having a base, rotary brushing means projecting above and rotatably mounted on said base and including a depressible basket having a cylindrical wall with an exterior peripheral tiange at its upper portion, a stationary cylindrical open-topped casing concentrically surrounding said basket and fixed to said base, basket-driving means including an electric motor, motor controlling switch means including a follower riding on said ange to be actuated upon depression of said basket, and spacing means carried by said casing and interposed between said casing and basket above said flange to limit lateral detiection of said basket, the irnprovement in which said spacing means comprises a cap having an inner edge and outer and intermediate depending concentric flanges, said outer flange frictionally engaging said casing, and said intermediate ange extending between the basket and said casing to minimize overow of water and debn's from said basket and to guide basket rotation.

9. The improvement of claim 8 including a series of circumferentially spaced radially extending vanes located between said intermediate ange and said inner margin of said cap.

10. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said motor is supported by a tubular column upstanding from said base, said outer Harige having outwardly projecting ears which form a notch embracing said tubular column.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,486 2/1939 Markwood 15-76 3,204,273 9/1965 Gallo 15-76 3,286,291 11/1966 Linne 15-76 3,315,294 4/1967 Gallo 1576 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Pri/nazy Examiner. R. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

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