GB2124195A - Machines for cleaning containers e.g. beer kegs - Google Patents

Abstract

Beer kegs 55 are cleaned by immersing them at a loading station 57 in a circular tank 54 of cleaning fluid with their filling apertures lowermost so that a hollow spike 60 on a hollow radial arm 52 in the tank can enter the aperture. The spike vents the keg so that cleaning fluid enters the keg and destroys its buoyancy and the keg then advances, with the spike still inserted, round the tank and receives ultrasonic cleaning treatment. On return to the station 57, or on arrival at a separate unloading station, the spike is pressurised via the arm 52 to expel cleaning fluid and the keg is then conveyed to a rinsing plant. A transporting carriage 71 can take an unclean beer keg from the end of an input conveyor 62, which terminates in the vicinity of the loading station, to the loading station whilst at the same time transporting a cleaned keg from that station to an output conveyor (70, Fig. 4A). Accurate centering of unclean kegs is performed by a retractable centering spike (66, Fig. 4B) associated with the input conveyor so the kegs are located accurately on the conveyor and hence faultlessly located over a spike when transported by the carriage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machines for cleaning containers e.g. beer kegs This invention relates to cleaning machines. It is primarily concerned with machines for cleaning containers having filling, pouring or draining apertures, such as beer kegs.

The objectives sought in the cleaning of beer kegs are those of thoroughness, speed and cost. The present invention is directed to a better achievement of these objectives. At the same time the present invention in certain forms deals with the problem of acceptance or rejection of kegs suitable for cleaning and the problem of accepting kegs of various sizes for cleaning on a common process line.

The method of cleaning containers having apertures, such as beer kegs, according to the present invention comprises immersing the containers with their apertures lowermost into a cleaning fluid and over a venting spike and, whilst over the spikes the containers are indexed to stations on a circular path and serviced to effect cleaning at the stations.

The invention also provides apparatus for executing the above method as indicated in the Claims below.

Preferably a radial arm, by suitable valving arrangements, provides a reduced pressure to the venting spike at a loading station and an increased pressure to the venting spike at an unloading station. At stations intermediate to the loading and unloading stations the containers are at rest in the cleaning fluid or are subjected to ultrasonic powered cleaning action. On leaving the unloading station the containers are subjected to a rinse.

The invention also provides a method for inspecting containers having apertures, such as beer kegs, comprising the steps of peforming a weighing operation on the containers and a sighting operation into the apertures, or the position at which the filling apertures should normally be, and co-relating the results of said operation to set up a reject or accept situation on the containers and, for the acceptance situation, to locate the containers at a datum position.

The invention immediately above stated can be used as an element in the invention previously stated.

The inventions above stated will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic partial plan view of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic partial elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a schematic partial plan view of another embodiment; Figure 4A and 4B are top and bottom halves of a schematic partial elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 3; and Figure 5 is an elevation of a locating means for use in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a vertical stem 10 and a boss 11 rotatable on the stem 10. The boss has ten radial hollow arms 1 2 which have terminals 1 3.

The arms and terminals 1 3 rotate about the stem 10 immersed in cleaning fluid in a circular tank 1 4 and as they do so they carry kegs 1 5 along a circular path defined by rails 1 6 from a loading station 1 7 to an unloading station 1 8 in the direction indicated by arrow 19.

Each terminal 1 3 includes a venting spike 20 which connects with a respective arm 1 2.

The vertical level of arms 1 2 can be adjusted to adjust the positions of the tips of spikes 20 to accommodate kegs of varying heights. Alternatively the spikes can be telescopic.

The boss 11, when rotating on the stem 10, causes the arms 1 2 to pass over an evacuating port 21 and a pressurising port 22 from which respective vacuum lines 23 and compressed air lines 24 run. Thus, the inside of a keg 1 5 in the tank 14, at the station 1 7 on Fig. 1 receives a vacuum and the keg immediately to the left thereof receives compressed air. Kegs at other stations are not service by the arms 1 2 but they experience the cleaning (internally and externally) by the cleaning fluid in which they are immersed. At certain stations ultrasonic energy can be applied to accelerate the cleaning.

The kegs 1 5 approach station 1 7 by gravity roll along a chute 30. On arrival at station 1 7 they come on to a notched arm 31 of a balance 32 which gives a weight output in binary or digital terms to a processor.

The weight measurement must lie within three narrow bands defining respectively the three recognised weights of nine gallon, eighteen gallon and thirty one gallon empty kegs.

Any weight measurement not falling in these three bands suggests a keg not properly emptied and the processor initiates a reject operation to take the keg out of the system. If a weight measurement falls in any of the three bands then, depending on the weight measurement, a transmit/receive photocall system moves to a position which is related to the measured weight. In normal circumstances the photocell system will then be sighted into the filling aperture of an empty keg. This is checked by the signal received in the photocell system. Typically this check could be performed as a function of the time interval a light pulse takes to travel from the transmit to the receive parts of the system by reflection.If a filling aperture is being properly viewed then the time interval will be "long" (light has travelled to the base of the keg and has been reflected) or it will be "short" (light has only travelled to the top of the keg and has been there reflected) if a filling aperture is not being viewed. If a "short" signal is received then the keg is either in a reversed position or it is not empty, and the processor again initiates a reject operation. If a "long" signal is received then the processor initiates an "accept" operation and this causes the keg 1 5 at the balance arm to be inverted over the tank 1 4 at a point so that the venting spike 20 is below the filling aperture.

A ram 34 then submerges the keg in the tank 14 with the spike entering the filling aperture and reaching to the base of the keg.

The respective arm 1 2 adjusts in height by a signal from the processor to allow this to happen. On the spike reaching the base of the keg a subatmospheric pressure appears in the arm 1 2 and the keg is rapidly evacuated of air and filled with cleaning fluid. At the instant cleaning fluid is detected in, or about to enter, the vacuum line 23, atmospheric pressure is restored and the boss 11 is indexed to move the next arm 1 2 and spike 20 to appear at station 17.

Coincident with the above, action has also taken place at unloading station 1 8. Whilst subatmospheric pressure exists in the arm 1 2 that extends to station 17, compressed air exists in the arm 1 2 that extends to station 18.

At station 1 8 a pair of vacuum pads 40 descend to grip the base of the keg 1 5 and raise the keg to a conveyor 41 by the joint forces of keg buoyancy and lift provided by a plunger 42 from whence it can be moved through a rinsing station.

Apparatus according to the invention allows beer kegs to be cleaned at a rate of 4 per minute which is a factor of 3 better than any known apparatus. The cleaning is also superior leaving generally a bright unstained surface inside and out.

Beer kegs of various sizes can be accepted without prior segregation or resetting of apparatus parameters others than those involved in the weight/position processor.

Kegs unsuitable for routine cleaning can be rejected.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown a vertical stem 50 and a boss 51 rotatable on the stem.

The boss has eight radial hollow arms 52 which have terminals 53.

The arms and terminals rotate about the stem 50 whilst immersed in a circular tank 54 and as they do so they carry kegs 55 along a circular path from a loading/unloading station 57 in the direction indicated by arrow 59.

Each terminal includes a venting spike 60 which connects with a respective arm 52. The spikes can be adjustible as indicated in the previous embodiment. The boss 51 has evacuating and servicing ports and lines also as indicated in the previous embodiment. A semicircular ultrasonic zone is indicated by lines 61.

The kegs 55 approach station 57 by a conveyor 62 which has an escapement 63 so that kegs proceed individually to the station.

Guide rails 64 approximately centre the kegs 55 laterally of the conveyor so that their centres lie on a datum line 65 which also passes through the centre of the spike 60 which is at the station 57. The kegs are accurately centred by a conical pin 66 powered by a cylinder 67, the spike fitting in the inverted opening 68 of the keg as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Figs. 4A and 4B show the inlet conveyor 62 for taking unclean kegs inverted to one vicinity of station 57 and an outlet conveyor 70 for taking cleaned kegs from another vicinity of station 57 to a rinsing plant.

The movement of kegs 55 from conveyor 62 to station 57 and (after cleaning) from station 57 to conveyor 70 is performed as a synchronised operation using a transporting carriage 71 and various operating cylinders.

The carriage 71 (Fig. 4A) has wheels 72 moving on rails 73. The carriage has vertical movement cylinders 74, 75 with a suction pad 76 on cylinder 74. A second suction pad 76a (unpowered) is also provided on the carriage. A horizontal movement cylinder 77 exists for moving the carriage. Fig. 4A shows a keg 55 located by a conical pin 66 on the conveyor 62 awaiting to be cleaned and a keg 55 on the conveyor 70 which has just been cleaned.

Fig. 4B shows a keg lift cylinder 78 and keg lift 79. A cut away part 54a of the tank 54 shows a full size keg 55 engaged in the outmost annular recess 80 of a platform 81 on an arm 52.

In use, the carriage 71 moves to the right (as seen in Fig. 4A) and the pad 76 is caused to engage the soiled keg 55 on the conveyor 62. The keg lift cylinder is powered to raise a cleaned keg 55 at station 57 on to the pad 76a, and then retracts. The cylinder 67 is powered to lower the pin 66. The carriage 71 then moves to the left by an amount governed by stops to bring the soiled keg with its inverted opening 68 directly above a venting spike 60 in the tank 54. At the same time the cleaned keg at station 57 is moved above conveyor 70. Both suction pads 76 and 76a are released so that the cleaned keg settles on the conveyor 70 and the soiled keg is located in the keg lift.

The carriage 71 is now moved so that cylinder 75 is above the soiled keg. When powered the cylinder 75 depresses the soiled keg into the tank 54 and over a venting spike 60 against the force ot its own buoyancy.

Sub-atmospheric pressure then appears at terminal 53 and this causes the soiled keg to become filled with cleaning liquid and to lose its buoyancy. This keg can then be moved step wise round the tank whilst at each step a further cleaned keg is removed from station 57 and a further soiled keg is entered into the tank. The soiled kegs received ultrasonic cleaning in the semicircular zone 60 and eventually arrive again at station 57 where they are pressurised to empty them of cleaning fluid and restore their buoyancy.

Kegs of varying sizes can be accepted in appropriate grooves of the platform 81.

Claims (14)

1. A method of cleaning containers having apertures, such as beer kegs, comprising the steps of: (a) immersing the containers with their apertures lowermost into a cleaning fluid and over venting spikes; (b) indexing the containers to stations, whilst still over their venting spikes, in a circular path; and (c) servicing the containers to effect cleaning thereof at the stations.

2. The method of claim 1 in which cleaning is effected by the steps of: (a) evacuating at a first station to allow the entry of cleaning fluid into the containers; (b) applying ultrasonic energy at at least one subsequent station; and (c) pressurising at a yet subsequent station to eject the cleaning fluid from the containers and increase their buoyancy.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 including the step of co-relating weights and position of apertures of containers prior to step 1 (a) and accepting or rejecting the containers according to the co-relation.

4. The method of any preceding claim in which the containers are circular and are gravity fed by rolling to a loading station where they are inverted over the venting spikes.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2 in which the containers for cleaning are position adjusted on a conveyor with an aperture lowermost by an uprising cone entering the aperture so that on arrival at a first station the aperture lies directly above a venting spike.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2 in which the containers start and finish their cleaning at a common loading/unloading station at which they can be lowered unclean inverted into the cleaning fluid and raised cleaned and inverted from the station, and are moved unclean to said station in synchronsim with movement clean from said station.

7. The method of cleaning beer kegs substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or with reference to Figs. 3, 4A and 4B of the accompanying drawings.

8. Apparatus for carrying out any of the above method claims comprising: a tank (54); cleaning fluid in the tank; a rotor in the tank comprising hollow radial arms (52); venting spikes (60) on the arms of the rotor; means for applying subatmospheric pressure and superatmospheric pressure to the arms and spikes for filling and emptying the containers respectively; means (75) for applying the containers over the spikes with their apertures lowermost and immersed in the cleaning fluid; and means (74) for removing the containers from the tank.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, for carrying out the method of claim 6, having an input conveyor (62) for taking unclean kegs (55) inverted to one vicinity of a common loading/unloading station (57) and an output conveyor (70) for taking cleaned kegs from another vicinity of said station and a transporting carriage (71) which can accept a cleaned keg at said station and, at the same time, an uncleaned keg from the input conveyor and, by lateral movement, transport the cleaned keg to the output conveyor and the unclean keg to said station.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 having an upwardly movable locating spike 66 which can locate in an aperture of an inverted unclean keg prior to being moved to the common station (57) so that on being moved at conveyor level, it locates precisely at said station and so that on being depressed from conveyor level into the tank the venting spike at the common station enters said aperture faultlessly.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10 in which said carriage (71) includes a powered cylinder (75) for depressing an inverted unclean keg into the tank.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 in which the carriage (71) has a suction pad (76a) against which a cleaned keg can be forced by a lift cylinder (78) to allow the keg to be supported as it is moved to the outlet conveyor (70).

1 3. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 2 in which the kegs are located on a platform (81) whilst in the tank, the platform having grooves at various positions to afford location to kegs of differing sizes.

14. Apparatus according to claim 8 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or Figs. 3, 4A, 4B and 5.