EP1510609B1 - Method and device for cleaning sails - Google Patents

Abstract

Process for cleaning flat cloth (5) comprises impinging the cloth with a cleaning agent while passing it continuously through a washing device (30). An independent claim is also included for a washing device for carrying out the above process.

Description

The present invention relates generally to a method for cleaning sails for sailing vessels, wherein the sail is acted upon in a washing device at least with a cleaning agent. The invention further relates to a sail cleaning device for cleaning such sails.

Large, bulky sails are not reasonably clean in a conventional manner. Yacht sails often reach a size of more than 100 m ² and consist of rigid, often tempered canvas, which may be bent as little as possible, since kinks can damage the temper and the sail can get out of shape. Conventional washing methods in which the sail to be cleaned is placed in a washing drum, wetted and washed, are not suitable for sails. But the sheer size and the associated weight of the sails prevent them from being easily put into a washing drum. In addition, various washing operations must be carried out, for which different wash liquors must be used, because for a new wash cycle can not be used by the rough cleaning at the beginning soiled wash liquor. The various washes and rinses require conventional cleaning methods high water, energy and time consumption. In addition, the tossing and froching regularly causes an impairment of the canvas

From the DE 3046733 For example, a curtain blade cleaning apparatus is known in which the curtain blades are to be moved through a delivery channel and sprayed with a jet of liquid on their way through nozzles to remove contaminants. From the US 2,294,141 a washing and ironing machine is known, by means of which items of laundry is first moved through an endless circulating conveyor belt through washing stations, in which the laundry items are sprayed with liquid or detergent and washed out. In a subsequent ironing station, the laundry items are hot ironed. The US 1,723,514 describes a carpet cleaning apparatus, which also has an endlessly circulating, porous conveyor belt, by means of which the carpets are moved through different cleaning stations. Through the porous conveyor belt cleaning agents given on the carpet can be sucked down or run down. Furthermore, the describes EP 1247889 A2 a device for cleaning tarpaulins, in which several tarpaulins should be treated simultaneously. Here, the tarpaulin is initially pulled upwards by means of overhead deflection rollers from the ground, cleaned and then placed down in a storage container.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved sail cleaning method and an improved sail cleaning device, avoid the disadvantages of the prior art and further develop the latter in an advantageous manner. Preferably, a gentle and resource-saving cleaning of rigid, large sails should be achieved.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. In device-technical terms, the object is achieved by a cleaning device according to claim 9. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the sail is thus continuously moved in the expanded state through the washing device, in which the sail is acted upon by the at least one cleaning agent. Continuous means that the sail is moved piece by piece through the washing device. Preferably, this is done without holding, but it is possibly also a stop and go possible to give, for example, particularly heavily soiled sail sections a longer exposure time.

In a further development of the invention, the cleaning agent is returned in countercurrent to the conveying direction of the sail and used at different sections of the washing device. First, the cleaning agent is used downstream with respect to the conveying direction of the sail and then further upstream. For this purpose, a return device for returning used cleaning agent can be provided in device-technical terms between the cleaning stations, by means of which the cleaning agent already used in a washing station can be added to a wash station upstream of this washing station. On the one hand, this saves on cleaning agents, preferably comprising water and cleaning chemicals. On the other hand, this type of reuse of the wash liquor or detergent does not affect its efficiency, since the return takes place in the opposite direction to the direction of sailing. In downstream washing stations, the canvas is already relatively clean, so that the cleaning liquor is only slightly dirty and can be used again in the further upstream cleaning stations, in which the sail is still much more polluted.

The cleaning stations are preferably connected in series so that the sail with different sections can be treated simultaneously in different cleaning stations. The partial cleaning with the simultaneous treatment of different sections causes a parallel connection of main times, i. the time required for each cleaning station is synchronized with the time required for another cleaning station.

Advantageously, the sail to be cleaned is guided along a lying transport path through the washing device, wherein a gradient between the cleaning stations for returning the cleaning agent can be used. In particular, in each case a transport path for the cleaning agent in the conveying direction may be ascending, so that the cleaning agent or the rinsing water of a downstream cleaning or rinsing station can be guided by gravity to an upstream cleaning or rinsing station.

In a further development of the invention, the sail is successively guided by a plurality of washing or cleaning stations, which are provided with cleaning fluid, arranged along a flat, horizontal path.

To avoid wrinkles and Walk operations as completely as possible, the transport path may be formed by a plurality of successively arranged bearing surfaces, which are flat or slightly curved uniaxially formed in the conveying direction. The formation of the transport path such that the sail remains walk-free on its way along the transport path or undergoes no curvature brings with it the advantage that the rigid sail gently and smoothly through the washing device is brought. The transport path advantageously also has no curvature or bending transversely to the transport direction.

At the exit of each cleaning station, a separator, in particular a suction device, is preferably provided for removing cleaning agent or rinse water residues at the sails leaving the respective washing station. In this way it can be prevented that dissolved dirt particles pass from one cleaning station to the next cleaning station.

In a development of the invention, each cleaning station has at least one roller arranged transversely to the direction of conveyance, with the aid of which the sail to be cleaned can be cleanly conveyed into the washing station and fed out again, so that the sail is guided essentially along the wash support surface. The washer surfaces may preferably have lateral boundaries, so that they can be filled with detergent and / or detergent. The sail is passed through the appropriate detergent or rinsing agent bath.

The washing stations, in order to be able to remove coarse impurities, each have at least one mechanical cleaning element, in particular brush, which is movable over the sail surface. In particular, two cleaning rollers may be provided at the cleaning stations, which are arranged on opposite sides of the sail passing through the cleaning station and brush in opposite directions over the sail. The cleaning rollers mentioned can form the aforementioned conveying rollers or interact with them.

Advantageously, a plurality of cleaning roller pairs and conveyor roller pairs are each arranged alternately one behind the other along a flat transport path. Between the cleaning roller and conveyor roller pairs preferably flat bearing surfaces may be provided which support the canvas between the roller pairs. The rollers that would touch each other along a line if the canvas does not pass between them are at that line of contact preferably arranged in a common plane which is defined by the lying between the roller pairs bearing surfaces. As a result, the sail can be passed wrinkle-free and walk-free between the stations. The entire arrangement of the washing device is advantageously lying, that is, the canvas is so to speak on a horizontal table on which the cleaning and conveying roller pairs are arranged continuously promoted by washing program to wash program.

The cleaning rollers may have a diameter that deviates from the diameter of the conveyor rollers. In particular, the conveyor rollers may have a smaller diameter. To improve a cleaning action of the cleaning rollers, they may be driven at a peripheral speed that deviates from the peripheral speed of the conveyor rollers so that the cleaning rollers brush over the canvas, i. perform a relative movement. In particular, the conveyor rollers can run at a slightly greater peripheral speed, so that the cleaning or washing rollers brake the canvas, so to speak, whereby a brush effect is achieved. At the same time, the canvas is taut on its way through the cleaning stations. Downstream pairs of rollers run at a higher peripheral speed than upstream pairs of rollers. In this way, on the one hand a tightening of the canvas between the pairs of rollers and at the same time a brushing effect can be achieved.

The cleaning stations advantageously comprise a main washing station which has a fresh water supply and a detergent dosing device. Upstream of said main washing station is advantageously a pre-washing station, which may be connected to the main washing station via a detergent recycling, so that the cleaning agent used in the main washing station can advantageously be recycled to the pre-washing station comprising water and cleaning chemicals once it has reached a certain degree of soiling. In addition, a fresh water supply can be added to the pre-wash station and / or a Reinigungsmitteldosiereinrichtung be provided to add fresh water or nachzudosieren the cleaning chemicals.

The pre-washing station is preferably preceded by a wetting station, in which the sail to be cleaned can be wetted or soaked. Preferably, the wetting station is connected via a fluid line to a rinsing station connected downstream of the main washing station, so that the rinsing water used in the rinsing station can be used for wetting the sail to be cleaned at the inlet of the washing device.

In particular for the cleaning of sails, a cleaning station downstream of the main washing station is designed as an additional application station, which has an application device for applying additional application or finishing agents.

At the downstream end of the washing device, a drying and smoothing station is further provided, which may be formed differently. Advantageously, it may have a support which can be heated by means of a heater. Downstream of the support can be an air blower, by means of which the last moisture residues can be removed from the sail.

With regard to the conveying device, the cleaning device can be designed differently. Advantageously, the conveyor may comprise conveyor rollers, which are driven circumferentially transversely to the conveying direction and over which the sail runs. It can be provided in pairs, mutually associated rollers between which the sail is conveyed through. It is also conceivable to press the rollers against bearing surfaces of the transport path to promote the sail.

Fig. 1:

eine schematische, perspektivische Ansicht einer Reinigungsvorrichtung nach einer bevorzugten Ausführung der Erfindung, und

Fig. 2:

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer Reinigungsvorrichtung nach einer weiteren bevorzugten Ausführung der Erfindung.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1:

a schematic, perspective view of a cleaning device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2:

a schematic side view of a cleaning device according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention.

The drawn in the figures cleaning devices are modular and comprise several successively arranged cleaning, rinsing, Zusatzapplikations- and drying stations, which can be exchanged depending on the application and arranged differently. They define a lying transport path for the canvas to be cleaned, which begins with an inlet table 1 and ends with an outlet 2, to which a removal storage 3 connects, in which the finished cleaned sail is stored folded.

Between the inlet table 1 and the outlet 2 is in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 a conveyor 4 provided in the form of two each edge arranged, endlessly circulating conveyor belts, which are not shown in detail in the drawing. They continuously convey the canvas 5 to be cleaned through all stations.

The inlet table 1 forms a pre-cleaning station 6, on which, if necessary, manual coarse contamination can be removed or treated with cleaning chemicals and rinsed out. At the downstream end of the inlet table 1, the canvas passes through two counter-rotating rollers 7. Even before the canvas reaches the first automatic cleaning station, it is wetted in a wetting station 8 with rinse water fed with rinse water from a rinse station downstream of the wash stations , By means of a suction the silt still remaining on the sail and coarse dirt remnants are removed, so that they can not get into the first actual wash station. The suction station 9 may comprise a transverse to the conveying direction sink, which is acted upon by negative pressure.

The subsidized by the conveyor 4 canvas then enters the prewash station 10. How the FIG. 1 shows, the pre-wash station 10 comprises a transverse to the conveying direction washing cavity 11, which is bounded on the bottom side of a Waschmuldenauflage 12. In the washing trough 11 each successive pairs of rollers 13 and 14 are arranged in an inlet region and in an outlet region, between which runs through the canvas and is promoted. The pairs of rollers 13 and 14 each comprise brush rollers, which are driven in opposite directions by means of a drive device 15 such that on each side of the canvas a brush roller is driven against the direction of travel of the canvas, so that it sweeps in opposite directions over the sail and brushes dirt off this.

At the outlet of the pre-wash station 10, a suction device 16 is arranged, which also extends transversely across the fabric web to be conveyed. The suction device 16 may additionally comprise wipers, separator rollers and other suitable means for removing residual water.

The pre-washing station 10 is then followed by the main washing station 17, which is basically constructed similar to the pre-washing station 10 described above. It also includes two pairs of rollers 13 and 14, which are driven by a drive device 15. The main washing station 17 is then followed by a further suction device 16. The main washing station 17 is connected to the pre-wash station 10 via a return device 18, which is not shown in detail in the drawing. In the simplest case, it can consist of a line and a shut-off valve and optionally have a delivery pump. The return device 18 serves to return the wash liquor used in the main wash station 17 to the pre-wash station 10, in which the wash liquor already used in the main wash station is reused. The main washing station 17 itself is supplied with fresh water via a fresh water supply 19 and with detergent or chemicals via a detergent dosing device 20. It is understood that the pre-wash station 10 also has a corresponding fresh water supply and detergent dosing may have to dine fresh water and / or cleaning chemicals can.

The suction device 16 after the pre-wash station 10 and / or after the main wash station 17 advantageously also comprises a rinsing water supply in order to be able to rinse the canvas after the washing stations. The suction device 16 thus simultaneously forms a rinsing station. Advantageously, on the one hand a pressure flushing device and on the other hand a suction device is provided in the suction.

After passing through the main wash cycle, the continuously conveyed canvas is conveyed to the refining station 21. This is basically similar to the pre-wash station or main wash station described above. However, in the finishing station 21 no wash liquor in the washing trough, but a refining bath of suitable finishing agents. As the figure shows, the finishing station 21 comprises the previously described arrangement of roller pairs 13 and 14 with associated drive means.

Subsequent to the finishing station 21 further additional application stations 22 and 23 are provided, which in turn in principle correspond in their construction to the washing stations 10 and 17 described above and have roller pairs together with drive means. In the additional application station 23 an additional equipment bath is kept ready. Instead of a bath, it goes without saying that the additional application means could also be sprayed on.

Finally, following the additional application station 23, the canvas passes through a fixing station 24, in which the previously applied additives are fixed. The fixing station 24 can basically be designed in the manner described above as the washing stations and have a fixing bath ready. Otherwise, the fixative can be sprayed on.

At the downstream end of the station 24, a pair of dewatering rollers 25 are provided, which serve to remove residual moisture and form the entrance of the drying station 26. The dewatering rollers 25, which are also arranged transversely to the conveying direction, run towards each other and are advantageously biased against each other so that the sail passed between them is squeezed, so to speak, to remove water thereon. The drying station 26 comprises, downstream of the dewatering rollers 25, a heatable support surface 27, over which the canvas is guided. The heated surface leads to evaporation of moisture still adhering to the canvas. A pressure roller 28 ensures that the canvas actually runs over the heated support 27. Downstream of the support 27 is a blower 29, by means of which the last moisture residues can be removed.

Subsequent to the drying station 26, the canvas runs into the removal storage 3.

An alternative embodiment of a cleaning device shows the FIG. 2 , Significant difference to the embodiment described above is the formation of the transport path in the cleaning stations, in particular the provision of a substantially completely flat transport path without washing trays. Similar to the embodiment described above, an inclined inlet table 1 is provided at the upstream end of the washing device, via which a sail to be cleaned is fed to a first pair of transport rollers 7a and 7b. The transport roller pair 7a and 7b run in opposite directions, so that the canvas between the rollers 7a and 7b is conveyed through, and extends with the axes of rotation transverse to the conveying direction of the canvas in a substantially horizontal arrangement.

A first washing station connected downstream of the conveyor roller pair 7a and 7b is designed as a pre-washing station 10 and comprises two cleaning rollers 13, 14 which can be driven in opposite directions, so that the canvas can pass between the rollers 13 and 14. The cleaning rollers 13 and 14 are formed as brushes and extend with their axes of rotation to each other parallel lying substantially transversely to the conveying direction of the sail. The lower cleaning roller 13b is as FIG. 2 shows, disposed in a detergent tank 31 so that it is wetted with its lower peripheral segment by the cleaning agent contained in the detergent container 31, so that the cleaning roller 13b, the cleaning agent on the passing between the cleaning rollers canvas applies.

Additionally or alternatively, the cleaning rollers 13a and 13b may comprise integrated detergent spray nozzles, with the aid of which the cleaning agent is sprayed onto the canvas passing through the rollers. Furthermore, separate Reinigungsmittelsprühdüsen 32 may be provided by the cleaning brush rollers 13a and 13b, which spray the detergent on the brush rollers 13a, 13b and / or directly on the passing through the brush rollers canvas.

Similar to the previously described embodiment, the pre-wash station 10 is followed by a main wash station 17, a post-cleaning and rinsing station 33, a finishing and additional application station 21 and finally a fixing station 24, which basically has the same structure with a pair of rollers 13a and 13b, a cleaning agent or a pair of rollers Have additive or Fixiermittelbehältnis 31 and corresponding spray nozzles 32 as the pre-wash station 10. Between the successively arranged washing stations and Zusatzapplikations- or fixing each successive conveyor roller pairs 7a and 7b are provided, which can basically correspond to the provided at the end of the inlet table 1 conveyor roller pair.

As FIG. 2 shows, the cleaning rollers 13a and 13b and the conveyor rollers 7a and 7b of the respective stations are all arranged parallel to each other in a horizontal orientation transversely to the conveying direction of the washing device. They define a substantially flat transport path for the sail, which is to be cleaned, ie they are each symmetrically upwards with respect to a common, lying plane or spaced below. The passage gaps defined between the roller pairs lie in a common plane.

Between the pairs of rollers 7a, 7b and 13a, 13b respectively flat support surfaces 34 are provided which support the canvas between the pairs of rollers. The bearing surfaces 34 are each arranged horizontally and together define a lying flat transport surface in the manner of a table.

As FIG. 2 shows, between the main washing station 17 and the prewashing station 10 and between the Nachreinigungs- or rinsing station 33 and the main washing station 17 each a return means 18 for returning the used in the respective station cleaning agent provided in the upstream station. These return devices 18 can operate on the principle of gravity. In the illustrated embodiment, they include for each upstream washing station down sloping, inclined return paths 35th

Subsequently, a conveyor roller pair 7a, 7b is provided at the outlet end of the fixing station 24, which can be designed as drainage rollers to remove residual moisture. To the washing device 30 then also in the execution after FIG. 2 a drying station 26 is provided, which downstream of said rollers 7a, 7b comprises a heatable, inclined inclined support 27, over which the canvas is guided. The heated pad 27 leads to evaporation still adhering to the canvas moisture. Press rollers 28 ensure that the canvas actually runs over the heated support 27. The support 27 may be followed by a fan, with the help of which last moisture residues can be removed.

Subsequent to the drying station 26, the canvas runs into the removal storage 3.

The described continuous cleaning device with recycling of the cleaning solution in countercurrent has great advantages in terms of water and Power consumption. In addition, by the promotion of the sail in the spread state this is spared and preserved from wrinkling.

Claims (22)

1. Method for the cleaning of sails (5) for sailing ships, in which the sail (5) is acted upon with at least one cleaning agent in a washing apparatus (30) and is continuously moved, in the spread-out state, through the washing apparatus (30), the sail (5) being conveyed, lying on a rest (34) designed in the manner of a table, through a plurality of separate cleaning stations (10, 17, 33) spaced apart from one another, the sail (5) being drawn by means of a plurality of pairs of conveying rollers (7a, 7b), which roll one on the other and between which the sail runs through, over and beyond the said rest (34), which is subdivided into resting surfaces lying between the pairs of conveying rollers (7a, 7b), the following pairs of rollers being operated at a higher circumferential speed than preceding pairs of rollers, in order to tauten the sail (5), and the sail (5) being moved in the cleaning stations (10, 17, 33) through between pairs of cleaning rollers (13, 14) which are designed in the form of brushes and by which the sail is brushed down on both sides.
2. Method according to the preceding claim, a trailing sail portion being acted upon by cleaning agent with which a leading sail portion was previously acted upon and/or the cleaning agent being transported from a downstream portion of the washing apparatus to an upstream portion of the washing apparatus.
3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the sail (5) being treated simultaneously with different portions in different cleaning stations (10, 17).
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the sail (5) being moved, flex-free, through the washing apparatus (30) along the essentially planar transport path formed by the rest.
5. Method according to the preceding claim, the sail (5), during conveyance through the plurality of cleaning stations (10) arranged one behind the other, being supported between these cleaning stations (10) by the plurality of resting surfaces arranged one behind the other and having a planar design.
6. Method according to the two preceding claims, the sail (5) being led through a plurality of pairs of cleaning rollers which are arranged one behind the other and the paired contact or rolling lines of which are arranged in a common plane and the axes of rotation of which are arranged parallel to one another.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the sail (5) being led through pairs of cleaning rollers and pairs of conveying rollers which are arranged alternately one behind the other and which define a planar transport path for the sail (5) and are operated at different circumferential speeds.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, washing or cleaning agent being applied to the sail (5) to be cleaned, by means of the rotating cleaning rollers (14) which dip into the cleaning agent to be applied and/or which possess cleaning-agent outlet orifices, in particular cleaning-agent spray nozzles.
9. Sail-cleaning apparatus for the cleaning of sails for sailing ships, in particular by the method according to one of the preceding claims, with a transport path, with a plurality of cleaning stations (10, 17) arranged one behind the other along the transport path, and with a conveying device (4) for the continuous conveyance of the sail in the spread-out state through the cleaning stations (10, 17), the transport path being designed essentially in the form of a horizontal plane and having, for supporting the sail (5), a rest (34) which is designed in the manner of a table and which has a plurality of resting surfaces which are arranged one behind the other and which are of planar design and are arranged in a common plane, the conveying device (4) having a plurality of pairs of conveying rollers (7a, 7b), arranged between the resting surfaces, which roll one on the other and which are in contact from both sides with the sail running between them, drive means being provided for driving following pairs of rollers at a higher circumferential speed than preceding pairs of rollers, in order to tauten the sail (5), and the cleaning stations (10, 17) having pairs of cleaning rollers (13, 14), designed in the form of brushes for brushing down the sail on both sides which is moved through between the cleaning rollers (13, 14).
10. Cleaning apparatus according to the preceding claim, there being provided, at least between two cleaning stations (10, 17), a recirculation device (18) for the recirculation of used cleaning agent which was used in one cleaning station into a cleaning station (10) preceding this one cleaning station (17).
11. Cleaning apparatus according to the preceding claim, the recirculation device (18) having a gravity conveyer, in particular an inclined cleaning-agent recirculation path descending towards the preceding cleaning station (10).
12. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, the transport path being designed in such a way that the sail (5) remains essentially flex-free on its way along the transport path and undergoes essentially no curvature.
13. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, there being provided at the exit of each cleaning station (10, 17) a separator, preferably a suction-extraction device (16) for the removal of cleaning agent residues on the sail (5) leaving the cleaning station.
14. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, the cleaning stations each possessing a fluid tank (11), on each of which at least one roller (13, 14) arranged transversely with respect to the conveying direction is arranged.
15. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, at least one cleaning station (10, 17) possessing two cleaning rollers which brush over the sail (5) contradirectionally to the conveying direction.
16. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, at least one cleaning station (10, 17) having, for the application of the cleaning agent, a cleaning roller which dips into a cleaning-agent tank (11) and/or has cleaning-agent discharge orifices, in particular cleaning-agent spray nozzles, for applying the cleaning agent to the sail (5).
17. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, a plurality of pairs of cleaning rollers (13, 14) defining a planar transport path and in each case being arranged symmetrically in pairs with respect to a common plane which forms the transport path.
18. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, pairs of cleaning rollers and pairs of conveying rollers, which can be driven at different circumferential speeds, being provided alternately one behind the other.
19. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, a main washing station (17) being provided, which has a fresh-water supply (19) and a cleaning-agent metering device (20).
20. Cleaning apparatus according to the preceding claim, a pre-washing station (10) preceding the main washing station (17) and being capable of being fed with cleaning agent from the main washing station (17).
21. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, an additional application station (13) being provided, which has an application device for applying additional application agent to the sail (5).
22. Cleaning apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, there being provided, following the cleaning stations (10, 17), a drying station (26) which has a rest (27), to which a heating system is assigned, and/or an air blower (29).

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