US2132303A - Drying mechanism for cans and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 4, 1938. H. D. LATHROP 2,132,303

DRYING MECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l zv zvenz or' Oct. 4, 1938. H.'D. L ATHROP 2,132,303

DRYING MECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L I I l I l l Oct. v4, 1938. H. D. LATHROP DRYING MECHANISM FOR CANS AND THE LIKE s Sheets-Shei 3 Filed Dec. 15, 1935 llllllllurll l l I I I I I I I I l l I l I ll Patented 0a. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harry D, Lathrop, Chicago, 111., vassignor to The Lathrop-Paulson Co. nois Application December 13, 1935, Serial No. 54,308

8 Claims.

This invention relates to drying mechanism for cans and the like. For the purpose of illustration, it is described in connection with the drying of milk cans.

In the operation of emptying milk cans into a dump-pan or weigh-can, and in which operation a portion of the milk can is brought over the receiving container, there is a tendency for particles on the outside of the can to drop into the milk and thus contaminate it. While the can may be washed just before the dumping operation, considerable difficulty is experienced in attempting to dry it to the extent that no Water drops remain upon its surfacewhen itis being emptied, such water drops, if present, presenting, of course, a new source of contamination.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple and effective means for removing the water drops on the outer surface of the can while employing a minimum of power. A further object is to provide blower mechanism for discharg ing a current of air upon the can from a uniformly spaced distance as the can is moved forward. A further object is to provide blower mechanism equipped with nozzles which follow the contour of the can and in close'proximity thereto so as to remove the water with a minimum of air pressure. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred em bodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front view inelevation of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side view in elevation; and Fig. 3, a plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2, a portion of the structural parts being omitted to illustrate better the movements of the nozzle parts in following the contour of the can.

In the illustrations given A designates a frame providing a trackway for the cans and supporting structure for the moving mechanism as will" be later described. B designates motor driven blower mechanism; and C designates air conduit and nozzle mechanism through which air is discharged against thesurface of the can.

The structure A may be of any suitable type or form of construction. In the illustrations given,

' four upright U-beams ID are connected at their bottoms by longitudinal angle iron beams H and at their tops with similar beams I2. Upon beams |2 rests a steel plate I 3 which carries the motor and blower mechanism B. The longitudinal beams H and I2 are connected by transverse a corporatiou of Illibeams l4. Resting upon the lower-beam I4 is a chain track l5 which is generally U-shaped and'upon which is drawn a conveyor chain l6. Vertical rails I! are supported on each side of tracks IS. A milk can is carried by conveyor chain |6along the track provided by rails and between the angle iron strips H. In view of the well-known construction of such means for conveying milk cans, it is believed unnecessary to describe such parts. in detail. The new drying mechanism constituting the present. invention may be employed with any suitable can conveying structure.'

The motor driven blower mechanism is also of old and well-known construction and need not be described in detail. The motor I8 is supported upon a base l9 resting on the steel plate l3 and drives shafts 20 .which extend into the two blowers 2| on either side of the motor l8 and drive the rotor parts therein. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, each blower 2| is provided with an intake 22 and with two outlets 23 and 24. The outlet 24 communicates with a conduit 25, which extends downwardly and communicates with a horizontal manifold conduit 26 extending below the can trackway. It will be observed that the manifold conduit or duct 26 is supplied with air from ducts 25 leading from both blowers 2|. The manifold duct 26, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, is supplied with short vertical discharge nozzles 21, extending on either side of the track rails l1 and around the chain track l5.

The other discharge outlet 23 of each blower I3 is provided with a. circular neck to which is clampedby a metal band 28, a cylindrical flexible duct 29 which may be formed of canvas or other suitable material. The lower end of the canvas duct 29 is clamped by metal band 30 to the circular neck of discharge nozzle member 3|.

The nozzle members 3| may be formed of metal or other suitable material and preferably in the shape illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the inner ends of the members 3| providing sub stantially long vertical sides 32 which are provided with an air discharge port or nozzle 33.

i The elongated vertical ports 33, are thus positioned well inside of the supporting structure and over the can trackway.

Discharge nozzles 3| are preferably supported in such a way as to permit them to follow the contour'of the can as the can is moved along the supporting mechanism maintaining the nozzles or ports 33 at a substantially uniform distance from the surface of the can asthe can is moved. As

shown more clearly in Fig. 2, I provide a pair of supporting brackets 34 which are welded to each of the vertical standards and in spaced relation so as to support apivot shaft 35 which extends through openings in the bracket members 34. Fastened to each of the pivot shafts 35 at their upper ends are forwardly and upwardly extending arms. The arms 36 from each of the shafts 35 are connected by tension spring 31 which tends to draw the two arms together. A brace arm 38 may be secured to the pivot shaft 35 near its mid die and the other end of the arm may be secured to the nozzle member 3|. To the lower end portion .of the pivot shaft 35 is secured a long actuating arm 39, shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The arm 39 extends from the shaft 35 and is then curved at right angles below each nozzle member 3|. As shown more clearly in Fig. l, the arm 39 is connected to the nozzle member 3| thereabove by a metal strap 40. The metal strap 40 has a lower flange resting upon and secured to the arm 39, while its end portions are extended upwardly and welded to the bottom portion of each nozzle member 3|. The arms 39 at their inner ends extend slightly beyond the walls 32 of'the nozzle members 3| to provide extensions 4|. To the extensions 4| are rotatably secured guide rollers 42 which are adapted to engage the outer surface of a can passing. along the trackway.

To prevent the spring 31 from bringing nozzle members 3| together, I provide the arms 39 near their bends with stop pins 43, shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The pins 43 engage the angle irons ii and prevent the members 3| from moving inwardly beyond the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

, Operation the outward movement of the nozzle members 3|.

In this manner, the nozzles 33 are maintained at substantially a uniform distance from the outer surface of the can as the can moves forward so that the surface of the can is swept by a current of air of substantially uniform force. As the can moves forward, the bottom portion of it passe over the vertical duct outlets 21 leading from th a manifold 28. It will be observed that the ducts are supported just below the top of the chain It and are thus brought close to the bottom of the can; with this construction the bottom of the can is swept clean by the blast of air discharging in very close proximity to the bottom of the can.

In early efforts which I' have made to'clean cans by air blasts, I have attempted to discharge air from stationary ducts about the can. These efforts were abortive even though extremely high air'pressures were employed, and while utilizing larger air blowers than I now use to their full capacity. I have now discovered that the drying can be successfully accomplished with relatively small blowers if the discharge nozzles can be brought sufliciently close to the periphery ofthe can and maintained in such close relation as the can moves forward. I prefer to support the nozzles at about of an inch from the can surface although it will be understood that this distance may be varied. By maintaining the discharge nozzles constantly and uniformly close to the sides of the can as it moves forward, the water droplets are almost instantly driven from the can while relatively small power is used.

Itwill be observed, that the movement of the can forward as it is drawn by chain l3, guides the rollers 42 apart as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, while the force of spring 36 tends to bring the rollers back to their starting position after the can has advanced a certain distance.

While, in the illustrations given, I have shown nozzle members of certain shapes which are adapted to dry merely the sides of milk cans, it will be understood that the nozzles may be modified in shape, if desired, to dry the necks or tops of the cans. Such changes may be readily made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

While I prefer to move the can and cause the blower nozzles to traverse the sides of the can as it 'moves forward, if desired, a can may be allowed to remain stationary or moved at a slow rate of speed while the lower nozzles are moved by power mechanism about the periphery of the can. Also, if desired, the can may be rotated or otherwise moved to cause its outer surface to be traversed by air discharged from a nozzle close to the can and preferably at a substantially uniform distance therefrom.

In the operation of the mechanism, it will be understood that the cans are washed by any suitable means prior to their reaching the structure A, For example, as the can is moved forward on chain It, washing nozzlessmay be directed upon the can and the can thereby given a thorough cleaning. By the time that the can reaches the nozzle 3| it is found that the water droplets are carried mainly by the sides of the can and the bottom of the can. My drying mechanism, as described above, effectively removes the water drops without halting the movement of the can as it proceeds toward the weigh-can.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecesary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In can-drying mechanism of the character I set forth, a conveyor adapted to move a can along,

vsaid nozzles about the sides of said can and at a substantially uniform distance therefrom as the can moves forward.

3. In. can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a conveyor, nozzle members supported so as to swing above'said conveyor, blower mechanism, duct means connecting said blower mechanism tosaid nozzle members, guide means connected to said nozzle members and adapted to engage a can advanced by said conveyor to maintain said-nozzle members at a substantially uniform distance from the sides of the can as the can moves forward, and spring means normally drawing said nozzle members toward each other, said spring being out of the path of the can.

4. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a conveyor comprising a movable member and guide members, an air duct extending under said conveyor and having upwardly extending nozzles passing between said guide members and said movable member, a blower mecha- 'nism, and a duct connecting said blower and the duct below said conveyor. 7

5. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a blower, an inwardly extending nozzle adapted to lie adjacent the side of a can, a duct connecting said nozzle to said blower, said duct having at least a portion thereof formed of flexible material, and pivotably supported means equipped with extension arms supporting said nozzle in such a position as to cause it to move in a horizontal plane about a portion of the periphery of an advancing can while the nozzle opening is maintained at a substantially uniform distance from such portion of the periphery.

6. In can-drying apparatus of the character set forth, a blower, an inwardly extending nozzle adapted to lie adjacent the side of a can, a duct connecting said nozzle to said blower, said duct having at least a portion thereof formed of flexible material, pivotably supported means equipped with extension arms supporting said nozzle in such a position as to cause it to move about a portion of the periphery of an advancing can while the nozzle is maintained at a substantially uniform distance from such portion of the periphery, and stop means limiting the inward movement of said nozzle. e

7. In can-dryingapparatus of the character set forth, a conveyor, a pair of nozzle members pivotably supported and having vertical ports on their inner'sides adapted to lie adjacent the side ofa can, blower mechanism, flexible duct means connecting said nozzles to said blower mechanism, spring means urging said nozzles toward each other, guide means, and rollers carried by said guide means, adapted to engage the side'sof a can and to guide said nozzle openings about the sides of the can as the can is advanced by said conveyor.

8. In mechanism for drying the wet sides 01' a milk can, a. plurality of movably related nozzles having ports on their inner sides lying adjacent the sides of a can, means for advancing the can, means for causing said nozzles to traverse a portion of the sides of the can 'as the can moves forward, blower mechanism, duct means connecting said nozzles and said blower mechanism, and means for bringing said nozzles to a position extending acrosssaid advancing means after the can has moved past them.

HARRY D. LA'I'HROP.

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