Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor having impinging fluid to feed – shift or discharge... – Having cleaning means
Patent
1995-04-04
1997-02-04
Dayoan, D. Glenn
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor having impinging fluid to feed, shift or discharge...
Having cleaning means
B65G 4500
Patent
active
055989152
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a conveyor belt washer for cleaning a foraminous conveyor belt.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In the food industry, belt conveyors are used for the transportation of food during processing thereof or between separate processing units. This often results in a buildup of food debris and processing media on the conveyor belt, requiring repeated cleaning.
Thorough cleaning of the foraminous conveyor belt with water requires high-pressure water jets which produce splashing water and render the separation of water from food debris difficult. Also, when recirculating the water, air entrained by the water jets causes cavitation in a pump used for producing the high-pressure water jets.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor belt washer which eliminates cavitation in the pump for recirculating the water to produce the high-pressure water jets.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor belt washer capable of effective separation of debris from the cleaning water.
A further object of the present invention is to reduce the splashing of water in a conveyor belt washer.
According to the present invention, a conveyor belt washer comprises a plurality of nozzles for ejecting water jets towards an upper side of a foraminous conveyor belt; a tank positioned under the foraminous conveyor belt for receiving water ejected from said nozzles, said tank having a foraminous top side for separating particles accompanying said water, an outlet opening in a lower part thereof and a ventilating opening in an upper part thereof; a pump having an inlet and an outlet; and pipings connecting said outlet opening of the tank to said inlet of the pump, and said outlet of the pump to said plurality of nozzles, such that the water is recirculated and air entrained by the water through the foraminous top side of the tank escapes through the ventilating opening thereof.
Preferably, the ventilating opening is positioned in the top side of the tank and outside the conveyor belt. Further, in a preferred embodiment, an upstanding channel connects or communicates with the ventilating opening.
The foraminous top side of the tank comprises a filter screen, advantageously a 60 mesh screen having an open area of about 37%. In a preferred embodiment, the filter screen is mounted in a frame which forms a separate unit and is removable from the tank.
In order to allow the conveyor belt to pass along a return path through the belt washer, the tank has an upper compartment and a lower compartment interconnected by a vertical duct on one side of the conveyor belt, said outlet opening being positioned in the lower compartment.
The conveyor belt washer according to the invention further may comprise at least one air curtain after the nozzles in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be described in more detail below, low, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a conveyor belt washer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a part of the conveyor belt washer shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top view of a filter included in the conveyor belt washer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the filter shown in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, a conveyor belt washer according to the present invention comprises a stand 1 for a tank 2, a spray head 11 and a fan 4. A foraminous conveyor belt 5 travels through the stand 1 along an upper belt path on rails 6. The belt 5 travels in the opposite direction through the stand 1 along a lower belt path on rails 7. In the lower belt path, the foraminous conveyor belt 5 is encompassed by the tank 2, which has an upper compartment 8 and a lower compartment 9 interconnected by a duct 10 outside the foraminous conveyor belt 5 in the lower belt path.
A tubular spray head 11 is
REFERENCES:
patent: 2266309 (1941-12-01), Cohen
patent: 5368650 (1994-11-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5372242 (1994-12-01), McInnes et al.
Hocker Jon A.
Hogan Donald L.
Malmberg Jonny
Strong John R.
Dayoan D. Glenn
Frigoscandia Equipment AG
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