Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – For sheet – web – strand or bar form work – longitudinally...
Reexamination Certificate
2003-12-23
2004-10-12
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
For sheet, web, strand or bar form work, longitudinally...
C134S199000, C101S074000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802324
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to industrial washers for cleaning sheet metal blanks. More particularly, the invention relates to a sheet metal blank washer system having a cleaning cassette that is selectively mounted on a tank, wherein the cassette has a plurality of rollers that cooperate with a spray system to clean sheet metal blanks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known washers include a roller system and an integral tank that is fixedly secured below the roller system. The roller system utilizes six rollers, three lower rollers and three upper rollers that are positioned directly on top of the lower rollers, thereby forming three pairs of rollers. The first pair of rollers are the entry rollers, the second pair of rollers are the wash rollers, and the final pair of rollers are the exit rollers. A pre-defined gap exists between each pair of rollers to permit passage of the blank. The wash and exit rollers have substantially the same diameter, while the entry rollers have a diameter that is smaller than the wash and exit rollers. The washer has an inlet opening on one side and an exit opening on the opposite side. The upper and lower entry rollers are positioned adjacent the inlet opening and receive the metal blank to be cleaned and guide the blank into the washer. The center rollers are the wash rollers and are used to scrub the blank as it passes through the entry rollers. The exit rollers are positioned adjacent the exit opening and typically next to the washer rollers. A delivery system may be used to coat the metal blanks with lubricity film. A separate spray system is positioned between the entry rollers and exit rollers. The spray system includes a plurality of spray nozzles that inject a wash solution, often with a lubricity coating therein, onto the metal blank to assist in cleaning the blank. In one known washer, an air cylinder is operatively connected to the exit rollers to exert a predetermined pressure in pounds per linear inch (PLI) upon the metal blank as it is passed through the rolls to leave a predetermined amount of coating on the metal blank. In another known system, the wash rollers and exit rollers are supported by a back-up roller system that includes short steel rollers to exert a predetermined pressure on the metal blank to coat the blank. Both the lower and upper rollers are motor driven and are operatively connected to a motor by means of a complex chain drive.
However, known six roller washers have been found to be undesirable for a number of reasons. First, previous known washers have been relatively large, are quite heavy and therefore are not provided with a transport means to enable movement of the washer system to different locations within a manufacturing plant. In addition, the washer systems have been found to produce an inconsistent and uneven film coating thickness on the sheet metal blanks, thereby reducing the cleaning effectiveness of the washer. The chain driven rollers have also been found to be excessively noisy and difficult to disassemble in the event of washer failures or when routine maintenance is required. Moreover, the complexity of known roller systems require constant maintenance. For example, the rollers are not readily accessible when redressing is desired. Instead, to access the rollers, the entire washer much be disassembled. Such activity results in excessive manufacturing down time and loss revenue. Requiring washer disassembly even for routine maintenance may also result in unwanted component movement and even component loss or damage.
Accordingly, there is a need for a washer system that has fewer components, provides improved cleaning, allows for quick disassembly and accessibility to the internal components of the washer for routine maintenance and provides protection against undesirable component movement, loss, or damage
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved sheet metal washer system having a selectively removable washer cassette member, entry and exit rollers, an integral cleaning spray system for delivering cleaning fluid to metal blanks passing through the washer cassette, and a contaminated fluid storage tank. An optional integral spray system for delivering film coatings may also be provided. The cassette member includes a number of machine components that are fixedly secured together to make up a cassette frame member. The frame member is covered with a metallic skin, preferably constructed of stainless steel for durability. The skin further includes hinged access doors positioned on both sides of the washer. Preferably, each side of the washer includes an upper hinge door that swings upwardly and a lower hinge door that swings downwardly. The hinged access doors advantageously provide access to the interior of the washer unit for routine maintenance or repair in the event of washer failures. The top surface of the washer is also provided with a hinged access door that lifts upward to permit easy access to the interior of the washer. See-through end plates are preferably removably connected to either end of the washer to permit easy monitoring of the mechanisms used to operate the washer and the bearing ends of the entry and exit rollers. The cassette further has an open bottom that cooperates with an open tank top when the cassette member is positioned on top of the tank to collect the contaminated fluid and debris being cleaned off of the metal-blanks.
The tank preferably includes upwardly projecting locating pins that are received within locating apertures formed on a bottom surface of the cassette to insure proper positioning of the cassette onto the tank. The tank further includes a filter system that segregates the collected debris from the contaminated fluid such that the cleaning fluid may be recirculated into the cleaning spray system via intake manifolds that extend through one side of the cassette housing, to be explained below in further detail. It is preferred that the tank be provided with wheels to permit allow for easy maneuverability of the washer system.
The cassette is selectively removable from the tank and may be substituted with an identical cassette to allow for off-line periodic maintenance or failure, while reducing washer system downtime. Accordingly, the top of the washer cassette is provided with heavy-duty eyebolts that are connectable to lifting chains to permit selective lift-off of the washer by a crane or other suitable lifting mechanism.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the cassette has an inlet opening for receiving the metal blank and an outlet opening for ejecting the metal blank after it has been cleaned. The upper and lower hinged doors define the inlet and outlet openings, respectively. Provided within the cassette are four cleaning rollers, each of the rollers having substantially larger diameters than known washers such that the rollers do not require back-up support rollers. By reducing the cleaning rollers from six to four while simultaneously maintaining and often increasing blank cleanliness, as discussed below, a significant reduction in the number of washer system components on the order of fifty percent (50%) is achieved. The reduction in the number of washer components advantageously lowers both production and maintenance costs, as well as washer complexity.
The four cleaning rollers include two lower rollers and two upper rollers, with the upper rollers being positioned directly over the lower rollers. One pair of upper and lower rollers are positioned adjacent to the inlet opening and define the entry rollers that initially receive the metal blank to be cleaned. The second pair of upper and lower rollers define the exit rollers and are positioned adjacent to the outlet opening.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the entry rollers are operatively connected to first air cylinders to provide a first predetermined pressure in pounds per linear inch (PLI) to the blank to properly clean the metal blank by delivering cleaning fluid under high pressure. Pre
Berghorn David
Bleau Michael J.
Budry, Jr. William Robert
Goetz Douglas J.
Sebai Mohamad A.
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Stinson Frankie L.
Utica Enterprises Inc.
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