Lamb Technicon Corp.

Gerald E Johnson

James T Graham

A vertical workpiece cleanser and dryer which includes a pair of chain-driven pocket elevators disposed in adjacent wash and rinse towers on bases which enclose associated wash and rinse solution reservoirs. Each elevator includes a plurality of spools cantilevered from a drive chain and extending in a vertical upwardly directed reach through a solution (wash or rinse) spray zone and then through an air spray zone for removing solution from the workpiece and elevator spools. The elevator within the solution spray zone is closely encompassed by a surrounding shroud for limiting volume available for expansion of sprayed solution, and thus reducing the tendency of the sprayed solution to vaporize. Vertical orientation of the elevator and alignment of the solution and air spray zones promote downward flow of excess solution through the solution spray zone for enhanced flush-washing of the workpieces, and return of excess solution to the associated reservoir disposed therebeneath. This downward solution flow is enhanced and promoted by closed circulation of drying air, which is directed onto the workpieces at a pressure of less than two atmospheres so as to reduce tendency of the solution removed from the workpieces to vaporize. As a result, vaporization of the wash and/or rinse solutions is substantially eliminated, and the vertical cleansing apparatus of the invention does not require ventilation to outside atmosphere.

Vertical workpiece cleanser and dryer

A pocket conveyor, specifically a pocket elevator, in which a plurality of spools are cantilevered from an endless drive chain. The spools cooperate with each other and with stationary guide rails to form a series of pockets for conveying workpieces between feed and discharge stations. Various embodiments of the feed station include a starwheel rotating in synchronism with urging workpieces into recesses between the starwheel fingers. This guide surface has a clearance at the inlet and which cooperates with deformable construction of the starwheel fingers to prevent workpiece jam at the feed station. Another embodiment of the feed station includes a flat angulated surface for receiving workpieces by gravity and a flexible reach of chain extending at an angle toward the workpiece surface for automatically accommodating itself to workpiece availability without jamming. The discharge station includes a second starwheel with fingers which enter successive pockets and displace workpieces therefrom.

Growing community of inventors

Flint, MI, United States of America

Gerald E Johnson