US2291991A - Apparatus for cleaning rolls - Google Patents

Description

8- 1942- L. M. SPRAKER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ROLLS Filed Dec. 6, 1940 INVENTOR L/v/xvas TON M SPRAKEE Mr ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1942 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ROLLS Livingston M. Spraker,'Palatine Bridge, N. Y., assignor to Beech-Nut Packing Company, Canajoharie, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 6, 1940, Serial N0. 368,810

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus forcleaning cylinders or rolls, such for example as the ink rolls of printingmachines, and engraving cylinders.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro-- vide an apparatus of this character which is simple in construction and. convenient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character indicated which is capable of effectively and expeditiously clean-= ing, washing, polishingor scrubbing a cylinder or roll.

The several features of the invention, whereby these and other objects may be attained, will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of my improved apparatus in its preferred form; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line 2-4, of Fig. 1.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawing is provided with a base or frame having end walls or standards 2 that are connected by side rails 4.- Between the end walls 2 are arranged two cleaning brushes 6 and 8 which are carried by shafts III that extend through and are journaled in bearings I2 on the end walls 2.

The two shafts III are driven in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, by intermeshing gears l4 on corresponding ends thereof. The gears l4 are driven through an idler gear l6 which operatively engages one of the gears I4, and this idler I6 is driven through an idler 18 by a pinion 20 on the end of the shaft of an electric motor 22 mounted on a bracket 24 securedto one of the side rails 4 of the frame.

The cleaning rolls or brushes 6 and 8 are reciprocated longitudinally in opposite directions by means of angular cam disks 26, each of which engages between two rolls 28 supported on a bracket 30 on themachine frame.

The cleaning rolls 6 and 8 may be formed of any suitable material, such as fabric disks 32 that are suitably clamped between flanges 34 on the shaft ID by any well known means so that they may be easily removed and replaced. The cleaning roller 6 is of larger diameter than the roll 8, and the top surfaces of the two rolls may be in substantially the same horizontal plane as shown. Between the rolls 6 and 8 there is a guard-rod or bar 36.

In alinement with the space between the rolls 6 and 8 are two upright plates 38 which are secured on the frame end uprights 2 by means of 5s screws 40 which extend through longitudinally extending slots in the bases 42 of the plates 36. By means of this screw and slot securing means, the plates may be adjusted toward and from each other.

The parts above described and their supporting frame may be positioned as a unit in a pan 44 for receiving suitable ink solvent or other cleaning fluid, the lower portions of the cleaning rolls 6 and 8 being immersed in the cleaning fluid.

with this construction, when it is desired to clean a cylindrical object such as an ink roll 46, the object is positioned upon the cleaning rollers or brushes 6 and 8 and between the uprights 38.

The roll 46 to be cleaned may be thus positioned on the cleaning brushes and removed therefrom without interrupting the operation of the cleaning brushes.

The rotation of the cleaning brushes 6 and 8, when a cylindrical object has thus been applied to them, in opposite directions and at difl'erent peripheral speeds, causes the object to be forced against them due to rotation of the rolls and gravity. As the peripheral speeds of the cleaning brushes are not the same and the brushes are not of the same diameter, the object is caused to revolve at a speed different from either of the brushes. This produces a circumferential scrubbing action to produce a cleaning effect similar to hand washing. At the same time the cleaning rolls are revolving, the reciprocation thereof as above described produces a longitudinal scrubbing action on the object which thereby effectively cleans, washes and polishes the object.

' It will be apparent that from one to three rolls or cylinders may be washed at one time, each one revolving due to friction between itself and adjacent cylinder. The guard-bar 36 prevents the smaller rolls being cleaned, or other objects from working down between thecleaning rollers. The adjustable plates 38 retain the objects being cleaned from longitudinal movement during the cleaning operation. The cleaning brushes may be made of different materials, and their diameters may be varied to meet different conditions.

It will be apparent that the apparatus will perform the operations described on any roll or cylinder regardless of the length or diameter within the capacity of the particular apparatus, and whether or not the object has a uniform surface.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art my invention permits various modifications with out departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

what I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for cleaning rolls or cylinders oi the class described, the combination of cleaning rolls of difl'erent diameters arranged horizontally side by side and adapted to support an object to be cleaned upon the inner portions of their top surfaces, means for rotating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions at different peripheral speeds, and means for reciprocating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions, the upper portions of the peripheral surfaces of the cleaning rolls moving toward each other.

2. In an apparatus for cleaning cylinders or rolls of the class described, the combination of cleaning rolls arranged horizontally side by side and adapted to support the object to be cleaned upon the inner portions of their top surfaces, means for rotating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions at diflerent peripheral speeds, means for reciprocating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions, and a container for cleaning fluid in which the cleaning rolls are partially submerged, the upper portions of the peripheral surfaces of the cleaning rolls moving toward each other.

3. In an apparatus for cleaning rolls or cylinders of the class described, the combination of cleaning rolls of difirent diameters arranged horizontally side by side and adapted to support the object to be cleaned upon the inner portions 1090f their top surfaces, means for rotating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions at different peripheral speeds, means for reciprocating the cleaning rolls in opposite directions, and means for retaining the object being cleaned from axial 15 movement during the operation of said cleaning rolls, the upper portions of the peripheral surfaces of the cleaning rolls moving toward each other.

LIVINGSTON M. SPEAKER.

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