Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useful improve-
ments in parts washing machines such as those illustrated in
Canadian patent no: 967,077.
This patent illustrates a parts washing machine
which includes a cone shaped primary separator with a pump
and motor supported at the apex thereof immediately below
the drain from the sink. The secondary intake consists
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of a tube or conduit e~tending downwardly through the
ape~ of the support and into the fluid or solvent con-
tained within the tank or container~
Under normal circumstances, this construction
operates adequately but if, for axample, the pwmp is left
on inadvertently, the fluid level within the container
often drops below the intake of the pump inasmuch as the
drain cannot return the fluid fast enough to maintain the
fluid level~
When this occurs, the pump continues to operate
without pumping fluid and overheating can occur~ Further- :
more, air can be drawn into the pump and an air lock may
: occur so that even if the pump is switched off and thei~
fluid level is returned to normal, the air lock will often
prevent the pump from drawing fluid due to the length of
: : the intake which is occasioned by the design of tha pri-
mary separator and support cone~
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Even although thermal overload means were provi-
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-: : ded, occasionally the pump motor would burn out due to this
overheating and fluid starvation~
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages
by providing a novel combination pump and motor support and
primary separator component.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided,
in a solvent type parts cleaner which includes a sink, a
solvent container below said sink and drain means in said
sink for draining solvent from said sink into said container;
a combination pump-and-motor-support and primary separator
component in said container, said component including an u~per,
solvent receiving portion and an outwardly and downwardly
sloping wall portion to deflect solvent from said drain means,
outwardly towards the wall of said container; means for
solvent to enter the interior of said component from said con-
tainer, said pump and motor unit including an upwardly facing
pump intake situated on the upper side of said pump and motor
unit preventing airlocks in said intake and ensuring that said
pump and motor unit remains submerged in the solvent in said
container.
The pump and motor component are situated withi~ -
the pump and motor support and primary separator component
with the pump intake being uppermost so that the pump and
motor are always submerged in solvent or fluid thus assisting
in the cooling aspect.
~ Because of the position of the intake, the pump
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is self-priming once the fluid level is returned to
normal so that air locks cannot occur.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide
a device which is simple in construction, economical in
manufacture and otherwise we.l suited to the purpose for
which it is designed~
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With the foregoing objects in view, and other
such objects and advantages as will become apparent to
those skilled in the art to which this invention relates
as this specification proceeds, my invention consists es-
sentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all
as hereinafter more particularly described, reference be-
ing had to the accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
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Figure 1 is a cross sectional side elevation
view substantially along the line 1-1 of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is an underside view through 180 of
Figure 1, it being understood that the device is symme-
; trical about the center line shown.
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Figure 3 is a partial sectional view reduced
in scale with reference to Figures 1 and 2, of a solvent
cleaner with the device of Figures 1 and 2 shown in posi-
tion therein.
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In the drawings like characters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
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D ETAILED DESCRI PTI 0~
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, reference should first be made to Figure 3 in
which lO illustrates a casing or reservoir having a sink
ll situated thereabove for the reception of parts for
cleaningO A solvent discharge pipe 12 discharges fluid
into the sink from the container or reservoir lO and this
solvent drains downwardly from the sink into the container
through the centrally situated drain pipe 13, all of which
is shown in the above-identified patent.
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The invention illustrated in details in Figures :~
l and 2 is collectively designated 14 and consists of a
com~ination pump and motor support and primary separator
; component normally situated on the floor 15 o the solvent
'~ 15 con~ainer or reservoir lO~
In this embodiment~ this component comprises a
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truncated eonical component 16 having an upper planar or
truncated closed portion 17 and outwardly and downwardly
.~ sleping wall portion 18~ This component is situated sub-
s~.aniially centrally of the container 10 and immediately
be_~w the drain 13 so that any fluid or solvent falling
from the drain, striXes the truncated upper porl-lon 17
and is deflected dcwnwardly and outwardly by the sloping
wall portion 18, to adjacent the outer walls of the con-
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tainer 10. This ensures that any heavy particles containedwithin the contaminated solvent, are deposited by gravity
around the outer base of the component 14 in a manner simi-
lar to that described in the previous mentioned patent.
Fluid or solvent intake apertures 19 are formed
through the sloping wall portion 18 of the component 14 ad-
jacent the upper end thereof and these apertures are pre-
ferably formed by striking out tabs 20 which remain in the
downwardly and outwardly inclined position illustrated thus
shielding the intake apertures 19 and directing the solvent
flowing down the outside of the component 14, towards the
outer perimeter of the component 14.
The fluid or solvent level normally is at a level
for example, illustrated by reference character 21 and a
pump and motor component collectively designated 22 is se-
cured to the inner surface of the sloping wall portion 18
by any conventional means (not illustrated). The sealed
motor portion 22A is provided with a sealed electrical con-
duit connection l9A which extends to a source of electrical
power (not illustrated) and maybe controlled by a conve-
: nient switch (not illustrated) within the parts cleaner
and the combination of a nut and clamp 23 on each side of
the wall of the portion 18, may assist in supporting the
component 22.
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The pump portion 22B is provided with a fluid
discharge conduit 24 also extending through the wall por-
tion 18 and means may be provided in conjunction with this
conduit also to assist in the support of the component 22.
The pump intake 25 extends upwardly from a
housing 26 on the upper side 27 of the pump 22B and nor-
mally this relatively short intake 25 is situated below
the normal fluid level 21.
However, if the unit is left on inadvertently,
the fluid level 21 may fall to the level indicated by re-
ference character 21A and of course, as soon as the intake
25 is exposed, the fluid level will not fall any further
as obviously fluid cannot enter the intake.
This maintains the pump and motor component 22
submerged in fluid or solvent at all times so that even if
it is left on inadvertently, a cooling effect is provided
by this immersion within the solvent.
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~; When the fluid level is returned to the original
level 21, as for example, when the unit is switched off,
~ 20 then fluid or solvent flows by gravity into the intake 25
:~ and prevents any air lock from causing the pump to become
inoperative. In other words, as soon as the pump is switched
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on a~ain, fluid will be pumped in the usual manner.
It will also be noted that the pump intake 25
is higher than the intake apertur~s 19 which is advanta-
geous to the operation of the device.
The component 14 together with the positioning
of the pump and motor component 22, also facilitates the
operation of the parts cleaning device by permitting the
user to close off the drain 13 in the event that he wishes
to have a quantity of solvent retained within the sink 11
; 10 so that contaminated parts can be soaked in the solvent.
~hen the drain 13 is closed off in the conventional units,
~; too much solvent is sometimes removed from the container
~ 10, once again causing pump starvation which even if over- -
`:5 heating does not oc~ur, often causes air locks which can-
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not be overcome merely by submerging the dcwnwardly extend-
ing intake into the solvent~
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Since various modifications can be made in my
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!~ invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
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widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit
~ 20 ~and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit
`~ ~ and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illus-
trative only and not in a limiting sense~
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