Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES, GLASSES AND THE LIKE
;~ield of the Invention
This invention is concerned with improvements in or
relating to appara~us for washing dishes, glasses and the like,
such as is used as example in restaurants, bars and saloons.
Review of the Prior Art
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Mechanical apparatus is now almost universally used in
restaurants, bars and saloons for the washing of the dishes,
glasses, etc. involved in the operation. It is preferred by the
operator of such an establishment that the apparatus occupies as
small a space as possible, and yet be of relatively high
capacity 50 as to ensure that washed dishes and glasses are
available at all times. One way in which an increase in
throughput in the apparatus can be achieved is by shortening the
washing and rinsing cycle, but this then results in problems
such as disposal in the very brief period of time of the
relatively large quantity of water that is used in the washing
ancl rinsing periods. Moreover, it is difficult for the operator
to know if the required additives are actually being added to
the liquids in the operation oE the apparatus.
Definition of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a new apparatus for washing dishes, glasses and the like.
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided apparatus for washing dishes, glasses and the like,
comprising:-
a body receiving a tray of dishes, glasses and the liketo be washed;
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spray means for spraying the contents of the tray with
washing water and subsequently with rinsing water;
a collection tank receiving the water delivered by the
spray means;
pump means circulating the liquid from the collection
tank to the spray means;
a sump tank disposed at a lower level than the
collection tank and connected to a drain;
valve means connecting the collection and sump tanks
for dumping the liquid from the collection tank to the sump tank
for subsequent draining to the drain; and
means for feeding additives to the wash and/or rinse
liquid in the collection tank, each said means including a
visibly-open pathway portion to permit observation of the flow
of such additives.
Description of the Drawings
A particular pre~erred embodiment of the invention will
now be disclosad by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein:
Figure l is a front elevation of the apparatus;
F-gure 2 is a transverse cross section parallel to the
said front elevation and approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure
3:
~ Figure 3 is a plane view of the apparatus of Figures l
and 2; and
Figure 4 is a side elevation of motor-driven cam
actuating mechanism for dump valve means of the apparatus.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
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The apparatus of the invention comprises a sheet metal
body 10 of approximately square cross section as seen in plan,
the upper part of which is provîded with a rotary spray means 12
for washing the underside of a tray (not shown) of dishes, glasses
mounted above the spray means. Another spray means will be
mounted above the tray in a manner known to those skilled in
the art and not illustrated in the present application since the
disclosure thereof is not essential to the understanding of the
present invention.
The spray means is mounted on a downwardly sloping
generally horizontal partition 14 whereby liquid discharged
from the spray means drains automatically under gravity into a
collection chamber 16. Th~ liquid which drains into the collection
chamber is extracted therefrom by a rotary pump 18 driven by a
motor 20 and mounted in the hody, this liquid being fed via a
pipe 22 to the spray means 12 and by an extension 24 (Figure 3)
o~ that pipe to the spray means abov~ and not illustrated.
The collection chamber is divided into two separate
portions by means of a divider member ~6, the vertical wall of
which is perforated so as to act as a screen filtering out any
coarse particles of food, etc., that may have become entrained
in the liquid~ A thermometer 28 is provided in one portion of
the compartment and a hQater coil 30 is provided in the other
portion so as to maintain the water at a desired temperature.
At the start of a washing operation the collection
chamber is full of the rinse liquid from the previous washing
operation. If however this is the first operation o the day
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the chamber is fir~t filled with water to the appropriate level
so as to provide wash water for the first operation. At the
start of the operation the motor 20 is switched on in known manner
by an automatic timing circuit, the water which is discharged
from the spray means causing the latter to move about its pivot
so as~to distribute the water over the glasses, dishes, etc.,
in the tray.
After a predetermined period of time constituting the
washing period a timer~motor 32 begins to rotate whereupon a
valve-closing member 34 disengages from a roller 36 and permits
a large dump valve 38 to open, causing the cont~nts of-
the collection chamber 16 to be delivered rapidly into a sump
chamber 40 below the collection chamber, from which the liquid
can drain relatively slowly to the sewer by a drain pipe 42.
The sump chamber is also provided with a perforated screen 44
to prevent passage o~ large particles into the sewer.
Referring no~ particularly to Figure 4, in this
particular embodiment, the sump valve comprises a relatively
large opening 46 in the base of the chamber, ~hich opening is
closed by a flexible member 48 backed by a rigid metal member 50.
The resulting valve closure member is carried by one end of a
pivot lever 52, the valve being biased into the closed position
from the lever by means of a coil spring 54. The other end
of the pivoted lever 52 is engaged by a valve operating member
consisting of the timer motor 32 which carries on its shaft two
cam members consisting of the said closing member 34a and
another closin~ member 56. The first member 34 is of relatively
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small arcuate extent and is in engagement with the roller 36 at
the respective end of the lever while the wash cycle is in process.
A~ter the wash cycle has been operative for a predetermined period
of time, the timer motor is operative as described, whereupon the
cam member 34 disengages from the roller and the dump valve is
opened quickly and ef~ectively to dump the liquid rapidly from
the collection tank to the sump tank, much faster than it could
otherwise draîn. The valve remains open until the second cam
member 56 again engagés the roller and closes the valve for a
predetermined period of time during which the pump 18 is again
operative to collect water from the collection tank 16 and employ
that water for rinsing. The timer motor 32 is arranged so that
at the end of its operation cycle the first cam member 3~ is
again in engagement with the roller 36 and holds the dump valve
closed, whereupon the water that has been supplied ~or rinsing
remains in the collection tank 16 and is available or use as
wash water for the subsequent operation~
One problem encountered in a glass d~shwashing machine
is to ensure that mechanism provided for adding additives to the
wash and rinse waters is truly operative, and suitable visual
means are provided in the present apparatus. Thus r additives are
obtained from containers thereof (not shown) and pumped by
respective individual pumps 56, 58 and 60 through respective
pipes 6~ and 6~. In the apparatus of the invention these pipes
have a visibly-open pathway portion indicated by the reference
66 whereby an operator of the apparatus will see easily and
quickly whether or~not the additives are being dispensed into
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the collection tank. The collection tank 16 has an overflow 68
so that in the event of overflow thereof the liquid will be
discharged directly into the sump tank.
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