US2524581A - Automatic washing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1950 E. c. WEISKOPF AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1946 iY V/III I I IAm lilll! Fig.

INVENTOR EDWIN C. WEISKOPF ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS Edwin C. Weiskopf, New York, N. Y. Application August 31, 1946, Serial No. 694,188

My present invention relates to automatic washing apparatus intended. primarily for cleaning pipettes.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pipette washer which, operating upon the principle of the siphon, is of such character as to have a rapid operating cycle including, especially, a very rapid dischargeof the water or other washing liquid. In the use of the apparatus for washing pipettes, the latter are disposed in substantially vertical position within the containe'r in which water or other washing liquid is admitted and periodically discharged by siphon action whereby the pipettes are washed both internally and externally thereof by the Water- 4 Claims. (01. 137-106) which flows upwardly in the container around and through the pipettes and downwardly in the container around and through the pipettes. The

rapid discharge operation of the washer, in accordance with my invention, not onlydecreases the washing time but also improves the washing and' cleaning of the pipettes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a washer which has a rapid operating cycle and which can be of small size whereby the washer is highly eflicient and effective and yet takes up but little space.

The above and other objects, features, and ad vantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a, side view of the washer, the outer casing or jacket being cut away for the purpose of illustration; V

Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the washer and also shows a pipette rack or holder in position in the washer;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the washer;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the automatic washing apparatus of thepresent invention comprises a container [0 which, as here shown, is preferably cylindrical but which can be of any other suitable form. Said container is open at the top and has a closed bottom l2 spaced from the lower end of the supporting base M which is preferably, but not necessarily, an in-' tegral' part of the container cylinder. Said container is provided'with a liquid inlet [6 and with a plurality of liquid outlet openings 18, all located near the bottomof the container. The liquid outlet openings I 8 are each larger than the liquid inlet l6 so that the outflow or discharge,

when it occurs, is at a faster rate than the inflow. Outlets l8 are, of equal size and are located at the same level in the container.

The discharge of liquid from container I0 is effected automatically and periodically by siphon action, and'in accordance with this invention, by a plurality of siphonsyZll each of which is,con-

nected to a companion outlet opening [8. Siphons are co-equal or identical' in size and arrangement for operation in unison. Each siphon includes an up-leg 22, the lowerend of which communicates with the interior of container Ill through the companion opening l8, and a downleg 24 which is longer thanithe up-leg. The open lower ends of the siphon down-legs are preferably connected to'a common discharge spout or coupling 26. 1

An equalizing tube 28 of smaller cross section or diameter than the tube of the siphon 2D is connected at its opposite ends to the siphons 20, re-

spectively, forming a fluid-passage therebetween.

More particularly, tube 28 is connected to the uplegs of said siphons at the upper ends thereof just below theU-bends 3ll-of the siphons. A tube 32 is connected at its upper end to tube 28, between the opposite ends of the latter, and at its lower end to an opening 40 in container Ill, forming a fluid-passage between the latter and tube 28. Opening 40 is locatedabove outlet or discharge openings I8 so that when theliquid in container Ill drops to the point of said opening 40, in the discharge action of siphons 20, said opening 40 constitutes a vent to cause the simultaneous cutolf or interruption of the siphon-discharge op-y erations of both siphons.

The washing apparatus is preferably provided, as shown, with an outer enclosing casing or jacket 42 including a cylinder '44 and upper and lower annular closure membersor plates 46 and 48. Said jacket is provided with an opening 5!! for the liquid supply tube 52, and with an opening 54 for the discharge spout 0r coupling 26. Said jacket encloses the siphons and the tubes 28 and 32, thus preventing damage to the latter and eliminating externally projecting parts.

Provision is made for removably supporting a multiplicity of pipettes or articles within con-' tainer Ill. For this purpose there is preferably utilized a rack 53; Saidrack comprises a bottom I 55 whichis formed of wire mesh or is otherwise perforated to permit the passage of liquid therethrough. Said bottom is connected to a metal frame consisting of side bands 56 having outwardly bent or offset portions 58 and with an upper bent part to form a handle 60. 'A'plurality of spaced rings 62 are secured to side straps 56 for holding the pipettes or other articles in the rack. An annular member 84 is secured at the upper end of the rack to the outwardly offset portions 58.

It will be understood that the pipettes or other articles are placed in the rack endwise as illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein a few of such articles are indicated at P. Rack 53 is removably supported within containe ID by annular member 64 which rests on the upper surface of annular plate 46. Further, it will be understood that a plurality of racks for containing the pipettes or other articles to be washed can be provided for receiving such articles subsequently to be washed, and that as soon as a rack is partially or completely filled with such articles, the rack can be placed within the container ill for subjecting the articles to the washing operation.

The method of washing the pipettes P or other articles by means of the apparatus of this invention will now be described. The pipettes or other articles open at both ends are placed end-wise in the container it] carried by the rack or supported at their-lower ends by plate 5 so that the opposite ends of the articles are atdifierent levels. Water or other cleaning liquid is caused to flow intocontainer it through tube 52 and may be permitted to flow continuously throughout the operation of the apparatus. When the liquid reaches a level in container 18 above the U-bends 30 of the siphons, the liquid automatically flows out of container it through the siphons. While the liquid is flowing out of container HI, however,- liquid continuesto flow into the same through theinlet is, and the filling and emptying action continues repeatedly, the emptying of the container being periodically interrupted until the level of the liquid in container it becomes high enough to start the emptying siphon action. Tubes 28 and 30 provide for action of siphons E0 in unison,

both siphons being interrupted in their discharge ctions when the liquid in container i9 drops to the level of vent opening ii]. Also, it appears that during the discharge action of the siphons,

liquid flows out of tube 32, as the result'of the aspirator effect of the'siphons; into tube 28 and from the latter into the siphon tubes thus tending to equalize the discharge action of the twosiphons. As the liquid rises in the container, during the periods between siphon discharge, and falls in the container, during the periods of siphon discharge, said liquid flows upwardly around and through the pipettes and downward- 1y around and through the pipettes. The downfl'ow of liquid around and through the pipettes is more rapid than the inflow whereby to provide for theautomatic periodic interruption of the siphon-discharge action, thus "to effect the periodic upfiow of liquid between the siphon discharge actions. The rapid downflow of the liquid by reason of the plurality of siphons 'enhances' the cleaning action and decreases the Washing time; and this rapid downflow makesit' possible to admit the water'into the container more rapidly than would otherwise be the casewhereby'further to reduce the time of each operating cycle of the apparatus.

The invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein shown or described-andvarious' changes in the form of the apparatus and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Automatic washing apparatus, comprising a container provided with a liquid inlet and with a plurality of liquid outlets, siphons connected to said outlets, respectively, said siphons having an intermittent discharge operation in unison during flow of liquid into the container for periodically discharging the liquid from said container, and means for interrupting the discharge operation of both of said siphons at the same time when the liquid in the container drops to a predetermined level, said last mentioned means comprising means forming a fiuid passage between said siphons above said liquid outlets of the container, and means forming a fluid passage between said first mentioned passage and said container at a point in the latter above said liquid outlets and below the upper ends of the up-legs of said siphons.

2. Automatic Washin apparatus comprising a container provided with a liquid inlet and with a plurality of liquid outlets, said outlets being of the same size and at the same level in the container, co-equal siphons connected to said outlets, respectively, said siphons having an intermittent discharge operation in unison during flow of liquid into the container: for periodically discharging the liquid irom said container, and.

means for interrupting the discharge operation of both of said siphons at the same time when the liquid in the container drops to a predetermined level, said last mentioned means comprising a tube connected at its opposite ends to the up-legs of the siphons, respectively, at points above said liquid outlets of the container and forming a fluid-passage between said uplegs, a vent opening in said container at a point above said liquid outlets and below the upper ends of said up-legs of said siphons, and-a tube connected at its opposite ends to said vent and to said first mentioned tube, respectively.

3. Automatic washing apparatus comprising a. container provided with a liquid inlet and with a plurality of liquid outlets, said outlets being of the same size and at the same level in the con-- of, a vent opening in said container at a point above said liquid outlets and below the upper ends of said up-legs. of said siphons, and a tube connected at its opposite ends to said vent and to said first mentioned tube, respectively.

4. Automatic washing apparatus, comprising a container provided with a liquid inlet and with a plurality of liquid outlets, siphons connected to said outlets, respectively, said siphons having an intermittent discharge operation in unison during flow of liquid into the container for periodically discharging the liquid from said container, and means for interrupting the discharge operation of both of "said siphons at the same time when the liquid in the container drops to a predetermined level, said last mentioned means comprising means forming a fluid passage betweensaid, siphons above said liquid outlets of the con EDWIN c. WEISKOPF. 10

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 974,336 Alt Nov. 1, 1910 1,721,797 Taylor July 23, 1929 2,089,303 Sica Aug. 10, 1937 2,345,284 Myers Mar. 28, 1944 2,418,751

Brewer Apr. 18, 1947

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