A reservoir for re-usable cleaning fluid and filter for filtering fluid draining into the reservoir are positioned below an engine or supported engine component positioned at a cleaning zone. Cleaning fluid is delivered to the cleaning zone from the cleaning fluid held in the reservoir and the delivered cleaning fluid then drains into the reservoir (via the filter) from the cleaning zone above the reservoir. The cleaning fluid is re-circulated and filtered for continuous use.

With reference to Figure 1, solvent cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a sealable enclosure 2 containing a solvent fluid discharge nozzle (Figure 7) in the form of a trigger-operable discharge nozzle 130. The enclosure 2 is of electrically conductive plastics material and is provided with an earth 95 whereby a substantial build-up of static electricity does not take place. The enclosure 2 is provided with a substantially flat rectangular access door 4 of toughened glass pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis, provided with a pneumatic lock assembly comprising a piston 7 and cylinder 8. Located at the uppermost region of the door 4 is a light unit 10 providing, in use, additional illumination for the inside of the enclosure 2. The front panel 12 of the enclosure 2 is formed with two circular access glove ports 14, 16, used to operate the trigger of the discharge nozzle and to manipulate the article being cleaned. The solvent cleaning fluid is stored in a reservoir box 18 formed with an inlet port 20 and an outlet port 22. In use, the solvent fluid is drawn from the reservoir box 18, via a pick-up tube 32 by way of a diaphragm pump 34, to be transported to the enclosure 2 via a cartridge filter 36. Once the solvent liquid has been discharged through the discharge nozzle within the enclosure 2, it falls under gravity into a collection tray 40 to return to the reservoir box 18.

With reference to Figure 1, solvent cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a sealable enclosure 2 containing a solvent fluid discharge nozzle (Figure 7) in the form of a trigger-operable discharge nozzle 130. The enclosure 2 is of electrically conductive plastics material and is provided with an earth 95 whereby a substantial build-up of static electricity does not take place. The enclosure 2 is provided with a substantially flat rectangular access door 4 of toughened glass pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis, provided with a pneumatic lock assembly comprising a piston 7 and cylinder 8. Located at the uppermost region of the door 4 is a light unit 10 providing, in use, additional illumination for the inside of the enclosure 2. The front panel 12 of the enclosure 2 is formed with two circular access glove ports 14, 16, used to operate the trigger of the discharge nozzle and to manipulate the article being cleaned. The solvent cleaning fluid is stored in a reservoir box 18 formed with an inlet port 20 and an outlet port 22. In use, the solvent fluid is drawn from the reservoir box 18, via a pick-up tube 32 by way of a diaphragm pump 34, to be transported to the enclosure 2 via a cartridge filter 36. Once the solvent liquid has been discharged through the discharge nozzle within the enclosure 2, it falls under gravity into a collection tray 40 to return to the reservoir box 18.

L'invention concerne une installation de nettoyage d'objets divers au moyen d'un fluide de nettoyage.

Cette installation est équipée d'une unité de contrôle et de commande qui pilote le fonctionnement de l'installation à partir d'un signal maître d'autorisation dont l'émission est assujettie à une nouvelle mise en place de fluide de nettoyage, et qui pilote l'arrêt de ladite installation à partir d'un signal maître d'interdiction dont l'émission est assujettie à la mesure et/ou au calcul de la valeur d'une donnée caractéristique de la souillure du fluide de nettoyage.

Application : nettoyage de pistolets de peinture.

For low velocity retraction of a disc drive actuator during a parking operation, a system comprising a voltage generator circuit (84) generates a plurality of discrete dc voltage levels, a timing circuit (86) provides a series of timing pulses, and a selection circuit (88) responsive to the voltage generator and timing circuit outputs a voltage profile of increasing voltage steps from the voltage levels and the timing pulses. The voltage profile is provided to a driver circuit (54) that drives a voice coil motor (36,20) which, in turn, positions the actuator (30) with respect to the discs (16) of the disc drive. The application of the voltage profile during the parking operation causes the driver circuit (54) to act as a voltage source for the voice coil motor (36,20). External bias forces upon the actuator tending to force the actuator towards the park position generate a back EMF in the coil (36) opposing the voltage source of the driver circuit (54) and the motion of the actuator (30) towards the park position. The coil (36) is thus velocity limited and the voltage profile is selected to bring the actuator (70) to the park position at a terminal velocity sufficiently decreased as to generate acoustic noise below predetermined, acceptable limits.

For low velocity retraction of a disc drive actuator during a parking operation, a system comprising a voltage generator circuit (84) generates a plurality of discrete dc voltage levels, a timing circuit (86) provides a series of timing pulses, and a selection circuit (88) responsive to the voltage generator and timing circuit outputs a voltage profile of increasing voltage steps from the voltage levels and the timing pulses. The voltage profile is provided to a driver circuit (54) that drives a voice coil motor (36,20) which, in turn, positions the actuator (30) with respect to the discs (16) of the disc drive. The application of the voltage profile during the parking operation causes the driver circuit (54) to act as a voltage source for the voice coil motor (36,20). External bias forces upon the actuator tending to force the actuator towards the park position generate a back EMF in the coil (36) opposing the voltage source of the driver circuit (54) and the motion of the actuator (30) towards the park position. The coil (36) is thus velocity limited and the voltage profile is selected to bring the actuator (70) to the park position at a terminal velocity sufficiently decreased as to generate acoustic noise below predetermined, acceptable limits.

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning hand operated spray guns, preferably hand operated spray guns used for painting vehicles in repair shops, whereby said device includes a sealable space (9) with holders permitting positioning of preferably one spray gun (2) at a time in such a way relative to nozzles (51) that said nozzles can spray solvent onto and into said spray gun (2) for cleaning thereof, and whereby said nozzles (51) are provided for automatic cleaning of the spray gun (2). In order to make this device reliable, effective and usable for automatic as well as manual cleaning, a pressurized-air system (13) is provided to spray solvent by means of pressurized air and without the use of liquid pump devices therefor, onto and into the spray gun (2) through said nozzles (51) for automatic cleaning of said spray gun, whereby the pressurized-air system (13), when required, is provided also to permit spraying of solvent (48) onto the spray gun (2) through at least one other nozzle (58) for manual cleaning of said spray gun.

A pre-rinse unit (10) incorporates a normally closed water shutoff valve (14) connected to the lower end (12b) of a vertical riser pipe (12) carrying a source of water. An outer tube (24) is rotatably and longitudinally slidable on the. riser pipe (12). A pair of rotatable arms (50) are mounted for rotation at one end to the upper end (12a) of the vertical riser pipe (12) above the outer tube (24) for rotation about a horizontal axis and the arms (50) carry cams (54) contacting a cam follower ring (34) whose lower surface abuts the outer tube (24). A concentric coil spring (38) surrounding the vertical riser pipe (12) and interiorly of the hollow tube (24), abuts a lower collar (26) fixed to the riser pipe (12), interiorly of the tube (24), at its lower end and its upper end abuts the cam follower ring (34). Stop means (66, 70) carried by the riser pipe (12) limits pivoting of the arms (50). At the outboard end (50b) of the arms (50), a hollow sleeve (52) fixed to the arms (50) at right angles thereto slidably receives a flexible hose (20) connected at one end (20a) to the upper end (12a) of the riser pipe (12), whose opposite end (20b) bears a urethane foam insulated handle and spray head assembly (22). A set screw (53) carried by the sleeve (52) adjustably locks the hose (20) to the arms (50) and determines the vertical height position of the spray head (60). A cam (36) fixed to the lower end (24b) of the hollow tube (24) contacts a cam follower (82) on a pivotable lever (78) having an end remote from the cam follower (82) which bears on a spring biased plunger (74) of the shutoff valve (14) to automatically open the shutoff valve (14) in response to downward movement of the outer tube (24) upon rotation of the paired arms (50) by pull down of the handle and spray head assembly (22). Automatic termination of water supply occurs upon release of the handle and spray head assembly (22) and reverse rotation of said paired arms (50).

Der Waschautomat ist zur Reinigung von Gegenständen, tnsebesondere auch von Händen vorgesehen und besteht aus einem im wesentlichen allseits geschlossenen Gehäuse (1) mit zumindest einer Öffnung (2) zur Einführung des zur Reinigenden gegenstandes. Im Innern des Gehäuses (1) sind eine oder mehrere, den Gegenstand mit flüssigen und/oder gasförmigen Reinigungsmedien beaufschlagende Düsen (3) angeordnet, wobei die Düsen (3) den zu reinigenden Flächen des Gegenstands entsprechend ausgerichtet bzw. ausrichtbar sind. Ferner ist eine ebenfalls im Innern des Gehäuses (1) angeordnete, auf Form und Lage des Gegenstandes im Gehäuse ansprechende Kontrollvorrichtung (4) vorgesehen, die bei für den Reinigungsvorgang vorgegebener Form bzw. Gestalt des gegenstandes und/oder seiner für die Reinigung vorgegebenen Lage bzw. Ausrichtung des Gegenstandes im Gehäuse (1) den Reinigungsvorgang freigibt. Schließlich ist der Waschautomat mit einer den verfahrensmäßigen und/ oder zeitlichen Aublauf des reinigungsvorgangs steuernden und überwachenden Steuereinrichtung (5) versehen.