IES20060704A2 - A washing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A washing apparatus for slatted floor panels having a plurality of spaced apart slats defining through slots there between is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a main framework mounting a high pressure liquid dispensing nozzle for delivering a jet of liquid, and means for providing relative movement between the framework and the panels. The present invention provides an apparatus which enables a more efficient and hygienic approach for cleaning slatted floor panels than heretobefore. <Figure 1>

Description

Technical Field .. ef^/9 The present invention relates to a washing apparatus for slatted floor panels having a plurality of spaced apart slats defining through slots therebetween.

In the poultry industry chickens are typically kept for egg laying in runs or housings having load bearing slatted floor panels upon which the chickens are supported.

The use of such slatted floor panels enables liquid and solid material, such as faeces, dirt and feathers, to pass out through discharge slots located between the panel slats and out of the run or housing away from the chickens, thereby maintaining a relatively hygienic and clean environment for the chickens and egg laying.

However, such slatted panels must be regularly cleaned as the faeces, dirt and feathers tend to accumulate on the surfaces of the slats and within the discharge slots. Such cleaning is presently done manually and requires numerous cleaning personnel in which one or two people hold a panel whilst another washes and scrubs the panel clean. In some instances the solid material is so heavily stuck to the panel slats and within the discharge slots that such cleaning can take a considerable amount of time. A further problem with this approach to cleaning includes that cleaning personnel are exposed to the accumulated solid material, which quite often may carry disease and which is therefore potentially dangerous for cleaning personnel.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a washing apparatus for slatted flooring panels which goes someway toward overcoming at least the above disadvantages, and/or which will provide the public and/or industry with a useful choice.

It is acknowledged that the term ‘comprise’, under varying jurisdictions may be provided with either an exclusive or inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted explicitly, the term comprise shall have an - 2 |E 060704 inclusive meaning - i.e. that it may be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components. Accordingly, the term ‘comprise’ is to be attributed with as broad an interpretation as possible within any given jurisdiction and this rationale should also be used when the terms ‘comprised’ and/or ‘comprising’ are used.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

Statements of Invention According to the invention, there is provided a washing apparatus for slatted floor panels having a plurality of spaced apart slats defining through slots therebetween, characterised in that the washing apparatus comprises: a main framework mounting at least one high pressure liquid dispensing nozzle for delivering a jet of liquid; means for providing relative movement between the framework and the floor panels; and means for moving the nozzle during relative movement between the framework and each floor panel to cause the jet of liquid to move across the line of travel of the panels to direct the liquid against the slats and in between the slats to remove collected matter from within the slots.

The advantages of such an apparatus include that the previous requirement for cleaning personnel to manually hold panels whilst they are being washed has been eliminated as, in operation, operators need only correctly position each panel relative to the framework so that the panel may be thoroughly cleaned by the jet of liquid dispensed through the nozzle. In particular, the prior requirement for users to manually scrub the slots clean of collected debris has been eliminated. Accordingly, the present invention will be more efficient and hygienic than the present approach to cleaning such slatted floor panels.

J IE 060 704 - 3 In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises two high pressure liquid dispensing nozzles in which one nozzle is mounted to the framework above the panels and the other mounted underneath the panels.

This will ensure that liquid is discharged is against all of the surfaces of the panels at the same, thereby ensuring that all of the slats are thoroughly and efficiently cleaned.

In one embodiment of the invention, each nozzle comprises a liquid deflection head for deflecting the liquid as it is being delivered from the nozzle to create a circulating conical spray.

The advantage of this configuration for a nozzle is that the pressurised liquid can be deflected at an angle out of the nozzle which will enable the inner surfaces of the slats, and more particularly, between discharge slots to be washed clean of accumulated solid material.

In another embodiment of the invention, the means for providing relative movement between the framework and each floor panel comprises at least one cog wheel positioned adjacent the panels and having teeth which turn and engage the slats between the slots to move the panels one after the other through the framework.

Preferably, the cog wheel is positioned above the panels.

In one embodiment of the invention, the framework comprises a panel inlet for receiving panels to be washed and a panel outlet interconnected by a panel supporting surface on which the panels move through the framework. 0 In another embodiment of the invention, the position of cog wheel is height adjustable relative to the panel supporting surface.

The provision of a height adjustable cog wheel ensures that panels of different height or thickness are able to be received into the panel inlet and conveyed by the IE U0 0 704 cog wheel through the framework for cleaning.

In one embodiment of the invention, spaced apart parallel panel supporting guides extend longitudinally through the framework on the panel supporting surface in the direction of movement of the panels through the framework.

The provision of such guides ensures that the panels are conveyed through the framework on the panel supporting surface and do not accidentally slide out of the framework.

In another embodiment of the invention, the distance between the guides on the panel supporting surface is adjustable.

This will enable floor panels having different widths to be accommodated on the 15 panel supporting surface.

In one embodiment of the invention, each nozzle is carried on a support arm pivotally connected to the framework. 0 In another embodiment of the invention, the means for moving each nozzle comprises means to swing the support arm from side to side between the guides.

In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further comprises a housing within which the apparatus is enclosed.

Housing the framework within an enclosure will enable it to be stored and used outdoors. Furthermore, such an enclosure will aid in the hygienic removal of matter from the panels as they are cleaned as all the matter removed can be retained within the enclosure, thereby minimising the operators exposure to such matter.

Brief Description of the Drawings Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the IE 060 704 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view according to the invention; accompanying drawings in which: Fig 2: Fig 3: is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and is a cross-sectional diagrammatic of a nozzle discharging liquid against a portion of a panel according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a washing apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for slatted floor panels 2 having a plurality of spaced apart slats 30 defining through slots 31 therebetween. The washing apparatus 1 comprises a main framework 3 mounting at least one high pressure liquid dispensing nozzle 14 for delivering a jet of liquid 32. In most instances the liquid discharged will be water which may be optionally mixed with a cleaning agent to clean the panels 2. Also shown is means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 7, for providing relative movement between the framework 3 and the floor panels 2. Means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 16, for moving the nozzle 14 during relative movement between the framework 3 and each floor panel to cause the jet of liquid 32 to move across the line of travel of the panels 2 is also shown. In this way liquid 32 is directed against the slats 30 and in between the slats 30 to remove collected matter, such as faeces, dirt, feathers, from within the slots 31.

In the instance shown, the washing apparatus 1 comprises two high pressure liquid dispensing nozzles 14, in which one of the nozzles 14 is mounted to the framework above each panel 2 and the other is mounted underneath the panels 2. In this embodiment, high pressure liquid can thus be delivered from the nozzles 14 against both the upward facing and downward facing surfaces of each panel 2.

With brief reference to Fig. 3, in which a single nozzle 14 is shown, the jet of liquid delivered will be directed against both the outer facing surfaces 36 and the inner IE 06 0 704 - 6 slot facing surfaces 34 of the slats 30. Each nozzle 14 comprises a liquid deflection head 33 for deflecting the liquid 32 as it is being delivered from the nozzle 14 to create a circulating conical spray. As shown, the deflection head 33 is connected to a nozzle shaft 35 which moves causing the deflection head 33 to rotate in a planetary motion within the nozzle 14 to create the circulating conical spray. It will be appreciated that the use of the two nozzles 14 as shown in Fig. 1 will deliver liquid against both sides of the panel 2.

With reference again to Figs. 1 and 2, the means 7 for providing relative movement between the framework 3 and each floor panel 2 comprises at least one cog wheel 8 positioned adjacent the panels 2 and having teeth 9 which turn and engage the slats 30 between the slots 31 to move the panels 2 one after the other through the framework 3. In the instance shown, the cog wheel 8 is positioned above the panels 2.

The framework 3 also comprises a panel inlet 4 for receiving panels 2 to be washed and a panel outlet 5 interconnected by a panel supporting surface 6 on which the panels 2 move through the framework 3. The position of cog wheel 8 is height adjustable relative to the panel supporting surface 6 so that panels 2 of different height and thickness are able to be received through the panel inlet 4 and conveyed by the cog wheel 8 one after the other through the framework 3.

Also shown are spaced apart parallel panel supporting guides 22 which extend longitudinally through the framework 3 on the panel supporting surface 6 in the direction of movement of the panels 2 through the framework 3. The distance between the parallel guides 22 is adjustable so that panels 2 having different widths may be accommodated on the panel supporting surface 6 and effectively guided through the framework 3.

In the instance shown, each nozzle 14 is carried on a distal end 13 of support arm 10 which is pivotally connected by its proximal end 11 to the framework 3 at pivot 12. The means 16 for moving each nozzle 14 comprises means to swing the support arm 10 from side to side between the guides 22. In this way, high pressure liquid delivered from the nozzle 14 is discharged against the whole surface area of IE 06 0 704 - J - 7 the panels 2 as they move through the framework 3 so that the panels 2 are washed. In the instance shown and with particular reference to Fig. 2, the means for swinging the support arm 10 comprises a crank arm 17 which, at one end, is rotatably connected by a crank shaft 18 to a motor 23, and at the other end is rotatably connected at 19 to an adjustment arm 20, which adjustment arm 20 is pivotally connected by a pivot 21 to the support arm 10. In operation, as the crank shaft 18 rotates under the action of the motor 23 the crank arm 17 also rotates, which rotation causes the adjustment arm 20 to pull the support arm 10 back and forth across the line of travel of the panels 2 through the framework 3.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a housing (not shown) within which the apparatus 1 is enclosed.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and 15 it should be appreciated that additions and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. A washing apparatus for slatted floor panels having a plurality of spaced apart slats defining through slots therebetween, characterised in that the washing apparatus comprises: a main framework mounting at least one high pressure liquid dispensing nozzle for delivering a jet of liquid; means for providing relative movement between the framework and the floor panels, the means comprising at least one cog wheel positioned adjacent the panels and having teeth which turn and engage the slats between the slots to move the panels one after the other through the framework; means for moving the nozzle during relative movement between the framework and each floor panel to cause the jet of liquid to move across the line of travel of the panels to direct the liquid against the slats and in between the slats to remove collected matter from within the slots.

2. A washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising two high pressure liquid dispensing nozzles in which one nozzle is mounted to the framework above the panels and the other mounted underneath the panels.

3. A washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which each nozzle comprises a liquid deflection head for deflecting the liquid as it is being delivered from the nozzle to create a circulating conical spray.

4. A washing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each nozzle is carried on a support arm pivotally connected to the framework and in which the means for moving each nozzle comprises means to swing the support arm from side to side between the guides.

5. A washing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.