Importance

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Abstract

A parts cleaning machine comprises a housing having a wheel with a fixture journalled for rotation thereon. The wheel comprises one or more pockets within which the fixtures may rotate. Drive mechanism comprising a wheel drive for indexing the wheel and a fixture drive for rotating the fixture at a predetermined location or locations during indexing of the wheel is provided in the housing. The wheel drive is actuated by a motor and a gear reducer operatively connected to the pocketed wheel. The fixture drive is actuated by a motor and an endless belt, or the like, is operatively connected to a drive gear on a shaft extending upwardly from the fixture. The wheel may be moved from a load station to a wash station, where spray nozzles may spray wash liquid onto the parts to be cleaned as they are rotated in the fixture at the wash station. Then the wheel is indexed to move the fixture to a blow-off station, where blow-off nozzles can blow air against the cleaned parts to remove wash liquid and dry the cleaned parts. Thereafter, the wheel is indexed to return the fixture to the load station, where the cleaned parts can be removed from the fixture and parts to be cleaned can be placed into the fixture to begin the next cycle of operation. Optionally, a rinse station can be included in the housing, where a rinse liquid can be sprayed onto the cleaned parts between the wash station and the blow-off station.

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First Claim