Apparatus for cleaning ninepins and bowling pins

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning ninepins and bowling pins is provided. The apparatus includes a drum-like container that rotates about its longitudinal axis, and that is provided with at least one brush that is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the container. The bristles of the brushes extend perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the container. The container has at least the length of the pin that is to be cleaned, is closed at the bottom, and can, additionally, be filled with cleaning fluid. The length of the bristles of the brush or brushes is adapted to the contour of the pin that is to be cleaned and that does not rotate along with the container.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for cleaning ninepins or bowling pins, comprising: 
 at least one brush, and    a drive means for providing relative movement between a pin and said at least one brush in a circumferential direction of said pin.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one brush rotates about said pin, which does not rotate.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one brush rotates with an angular velocity of 50-200 rpms, especially 100 rpms.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a preferably cylindrical container is provided that is rotatable via said drive means and that is open at one end face thereof, wherein said at least one brush is disposed in said container, and wherein said pin is introducible into said container in such a way that an axis of rotation of said container coincides approximately with a longitudinal axis of said pin.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one brush extends in the direction of said axis of rotation of said container, with said at least one brush having a lengthwise dimension that is at least as long as a height of said pin.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one brush has a lengthwise extension that is longer than a height of said pin.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one brush has bristles that are directed essentially to a center of said container, wherein said bristles have a length that varies along said axis of rotation in such a way that said at least one brush has a contour that corresponds to a contour of said pin.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , whereby said contour of said at least one brush has a larger bulge for a barrel of said pin near the top and a lesser dimension for a head of said pin near the bottom of said container.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein three to ten brushes are provided.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said bristles are at least long enough that with a pin that is disposed precisely centrally in said container they just contact a surface of said pin or are 2-10 mm longer than making such contact.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a section of said at least one brush that is disposed between a section corresponding to the contour of said head of said pin, and said base of said container, have long bristles that preferably reach nearly to a central axis of said container.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said bristles, in a portion of said at least one brush that is disposed closest to an introduction opening of said container, are considerably longer than in an adjacent portion that is adapted to the contour of said pin.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said axis of rotation of said container is vertical.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a bottom end of said container is supported by a shaft  4 , and wherein an upper end of said container is guided along its edges by rollers.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said rollers are outer rings of ball bearings.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said drive means effects driving of said container via said shaft.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a fixed ring is disposed above an upper opening of said container, wherein said ring has an inwardly slanted upper surface, and wherein said ring has a circumferential ridge that projects into said container.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said bristles, up to a level to which said container is to be filled with wash fluid, have a different color than do the remainder of said bristles.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a handle is securable to said pin.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said handle is insertable into a bore provided in a base of said pin.