Method of impregnating, with detergent liquid, fabrics for cleaning high precision rotary cylinders, particularly of printing machines, and the shaft for its implementation

Abstract

This method for impregnating cleaning fabrics with detergent liquid has the characteristic of radially and centrifugally spraying a reel of fabric ( 11 ) through profiled apertures ( 3 ) present in a rotatable feed shaft ( 1 ), said shaft being internally filled with detergent liquid under pressure in accordance with selectively variable parameters, said liquid being fed into said rotatable feed shaft ( 1 ) by suitable pipes provided with rotary seals.

1 . A method for impregnating cleaning fabrics with detergent liquid, characterised by radially and centrifugally spraying a reel of fabric ( 11 ) through profiled apertures ( 3 ) present in a rotatable feed shaft ( 1 ), said shaft being internally filled with detergent liquid under pressure in accordance with selectively variable parameters, said liquid being fed into said rotatable feed shaft ( 1 ) by suitable pipes provided with rotary seals.  
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the detergent and the water are withdrawn from two specific collection tanks ( 19 ,  20 ) provided with level controls ( 21 ,  22 ) to prevent operation of the feed system if detergent and/or water are absent, said tanks ( 19 ,  20 ) being connected to pumps ( 23 ,  24 ) which, controlled by solenoid valves ( 25 ,  26 ), feed the optimum wash solution, expressed by their association, into the interior of the rotary feed shaft ( 1 ) at suitable pressure.  
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , characterised in that the detergent and water can be withdrawn respectively from a specific drum and from the water main.  
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in the preceding claims, characterised by comprising solenoid valves ( 27 ,  28 ) for varying the composition ratios of the mixture formed from detergent and water, said solenoid valves being operated at determined time intervals by a usual electronic control unit of the system.  
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in the preceding claims, characterised by using a single pump ( 29 ) which, under the control of a solenoid valve ( 30 ), feeds both detergent and dilution water into the rotary feed shaft ( 1 ).  
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in the preceding claims, characterised by withdrawing the liquids to be mixed from a suitable tank ( 31 ) at which they arrive from respective collection tanks ( 34 ,  35 ) pre-dispensed by means of valves ( 32 ,  33 ).  
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in the preceding claims, characterised by enabling the detergent to be fed more than once at variable time intervals into the rotary feed shaft ( 1 ), in order to define the quantity thereof on the basis of the diameter assumed by the reel of fabric  11  wound in it.  
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised by comprising an electromechanical or electronic sensor for measuring the diameter of the reel present on the rotary feed shaft ( 1 ), in order to feed a signal to a usual electronic control unit for suitably varying the opening time of the dispensing valves ( 27 ,  28 ).  
     
     
         9 . A rotary feed shaft ( 1 ) implementing the method claimed in the preceding claims, usable in cleaning devices installed in the printing machine, or in a separate device for forming new or used reels of fabric, characterised by presenting, on that cylindrical surface on which the reel of fabric ( 11 ) is wound, a plurality of profiled apertures ( 3 ) or holes suitable for the radial centrifugal outflow of the detergent liquid or mixture of detergent liquids.  
     
     
         10 . A shaft as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised by comprising at least one hub which is axially holed to connect its internal cavity ( 7 ) to an external environment from which to receive the detergent liquids.  
     
     
         11 . A shaft as claimed in  claim 10 , characterised by presenting at least one tube or hole ( 6 ) of central axial arrangement.  
     
     
         12 . A shaft as claimed in  claim 10 , characterised by presenting a radially extending pipe ( 10 ) cooperating with a possible axial portion, to enable said shaft ( 1 ) to be filled with detergent liquid by a manual procedure.  
     
     
         13 . A shaft as claimed in  claim 9 , characterised by comprising an internal accessory tube ( 8 ) perforated ( 9 ) to offer an axial and centrifugal transit to the detergent liquids which favours their mixing.  
     
     
         14 . A shaft as claimed in  claim 9 , characterised by being at rest or being made, directly or indirectly, to rotate continuously and/or intermittently at suitable speed and time intervals during the detergent feed into its interior.  
     
     
         15 . A shaft as claimed in  claim 9 , characterised by being at rest or being made to rotate continuously and/or intermittently at suitable speed and time intervals, directly or indirectly, for the following purpose: to unwind the reel ( 11 ) of fabric which has been previously wound thereon or to wind thereon a portion of a large-diameter reel of fabric ( 38 ) or, alternatively, to wind thereon all the fabric of a reel ( 39 ), in order to reuse it.