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A collection, washing and dispensing apparatus for lightweight balls. A pneumatic transport receives the balls and transports the balls to an elevated storage hopper which has an angled bottom surface terminating in a downchute for feeding the balls to a scrubbing element. The scrubbing element has

A collection, washing and dispensing apparatus for lightweight balls. A pneumatic transport receives the balls and transports the balls to an elevated storage hopper which has an angled bottom surface terminating in a downchute for feeding the balls to a scrubbing element. The scrubbing element has a rotating drum mounted in a semicylindrical mating rack immersed in a fluid tight washtub. The opposing surfaces of the drum and rack are covered by a compressible pile to provide a friction engagement of balls between the drum and rack. The rotation of the drum urges the balls around the rack to an exit lip of the tub. A gravity feed race adjacent the lip carries the balls to a collection funnel. A sterilization spray is mounted over the race for spraying the balls. A pneumatic transport is connected to receive balls at the funnel for dispensing.

대표청구항 ▼

A collection, washing, and dispensing apparatus for lightweight balls comprising: a first pneumatic transport means having an input for receiving the balls and an output; an elevated storage hopper connected to the output of the first transport means, the hopper having an angled bottom surface termi

A collection, washing, and dispensing apparatus for lightweight balls comprising: a first pneumatic transport means having an input for receiving the balls and an output; an elevated storage hopper connected to the output of the first transport means, the hopper having an angled bottom surface terminating in a downchute for gravity feed of balls from the hopper into the downchute; a scrubbing element having a rotating drum mounted in a semicylindrical mating rack immersed in a fluid tight wash tub containing washing solution, the semicylindrical rack attached to receive balls from the downchute, the drum mounted with respect to the rack in spaced relation to frictionally engage the received balls between the drum and rack, rotation of the drum urging the balls around the rack to an exit lip of the tub; a gravity feed race mounted proximate the exit lip, the race carrying balls to a collection funnel; a sterilization spray means mounted over the race for spraying balls with a sterilizing fluid; and a second pneumatic transport means connected to receive balls at the funnel for dispensing.