US2496517A - Portable clothes drier - Google Patents

Description

1950 J. .E. BRADLEY, JR

PORTABLE CLOTHES DRIER Feb. 7,

Filed June 4, 1948 5 Shets-Sheet 1 Inventor N? Q Jbizn 5,570 dzeyy i" By V Feb. 7, 1950 J. E. BRADLEY, JR

PORTABLE CLOTHES DRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1948 (/0)? 22 5,57% ZZey,/7:'

Auurney Feb. 7, 1950 J. E. BRADLEY, JR 2,496,517

PORTABLE CLOTHES DRIER Filed June 4, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JbEE BVQdZIByM/Q Mam Aiturncy Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PAT NT{formerf PORTABLE CLOTHES DRIER J ohn E. Bradley, Jr., Portland, Maine I Application June 4, 1948, Serial No. 31,067

r I 1 1 r The present invention relates to portable clothes dryers and it'consistsin the combinations; constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

1 It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable clothes dryer which will take up ajminimum of space and which is light in weight.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of the character set forth which may be used in conjunction with a standard home laundry machine. Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel housing for a thermostat.

Another object of the invention is the provision of anapparatus of the character set forth, of novel means for converting steam and water vapor into water; I

j A further object of the inventionis the pro-' vision of novel meansand apparatus for the heatingofair." I t I m Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent'from a reading of the followin specification take "in conjunctionwith the draw-' ings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational'view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention, f

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2--2 of Figure l, I

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 2, v p igure 6' is a side elevational view or another form the invention may take,

Figure 7 is an enlarged verticalsectional view of, the principal part of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating certain details of construction.

Generally there is provided a light, compact and portable apparatus which may be equipped to interconnect with a washing machine of the standard home types now in use whereby the washing machine may be utilized in connection the apparatus shown in with the present apparatus as a drying machine.

The present invention contemplates a horizontally extending cylindrical chamber having electrical heating coils therein and having a motor-operated blower either within one end of the cylindrical chamber or attached thereto as an individual unit. In th more compact form the device is provided with a pair of runners for the purpose or supporting it and the exhaust end 01 the ap- 55 1 Claim. (cram-39) paratus is connected by a hose to the soap door of a washing machine. In the other type shown and described herein a novel support and bracket is provided and the exhaust end of the apparatus is provided with a nozzle whioh'fits in the drain case housing and is provided with a plug adapted to fit in the drain hole of the float chamber usu ally found in such machines. A thermostat is mounted in a housing which may be placed with in thesoap door of the washing machine and the thermostat is connected in the circuit supplying the heating coils.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, there is shown therein a washing machine iii of standard manufacture having a conventional loading door II, and a soap door I2 within which is a soap funnel [3 leading to the washing machine compartment I4. There is also provided a drain case housing l5 and a float chamber drain pipe It. A basket I! of conventional character is revolubly mounted in the machine and a motor [8 is provided for motivating the same through a belt 19 and pulleys 20 and 2i. A sprayer tube 23 extends horizontally into the machine between the chamber I4 and basket i l an d-is connected toa cold water pipe24. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, thereisflprovided a horizontally extending cylindrical air heater hav ingan outer wall 25 and an inner wall 26 between which is provided a layer 2'! of asbestos or other suitable insulation. An insulated conduit 28 pro vides a passage from without the heater for an electrical cord 29 connected with. an electrical heating unit 30moun'ted within the heater. I The heater is connected atits intake end with an exhaust nozzle 3| of an air impeller unit 32' having apcarrying handle '33 affixed to th top thereof and having'a'n electrical'motor 34 oper atively connected therewith and afiixed thereto by bolts 35 which also serve to hold in position an arcuate-shaped bracket 36 having bolt-holes 31 for such purpose. The bracket is provided with a dependent shaft 31 which is slidably mounted in a vertically extending cylinder 38 mounted upon a base 39. At the upper end of the cylinder there is threaded a set screw which is adapted to come into contact with the shaft 31 and a retainer ring 4| is formed integrally with the upper end of the cylinder for the reception of the cord 29 and a cord 42 supplying electrical current to the motor 34.

The exhaust end of the heater is provided with a neck 42 upon which an adapter nozzle 43 is removably mounted, by means of latches 44 of 3 conventional character. The nozzle illustrated is provided with a forwardly extending arm 45 having a stopper 46 upon its outer end and is provided also with an upwardly extending outlet spout 41.

A thermostat housing 48 generally spherical in shape is provided and is adapted to be placed within the soap door l2 in the funnel l3 and is electrically connected with the heater 30 by an electrical cord 49. The thermostat is of conven tional character and is not shown in detail and may, if desired, incorporate a timing device.

the spout 64 and connects with an outlet fitting -56 which is adapted to snugly fit in the grommet Means may also, if desired, be provided for autoquid cord 68 for supplying the heating unit 50 with matically opening the circuit to the heater unit when the basket I! ceases to revolve for any reason.

In the operation of this form of the inve tion,

an adaptor nozzle 43 is placed upon theneck.

42, such nozzle being selected for the particular type of washing machine with which the apparatus is to be used. In the one illustrated herein, the nozzle is moved into the drain case housing l5 and the stopper will engage in the end of the pipe IE to plug the same. The outlet spout 4'! will enter and protrude a short distance into the chamber 14 so as to be above any water which might collect at thebottom or" the chamber. The thermostat housing 48 is placed in the funnel l3 within the soap door [2. A switch 50 is provided with suitable circuits (not shown) and has .1.

provision for supplying current to the motor l8 while keeping water inlet'valves idle. Air is then forced through the heater by the impeller 32 over the heating unit to thereby heat the same and it is expelled from the spout 41 into the cham ber I4 to dry clothes which may be placed therein, the thermostat acting as to cut the current to the heater when a certain temperature is attained within the washing machine. If steam or water vapor is produced by the action above described, cold water may be played along the inner sides of the chamber I4 to thereby condense the same whereby it may not escape into the room in which the apparatus is located. The heater, impeller and motor may be raised and lowered by adjusting the position of the shaft 3'! in the cylinder '38 and thenlocking the same in position by the screw 40.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, there is shown a spin-dryer two tub type washing machine 5| having a grommet hole 52 in the cover 53 for the dryer section. The motor, impeller and heater are built in this case as a complete unit and there is provided a cylindrical outer housing 54 in the intake end of which is mounted a motor 55 having a shaft 56 to which is aflixed impeller blades 51. An air intake manifold 58 is aiiix'ed to this end of hole 52. A conduit 61 is provided for an electric electrical current. In the operation of this form of the invention,

" clothesareplaced in the basket 10 and the outlet fitting 66 is placed in the hole 52. The motor will cause the impeller blades 51 to draw air into the manifold 58 and force the same over the ,heating unit :50 and thence through the nozzle 63 into the hose and thence into the washing machine 5| where it will be forced against the clothesin the basket .10 to dry the same, it being understood that the basket will lee-caused to revolve during the drying procedure.

While but two forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in'the art that many minor modifications maybe made herein without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a portable drying apparatus adapted to be used with a home laundry 'machine having a washing compartment and a drain case housing communicating therewith, the provision of an exhaust nozzle ror an air heating apparatus, a horizontally extending arm aflixed to the nozzle and a stopper affixed to the outer end of said arm,"said'noz'zle adapted'to extend through the drain case'and into the'wash'ing compartment and said stopper being adapted to engage in a drain pipe conventionally associated with said drainca'se. I V 4 JOHN'EQBRADLEY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the f le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number 4

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