US2654961A - Clothes-drying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct- 13, 1953 s. E. MANECKE CLOTHES-DRYING APPARATUS Filed May l2, 1951 FIGI.

DRY

oFFso 5o qoDAfMPzo lo off oFF INVENTOR Sxegfred E. Munecke L' FHBB.

o" 53 on off 32 on TTORN EY Patented Qct. 13, 1953 CLOTHES-Darme APPARATUS Siegfried E. Manecke, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor` to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 12, 1951, Serial No. 226,037

(Cl. Sli-45) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes drying apparatus and has for an object to provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate adjustment of the apparatus for the damp drying or complete drying of the clothes being treated.

In practicing the invention, a motor-driven timer is provided for the control of the air circulating motor and the air heating means of the dryer. For damp drying of the load, the timer is adjusted from an inactive position to selective active stations for varying the duration of the periods of operation of the air circulating motor and the air heating means. Accordingly, the amount of moisture remaining in the clothes may be Varied, as desired, to best condition the clothes for immediate ironing. When storing of the clothes as they come from the dryer is desired, substantially all moisture should be removed. For this operation, the timer may be adjusted to an additional station wherein the air heating means and air circulating means are operated while the motor of the timer is deenergiaed. Thermostatic means is provided for starting operation of the timer motor only when the temperature of the air within the drying chamber is elevated to a predetermined value obtaining when the load is completely dried. Operation of the timing motor then terminates operation of the air heating means. Preferably, operation of the air circulating motor continues for a period to cool the clothes. Finally, the air circulating motor and the timer motor are deenergized to terminate the drying cycle.

The foregoing and other objects are eiected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a clothes dryer controlled in accordance with this invention, portions of the dryer being shown diagrammatically for the sake of clearness and brevity;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the control apparatus for the dryer shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of operation of the control switches shown in Fig. 2.

Reference will now be had to Fig. l of the drawlng, wherein I have elected to show my invention applied to a clothes dryer of the so-called domestic type and generally of conventional construction. This type of dryer usually includes a Vcasing structure I having a generally cylindrical baffle II arranged therein for enclosing a drying chamber I2. The drying chamber I2 is provided with an air inlet duct I3 for conveying heated air to the chamber I2 and an air discharge duct I 4 for conveying vitiated moist air therefrom. A generally cylindrical basket I5 is arranged Within the drying chamber I2 and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. It will be understood that the cylindrical side wall of the basket is perforate substantially throughout its extent for the passage of air from the air inlet duct I3 through the basket I5 to the discharge duct I4. The basket I5 is preferably provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending vanes I6 for tumbling the fabrics during the drying operation. The casing I0 and basket I5 have openings (not shown) formed therein for providing access to the interior of the basket I 5.

The basket is suitably journaled in the casing I0 for rotation about a horizontal axis and is driven by a sheave I'I belted, as shown at I8, to an electric motor I9 supported by the bottom of the casing I0. The motor I9 also functions to drive a blower runner 2I which is arranged Within a blower housing 22. The latter is provided with an air inlet opening 23 which communicates with the space within the casing I0, which space receives air from the surrounding atmosphere through openings 24 formed in the casing side Wall. The blower housing 22 discharges into a generally horizontal duct 25 Within which an electric heater 26 of suitable construction is disposed for heating the air discharged by the runner 2 I. The heated air passes through the duct I3 to the drying chamber I2 and to the interior of the basket I5 for contacting the tumbling fabrics.

In accordance with my invention, operation of the air circulating motor I9 and the air heater 26 is under control of a timing mechanism, indicated generally at 21, and a thermostaticallyoperated switch 28. The latter is open when relatively cool and is actuated to its closed position in response to a predetermined high temperature of the air within the drying chamber I2. When damp drying of the clothes is desired for the immediate ironing thereof, the control of the motor I9 and heater 26 is eiected solely by the timer 21. When complete or bone drying of the clothes is to be effected, the motor I9 and heater 25 are controlled conjointly by the timing mechanism 2l and the thermostatically-operated switch 2B.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 2 of the drawing which diagrammatically shows the con-- struction of the timing mechanism 21 and the wiring of the dryer. 'I'he source of power for the apparatus is represented by line conductors L1, Lz and N which usually is an Edison three wire circuit having a potential of 230 v. between the conductors L1 and L2 and a potential of 115 v. between the conductorsL1 and L2 and the neutral conductor N. The timer 21 includes a plurality of switches 3|, 32 and 33 which are opened and closed by respective cams 34, and 36. The latter are carried by a rotatable shaft 31 which is driven by a timing motor 38 of the type usually employed for the operation of clocks. A speed reducing mechanism, generally indicated at 39, is interposed between the motor 38 and the shaft 31. The shaft 31 may also be manually rotated by a knob 4| and, to permit this operation, a slip clutch, indicated at 42, is interposed between the shaft 31 and the speed reducing mechanism 39.

As clearly shown in Fig- 2, the stationary con- 4tact of the switch 32` is Vdirectly connected to the line conductor L2 while the movable ycontact thereof is directly connected to one terminal of the heater 26. Thev opposite terminal of lthe heater 26 `is connected by a conductor 43` to the stationary contact .of switch 33. The movable contact of switch 33 is connected byv means of a conductor 44 with one terminal of the timing motor 38, the opposite terminal of which is 4directly connected to. the. neutral conductor N. The stationary contact of 'the switch 3| is directly connected to one terminal of the motor |.9 -by means of a conductor which is electrically connected also tov the conductor 43 by a conductor 40. The movable contact of switch 3| is directly connected, as shown, to `the line conductor L1. The thermostatically-operated switch 2.8 is. connected across the conductors. 44 and 45 and, when closed, completes a shunt across the contacts of the switch 33. As shown, a thermostatically-operated safety switch 46- may be disposed in the conductor 43 for deenergizing the heater 26 if the. temperature of the air heated thereby exceeds a predetermined value. As shown in Fig.. 1, the safety thermostat may be disposed in the duct 2.5 on the downstream. side of the heater 26..

Asv shown. in Fig.. 2, the knob 4| is. provided with indicia which registers with a. fixed pointer 41. The indicia appearing on the knob 4| includes two inactivef or off positions, asv shown, and a Dry position which. is moved opposite the index. 41 when ak com-plete or bone-drying operation is to be completed The ind-icia on the knob 4| also, includes a series indicated as 10, 2,0, 30, 40, 50 and 60, which represents minutes. of operation. It is the latter indicia which is brought in registry with the index 41 when damp drying of the clothes is toV be effected. Of course, when adjusted to the-mi-nute position a greater amount of moisture will be evaporated from the fabrics in the dryer than when adjusted for shorter periods of operation.

As, shown in the drawing, the control is, in its inactive or off position and Ythe switches 31|., 32 andV 33 are maintained open by lobes formed on the cams 34, 35 and 36 and indicated respectively at 34`a 35a and 36a. In adjusting theV knob 4| clockwise, as shown in Fig. 2, the lobes of the cams 34, 35 and 36 move from beneath their respectivev switches 3|, v32 and 33 which now close. Accordingly, the main heater 215 is. energized through. a. circuit including the line. conductor Cil Lz, switch 32, heater 26, safety thermostat 4B, conductors 43, 4U and 45, switch 3| and the line conductor L1. The main motor is also energized through the circuit including line conductor L1, switch 3|, conductor 45, motor |9 and conductor N. We are now assuming that the control is adjusted to one of its damp-dry settings, for example, the l0-minute setting. The timer motor will also be energized through a circuit extending from the line conductor L1, switch 3|, conductors 45, 40 and 43, switch 33, timer motor 38 and the line conductor N.

Operator of the dryer will continue for 40 minutes during which time a portion of the moisture in the fabrics being dried is evaporated and a desired amount remains therein in accordance with the operators wishes. It is understood, at this time, that the thermostatic switch 28 remains open as the temperature within the drying chamber I2 during a vdamp-drying operation is Vnot. elevated to the. temperature value at which the thermostat 28 is adjusted to close. At the end of the 40 minutes operation, in the example given, ,a cam lobe 35h opens switch 32, whereupon the. main heater 26 isy deenergized. Operation of the main motor and the timer continues, however, for about 5 minutes in order to cool the fabrics which have been damp dried. At the. end ofv this -minute period, earn lobes 34h vand 36h open their respective switches 3|. and 33 for terminating operation of the motor I9 andthe timer motor 38. At this time, the timer .21 .is disposed in its second inactive or "0| position.

If a complete or bone-drying operation is. to be effected, the timer is adjusted to the Dry position wherein. all three switches 3|, 32 and 33. are closed. Accordingly, heating of the air is effected as well as circulationof the heated air and operation of the timer is carried out for a period of about 15 minutes.. At .the end of this period of operation, a lobe 36e on vthe cam 36 opens the switch 33 and terminates operation of the timer 38. Accordingly, the drying operation continues with the timer motor 38y inactive until a predetermined high temperature of, for example, l65 F. effects the closing of the thermostat 28. VThis is the temperature which prevails when the clothes are completely dried. The closing of the thermostat 28 initiates operation of the timer motor 38 through a shunt circuit which may be traced from the line conductor L1, the closed switch 3| conductor 45, thermostat 28, Conductor 44, timer motor 38 and conductor N. When the lobe 36e rides from beneath the switch 33, the latter closes vto. complete the parallel timer motor circuit, as described heretofore. At this time, the lobeV 35a moves the switch 32 to its o position for deenergizing the mainheater 2|. The main motor |.9 continues in operation for. circulating cooling air through the dryer until the cam lobes 34a and 36a move their respective switches 3| and 33 to open position, thereby rendering the dryer inactive. The control is now in the off position illustrated in Fig. 2. The sequence of operation of the switches 3|, 32 and 33 may be clearly followed by reference to the chartin Fig. 3.

From the foregoing, it will bey apparent that I have provided an improved control for a clothes dryer including a timing mechanism which may be adjusted for various predetermined periods of operation to obtain different degrees vof drying of the. fabrics. Operation of the timing mechanism, when adjusted to completely dry the fabrics. being treated, is under control of a thermostat responsive to the temperature of the air in the drying chamber so that the timing mechanism functions to terminate a drying operation only when the thermostat reiiects a temperature obtaining when the fabrics are completely dried. The control has but a single handle for operation by the operator and the thermostat may be of the nonadjustable type. This control may be readily and economically produced and is reliable in operation.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means defining a drying chamber for the material to be dried, means for circulating air through said chamber, means for heating the air, control means for energizing and deenergizing the air heating and air circulating means, a timing motor for operating the control means, said control means including an element for controlling energization of the timing motor, manually operated means for adjusting the control means from an inactive station to an active station for energizing the air heating and air circulating means and means responsive to a predetermined high temperature of the air in the drying chamber for energizing the timing motor for a predetermined period of time, said control means deenergizing the air heating and air circulating means during operation of the timing motor and said element deenergizing the timing motor at the conclusion of said predetermined period of time independently of the temperatureresponsive means.

2. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means dening a drying chamber for the material to be dried, means for translating air through said chamber, means for heating the air, control means for starting and stopping operation of the air heating means and the air translating means, a timing motor for driving the control means, a control element driven by the timing motor for the control thereof, manually operated means for moving the control means and control element from an inactive position to selective positions thereof for the operation of the timing motor, the air ltranslating means and the air heating means for selected periods of time at the conclusion of Which operation of the air heating means, the air translating means and timing motor is terminated, said control means being movable to an additional active position for the operation of the air heating means and the air translating means, and means effective in said additional active position of the control means for initiating operation of the timing motor in response to a predetermined high temperature of the air in the drying chamber. said timing motor then operating for a predetermined period of time under control lof said control element and said control means terminating operation of the air heating means and air translating means during said operation of the timing motor.

3. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means dening a drying chamber for material to be dried, motor driven means for circulating air through the drying chamber, electrical means for heating the air, a timing mechanism including switching means for controlling energization of the air heating means and said air circulating means, a timing motor for driving the switching means and a switch controlling the timing motor and driven thereby, means for adjusting said timing mechanism from an inactive position to an active position wherein said switch and switching means are closed, said switch being opened after a predetermined period of time for terminating operation of the timing motor and thermostatically-operated switching means for energizing the timing motor for a second period of operation in response to a predetermined high temperature of the air within said drying chamber, said switching means being actuated to Ideenergize the air heating and the air circulating means during said second period of operation of the timing motor, and said switch terminating the second period of operation of the timing motor independently of the thermostatically-operated switching means.

SIEGFRIED E. MANECKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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