US2675628A - Laundry drier - Google Patents

Description

C. S. O'NEIL LAUNDRY DRIER April 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1951 m QQN 8 HQ IN VEN TOR.

(IIIIJINIII Charles 5 Patented Apr. 20, 1954 LAUNDRY DRIER Charles S. ONeil, Two Rivers, Wis., assignor to Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Two Rivers, Wis-., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 3, 1951, Serial No. 249,563

24 Claims.

The invention relates generally to drying apparatus and more particularly'to a dryer for drying laundry.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Serial No. 684,939, filed July 19, 194.6, now Patent No. 2,608,769.

The general object of the invention is to provide a dryer adapted for domestic use, which is provided with novel duct means for conducting moist air from the drying chamber, so arranged that lint may be easily removed therefrom.

Another object is to provide a dryer comprising a cabinet having an opening in one wall thereof through which laundry is inserted into and withdrawn from the drying chamber, such opening also being utilized for the discharge of moist air, the cabinet having a door for closing said opening and provided with a duct for transferring the moist air to the interior of the cabinet or to a flue-connecting means therein.

A further important object is to provide a dryer provided with novel duct means for discharging moist air from the drying chamber, the duct means being arranged so that it may be connected to a fine located in any one of several different positions relative to the dryer.

Still another object is to provide a dryer of the foregoing character, provided with condensing means mounted in the door for condensing moisture from the air as it passes through the duct in the door.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent through the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

A dryer of the type herein disclosed comprises generally a cabinet within which a drum is rotatably mounted. The cabinet is usually of generally rectangular form, while the drum is substantially cylindrical. The front wall of the cabinet is provided with an opening which is aligned with a central opening in the drum, through which the laundry is inserted into and withdrawn from the drum. Within the cabinet is a driving means for rotating the drum and for drawing air into the drum and effecting discharge thereof after such air has absorbed moisture from the laundry. The air is heated by a heating element so that rapid removal of the moisture takes place, the laundry being tumbled within the drum by the rotation of the latter during the drying operation.

While some dryers of this type are arranged to discharge the moist air into the atmosphere of the room in which the dryer is located, this is found objectionable in some instances because of the large amount of moisture introduced in such atmosphere and because of the quantity of lint that accumulates from the laundry as it is tumbled, the lint, of course, being carried out of the dryer along with the moist air. 7

The present invention provides a machine which avoids this difficulty. In one embodiment of the invention, the moist, lint-carrying air is transferred to a duct in the cabinet which may be connected to a flue for carrying the air to some suitable point of discharge. In another embodiment of the invention, the moisture in the air is condensed and the lint removed, so that the air may be re-introduced into the dryer for performing further drying.

In both of these embodiments, the door which covers the opening through which the clothes are inserted into and withdrawn from the drum, is so constructed as to provide a passage for the moist air discharged from the drum to transfer the air either to the duct, in the one embodiment, or to return the air to the interior of the cabinet in the other embodiment. In both embodiments, the fact that the air passes through such passage in the door renders the various portions of the passage accessible for cleaning lint therefrom. Moreover, such a construction permits placing lint screens in these passages so that when the door is opened at the conclusion of each drying operation, the lint may be readily cleared from the screens to prevent excessive accumulation thereof. I

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the cabinet is indicated generally at It and comprises a top wall I I a front wall l2, side walls 53, and a rear wall M. The cabinet is thus of generally rectangular form. Within the cabinet is located a drum !5 of substantial cylindrical form, in which thelaundry is placed for drying, the laundry being tumbled therein and subjected to heated air to effect such drying. At its front end, the drum i5 is provided with an axially projecting flange I6 providing an opening through which the laundry may be inserted and withdrawn. The flange i5 also provides for rotatably supporting the front end of the drum,

the flange [6 being mounted on a pair of rollers ll carried by an upright 20 mounted within the cabinet NJ.

The rear end of the drum is illustrated as being supported through a shaft 2! rotatably mounted in an upright 22 mounted in the cabinet 10. Air impelling means indicated at 23 is mounted in the rear portion of the drum and is adapted to draw air inwardly through the central area of the rear wall of the drum and to force the air outwardly into the peripheral portion of the drum. The air on entering the drum passes over a heating element carried by a plate 24 mounted on the upright 22. The air impeller thus draws air from the space between the cylindrical drum and the rectangular cabinet, the moist air resulting from the drying of the laundry being discharged through the central opening provided by the flange [6 on the front of the drum. 7

To drive the air impeller 23 and the drum, the impeller is mounted on the shaft 2! which at its rear end carries a pulley 25 connected by a belt 26 with a drive motor (not shown). The belt 26 also passes over an idler pulley 2'! which is rigidly secured to a stub shaft mounted in a bracket 39 carried by the upright 22. The stub shaft also carries a pulley 3| which drives a belt 32 extending about a cylindrical portion 33 formed on the rear side of the drum.

Thefront wall l2 of the cabinet, in this instance, is provided with a flange member 34 extending within the flange It on the drum and providing an opening, together with the flange 16 through which the laundry may be inserted and withdrawn. The moist air resulting from the drying operation thus will be discharged through the flange member 34. A sealing strip 38 may be secured to the drum flange 6 for engagement with the front wall l2 to prevent the moist air from entering the space between the cabinet and the drum. It is, of course, desirable to provide a door, indicated generally at 35, for closing the aligned openings in the flanged member 34 and the flange I8 so that the laundry being tumbled within the drum in the drying operation cannot fall out of the drum. However, since in this embodiment of the invention as well as the embodiment later to be described, it is desired to prevent such moist lint-carrying air from being discharged into the room in which the dryer is located. To this end, a duct is provided in the upper part of the cabinet to carry away the moist atmosphere.

In the present instance, the duct comprises a front portion 36 formed by a channel member secured to the front wall I 2 of the cabinet, and a rearwardly extending portion comprising a tubular member 31 secured to one end of the front portion 36, the rearwardly extending portion 37 passing through the space between the drum and the walls of the cabinet and thus preventing the moist air carried thereby from mixing with the drying air within the cabinet which is drawn into the drum by the air impeller 23. Air is supplied to the interior of the cabinet, in the present instance, by having the top wall ll of the cabinet extend forwardly beyond the front wall l2 to provide a gap indicated at 40.

To transfer the moisture laden air discharged from the drum through the flange member 34 to the duct, the door is so constructed as to provide a passage connecting the opening in the flange member 34 with a second opening, indicated at 4|, located over the front portion 36 of the duct. Thus, air discharged from the drum will be transferred by the passage in the door 35 to the front portion 36 of the duct and from there it can flow through the rearwardly extending portion 31.

To provide such a transfer duct in the door 35, the latter in this instance comprises a front or outer wall 42 and an inner wall 43 spaced from the outer wall. The inner wall 43 is bulged outwardly, as at 44, throughout an area overlying at least a portion of the opening through the flange member 34 and the opening 4! into the front portion 36 of the duct. The door 35 is preferably hinged as at 45 to the front wall 12 of the cabinet and to prevent leakage of the air around the periphery of the door, a sealing gasket 46 is provided between the door and the front wall l2. Thus, the air discharged from the drum M will be transferred by the passage formed in the door by the bulged portion 44, to the opening 4| to be carried away by the duct.

The rearwardly extending portion 3'! of the duct is adapted to be connected to a flue which may carry the moist air to a suitable point of discharge. In many instances, such flue may be connected to the rear end of the tubular member 3'1, the latter projecting through the rear wall M of the cabinet, as at 46, for this purpose. However, in certain instances, it will not be practicable to attach such flue to the rearward extension 31 at the rear of the cabinet. Consequently, the rearward extension 31 of the duct may instead be provided with a laterally extending portion 41 to permit the flue to be connected thereto at the side wall l3 of the cabinet, or, the rearward extension 31 may have an upwardly extending portion 48 so that the flue can be connected to the extension 31 adjacent the top wall ll of the cabinet.

It is, of course, desirable to be able to have access to the various portions of the duct so that any deposit of lint therein may be readily removed therefrom. For this purpose the right hand end of the front portion 36 of the duct, as well as the rearward extension 31 is rendered accessible by providing an aperture in the front wall [2 of the cabinet aligned with the rearward extension 31 and normally covered over by a removable cap 50. Upon removal of the cap, access may easily be had to the interior of the channel shape member comprising the front portion 36 of the duct as well as to the front end of the rearwardly extending portion 31. The flue may also be connected to the duct at this point, by removing the cap 50, in those instances where it is not feasible to connect the flue to the rearwardly extending portion 31.

With a dryer of this character, it is preferable to remove the lint from the air discharged from the drum rather than to let itv be carried out through the flue. In the present instance, I provide lint removing means comprising a series of screens which are preferably of progressively finer mesh in a downstream direction so that substantially all of the lint will be removed from the air before it passes into the duct connected to the flue. In the specific arrangement herein shown, I provide a screen 5| carried by the door and of dished form to project into the flange member 34 so that air immediately on its discharge from the drum will have to pass therethrough. The screen Si is of relatively coarse mesh and will remove only the larger bits of, lint. The screen 5| also confines small articles being dried to the drum to prevent them aeracae from. being drawn into the. high velocity: air stream: passing through the duct; in. the door.

I may also provide: one or' more additional screens for removingthe finer lint. In the present instance I have provided two such screens, one being indicated at 52 and the. other being indicated at 53, located at the opening 41 so that the air as it passes into the front portion 36 of the duct must pass therethrough. The screen 52: is of finer mesh than: the screen 5! While the screen 53 is: of the finest mesh of all three; Thus, substantially all of the lint will be removed from the air before it passes into the duct.

It will be noted from this construction that the three screens 5|, 52:, and 53 are rendered accessible for cleaning when the door 52 is opened. Thus, since the screen 51 is carried by the door, the side of the screen on which the lint collects will be accessible when the door is opened. The screen 52, particularly the side on which the lint collects, will also be fully" accessible when the door is opened. Access may also be readily had to the screen 53 by pivotally mounting the screen 52 as at 54, so that after cleaning. the screen 52, it may be swung upwardly to give access to the screen 53. latter is also pivotally' mounted as at 5% so that access may be had to the interior of the front portion 3% of the duct.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4', the moist air discharged from the drum is adapted to pass through a passage in the door and to be returned to the interior of the cabinet, the moisture in the condensed and removed in the meantime, so that the air is in proper condition to be drawn back into the drum for further drying of the laundry. In this form of the invention, the cabinet is indicated generally at it and comprises a front wall 51-, a top wall 62, and a rear wall 63. The cabinet is completely closed 'to the atmosphere in the room, when the dryeris operating, so that no air is either discharged into the room or withdrawn therefrom. Within the cabinet is a drum, indicated generally at 64, of substantially cylindrical form and pro-- vided with a central axially extending flange at its front end and a similar flange 65 at its rear end. The drum is supported at its front end by a pair of rollers 8'! running between two guide ribs H1 formed on the front flange 55, the rollers 6? being supported by an upright ii provided in the cabinet; The rear flange 6B of the drum may be similarly sup ported for rotation, the rollers therefor not being shown but carried by an upright 12'.

To drive the drum' and effect circulation of air therethrough a motor 13 is mounted on: a.

ing element located at the intake side of the P fan '55 so that the air forced into the drum will thereby be heated. The air drawn into the drum will alsobe preheated. to some extent, since:

it is drawn from the space between the-drum and the;- cabinet and; the radiation of heatfrom P through the flange it serting laundry the drum will heat the air in. such space; The air also passes around the; motor 13,: so as. to cool" the latter and such-heat is thereby'absorbed by the air.

The motor 13- is also utilized to drive the drum. For this purpose, the rear end of the motor shaft is provided with a pulley 8 l cone nected. by a belt 82' to an idler pulley 83. The latter is rigidly mounted on a. stub shaft 84- to which is secured asecond pulley 85 carrying a belt 86 extending about the flange B6- on' the rear of the drum. The motor 13 thus drives both thefan' i5 and the drum.

The same; quantity of air that is drawn ine wardly through the aperture 76 by the fan- 15 must be discharged from the drum to avoid building up a pressure therein. In the present embodiment, such air is discharged through the flange ts at the front of the drum, the air of course being moist; because of the evaporation from the laundry. The flange 65' in this in stance extends through a flanged opening 90 provided in the front wall. 6! of. the cabinet, the opening in the flange t5 being adapted for ininto and withdrawal thereof: from thedryer;

A door, indicated generally at 91 i is, supported on the front wall ti as'by hinges 92 to close the opening through the flange 65 but since the moist air is discharged through this opening; the door 9'! is constructed to provide a passage for such air. As heretofore mentioned, one of the. features of this embodiment of the invention is to condense the moisture from the air discharged from the drum and to return it to. the interior of the cabinet so that it may be again drawn into the drum for drying purposes. Conse quently, the door 91 is provided with a passage which is adapted to return the air to the interior of the cabinet and within the passage con densing means-adapted to condense the moisture the air before it is returned.

In the construction herein shown, the door comprises anouter wall 93 within which a duct Ms ismounted. The duct 9 t is'closed except for openings formed on its innerface adjacent its respective ends. Thus, the duct 34 is provided at its. upper end with its. opening 95which overlies the opening through the flange 65 of the drum when the door is closed. At the lower end of the duct 64', a plurality of louvres- 96 are formed on the inner face toconstitute an opening and are adapted to register with similar louvres 91 formed on the adjacent front wall iii of the cabinet. Thus, when the door 9! isclosed,

the air discharged from the drum will pass through the flange 65, the opening 55 and the duct 94; then through" the duct. downwardly and. through thelouvres 98 and 9! into the cabinet. The door" is.- provided with a sealing strip 10-9- extending substantially about its periphery to seal any space between the door and the front wall 6t of the cabinet when the door is closed.

W Thus, the air discharged from the drumwill be returned to the interior of the cabinet.

To condense the moisture. from the air as it passes through the duct 94, a spray device [0! is mounted in the upperpart of the duct and is providedwith a plurality'of nozzles [02- for spraying water downwardly in the duct. The spray device idlis adapted to be connected to a source of cool water under pressure by means of a flexible hose: I 03. The cool water thus sprayed downward in the duct 94: will reduce the temperature of thezain and cause a condensation of the;

moisture therein so that the air returned to the interior of the cabinet through the louvres 96 and 91 will be relatively dry when reheated as it passes into the drum. In the bottom portion of the duct 94 a drain I04 is provided to collect the water sprayed therein as well as the condensate, the drain I04 being adapted to be connected by a flexible hose I05 to conduct the water to a suitable point of disposal. The air, after the moisture is condensed therefrom, could of course be discharged into the room instead of confined to the cabinet, if desired.

The door 9| preferably carries a screen I06 adapted to fit within the flange 66 of the drum to remove lint from the air as it is discharged from the drum. The screen I06 is, of course, accessible for cleaning when the door is opened. The spray of water from the nozzles I02 also removes lint from the air, and such lint is carried away with the water through the drain I04. The screen I05 also prevents small articles of laundry from passing through the discharge opening during operation of the dryer.

The air returned to the cabinet through the louvres 9! will be somewhat preheated by heat radiated from the drum 64 and then will be drawn into the drum through the flange 66 at the rear end thereof to efiect further drying of the laundry in the drum. The drum 64 may be insulated to prevent excessive loss of heat therefrom, if it is found desirable, although any heat radiated therefrom will not be lost since it is absorbed by the air returned to the cabinet.

I claim:

1. A dryer comprising a cabinet, a drum mounted within said cabinet, said cabinet and said drum having aligned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry and for the discharge of moist air from the drum, said cabinet having another opening at one side of the firstmentioned opening, and a door mounted on the exterior of said cabinet and covering both of said openings in the cabinet and having means defining a passage therein openly communicating with the two openings in the cabinet for returning the air discharged from the drum to the interior of the cabinet.

2. A dryer comprising a cabinet, a drum mounted within said cabinet, said cabinet and said drum having aligned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry and for the discharge of moist air from the drum, said cabinet having another opening at one side of the firstmentioned opening, and a door mounted on the exterior of said cabinet and covering both of said openings in the cabinet and having a passage therein for returning the air discharged from the drum to the interior of the cabinet, said door having a screen extending across said aligned openings for collecting lint discharged through said openings.

3. A dryer comprising a cabinet having two openings in one wall thereof with the openings laterally spaced from each other, a drum for tumbling laundry therein during drying and rotatably mounted in said cabinet, said drum having a central opening aligned with one of said cabinet openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry therethrough, means for drawing air into said drum and for passing moist air through said central opening and its associated cabinet opening, and a door hingedly mounted on said wall of the cabinet and overlying both of said cabinet openings, said door having a passage formed therein registering with the two cabinet openings when the door is closed for returning the air discharged from the drum to the interior of the cabinet.

4. A dryer comprising a cabinet having a round opening and a horizontally extending opening in one wall thereof with the two openings vertically spaced from each other, a drum rotatably mounted in said cabinet and having a central opening aligned with said round opening, means for drawing air into said drum and for passing air through said central and round openings, and a door hingedly mounted on said wall of the cabinet and overlying said round opening and said horizontally extending opening, said door having a sealing gasket extending about its inner face adjacent the margin thereof adapted to engage said wall when the door is closed and having a passage within the area enclosed by said gasket registering with the two openings in said wall for conducting the air discharged through said round opening to said horizontally extending opening.

5. A dryer comprising a cabinet having two openings in one wall thereof, a drum mounted in said cabinet and having an opening aligned with one of said two openings, and a door hingedly mounted on said wall and overlying the two openings therein, said door comprising inner and outer walls spaced from each other with the inner wall having an area bulged toward the outer wall to provide a passage on the exterior of the cabinet connecting said two openings.

6. A dryer comprising a cabinet having a cen tral opening and a laterally spaced opening in one wall thereof, a drum mounted within said cabinet and having a central opening in one wall thereof aligned with the central opening of the cabinet, both of said walls having flange portions about the central openings in telescopic relation with each other, a door mounted on the exterior of said cabinet and overlying the two openings therein, said door having a passage connecting said two openings and having a dished screen fitting within said flange portions.

7. A dryer comprising a cabinet having a cen tral opening and a laterally spaced opening in one wall thereof, a drum mounted in said cabinet and having a central opening aligned with the central opening of said cabinet, means for drawing air into said drum and for passing it through said central openings, a duct within said cabinet extending outside of said drum and adapted to be connected to an external flue, said duct extending from and communicating with said laterally spaced opening, and a door on said cabinet overlying said openings and having a passage connecting the two openings of the cabinet.

8. A dryer comprising a generally rectangular cabinet having a front wall provided with a central opening and a second opening spaced above, said central opening, a generally cylindrical drum mounted in said cabinet and having a central opening aligned with the central opening of the cabinet, means for drawing air into said drum and for discharging it through said central openings, a duct within said cabinet and comprising one portion extending crosswise of the cabinet at the inner face of said front wall and leading from said second opening and a second portion extending rearwardly in the cabinet externally of the drum and adapted to be connected to a flue outside of the cabinet, and a door mounted on said front wall and overlying advance "9 the two openings therein .and having .a passage connecting said two openings.

9.. .A dryer comprising a generally rectangular .cabinet having afront wall provided with a central opening and asecond opening spaced .above said central opening, a generally cylindrical drum mounted in said cabinet and havinga (central opening aligned with the central .opening of the cabinet, means for drawing air into :said drum and .for discharging .it through said central openings, a duct within said cabinet and comprising one portion extending crosswise of the cabinet at the inner face of said front wall and leading from said second opening, and a second portion extending rearwardlyin the lcabinet externally of the drum and adapted to be connected'to a flue outside of the cabinet, a door mounted on said front wall and overlying the two openings therein'and having a passage connecting said two opening-s, the front wall of the cabinet having an aperture .aligned with said second portion to provide :access to both portions of said duct, and aremovablecap for closing said aperture.

10. A dryer'comprising a generally rectangular cabinet having a front wall provided witha centralopening-and a second opening spaced :abone said central opening, a generally cylindrical drum mounted in-saidcabinet and having a central opening aligned. :with the central opening of the cabinet, means for drawing air into said drum and for discharging it through said central openings, a duct within said cabinet and comprising one portion extending crosswise of the cabinet at the :inner face of said front wall and leading 'from said second opening, and a second portion extending rearwardly in the cabinet-externally of the drum and adapted to baconnected to a'flue outsideof thecabinetand adoor mounted on said front wall and overlying the two openings therein and having a passage connecting said two openings, said second portion of the duct having its rear end located adjacent the rear, top and side wall of athercabinet :and extending through one of them :for connection with said flue.

11. A drier-comprising a cabinet having la pair of spaced openings in one wall thereof, a drum mounted in said cabinet and having an opening aligned withone o-f'theopen'ings in the cabinet wall, means for drawing air into said drumand for discharging'it through said: aligned openings, and a door hinge-dly mounted on said wall and comprising inner and .outer walls in spaced relation to each other, said door-overlying the pair of openings in said wall, said inner wall being bulged towardsaidouter wall in an area overlapping said pair of openings with the bulged portion cooperating with the wall of the cabinet to provide a passageconnectingsaid pairof openings.

12. A dryer comprising a cabinet having :a round opening and a generally rectangular opening in one wall thereof, a drum mounted in said cabinet and having a central opening aligned with said round opening, means for drawing air into said drum and for passing it through said aligned openings, and a door hinged on said wall and covering both of said openings there'in,.said

door having an outwardly Lbulged portion .on'its inner .side of generally rectangular form and overlapping a portion of said round opening and the generally rectangular opening to provide a passage connecting said openings.

13. A dryer comprising a cabinet having a pair of openings inone wall thereof, a drum rotatably mounted in'said cabinet in spaced relation thereto and having a central opening aligned with one of said ,pair of openings, means for drawing air into said drumirom the space be-- tween the drum and cabinet and iorpassing it through said aligned openings, laidoor hinged on said wall and having :a portion cooperating with said EWEtll to -.provide a passage connecting said pair of npenings, and a .duct in said .cabinet eX- tending from the-other of said pair of-openings through said cabinet to prevent theair discharged from the :drum .l'rom'mixing .with the air in the space between the drum and the cabinet, said cabinet-having an additional opening for admittingzairto said space.

11 .4. A dryer comprising vacabinethaving-a pair of openings in one Wall thereof, a drum mounted in said cabinet and adapted to receive laundry to :be dried, .said drum shavingan opening aligned with one of said pair of openings, means .for drawing air into said'drum and fordischarging it through said aligned openings, a duct in said oabinetextending from the other of said pair of openings, ,a door hinged on said wall and having apassage connecting said openings, a screen car-- r ed by said door and located in said aligned openings, and .a second screen mounted in said other opening, said screens being adapted .to :remove lint from th air discharged from'the-drum and being accessible :i'oricleaning when said door isop neo.

15. ;A:dryer comprising :a cabinet hav n a pair of openings in one Wall thereof, a drumimounted in said cabinet and adapted to receive laundry to bedried, said drum having an opening aligned with one of said pair of openings, means for drawing air into said drum and fordischarging it through said aligned openings, a duct insaid cabinet extending from the otherof said pairof openings, acdoor hinged on said wall .andhaving a passage connecting said openings, and a plurality of screens of different .mesh for removing lint from ,the air discharged from thedrum, said screens being locatedadjacent said pair of openings whereby they are accessible for cleaning when thedoorv is opened.

16. Adryer comprising ;a cabinet havinga pair of openings .in one wall thereof, adru-mmounted in said cabinet and adapted to receive laundry .tohe dried, said-drum havingan opening aligned with one of said pair :of openings, means for drawing air into said drum and for discharging it 'througlrsaid aligned openings, a duct in'said cabinet extending from the other of said pair of openings, a door :hinged on said wall-and havvjng a passage connecting said openings, and a plurality of screens ,for removing lint from the air, one of :said screens being carried by-said :door adjacent-said aligned openings and the other or others :being mounted .in said other opening whereby said screens are accessible for cleaning when the :door is opened, said screens being of progressively finermesh 1113a. downstream direction so as to effectively remove substantially all of the lint.

.l']. A ,dryer-comprisingacabinethaving a pair 01' openings in one wallthereof, -.a drum mounted in-said cabinet and adapted to receive laundry to be dried, said drum :having .an :opening. aligned with one of said pair of openings, means for drawing 'air into saiddrum and for discharging it through said aligned openings, a duct in said cabinet extending from the other of said pair of openings, a door hinged on said wall and hav- 1 1 ing a passage connecting said openings, a screen carried by said door and positioned in said aligned openings when the door is closed, and a pair of screens hingedly mounted in said other opening, said screen being accessible for cleaning when the door is opened.

18. A dryer comprising a cabinet having a pair of openings in one wall thereof, a drum rotatably mounted in said cabinet in spaced relation thereto and having a central opening aligned with one of said pair of openings, means for drawing air into said drum from the space between the cabinet and drum and for discharging it through said aligned openings, and a door hinged on said wall and overlying said openings, said door having a duct therein provided with a pair of openings on its inner face adjacent its ends and adapted to register with the pair of openings in said wall of the cabinet for returning the air discharged from the drum to the interior of the cabinet.

19. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing in spaced relation thereto and providing a drying chamber, said drum having an opening for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry, said drum having an intake for admitting air from the space between said casing and said drum, means for rotating the drum, a blower mounted in said drum and driven by said means for drawing in air through said intake and for discharging air through said opening, means for heating the air entering through said intake, means providing a return passage from said opening to the interior of said casing for returning the discharged air to said casing, and a condenser in said return passage for removing moisture from the discharged air before return to said casing.

20. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing in spaced relation thereto and providing a drying chamber, said drum having an annular flange projecting through said casing and providing an opening for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry, and said drum having an intake for admitting air from the space between said casing and said drum, means for rotating the drum, a blower mounted in said drum and driven by said means for drawing in air through said intake and discharging through said opening, a door for closing said opening and providing a return passage from said opening to said casing for returning the discharged air to said casing, and a condenser carried by said door in said return passage for removing moisture from the discharged air before return to said casing.

21. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing in spaced relation thereto, said drum and said casing having ali ned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry, and said drum having an intake for admitting air thereto from the space between the drum and the casing, driving means 'for rotating the drum, means driven by said driving means for drawing in air through said intake from the space between said drum and said casing and discharging air from said drum through said openings, a door for closing said openings and providing a return passage from said openings to said casing for returning the discharged air thereto, and a condenser carried by said door in said return passage for removing 12 moisture from the discharged air before return to said casing.

22. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing in spaced relation thereto, said drum and said casing having aligned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry, and said drum having an intake for admitting air thereto from the space between the drum and the casing, driving means for rotating the drum, means driven by said driving means for drawing in air through said intake from the space between said drum and said casing and discharging air from said drum through said openings, said casing having an aperture adjacent said openings, a door for closing said openings and said aperture and providing a return passage therebetween for returning the discharged air to the casing, and means mounted in said return passage for spraying cooling fluid into the discharged air to remove moisture therefrom before return to said casing.

23. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing in spaced relation thereto, said drum and said casing having aligned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry, and said drum having an intake for admitting air thereto from the space between the drum and the casing, driving means for rotating the drum, means driven by said driving means for drawing in air through said intake from the space between said drum and said casing and discharging air from said drum through said openings, a door hinged on said casing for closing said openings and providing a. return passage from said openings to said casing for returning the discharged air thereto, a spray mounted in said return passage for spraying cooling fluid into the discharged air to condense vapor carried thereby, a drain located in the bottom of said return passage for collecting the cooling fluid and the condensate, and flexible connections for said spray and said drain to permit swinging movement of the door.

24. A laundry dryer comprising a casing, means providing a drying chamber within and in spaced relation to said casing, said casing and said means having aligned openings for the insertion and withdrawal of laundry and said casture and providing a return passage therebetween, and means for condensing moisture in the discharged air during its movement through said return passage including a drain for collecting the condensate, and a flexible connection extending from said drain for removing the condensate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,434,886 Pugh Jan. 20, 1948 2,486,058 Patterson et al Oct. 25, 1949 2,521,712 Geldhof 1. Sept. 12, 2,540,725 Geldhof Feb. 6, 1951

Images