US2864249A - Combination washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,864,249

- COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1953' a Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,864,

COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1. 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 2 MLLACE ff MC'HOLS Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,364,249

COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dem 1, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lil E T2 [57? IVA/A05 [f [Sf/0104s United States Patent COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Application December'l, 1953, Serial No. 395,535

Claims. (Cl. 6819) This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus'for washing and dryingclothes. ,A principal object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for washing and drying clothes wherein the heat required to evaporate water from the clothes is reduced by absorbing water from the clothes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel and efficient form of combined washing and drying machine in which the clothes are washedby tumbling in a drum, and water is absorbed from the clothes by a transfer agent contacting the drum.

Aqfur-ther object of my invention is to provide an improved form of clothes drying machine greatly shortening the drying time of the clothes, by absorbing water from the clothes by an absorbent transfer agent contacting the clothes tumbling drum, and then removing the water fromfthe transfer agent so as to reduce the drying time and the heat required to remove water from. the clothes by evaporation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simplifiedform of clothes drying machine in which the clothesare contained in a rotating drum having an open periphery by a transfer agent of a water absorbing ma terial, and in which water is removed from the Water absorbing material by wringer means, engaging the same.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and novel form of clothes washing and dryingmachine in which the clothes are tumbled in a tumbling drum rotatable about a horizontal axis, and are con: tained in the drum by a web or belt of water absorbent material extending around the drum for a greater portion of periphery thereof and forming a drive means therefor as well as a water transferring agent for trans.- ferring water fromthe clothes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a laundry machine for clothes and the like, arranged to facilitate the operation of drying theclothes, by contacting the periphery of the drum with an absorbent water transferring agent having the wet clothes in contact therewith, and by removing water from the water transfer agent and thereby reducing the amount of water to be evaporated by heat.

These and other objects of my invention will appear fromjtime to time as thefollowi-ng specification proceeds and; with reference to the accompanying drawings wherell'l:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a combined washing and drying machine constructed in accordance with my invention looking toward the rear end thereof and showing certain parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines II -ell of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III' of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial fragmentary sectional view taken through the wringer rolls and through a portion of the clothes containing drum.

2,864,249 Patented Dec. 16, 1958 tln the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown a combined washing and drying machine comprising aca'binet 10 having a clothes containing tumbler drum lljournaled therein for rotation about a horizontal axis. I have also shown a tub 12rfor washing water in .the bottom of the cabinet 10 and extending upwardly along the sides and periphery of the tumbling drum 11, for holding Washing water in said tumblingcdrum for washing clothes therein.

The bottom of the tub 12 is shown as sloping toward adrain having av T 13 leading therefrom, one conduit of which is -connected with a pump 14 by a conduit .15. The pump 14 serves to withdraw water from the tub 12 at .theend of the washingoperation prior to the extracting or drying operation.

The pump 14 is shown as being mounted ona bulkhead -or .partition 16 extending along the cabinet 10 intermediate the -walls thereof. The bulkhead 16 dividessaid cabinet into a washing and drying compartment 17 .and an .air circulating compartment 19. The pump =14 located inthe washing and drying compartment has a shaftc2ll extending through the bulkhead 16 into the air circulating compartment .19 and journaled intermediate .its ends in .a wall 21 of an air duct 22. The pump 14 is dr'iven from a belt 23 trained around a pulley 24 .on the shaft 20 in the space between the wall 21 and the bulkhead 1 6. The shaft 20 also extends Within the air duct .22 and is shown as having a suction blower 25 keyed thereto for drawing air into the duct 22 through an intake duct 27.

The du'ct'f2'2, is shown in Figure 1 as extending from the suction blower 25 along the bulkhead 16 to a position adjacent the opposite end of the cabinet 10 from the suction blower '25. Said duct then extends upwardly along the bulkhead'l'fi and opens into the clothes washing and drying compartment through an intake opening 29 in said bulkhead.

The air duct 22 is also shown'as having a heating element '30 therein, shown as being 'an electric heating element of a well-known form. It is, of course, obvious that the heating element need not be electric and that a gas'burnertnot shown) may communicate with the duct ZZj-forjheating the circulated air by gas.

The belt 23 is shown as being driven from a motor 31 on apla'tfo'rm 32 in the air circulating compartment 19. The .motor 31 also drives a suction fan or blower 33fthrough a belt drive .34. The blower 33 is in communication' with an exhaust opening 35 in the bulkhead '16 and serves to withdraw air from the Washing and drying compartment for exhaust to the atmosphere through an exhaust air duct 36 leading through a rear wall'of the cabinet. The exhaust duct may if desired, be connected With ,a condenser of a well known form. The airducts 22 and 3.6 and blowers 25 and 33 thus serve to supply heated air to the washing and drying compartment'17 when desired, and to exhaust therefrom to the atmosphere;

Referring now' inpparticular to' the clothes tumbling drum 11 and certain novel features of my. invention, the drum 11 is shown as having a rear, wall 37, which may be perforate and-which confronts the bulkhead 16 and is rotatably journaled thereon on a transverse stub. shaft 39'iournaled in a bearing 40 mounted on the bulkhead 16.

The drum l1 is-also shown as having an opposite end wall 41 having a clothes receiving opening therein defined by a forwardly projecting flange 42 confronting a clothes receivingopening 43 in a front wall 44 for the cabinet 10. The flange 42' is shown as overlapping a stepped flange 45 of the clothes receiving opening 43. A door 46-.is:sh'ownas closing the=clothes receiving opening- :43 in the front wall 44 of the :cabinet' 10 and may be sealed thereto to prevent the escape of air thereby.

The front and rear walls 41 and 37 of the drier drum 11 are each shown as having annular angles 47 and 49, respectively, extending inwardly therefrom and opening toward each other. A plurality of circumferentially spaced tumbling bars 50--50, are shown as connecting the front and rear walls 41 and 37 of the drum 11 together and as extending radially inwardly from the horizontal legs of the angles 49 and 47.

The forward end portion of the drum 11 is shown as being supported on spaced rollers 51-51, mounted on the outside of the tub 12, and having rotatable supporting engagement with the flange 42.

The drum 11 is also shown as being open at its periphery between the end walls 37 and 41, and as having a web or belt 53 of water absorbent material extending therearound having direct contact with the clothes in said drum and retaining the clothes therein. The belt 53 may be of any well known form of water absorbent material, and as herein shown forms a means for driving the tumbling drum 11 as well as transferring water from the clothes at the end of the washing operation. Qne form of belt, which, may be used is a belt of copper screening as indicated by reference character 54 in Fig ure 4, and covered by a water absorbent material 55, such as Terry cloth, Dacron with a cotton filler, or cellulose sponge material or some other suitable water absorbent material. It is, of course, obvious that the absorbent material alone without the screen may be used if desired.

The belt 53 is shown as extending around all but a small part of the periphery of the drum 11 and as having driving engagement with the horizontal legs of the angles 49 and 47 The belt 53 passes from the top of the drum 11 under an idler roll 56 rotatably journaled at its ends in parallel spaced bearing support plates 57-57. The plates 57--57 are in turn supported on spaced vertical legs 59 extending upwardly from the base of the cabinet 10. From the idler roll 56, increasing the wrap of the belt 53 around the drum, the belt passes over and around a power driven wringer roll 60 rotatably journaled at its ends in the plates 5757. A cooperating reacting wringer roll 61, which is also rotatably journaled between the plates 57-57, is shown as pressing the belt against the wringer roll 60. The reaction roll 61 may be mounted in the plates 57--57 for adjustable movement toward and from the wringer roll 60. The adjusting means is not herein shown or described since it may be of any well known form and is no part of my present invention.

From the wringer rolls 60 and 61, the belt then passes toward the drum 11 over an idler roll 63, increasing the wrap of the belt around the drum 11, into engagement with the horizontal legs of the angles 47 and 49. The idler rolls 56 and 63, thus wrap the belt 53 around the drum 11, so that the belt extends around all but a small part of the periphery of the drum and confines the clothes within the drum during the tumbling operation, both when washing and drying. While the belt is shown as having maximum engagement with the periphery of the drum, the extent of engagement of the belt with the drum may be varied and under certain conditions the belt may have engagement with a small part of the periphery of the drum.

The wringer roll 60 is shown as being driven from a motor 65 mounted on the platform 32. As herein shown the drive from the motor 65 to the wringer roll 60 consists in a V-belt drive indicated generally by a reference character 66. i

A tension idler (not shown) or some other conventional mechanical means may be provided to accommodate the normal stretch and shrinkage of the belt as it is alternately wet and dried.

A trough 67 is provided beneath the wringer rolls 60 and 61, to collect the water squeezed from the web or belt 53. As herein shown, a flexible conduit 68 leads from the trough 67 downwardly to the T 13 and is connected thereto and to the intake side of the pump 14.

Referring now to the use and operation of the laundry machine of my invention, the tumbling drum 11 being filled with clothes, water and soap or a detergent may be supplied to the tub 12 in any well known manner. The motor 65 may then be energized to drive the wringer roll 60 and the belt 53. This will then drive the drum 11 and tumble the clothes in the washing solution in the tub 12 and wash the same by tumbling.

At the end of the washing cycle, which may be controlled by a cycling control of a form commonly used in automatic washing machines, the motor 31 is energized to drive the pump 14 and drain water from the tub 12. As herein shown, when the motor 31 is driving the pump 14, the blowers 25 and 33 are also in operation to establish a circulation of air through the washing and drying compartment 17. It is obvious, however, that the blowers need not be driven by the pump, and that a clutch may be provided in the drive to the pump or the blowers 25 and 33 if desired.

As the level of the water in the tub 12 drops beneath the tumbling drum 11, the clothes in the drum 11 having direct contact with the traveling belt 53 will transfer water therein directly to said belt and thereby to the wringer rolls 60 and 61, which serve to squeeze water therefrom for discharge from the washing and drying compartment 17 down the trough 67 and return line 68 to the pump 14. This operation may be continued until the clothes are damp dried where it is dseired to damp dry the clothes only. When damp drying the clothes, the transfer of water from the clothes to the absorbent belt reduces the water to be evaporated by heat and markedly shortens the damp drying operation over such operations which are effected in the well known forms of washing and extracting machines due to the direct contact of the absorbent agent with the clothes and the absorption of the water therefrom.

When desired to entirely dry the clothes, the heating element 30 may be energized, the blowers 25 and 33 circulating heated air through the washing and drying compartment 17 and rapidlydrying the clothes therein, it being understood that the transfer of water from the clothes by direct contact with the absorbent agent as the heated air circulates therethrough, greatly shortens the drying time over the time which would normally be required if the heated air only were circulated through the tumbling clothes by reducing the amount of water to be evaporated by heat.

It is of course obvious that while the drum is shown as having an open periphery that it may have a perforate periphery if desired, and that the openings in the periphery of the drum may vary in size dependent upon the adsorptive qualities of the absorbent medium contacting the periphery of the drum. Y

It should here be understood that while the absorbent.

belt 53 has a substantial thickness and bulk, that the material from which the belt is made is selected for the high absorbent qualities and its ability to give up its moisture at a rapid rate. It should further be understood that the high absorbent qualities of the belt and its ability to give up its moisture at a rapid rate results in a rapid taking away of moisture from the clothes before the heat is turned on, thus making it possible to turn the heat on earlier in the cycle and resulting in a more efficient introduction of air into the clothes, and a considerably reduced drying time over conventional drying operations.

It may be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a novel and improved method and apparatus for washing and drying clothes, wherein the damp and finished drying operations are shortened, by reducing the amount of water to be evaporated by contacting the clothes with the absorbent medium and transferring the water therefrom. 4

It may also be seen that besides transferring the water from the clothes to drain by the absorbent belt contacting the clothes, that the absorbent medium may also serve to retain the clothes within the drier drum and as a drive means therefor.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a laundry machine, a clothes tumbling drum journaled for rotation in a vertically extending plane and having opposite end walls and an open periphery and an absorbing agent confining the clothes to said drum during tumbling and transferring substantial amounts of water therefrom by absorption comprising an endless absorbent belt wrapped around said drum, wringer rolls spaced from said drum and engaging the opposite sides of said belt for wringing the water therefrom, a motor for driving said wringer rolls and belt, and other rolls spaced from said wringer rolls and wrapping said belt around substantially the entire periphery of said drum.

2. In a laundry machine, a cabinet, a tub within said cabinet, 'a clothes tumbling drum journaled within said cabinet for rotation within said tub, means for withdrawing water from said tub, said drum having spaced end walls and tumbling bars connecting said en'd walls together and being open in the space between said end walls, and means for retaining clothes within said drum and absorbing water therefrom comprising an endless absorbent belt having a perforate inner surface having driving engagement with said drum and contact with the clothes within said drum, and having a water absorbent cloth on the outside of said perforate inner surface, and wringer rolls pressed into engagement with said belt from opposite sides thereof for driving the same and wringing water therefrom.

3. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 1, a cabinet and a tub in said cabinet for housing said drum and in which the water rejected by the wringer rolls is collected, and a pump connected to said tub to remove the water to drain.

4. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 1, a cabinet and a tub in said cabinet for housing said drum, and means for circulating drying air through said tub for drying clothes in said drum.

5. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 2, and means to rotatably drive said wringer rolls thereby to rotate said drum through said absorbent belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,545 Gerald Feb. 14, 1893 2,213,303 Cady Sept. 3, 1940 2,378,333 Simonds June 12, 1945 2,434,476 Wales -3 Jan. 13, 1948 2,523,304 Johnson Sept. 26, 1950 2,607,209 Constantine Aug. 19, 1952 2,659,225 Ewing Nov. 17, 1953 2,758,461 Tann Aug. 14, 1956

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