US3081555A - Lint remover for dryer - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1963 J. F. sTRA'rMAN 3,081,555

LINT REMOVER FOR DRYER Filed Dec. 17, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y www @s March 19, 1963 J. F. sTRATMAN 3,081,555

LINT REMOVER FOR DRYER Filed Dec. 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2525.22 zaz" Jrome E Sraman March 19, 1963 J. F. sTRATMAN LINT REMOVER FoR DRYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D90. 17, 1959 United States Patent Oiiiice 3,081,555 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3,081,555 LllNT REMUVER FR DRYER Jerome E. Stratman, South Gate, Calif., assigner to Whirlpool Corporation, St. `loseplr, Mich., a corporation of Deiaware Fiied Dec. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 860,245 3 Claims. (Cl. 3rd- 79) This invention relates generally to a laundry machine and method, and more particularly relates to a domestic laundry dryer provided with `an improved apparatus for separating lint from the dryer air stream and storing this lint in a receptacle external of the path of the main air stream so that the dryer can dry successive loads over a period of time without necessitating the cleaning of a filter after each load or impailing either the drying process or the dryer itself as might otherwise occur when a. iilter is not cleaned after each load. This lint separation and storage is accomplished by introducing the exhaust lint-laden air from the dryer into the lint separator where it is given a swirling action whereby the heavier lint particles `are separated from the main air stream and introduced along Iwith a very small portion of the total air iiow `into an annulus that has a tangential outlet leading -to the lint storage means. The major lint-free portion of the total dryer air flow then flows `axially into an exhaust outlet after passing `over an air streamliner assembly,

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved laundry machine and method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dryer apparatus wherein the Ventilating air used in the dryer may be vented from the apparatus after lint and other impurities have been substantially removed there from.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lint separator and storage unit in a domestic drying machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved disposable lint collection means for a domestic dryer.

A still further obiect of the .present invention is to provide a dryer lint separator and storage system wherein the lint is separated from the main air .stream and stored in means external of the main air stream so that the volume of the main `air stream is not reduced during the drying of a given load or from load to load thereby assuring that the dryer will always `operate Lat its designed drying eiiciency.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which ya preferred structural embodiment of a dryer apparatus incorporating the improved dryer lint separator and storage unit of the present invention is shown by way or illustrative example. It is believed the method contemplated by the present invention will be clearly understood from the preferred structural embodiment disclosed herein and capable of practicing the method.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a rear perspective View, partially broken away, of a domestic laundry dryer embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and with parts broken away illustrating additional details of construction of the lint separator and storage unit provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the lint separator provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the separator cone and batiie; and

FIGURE 5 is an opposite end view of the separator cone and baiile of FIGURE 4.

As shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of general utility, the preferred structural embodiment herein disclosed by way of illustrative example constitutes a domestic dryer wherein thermal energy is added to the stream of Ventilating air circulated through the dryer treatment zone by electrical heating means. It will be appreciated that a fuel-fired heating means could be used with equal eiiiciency without departing from the principles of the present invention.

Thus in the preferred example shown in the drawings, a domestic dryer is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a cabinet having a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, side walls 13 and 14, a bottom wall 16, and a top wall 17. Mounted at the rear of the top wall is a control console 18. To one side of the top wall and forwardly of the console 18, there is provided an access door 19 opening into a lint collection chamber shown in greater detail in FIGURE 2 and identified generally by the reference numeral 20.

The interior of the cabinet lltl` is partitioned by a bulkhead 21, thereby forming a front compartment in which is received a rotatable tumbling drum 22 having an apertured rear wall 23 and a rear compartment housing various mechanical elements which are utilized in the operation of the dryer.

More specitically, the rear compartment houses an electric motor Z4 having a power take-oil? shaft 26 to which is connected a pulley 27 driving a belt shown at 21S.

The belt 28 is trained over an idler pulley 29 and the impeller pulley 57 which, in turn, rotatably drives the shaft 3G of a centrifugal blower indicated generally at 31. The idler pulley 29 has a shaft 32 to which is attached a pulley 33 driving a belt 34 trained over an enlarged pulley 36 carried on a shaft 37 for rotatably tumbling the drum Disposed vertically within the rear compartment formed between bulkhead 21 and cabinet rear wall 12 is a heater box 33. As previously referred to, the illustrative embodiment herein disclosed contemplates the utilization of electrical heating elements 39, thereby to temperature-condition drying air which enters the clothes dryer through a lower portion of the machine front panel, or toe plate, herein identified at 4t) and which air passes into the heater box 38 through appropriate openings (not shown) in bulkhead 21 and in the lower end of the heater box 38'. The drying air then passes upwardly over the dryer heating elements 39 and passes into dryer drum 22 via an opening 41 formed by a short duct fastened to the upper end of the heater box 38 and passing through the bulkhead 21 in adjacency to the perforate rear wall 23 of the dryer drum 22. The rear peripheral edge of drum carries a felt air seal (not shown) which engages the front surface of bulkhead 21 to provide an air seal between numbers 21 and 22.

The heated drying air circulates within the dryer drum 22 and picks up moisture and lint from the clothes tumbling within the dryer drum, leaving the dryer drum 22 through a perforate area in the rear wall of the drum 22. The entire perorate rear drum wall 23 communicates through an opening in bulkhead 21 with inlet 47 of the fan scroll 42 of blower 31 which is attached on the rear side of bulkhead 21.

More specifically, the fan scroll 42 shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 comprises a generally circular body portion 43 having a lfront flange 41E to which is attached a front plate 46 having a center opening 47 adapted to :be placed in .stream carrying it, any

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register with a corresponding opening in the rear bulkhead Zl and having a rear ange 48 apertured as at 49.

Inserted through the aperture 49 of the rear flange@ is a centrifugal impeller wheel 50 having a circumere'ntial row of impeller blades 51. A support and cover plate subassembly indicated generally at 52 carries a journal box 53 and a bearing support 54, which together serve to rotatably support a shaft 3u to which the impeller wheel Sti may be connected, thereby facilitating rotatable assembly of the centrifugal impeller 50 within the interior of the fan scroll indicated generally at 42. A pulley member shown at 57 can be locked on the end of the shaft 56 by set screws S, thereby to cooperate with the pulley belt 2S. A plurality of fasteners 59' may be passed through corresponding openings 60 of support and cover plate sub-assembly 52 and into assembly with an appropriately apertured portion of the rear ilange 4S as at 6l.

The pumping chamber in which the impeller 50 is rotatably driven is essentially circular in configuration and the fan'scroll A4,2 is provided with aperipheral blower outlet 62 which extends tangentially away from the body portion 43 of the fan scroll 42. The -impeiler 56 operates to draw lint-laden air through the centrally located opening -47 of front plate 46 for discharge radially outwardly and tangentially into the blower outlet 62.

As is most clearly shown in FGURE 3, the blower outlet 62 is in tangential communication with `a generally cylindrical separator end portion 63 which is an integral part of `fan scroll 42. Fixedly secured to separator end portion 63'is a cap member 66 as is shown in FlGURE 2.

The cap member 66 has an outer peripheral wall 69 formed -with a notched flange 70 engaging and receiving the edge of the `cylindrical end portion 63 of the fan scroll 42. The cap member also includes a radial-ly inwardly extending'wall 71 that supports the inner wall 67 which extends in opposite axial directions from the radial wall 71 to deiine a central axial outlet'opening 68. Walls 67, 69 and 71 cooperate to form an annulus 72 which is spaced radially outwardly of the axial outlet yopening y68. The annulus 72 is formed with a peripheral boss shown on FGURE 3 at 73, forming a tangential outlet 7 d to which is connected a lint tube or conduit 76. The conduit 76 extends forwardly into the lint collection chamber and is provided with a titting 77 to facilitate connection thereto of a disposable porous bag filter 7 S having -a snapon mouth 79 cooperating with the fitting 77.

Separator end portion y63 and cap member 66 form a chamber 64 in which the lint-laden a-ir entering tangentially from blower outlet 62 is `given a swirling spiraling motion axially toward annulus 7 2 and yaxial outlet opening 68. Since to accomplish the drying process eiiciently it is necessary for blower 31 to move-a relatively large volume of air, the air'will achieve high velocities when passing through the restrictions offered by the blower outlet 62 and the chain-ber `64. Since lint `is denser than air and moves with substantially the same velocity as the air lint suspended in the air stream will be subjected to `greater centrifugal forces within chamber 64 than the air stream. Due to these larger centrifugal forces, the lint will have a tendency to iforrn a layer directly adjacent the inner periphery `of end portion 63 and wall'69 of cap member 66. Of course lthe lint in moving to this outer layer displaces the air inwardly such that by the time the air stream has spira-lly progressed to the vicinity of the annulus 72 and to the beginning of axial outlet opening '68 substantially all of the lint included in the air stream in chamber `6ft will be in the outer peripheral layer of the air stream and thus be forced into annulus 72 by the axially progressing spiraling motion of the air stream. iIn practice the radial thickness of the lint `area will always be less than the radial thickness of the annulus 72 so therefore some air will. also enter the annulus 72 with the lint. Wall 7l of annulus 72 serves to stop the axially spiraling progression of the lint layer l and that part of the air stream included between walls 67 and `69 of annulus 72 and causes both to move in circular lmotion within the annulus 72 where both the lint and air pass through tangential` outlet 74, through lint conduit 76 and into the disposable porous bag -lter 78 where the lint is trapped and the air passes through the porous walls.

To accommodate venting of the major portion of the air stream with the line separated out, the inner wall 67 may be connected by a hanged fitting S6 fastened to the rear wall l2 to `a ydischarge opening 81 bounded by an outwardly extending flange 82 yfor facilitatingconnection thereto of a Vent pipe, if desired. Thus, the machine is vented to the atmosphere through the back of the cabinet. lt will be understood the machine could also vent to a condenser for recirculation flow back into the dryer.

The discussion ofthe invention to this point has been concerned with that small portion of the total air flow and the lint layer that entered annulus 72, but as can be seen in FlGURE 2, and neglecting the presence of ele'- ment 3 within chamber 64, the major portion of the lint free air stream will continue in a spiraling, axially progrossing ilow pattern along wall 67 and pass through outlet openings 68 and 81 into the atmosphere. This llow pattern for the major portion of the air flow ordinarily would be satisfactory if the dryer did not contain any substantial external duct work, but in the majority of installations it is usually most desirable to vent the dryer to the outside atmosphere with external venting If the major portion of the air flow were allowed to continue to spiral through the external duct work system, it would in effect cause a large increase in the friction surface that the air would pass over in traversing the vent system and thus cause an undesirable decrease in air low with resultant ineiiciencies to the drying process.

In order to avoid a drop in dryer eiiiciency which conceivably might be caused by the spiralling or swirling motion imparted to the exhausting air stream, there is further provided, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a separator baille and cone designed and locatedl to streamline the flow of the exhaust air. ln this regard, reference is particularly made to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 wherein is shown a separator baille and cone indicated generally at 83` and comprising a cylindrical body portionL 84 considerably smaller in diameter than the cylindrical swirl chamber 64 and llanged as at S6 to receive fasteners 87 retaining the separator baffle and cone in rm assembly with the bulkhead 2l. The cylindrical body portion S4 terminates in a cone 88, the apex of which is in alignment with the end of the swirl chamber 64.

A plurality of radially outwardly extending bafiles or iins are provided on the separator baffles and cone 83 including, in this particular embodiment, a pair of diametrically opposed baffles 89 and a pair of diametrically opposed axially shorter bal-lies 96. Each of the baffles 89 has a portion 91 extending radially outwardly of the cylindrical body portion 84 and terminating in a curved portion 92, both curved portions extending in the same direction and disposed to present the smooth curved portion towards the incoming air stream to reduce turbulence.

The two ballles 90, 9l, extend radially outwardly from the conical portion 88 and project axially therebeyond into the axial outlet 63 inwardly of the inner wall 67. The axially innermost portion of each baille has a portion 93 which projects radially outwardly beyond the innermost edge of the inner wall 67.

Each of the bailles 89 also extends beyond the cylindrical body portion S4 and the cone portion `88 to the end limit prescribed by the batiies 90, Gti, however, the curved portions 92 terminate opposite the cone portion 88, thereby providing four circumferentially spaced Vane portions in the outlet 68.

The separator baille and cone 83 operates to streamline the tlow of exhaust air vented through the axial outlet 68, thereby preventing a drop in dryer efiiciency.

Present lint ygathering systems provide for a screen or bag placed to intercept the entire air flow system and are located in what sometimes is an inconvenient location lsuch that regardless of the location, the lint screen or bag has to be cleaned out after every load or the dryer will not dry effectively. It is common knowledge that dryer operators grossly neglect this cleaning out of the lint screen or bag to the extent that the machine will no longer function as a dryer plus the condition where lint builds up upstream of the filter to such an extent that it actually cannot be removed when the Afilter is eventually cleaned and thus becomes a tire hazard. It is seen that this invention provides for a method of lint separation and storage that effectively separates the lint (actual tests indicated that at least 95% of the lint is separated from the main air. stream) from the air stream and stores this separated lint in a porous receptacle external to the major air flow path. With this lint system countless loads can be dried over a long period of time with no maintenance of the system and without a lint build up in the main air stream with the resultant reduction in air ilow and the accompanying drying inef'liciencies.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art,

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are delined as follows:

l. A laundry dryer comprising -a cabinet having front, rear, side and top Walls, tumbling drum means in said cabinet, a bulkhead in said cabinet partitioning said cabinet into a front compartment for the drum means and a rear compartment, -a heater tbox in said rear compartment having a lower inlet and yhaving an outlet extending through said bulkhead, through which air is drawn and supplied intro said -front compartiment at elevated temperatures to pick up moisture land lint from the clothes tumbling in the drum means, a fan scroll mounted in said rear compartment including an inlet in said bulkhead, a center inlet centrifugal impeller in said scroll drawing lint-laden air from 4the front compartment into said scroll through said inlet in said bulkhead, said scroll having -an annular diffuser portion extending generally tangentially upwardly from said impeller, a generally cylindrical lint separator connected to and disposed tangentially with respect to said annular diffuser portion, said lint separator having an axial outlet formed therein cxtending to the rear wall of said cabinet, through which substantially lint-free air is discharged, and said lint separator having a tangential outlet formed therein and a radial wall adjacent thereto whereby lint-laden air is discharged through said tangential outlet, a lint collection chamber in said cabinet, sa-id top wall having an access door therein in register with said lint collection chamber, sand a porous bag filter inserted through said access door into said lint collection chamber and connected to said tangential outlet, thereby to collect the lint for disposal.

2. A laundry dryer as defined in claim 1, and a separate cone and baille means in said lint separator to streamline the How of air vented through said axial outlet.

3. In la blower having `an impeller and a diffuser,

means forming a generally cylindrical swirl chamber having an inlet disposed tangentially with respect to said dituser and receiving lint-laden air with a swirling motion lof the air stream,

a cap member on one end of `said swirl chamber comprising an inner cylindrical wall forming an axial air outlet and 'forming together with said cylindrical swirl chamber a circumferentially continuous annulus spaced concentrically outwardly of said axial air outlet adjacent one end of said swirl chamber,

said cap having a tangential outlet formed in said annulus to discharge lint-laden air from said annulus therethrough,

and a separator member in said swirl chamber comprising a cone por-tion extending through said swirl chamber and forming together with the outer walls of the chamber an annular space and a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanetype bafiies on said cone portion extending radially outwardly and projecting axially beyond the end of said cone portion into said axial outlet,

`said separator member operable to streamline the ow of vair through said axial outlet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,686,719 Wood Oct. 9, 1928 2,010,128 Arnold Aug. 6, 1935 2,240,291 Engles Apr. 29, 1941 2,813,353 McMillan Nov. 19, 1957 2,941,308 Cobb et al. June 21, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,928 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1927

Claims (1)

1. 3. IN A BLOWER HAVING AN IMPELLER AND A DIFFUSER, MEANS FORMING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SWIRL CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET DISPOSED TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID DIFFUSER AND RECEIVING LINT-LADEN AIR WITH A SWIRLING MOTION OF THE AIR STREAM, A CAP MEMBER ON ONE END OF SAID SWIRL CHAMBER COMPRISING AN INNER CYLINDRICAL WALL FORMING AN AXIAL AIR OUTLET AND FORMING TOGETHER WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL SWIRL CHAMBER A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUS ANNULUS SPACED CONCENTRICALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID AXIAL AIR OUTLET ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID SWIRL CHAMBER, SAID CAP HAVING A TANGENTIAL OUTLET FORMED IN SAID ANNULUS TO DISCHARGE LINT-LADEN AIR FROM SAID ANNULUS THERETHROUGH, AND A SEPARATOR MEMBER IN SAID SWIRL CHAMBER COMPRISING A CONE PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SWIRL CHAMBER AND FORMING TOGETHER WITH THE OUTER WALLS OF THE CHAMBER AN ANNULAR SPACE AND A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED VANETYPE BAFFLES ON SAID CONE PORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY AND PROJECTING AXIALLY BEYOND THE END OF SAID CONE PORTION INTO SAID AXIAL OUTLET, SAID SEPARATOR MEMBER OPERABLE TO STREAMLINE THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID AXIAL OUTLET.

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