GB1186037A - Improvements relating to Hair Dryers - Google Patents

Abstract

1,186,037. Hair dryers. A. W. MASON. 17 Sept., 1968 [11 Aug., 1967], No. 36953/67. Heading A5R. A hair dryer capable of feeding air to adjacent identical or slave units comprises an electric motor 6 driving fans 7 which move air over heating elements 8 to apertures in a rotatable valve member 10 which has two transfer ducts 13 extending laterally therefrom and an outlet duct 12 leading to a hood 4 associated with the unit. The valve member 10 has a fixed cylindrical wall 9 with five equally spaced apertures connecting with ducts. Three chordal walls 11 define four chordal paths for airflow, and the member 10 is rotatable about an horizontal axis on actuation of a knob 14 on the upper surface of the unit which operates a worm 16 driving a valve member spindle to any of four different flow paths, Fig. 4 (not shown). Five different working modes, Fig. 3 (not shown) are obtained using these four flow paths with one, both or neither of the heaters brought into operation, as required, by switches operated by cams 17 on the valve member spindle. In mode (I), Fig. 3 (not shown) only one heater is in operation, which supplies hot air to the unit's own hood. Flap valves 18, Fig. 1, in the transfer duct 13 are controlled by links 20 from a groove 19 in valve member 10 forming a face cam such that when the dryer is operating in mode (I) the valve is closed preventing the flow of cold air to an adjacent unit. In modes (II) and (II]) both heaters are switched on and hot air is supplied to the unit's own hood and to an adjacent unit on the right and left respectively. In modes (IV). and (V) both heaters and fans are switched off and the unit receives hot air from units on the right and left respectively. A dial 14a below the knob 14 is driven through a reduction gear by the knob such that its angular position always corresponds to that of the valve member 10, and it is marked to show the mode of operation of the dryer. The hood 4 is mounted on a piller 3 which can be raised or lowered by means of a rack and pinion drive under the control of knob 5 or by a wire &c. passing over a drum or pulley. The two heaters have their own on/off and progressive control knobs 21 in series with switches actuated by cams 17 such that the current cannot reach the heaters unless the fan motor is on and valve member 10 is in the appropriate position. Indicator lights 21 are illuminated when the heaters are on, and further lights indicate when the respective heater is supplying one of the transfer ducts. In a modification it is arranged that in one of each of the (IV) and (V) positions of dial 14a the fan and one appropriate heater is on so that, while receiving hot air from a unit on one side, the unit is also supplying hot air to an adjacent unit on the other side.