GB1508973A - Spin dryers - Google Patents

Abstract

1508973 Machining safety devices CREDA ELECTRIC Ltd 25 April 1975 [8 Feb 1974 24 Jan 1975] 05835/74 and 3260/75 Heading F2J A spin dryer has a safety device to prevent operation unless an inner lid 12 and an outer lid 5 are closed and latched respectively at 8, 14 in their closed positions and prevent release of the latch 14 of the inner lid 12 during operation to prevent the inner lid 12 from being opened while the drum 4 is rotating at a dangerous speed (e.g. in excess of 60 R.P.M.). As shown the inner and outer lids 12, 5 are hinged to an outer casing 1 and have latches 14, 8 respectively engaging a top cover 2 of the casing 1. In use, to load the machine and assuming that the outer and inner lids 5, 12 are closed, a user lifts first the outer lid 5, after releasing latch 8 at release member 9, and then the inner lid 12 after depressing a push-button 17 which, via a coupling member 28, releases the latch 14. When articles to be spun are loaded into the drum 4, closure of the outer lid 5 effectively, via a downwardly extending projection 10, also closes the inner lid 12 whereby the inner lid 12 is locked via its latch 14 to the top cover 2 before the final closing and latching movement of the outer lid 5 additionally, via a rod 7 connected to the outer lid 5, energizes a drive motor and releases a brake (both not shown) for high-speed rotation of the drum 4. During this high-speed drum rotation a vane 25 pivoted at 22, 23 and carrying the coupling member 28 is deflected by the current of air set up by the rotating drum 4 such that the coupling member 28 is moved to a position where it cannot be engaged by the manual release push-button 17 so that the inner lid 12 cannot be opened. When the spin drying operation is complete, opening of the outer lid 5 de-energizes the motor and applies the brake to the rotating drum 4, the vane 25 remaining in its deflected position until the drum rotation has dropped below the safe value of 60 R.P.M. or has ceased altogether. The push-button 17 can now be operated to release the latch 14 of the inner lid 12 which can now be opened since the coupling member 38 on the vane 25 is now again aligned with the push-button rod 18 and latch 14, and the articles within the drum 4 may be removed. Figs. 4 and 5 (not shown) illustrate a very similar arrangement with the addition of a downwardly directed finger (134) on the pivoted vane (127), which finger (134) is arranged in close proximity to the drum 4 whereby eccentric movements of the rotating drum (104), both during its normal rotation and especially during its slowing down period after its motor has been de-energized by opening the outer lid (105), serve to engage and deflect the finger (134), irrespective of air movement, to additionally maintain the vane (127) in its deflected position to prevent opening of the inner lid 109, as before, until the drum (104) has practically stopped rotating.'