GB414337A - Improvements in dry cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

In dry-cleaning apparatus of the kind in which the clothes are treated with solvent in a closed washing machine, and are dried and deodorsed in the machine before removal, the washing-machine 2, solvent storage tank 1, and dump tank 3 for used solvent, are arranged so that solvent flows by gravity from the storage tank to the washing-machine, and from the washing machine to the dump tank, and communicate with one another and with the atmosphere through pressure-equalizing conduits 6, 21, 22, 23, 24. The clothes &c. are placed in the washing-machine 2 consisting of <PICT:0414337/III/1> a perforated drum 5 rotatable within a closed casing 4, solvent is admitted intermittently over a given period from tank 1 through a pipe 6 while the drum is given a periodically reversed rotation by a motor 150 with an automatic reversing switch, the casing is then emptied of solvent and the clothes are dried centrifugally by rapidly rotating the drum by a motor 200, are treated first with hot then with fresh air while the rotation of the drum is again periodically reversed, and are finally removed from the machine. The drum 5 has internal, perforated, longitudinal ribs for tumbling the clothes. The level of the solvent in the casing 4 is controlled by varying the inclination of a conduit 8 by rotating it about a pipe 7 through which it communicates with the casing, the solvent overflowing from the open end of conduit 8 into a chamber 115 and thence through a pipe 9 and a strainer 10 into tank 3. By turning the conduit 8 to a horizontal position the casing 4 is emptied. In the treatment with heated air, the air is circulated in a closed cycle by a fan 41, through a condenser 30 for solvent vapours, a pipe 40, a heater 31, pipes 34, 38 and 39, washing machine 2. pipe 32, and air-filter 42; and subsequently fresh air is drawn into the casing 4 through pipes 50, 34, 38, 39 and passed out by pipe 32, filter 42 and either direct through pipe 51<a> or through the condenser 30, the now inoperative heater 31, and pipe 51. Used solvent is removed periodically from tank 3 by a pump 17 to a still 15 and the vapours are condensed in a condenser 16 which is connected by a pipe 28 to a pressure tank 27 communicating at 29 with the atmosphere. The solvent condensed in condensers 16 and 30 is returned through pipes 18 and 43, a water separator 25, and a pipe 44 to the storage tank 1 The perforated drum 5 is provided with doors which slide longitudinally to and from each other, and the casing 4 is provided with a hinged lid, so arranged that closure of the lid is impossible unless the door sections on the perforated drum are closed and locked, and that both motors for rotating the drum are switched off when the lid of the casing is opened. After filling and closing the washing machine 2, the valves for controlling the flow of solvent, steam, air, water &c., and the switches for controlling the motors operating the drum, pumps, fan &c., are operated automatically in proper sequence by means of an electric timing device. The device consists of a radially-arranged series of contacts which make contact with a rotating disc of conducting material through slots suitably cut in a disc of insulating p material such as paper, to close the circuits which operate various solenoids to actuate, or control the actuation (e.g. by pneumatic means) of the corresponding valves or switches.