GB640020A - Improvements in or relating to clothes washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

640,020. Washing and drying machines RAND WASHING MACHINE CORPORATION, H. J. July 3, 1947, No. 17558. Convention date, July 9, 1946. [Class 138 (ii)] A clothes washing and drying machine comprises a flexible liquid and air-tight bag or lining element 7 having an opening sealed by a cover 15 and containing agitating means 9 together with means for withdrawing liquid and air from the element 7 to create a substantial vacuum therein to squeeze liquid from laundry inside the element by pressure against the outside of the element. The element 7 is in the form of a flexible water-tight bag 7 which is sealed to the top of a tub 6 around its opening which is normally sealed by the cover 15. The agitating means comprise an impeller 9 and the bag 7 is sealed around the agitator shaft 10 to prevent leakage. An opening 12 is provided in both the tub and bag for a pipe 13 and the tub also has openings 14 at the top to allow air to enter between the tub and bag. The pipe 13 is connected through valves 1 ... 4 to a pump 20, a drain pipe 28 and a watermixing device 19 which is connected to hot and cold water pipes 17, 18. The operation may be automatically controlled by a clock-controlled switching device 21. In use the clothes undergo soaking, washing, rinsing and drying operations. The first three are similar, water being admitted to the bag by closing valves 2, 4 and opening valves 1, 3 and removed by opening valves 2, 4 and closing valves 1, 3; pump 20 is operated for both purposes and the impeller is run during the washing phase and if desired during the others. Soap is added manually during the washing phase. For the drying phase the pump is left running after it has drained the water at the end of the rinsing phase and so exhausts air from the bag. Atmospheric pressure on the outside squeezes the clothes against the impeller (which is stationary for this phase). The impeller has perforations 29 in its surface and acts as a strainer and so forces the water from the clothes. This phase is ended by opening valves 3, 4 and closing valves 1, 2 which admits air to the bag. The clothes may then be removed. Air or fluid pressure may be applied to the outside of the bag during the drying phase.