GB723660A - Improvements in laundry washing and similar machines - Google Patents

Abstract

723,660. Washing - machines. BRAITHWAITE & SON ENGINEERS, Ltd., I. Feb. 20, 1953 [Feb. 16, 1952; July 24, 1952], Nos. 4162/52 and 18716/52. Class 138 (2). A washing-machine comprising a rotating perforated horizontal cylinder arranged in an outer cylindrical casing P, has an external liquid circulating system including a tank H having an inlet from and outlet to the casing P and a float k<SP>1</SP> which controls a valve K in the fresh liquid supply pipe e<SP>4</SP> to the machine whereby when the liquid rises to a predetermined level in the machine and tank H the supply of fresh liquid is stopped, manually operated means (j<SP>1</SP>) being provided for preventing circulation of the liquid through the tank and machine and allowing fresh liquid to travel through the machine and then pass to waste. The circulation may be produced by a pump L or by a steam or other fluid injector. The casing P is connected by a pipe B to a scum tank G, the tanks G, H being connected through a valve J. The scum tank G is connected to a drain pipe g<SP>2</SP> through a stand pipe g<SP>1</SP> whose height is determined by the desired working level of the liquid. The pipe g<SP>2</SP> may be connected through a heat exchanger M to a drain pipe g<SP>6</SP>. Water entering the machine passes into the heat exchanger through a pipe e<SP>3</SP> and then through the pipe e<SP>4</SP> to the tank H. An additional valve g<SP>6</SP> enables sediment to be removed from the scum tank G. A filtering screen g<SP>3</SP> may be fitted in the tank G and a steam or electric heating element F in the tank H. A single tank divided by a partition may be employed instead of two separate tanks G, H. With the valve J open, water is circulated by the pump L through the machine P and tanks G, H, the valve K remaining closed due to the float k<SP>1</SP>. At the end of the washing process the valve J is closed and as the pump L continues to draw water from the tank H and deliver it to the machine the level in tank G rises until water overflows through the standpipe g<SP>1</SP> to the drain. The drop in level of liquid in tank H opens the float-controlled valve K, so that a continuous flow of water passes through the machine for rinsing purposes. In a modification, Fig. 1 (not shown), a single tank is employed, the connection to the washing-machine being provided with a steam or other fluid injection device. A manually-controlled valve closes either this connection or a drain pipe. Fresh water is supplied directly to the machine under the control of a float in a chamber connected to the tank. Specification 640,974 is referred to.