GB761989A - Improvements in and relating to washing and dry-cleaning machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A washing or dry-cleaning machine has a perforated cage 12 arranged for rotation about a horizontal axis in a stationary drum 10, means external to the drum for supplying clean liquor to the goods continuously through only the upper part of the cage to contact the goods as they are about to topple downwardly under gravity, and means for limiting the height to which soiled liquor can collect at the bottom of the drum so that the cage at <PICT:0761989/III/1> no time dips into that liquor. At the bottom the drum 10 communicates through a large opening 20 with a well 22 which is connected through a filter 38 and pipe 40 to a pump 34 which returns the liquid through a pipe 32 and inlet 30 to the drum 10. The cage 12 has three perforated lifters 16 and may be provided with outwardly extending ribs 24 which combine with circumferential end ribs 26 to form pockets 28 into which the liquid is delivered from the inlet 30. In an alternative form (Figs. 3, 4, not shown) the drum 10 is provided with inwardly projecting ribs to define a pocket in communication with the inlet 30, the edges of these ribs being provided with sealing strips of rubber or the like making wiping contact with the periphery of the cage 12. The filter 38 has a drain pipe 48 connected to an overflow which maintains the desired liquid level. Valves 42, 46 allow a variable proportion of filtered liquor to be recirculated with fresh liquor from a pipe 36. For rinsing purposes the valve 42 may be closed, fresh liquid being supplied through the pipe 36 and passed to waste through a pipe 44. A hopper 37 is provided for adding detergents.