GB972411A - Combination washer-dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

972,411. Washing and drying machines. BORG-WARNER CORPORATION. Aug. 3, 1961, No. 28293/61. Heading D1A. A washing and drying machine of the horizontal rotary drum type has a perforate drum 18 provided on its outside with a pair of V-shaped scoops 77 which at some stage during the washing cycle scoop up water from the tub 11 to flush accumulated lint from the drum. The drum 18 is supported on a spider 19 mounted on a hollow shaft 20 and driven by a motor 28 via belts and a two-speed transmission 24. The front of the drum 18 has a flange 37 which is supported by a plurality of rollers 38 mounted on the front wall 12 of tub 11. Air may be circulated through the drum 18 by means of a fan 39, positioned within the spider 19 and behind a perforate screen 48 and attached to a shaft 42, which is mounted within the shaft 20 and is driven by the motor 28 via belts. This circulating air may be heated by a heater 49 comprising heating coils 51 between baffles 50 and vapour is condensed from the air by contact of the air with a plate 126 at the rear of the tub which is cooled by a stream of cold water from nozzles 121a and 121b. Hot, cold or warm water is provided by a solenoid operated mixing valve 62 and is supplied to the drum through a spray nozzle 61. Water is discharged from a sump 67 below the tub by a pump 68 driven by motor 28 through a solenoid operated drain valve 70. Also at the bottom of the tub is a pressure sensitive switch 75 which controls the liquid level. Either washing or drying or both may be provided by means of a wash timer WT and a dry cycle switch D T. Operation, A typical sequence of operation of the machine is as follows. The drum is driven at slow speed, the drain valve 70 is closed and the mixing valve 62 is set to supply hot water until the switch 75 turns off the water supply and starts the wash time when the tub is full. Slow speed rotation continues for a twelve minute washing after which the drain valve 70 is opened, and water is supplied for two minutes to break up the suds. The water is then turned off for one minute to distribute the washing evenly and it is then turned on again for a four minute spray rinse at the end of which one minute of high speed spin is provided. Another spray rinse is provided at the end of which the drain is closed to give one minute deep rinse. The drain is then opened during a two minute high speed spin and then closed again. Three gallons of water is then added and the drum is set to high speed spin so that the scoops 77 pick up the water distribute it vigorously to flush off accumulated lint which is then removed from the machine when the drain is opened again. The fan 39, the heater 49 and a supply of cold water to nozzles 121a and 121b are then switched on while the drum is rotating at slow speed to perform the drying operation. The length of this operation is controlled by a thermostat 116, as the temperature of the circulating air is constant until the washing is dry, and then it rises suddenly operating the thermostat 116.