US1155946A - Combined vacuum washing and wringing machine. - Google Patents

Description

S. B. MILLER. NED VACUUM WASHING AND WRINGING MACHINE.

COMB! APPLICATION HLED JUNE 26, 1914. 1,155,946., Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

COMBINED VACUUM WASHING AND WRINGING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Application filed June 26, 1914. Serial No. 847,443.

I To all whom it may concern:

I, SHRnwsBoRY B. MIL- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing atFairmont, in the county of Marion and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Vacuum Washing and Wringing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a combination vacuum washing and wringing machine and has for its object, the provision of a washing machine in which Be it known that a reciprocating piston is mounted within a receptacle in such a manner that by the reciprocation of the piston, the clothes arranged-thereon are subjected to a series of jets of water which removes the dirt therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine with means for partially creating a vacuum in order to remove the air from the clothes so as to allow the water to penetrate through the same; said vacuum-creating means also serving the purpose of carrying off the impurities mingled with the vapors arising from the washing fluid within the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for introducing water above the mass of clothes on the down stroke of the piston, whereby the clothes within the receptacle will be subjected to the action of the washing fluid at all times, so as to thoroughly clean the same without injuring the clothes in any way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which is provided .With means for introducing water 'and bluing into the receptacle at a point adjacent the bottom thereof and below the normal plane of the piston.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a piston with passages arranged in such a manner that the clothes will be agitated or rearranged upon the piston in the movement of the piston so that all portions of the mass of clothes will be thoroughly subjected to the jets of water passing through the piston in its downward movement.

Another object 'of the invention is to provide means for supporting the clothes above the plane of the piston so as to allow the water on the up stroke of the piston, to readily pass through the openings.

serted within the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which is so constructed that the mass of clothes is alternately subjected to a washing and a squeezing action in the movement of the piston, whereby the clothes can be squeezed in order to wring the same after tion has been completed.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1, is a vertical section through my improved construction of washing machine; and Fig. 2, is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of piston in which passages are formed tangentially in order to cause the mass of clothes to revolve upon the piston during the washing operation.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing In carrying out my improved invention, I employ a suitable receptacle 1 herein shown cylindrical in shape, having a supporting base 2 provided with a removable cover 3 having fastening means 4 for securing the same in position upon the receptacle; the joint between the cover and receptacle being provided with a gasket 5 in order to form a tight joint.

A suitable hand-hole 6 is formed in the cover which is closed by a lid 7 cooperating with a gasket 8 and secured in position by a cam pin 9 in order to form a tight joint; said hand-hole being used for inspecting the clothes being washed and for inserting a washing detergent.

Extending into one side of the receptacle is a pipe 10 provided with a valve 11 and having a branch 12 connected to its upper end to which are connected hot and cold water pipes 13 and 14 by means of which, water at the proper temperature, can be in- Connected to the pipe 10 to each side of the valve 11 are pipes 15 and 16 provided with valves 17 and 18; said pipes being connected with vertical pipes 19 and 20 which extend into a bluing receptacle 21; the pipe 19 being provided with a valve casing 22 to which is connected, a funnel 23 for filling the receptacle 21 with bluing and it will be seen that when the valve 11 is closed and the valves 17 and 18 are open, the fluid passing through thepipe 10 will pass through the bluing receptacle the washing opera- 7 the clothes,

self

21 and will convey the necessary amount of bluing into the washing receptacle 1. The valves 17 and 18 are closed and hot and cold water will pass into the receptacle in a straight line. 4

Connected to the receptacle adjacent its upper end is a pipe 24; adapted to be connected to a vacuum pump in the engine room, by means of which, a partial vacuum is obtained within the receptacle in order to remove the impurities and the air from allowing the piston, as will be hereinafter fully described, to reciprocate within the receptacle in a partial vacuum, said vacuum being insufficient to create a suction of such a volume, in such a manner, as to raise the liquid within the receptacle.

The cover 3 is provided with a centrally arranged stuffing box 25 through which extends a piston rod 26 which is provided with a piston 27 fitting snugly within the receptacle and provided with a parking ring 28 cooperating with the inner wall of the receptacle. The piston is provided with a plurality of perforations, some of which, are arranged obliquely and others vertically, through which the water on the down stroke of the piston, is adapted to be forced in the form of jets so as to strike the clothes arranged upon the piston in such a manner that the dirt will be removed therefrom, a suitable lattice work being arranged upon the upper face of the piston for supporting the mass of clothes slightly above the plane of the top of the piston which allows the water to circulate freely through the piston in its up and down stroke. The form of lattice work shown in Fig. 1, comprises concentric ribs 29 connected together by cross bars 30 and while I have shown this specific construction of lattice work for accomplishing this result, I do not wish to limit myto any particular form, as the main function to be performed bv such lattice work, is to support the clothes away from the passages.

The piston rod 26 has a yielding connection with a pitman 31 which is adapted to be connected to a suitable crank or cam in order to reciprocate the piston within the receptacle and in the form shown, the piston rod 26 is provided with a head 32 arranged within a cylindrical casing 33 which is connected to a pitman 10d 31 as shown at 34; said piston rod being surrounded by a coil spring 35 one end of which, is normally held in engagement with the head 32 and the other with the end of the casing 33. By this I construction of yielding connection with the driving mechanism, a fast down stroke and a slow up stroke is obtained upon the piston in order to subject the mass of clothes arranged upon the niston to strong jets of water on the down stroke and upon the up stroke to gradually squeeze the liquid out of the mass of clothes. The cover 3 is also provided with concentric ribs 36 so as to hold the clothes away from the same in order to allow a circulation of liquid around the mass when it is brought into engagement with the cover by the upward movement of the piston.

In order to provide means for subjecting the clothes upon the piston to liquid in both of its strokes, a by-pass is formed by a pipe 37 which is provided with a check valve 38; said pipe having its ends extended into the cylinder adjacent its top and bottom and it will be seen that on the down stroke of the piston, liquid will be forced through the pipe 37 upon the top of the mass of clothes.

A suitable valve-controlled drain pipe 39 is formed in the bottom of the receptacle. by means of which, the liquid can be drained off after the washing operation has been completed.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, a piston 40 is shown, which is provided with spaced ribs 41 connected to the center by spoke-like members 42, these ribs being in the form of segments and are for the purpose of supporting the clothes above the piston to allow the water to pass through the openings around the mass of clothes thereon. Instead of extending the passageways obliquely as shown in the preferred form, one set of passageways as shown at 44 are arranged obliquely in a different direction so as to cause the clothes upon the piston to be revolved within the receptacle by the jets of water passing through the passageways on the down stroke of the piston and while I have shown these openings arranged in this manner it is, of course, understood that the main object to be accomplished, is to cause a mass of clothes to be moved in respect to the passageways so as to subject a new portion of the mass to the jets of liquid upon each stroke of the piston, and I do not wish to limit myself to any particular manner of forming these passageways, as various other forms of passageways can be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention, so long as the jets have the tendency to move the clothes upon the piston.

The operation of my construction of washing machine is as follows: Assuming that the machine is in the position as shown in Fig. 1 and that a mass of clothes has been placed upon the piston and the vacuum pump started within the engine room, the air within the receptacle is drawn out through the pipe 24 and by the continuous movement of the pump, the vapors arising from the liquid within the receptacle and containing impurities which are mingled therewith, are drawn out through the pipe 24. After a vacuum has been created within the receptacle the pump is stopped and a partial vacuum is maintained within the receptacle in order to allow the piston to work I viously deposited within the receptacle.

On the up stroke of the piston the clothes which have been drawn down into the liquid within the receptacle, are carried upwardly with the piston slowly, as the yielding connection yields in the upward movement of the driving mechanism and as the piston continues to travel upwardy, they are forced against the cover of the receptacle and squeezed so as to remove as nearly as is possible all of the liquid therefrom, and by continuing the movement of the piston the clothes are subjected alternately to a squeezing and washing action which thoroughly removes all of the dirt, and ifthe pump is in operation the particles of dirt which are mingled with the rising vapor from the hot suds, being conveyed out through the pipe 24. After the washing operation has been completed, the liquid being drained off, the driving mechanism is again started and through the yielding connection, the mass of clothes is gradually squeezed against the top of the cover until a wringing action is obtained, at which time, the cover can be readily removed so as to remove the mass of clothes therefrom.

It has also been found by experimenting that good results can be obtained in washing certain classes of clothes by creating a vacuum within the receptacle through the medium of the pump and by disconnecting the pump or cutting off the pipe leading thereto, the vacuum can be maintained with in the receptacle so that the clothes will'be washed in a vacuum. In carrying out the mode of washing in this manner, after the tub has been supplied with the necessary Water and washing fluid and the clothes have been inserted, the pump in the boiler room is started and the air within the receptacle is drawn out through the pipe until a vacuum is created within the receptacle and by providing the pipe with a valve and closing the same, the vacuum will be maintained within the receptacle through the washing operation.

While I have shown and described certain novel features of construction in connection with a washing machine as set forth in this application, I do not wish to limit myself to any particular construction of receptacle and piston, as the fundamental principle of this invention, is the idea of providing an port mounted therein, means air-tight receptacle with means for creating a vacuum therein in order to allow the clothes to be washed in a vacuum by means of which, the clothes are -washed in a shorter length of time and the dirt is thoroughly removed therefrom, as the air is first removed from the clothes in order to allow the water to enter the fiber thereof.-

I claim:

1. In a washing machine, the combination with an air-tight receptacle, of means for producing a partial vacuum within said receptacle, a movable clothes supporting member mounted Within said receptacle having a reticulated clothes supporting surface upon its upper side, and means for operating said movable clothes supporting member.

2. In a washing machine, the combination with a receptacle, of a feed pipe leading to said receptacle, a cover for closing said receptacle provided with ribs, a perforated piston mounted within said receptacle having ribs upon its upper face, a piston rod carried by said head, means for producing a partial vacuum within said receptacle, a pitman rod, and a yielding connection between said piston rod and pitman.

3.. A washing machine, comprising a receptacle, a cover for closing said receptacle having depending ribs, a piston head mounted within said receptacle provided with perforations, ribs formed on the upper face of said piston head for supporting a mass of clothes in a plane above the piston head, means for reciprocating said piston head, means for creating a partial vacuum therein, and a by-pass having a communication with said receptacle above and below said piston head.

4. A washing machine, comprising an airtight receptacle, a reciprocating clothes supfor producing a partial vacuum within said receptacle, and a by-pass connected to said receptacle above and below said clothes support.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a washing machine, comprising a receptacle having a by-pass communicating'with said receptacle adjacent the top and bottom thereof, a cover for closing sald receptacle, a suction pipe connected to said receptacle ad jacent the upper end thereof for creating apartial vacuum therein, and a reciprocating clothes support mounted within said receptacle.

6. A Washing machine comprising a receptacle provided with a cover, a piston rod working through said cover, a piston carried by said rod provided with perforations, said piston and cover being provided with opposing rods, a water inlet at one side of said receptacle, a by-pass having a connection with said receptacle adjacent its upper and lower end, and a check valve arranged within said by-pass.

7. A washing machine comprisinga cylinabove and below said piston, and a check 10 drical receptacle, a cover closing said revalve arranged within said by-pass. ceptaclc to form an air-tight chamber, means In testimony whereof I affix my signature for producing a partial vafuum withinlsaid' in presence of two Witnesses.

5 chamber, means or intro ucin a Was ing fluid into said chamber, means fir discharg- SHREWSBURY MILLER ing washing fluid therefrom, a perforated Witnesses: piston working Within chamber, a by-pass EDWIN ROBINSON, having a connection with said chamber PATRICK M. Hoes.

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