US1796384A - Drying machine - Google Patents

Description

u. M ELROY DRYING MACHINE Mamh E7, H931.

Filed Jan. 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'H. [1. M ELROY DRYING MACHINE Filed Jail. 1'0

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mai. 1 1931' UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE ISAAC E. MCELROY, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, Assrenoa ro iin annsnnnao COMPANY, OF-MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A coaronnrxorr or MINNESOTA DRYING MACHINE a lication filed January 10, 1929. Serial No. 331,544.

This invention relates to drying-machines especially adapted for drying human air but capable of wide general use where efficient drying is required.

At the present time several hair driers are being used by beauty parlors and the like, wherein a'fan is utilized in combination with a casing and heatingelements mounted therein to set up and heat a currefit of airiand direct the same about the scalp. it is desirable that such a machine should.- produce a current of warm air which will be distributed evenly about the scalp in order that the hair may be quickly and uniformly dried. Most known devices have not been completely sue cessful because a rapid swirling air current is produced at'the discharge end of the drier setting up a vacuum; or dead air space inthe' center of the air current which materially detracts from the fast and uniform drying of the hair orvmateri'al. Most commercial machines sold at this time are moreover expensive to operate, cumbersome and the "free passa e of air through the casing is usually impeded because of obstructions within the casing or at the intake end thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple drier of relatively. few parts, which will quickly and efliciently dry the hair, obviating the obections above noted.

Another object is to provide a drying machine or blower which will sub-divide the swirling current of air set up by a fan, causing the air to be evenly distributed and eliminating the dead air space at the delivery end of the drier or blower without retarding the speed of the discharge.

Another object isto provide in a device of the class described, a casing through which a current of air is set up by a fan, and a dividing partition disposed forwardly of the fan andextending longitudinally ofthe casing, adapted to break up and subdivide the swirling column of air as it passes through the casing causing the same to be discharged with a substantially rectilinear movement, said partition moreover supporting the heating elements in position to give a high'efliclenc'y for heating the passing air.

Still another object is to provide an adustable confining and directing skirt for surrounding the scalp whereby the person treated may vary the distribution of the heated lr as desired.

- Afiotherobject is toprovide a device of the class described, wherein the entire casing may be quickly and easily adjusted both vertically and angularly, the u ward vertical adjustment of said casing eing possible without lifting the casing.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of {he invention in operation for drying a Sea P;

- Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the drier casing taken longitudinally thereof; I

' Fig. 3 is a rear end View of the same;

I Fig. 4- is 'a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; g Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 7 v5---5 of Fig. 1 illustrating the structure and use of the confining and directing skirt;

Fig. 6 is an electrical diagram of the circuitsused in the drier; and v Fig. 7 is a horizontal section takenlon 8 tudinally of a somewhat difierent embo iment of the invention. j

In theembodiment of the invention illustrated, mydrier is adjustably supported from any suitable u right standard, "which may 85 comprise if deslred a three-legged pedestal 8, mounted on castor wheels 9 and carrying an elongated upright tube 10. 'As' illustrated, an elongated coiled spring 11 is disposed within the lower end oftubelO against a suit} 90 ing 16 preferably constructedofsome-sheet metal or some other light material and preferably 'o'f truncated conical shape tapering slightly from its rear to its forward end to concentrate to some extent the delivery of air therefrom. The rear and enlarged end of casing 16 is telescoped about and rigidly secured to a suitable annular flange 17 a of a fan housing 17. Fan housing 17 is of general annular shape having an open forward end and a reticulated rear or intake end. I prefer to construct fan housing 17 with a large circular aperture in the rear thereof, mounting over said aperture a grille structure 18,

which offers little impedance to the free flow of air therethrough. A relatively smallmotor 19 is secured concentric to the rear side of the grille 18 having its armatureshaft extending axially of fan housing 17 and the casing 16 and provided with a suitable fan 20 disposed concentrically and in the rearward portion of the housing 17.

Before housing 17 and casing 16 are assembled, a dividing multi-plate partition is first secured within casing 16. This partition, as illustrated, comprises a ilurality of radially arranged plates 21 suita ly secured together at their forward ends and each having a central recessed portion 21a adapted toaccommodate an electric lamp 2 2. Lam 22 is supported from a suitable electric soc et and the plates 21' are secured together in radlalarrangementby means of a spider 24,'hav1ng inturned ears secured to the rear edges of the respective plates. Spider 24 is clamped between electric socket 2'3 and a terminal. block 25. The outer longitudinal edges of part1- tion plates 21 are turned to form engagement flanges 21?), the flanges of said. several plates being properly inclined to be compactly nested within the interior of the truncated conical casing 16. Screws 26 passing through casing 16 adjacent the rear end thereof may be used to rigidly secure the partition in place against longitudinal or rotary displacement. An aperture 210 is preferably formed in each of the plates 21 adjacent its rear end and its outer edge and suitable insulatin blocks 27 are secured to the plates over sai apertures. A pair of spaced apertures 27a are formed through the insulating blocks 27 on three successive plates and the insulating block on the fourth plate, as illustrated, is provided with a pair of spaced'electrical terminals 28 extending from one side thereof and a third electrical binding post 29 on the opposite side of the insulating block. A pair of electrical heating elements 30 and 31 respectively are passed through the apertures in the several insulating blocks and are held in rectangular spaced position thereby. One end of each element is secured to the binding post 29, while the opposite ends of elements 30 and 31 are secured to the two binding posts 28 respectively." Thefanhousiifg 17 rigidly carries a depending switch box housing 17 b as shown, formed integrally therewith, wherein suitable switches are housed for controlling the circuits through the motor, the electric lamp and the heating elements. The circuits will be described in detail later. A plate 17 0 covers the rear and open end of switch box housing 17 b and carries the switch levers 32a 33a and 34a which, as illustrated, are of the tumbler type.

A dome-shaped'hood 35 is secured to the forward end of casing 16 tilted at an angle thereto and as shown an eflicient fitting connection is made between said members in the following manner Dome 35 is provided with a large circular aperture leaving a circular flange of suficient diameter to just surround the forward end of casing16. The edge of said forward end of casing 16 is pressed outwardly about the inner side of said circular flange, said pressing also bending the stock of casing 16 inwardly on the outer side of the circular flange of dome 35. Dome 35 is thus rigidly connected to the forward end of the casing 16 without requiring the use of fastening means or welding. v

A flexible skirt 36, preferably constructed of cloth may be removably attached to the open end of dome 35 by suitable means, such as a cord having an elastic element 37 connecting the ends thereof, and the lower edge of skirt 36 may have a draw string 38 to bind the same to the head of the person to be treated. In Fig. 5, the detail construction of a confining and directing skirt is shown, and a sprin spreader bail in the form of a thin strip 0 metal 39 loops downwardly having its ends turned and releasably secured to an inturned flange at the lower edge of skirt 36. The-person treated may, by manipulating the bail 39 cause heated air to be directed or concentrated upon different portions of the scalp.

Suitable service wires connect the fan, motor, the electric lamp socket, and the heating elements with the appropriate switches in the manner shown in the electrical diagram in Fig. 6. In said diagram the line conduits are indicated by the numerals 40 and 41 respectively. The input sides of the motor 19, the larger heating element 30 and the smaller heating element 31 are connected in multiple to a wire 42 and the master switch 32 is interposed between the line conduit 40 motor and the output end of eating element 30'are connected directly to the line conduit 41 by means of wires 43 and 44 respectively.

The output end of the smaller heating element 31 is connected by-a wire 45 to one of the terminals of a switch 33, the other terminal of said switch being connected by a wire 46 to the lead wire 44 connected with the line conduit 41. The input side of the electric terminal of saidswitch being directly connected to the line conduit 40 by means of a wire 48. The output side of lamp 22 is connected by a wire 49 with a short cross wire 50 connected with the line conduit 41.

It will thus'be seen that when master switch 32 is closed, assuming switches 33 and 34 to be open, current will pass from the line conduit 40 through the motor and through the larger heatin element back to the line. By closing switch 33 the smaller heating element 3 is connected inlmultiple with the line and the switch 34 independently controls the illumination of electric lamp 22. Master switch 32, it will be seen, may be swung to open the circuit through the smaller heating element as well as the motor and the larger heating element.

Operation In operation, the heater being electrically connected with a suitable light socket or other household source of electricity, the appropriate switches are thrown to close cir.- cuits through the motor and the desired heating elements. The. person to be treated is seated below the hood 35 of the device and casing 16 adjusted vertically to position said hood about the top of the head. It will be seen that by slightly releasing set screw 13 coiled spring 11 having been slightly compressed, the post 12 will bev easily lifted through the action of said spring. The set screw may be again tightened when.the-de-' vice is in the desired position. For angular adjustment, the casing 16 may be swung on the bolt 15 which pivotally connects the bracket 14 with the attachment hea-d12a of the standard. Usually one of the confining and directing skirts 36 is employed yieldingly secured upon the rim of the hood 35 and the lower edge of said skirt is drawn and tied about the head of the person to be treated.

As illustrated, bail 39 is connected with the lower edge of the skirt in order that the skirt may be positioned differently with reference to the head to permit air to escape at different parts of the head and to thus vary the concentration of the blast of warm air produced by the heater. v

The rapid rotation of thefan, of course, sets up a swift current of air through casing 16, the widelyreticulated intake end of the fan' housing offering very little obstruction to the free passa e of air. The swirling column of air moving orward into casing 16 from the fan housing is sub-divided by the several radial plates 21 of the longitudinally disposed partition. The swirlingof the column of air is thus eliminated by said' partition and is quickly heated by its passage through the heating elements moving substantially rectilinearly through casing 16 and discharged about the scalp of the subject. The hood 35 acts as a deflector to more thoroughly distribute the warm air and the confining skirt, if used, causes the air to pass downwardly about the sides, forward and rear portions of the head.

The dividing partition while eliminating the swirling movement of the column of air does not retard the longitudinal passage of air through the casing. In other words, the air moves rectilinearly through the casing 16 as fast, or slightly faster than if the dividing plates were removed from the drier. Since the swirling motion of the column of air is obviated, there will be a substantially uniform discharge of air into the hood 35 and there willbe no vacuum or dead spot-in the center of the moving column.

The dividing partition" in addition to accomp'lishing "the important function previously described, functions to conveniently support the heating elements in polygonal form and to also support and accommodate the electric lamp axially of the casing 16, offering the minimum impedance to the passage of air. Lamp 22 illuminates the interior of the drier andmoreover radiates considerable heat within the casin In Fig. 7 of the drawings: a slightly differ-.

ent embodiment of the invention is shown. Here a different type of dividing partition, indicated by the numeral 51, is employed, being of truncated conical structure and having two or more enlarged openings 51a in the body thereof. The edgesabout said openings form dividing plates which break up the swirling column of air causing considerable portiohs thereof to pass through casings 52 at the sides of the structure. Casings 52 have restricted discharge ends 52a inwardly curved and communicating with the interior of the hood 35. Air discharged through passages 52a is directed against the sides of the head 45 1ng arcuately cut out portions medially of sary to operate mydevice is, therefore, greatly reduced.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arangoment and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of applicants invention.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a drying machine, a tubular casing, a fan within said casing adapted to set up a current of air therethrough, a discharge passage at one end of said casing, a confining and directing skirt of flexible material connectable with said discharge passage and having a free edge adapted to surround a human head, and a spreading bail connectable with the free edge of said skirt at spaced points to enable the person treated to adjust the position of the skirt with reference to the head to vary the concentration of the discharged am 2. In a drying machine, a casing having a discharge passage in the forward end thereof, a fan disposed within the rear portion of said casing, a partition disposed within said casing forwardly of said fan and comprising a plurality of plates arranged radially with respect to said casing and extending longitudinally thereof, said plates each being substantially recessed at their inner edges to conjointly provide a central aperture within said partition, an electrical socket supported from one end of said partition and extending axially ofsaid casing, and a lamp mounted with insaid socket and disposed within said central-aperture of the partition.

3. In a drying machine, a casing having an air discharge passage at the forward end thereof, a fan disposed within the rear portion of said casing, a partition within said casing disposed forwardly of said fan com? prising a series of plates arranged radially with respect to said casing and extending longitudinally thereof for directing the air in substantially straight lines, said plates havtheir inner edges, said out out portions providing a central aperture within said partition, a spider frame secured to the rear edges of said several plates, an electric socket se cured to said spider frame and extending axially of said casing, an electric lamp secured to said socket and mounted within said central aperture of the partition, and a heating element supported in annular form by said partition. 1

4. In a hair drier, a tubular casing having an open forward end constituting a discharge passage, a fan within the rear of said casing adapted to project air therethrough, a domeshaped hood of considerably greater diame-. ter than-the diameter of the forward end of said casing, said hood having an apertured portion in the side thereof of substantially the diameter of the forward end of said cas-

Images