US1908284A - Moisture extracting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1933. s. BUTCHER ET AL 1,908,284

MOISTURE EXTRACTING APPARATUS I Filed April 12, 1930 FIC I WITNESSES I INVENTOR:

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Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SETH BUTCHER, OF ANDOVER, AND CHARLES]. WILDER, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA MOISTURE EXTRAGTING APPARATUS Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to machines or apparatus for extracting moisture or dust from cloth and the like incident to processingv or cleaning operations. More specifically,

our invention has reference to what are known as tube extractors wherein the cloth undergoing treatment is passed crosswise over a tube having longitudinally thereof, either a single slot or multiple slots, and which is in communication with a source of vacuum, so that the moisture or dust is removed from the cloth by suction.

In connection with machines or apparatus of the specific type referred to, the primary object of our invention is to keep the ends of the slot or slots in the suction tube, beyond the edges of the passing material, covered at all times.

Another object is to attain the indicated desideratum through provision of a simple and reliable automatic suction-responsive means capable of accommodating lateral shifting or teetering of the material as it passes over the tube without imposing any restraint to free progression of said material thereover.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. I is a fragmentary plan view of a moisture extracting apparatus conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. II is a View taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. I, with a portion of the slotted extractor tube broken away andin section to expose important structural details.

Fig. III is a cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Figs. I and II; and,

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. I showing our invention in connection with an extractor of slightly different construction.

Referring first to Figs. I-III of the illustrations, the numeral 5 designates the ex-.' tractor tube, said tube being in communication with a source of vacuum not shown).

inwardly directed extremity 8a of a medially 1930. Serial No. 443,907.

In the form of extractor here represented, the tube 5 has a continuous longitudinal slot 6 across which cloth '0, for example, undergoing treatment is passed with incidental re-. moval therefrom of moisture or dust by suction action. I p The novel automatic means which we provide for keeping the ends of the tube slot 6 beyond the edges of the passing cloth C closed, comprises a pair of elements 7 which are made from flexible material like felt or rubber in strip form. The two ele'ments7 are adapted to overlie the ends of the tube slot 6, and, as shown, each is secured at oneend only to the pivoted member 8; I The fulcrum axes 9for the members 8 are supported between inwardly directed side arms 10 of brackets 11. From Fig. III, it will benoted that the'brackets 11 are made, in two parts, with formation, each instance,of a clamp'portion'12 to embrace the tube 5; screws 13 being employed at the tops and the bottoms of said brackets to secure them to the tube 5. It will, moreover, be noted that the. upper portions of the brackets 11 are yoked or arched, as at 14;,to afford the necessary clearance for free swing-j ing movement of the outer ends" 86 of the members 8 whereon are mounted a number'of interchangeable counterbalancing weights 15.

In'the operation of our inventiomtheflexible elements 7 in responding to the suction of the tube 5, will be held down over the ends of the slot'6 after the manner. illustrated in Fig. II; while the portions of said. strips 80 which are inactive are held raised freeof surface contact with the clothG under the influence of the counterbalancing weights 15 on the members 8. By virtue of the described arrangement, the ends of the slot6 inthe tube 80 5 are kept closed at all times up to the side edges of the cloth 0, without imposition of drag'likely to interfere with"progression of said cloth overthe' tube 5. Incident tolateral shifting or teetering ofthe cloth 0-, for example toward the right of the center of the tube 5 as shown in the illustrations, in adapting itself to such action, the flexible element 7 at the left will automatically cover up the further exposed portion of the tube slot 6 with incidental yielding of the associated counterbalanced member 8. The slot end is thereby closed, as before, up to the edge of the cloth C, While the inactive portion of the flexible element 7 is held raised from contact with said cloth. With the device at the opposite or right hand side of Figs. I and II, the reverse of the above takes place concurrently, that'is to say: more of'the flexible element 7 is released and raised through clockwise movement of the member 8 under the influence of the counterbalanced weights 15.

The form of extractor illustrated'in Fig. IV is like the type of Figs. I-III except that the longitudinal slot ofthe vacuum tube 5a is interrupted, or, to be more precise, comprises a number of short slot lengths 6a which are disposed at an inclination to each other. 5a does not entail any change whatever in the slot end closing devices, which are again illustrated in Fig. IV and identified by the same reference numerals previously employed.

Obviously, the character of the slots 6, or 6a, in the extractor tubes 5 may be varied considerably and be continuous, staggered, or of composite arrangement, and the term longitudinal slot as used in the appended claims is to be construed as inclusive of any such variations, as may be fairly considered within the scope of our invention.

From the foregoing it will furthermore be apparent that the slot closing means of our invention is responsive solely to suction and capable of accommodating the teetering action of the cloth or other material passed thereover.

. Having thus described our invention, We claim':

.1. The combination with a vacuum extrac-' tor tube having asingle longitudinal slot, of automatic suction-responsive means adapted to accommodate teetering of cloth passing over the tube in maintaining the ends of said slot closed beyond the cloth edges, said means including a pair of flexible elements to cover the slot ends, and counter-weighted pivoted members operative to yieldingly hold the inactive portions of said flexible elements free of surface contact with the passing cloth. 7

2. The combination with a vacuum extractor tube having a single longitudinal slot, of

autgomatic suction-responsive means adapted to accommodate teetering of cloth passing over the tube incident to maintaining the ends of said slot closed beyond the cloth edges, said means including a pair of flexible elements to cover the slot ends,counterhalanced members flex b e me t e of Su ac ont t with The modified construction of the tube the passing cloth, and means on the tube affording said counter-weighted members pivotal support.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Lawrence, Essex County, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this 5th day of April, 1930.

SETH BUTCHER. CHARLES J. WILDER.

yieldingly hold the inactive portions of the

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