US2053677A

US2053677A - Cleaning and drying means

Info

Publication number: US2053677A
Application number: US708049A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ollison Frederick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-01-24
Filing date: 1934-01-24
Publication date: 1936-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1953-09-08

Description

P 1936. F. OLLISON 2,053,677

CLEANING AND DRYING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l 4 50011 577- Fedemoh 0ZZL60774 uJM 4 m 6 Sept. s, 193

F. opuso N CLEANING AND DRYING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1934 ,NQWNR [wt/entan- Fr edericb 0111:5012) w 8% 'vatt Sept. s, 1936. F. OLLISON 7 CLEANING AND DRYING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 OOOOOOO'O Jfi/z/ejzZr fiederdck/ OLLmon,

Sept. 8, 1936. QLUSQN 2,053,677

CLEANING AND DRYING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ollbaora,

Sept. 8, 1936. QLLISQN 2,053,617.-

CLEANING AND DRYING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 as 56 84 a5 96 67 a5 30 70 75 IQQEQEQHIQ .7777ue2zZ57": FrederLc/a OM50,

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to cleaning and drying means.

More particularly the present invention relates to a system for cleaning garments or other fabrics by what is known as the dry-cleaning system. In most systems as now known and used there is a very considerable loss in the solvent used, and for this reason certain high-priced solvents which are particularly eflicient in cleaning have not found favor in the industry. The present invention contemplates a system wherein the loss of solvent in service is reduced to a minimum.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning and drying system which will minimize the loss to the atmosphere of the volatile solvents used in the dry-cleaning process.

A further object is to provide a cleaning and drying system in which the garments may be transferred from a washing means to a drying means without loss of solvent andin which the solvent carried along with the air for drying the garments may be conveniently recovered.

A further object is to provide a cleaning and drying system having means for conveniently setting up drafts for insuring against loss of solvent.

A further object is to provide an improved method of cleaning and drying for minimizing the loss of volatile solvent.

A further object is to provide cleaning means involving a rotatable drum in which the parts are well balanced and not likely to get out of order in service.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings- Figure l is a top plan view, parts being broken away, of a system embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view omitting many of the structural details of Figure 1 but disclosing a diagrammatic layout which simplifies the explanation of the system shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a washer which may be used in the practice of the present invention;

Figure. 4 is a sectional view taken along the I plane indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the exterior of the rotating drum shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 6--6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of a drier which may be used in the practice of the present invention;

- Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of part of the structure shown in Figure 7, Figure 8 being taken along the plane indicated by the ar- 5 rows 8-8 of Figure 9;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 99 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a view in elevation, parts being broken away illustrating recuperating means 10 which may be used in the practice of the present invention; and

Figure 11 is a view in section taken along the planes indicated by the arrows ll-ll of-Figure 10. illustrating certain of thepiping used in con 15 nection with the recuperating means.

As indicated above, the present invention is particularly advantageous for use with the more expensive solvents used in dry-cleaning operations. Said expensive solvents have decided advantages insofar as efliciency is concerned, but with the losses in solvent which have occurred in systems as commonly known and used, the cost of using these more expensive solvents has been high. Examples of the solvents referred to are carbon tetrachloride,- ethelyndichloride, trichloridethelyn, and other solvents. The present invention contemplates a special type of washer, a special type of drying machine, means for setting up drafts to minimize losses of solvent, and means for recovering the solvent which has been discharged from the drier.

Referring first to Figure 1, the numeral l0 indicates a washer of the rotary type and the numeral I I indicates a drier of the rotary type. Said washer I0 and drier II should be located adjacent to each other, and preferably the axes of the rotating tumblers thereof should be parallel. The present invention contemplates a chute l2 which may be removably connected to the outer casing of the drier II, the entrance to said chute being located adjacent to an opening in the outer casing of the washer l0, and the exit from said chute being located adjacent to an opening in the outer cas ing of the drier ll. Said chute, as will appear hereinafter, is used only when articles are being transferred from the washer ID to the drier ll. Referring particularly to Figures 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the washer I0 is illustrated as comprising the outer shell l3 having the heads I l-i4 forming a drum. The shell I3 is provided with the opening or doorway i5, which opening or doorway I 5 is controlled by the door I6 swung on the hinges ||--l'|. Any known means may be used for tightening and sealing the door It to the casing l3. Coaxially disposed within the casing I3 is the tumbler I8 having the perforated cylindrical wall I9. Said tumbler I8 is carried by bearings, which need not be described -and in the illustrated embodiment said tumbler is provided with radial partition walls 2|l26 dividing said tumbler into three equal compartments 2|-2|. Access to eachof the compartments 2| is provided through a closure member 22, the details of which are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Each of the closure members 22 includes a plate having a lip 23 extending around its periphery. Said lip 23 is adapted to underlie the wall IQ of the tumbler l8. Centrally located with respect to the closure member 22 is the outwardly extending portion 24 adapted to fit more or less closely within a corresponding aperture in the wall I9. Each closure member 22 is provided with a pair of outstanding bosses 25-25, which are spaced apart along the longitudinal center line of the closure member 22. Swingingly mounted upon each boss 25 is a leaf spring 26 symmetrically disposed relative to the boss 25 and having curved over end portions 2|2| adapted to contact with the outer surface of the wall l9 of the tumbler I8. Each closure member 22 may be perforated like the wall I9. It will be preferred that the plurality of compartments 2|2| be loaded substantially equally. The closure members 22 may be of substantially equal weight, and centrifugal force, by reason of the action of the lip 23 of each closure member against the inner surface of the wall l9, will be substantially uniform in the plurality of compartments and will tend to hold the closure members in tight engagement with the inner surface of the wall |9, so that there will be no tendency in service for the parts to work loose and set up unequal stresses around the axis of rotation of the tumbler l8. Removal or replacement of a closure member 22 is a simple matter, it being necessary only to swing the leaf springs 26-26 about their axes and moving the corresponding closure member into or out of closing position.

In the practice of the present invention the washer I0 may also be used for whirling the garments to extract a large part of the solvent therefrom. To this end, means are provided for operating the washer ID with a slow motion such as will be desired for the washing operation and a faster movement for centrifuging the garments. For this purpose a motor 28 is provided which may be connected to the tumbler |8 through any preferred driving mechanism, automatic means being provided, if preferred, to communicate an oscillating movement to the tumbler l8 during the washing operation. A motor 29 may be provided for driving the tumbler |8 at a higher speed suitable for centrifuging the garments. A hand wheel 30 is provided for turning the tumbler I8 by hand to bring the closure members 22--22 of the tumbler 8 into registry with the opening l5 in the outer casing of the washer l0. Clutch means may be provided for disconnecting one motor driving means from the tumbler l8 before the other is connected. Clutch means suitable for the purpose are well known and need not be described herein. The casing I0 is provided with a drain pipe 3| controlled by a valve 32 for giving off solvent from the washer l0 after the washing operation. Referring now to Figures 1, '7, 8 and 9, it will be noted that the drier is provided with an outer casing 33 having the

end walls

34 and 35 providing a closed chamber. Mounted to rotate within the casing 33 is the tumbler 36 adapted to be driven by the motor 31. The tumbler 36 is provided with trunnions 3838 having fluid-tight connection with the

end walls

34 and 35. In its preferred form, the tumbler 36 has the imperforate cylindrical wall 39 and the

perforated end walls

40 and 4|. An annular region of the wall 40 adjacent to the cylindrical wall 39 is imperforate and is adapted to be contacted by an annular gasket 42 secured to the end wall 34. Communicating with the space within the annular gasket 42 is a pipe 43 connected to a blower 44, which may be driven by any preferred motive means. Connected to the space outside of the annular gasket 42 is the pipe 45, which through the strainer 46 and valve 41 connects with the pipe 48. Said pipe 48 connects with the pipe 49 which leads to a battery of recuperators to be referred to further hereinafter. Also communicating with the interior of the drier II is the pipe 50, which pipe 50 connects with the space bounded by the gasket 42, the end wall 34, and the adjacent end wall 40 of the tumbler 39 of said drier. Leading from the valve 5| is a pipe 52 which connects with the intake side of a blower 53, which blower 53 may be driven by any preferred means. Said pipe 52 is connected to the interior of the washer ID by means of the pipe 54, which pipe 54 may be controlled by means of the valve 55.

The casing 33 of the drier H is provided with a swinging closure member 56 provided with sealing and holding means for preventing the escape of fumes through the opening or doorway controlled by said closure member. Said casing 33 of the drier may also be provided with a door 51 on its under side, which door is also provided with sealing and holding means for preventing the escape of fumes. Said closure member 56 may be bounded by the edging member 58 adapted to receive and hold one extremity of the chute l2.

The present invention contemplates the use of one or preferably a plurality of recuperators for salvaging volatilized solvent. The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes three of these recuperators, which are indicated by the

numerals

59, 68 and 6|. Said

recuperators

59, 60 and 6| are illustrated in the form of cylinders, and they are preferably positioned with their axes vertical and symmetrically disposed relative to each other.

The internal construction of the particular recuperators chosen for illustration will be clear from an inspection of Figure 10. Inasmuch as the three

recuperators

59, 60 and 6| may be similar in construction, a description of one will suffice for a description of all. Referring to recuperator 59, it will be noted that said recuperator includes an outer cylindrical shell 62, which shell is provided with the bottom plate 63 and the top plate 64. Depending from the top of the recuperator 59 is the perforated cylinder coaxially disposed with respect to the casing 62. Said perforated cylinder 65 may extend almost to the bottom of the recuperator 59. Extending down through the top plate 64 of the recuperator 59 is the perforated pipe 66 co-axially disposed with respect to the cylinders 62 and 65. Said pipe 66 may extend almost to the bottom of the perforated cylinder 65. The space between the cylinder 65 and the pipe 66 may be filled with charcoal or other agent having the quality of adsorbing, absorbing, or taking up volatile solvents such as are used in dry cleaning oper- 16 connects with the valve 11.

meral 81.

Such material is indicated by the nu- For the purpose of retaining the material 61 within the perforated cylinder 65, the cylinder 85 should be provided with a bottom which may be perforated. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 11, the pipe 49 connects with a pipe 68 which forms a complete loop at the extremity of said pipe- 49. Also connecting with the pipe 49 is a pipe 69 which connects with the loop 68. Said loop 68 and pipe 69 are provided with a plurality of valves and other connections which will now be referred to.

The description of the valves and connections may be prefaced by the statement that it is contemplated in the operation of the present invention to utilize two of the

recuperators

59, 68 and 8| in series while the third recuperator is undergoing treatment to extract solvent which has been collected in said third recuperator. The identity of the particular recuperators performing their recuperating functions, and of the particular recuperator being cleaned out may be chosen as preferred by manipulation of the valves referred to. The connections and valves which will now be described have the function of enabling the operator to direct air laden with volatiles upwardly through one of the recuperators and upwardly through a neighboring recuperator out through a condensing means so that sub stantially all of the volatiles may be recovered.

In order to simplify the description, the diagrammatic view embodied in Figure 2 will be referred to particularly. Said figure shows the washer extractor and drier in elevation and in their preferred relationship to one another. The other elements of the systems have been illustrated out of their preferred positions for the purpose of rendering the diagram more readily understandable.

The loop 68 is provided with the valve 18 which controls communication from the pipe 49 to the coupling 1|. Said coupling 1| through the pipe 12 has a connection with the recuperator 59 through the bottom plate thereof. Said coupling 1| also connects with the valve 13 which valve connects with the coupling 14. Said coupling 14 connects with the valve 15 which connects with the coupling 16. The coupling Said valve 18, coupling 1|, valve 13, coupling 14, valve 15, coupling 18, and valve 11, are located in series in the loop 68 connected with the pipe 49. Said coupling 16 through the pipe 18 connects to the interior of the recuperator 8| through the bottom plate thereof.

Coupling 14 is connected to the pipe 69 above referred to which connects with the pipe 49. From inspection of Figures 2 and 11, it will be noted that the coupling 14 also connects with the valve 19 which is connected with the coupling 88. Said coupling 88 through the upstanding pipe 8| connects with the interior of the recuperator 68 through the bottom plate thereof. Said coupling 88 also connects with the valve 82. Said valve 19, coupling 88, and valve 82 are disposed in series in the pipe 69.

Disposed at the top of the

recuperators

59, 68 and 6| is a system of pipes. One line of pipes, indicated 'by the numeral 83, includes the valve 84, the coupling 85, the valve 86, the coupling 81, the valve 88, the coupling 89, and the valve 98. One end of said line of pipe 83 is adapted to be connected to a blower 890 which may be driven by any preferred means. Connected to the coupling 81 is a pipe line 98a provided with ations.

the valve 9|, the coupling 92 and the valve 98 in series in said pipe line. In practice the couplings 81 and 14 will be located one above the other, and will be connected together by means of the pipe 94.

Each of the

couplings

85, 89 and 92 is provided with a steam connection 95, .each of said steam connections being individually controllable by means of valve 96. Each of the three couplings 1|, 18 and 88 at the bottoms of the three

recuperators

59, 68 and BI is provided with a steam connection 91. Each of said steam connections is provided with a valve '98. Said three steam connections 91 through the corresponding valves 98 lead to a common condenser 99 where solvents carried along by the steam will be condensed and salvaged.

A mode of operation of the above described embodiment of the present invention is substantially as follows.

An operator will charge garments to be cleaned into the washer l8, said washer having disposed therein a predetermined amount of solvent which as stated above, may be one of the more efficient solvents which command a relatively high price on the market. The garments will preferably be equally distributed as to weight within the compartments 2|2| of the tumbler ll! of said washer. Each closure member 22 of the tumbler l8 will be entirely removed at the time when garments are being charged into the corresponding compartment 2|. When it is desired to mount the closure member 22 in its operative position, said closure member may be grasped by means of the leaf springs 26-46, said leaf springs being turned out of their right angular relationship with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding closure member 22, the operator, grasping the springs 2626, may insert the closure member into the corresponding compartment 2| with an endwise movement of the closure member 22, and will locate the lip 23 against the inner surface of the tumbler i8. The operator will then turn the springs 28-26 into the positions illustrated in Figure 5 in which the extremities of said springs abut against the outer surface of the tumbler l8. In practice it will be found desirable to operate the tumbler l8 at a relatively slow speed during the washing operation, but after the washing operation the garments will preferably be hydroed or centrifuged at a higher speed.

The particular type of closure member 22 is of advantage during this relatively high speed centrifuging operation for the reason that centrifugal force will urge the lip 23 into tight engagement with the inner surface of the tumbler |8 so that in contrast to the action of other closures with which applicant is familiar, there will be no tendency for the parts of the closure member to work loose, shake and set up unbalanced forces.

It will be understood that after the garments have been charged into the plurality of compartments of the tumbler Hi, the door l6 will be tightly closed and the tumbler will be operated preferably with an oscillatory movement to allow thorough action of the solvent upon the garments. After the cleaning action has been accomplished the valve 32 (Figure 3) will be opened to drain off the solvent. The tumbler |8 may then be driven at a relatively high speed whereby liquid solvent will be thrown out of the garments by centrifugal force.

After the garments have been centrifuged, the tumbler l8 will be stopped and the various compartments will be opened in succession, it being a simple matter after the closure member I6 has been opened to remove each closure 22 by turning of the leaf springs 26-26 and sliding the closure with an endwise movement through its corresponding opening in the cylindrical wall of the tumbler I8 and through the opening in the casing controlled by the closure member I6. When the garments are being removed from the various compartments 2I2I, the chute I2 will be located in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2; the open end of the chute I2 being located adjacent to the opening in the washer I0, the other end of the chute I2 being disposed upon the edging member 58 of the drier I, the closure member 56 of the drier being open. At this time the blower 53 will be started. Said blower will draw air and fumes from the washer I0 through the pipe'54 and valve 55 and also draw air and fumes from the drier I I through the pipe 50, valve 5|, and pipe 52. The air and fumes referred to from the washer I0 and drier II will be directed through the valve 49a to the pipe 49, whence said air and fumes will pass to the recuperators above referred to. The particular course of the air and fumes from the pipe 49 through the recuperators will be described presently. With the blower 53 drawing air and fumes from both the washer I0 and the drier II, the operator may withdraw the cleaned garments from the various compartments 2I-2I of the tumbler I8 of the washer I0, dumping them into the chute I2 without losing any material amount of volatile solvent. Preferably that end of the chute I2 adjacent the washer ID will be of ahigher level than the other end of said chute so that the garments will tend to gravitate into the drier II. Tumbler 39 of the drier II will of course be so located during this operation that the closure member 39a thereof will be in registry with the closure member 56 of the casing 33 of said drier.

After the garments from the washer I0 have been charged into the tumbler 39 of the drier II, the closure member 39a will be disposed in operative position with respect to the tumbler 39 and the closure member 56 in the casing 33 will be closed. The chute I2 will be removed at this time. Valve 5| in the pipe 50 leading from the drier II will be closed and a further loading of garments may be charged into the compartments 2|-2| of the tumbler I8 of the washer I0. A washing operation may be carried on in the washer I 0 while a drying operation is proceeding in the drier II. For the purpose of supplying air to the drier II the blower 44 will be set in operation to direct a blast of air through the pipe 43 into the space bounded by the gasket 42, the end wall 34 of the casing 33, and the end wall 40 of the tumbler 39 (Figure 8). Inasmuch as the end wall 40 is provided with perforations, and inasmuch as the air will be prevented from passing the gasket 42, the air delivered by the blower 44 will pass into and through the tumbler 39, carrying along volatilized solvent which passes out through the perforations in the end wall 36 of the tumbler 39. At this time the valve 49a will be closed and the valve 41 will be open so that the air laden with volatiles may pass through the pipe 45, strainer 46, and valve 41 to the pipe 49 for delivery to the recuperators. Blowing operation from the blower 44 will continue until the. garments within the drier II have been sufliciently dried, after which the closure member 39a may be brought into registry with the closure member 56 so that the dried garments may be removed from the drier II.

The method of operation of the recuperators and their connections will be substantially as follows. As indicated above, it is preferred to use two of the three recuperators in series while the third recuperator is being treated to have the adsorbed solvents removed therefrom. To this end it will be preferred by many operators to connect a freshly cleaned recuperator in series with one which has been used to a fraction of its capacity.

Let it be assumed that the recuperator 59 is a freshly cleaned recuperator and that the recuperator 6| has been performing its functions of recovering solvent, but that the adsorbing material therein has not been used to capacity. Under these conditons recuperator 59 will be connected in series with recuperator 6| while recuperator 60 is being cleaned out. At this time valve I0 will be open so that the solvent laden air may pass up through the pipe I2 to the interior of the recuperator 59. Said solvent laden air will enter through the perforations in cylinder 65, pass through the material 61, entering the pipe 66 through the perforations thereof. At this time the valve 84 will be closed and the valve 66 will be open so that the air containing such solvents as have not been adsorbed by the material 61 in the recuperator 59 will pass down through the pipe 94 to the loop 68. At this time the valve I3 is closed and the valve I5 is open so that the air partially charged with solvent may pass through coupling I6 and pipe I8 into the recuperator 6|. The valve 88 is closed at this time, and the valve 90 is open. The remaining solvent in the air entering the recuperator 6| will be adsorbed by the material 6'! within said recuperator 6| and the air freed of its solvent will pass through the valve 90 to the atmosphere. While

recuperators

59 and 6| are operating as immediately above described, recuperator 60 will be cleaned out. For this purpose the steam valve 96 associated with recuperator 60 will be opened, and steam will be directed down through said recuperator 60. At this time valves 9| and 93 will be closed and valve 98 at the bottom of recuperator 60 will be open so that steam may pass through the material 61 of recuperator 60 into the condenser 99 wherein the solvent removed from recuperator 60 in the steaming process will be recovered.

Recuperators 59 and 6| may be used for the recuperating operation until the adsorbing material in recuperator 6| has been used to its capacity. Inasmuch as in the example chosen for illustration the described operation started with a freshly cleaned recuperator 59 and a partly charged recuperator 6|, at the time when recuperator 6| has been exhausted, recuperator 59 will be only partially charged. The operator will then manipulate the various valves to connect recuperator 69 and recuperator 59 in series while recuperator 6| is being cleaned by means of steam directed through its corresponding valve 96 and its corresponding valve 98 to the condenser 99. During the time that recuperators 60 and BI are operative, recuperator 59 will be cleaned out. The positions of the various valves for theoperations just referred to need not be described in detail for the reason that they may be readily understood from the above description.

' -It will be understood without a detailed explanation that the three recuperators will be used in rotation, two of said recuperators being used in series while the third is being cleaned out. Between certain of the operations the blower 89 may be set in operation and the various valves so positioned that fumes which may collect in the upper portions of the recuperators and the piping connected therewith may be blown out.

Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is' 1. A cleaning and drying system comprising a washing machine having a chamber and means within said chamber for treating clothes with a solvent, a drying machine having a chamber and means within said chamber for drying clothes, said chamber having a doorway, a removable continuous tubular chute having one end near the doorway of one chamber and the other end closely fitting the doorway of the other chamber, means for directing a blast of air through said drying machine, and means for withdrawing air from said chambers and disposing of the solvent vapors in the air drawn from the system.

2. In cleaning and drying means, in combination, a washing machine having a chamber and means within said chamber for treating clothes with a solvent, a drying machine having a cham-' her and means within said chamber for drying 5 clothes, each chamber having a doorway, a re movable continuous tubular chute having one end near the doorway of one chamber and the other end closely fitting the doorway of the other chamber, and means for withdrawing air from 10 the latter chamber and disposing of the solvent vapors in the air drawn from the system.

3. In cleaning and drying means, in combination, a washing machine having a chamber and. means within said chamber for treating clothes with a solvent, a drying machine having a chamber and. means within said chamber for drying clothes, each chamber having a. doorway, a removable continuous tubular chute having one end near the doorway of one chamber and theother 20 closely fitting the doorway of the other chamher, and means for withdrawing air from both of said chambers and disposing of the solvent vapors in the air drawn from the system,

FREDERICK OLLISON.