US2183261A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12', 1939. P. R. H OOPES 2,183,261

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 PenroseRHoopefs. Ff' 'g www ATroRNEYs Dec. l2, 1939. P, HQOPES 2,183,261

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR y Penrose R Hoa/ves BY W Y ATTORNEYS SNN Dec. 12, l9 39.\ P. R. HooPEs 4 WASHING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1937 4 Sheets-Shed'. 4

INVENTOR PenrosoR.H0opes.

, BY WM ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 12, 1939 WASHING Penrose It. Hoopes, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner to llavelet Corporation, acorporation of Connecticut Application .lune 23, v1937, semi No. 149,800

Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to such machines for use in laundries, institutions. dry cleaning establishments and the like where larger-amounts of wash 5 are handled at one loading than is the case in the average household.

An object of the invention is to provide a washing machine that may be easily loaded and unloaded.

lo Another object is to lprovide a washing machine that will not tear delicate fabrics and in which there is no mechanism in the tub' or basket.

A further object is to provide a washing machine embodying the principles of operation disli closed in Patents No. 1,775,554 dated September 9, 1930, 1,783,415 dated December 2, 1930, and

1,897,953 dated February 14, 1933 and constituting an improvement thereover in respect to the details of construction herein disclosed.

2@ y Other objects will be apparent from the following specication, wherein is shown by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Many changes can, however, be made in the construction herein disclosed, without departing from the appended claims. i

' In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a topview of a washing machine embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a side view on the line 2-2 of Fig- 30 'llle 1. l

Figure 3 is an end view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end view on the line 4 4 of Figure 1. i

Figure 5 isa sectionall View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. l

Figure 6 is a sectional view on theline 6--6 of Figure 1.

vFigure 7 is a sectional view of the tank on the o line 'il of Figure 6. -f

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the tank on the line 8 8 of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a sectional view of the tank on the line 9-,9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 isa sectional view of the tank on the line lll- I0 of Figure 6. t Figure 11 is a sectional view of the tank on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 11a is a sectional view of the tank on 50 the line I la-I la of Figure 11.

In general this washer comprises a tank, basket or receptacle adopted to contain the material to be washed (hereafter ,termed wash)` mounted to swing in a stationary frame to facilitate load,- u ing and unloading. The wash may be anything (Cl. (iS-184) such as clothing, vegetables or articles of various kinds.

Any suitable liquid can be used, and hereafter when water is referred to it will be understood that any suitable fluid is meant, depending upon the. nature of the material tobe'washed, cleaned or treated. For example, if the washer is used for cleaning clothes, such as mens suits A or womens dresses, any of the Well known carbon tetrachloride compounds could be used instead of 10 water. If ordinary washing is to be done, ordinary soap and water may be used and for the sake of illustration, a machine will be described suitable for use by laundries and the like, wherein the tank has a capacityl of about 210 gallons and the u circulating pump has a capacity .of 300 gallons per minuteat pounds to the square vinch pressure. The machine herein described will weigh about 1,000 pounds and the movable tank will weigh about 332 pounds. These gures are given zo merely to indicate the relative difference in size between such washers and those commonly employed for household use, and indicate the necessity of providing means for moving the tank to facilitate loading and unloading it with wash. gs

In order to thoroughly wash soiled clothes, the water must be rapidly and vigorously forced through the meshesin-the cloth many times to thereby carry away the loosened soil or dirt. To

dothis in a short space of tim'e is one of the ob- 30 jects of this invention. It has been found that dirty clothes may be thoroughly andl quickly cleaned, with the minimum of wear, by the rapid movement of streams of soapy water under pressure introduced to the tank in several different i directions at the same time, o ne or more of which streams ows upwardly. For instance, surprising results are, accomplished with this machine by simultaneously introducing the liquid in (1) upwardly directed streams through inlets located at d the bottom of the tank, (2) in horizontally directed streams through inlets located at one side of the tank, and (3) downwardly directed streams `through inlets located at one side. This subjects the clothes to counteracting forces from three or more diierent directions in theform of streams of water which forcefully and rapidly pass through them. The soiled clothes are repeatedly penetrated with suds as they are vigorously pushed upwardly by the vertical streams from so the bottom, and while ascending come in contact with the horizontal streams which tend to push them sidewise. As the horizontal streams of Water pour through the clothes, their tendency to push the clothes sidewise is at iirst partly coun sg' tion, and the horizontal streams of water are forced through the clothes much oftener and much more forcibly than when they are not subjected to counteracting streams; for instance, as

when they follow an even circular path around the tank. The horizontal streams push the clothes over to the opposite side of the tank where the downwardly directed streams push the clothes to the bottom again and here they' encounter other horizontal streams which push them into the upwardly directed streams, and the same action is repeated. The clothes follow a somewhat irregular path, and the three or more sudden changes in the direction of their movement serve to vigorously force water through them rapidly and repeatedly as they are moved about.

The machine framework may include a base I2 forming a tank or chamber I3 communicating via pipe I4 with the intake of a suitable pump I5 which may be directly driven by the motor I6. The pump and motor are mounted on the upright 2I and form a unit with the base I2. The delivery or pressure side of pump I5 connects via pipe I1 to a 3-way valve I8, and a pipe I9 connects this valve to a fitting 20 supported in the upright 2l.

This fitting extends inwardly through the upright and serves as one of the supports for the wash tank 22 to be presently described.

An upright 23 is mounted on the base I2 and supports a fitting 24 which extends therethrough and cooperates with fitting 20 to support the tank which swings therebetween. A pipe 25 connects fitting 24 with a 3way valve 26 which connects via pipe 21 to chamber I3 in the base.

The ttings or trunnions 26, 24, support th tank 22 so that it is free to swing thereon and also serve to connect the tank in circuit with the pump I5.whereby valves I8 and 26 being properly set, the pump will circulate water inI a closed system through the chamber I3 and tank 22. By providing the pipe connections 28, 29 on the pressure and suction sides respectively of the pump, various combinations of one washer with another and connections for fresh rinse and waste water can be easily effected, the 3-Way valves I8, 26 permitting any desired connections to be made.

If desired, a pipe 30 maybe connected to the suction pipe 21 to permit the addition of any liquid substance to the water during operation and a pipe 3| may also connect to the suction side of the system at, any suitable point to permit steam to enter therein, if necessary, to the washing or cleaning operation. These pipes permitl chemicals or steam to be introduced to the wash water when the machine is running with a charge of waiter therein, 'in circulation in a closed system, the -valves I8 and 26 being set to permit this. Under such conditions, the ange connection 29 being piped to a storage tank (not shown) the valve 26 may be turned to permit the contents of the tank 22 to be discharged into the storage tank so as torsave rinse water, recover soap, or recover partially lspent chemicals.

By the arrangement just described,the necessity for fiexible hose to the tank 22 for filling or emptying the same is eliminated and the introduction and withdrawal of liquid therefrom in normal operation takes place through the hollow supports 20, 24 which also serve as passages for liquid.

The tank or basket 22 will now be described. It may consist of an inner and outer shell of Wood or metaLVconstructed in any suitable manner. A

metal tank is shown in the figures. The outer wall or-shell has a front wall 32, a rear wall 32a, a bottom wall 32h. and end walls' 32e and 32d. These walls are watertight and imperforate except the trimnion fittings 20 and 24 are secured thereto and form passages therethrough for liquid.

The inner wall of the tank comprises a bottom portion 33 and side and end wall members, to be presently described, and forms, together with the outer shell what maybe termed a tank within a tank, the space between the inner and outer walls or shells being divided into a plurality of pressure and suction manifolds, in two sets or groups, as more clearly shown in Figures '1 to lla inclusive. The pressure manifolds constituting one set being denoted by the letter P and the suction manifolds constituting the other set being denoted by the letter S, itwill be understood that all of the P manifolds are connected to the pressure side of the pump via hollow fitting 20 and pipe I 9, and all of the S manifolds are connected to the suction side'of the pump via the hollow fitting 24 and the pipe 25.

Communicating with the pressure manifolds P and opening into the interior of the tank or basket is' a plurality of nozzles or ports arranged in 4 sets as shown in Figure 5. These nozzles may be any suitable type of individually adjustable nozzles, adjustable both for area of stream and the direction thereof. The upper set of nozzles, generally indicated by the numeral 34, is adapted to project streams of liquid horizontally. The lower set, 35, is adapted to project streams vertically. The set of nozzles at 36 project streams at an angle and the set of nozzles 31, located on the inner side wall near the bottom of the tank, are adapted to project streams horizontally. These streams of water, issuing from the various nozzles, cause the contents of the basket to be revolved or tumbled therein inthe manner previously described and the arrangement of these streams is such that any ordinary laundry wash is not tangled4 or matted together, the washing operation being substantially the same as that in prior patents heretofore mentioned with the improvements herein set forth. The water is drained back out 0f the basket and into the suction manifolds S through a plurality of perforations 38 and 39 in the inner side walls of the tank, and at 66 in bottom 33.

A sump 40 is located at one end of the tank as shown in Figures' 10, 11 and 11a so that any liquid or scum remaining in the tank after it is drained down to the lowest point that the perforations will permit, will drain through the openings 4I and 42 and collect in the sump, and can be discharged therefrom via the discharge pipe 43 which is provided with a valve having an upwardly extending shaft 44 with a hand wheel 45 at its upper end. The arrows, Figure 11, show the normal path of wash water through the sump during the washing operation.

The means for raising and lowering the tank will no w be described.

A horizontal shaft 46 extends across the bottom of the tank as shown, said shaft being supported in bearings 41 and 48 secured to the bottom of the tank. This shaft has secured thereto gears 49 and 50 which mesh with toothed rails 5I and 52 secured to the uprights 2| and 23. A worm wheel 53 is securedto the shaft 46 and this wheel is engaged by a worm 54 mounted upon the lower end of shaft 55, which shaft has an operating hand wheel 56.

Shaft 55 carrying the worm 54 is mounted upon and moves with the tank, and by turning the larc of a circle about said fittings, a shaft secured wheel 56, thereby rotating shaft and worm 54, worm Wheel 53 is caused to turn shaft 46 and the gears 49 and 50 thereon being in engagement with the toothed rails 5I and 52, travel upwardly on said rails and move the tank around an axis formed by the fittings 20 and 24, to the unloading position shown at 51, Figure 11. v

By reversing this operation,'the tank may be lowered to its normal operating position.

Obviously, any suitable means such as an electric motor may be mounted on the tank structure to turn shaft 55 so as to move the tank by power instead of manually.

In a machine of the character described, the sludge or scum including much of the dirt, will float up on the top of the water in the tank. To facilitate its removal and permit it to be withdrawn from the tank while the washing is 'in progress or immediately thereafter before the wash Water is drained olf, the upper edge of the ,inner walls of the tank are slotted as shown at at 64 is not slotted, but is left smooth so it willnot interfere with the easy removal of the wash when the tank is elevated as shown in Figure l1 as when in this position the wash will slide out of the tank by gravity without much handling or lifting of the Wet wash.

The top of a tank may be hinged or may slide and is provided with a handle 65 having any suitable locking means to lock the ,top in open or closed position. As many such arrangements are obvious, it will not be described in detail.

What is claimed is:

1. In a washing device of the class described, a-

frame having uprights, a pair of hollow ttings mounted on said uprights, a tank supported by said ttings, the interior of said tank being in liquid communication with the interior of saidA fittings and said tank adapted to swing in the to the bottom of said tank and extending from side to side thereof and having a gear on each side adjacent the lower edge thereof, means secured to said tank for revolving said shaft and racks secured to said framework and adapted to be engaged by said gear wheels whereby said tank may be swung in various positions about said ttings as an axis. Y

2. In a washing device, a substantially rectanguiar tank, a plurality of liquid delivering conduits, a plurality of liquid withdrawing conduits, said c cnduits beng arranged alternately to form inner and outer Walls of said tank, the inner of said walls having alternate rows of inlet openings from said delivery conduits and of outlet openings to said withdrawing conduits, means to admit liquid to said delivering conduits and means to emit liquid from said withdrawing conduits.

3. In a washing device, a tank, a pressure header, pressure conduits connected with saidA 4. In a washing device, a tank, a plurality of horizontal pressure. and suction conduits forming the sidewalls of said tank, openings in said conduits connecting with the inside of the tank and means for'circulating liquid through said conduits, openings and tank.

5. In a washing device, a tank, a pressure header at one end of said tank, a pressure conduit connected to said pressure header, a suction header at the opposite end of said tank, and a. suction conduit connected thereto and positioned parallel to the said pressure conduit, said headers and conduits forming the side and end walls and bottom of said tank and said conduits having alternately disposed rows of inlet nozzles and outlet openings through the inner walls thereof.

PENROSE R. HOOPES.

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