US2217092A - Fountain washer - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 8, 1940. o. N, ACREY 2,217,092

- FOUNTAIN WASHER Fil'ed oct, 31, 1938 1.9 75 'I Fig.1 n...

MW I fluillflcrey.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN WASHER,

Ollie N. Acrey, Dallas, Tex.

Application October 31, 1938, Serial No. 238,104

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a fountain washer, and it is one object of the invention to provide a device of this character which is so constructed that, when it is placed in a pan or other suitable water container and clothes placed in the pan, the water when heated to a suificient temperature may move upwardly through a tubular column or flue and be discharged as a fountain from the upper end thereof into the pan for downward passage through the clothes in the pan. It will thus be seen that a circulation of water through the clothes will be established and dirt dislodged and carried ofi from the clothes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the column or flue is formed of sections having telescoping engagement with each other so that the device may be provided with a column of a desired height by merely making use of the proper number of telescoping sections. It will thus be seen that the device may be provided with a short column for use in a shallow pan or a tall column for use in a deep pan.

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with an improved form of base having channels therein for conducting water from openings in the peripheral wall of the base to the lower end of the vertically extending flue or column. It will thus be seen that the water will be conducted through the base to the column in a very efi ective manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the base has bafile plates extending inwardly from opposite sides of the inlet openings into the channels leading to the lower end of the column or flue and serving to retard outward movement of water through the channels towards the inlet openings in the walls of the base. It will thus be seen that directional movement of the hot water through the channels will be controlled and a proper circulation of water established.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is quite simple in construction and so formed that the flue or column may be taken apart and together with the base stored in a very small box;

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken vertically through the improved fountain washer and showing the same in position for use in a'pan, and

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the washer fountain.

This improved fountain washer is to be placed in a pan l which may be formed with deep walls, as shown in Figure 1, or with walls of less depth to provide a shallow pan. The base 2 of the fountain is preferably formed of strong sheet metal, although any desirable material may be used, and this base has a downwardly flaring annular wall 3 cut to form side openings 4 and bafile plates or gates 5 which extend inwardly .from opposite side edges of the opening. A I strip of channeled metal 6 having depending side walls, corresponding to the depth of the base, extends diametrically through the base between opposed side openings 4 where it is secured by bolts 1 passed through the top of the base, and

midway its length the strip of channeled metal metal 6, and in order tosecure the strips of 25 channeled metal 8, bolts 1' are employed which are passed through the top of the base. I It will thus be seen that there has been provided an insert which is removably secured in the base by the bolts 1 and 1', and since it is cross shaped as 30 shown in Figure 2, it provides a plurality of channels II) which extend radially of the base from the inlet openings 4 to a central portion ll formed with an opening l2 to receive a neck 13 which projects upwardly from the center of the base through an opening l4 formed therein. .This neck has a circumferentially extending flange 15 about its inner or lower end which is soldered against the under face of the top wall of the channeled strip H] to firmly mount the neck. A flue or tubular column It extends upwardly from the neck and consists of companion tube sections H which have telescoping engagement with each other, the lower tube section having its lower end fitted about the neck so that the tube sections will be supported in an upright position, and the neck may, in effect, constitute a portion of the fiue or column. A removable head or cap I8 is provided for the upper end of the column l6 and consists of a top plate I!) connected with a collar 20 by a suitable number of' arms 2| which are spaced from each other circumferentially of the collar and the plate l9. This head or cap is applied with collar fitting about the upper end of the col-' gs umn, and when water flows upwardly through the column and strikes the under face of the plate l9, it will be deflected outwardly and downwardly between the arms 2| and thus form a fountain spray which descends into the pan. If a deep pan is being used, the two tube sections I! will both be applied, but if a shallow pan is being used, only one tube section will be made use of. It will thus be seen that the height of the flue or column may be regulated according to the depth of the pan.

When this fountain washer is in use, the base is placed in the pan centrally thereof and a suitable number of tube sections I! applied to form a flue or column of the desired, height, the cap l8 being then applied to the top of the column. Water is poured into the pan until it is filled to the desired depth and the clothesbeing washed placed in the pan about the base and the column. The pan is then placed upon a stove or over any other suitable source of heatand, when the water becomes hot enough, it will flow upwardly through the column and be discharged through the cap'as a descending spray. The water moves downwardly through the clothes and inwardly through the openings 4 to take the place of the water which passes upwardly through the column and a circulation of water is thus established which flows through the clothes and removes dirt therefrom. During heating water has a tendency to take the path of least resistance which, in this case, would be outwardly through the openings 4, but since-there have been provided baflle plates at opposite'sides of the openings and these plates extend inwardly in converging relation to each other, water which may attempt to flow outwardly through the radiating channels will be deflected by the plates 5 and eddy currents created which will direct the water towards the inner ends of the channels ID and thus cause it to flow upwardly through the neck l3 and the tubular column and out through the cap at the upper end of the column. After the clothes have been washed, the fountain spray device will be removed from the pan I and the cap and tube sections I! removed so that these elements and the base may be thoroughly dried. The dismembered spray device may then be placed in a small box and put away until again needed. If it is found that dirt has accumulated in cracks along edges of the channeled strips, the bolts 1 and I may be removed and thus release the channeled members from the base so that these channeled members and the base may be thoroughly cleaned and then reassembled and secured by the bolts. A very good fountain washer has thus been produced which is of a simplified construction and by means of which clothes may be washed in any pan into which the fountain washer may be placed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a hollow base of a diameter adapting it to be placed within a pan and having a top wall and a peripheral wall to rest upon the bottom of the pan, the base being formed with inlet openings through its peripheral wall and an outlet through its top wall, channeled members extending diametrically through said base from the inlet openings to the outlet and constituting braces for the base having their lower edges flush with the lower edge of the peripheral wallof the base for resting upon the bottom of the pan, a

tubular column extending upwardly from the wardly therefrom.

outlet, and a cap at the upper end of said column constituting a deflector for directing liquid passing up through the column outwardly and downwardly therefrom.

2. A device of the character described compris ing a hollow base of a diameter adapting it to be placed Within a container and rest upon the bottom thereof, said base having side inlets and an upper outlet, channels in the base for conducting liquid from the inlets tothe outlet, baflies extending from opposite sides of the inlets into the channels longitudinally thereof and converging inwardly, a tubular column extending upwardly from the outlet, and a deflector at the upper end of said column for directing liquid flowing upwardly through the column outwardly and down wardly therefrom.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow base open at its bottom and of ;a diameter adapting it to be placed within a container and rest upon the bottom thereof, said base having inlet openings at its side and an outlet through its top, channeled members extending radially in the base for conducting liquid from the inlet to the outlet, the channeled members corresponding in depth to the base and constituting bracing means for the base, bafile plates extending inwardly into end portions of the channeled members from opposite side edges of the inlet openings and converging inwardly for counteracting flow of liquid outwardly through the channels, a tubular column extending upwardly from the outlet, and a deflector at the upper end of said column for directing liquid flowing upwardly through the colunm outwardly and downwardly therefrom.

4. A device of the character described comprising a hollow base of a diameter adapting it to be placed within a container and rest upon the bottom thereof, said base having an outlet at its top and having a peripheral Wall cut to form tongues, one tongue being bent inwardly to provide inlet openings and form deflector plates extending inwardly from the peripheral wall at opposite sides of the inlet openings, channeled members in said base having their ends abutting the peripheral wall in enclosing relation to the inlet openings and the baffle plates and constituting means for directing liquid from the inlet openings to the outlet, a tubular column extending upwardly from the outlet, and means at the upper end of the column for directing liquid flowing upwardly through the column outwardly and downwardly therefrom.

5. A device of the character described comprising a hollow base of a diameter adapting it to be placed within a receptacle and rest upon the bot-' tom thereof, said base having side inlets and a center opening through its top, a channeled strip extending through the base between certairT of the inlets and having side openings intermediate its length, other channeled strips secured through the side openings of the first channeled strip and extending laterally therefrom with their outer ends enclosing other inlet openings, a neck carried by the first channeled strip between the side openings thereof and wardly therefrom, and means at the upper end of said column for deflecting liquid moving up-' wardly through the column outwardly and downomn N.,-AoRriY."

extending upwardly through the center opening of the base, a tubular column carried by said neck and extending up-L i

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