US2344135A - Laundry drying machine - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1944. E. .1. DOWNES LAUNDRY DRYING MACHINE Fil ed March 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 14, 1944. E,IJ DQwNEs 2,344,135

LAUNDRY DRYING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fail/add flow/765 eilicienciee.

Patented Mar. 14,1944

UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,344,135 e mummy name MACHINE Edward J. nownes, Albany, N. Y. Y Application March 21, 1941,:sem1 No. 384,467

8 Claims. (01. 34-109) The type of laundry drying machine to which my invention relates comprises a casing having rotatably mounted therein a foraminous cylinder adapted to receive the articles'to, be dried. The machine has associated therewith a heating device, such as steam coils and the like; for heating the air which is admitted to the interior of the casing and a blower iorcausing a flow of heated air through the casing and the drum therein. One end of the drum is formed with an opening therein through which the articles I may be placed within the drum and taken there- I vention. to provide a laundry drying machine,-

from, and the" casing is provided with an opening arranged in registry with the opening in the end or the drum.. Within the interior of the drum are arranged a plurality of pairs of diametricallyopposed baflles which extend longitudinally of the drum and radially inwardly for a comparatively short distance; An electric motor, through a suitable driving mechanism, serves to rotate the drum within-the casing and, as

the drum rotates, he baflles serve to agitate the" articles to some extent, turning them over and over or tumbling them to promote rapid drying.

Heretofore, the bellies of the drum, above referred to, have been or substantially equal radial lengths and 'extendradially inwardly short of the edge 'of the opening in the end or the drum. In practice, the inner edges of the baiiles are spaced a substantial distance outwardly from the opening in the drum. For example, in one size of drying machines or the foregoing type, the interior of the drum is of a diameter of about 36" and the opening in the end of the drum is approximately of a diameter of about 24". In machines of thesedimensions, the baffles have a radial length of about 4", leaving a clearedges of the ballles and the opening in the drum. An appreciable spacing between the inner edges 1 of the bailles' and the opening in the drum has been considered essential in order to obviateanv As a result, and because of the heretofore considered necessarily limited radial length or the drum baflles, the, articles during the drying proc.

ess are neither distributed nor agitated to an However, I have determined that the-drum of a drying machine of the foregoing character may be provided with bellies of much greater radial length than heretofore considered practical and of suchlength that they extend inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the end of the drum thereby, for various reasons,

providing a machine of a pronounced and much' higher drying efliciency than has heretofore been attainable.

It is, therefore, the primary object of my inof the character above referred to, comprising a drum having an opening in the end thereof and provided interiorly thereof with baflles'which extend radially inwardly and beyond the edge of the said opening in th end of the drum.

. I have also determined thatbut one pair of diametrically opposedybaflles should beof such radial length as to extend inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the end or the drum in order to provide a drying machine which is highly eillcient, and the others of saidbaiiies may be of lesser radial length, or. of a lengthslmilar to thoseheretoiore used. The arrangement of the bailles in this manner provides very high drying efficiencies and is therefore preferable.

' The efllcienc of drying machines wherein the baiiles extend inwardly beyond the edge of the ancedistance 01' about 2" between the inner extent .sumcient to prevent entwining or rolling up or the articles in a comparatively compact mass or Hence-design of machines or this character does not promote high drying flciencies become still higher when the bailes are 'of appreciable, unequal radial lengths and but opening in the end oi'the drum is higher than the efficiencies otherwise obtainable because, for

one reason, the articles are more forcibly agitated-and continuously more uniformly distributed over the interior, cylindrical surface of-the drum and maintained in this relationship while being turned over or tumbled. In other words, the tendency or the articles to become rolled up in a ball, which is otherwise present when the drum rotates contimiouslyin one direction, is

ly e i d in a drum of the characterherein contemplated.

However, as above indicated, the efone pair of diametricallyopposedbailles extend; in f themanner above pointed 'out, inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the drum. The bailles, in this latter case, due to the appreciable diiference in their radial lengths,-8ubiect the ar-' ticles successively to agitation or tumbling to, quitediilerent degrees, thereby destroying any tendency ofthe articles to roll in a balland producing a better distribution and redistribution of the articles within the drum as it is rotated.

A second object or" inventiom therei'ore,

thereof into two compartments. Hence,

detail; I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, end elevation view of resides in-providing a drying machine having a drum of the character in'which one pair of the baflies are of greater radial length than the other baflies; and it is a further objectto provide a drum of this character in which the pair of op posed battles of greatest length extendAnwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the drum.

It is also an object of my invention to provide, in a drying machine, a drum having diametrically opposed baflles therein which extend radially inwardly beyond the edge of the opening inthe end of the drum, which baflles, at the ends thereof, comprise or tially flexible and yieldable elements which are arranged to extend between the ends of the substantially rigid baflies andthe stationary. parts of the machine thereby positively preventing articles within the drum-from being caught, as the drum is rotated, betweenthe baiiles and stationary parts of the machine.

The arrangement of th battles in the manner.

pointed out in the foregoing, alone, provides a drying machine having a much higher drying efiiciency than previous machines. Furthermore, when a pair ofdi-ametrically opposed baiiles extend inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the drum, they afford a means whereby an inexpensive barrier element may be readilypositioned within the drum for subdividing the interior not only do the baflles, when arranged as above pointed out, provide a highly efllcient drying operation when the drum constitutes a single compartment but also, since these baflies make possible the use of a simple and readilyinsertable partitioning above pointed out but diametrically opposed;

. One end plate 4 of are provided with substans 9, and the curved flange so opening I l in the opening ll element, the drum may be inexpensively and-- quickly converted intova two compartment element whereby two comparatively small-washes may be placed;respectively, inthe two compartments and dried simultaneously thereby still further increasing the 1 efliciency of the machine in the sense that the-time required simultaneously to dry the two washesis considerably less than that required successively to dry them.

It is, therefore, a still further object of my invention to provide, in combination, a drying machine including a drum having baifles therein of the character above pointed out and a partitioning member or simple and inexpensive construction which 'is adapted to be inserted through the openings in the casing and in the end' of the drum and moved, in sliding engagement with the endsor the diametrically opposed bailles which extend inwardly beyondthe edge of the opening in the drum, into drum-subdividing position.

I attain the foregoing and further objects of my invention, as will hereinafter appear, by emloying the novel constructions and the combinations and. arrange 'ents of elements described the accompanying drawbelow and illustrated in ings, in which s 1 is a front elevation view of a laundry drying machine embody 1 8-my invention;

Fig. 2- is a fragmentary, sectional elevation view thereof taken in about the plane 2-2 of F18. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary, sectional view of a a modification: Fig.. 6 illustrates a still further modification;

diametrically opposed,

spectively, of the machine.

a preferred form of and 2, I indicates generally a drying machine which comprises a casing 2 within which is rotatably mounted a, foraminous cylinder or drum 3. the drum is fastened ona supporting and drive shaft 5 which is journaled in bearings 6. The othen end plate 'I of the drum is provided with an opening 8 therein through which articles may be deposited within and taken from th drum. The edges of the end plate 'I surrounding the opening ltherein are preferably curved outwardly and reversely as indicated at formed is adapted to extend about an annular flange I'll with which the casing is provided. Flange l0 defines an n the casing which registers with the opening 8 in the drum. A closure element for in the casing,such as a door I2, may be hinged to the exterior of the casing 2 and isdesigned to be latched in closed position when the machine is in operation.

A suitable heating device, such as steam heated coils, is disposed in the top I! of the casing from which heated air may pass downwardly through an opening M therein to the interiorof the casing and the drum 3: Movement of the heated air through the drum is promoted by means of a suction device I, mounted adjacent the base of the machine, which sucks the air .from the interior of thecasing through an opening. it in the bottom thereof and discharges it through a pipe H. The suction device is operated by means of an electric motor I8 which also, through a suitable speed-reducing mechanism and sprockets l8 and 2a and chain 2|, serves to rotate the drum 3.

In the embodiment herein illustrated, the drum 3 is provided interio'rly thereof with two pairsof preferably substantially rigid, baflies which extend longitudinally of the drum. In accordance with the preferred form of my invention, one pair of at 22, are of a comparatively short'radial length and extend inwardly from the periphery of the drum short of the opening 8 in they end of the drum. However, the other pair of bailles, indicated at 23, are of greater length than the baflles 22 and extend inwardly .beyond the edges of the openings 8 and II in the drumand casing, re-

As hereinbefore pointed out, the bones, when arranged in this manner, produce agitation of the better distribution andredistribution of the articles as the drum iii-rotated so that, all portions aare placed withinthe drum from being caught. between those portions of the battles which ex- 1 the'drum and the stationary parts thereof are continuously or successively'exposed to the heated air passing through the casing In order positively to prevent articles which tend beyond the inner edge of the end plate I of of the machine, it'is necessary to provide each of the baiiles (see Figs. 3 and 4) with a preferably flexible and yleldable element 2 which may be formed of felt or like material and which preferably assaid baflles, indicated as the drum is rotated, to different de- 7 and to maintain this these baffles promote a;

tends from the ends of the baiiles and into su stantial engagement with the edge of the flange l about the opening II in the casing, and from flange H) to the curved edge 9 of opening 8 in the drum. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the inner surface of the door l2 lies space between the end of the baflie and the stationary parts of the machine, will be positively prevented from entering therein and being caught and mutilated. Therefore, the provision of a yielding element treme importance. The elements 24 when wiping the casing of the machine also serve another useful function. Ap-

to touch the sides of the flange adjacent thereto, and, otherwise, the element 29 serves substanend of the baiiie and and flange 28, and the inner surface of the door l2.

The end of the baflle, in all cases, is preferably spaced from the flange about the opening in the casing a distance of so that the yieldable elements may perform their intended function of preventing the articles from being caught. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the baflie 23 is cut away at the end thereof element 29.

-In the embodiment of Fig. 6 and when the baflie 23 is removable, the element 29 is preferably provided with a bolt 3| which passes therethrough and through slots 32 on opposite sides parently, as the drum of a drying machine of this I character is caused to rotate an electrostatic charge is built up on the drum and baflles therein. When the baiiies extend inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in the end of the drum, this charge will cause articles formed of silk and other materials having like electrical properties to gravitate toward the stationary flange IU of the casing and they will be caught between the baffles and end of the drum and the casing and torn. In some instances, such article so caught between the drumor baiiies and easing will stall the machine, and it has been observed that silks or articles of like material have the greatest tendency to segregate from in the above manner. However, the elements 24, when allowed to touch or wipe the casing,'serve to dissipate this electrical of the silks does not occur.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of yieldable element, indicated at 23. This element is adapted for use with a drying machine in which the inner edge of the door thereof when closed as indicated at 29, does not lie flush with the inner edge of flange In but is spaced therefrom the flange lo and extend substantially into abutting relationship with the inner surface of the door.

In Fig. 6, I have of the baflies. This in drying machines wherein the inwardly extending flange 23, which defines the opening in the casing, extends within the drum and beyond the inner edge of the end plate 1 thereof. For adaptation to machines of this character, a yieldable element 29 is provided which is recessed as indicated at 30 to receive theend of the flange 28 therein. Preferably, alledges of the reentrant portion 30 are arranged substantially the mass and-be caught element is designed'for use -However, the nut .ably, of course, the ends'of the of the baflie 23. A nut 33 serves to clamp the element against movement relative to the baiiie. 33 may be loosened and the element slid substantially entirely within the baiile so that the baflie may be removed from the drum, and the element 29 may then be removed from the baiiie.

My invention also contemplates the provision of a preferably flat and foraminous, substantially rigid plate-like element which, because the bailies 23 the openings in the end of the ing, may be adapted to slide baffles 23 and to be supported thereon as a partitioning element, subdividing the interior of the drum into two compartments. A preferred partitioning element construction, indicated generally at 35 in Figs. 7 and 8, comprises a as framing elements therefor. To each end of the element 36 are rigidly fastened strips 38 and 39 which extend therealong and cooperatively form a channel 01 suflicient therebetween the ends of the baiiies 23. Preferbaiiies 23 will extend to a .suflicient extent between the strips 33 and 39 as to adequately support the partitioning element thereon. The partitioning element preferably abuts the end plate 4 of the drum, when operatively positioned within said drum, and the other end thereof preferably hes in close proximity to the inner surface of the door l2. In practice, it is found that articles are never caught between the partitioning element and the door of the machine when arranged in the foregoing manner although, if desirable, a yieldable, flexible strip may be provided along that edge of the partitioning element which lies adjacent the inner surface of the door.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that by virtue of the arrangement and correlation 01' elements hereinbefore described, I provide a drying machine ofthe open end type having extremely high drying efliciencies as compared to previous machines of this character; and one which may be quickly and inexpensively converted from a single compartment to a double compartment drier, or vice versa, and is of higher efllciency than former machines of this type when used in either capacity. For example, the amount of work which can be performed by the machine of my invention, in terms of pounds of the order of about A inch extend inwardly beyond the edges of I drum and the cason the ends of the a single compartment drier.

' said drum; said drum having teriorly thereof with articles dried per day, or over any given period of time, is much higher than that which heretofore could be performed by machines of this general type and this is true even when used as However, when used as a double compartment machine and the customers washes, which are never mingled in a drier, are, let us say, approximately one-half the weight of the loading capacity of the machine, two of such washes may be dried simultaneously and in a length of time not greatly exceeding that required alone to dry one of said washes.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that, the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation. Hence, changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

l. In a laundry drying acter described, the having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing; and said drum being provided ina plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed baiiles extending longitudinally of said drum, both baflles of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphcry of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein whereby said bailles are of sufficient radial length to promote a highly exposed condition of the articles within the drum, as it is rotated, and compressible, yielding means disposed between the ends of said last mentioned pair of baflles and the casing of said machine for preventing the articles from wedging between the drum and casing.

2. In a laundry drying machine of the character described, the combinationwith a casin having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said drum; said drum having an opening in one and thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing: and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed baffles extending longitudinally of said drum, both bailles of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the 'edge of the said opening therein whereby said baflies are of suflicient radial length to promote a highly exposed condition of the articles within the drum, as it is rotated, and said last mentioned pair of baflies comprising compressible, yielding end portions in the zones thereof lying adjacent the opening in said casing and-inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in said drum and said end portions lying closely adiacent the casing at said opening therein 3. In a laundry dryi machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatabiy mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said machine of the chardrum; said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing; and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed baflies extending longitudinally of'said drum, both baflies of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein whereby said baiiles are of sufflcient radial length to promote a highly exposed condition of the articles within the drum, as it is rotated, and compressible, yielding means projecting beyond the ends of said last mentioned pair of battles in the zones thereof extending inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in said drum and adjacent the combination with a casing opening in said casing, said compressible yielding means being adapted to prevent the articles from wedgingbetween the drum and casing.

4. In a laundry drying machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said drum; said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing; and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed baffles extending longitudinally of said drum, both baflies of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein, and a partition element for subdividing the interior of said drum into two compartments, said element being adapted to pass through the opening in said casing and drum and being provided with means slidably engageable with the said last mentioned pair of battles for supporting said partition element therebetween whereby said partition may be slid into and operatively positioned with said drum.

5. In a laundry drying machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and-means for rotating said drum; said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing; and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed bafiles extending longitudinally of said drum, both baiiies of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein, and compressible yielding means disposed between the ends of said last mentioned pair of battles and the casing of said machine for preventing the articles from wedging between the drum and casing, and a partition element for subdividing the interior of said drum into two compartments, said element being adapted to pass through the opening in said casing and drum and being provided with means slidably engageable with the said last mentioned pair of baffles for supporting said partition eleement therebetween whereby said partition may go slid into and operatively positioned within said rum.

6. In a laundry drying machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a ioraminous drum rotatably mountt ed within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said drum; said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing; and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs of substantially diametrically opposed bafl'les extending longitudinally 01' said drum, both baflles of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein, and said last mentioned pair of bailles comprising compressible, yielding end portions in the zones thereof lying adjacent the opening in said casing mentioned pair of baiiles in and inwardly beyond the edge of the opening in said drum, and said end portions lying closely adjacent the casing at said opening therein, and a partition element for subdividing the interior of said drum into two compartments, said element being adapted to pass through the opening in said casing and drum and being provided with means slidably engageable with the said last mentioned pair of babies for supporting said partition element therebetween whereby said'partition may be slid into and operatively positioned within said drum.

7. In a laundry drying machine of the character described. the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said drum: said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotatewithitssaidopeninginregistrywiththe' opening in said casing; and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pairs 01' substantially diametrically opposed batlles extending longitudinally of said drum, both bailles of one of said pairs extending inwardly from the periphery of said drum beyond the edge of the said opening therein, and a partition element for subdividing the interior of said drum into two compartments, said element being adapted to pass through the opening in said casing and drum, and means for operatively supporting said partition element on said last drum-subdividing position.

8. In a laundry drying machine of the character described, the combination with a casing having an opening therein and a closure element therefor, of a foraminous drum rotatably mounted within said casing, means for passing air through said casing and drum and means for rotating said drum; said drum having an opening in one end thereof and being positioned to rotate with its said opening in registry with the opening in said casing: and said drum being provided interiorly thereof with a plurality of baiiles extending longitudinally of said drum, at least one of said baflles extending radially of said drum and inwardly beyond the edge of the said opening therein, a partition element for subdividing the interior of said drum into .two compartments, said element being adapted'to pass through the opening in said casing drum, and means for operatively supporting'said partition element on said last mentioned baflie and a second or said plurality of baiiies in drum-subdividing position. a

v EDWARD J; DOWNES.

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