US2388619A

US2388619A - Fub cleaning machine

Info

Publication number: US2388619A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1945-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1962-11-06

Description

Nov. 6, 1945. N. ROOT 2,388,619

FUR CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 7; 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6, 1945. 00

FUR CLEANING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 7, 1945 N. ROOT FUR CLEANING MACHINE Nov. 6, 1945.

Filed April '7, 1945 4 Sheei's-Sheet 3 Nov. 6, 1945. N. ROOT FUR CLEANING MACHINE Filed April '7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 llriilntlrllilllillilltltl i1 illIt1ifllliliflllillllillllfll v 'zazz' Patented Nov. 6, 1945 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE accasis FUR CLEANING Nathan Rootrfirand l tapids, Mich. Application April ,7, 1945-, Serial No. 587,121 I 101269-23) Claims.

This invention-relates to a fur cleaning machine, sometimes referred to in the trade as a fur drum.- It hasmore particular reference to a machine adapted to-the cleaning of garments comprising animal fur, wherein the garment is tumbled in a, rotating drum in the presence of specially compounded cleaning materials; usually wood: sawdust impregnated or combined with suitable solvents and/or detergents.

in the cleaning of fur garments the method commonly utilized is to place .the garments loosely in a drumadapted to be rotated relatively slowly, andto cleanse the 'fur while therein by. the action of a mixture of sawdust combined or impregnated with asuitable solvent and/or detergent. Bythus tumbling the garments and sawdust, the latter acts to carry the cleansing materials deeply into the pelt andto retain them in intimate contact with the hair andskin' until sufficient time has elapsed for thorough cleansing to have occurred.

To be ef'fic'acious, the prepared sawdust must be maintained in cleansing contact for the predetermined period of time, and following the cleansing the sawdust must be thoroughly. shaken employeda single perforate drum rotating within acasing. The sawdust is'delivered towithin the drum by scoops rotating-therewith to lift sawdust from the drum casing and to drop the same through'the drum. The sawdust is intended to perform its function .while passing from the point of delivery above to the lowestpoint of the drum whereat-it is sifted out through the perforations and into the casing; Removal of residual sawdust is accomplished by rotating the drum while the scoops are manually put out of action. Thus the second class of machines sufiers from its inability to retain the sawdust within the drum suilicientlylong to yield a thorough cleansing action. The third class-of'machines utilizes a single cylindrical drum having-a peripheral opening. During cleaning the-opening. is .covered by a solid panel manually slidinto placeove'r the being stationary.

opening. For disposal of the sawdust following thecleaning phase the machine is stopped, the solid panel removed, andta screen inserted in place'thereof, whereby upon further tumbling the sawdust is shaken out through the screen.

In one form of the machine of my invention only one drum, together with a concentric shutter, is utilized. The drum is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced, screened openings, and the shutter is provided with a plurality of leaves equal in numberito-the number of openings, and the shutter is adapted to be operated sothat in the cleansingphase the, leaves block the screened openingstoiretain the sawdust in the drum, but whene shaking out is to be accomplished the operator may, quickly positionlthe, shutter with its-leaves out of. register with the openings, and upon further rotation the sawdust is shaken out through the screenedvopenings to a container disposed below Repositioning of the shutter leaves for a'subsequent batch is immediately accomplished irrespective of whether the drum is rotating.

. Accordingly, the principal object of my invention is the provision in a fur-cleaning machine utilizing sawdust or similar particulate material capable ofthe same use'in'fur cleaning, and with .o withoutsolvents-and detergents; of a single drum ,for both cleaning and shaking-out and instantaneously convertible from a cleaning drum to a drum for -shaking out the particulate material ifrom the fur.

' 4 Still a further object is the provision in a furcleaning machine of a drum and a shutter revoluble therewith, the drum having a, plurality of screened openings in the periphery thereof and the shutter having an equal plurality of leaves adapted to block said openings or to expose them.

Another object is the provision of a drum and shutter cooperative .therewith as aforesaid, the drum, and shutter being adapted to rotate as a and theshutter being operable at selected intervals under the control of the operator to position the shutter in screen-blocking or screenexposing positions.

A. further object is the provision of manual means for actuating the revolving shutter with respect to the revolving drum into screen-blocking or screen-exposing positions, the said means Another object is the provision of resilient driv- ,ing connections between the shutter and the drum so that upon actuation of the manual means aforesaid; the shutter changes from screenexposing to screen-blocking position instantaneously.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings, which show one preferred form of my, invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 and showing the shutter in screen-exposing position;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.;

Fig. '7 is a cross section taken on the line I'I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig, 3 but of an alternative form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4 but of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8.

In the several views some parts have been shown broken away for clarity,

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine comprises a rectangular base II] to which is secured by any suitable means the casing II comprising front and rear panels I2 and I3, respectively, having inturned .base flanges I4 and I5, respectively, for securing the same to the base I0. As more clear1y shown in Fig. 4, the panels I2 and I3 each comprise a circular portion extending downwardly into a substantially rectangular portion. Joining the panels I2 and I3 is the peripheral casing portion I6 substantially cylindrical in form and extending downwardly in straight portions to correspond with the contour of the panels I2 and I3. Flanges I! and I8 serve to secure the portion I6 to the base III, and the entire casing II is welded or otherwise suitably joined to yield a rigid, box-like structure.

Attached as by bolts 2| to the panel I3 is the housing 22 having a'cylindrical aperture 23 into which is pressed the pair of anti-friction bushings 24. Adapted to rotate within the bushings 24 is the hollow shaft 25 and integral therewith is the flange 26 attached by means of rivets 21 to the shutter 28. The shutter 28 comprises a substantially circular disc 29 having three integral shutter-leaves 32 extending at right angles thereto and attached by means of rivets 33. It will be noted that the leaves 32 are imperforate and extend in a plane concentric with the casing I6. Although three leaves 32 are illustrated, it will be understood from what follows that there may be more or less.

Pressed into the aperture 36 of the hollow shaft 25 is a pair of anti-friction bushings 31 and adapted to rotate within said bushings is the shaft 38 having an integral flange 39 riveted as at M to the drum proper 42.

Drum 42 is cylindrical in form and comprises a circular rear wall 43 and an annular front wall 44, there being an aperture 45 in the front wall 44 flanged as at 46 to provide rigidity and a smooth entrance for access to the interior of the drum 42. drum 42 is provided with a plurality of rectangular openings 5| equal in number to the number of shutters 32, the said openings 5I being filled by a wire mesh screen 52, The size of -mesh is relatively unimportant except that it;

cannot be so large as to damage the garments or so small as to interfere with rapid disposal of The cylindrical Wall 41 of the.

low shaft 25, as well as by the flanged collar 54 attached by means of a setscrew 55 to the shaft 38.

The wall 43 of the drum 42 carries a pair of pins I4I preferably diametrally opposed to each other and adapted to engage a pair of arcuate slots I42 through the shutter 28, The latter is also provided with a pair of generall arcuate openings I43 also preferably positioned diametrally opposite one another and intermediate the slots I42. Through'apertures I 44 adjacent one end of the slots I43 are attached springs I45, the opposite end of each spring being attached to a pin I46 carried by the wall 43,

Through the front wall I2 of the casing there is provided an aperture 6I reinforced by a flanged rim 62, Mounted on the panel I2 is a pair of ears 63 upon which is hung the door 64, the arms 65 and pins 66 serving to support the door swingably on the ears 63. The door 64 is preferably circular in form and of sufficient extent to cover the opening 6| and may, furthermore, be provided with a finished face 61 equipped with a gasket, if desired, to provide a tight seal when the door is locked. A suitable handle II engaging a catch I2 affixed to the panel I2 serves to lock the door 64.

Interposed between the housing 22 and the collar 54 is the pulley I3, the hub 14 of which carries the setscrew I5 to lock the pulley 13 to the hollow shaft 25. The hub 14 has a circular aperture 16 parallel to the axis thereof and positionedint'ermediate the bore and peripher of the hub I4, and the collar 54 has an identical aperture 11 spaced the same radial distance from their common center of rotation, but the two apertures are adapted to be brought into register only under certain operating conditions to be hereinafter detailed.

Adapted to swing in the bifurcated end of a support 8I outstanding from. the pane] I3 is the yoke 82' (Figs. 2 and 5), one end thereof being pivoted on pins 83 adapted to engage apertures in the support 8|. Yoke 82 comprises a substantially thin flat member centrally ribbed as at 84 for rigidity, and provided with an enlarged annular portion 85'determining a circular aperture 86. Adapted to travel on the periphery of the aperture 86 is the pin 9I which includes a, pair of flanges 92 integral with a straight cylindrical portion 93 slidable Within the aperture 11. Thus it will be noted that when the collar 54 is rotated, it may carry with it the pin 9I the latter being constrained to travel a circularv path inside of the aperture 86 but being permitted axial movement only upon corresponding movement of the yoke 82. At its free end the yoke 82 is provided with an guided for axial movement in a bracket 9! attached to the panel I3, and threadedly engaged in a second bracket 98 affixed to the panel I2.

At its forward end the rod 96 is bent to form a crank 99 having a; handle I02.

The pulley 13 may be provided with a grooved mosphere.

rotate the. drum 42.

assent reducer unit H4 and motor I15 is-well known and may be'of the kind in whichthe gear reducer housing is a part of one of the housings of the motor and in which the driving gear is coupled directly to themotor armature, or the gear reducer H4 may be a separately mounted unit the input shaft ofwhich is connected by a suitable coupling to the shaft of the motor. A suitable switch" (not shown) serves to-start'andstop the motor II'5. 'At' the base "of the casing II is provided a drawer I2l having'a front 122, handle I23, and

narrower aperture coextensive with the drawer Preferably the lower straight sides of the peripheral portion I6 of the casing II are provided with Venting apertures 128 comprising, for example, openings screened by a suitable perforate material. Thus noxious fumes emitted by the detergent material may be vented freely to at- T supplement the venting openings I28 there may beprovided a motor driven blower I3I carried on a bracket I32 attached by any suitable means on the panel I3. The intake duct I33 of the blower is connected into the top of'the peripheral portion I6 of the cabinet as-at I34. The exhaustopening I35 of the blower is open to atmosphere. During operation-of the machine the motor driven blower I3I will be placed in operation to draw fumes from the machine and exhaust them harmlessly to the outside air.

. 1 er i n I In using the machine the door 64 is opened, the fur garmentsinserted throughtheopenings 6| and45 and deposited within the drum 42. Then predetermined amount of the proper cleaning material, for example,- wood sawdust impregnated will drive-the pulley I3 which, through the hollow shaft 36, will drive'the shutter 28 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig.4. Thus the trailing end ofthe slots I42 will engage the pins I4I to It will be-noted that in this relative position of the drum 42 and shutter 28 the leaves. 32 block the screened openings 52. Consequently the fur garments and cleaning substance are tumbled together within the drum until it is determined that the garments are properly cleaned. During this-portion of the process,

- known inf-the trade as drummingP'Iit will: be

obvious that the garments and the sawdust are retained within the cabinet in. thenecess'ary intimacy of contact, and that the tumbling motion of the garments and sawdust will efiect an efficient cleansing action, the fragmentary particles being brought down and around the hairs in a thorough but gentle manner, all as known to the art. While this occurs, any noxious fumes escape through the vents I28 orare exhausted through the duct I33 and fanI3I- At the completion of the drumming phase, the motor H5 is stopped, whereupon the springs I45 will contract to rotate the drum 42 clockwise until the latter is stopped by the pins I4! striking the leading. 'end of the slots I42. Such relative shifting of the drum with respect to the shutter will move the screened openings 52 out from beneath the shutter leaves 32 (Fig. 5) to expose the said openings. The angle subtended by the ends of the slots I42, taking into account the diameter of. the pins MI, is equal to the angle between a radial line through the pin 9I anda radial line through the aperture I6 when drumming is being performed. Accordingly, when the drum 42 shifts relatively to the shutter 28 as aforesaid, the pin 9i will be brought into register with the aperture 18. The handle I02 is. now turned to actuate the yoke 32 inwardly of the machine to slide the pin 9| into the aperture I6. .The motor H5 is again started and the pulley .l'3 may now, through the pin 9|, rotate notonly the shutter 28, but the drum 42, and such continued rotation will shake the sawdust out of the drum and garments through the openings .52an'd chute I41 and into the drawer I24.

After a sufiicient length of time has elapsed for all of the sawdust to be thoroughly shaken-out of the garments and from the drum 42, the machine is stopped and thegarments removed. The sawdust in the drawer I24 may be re-used as is or blended with fresh material, depending upon the degree of exhaustion of the detergent elements therefrom.

To prepare the machine for the next cycle, the handle I02 is rotated in the opposite direction to withdraw the pin. 9| from the aperture I6. Accordingly, when drumming is recommenced the rotation of the shutter 28 will return it to that position relative to the drum 42 shown in Fig. 4, the springs I45 then being extended for as long as the motor is driving. I

In Figs. Sand 9 there is shown an alternativ I form of the apparatus, the yoke 82, pin 9|, hub

54 and their associated parts, as well as the springs I45, being omitted. In this embodiment the motor H5 is of the reversing type provided with astop-start-reverse switch, I5I mounted in any suitable place convenient for the operator.

. the slots I42. .Inthat positiontheshutter 28,

instead of driving the pins I4-I throughthe ends of the slots shown in contact therewith in Fig. 9, will drive the pins by contact with the opposite ends of the slots. It will be noted that in such relative driving position of the shutter'28 and drum 42, the leaves 32 expose the'openings 52 with the same results-as explained in connection with the main embodiment. J a i Although the description herein is directed to a machine of the type disclosed, in which the drum is rendered shiftable with respect to the shutter when it is desired to transfer from the cleaning phase to the shaking out phase, I desire to include within the scope of the specification and claims a machine so constructed that the shutter may shift relatively to the drum. This could be accomplished, for example, by driving the drum and interconnecting the shutter with the drum through the use of a pin and aperture as already detailed. The gist of the invention lies in the relative shifting of the drum and shutter in order to effectuate the opening and closing of the screened openings, and accordingly it will be understood that this object may be reached if the drum were the driving member and the shutter the driven member, this involving merely a simple reversal of these two principal parts of the apparatus and the necessary slight rearrangement of the remaining parts associated therewith, all of which is deemed within the skill of the art.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cleaning machine adapted to receive fur garments and a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a supporting structure, a source of power, a hollow cylindrical drum to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said structure and having a plurality of apertures therein, a shutter member provided with leaves equal to the number of said apertures and each leaf being at least coextensive with an associated aperture, said member being supported for rotation in said structure, means connecting said source with said member for rotation thereof, means intermediate said drum and member whereby rotation of said member rotates said drum, resilient means intermediate said drum and member normally urging said member and drum in opposite angular directions with respect to each other, and selectively operable means to lock said drum and member with respect to each other whereby driving of said member drives said drum to position said leaves in register with said apertures and interruption of said driving permits said leaves to move out of register with saidapertures under urging of said resilient means.

2. A cleaning machine adapted to receive fur garments and a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a supporting structure, a source of power, a hollow cylindrical drum to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said structure, the periphery of said drum having spaced perforate zones, a shutter member provided with leaves equal to the number of said zones and each leaf being at least coextensive with an associated zone, said member being supported for rotation in said structure, means connecting said source with said member for rotation thereof, means intermediate said drum and member whereby rotation of said member rotates said drum, resilient means intermediate said drum and member normally urging said member and drum in opposite angular directions with respect to each other, and selectively operable means tolock said drum and member with respect to each other whereby driving of said member drives said drum to position said leaves in register with said zones and interruption of said driving permits said zones to move out of register with said leaves under urging of said resilient means.

3. A machine for drumming and shaking-out fur garments including the use of a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a hollow drum to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame, said drum having a plurality of spaced perforate zones in the periphery thereof, a shutter member having a plurality of elements equal to the number of zones and each element being at least coextensive with an associated zone, the said member being supported for rotation in said frame, and the said elements being adapted to block said zones during drumming, means for driving said member, means intermediate said drum and member whereby said member drives said drum, means for shifting said member and drum angularly with respect to each other, and selectively operable means to lock said drum and member with respect to each other when said drum and member are shifted, the said elements moving out of blocking position upon said shifting, whereby continued rotation of the drum and shutter efiectuates shaking-out the material from the garments and drum. 4. A cleaning machine adapted to receive fur garments and a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a drum to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame, said drum having a plurality of spaced perforate zones in the wall thereof, a shutter member having a plurality of imperforate elements equal to the number of zones and each element being at least coextensive with an associated zone and said elements being adapted to be operated into and out of register with said zones, said member being supported for rotation in said frame, means for driving said member, means intermediate said drum and member whereby said member drives said drum, means for shifting said shutter and drum angularly oppositely with respect to each other to move said elements into and out of registering position.

5. A machine for drumming and shaking-out fur garments including the use of a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a container to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame, said container having a plurality of apertures therein, a member supported for rotation in said frame and having a plurality of apertures, said member during the drumming phase being positioned with its non-apertured portions blocking the apertures in said container and means selectively operable to position the apertures in said member in register with the apertures in said container for the shaking-out phase, and means for rotating said container and member as a unit.

6. A machine for drumming and shaking-out fur garments including the use of a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a container to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame. said container having a plurality of apertures therein, a member supported for rotation in said frame and having a plurality of apertures, said member during the drumming phase being positioned with its non-apertured portions blocking the apertures in said container, driving means connected to said member, means intermediate said container and drum whereby rotation of said member is imparted to said drum, resilient means intermediate said container and drum effective upon termination of rotation of said member to rotate said drum with respect to said member to position the apertures in said drum and in said member in register, and means to lock said drum and container in said last-mentioned position.

7. A machine for drumming and shaking-out fur garments including the use of a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a container to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame, said container having a plurality of perforations therein, a member associated with said container and supported for rotation in said frame and havin a plurality of perforations therein, said member during the drumming phase being positioned with its imperforate portions blocking the perforations in said container, driving means connected to said member, said container being provided with a plurality of elements and said member having a like plurality of arcuate openings, the said elements being adapted to engage with said openings to form a driving connection between said member and container, a plurality of elements interconnecting said container and member and normally adapted to bias the member with respect to the container angularly in a direction opposite to the normal joint direction of rotation of the said member and container whereby upon interruption of the rotation of said container and member said container is shifted angularly with respect to said member to efiect registration of the said two sets of perforations.

8. A cleaning machine adapted to receive fur garments and a particulate cleaning material comprising in combination a frame, a hollow, cylindrical drum to receive the garments and material and supported for rotation in said frame, a plurality of screened openings in the periphery of said drum, a circular member juxtaposed to one end of said drum and rotatably supported in said frame and having a like plurality of vanes adapted to be positioned to block said openings or to expose said openings, means for rotating said member, said member having a, plurality of arcuate slots and said drum having a like plurality of elements each adapted to engage a slot associated therewith whereby rotation of said member imparts rotation to said drum, a plurality of resilient elements interconnecting said drum and member, said resilient elements being so proportioned that the inertia of the drum, its associated parts and contents during joint rotation of the drum and member tends to bias the said elements to a stressed condition such that upon interruption of said joint rotation of said drum and member said elements will angularly displace said drum with respect to said member to move the said vanes from blocking position to nonblocking position.

9. A fur cleaning machine adapted to clean furs by the use of a particulate detergent material and to shake out said material after completion of the cleaning phase comprising in combination a rotatable cylindrical drum having a plurality of apertures in the periphery thereof, a shutter member having a like plurality of leaves and adapted to rotate with said drum, said leaves being at least coextensive with said apertures and positioned during the cleaning phase in apertureblocking position, said drum being adapted to be shifted angularly relative to said shutter, means for imparting rotation to said drum and member, means for actuating said drum relative to said shutter after completion of the cleaning phase to shift said drum and to position said leaves in aperture-exposing position. 7

10. A fur cleaning machine adapted to clean furs by the use of a particulate detergent material and including a drumming phase and a shakingout phase comprising in combination a rotatable drum to receive the furs and material and havin a plurality of apertures therein, means to rotate said drum, a shutter shiftable relatively to said drum and adapted to rotate with said drum and having a plurality of leaves, each said leaf being associated with a said aperture, said leaves being positioned during the drumming phase to block said apertures and adapted upon such relative shifting of said shutter and drum to expose said apertures for the shaking-out phase, and means for effecting said shifting.

NATHAN ROOT.