US2536517A

US2536517A - Washing machine having air agitation

Info

Publication number: US2536517A
Application number: US710016A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Rudolph G Schaaf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-11-15
Filing date: 1946-11-15
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1.951

R. G. SCHAAF, JR

WASHING MACHINE HAVING AIR AGITATION Filed Nov. 15, 1946 INVENTOR. RUDOLPH G. SCHAAF JR ATTORNEYS flow apparatus does not interfere in any way with the loading or unloading of the machine.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel washing machine in which all apparatus within the tank of the washing machine is stationary.

The foregoing and many other objects of my invention will become apparent in the following description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through my novel washing machine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal view partly in crosssection taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional enlargement of a portion of Figure l.

Figure 4 s a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

. Re erring now to the figures, my novel washing machine comprises a stationary tank In, having an open top H which is closed by the cover 12. The top central'portion of the cover I2 is provided with a recess !3 in the center of which is secured the handle i l by means of which the cover may be placed and removed.

The hand e it does not, as shown in Figure 1, completely fi l the recess. The nortion of the recess adiacent and somewhat below the overhang oi the handle M is provided with a plurality of openin s it to permit the air which is introd ced into the washing mach ne body, for operativ pur oses as ereinafter described, to esca e fina t o gh the top of the machine without dis -w ine t e cover.

The bott m wall 2 of the tank is provided with an o en n 2! t rou h which is led the air intake ri e 22. The o enin through which p pe 22 passes. is ap ro r ately sealed to avoid any leaka e. n an s ita le manner, as for instance by th askets 4. e d in ac by nuts 25 threaded on he o -tside of the tube 22.

' Tube is o en at the upper end 2T. Top guide late 51 is secure over the o en end of t be 22 in s ch a manner as to permit an air flow out of the o en end 2'! of tube 22 while nevertheless the guide late 28 is supported by tube 22. Th s is accom lis ed by threading the upper end of tube 22 at 3!! and placing a sup orting nut 3| o t e threa s 3 as sho n in Figure 3, the nut 3| b ing provided with the dependent angular flan e 32.

An annular sup ort 33 is secured to flange 32 of n t 3| in anv suitab e manner, as by a plurality of rivets 34, as shown. The annular support is bent over to form the supporting annular flan e 35. Plate 28 is secured to s pport ng annular flan e 35 above the opening 21 of tube 22 by a plurality of rivets 36, 3B.

Appropriate spacing bv the p ate 23. and the sup ortin flan e 35 is obtained by pro erly dimensioned bus in s 31, ii! on rivets 35. Thus, air may flow readily, as shown by the arrows in Figures 1 and 3, out through top 21 of tube 22 and then is guided by guide plate 28 through the annular passa e between plate 28 and the support ng flange 35. The upper portion ii! of outer guide 4! is secured in any suitable manner to assure an air seal along the outer periphery of guide plate 28. The lower portion 42 of guide 4! is secured at 43 to the bottom 2i; of tank in, and is also braced by the annular securement flange 44 a ainst the tube 22; I

The lower portion 22 of guide Al is extended up to telescope with respect to upper portion 40.

(iii

This telescoping arrangement produces the upwardly directed annular passage 46. Air, which is blown by fan 5d, operated by motor 5|, up through the tube 22, is thus directed by guide plate 28 downwardly within the guide member 40.

The air, under pressure, now flows out through annular opening &8 at the bottom of guide 49 and then flows up through passage 45 into the tank. The air must be of at least sufiicient pressure to overcome thepressure of the head of water between upper water level 50 and the lower end of passage :58. With the air at such pressure or higher, then there is sufiicient force to force air out through the lower end of passage 48; the air will then rise through the annular passage 36 and up through the water in the tank.

The air bubbles, rising from passage 33 from about thecenter of the tank, are guided outward- 1y by the concavity of the guide element iii, which converts the buoyant vertical lift of the air flow into a horizontal radially outward mot on necessary to faci itate circulatory motion of the load of wash. This circulatory motion is enhanced by the concavity of the lower guide section 42.

Thus, by air means alone and no moving parts within the tank, the water is forced to circulate w th the clothing in the direction indicated by the arrows Hi, the clothing being slowed down by corrugations E2. The guide sections at and 42 of the guide 4! not only serve to ensure a circulatory motion of the water, but the corrugations l2. 12 on these guides provide a wash-board efiect wherein the wasl'uwhich may tend to acouire t e movement of the water. is slowed do n so that the water may circ late through the nterstices of the wash and clean the same. This is in addition to t e wash-board or rubbing and flexing effect obtained.

By the fore oing means, therefore, I have avoided all moving parts within my washing machine body. No complex oscillatory mo ements are required, as all moving mechanical parts within the wash ng machine body are avoided. The only moving part nee ed at all is a fan or other compressor outside the tub and a motor for operating it.

The air intake and exhaust do not interfere in any way with handling. loading or unloading the machine. The circulatory action is obtained. not by continuous and vigorous spanking by paddles which may cause damage and excessive wear to the clothes. and rnav even knot the clothes up, but by gentle air bubbles which may be at sumcient pressure to cause appropriate circulation of the water with respect to the wash.

While I have described my invention with respect to washing machines, it will obvious that it is adapted to other types of apparatus such as dry cleaning machines, dyeing apparatus and other types of machines where circulation of a fluid with respect to cloth or other solid or woven material is desired.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention solely in connection with an illustrative embodiment thereof. Since many variations and modifications of my invention will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, I prefer to be bound, not by the specific disclosures herein contained, but only by the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with asource of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of saidconoentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first men tioned vertical tube; said concentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water.

2. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and Wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with a source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned means comprising the format on of said concentric tube so that its lower diameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large and. so that the sides of the tube are concave.

3. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the Water; said last mentioned means comprising the formation of said concentric tube so that its lower diameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large and so that the sides of the tube are concave; and an additional guide surrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising an additional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bottom of the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exit of air from the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide being concave.

4. A Washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned means comprising the 'for mation of said concentric tube so that its lower diameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large andso that the sides of the tube are concave; an additional guide surrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising an additional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bottom of the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exit of air from the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide being concave; said last mentioned guide extending above and outside of the lower end of said first concentric tube and being spaced therefrom to form an upwardly directed air exit passage.

5. A Washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upperend' thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned means comprising the formation of said concentric tube so that its lower diameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large and so that the sides of the tube are concave; and an additional guide surrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising an additional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bot tom of the vat and substantially small diameter atthe point of exit of air from the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide being concave; said first mentioned concentric tube and said additional guide having undulating outer surfaces.

6. A washing machine comprising a vat for contain ng laundry to be washed and wash Water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the Water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion. of the water; said last mentioned means comprisin the formation of sad concentric tube so that its lower diameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large and so that the sides of the tube are concave; and additional guide surrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising an additional concentric member of V relatively large diameter at the bottom of the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exit of air from the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide being concave; said first mentioned concentric tube and said additional guide having corrugated surfaces.

7. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; said means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substant ally the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicatin through the bottom of the vat with a source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed. and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; said concentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said concentric tube including concave elements in said vat concentric with said vertical tube; said concave ele- V j ments extending outwardly on a curve at the top being open and located below the level of the Water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; said concentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the Water; said concentric tube including concave elements in said vat con- 8. centric with said vertical tube; said concave elements extending outwardly on a curve at the top and bottom of said vat; the surfaces of said guide means being transversely undulated.

9. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to be washed and wash Water; means for introducing air into said vat at a point below the upper level of the water; sa d means comprising a substantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of said vat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower end communicating through the bottom of the vat with a source of air under pressure; a substantially concentric tube surround ng the first vertical tube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located below the level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spaced above the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; said concentric tube comprising:

means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said concentric tube including concave elements in said vat concentric with sa d vertical tube; said concave elements extending outwardly on a curve at the top and bottom of said vat; the surfaces of said guide means being corrugated with substantially horizontal fiutes. RUDOLPH G. SCI-IAAF, Js.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS