US2539533A - Laundry machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 P. w. DOUGLAS 3 LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed June 16, 1948 4 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 JET 9.]- 1 3 4- 58 I 52 3o 3 38 i 40 -/0- IN V EN TOR.

ATTI' RNEY Jim. 30, 1951 P. w. DOUGLAS LAUNDRY MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1948 INVENTOR. PEYTD-N W DmJsLAs ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1951 P. w. DOUGLAS 2,539,533

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed June 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvrox. Pmr'rurr WT DuusLAs ATTUE'NEY P. W. DOUGLAS LAUNDRY MACHINE .Jan. 30, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 16, 1948 INVENTOR. PEYTDHW DOUGLAS ATTDHNE'Y a Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED LAUNDRY MACHINE Peyton w. Douglas, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor a Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 16, 1948, Serial N0. 33,370

11 Claims.

This invention relates to balancing of centrifugal extracting apparatus, the invention havins particular applicability to washing machines employing centrifugal extraction for damp drying.

In centrifugal extracting apparatus, and particularly where applied to washing machines, there is usually difliculty in achieving uniform distribution of the load within the extractor so that balanced conditions prevail throughout the extracting speed range employed. The problem is particularly troublesome in laundry apparatus for the reason that various textiles tend to retain difl'erent percentages of moisture when in soaking wet condition, and consequently although distributed apparently evenly from the volumetric standpoint, the actual weight -factor is practically certain to be substantially out of balance. The problem has been enhanced by the introduction of automatic laundry apparatus wherein reliance for the proper distribution of the laundry prior to centrifuging is left entirely to chance, as, for example, a haphazard tumbling action and wherein the skill of the operator in judging the proper distribution of the laundry during loading is not utilized. Additionally, even though laundry may be properly distributed as by careful placement of an operator prior to rotation of the extractor basket, rotation may cause the material to become displaced and thereby create an unbalanced condition, this being particularly true of horizontal axis machines. The problem is so severe that in many instances heavy weights arranged in balanced relation are employed to increase the rotating mass and thereby reduce the percentage of possible off-- balance and the off-center radius of the center of mass. In other instances, the journals in which the extractor rotates are connected to heavy stationary masses which are expected to reduce the serious vibration which would otherwise result from the high speed rotation of the unbalanced laundry load. Resort to such methods does not tend to eliminate the actual unbalance at the source.

It is an object of the present invention to automatically self-compensate a centrifugal extractor for an unbalanced condition.

A further object of the invention is to utilize the unbalanced load in a centrifugal extractor automatically in a manner such that as the mass is brought to speed, the extracted water will be delivered to balancing compartments so arranged as to substantially balance the unbalanced load which contained the water to be extracted.

Astill further object of the invention is to provide such a balancing system which may be applicable to automatic washing machines having included in the cycle of operation an extractor 2 It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a transverse axial section through a washing machine of the horizontal axis type to which the invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 Figure 1, showing certain duct details;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1', showing additional duct details as well as relative arrangement of the balancing compartments:

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic figures showing the flow of fluid during rotation of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 3 for extracting pur- P Figure 6 is a transverse axial section of a vertical axis machine having the invention applied thereto; and

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken through Figure 6 on the line showing ducts and balancing compartments.

Referring tothe drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3, there is illustrated a washing machine of the rotating horizontal axis cylinder type, comprising a washing drum I. ro-' tatably mounted in a stationary housing I! in which is enclosed a rear bearing framework II. The drum it has an outer wall it extending forwardly and tapered inwardly and formed into a front wall It having a centrally located circular loading aperture- 20. To the rear of the outer wall iii are secured spaced back walls 22 and 24, which are connected together to form a unitary structure by vanes 26 and to which structure is secured a hollow rear bearing trunnion 28. The trunnion 28 is journaled in spaced bearings 30 mounted upon the framework It, the same being forked as at 32 to receive a drive pulley 34 between the spaced bearings 30. The forwardend of the cylinder I6 is also supported for rotation by means of a rotatable circular door 36 mounted upon a bearing 38 and stationary stub shaft 40, the latter being carried upon a stationary door 42 arranged in the front wall 44 of the cabinet H, the door 42 being hinged to the front wall in any suitable manner. The circular door 38 is adapted to engage a sealing ring 46 of any desired type,

, that shown being carried in an annular recess 48 stage and in which the machine may have a verv surrounding the loading aperture 20 of the cylinder I8, and the construction is such as to provide axial pressure of the door 36 against the seal 18 when the door is held in closed position.

The outer wall it of the drum i0 is imperforate and provided with a plurality of battles 50 extending lengthwise thereof, preferably uniformly spaced, and in the arrangement shown, there are three in number. Water is admitted to the cylinder through the hollow trunnion 28 by means of a supply pipe'" terminating in a spray rosette acsaass bers are provided with apertures 62 along their length on one side and adjacent the base, so that liquid may drain to the channel and thereafter be discharged to the rear of the cylinder in a manner which will hereinafter appear.

The ducts 64 thus formed by the baiiies 50 extend to the rear plate 22 and there connect to substantially arcuate passageways 86 which extend counterclockwise around the rear forward face of the back wall 22 approximately 120. The direction and arcuate length of the ducts 66 is such that upon rotation of the cylinder in a counterclockwise direction, washing fluid contained within the cylinder l0 may not escape, since any tendency of wash fluid to flow through direction, any liquid discharged into the compartments Ill from the washing cylinder will in turn be scooped by the vanes 26 as rotation takes place, and lifted to the center or axis of the cylinder and thereby delivered to the hollow trunnion 28 whence the fluid may be discharged to a drain receptacle II and thereafter led oil. to a suitable drain connection 18. The operation just described requires that the clockwise rotation speed be not excessive, that is, that it be not so great as to be interfered with by centrifugal force which would, if sufliciently great, tend to cause the wash water to arrange itself upon the peripheral walls of the chambers Ill and resist the spiral lifting or pumping action of the spiral vanes 26. In practice, washing may be effected by a rotation of the cylinder in a counterclockwise direction at a speed in the neighborhood of 60 R. P. M., with a 20 inch diameter drum and suitable draining operation may be effected by clockwise rotation at a similar speed, these speeds being such as not to introduce centrifugal force to a suflicient exthe ducts 66 is counteracted by the direction of that only for a brief moment is the opposite end below the level L of the wash fluid, and before any substantial quantity of fluid may enter the duct, the discharge end has been elevated above the level. and such fluid as may have entered the duct is thereafter drained back into the cylinder. Such action occurs when the duct reaches the position in which the duct l6 appears. Thus, it will appear that the maintenance of fluid within the wash cylinder during the washing period depends upon the direction of rotation.

In order to eifect drainage of washing fluid from the cylinder, rotation of the cylinder is reversed. The ducts 66 thereupon act as scoops and provide a bailing action. For this purpose, the outlet 68 of each of the ducts 66 at the discharge end lead into segmental compartments 10 located between the rear walls 22 and 2|, the compartments being formed by such walls and the previously referred to vanes 26. The compartments are three in number to correspond to the sections between the baffles and are each of like capacity and shape. Each compartment is bounded at one endby a vane and at the other end by an adioining vane and a radial partition 12 such compartment as so bounded is substantially diametrically opposed to the corresponding internal segment within the drum. Partition l2 closes off the acute angular portion of the compartment which would be difllcult to maintain clean, and further controls the effective center of the compartment, placing such center opposite the center of the corresponding segment. It will be seen thatthe vanes 26 are spiral in nature and terminate together at the center or axis of the cylinder, and the dihedral space 13 between such vanes at the center connects directly with the hollow trurmion 28.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that upon slow rotation of the cylinder in a clockwise tent to overcome the normal effect of gravity.

It will also be appreciated that the problem of balancing does not arise at these speeds, since the 'laundry material contained within the cylinder in will tumble about and constantly rearrange itself within the cylinder during rotation at such low speeds.-

To centrifugally extract washing fluid entrained in the laundry after the draining operation has been completed as previously described by relatively slow rotation of the cylinder in a clockwise direction, the rotation of the cylinder may be substantially increased in speed to as high as 600 R. P. M. or thereabouts, if desired. As the speed of the cylinder increases, the tumbling action of the laundry within the cylinder as previously described may tend to arrange the material about the outer wall It of the cylinder l0, but as soon as a predetermined speed is reached, centrifugal force will approach the force of gravity and at this point the laundry will tend to retain its position against the outer wall it; further increase of speed will increase the centrifugal force and hold the laundry as thus distributed against the outer wall It and prevent further displacement other than matting down of the laundry in response to further increase of centrifugal force and rotation speed.

Since the distribution which takes place is unlikely to arrange the laundry uniformly. and results in a haphazard distribution such that the weight of the laundry plus entrained water is non-uniformly distributed about the cylinder, considerable vibration will result. Should the laundry load be composed of pile fabrics such as heavy toweling or chenille fabrics which are not of a length to permit even distribution around the circumference of the cylinder, the unbalanced condition may be extremely severe because of the great amount of moisture entrained in such material. The unbalanced condition under-such circumstances may be so severe as to strain the machine unduly and require an inordinate amount of power to increase the speed of rotation to a degree sufficient to perform the extracting operation. In fact, the unbalance may be so severe as to preclude any substantial increase in speed and thus prevent extraction.

From a consideration of the structure thus far described, it will be seen that as the speed of rotation reaches that necessary to provide sufncient centrifugal force to overcome the force of gravity, the effectiveness of the spiral vanes 28 .to lift or direct liquid from the compartments 18 to the drain sleeve 28 terminates and thereafter any liquid delivered to the compartments 10 will be prevented from leaving such compartments. It will also appear that the conduits 88 are so arranged as to lead any liquid arriving in the space between two adjacent baiiles 80 to a compartment I which is substantially diametrically opposite to the space between such baiiles. Thus, as the speed of rotation is increased to a point where substantial centrifugal extraction commences, the liquid extracted from the laundry held by centrifugal force between any pair of baiiles will be led to the chamber III at the opposite side of the cylinder. Accordingly, if the laundry contained within' the cylinder is disposed unevenly, the moisture extracted from the laundry contained in the various spaces between the adjacent bames 80 will also be uneven insubstantially like proportion. By leading the extracted liquid to the chambers oppositely located, the extracted water automatically tends to counterbalance the uneven loading.

The balancing eii'ect resulting, while in most cases not exact, is quite effective for the reason that the laundry in general. when sopping wet, weighs, with the water entrained, approximately double the weight of the same laundry after havq ing been damp dried by centrifugal extraction. Thus, the amount of water removed and transmitted to the opposed chamber is about equal in weight to the laundry contained in the particular opposite sector when extraction has been completed. Thus, an approximate diametrical balance is established for each of the sectors between the baiiies 50. Since a large portion of the entrained water is removed before full speed is attained, the balance is substantially established before full speed is reached, thus effectively relieving the strain which would otherwise be manifested by the non-uniform distribution.

It will be seen that the chambers I8 are located at a radial distance comparable to the laundry, a somewhat greater radius. however, being essential to assure flow of extracted water through the conduits 88, which for the purpose are provided with a slightly spiralled outer wall 81, the radius of which increases from the baiiie end to the discharge port 88. Not only is the duct 88 provided'with a spiral wall 81, but the cylinder wall itself, particularly adjacent the wall 22, is slightly spiralled between ducts as at 88, with offsets 8i so that extracted water tends to flow in the direction of arrow C, under centrifugal force to the ducts 88, and thence into the spiral ducts 88.

After extraction is completed, the speed of rotation is reduced and upon reaching a critical speed, the spiral vanes 28 act to lift or direct the water to the center and discharge the same to the hollow trunnion 28 and thence to drain. The operation is similar to that shown in my copending application Serial No. 775,236, flied September 20, 1947.

Reference to Figures 4 and 5 will diagrammatically illustrate the manner in which an unbalanced wash load W, sopping wet, will be subjected to centrifugal force tending to cause the en trained water to travel in the direction of the arrows E, such water ending up in the one of the pockets I8 diametrically disposed from the wash load to act as a counterbalance (see Figure- 5).

Balancing by utilizing the foregoing principle may be accomplished in a vertical axis machine I08, and within which wash fluid is retained. The

casing is provided with an access or loading door III, having a resilient annular rubber-like sealing member I88, bearing lightly against a flange I08 in the upper open end of the drum I88. The wall of the drum I88 is imperforate and tapered slightly to provide a larger diameter at the bottom. The bottom plate I08 is also imperforate, and the drum is provided with a plurality of rib members III arranged upright along the inside side wall thereof at uniformly angularly spaced positions or regions A, B and C. The ribs Ill areprovided with ports II2 connecting the drum with the channel II8 formed by the ribs. The lower end of the drum and bottom wall III is surrounded by a peripheral and bottom-enclosing chamber II8 formed by the end wall III which is upwardly and inwardly flared as at I28 and secured to the sidewall of the drum I88 as at I22.

The chamber III is divided into a number of "arcuate spaces or regions D, E and F by radial partitions I28, the number of arcuate spaces being similar to the number of intervening arcuate spaces defined bythe ribs H0 in the drum I00. The arcuate spaces between partitions I28 in the chamber are so oriented with respect to the spaces between the ribs H0 in the drum as to be oppositely disposed from one another. Within the drum I08 and adjacent theperiphery of the bottom wall I08 are provided substantially arcuate passageways I28 connecting the interior of the ribs IIO with the spaces defined by the partitions I28, the conduits I28 in each case being of a length to connect the space within the tub between adjacent ribs I I 0 with the respective partition defined spaces in the chamber I I8 substantially diametrically opposed therefrom. The outer walls I21 of the conduits I28 may be slightly spiralled outwardly to assure flow therealong into the chamber I I8. The region A is thus connected to the region D, B with E, and C with F.

The drum I08 is supported upon a hollow trunnion I28 journaled in the frame I08 and is adapted to be driven through a belt drive I by a motor I82, the drive thus provided being adapted for relatively high speed centrifugal extraction of wash or rinse water from laundry contained within the drum I08.

Extending through the hollow trunnion I28 and through a water-tight packing I 88 in the tub bottom I08 is an agitator shaft I38 having secured at its upper end an agitator I38. The shaft I88 is adapted to be oscillatably driven by a, suitable transmission I80 and drive motor I82, as will be well understood in the art. The agitator shaft I88 is hollow as at I88, and notched at its upper end as at I88 to provide mechanism for disengaging the agitator from the shaft I08. The hollow sleeve I88 of the agitator is provided with pins I50 engaging the notches I88 when in the position shown, and by means of an axially movable rod I52 bearing against the head I58 of the agitator, the same is adapted to be lifted a suflicient distance to clear the pins I50 above the notches- I88 to disengage the agitator from the shaft I38. 'Any suitable means such as the lever I58 and a power actuation such as a solenoid I58 may be employed for shifting the rod I52 to disengage the agitator from the shaft I88. When so disengaged, it will be apassaosa preciated that the agitator is free to rotate as. for example, during extracting rotation of the drum I06. i a

The hollow trunnion I28 connects at its upper end with the chamber II6 and at its lower end to the stationary sump I60, there being provided water-tight packing connection I82 to the trunnion I28. A packing I68 is provided between the shaft I36 and the bottom wall of the sump I60. The sump I60 is connected through a valve I64 to a pump I66. It will be appreciated that when the valve is closed, wash water may be retained within the chamber I I6 and at a suitable level within the drum I08 for washing purposes; and that upon opening the valve I64, the drum I may be drained and the waste water suitably disposed of by the pump. The pump may be driven by a belt drive such as I68 from the motor I42, the drive being continuous. when the agitator-l38 is elevated and disengaged from the agitator drive shaft I36 and the valve I64 openythe pump is effective to drain the waste from the sump, but when the valve I64 is closed, the pump runs free. 1

In operation, the valve I64 will initially be closed, a load of laundry placed within the tub I06 and a suitable supply of wash water delivered to the tub by the hot and cold water control valve I and inlet pipe I12. The agitator I38 is coupled to the agitator drive shaft I86 and the motor I42 started. Suitable detergent will be supplied to the wash water as desired. After completion of the washing action, the drain valve I64 will be opened and wash water delivered to waste. If desired, rinsing water may then be introduced into the tub I06 while the valve I64 is again closed. The agitator may be operated during such riime and thereafter the rinse water drained by opening the valve I64.

During draining of the wash or rinse water, the agitator will preferably be stopped by actu-- ation of the solenoid I68 and lifting of the agitator from engagement with the drive shaft I36. The clothes will then lie upon the bottom plate I06 in a sopping condition, under which circumstances, the weight of water plus the weight of clothes will approximate double the weight of the clothes after being damp dried by centrifugal extraction. At this point, the motor I82 is enerample, if the laundry is so distributed that a major part thereof lies in the region A, A of the sopping wet weight thereof will bedelivered to the chamber H6 in the region D." Likewise, the extracted water from the regions B and C will be delivered to those regions E and 1'', respectively. The water retained in the chamber III will thus be distributed in a pattern such as to counterbalance the uneven distribution of the weight of the damp dry laundry in the drum I66. Since the radius of the chamber H6 is somewhat similar to the radius of the tub I06 and the amount of water which will be centrlfugally extracted will approximate of the weight of the sopping wet laundry before extraction takes place, it will be seen that as speed is increased and extraction carried on, the water contained quite exact and under other circumstances, it

gized, the valve I64 allowed to remain open, 0

and the tub I06 caused to gather speed. The centrifugal action will cause the water retained in the clothes to be thrown therefrom and delivered into the conduits II4. It will be seen that more water will be extracted centrifugally from the side of the tub having the greater quantity of clothes. The water thus extracted will flow down the conduit II 4 into the connecting arcuate conduit I26, whence it will be delivered into the space diametrically opposed to the space 'within the chamber H6 and diametrically opposed to the space in which the heavier mass of laundry is positioned. The water so distributed into the chamber II6 will be held therein by centrifugal force, and will be in a substantially proper quantity to assist in counterbalanclng the out of balance of the laundry within the tub I06 as a result of the uneven distribution. The laundry in the other spaces distributed between the conduits II4 will also lose water by centrifugal extraction, which water will be delivered to the respectively opposed spaces within the chamber H6, and the quantity will be of course less than that derived from the heavier mass of will be appreciated that the eflect of retaining the extracted water in the manner described will produce substantial balance or at least reduce any unbalanced condition which may have been the result of uneven distribution bysuch a substantial amount as to practically eliminate vibration. counteraction of the unbalanced condition will take place rapidly as speed is attained, since a large percentage of the water is extracted in the initial part of the extraction period, and even before any substantial speed is reached.

As soon as sufilcient time has elapsed for extraction, the motor I32 is de-energized and as the tub I06 is allowed to come to rest. the water retained in the chamber I I 6 will flow into the sump I60, from which it will be pumped to waste by the pump I66.

While the invention has been illustrated in modified forms, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a centrifugal extractortype laundry npparatus, a washing cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, means substantially uniformly dividing said cylinder internally intoshallow water-retaining sectors, counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder corresponding in number to said sectors, and conduit means connecting each of said sectors with a corresponding compartment diametrically opposed thereto for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into the corresponding counterbalance compartment.

2. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, means substantially uniformly dividing said cylinder internally into shallow waterretaining sectors, counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder'corresponding in number to said sectors, conduit means connecting .each of said sectors with a corresponding compartment diametrically opposed thereto for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into the corresponding counterbalance compartment, and means for draining said compartments in relaundry in the space first referred to. For exspouse to a reduction in the speed of rotation of said cylinder well below that employed for centrifuging.

3. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, means substantially uniformly dividing said cylinder internally into shallow waterretaining sectors, counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder corresponding in number to said sectors, conduit means connecting each of 'said sectors with a corresponding compartment diametrically opposed thereto for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into the corresponding counterbalance compartment, and means for draining said compartments responsive to reducing the speed of rotation below a predetermined critical speed.

4. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, means substantially uniformly dividing said cylinder internally into shallow waterretaining sectors, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder corresponding in number to said sectors, substantially i arcuate conduits connecting each of said sectors with a corresponding compartment diametrically opposed thereto for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment, said conduits all extending in the same circumferential direction and adapted to prevent liquid transferred to said compartments from returning to said cylinder upon reducing speed from centrifuging speed while rotating in the same direction.

5. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing drum, means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, water-directing means dividing the internal surface of said drum into sectors, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said drum and circumferentially disposed there around, means for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto.

6. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing drum, means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, water-directing means dividing the internal surface of said drum into sectors, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said drum and circumferentially disposed therearound, means for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto, and means for draining said compartments in response to a reduction in the speed of rotation of said drum well below that employed for centrifuging.

7. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, an extractor drum, means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a. centrifuge, means dividing said drum wall into sectors of uniform arcuate length, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said drum uniformly angularly spaced, substantially arcuate conduit means for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto.

8. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, an extractor drum, means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, means dividing said drum wall into sectors of uniform arcuate length, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said drum uniformly angularly spaced, substantially arcuate conduit means for leadin centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto, and means for draining said compartments in response to a reduction in the speed of rotation of said cylinder well below that employed for centrifuging.-

9. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing drum having a tapered wall. means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, substantially elementally extending ribs dividing said drum into sectors of uniform arcuate length, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said drum corresponding in number to said sectors and arranged diametrically opposed thereto, said compartments being of greater radical distance from the drum axis than said sectors, means for leading centrifuged liquid from each sector into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto.

10. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing drum having a tapered wall, means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, substantially elementally extending hollow ribs dividing said cylinder into uniform sectors, said ribs being apertured on one side to connect with a sector, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder and opposed to said sectors, and radially outwardly spaced with respect to said sector drum wall, substantially arcuate conduit means for leading centrifuged liquid from the end of each rib into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto, said conduits being sloped spirally outward, and means for draining said compartments in response to a reduction in the speed of rotation of said drum well below that employed for centriusin 11. In a centrifugal extractor type laundry apparatus, a washing drum having a tapered wall. means for rotating said drum to cause the same to act as a centrifuge, substantially elementally extending hollow ribs dividing said cylinder into uniform sectors, said ribs being apertured on one side to connect with a sector, a plurality of counterbalancing compartments carried by said cylinder and opposed to said sectors, and radially outwardly spaced with respect to said sector drum wall, substantially arcuate conduit means for leading centrifuged liquid from the end of each rib into a counterbalance compartment substantially diametrically opposed thereto, said conduits being sloped spirally outward from sector to compartment, and means including spiral vanes and a central discharge outlet for draining said compartments in response to a reduction in the speed of rotation of said drum well below that employed for centrifuging.

PEYTON W. DOUGLAS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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