US2590295A

US2590295A - Clothes drier

Info

Publication number: US2590295A
Application number: US3999A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur R Constantine
Original assignee: Avco Manufacturing Corp
Current assignee: Avco Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 1948-01-23
Filing date: 1948-01-23
Publication date: 1952-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-25

Description

March 25, 1952 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 A. R. CONSTANTINE CLOTHES DRIER '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ARTHUR R. CONSTANT\NE.

ATTORNEX March 25, 19 2 A. R. CONSTANTINE 2,590,295

CLOTHES DRIER Filed Jan. 25, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR R CONSTANTXNE ATTORNEY March 1952 A. R. CONSTANTINE 2,590,295

CLOTHES DRIER Filed Jan. 25, 1948 7 Sheefis-Sheet 3 ARTHUR R. CONSTANTINE,

BY Y

' ATTORN Y,

March 1952 A. R. CONSTANTINE CLOTHES DRIER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 INVENTOR. AQTHUR R.CON$TANT'\NE.

A TTORNE X March 1952 A. R. CONSTANTINE 2,590,295

CLOTHES DRIER I 7 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY,

ART u R. CONSTANTiNE.

March 25, 1952 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 A. R. CONSTANTINE CLOTHES DRIER 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR.

ARTHUR R. CONSTANTWE ATTOFZNEX March 1952 A. R. CONSTANTINE CLOTHES DRIER '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 23, 1948 INVENTOR. A/ETHUA l2. CONSTANT/NE,

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1952 2,590,295 CLOTHESLDYRIER Arthur R. Constantine, South Bend, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 23, 1948, Serial No. 3,999

1 Claim. (CI. 34-75) This invention relates generally to mechanism for drying 'of clothing and other fabrics and is described herein as a dryingmechanism capable of drying clothes in the same unit in which they were washed.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a laundry drying machine with a system for circulating heated air through the tub of the machine in order to effect the drying of the clothes contained in the tub and providing also for condensing moisture and the carrying away of lint from the machine without exhausting moisture and lint into the atmosphere of the "room.

-It is a further object to provide a machine which is operable separately either as a washing machine or as a drying machine, or which may be used in its combined form to wash and then dry a tub full of clothing.

Another object is to provide a laundry drying ina'chine with a heating element to heat the air in a circulating conduit which air is then circulated through the tub of the machine in order to dry the clothing contained therein and "subsequently carried through a condensing portion of the circulating conduit, a circulating element being located between the condensing portion and the heating element portion of the conduit.

" Still a further object is to provide a System for condensing moisture and removing lint from the air in" the circulatory system of a clothes dryer by exposing the circulating air to a film of water carried on the inner surface of a portion of the circulating conduit.

These and other objects and features of this invention will appear more fully in the detailed description and in the drawings forming a part hereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a machine employing the mechanism for drying according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of the same machine as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top view of the machine.

3 showing the screened opening to allow entry of air into the clothes cylinder.

Figure 9 is a section and view showing the condenser tube.

Referring to the drawings, a tub ID has a clothes cylinder I I mounted for rotation therein. In this case the clothes cylinder H has a perforated outer periphery and a screened or perforated front wall I2 which will allow air to enter therein. The clothes cylinder II is mounted I for rotation and is supported from its back wall and transmission 16. is provided with an opening which leads to a within the tub by means of a shaft l3, and rotated by pulley 13A, belt [4, electric motor 15 The bottom of the tub sump H which connects with a tube N3 of relatively large diameter which is capable of carrying air and which is herein described as a condenser tube IS. The tube 18 i curved from the bottom of the sump I! in a generally vertical direction and is mounted at the rear of the tub 1 and its top end connects with a central inlet portion of a centrifugal type blower housing l9. Shown particularly in the top view in Figure 4, the blower housing [9 has a tangential outlet into a horizontally positioned conduit 20, the blower inlet and outlet thereby effecting a right angle turn in the path of air travel from the vertical tube l8, Figure l, to the horizontal conduit 20. The cross section Figure 7 shows the blower housing I 9, conduit 20 and a blower wheel 2|. This blower wheel 2i is rotated by an electric motor 22, Figures 1, 2, 4, positioned above the blower wheel and driven through a shaft 23. The horizontally positioned conduit 20 has a pluralityof electric heating elements 24 supported therein, electrical connections '25 for such heating elements being positioned on the outside of the conduit 23 as shown in Figure 7 and Figure 4. The conduit 20 connects with a con- 7 hector casting 26 at the front of the machine Figure 5' is a section through the air inlet the tub with the closure for the opening in positi on. 'Figure 6 is a section showing. the opening tothe tub with the closure in open position.

Figure'7 i a sectionthrough the heater and 'air conduit above the tub. Figure 8' is a front view of the clothes cylinder are connected by the blower housing [9.

and the passage is formed around the end of the tub l0 into an inlet opening 27, Figure 5, which is positioned in the front wall of the tub I 0 and opens on and into the screened front wall l2 of the clothes cylinder ll. Thus if air is forced by the blower 2| and is carried past the heating element 24 it will be forced into the tub l8 and through the screened front wall [2 of cylinder II and onto the clothes to be dried which are tumbling in cylinder ll during its rotation. and 2, the vertical condensing tube portion. l8

As shown by reference to Figures 1 and the horizontal heater conduit portion 20 The machine. through a door opening 38.

blower housing I9 is of the usual centrifugal type with inlet at the center and with tangential outlet as shown in Figure 4. The arrangement for connection of the vertical tube I8 and the horizontal conduit 28 at substantially right angles to each other is such that the top of conduit I8 connects to the center inlet portion of the housing I9 and the horizontal conduit 2.0 connects to the tangential outlet of the housing I9 and thus efiects the 90 turn in the direction of the air flow. The necessary 90? turn in the conduit system to fit the conduit to the tub is thus accomplished through the blower housing, making it unnecessary to provide this change in direction of flow by special meanswhich would require curved tube sections or other special arrange ments requiring extra space and complication of construction with added resistance to air flow.

It may be desirable to provide a means for closing the opening 21 when the machine is used for washing and this may be accomplished as shown in Figures and 6 by means of a hinged door 28 which is integral with a shaft 28A extending through the casting 26 and moveable by a handle 2813. Figure 5 shows the hinged door 28 in a position closing off the conduit 28 and connector casting 26 from the opening 21 into the tub III thus preventing washwater from entering conduit during washing operation. Figure 6 shows the door 28 in the open position for drying operation. In order that the door 28 in its open position will not interfere with the free passage of air through connector casting 26, a cover 29 on the connector casting is provided with a depression 29a into which the door 28 fits when in the open positionshown in Figure '0. The operation of door 28 may be manual or by suitable automatic mechanical means as desired. With door 28 open there is provision for circulation of air from the bottom of the tub II'I through the sump II upward through the condenser tube I8, through the blower wheel 2|, through the concluit 28 and over the heating elements 24, through the casting 26 from outlet 21 into the cylinder II as previously mentioned.

Near the top of the vertical tube I8 an opening 30 is provided into which a relatively small water tube 3|, Figure 9, is inserted, the tube 3| being fed from a water valve 32 connected to water supply under pressure, the valve 32 being preferably of the solenoid. operated type as shown, the solenoid being shown at 33 in Figures 9 and 2!. As shown particularly in Figure 9 the direction of the inlet 38 and the tube 3| relative ,to. the wall of the condenser tube. I 8 is such as to cause water to fiow around and down the inside of the tube I8, the water flow-direction being substantially tangent to the inner wall of tube I8. Thus the water will descend by gravity in the tube I8 following generally the inner wall thereof covering the wall in a thin film, or sheet until it reaches the sump I'I. Asshown in Figure 3 there is a. drain 34 which is controlled by drain valve 35 operated by solenoid 36 which on opening of the drain valve 35 will allow the liquid to flow into a continuously rotating pump 31. Thus water injected into the :tube I8 and falling by gravity around the inner surface of the tube I8 will eventually be carried out and pumped out the drain by the action of the drain pump 31. v

In the operation of the machine the clothes to be dried are carried in the clothes cylinder I I.

The clothes may be inserted in the front of the The machine :shown, although it may operate separately 4 as a dryer, may also be a combination washer and dryer. The drying operation is herein under consideration and the clothes are assumed to be in the condition they normally assume after washing is completed, that is with approximately equal their weight in contained water. The motor I5 is assumed to be in operation to rotate the cylinder II at tumbling speed through transmission IB, belt I4 and pulley I3. Suitable electrical circuits actuate the heating elements 24 and also, with electrical current supplied, the motor 22 is in rotation to cause the blower wheel 2| to-rotate and thereby set up a circulation of air which passes over the heating elements 24, out the opening 21, and onto the tumbling clothes inth'e clothes cylinder I I thereby taking up moisture therefrom. The moisture saturated air then passes'out the sump I1 and into the condenser tube I8 and again into the blower 2| and over the heating elements 24 once again. The heated air will take up moisture from the clothes as they tumble by rotation of the clothes cylinder, and after the heated air passes over the. clothes, as above described, the air is forced upward through the condenser tube I8. The solenoid 33 is actuated continuously during drying and the water from the. tube 3| forms a film on. the inner surface of the tube I8 as it travels downward leaving room for passage of air in the center of the tube I8 in an upward direction at thev same time that the water is traveling downward. Thus the cooling efiect of the water will condense moisture from the vapor laden air coming into tube I8 from the tub I0 and the water film will also take up lint particles which are carried in the air and these lint particles with the condensed moisture will be carried away by the film of water in the condenser tube I8, the water being pumped away from the sump I"! by the pump 37.

Air circulating through the condensing portion of the tube I8 is carried into the heating portion 20 by the blower wheel 2| which is here shown as positioned between the vertical condensing portion of the conduit I8 and the horizontal heat.- ing portion of the conduit 20. As mentioned, the horizontal heating portion 28 of the conduit connects directly with the front inlet 21 which inlet is directly in front of the open screened front wall I2 of the rotatable clothes cylinder II.

The vapor laden air which is drawn from the bottom of the tub through the sump I1 and into the vertical condensing tube I8 will. have a major portion of its vapor removed therefrom inasmuch as the film of Water on the inner wall of tube I8 is a condensing medium. The central portion of the tube also carries vapor laden air and all of the air flowing in tube I8 is reduced in temperature and because of the drop in temperature the ability of the air to retain moisture is reduced and condensation results. Because of the recirculation forced by continuous operation, the air, having a large portion of the vapor removed therefrom is again heated in the heating region 28 after passing through the blower wheel 2| and thus enabled to take up moisture again as it fiows into the clothes cylinder I I.

The collection and carrying away of lint with the condensing water in tube. I8 is a major and important feature of the arrangement as the problem of lint disposal is a major one in any clothes dryer. Although the description herein has been confined to the portion ofthe machine necessary to provide operation as a dryer, the

arrangement is particularly adaptable for use as the drying mechanism portion of a combined washer and dryer, and the mechanism shown includes the tub in and the cylinder II of a type which may be used in a washing machine of the horizontal axis type. Also the driving motor I5 as shown herein is preferably provided with two speed transmission [6, as previously mentioned. This transmission disclosed herein employs two speeds, one speed for washing and tumble drying, and another higher speed for centrifugal ex traction of water following normal washing operation prior to the drying procedure mentioned in this description. The washing machine tub shown is also provided with a water mixing valve 40, a water inlet tube 4| and a float chamber MA with a suitable switch mounted thereon for controlling liquid level in the tub 10. which are a part of the washing machine apparatus and as such do not form a part of the specific dryer combination disclosed herein. The sump I! may serve the dual purpose of the sump for the dryer, to carry away condensing water with lint and also serves as the sump for the washing machine. The drain connection and drain valve, and drain pump previously mentioned may be used in the washing operation to carry away the wash water and in the dryer operation to carry away the condensing water.

Suitable automatic controls, or if desired manual controls closing electrical circuits may be used to operate the mechanism shown in this disclosure. The primary purpose of the disclosure however, is not to show automatic operation, but to show the structure and arrangement, together with the operation of the drying mechanism which, it is assumed, is put in operation by provision of suitable electrical connections to the several units to place them in operation for drying: including the driving motor i5, the condensing water solenoid 33, the air circulation motor 22, the electrical heating coils 24 and the drain valve solenoid 36.

It is therefore apparent that although the dryer mechanism has been disclosed as a specific type of machine found practical in operation it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiment shown herein, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a dryer, the combination of a chamber including a cylindrical tub and a rotatable perforate inner clothes tumbling member, said tub having an outlet near the bottom thereof, a conduit communicating with said outlet and having a substantially vertical and elongated cylindrical portion extending outside of said tub from said outlet to a position adjacent the top portion of said tub, water inlet means positioned at said top portion to inject water tangentially onto the inner surface of said vertical portion, a transverse conduit interconnected with said top portion, a heating chamber in said transverse conduit communicating with the interior of said tub and the top of said vertical portion, and air circulating means located between said top portion and said transverse conduit, said circulating means circulating air from said tub outlet through said vertical portion and said heating chamber and thence back into said tub, whereby moisture may be condensed from and lint may be collected from air circulating in said vertical portion of said conduit by contact with the water cooled inner surface thereof.

ARTHUR R. CONSTANTINE.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 538,557 Theisen Apr. 30, 1895 692,415 Baker Feb. 4, 1902 968,456 Edwards Aug 23, 1910 1,531,257 Brockett Mar. 24, 1925 1,738,641 Cowan Dec. 10, 1929 1,756,992 Quiggle May 6, 1930 1,853,424 Harris Apr. 12, 1932 2,166,294 Hetzer July 18, 1939 2,249,624 Bichowsky July 15, 1941 2,303,809 Anderson Dec. 1, 1942 2,310,680 Dinley Feb. 9, 1943 2,316,669 Busi Apr. 13, 1943 2,451,692 Pugh Oct. 19, 1948 2,453,859 Pugh Nov. 16, 1948