US2683941A - Laundry drier - Google Patents

Description

July 20, 1954 w. G. LANDWIER LAUNDRY DRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1948 mm m NM EA YL m5 w a m 4 0 a ATTUFNEY July 20, 1954 w. G. LANDWIER LAUNDRY DRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 6. 1948 [N VENTUR WILLIAM E. LAHDWIER ATT DRNEY' July 20, 1954 w. G. LANDWIER LAUNDRY DRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 6. 1948 INVENTUE "WILLIAM BLANnwmR kM' M AT TUENEI Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to laundry driers.

In laundry driers of the indoor type, it has been the practice to drive quantities of hot air through clamp laundry in order to evaporate moisture therefrom. Heat is generally derived from electrical energy; and the operation, for performance within a limited time, requires relatively heavy current consumption to provide sufficient heat to offset the evaporation required during drying.

The present invention is directed toward a cabinet drier in which the sole source of heat is in the form of infra-red radiation, and the heat of evaporation of moisture induced by such radiation is supplied by natural ventilation of the cabinet from available room atmosphere. By such procedure, there is simulated, to a degree, outdoor drying and the power requirements for effecting a drying operation are maintained at a relatively low level.

it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a cabinet drier having suitable provision for supporting laundry therein and in which an infra-red radiating surface is employed in combination with ventilating means.

The invention further has to do with the utilization of infra-red radiating surfaces in the form of tempered glass plates electrically heated by grids applied thereto and in which the radiating surface is so disposed as to provide maximum radiation effect upon the laundry surfaces supported within the cabinet.

The invention further relates to a rack arrangement affording convenience in arranging laundry within the cabinet, the rack being readily movable into and out of the cabinet for ease of loading and unloading prior to and after the drying operation.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. .t is expressly understood 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.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of the cabinet showing the general arrangement of the laundry supports, source of radiant energy, and ventilation Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken through the cabinet above the rack substantially on the line 2-2;

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure i is a transverse broken section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken through the lower portion of the cabinet substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a drier cabinet having a base frame composed of forward and rearward longitudinal members ii! and i2 and transversely extending pairs of angle irons each composed of members i4 and i6 arranged in slightly spaced relation. Corner posts in the form of angle irons I8, 20, 22 and 24 extend upwardly from the members [0 and i2 and form a support for the end walls 26 and 23 and back wall St. The end walls and back wall are provided with inturned flanges 32 and 3 respectively, along their respective upper edges, upon which is positioned a top deck 35, the same having a rounded side and forward edge 38 terminating in an inturned flange 39 adapted for attachment the end flanges 32. The deck has a sloping control panel 42 to the r ar thereof and a rear wall 44 having along its lower edge an inturned flange adapted for supporting upon and attachment to the rear wall flange 34. The deck 36 may extend a short distance forward of the forward edges of the end panels 26 and 28, and the front wall of the cabinet is constituted by a pair of doors 43 and 55B hinged as at 52 and to the corner posts 13 and 20. The doors are suitably rounded as at 56 and 58 adjacent the hinges thereof to match the rounded edge 38 and corners of the top deck 36. The hinges are attached to the doors through stiffening members so and 62 located inside the curved portions 56 and 5c of the door.

The doors extend to within a short distance of the fioor and cooperate with a lower front panel member 54 extending across the front of the cabinet, the panel member having a forwardly bent upper portion 65 corresponding in shape to the over-hanging portion of the top deck. The forward extension is provided with detent members 58 cooperating with marginal flanges it on the respective doors to hold the doors in closed position, and suitable handles such as 12 are provided upon the outer face of the doors to facilitate opening thereof.

In order to support laundry within the cabinet, preferably as by hanging, there is provided a rack composed of a longitudinally extending main channel or rack member M from which are supported a plurality of fore and aft arranged parallel spaced rack bars 16. The channel member 74 extends between the end plates is and 80, each of which is supported upon the upper ends of a pair of parallel links 82 and 84. Such links are pivoted at their lower ends between each of the pairs of spaced angle members [4 and is, and the arrangement is such as to permit the 3 movement of the rack channel member it from the position shown in Figure 1 in full to approximately that appearing in dotted lines, the motion of the rack being substantially rectilinear by reason of the parallelogram formed by the parallel links 82 and 84 with the plates I8, 3i! and angle members l4 and I6.

To coordinate the movement between the parallel links 82 and 86 at one end of the cabinet with the similar links at the other end, there is provided an endless cable 35 riding over end pulleys 88 and S53 and intermediate pairs of spaced pulleys 92 and 95, the latter being supported upon vertical axes upon bracket members 96 and 98 secured to the rear corner posts 22 and 24, and the former pulleys 88 and as being arranged on horizontal axes and mounted upon brackets I88 and I02 on the forward corner posts I3 and Zll. The cable has interposed along a reach thereof extending between one of the pulleys 92 and 92 a tension spring IM to maintain the cable taut. It will be seen that the reaches of the cable extending between the pulley 88 and pulley 9i and pulleys 92 and at are substantially parallel with the end walls 28 and 2 3 of the cabinet and adjacent to the links 32 and 84. The upper reach of the cable extending between pulley 90 and pulleys at is connected to the link 84 by a swivel pin I06 at one end of the apparatus, and the lower reach of the cable extending between the pulley 88 and pulleys s2 is connected to the opposite link as by a similar swivel connection I08. The pulley 88 and pulleys 92 may be located a little higher than pulleys 90 and 94 by an amount equal to the diameter of the pulleys 8 8 and 9B. Thus, it will be seen that the movements of the pairs of links 32 and 84 are coordinated through the cable so that the channel member M has substantially rectilinear movement forward and back in its movement from a position within the cabinet to the dotted line shown (see Figure 1).

The channel member I4 is provided with a plurality of spaced notches I If: in the upper edge of the forward flange II2 thereof, the notches being adapted to receive the rack bars IS. The rear flange I I 4 of the channel member M is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures IE6 located adjacent the upper edge and immediately behind the notches, the apertures being adapted to receive offset hook ends II8 formed in each of the rack bars it. The upper edge I253 of the flange I I4 is bent rearwardly to engage the hooks I I8 and stabilize the rack bars 16 as well as facilitate the removal or insertion of the bars in any desired number at suitable spacing for items of laundry to be hung thereon. The rack bars will be seen to be securely held in place by such construction, and yet be removable at will by lifting the forward end of any particular bar to withdraw the hook IIS from the respective aperture II6. Additionally, the notches and apertures provide in eifect reverse concave rests and bearing means tending to maintain the bars in parallel forward extending relation.

Diagonal brace members I22 and I24 extend between the corner posts I8 and 2G and 2! and 22, respectively, and are provided with forward and rearward stops I26 and I28 for engaging the links 82 and 84 and limiting the rearward and forward motion of the rack.

Somewhat elevated from the floor level are a pair of longitudinally extending front and rear panels I36 and 32 having a substantial space between their adjacent edges and secured to the the infra-red plate front panel member 64 and back panel 30, respectively. The spaced edges thereof are supported on brackets I34 and I36 extending from the angle members 14 and IS. The plates form a support for a Z-angle rectangular frame I3 8, the lower flange Hill of which is secured to the plates I3!) and I32 and the upper flange I42 of which supports, by means of spaced side notched pedestals I44 of insulating material preferably, one or more plate heating elements I46. The heating elements are in the form of shock resistant glass plates annealed so as to be virtually non-breakable. To the under side of the plates are electrical resistance grids which may be in the form of sprayed aluminum forming a desired labyrinth path to provide the desired resistance. Such aluminum grid may be anodized to prevent deterioration. The resistance of the aluminum grid, which becomes firmly bonded to the glass, is such as to heat the plates to a temperature of approximately 280 E, to thereby emit infra-red radiation, and to facilitate such radiation, the glass is so chosen as to transmit as much as 98% of the infra-red radiation so produced. A transparent conductive resinous material may be applied to the plate in place of the aluminum grid and utilized as the electrical heating resistance, if desired. A suitable heatresistant insulating film may be applied to the under surface of the plates to cover the grid, but the location of the grid being practically inaccessible renders the need for such film optional.

It will appear that the ventilating ports Hi8 are provided in the lower front panel 64, and that the upper rear wall 44 is provided with similar ventilating ports I59 located behind the sloping panel :32, thus providing a chimney eflect. Air is thus allowed to enter the cabinet through the ports I48, move upwardly in the space between the opposed edges of the plates I30 and I32, and circulate beneath the glass plate heating element Hi6, thereafter passing around the edges of the plates and rising within the cabinet to finally leave the cabinet through the ports I50. The relatively low temperature of the plate affords moderate heating of the air to decrease its relative humidity slightly and assist in absorbing moisture from laundry within the cabinet supported upon the rack. The increase in temperature, however, is not such as to cause large volumes of air to be discharged from the ports lfiii with wastage of heat due to temperature differential between such air and the ambient air surrounding the cabinet. At the same time, I58, substantially covering the bottom of the cabinet, is in a position to direct infra-red rays to practically all exposed surfaces of laundry suspended from the rack bars within the cabinet. The inside surfaces of the various walls are preferably reflective, in order to redirect such rays as do not directly impinge upon the laundry. Such infra-red rays are beneficial in effecting direct evaporation action of the moisture contained in the laundry so that the moisture may be carried. away with the air circulated through the cabinet without the necessity for substantially elevating the temperature of the air entering the cabinet, Thus, through direct radiation upon the laundry and such moderate temperature increase as results from contact of the air with the hot plates, substantial evaporation is effected, resulting in a cooling effect and causing the air discharged from the ports I59 to be not substantially over that of the room temperature. As the same time, the natural circulation of air provides a constant cooling medium for the heater elements, and carries heat from such plates at a rate such as to maintain the desired plate temperature of approximately 280 F.

Suitable controls may be placed upon the control panel 52, such as a switch for energizing the infra-red radiation plates, and, if desired, a timer for discontinuing the current flow after a preselected period of time, the time being selected in accordance with the quantity of laundry placed within the cabinet, the type of laundry, and the degree of dampness at the time of loading the cabinet.

While natural circulation of air through the cabinet by reason of the structure thus described has been found sufficient and highly efficient for the purposes described, and is preferred, it may be desirable in some instances to provide measured flow of air through the cabinet as by supplying such air or withdrawing such air by fan means which would have a fixed rate of discharge.

Since the infra-red plates attain a temperature in the range of 280 F., which is relatively low, it will be seen that the drier may be operated without danger of scorching laundry contained therein. Further, since the plates are anhealed and shatter-proof, any slight dripping thereon will not result in fracture, but will immediately vaporize and be carried off with the circulation of air. The resistance grid being in the form of sprayed aluminum or the equivalent, on the under or inaccessible side of the plate, assures protection from possible short circuiting or bodily harm on the form of electrical shock.

It will thus be seen that there is described a cabinet drier requiring a minimum of heat units for evaporating purposes, in which infra-red radiation is employed and in which laundry may conveniently be hung for drying out of the way with a minimum of waste space, since it will be appreciated that the cabinet s ructure itself may normally be used as a work table structure, the surfaces thereof being relatively cool at all times. At the same time, provision is made for conveniently loading the cabinet and unloading, and for providing differing spacing of the various items of laundry to be placed therein.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction tion of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dryer, a substantially rectangular cabinet, means constituting one wall thereof a wide access opening, an inverted horizontal channel rack member located in the upper region of said cabinet and arranged parallel with said wall, means supporting said channel member for rectilinear movement within said cabinet from a position rearward thereof to a forward position, the forward flange of said channel member comprising an elongated rest, and the rear flange member having downwardly directed bearing means, and forwardly extending horizontally disposed support bars resting upon said forward flange and bearing upwardly upon said bearing means, said rack member and bars being bodily movable from a position wholly within said cabinet to a position with said bars extending horizontally outwardly through said access opening.

2. In a dryer, a substantially rectangular cabinet, means constituting one Wall thereof a wide access opening, an inverted horizontal channel 1 ck member located in the upper region of said cabinet and arranged parallel with said wall, means supporting said channel member for substantially rectilinear movement within said cabinet from a position rearward thereof to a forward position. the forward flange of said channel member comprising an elongated rest, and the rear flange member having downwardly directed bearing means, and forwardly extending horizontally disposed cantilever support bars resting upon forward flange and bearing upwardly upon be ring means, said rack member and being b 1v movable from a position wholly within said cabinet to a position with said bars extending horizontally outwardly through said access opening, bars having hooks for removably engaging said bearing means, and coordinated means on said rest and bearing means for retainin said bars perpendicular to said channel member.

3. In a dryer, a substantially rectangular cabinet, means constituting one wall thereof a wide access opening, an inverted horizontal channel rack member located. in the upper region of said cabinet arranged parallel with said wall, means supporting said channel member for substantially rectilinear movement within said cabinet from a position rearward thereof to a forward position, the forward flange of said channel member comprising an elongated rest, and the iear member having downwardly directed bearin means, forwardly extending horizontally disposed cantilever support bars resting upon said forward flange and bearing upwardly upon said bearing means, said rack member and bars being bodily movable from a position wholly within said cabinet to a position with said bars extending horizontally outwardly through said access opening, said bars having hooks for removably engaging said bearing means, and coordinated means on said rest and bearing means for retaining said bars perpendicular to said channel member, said bars defining a rectangular area substantially bounded by the cabinet, a relatively low temperature infra-red radiant heating means in the form of tempered glass plate means having high infra-red transmission and having electrical resistance grids bonded thereto, said heating means bein disposed in a single horizontal plane, said heating means covering an area sub stantially commensurate with the area defined by said bars and said heating means being substantially in vertical alignment with the area of said rack bars and spaced therefrom, and means for ventilating said cabinet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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