US2887354A - Washing, loading and extracting machine - Google Patents

Description

May 19, 1959 A. E. LICHTENSTEIN ET WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1956 ATTORNEY M y 1959 A. E. LICHTENSTEIN ETA!- WfXSHING, LOADING ANI EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1956 is Sheets-Sheet 2 Q:0 9.29 Lei-pm mvem'ons A. E. LICHTENSTEIN S.J.HEIMAN I av v ATTORNEY y 19, 1959 A. E. LICHTENSTEIN ET AL 2,887,354

WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQRS m E M 8 M B T u u S A ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTING MACHINE Albert E. Lichtenstein and Sam I. Heiman, Miami, Fla.

Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,246

16 Claims. (CL 8-459) The present invention relates to a machine for cleaning and more particularly to drycleaning and includes means for washing clothes in a liquid solvent, means to extract the liquid solvent from the clothes, and the provision of structure for inserting and removing clothes from the machine without lowering the productivity during such loading and unloading.

Heretofore various types of washing machines have been used for both washing clothes in water and for washing clothes in solvents of the various types including natural and synthetic products. In each of these machines and the methods used the clothes have been immersed in solvents and agitated until the desired cleanliness was obtained. T hereafterthe solvent was removed from the machine and extracted from the clothes and the clothes removed from the washing machine and consequently the washing machine was performing no useful work of cleaning during the solvent extraction process and the loading and unloading operations. Consequently a number of machines were required to give the desired productivity and therefore there has been uneconomical use of personnel and equipment with resultant financial loss.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the difiiculties enumerated and provide a method and apparatus which will permit efficient operation in a substantially continuous cycle without expensive delays.

A further object is to provide a washing machine in which a plurality of clothes receiving baskets are mounted so that each basketmay be available for different portions of the cycle of washing clothes and extracting the liquid therefrom.

A further object is to provide a washing machine with a suflicient number of baskets which are independently operable for treating clothes in ditfe-rent portions of the cycle.

Another object is to provide a method in which the cost is kept to a minimum with relation to the output.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceeds and upon reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of one form of washing machine;

Fig. 2, a similar view of the same washing machine with the end cover omitted and parts broken away to permit observation of the interior;

Fig. 3, a view of the same washing machine as seen from the other end thereof;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary longitudinal section of the washing machine shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, showing the indexing mechanism and the clutch mechanism for positioning and driving the baskets with portions in the housing in elevation;

Fig. 5, an end view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of washing machine in which the basket is loaded from the periphery thereof rather than from the end; and

Fig. 6, a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 4 of the Patented May 19, 1959 modification shown on Fig. 5 and showing the access door in one of the clothes baskets through which clothes are inserted and removed.

Briefly, the washing machine of the present invention comprises a cylindrical housing having means to continuously supply and remove a solvent from the bottom portion and in which housing a shaft isrotatably mounted. A plurality of arms are mounted in radially extending relation on the shaft and rotatably carry clothes receiving baskets in equally spaced relation. Also mounted on the shaft are partitions located between adjacent baskets extending substantially to the periphery of the housing to provide movable compartments.

Power means is provided for agitating the lowermost basket in the body of solvent, and power means is provided for rotating another basket in an upper portion for extracting the solvents from the clothes while still another basket is freely rotatable so that the clothes in said still another basket may be removed and inserted for continuing the treatment thereof.

Index means are provided for rotating the shaft to position and locking the shaft with the baskets in a definite position in which the agitation of the one basket in the solvent, the extracting of solvent from another basket, and the loading and unloading of still another basket may be carried out. Suitable clutch means are provided for driving the baskets.

Upon more detailed reference to the drawing, the washing machine of the present invention includes a housing 10 having a hollow cylindrical casing wall 11 with an end wall 12 at one end thereof and an end wall 13 at the other end thereof which are suitably secured to the cylindrical casing by conventional fastening means 14 passing through openings 14' or the like. Rotatably mounted in bearings 15, 16 in end walls 12 and 13, respectively, is a hexagonal shaft 17 from which a plurality of arms I-IS, I-19, 11-18, Il -19, III-18, III-19 are mounted in radially extending equally spaced relation and upon the outer ends of such arms baskets I-20, Il-20, III-2i) are rotatively mounted by means of suitable stub shafts projecting from the end walls of such baskets and rotatively mounted in hearings on the ends of such arms.

Positioned between the, baskets and mounted on the shaft 17 are radial partitions I-21, II21-III-21 which partitions separate the adjacent baskets from each other and provide movable compartments along with the cylindrical casing 11 for maintaining each basket in separated condition from the other baskets. The stub shafts at the rear end of the basket extend through the adjacent radially extending arm and carry clutch elements I-22- 1I-22 and III-22 respectively for driving the baskets from suitable sources of power.

For designating the positions of the baskets in the housing, as shown in Figure 2, position-A corresponds to the position of basket I-20, position-B corresponds the position of basket II-20 and position-C corresponds to the position of basket III-20. To drive the baskets in their various positions a washing motor gear reduction unit 23 is provided with a driven shaft 24 carrying a clutch element 25 which clutch element is controlled by a handle 26 through a suitable linkage 27 for causing engagement and disengagement of the clutch element 25 with the corresponding clutch element I22, 11-22, or III-22 whereby the baskets in position-A will be power driven in the washing operation with a continuous rotation or with a reversing rotation to obtain effective agitation of the clothes in the basket in the position-A in which the basket and the clothes therein are at least partially submerged in a body of solvent 28, the, level of which is controlled by an overflow pipe 29 and which is supplied with solvent through a supply pipe 30. A conventional drain pipe 31 is provided and controlled by a 'controlvalve 32 -when it is desired to completely drain the solvent 28 from the housing in, such solvent passing through a button retaining strainer 33 into a sump 34 from which the solvent is cleaned and re-circulated so thatthe supply of solvent 28 in the housing it is continuously changed whereby dirty solvent is replaced with clean solvent so as to maintain high cleaning ersciency.

Simultaneously with the washing of the clothes in position-A, solvent is extracted from the clothes in the basketin position-B by means of a'motor and gear re duction unit 35 having a shaft 36 driven therefrom and connected to a clutch element 37 controlled'by a handle 38 and a linkage 39 for causing engagement and disengagement of the clutch whereby the motor gear reduction'unit 35 may rotate the basket 11-20 at a sufiiciently high speed so that centrifugal force will extract such solvent from the clothes such solvent being confined by the partitions I-21, 11-21 which solvent drains down into the body of solvent 28.

While vthe clothes are being washed in position-A and the solvent is being extractedfrom clothes in position-B, the clothes .in the baskets inposition-C which have been previously cleaned and from which the solvent has been extracted, are removed through the door 40 in end wall '12 and one of the doors III-41 or III-42 in the basket III-20 so that the unloading of the clean clothes from basket III-20 and the loading of dirty clothes into basket III-20 is accomplished while the clothes in the basket in position-A are being washed and the clothes in basket in position-B are having the liquid extracted therefrom. After the predetermined time required for the Washing and extracting and loading operations the shaft 17 is .rotated by an indexing motor and gear reduction unit 43 through suitable gearing 4.4 and 45 which positively .drives the shaft .17 .a definite amount'toposition the hasiket I-20 in position-B, the basket II-20 in position-C, and the basket III-20 in position-A after which the clutch elements 25 and 37 respectively are released by operation .of handles 26 and 38 respectively and "the clothes are washed and extracted in positions A and B respectively. Suitable means are provided to lock the shaft 17 in operative position so there is no danger of the clutch parts being .misaligned and preferably a safety control is provided which prevents operation of the motor gear reduction units 23 and 35 respectively until this locked situation has occurred.

It will be noted that the basket in position-C is freely rotatable .at this time and there is no danger of the operator'having his arms caught in power driven mechanism.

After the completion ofthe above mentioned washing cycle, the clutches 37 and 25 are released and the index'ing mechanism 4344 and 45 is operated to rotate the shaft 17 one third of a revolution thereby bringing basket I-20 to position-C, bringing basket I-22 to position-A, andbringing basket III-20 to position-B and the operation is repeated thereby completing a cycle of washing clothes, extracting solvent from the clothes and unloading and loading each basket and this can be done without any delay involved in draining the liquid solvent from the housing 10.

Referring to the modification shown in Figures and 6 similar reference numerals are used and similar parts throughout where such parts correspond to the parts shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and where such parts differ, the differing parts are identified with a prime markrespectively.

The washing machine shown in Figures 5 and 6 is similar in most respects to the modification shown in Figures 1-4 inclusive by the baskets III-2th, I-20 and II-20 and provided with doors III-41',,I-4l' and 11-41. on the cylindrical surface thereof and the cylindrical casing portion 11" of the housing is provided with a door 40' to permit access into the interior of the baskets upon alignment of door 40' with the corresponding door seer/33st 111-41, L41, or 'II-41'. The baskets are rotated by 'sirnilar'means includingthe motor gear reduction units '23 and 35, respectively, the clutches 25 and 37, respectively, for the washing operation and solvent extracting operation, respectively. Clutch 25 is operated by a solenoid 46 which operates through a suitable linkage 47 to control the clutch element .25 and the clutch element 37 is operated by a solenoid 48 through a suitable linkage 49. It will be evident thatthe clutchesmajy be'spring operated or may be operated by magnets. The clutches are preferably aligned in an exact manner by the indexing mechanism and an aligning pin may be used to maintainthis accurate alignment as shown in Fig. 4. The clutches are preferably of the friction type although positive clutches may be used with or without suitable controls for the motor and gear reduction units.

From the above description, it is believed that the operation of the apparatus and the performance of the method should be apparent. The level of liquid 28 in the housing is maintained constant by suitable means and the baskets are moved to position A one after the other and agitated in the liquid so that the clothes therein are-cleaned after which the remaining solvent is extracted by a centrifugal process in position B and thereafter the clothes are removed when the basket is moved to position C and a new load of clothes placed therein.

Itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes'may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only-as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

"1. A washing machine for cleaning clothes, comprising a housing, an indexing 'shaftmounted centrally "of said housing, a spider on each end of said shaft adjacent each end of the housing, a basket rotatably mounted on the endsof cooperating-pairs of arms of said spiders, partitions projecting outwardly from said shaft between adjacent arms separatingsaicl baskets into compartments, a liquid level maintaining means in the lower portion of said housing, means to rotate said spiders whereby any one of .said baskets'may be at least partially submerged in said liquid, means to cause the submerged basket to be agitated withsuflicient force to clean clothes in said basket, means to rotate another of said baskets simultaneously with the agitation of said one basket whereby liquid'will .be extracted from the clothes in said second basket, the third .basket being mounted for free rotation and unaffected by the agitation of said one basket or by the rotation of the said another basket, an access door in .said casing closely adjacent said third basket whereby the contents of said third basket may be removed'and a new load inserted, and means for indexing said spiders to move the third basket after loading into position of washing so as to beat least partially submerged in the washing liquid.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which means are provided to maintain a constant supply of clean washing liquid.

3. A machine for cleaning clothes comprising a housing, a spider rotatably mounted in said housing, a basket rotatably mounted on the end of each arm of the spider, means to retain a supply of washing solvent in a portion of said housing, means to rotate the spider so thatcone of said baskets is' in the supply of solvent, means to:agitate the solvent so that the solvent comes in contact with the clothes in said one of .said baskets for cleaning said clothes, another of said baskets being positioned out of said solvent, means to rotate said another of said baskets for effecting removal of solvent therefrom, and means for providing access to still another basket While said one basket and said .anotherbasket are processing the clothes whereby said still another basket may be loaded and unloaded without reducing the time of washing of .1116

clothes and without reducingthe time of removing the solvent from the clothes, said still another basket being stationary to provide for the loading and unloading thereof while the said one basket and the said another basket are operating on'clothes.

4. A machine for efficiently washing clothes comprising a horizontally disposed cylindrical casing, a'horizontally disposed shaft rotatably mounted in said casing and carrying a plurality of radiating arms, partitions intermediate said arms secured to said shaft and radiating therefrom, means to continuously introduce and remove liquid from the lower portion of said casing, baskets rotatably mounted on the end of each arm, means to positively rotate said baskets in at least two positions in said casing, one of said positions being adjacent to the liquid therein and another position entirely above the liquid whereby the clothes may be washed upon rotation of the basket in the liquid and dried in the same basket when the basket is brought out of said liquid whereby the delay of filling and removing the liquid from the casing is avoided.

5. A method of cleaning clothes comprising agitating the clothes in a first basket at least partially submerged in a liquid solvent, moving said first basket out of said solvent and placing a second basket in the solvent and thereafter agitating said second basket in the solvent and rotating said first basket out of the solvent to extract the liquid solvent therefrom, and thereafter moving a third basket into the solvent and moving the said second basket out of the solvent and moving said first basket to a position where the clothes may be removed from said first basket and said first basket maybe reloaded, and main taining said first basket stationary while unloading and loading said first basket and repeating the operations successively for the second and third baskets whereby maximum efliciency of personnel and equipment is obtained.

6. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with a minimum of lost time, comprising simultaneously using three baskets, unloading and loading one of said baskets, power agitating another of said baskets in a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket, rapidly rotating the third basket to remove the moisture from the clothes in said third basket, performing all of these operations in a single liquid-tight housing.

7. The method according to claim 6 in which the baskets are rotated on horizontal axis and the baskets are kept separated from each other.

8. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with a minimum of lost time, comprising simultaneously using three baskets, unloading and loading one of said baskets, power agitating another of said baskets in a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket, rapidly rotating the third basket to remove the moisture from the clothes in said third basket.

9. A method of cleaning clothes in a continuous process comprising agitating a first batch of clothes in a continuously changing body of liquid, removing said first batch of clothes from said liquid and simultaneously placing a second batch of clothes in the liquid for cleaning, extracting the liquid remaining in the first batch of clothes that have been cleaned, transferring the second batch of clothes to the extracting position while a third batch of clothes is placed in the liquid, and while the third batch of clothes is being cleaned and the liquid is being extracted from the second batch simultaneously removing the clothes of said first batch at a loading and unloading position and replacing the said cleaned first batch of clothes with a fourth batch of clothes and repeating the process whereby maximum eificiency is ob tained.

10. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cylindrical housing, means to mount said cylindrical housing with its axis horizontal, spider means rotatably mounted within said housing on the axis of said housing said spider including three partitions lying in the plane of said axis and extending radially in equally spaced relation, three baskets positioned within said housing and separated by said partitions, means to rotatably support said baskets from said spider means, means to supply washing liquid to said housing whereby a basket in the lower position will extend into the liquid. and the other baskets will be out of the liquid, means to agitate each basket in the washing position and means to rotate each basket in an upper position for extracting the liquid therefrom, and means providing access into said cylindrical housing and into each basket when the bracket is located in a third position for the insertion and removal of clothes to be Washed.

11. The invention according to claim 10 in which an access door is provided on an end of said horizontal cylindrical housing above the axis thereof and to one side of said axis and each basket being provided with an access opening adapted to register with the access opening in said housing.

12. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with a minimum of lost time comprising simultaneously using three baskets, unloading and loading one of said baskets while maintaining said one basket substantially stationary, power agitating another of said baskets in a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket, rapidly rotating the third basket to remove the moisture from the clothes in said third basket, performing all of these operations in a single liquid-tight housing.

13. An apparatus for washing clothes in a liquid and removing the liquid therefrom with a minimum loss of liquid and with a minimum supply of liquid comprising arranging three agitating drums within a substantially fluid tight horizontally disposed cylindrical housing, radial partitions mounted in the housing between the drums, means to rotate one of the drums for agitating the clothes in the lower portion of the housing, means to maintain a depth of liquid within the lower portion of the housing so the liquid contacts only the first drum and the clothes in such drum in such lower portion of the housing, means to centrifuge the second drum in the upper portion of the housing to remove liquid from the clothes in the said second drum simultaneously with the agitating of the drum in the lower portion of the housing, the third drum being mounted to be entirely out of the liquid and out of the path of liquid extracted from said second drum and adapted to be substantially stationary for removal of washed clothes therefrom and for the insertion of soiled clothes thereinto during the simultaneous washing of clothes in the first drum and simultaneous removal of liquid from the clothes in the second drum, the partitions between said drums preventing the passage of liquid from said first and second drums coming into contact with said third drum.

14. Apparatus for washing clothes to obtain high efiiciency in the use of the machine and the use of labor comprising a substantially cylindrical housing disposed with its axis in a generally horizontal position, means to maintain a supply of washing liquid in the bottom of said housing, at least three drums within said housing, support means for said drums to support one of the said drums in said liquid and to support the other drums out of said liquid, partition means between said drums and extending to the periphery and ends of the housing, means to agitate one drum in the liquid, means to rotate a second drum out of the liquid to remove the liquid from the clothes therein, and means to prevent rotation of said third drum and to provide for access to said third drum for unloading clothes from said third drum and loading soiled clothes in said third drum while said first and second drums are in operation.

15. A method of washing clothes in a liquid and removing the liquid therefrom with a minimum loss of liquid and with a minimum supply of liquid comprising arranging three agitating drums within a substantially fluid tight casing, maintaining a depth of liquid within the 16 m ljiortio'nhf thef'housing to contactbnly the driir'n in .siich loiwer' portion of the housing, effectively panties; ragw'achdmm'rrom the, others, agitating th'e clothes in one, drum 'in the'liquidin'the' lower 'jor'tion of thehousiil' to wash'said clothes, simultaneously with the agitation of the clothes in the lower portion of'the housing centrifiiging a'seco'nd" drumin the upperportion of the housing tofeniove liquid froni the clothes therein, simultaneously maintaining a third drum Substantially stationary and ren'ioving washed clothes from said third drum and 'insert ing soiled clothe's thereto while simultaneously washiri g' clothes in the first drum and removing liquid and successively repeating the operation on other batchesof clothes.

16L The method of washing clothes to obtain high elficiency in" the use of the equipment and labor com: prising maintaining a changing supply 'ofyvashing liquid in t'he bottom of a housing, successively filling drurns Within the housing with clothes to be washed, partitioning 8 drums from one anothefito prevent passage of liquid m m t wa t a t n vm' i i j a a rat n 9 99 fr m p of t l qui w' q' h i l iqm' l es er in and Preve tin Q fi o a third ammo firovide for access to said third druii loading a batch of clothes from saidthird: drurii and thereafter loading abatch of soiled clothes into said third drumjcontinuin'g the operation of said first and seco nd drums While the third drurn is stationary, and repeating 'tfi bPer ia $14 611 ashe f wilt- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,067 Bahrn Apr. 29, 1930 2,660,870 Kennedy Dec. 1, 1953 2,756,581 Von Boeherne July 31', 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS T? V" "l','f f

Claims (1)

16. THEMETHOD OF WASHING CLOTHES TO OBTAIN HIGH EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OF THE EQUIPMENT AND LABOR COMPRISING MAINTAINING A CHANGING SUPPLY OF WASHING LIQUID IN THE BOTTOM OF A HOUSING, SUCCESSIVELY FILLING DRUMS WITHIN THE HOUSING WITH CLOTHES TO BE WASHED, PARTITIONING THE DRUMS FROM ONE ANOTHER TO PREVENT PASSAGE OF LIQUID TO SOME OF THE DRUMS, AGITATING ONE DRUM IN THE LIQUID, ROTATING A SECOND DRUM OUT OF THE LIQUID TO REMOVE THE LIAUID FROM CLOTHES THEREIN, AND PREVENTING ROTATION OF A THIRD DRUM TO PROVIDE FOR ACCESS TO SAID THIRD DRUM, UNLOADING A BATCH OF CLOTHES FROM SAID THIRD DRUM AND THEREAFTER LOADING A BATCH OF SOILED CLOTHES INTO SAID THIRD DRUM, CONTINUING THE OPERATION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DRUMS WHILE THE THIRD DRUM IS STATIONARY, AND REPEATING THE OPERATIONS SUCCESSIVELY ON BATCHES OF CLOTHES.

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