US2958139A

US2958139A - Clothes drier

Info

Publication number: US2958139A
Application number: US651294A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas R Smith
Original assignee: Maytag Corp
Current assignee: Maytag Corp
Priority date: 1957-04-08
Filing date: 1957-04-08
Publication date: 1960-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-01

Description

T. R. SMITH CLOTHES DRIER Nov. 1, 1960 Filed April 8, 1957 [lh Vx 5f 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. l, 1960 T. R. SMITH 2,958,139

CLOTHES DRIER Filed April 8, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 1, 1960 T. R. SMITH 2,958,139

CLOTHES DRIER Filed April 8, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 0000000 000000 OOOOOO 0000() T. R. SMITH CLOTHES DRIER Nov. 1, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 8, 1957 la! 7. ma@

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T. R. SMITH CLOTHES DRIER Nov. 1, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 8, 195'? CLOTHES DRIER iowa, assignor to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, ware Filed Apr. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 651,294 6 Claims. (Cl. Srl-133) This invention relates to a tumbler construction for clothes driers. It specifically relates to a unique means for heating air prior to its entry into the clothes tumbler to evaporate moisture from moist fabrics retained within that tumbler. In its use, this invention is particularly adaptable to that type of clothes drier which eliminates the use of a stationary imperforate casing encompassing the clothes tumbler. This invention is specifically adaptable for use with that type clothes drier disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 651,293, filed of even date herewith and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention.

Brieliy, the invention of my copending application embodies a revoluble drum drive shaft jour-nailed in a stationary casting of hollow construction to provide an air exhaust opening communicating with the interior of the clothes tumbler and concentrically located with respect to the drum drive shaft. A suitable supporting frame supports the stationary casting which formsthe solle sup port for the drum drive shaft connected at one end to and supporting the weight of the clothes drum and its contents.

By journalling a suction fan on the opposite end of the drive shaft to expel air withdrawn from the interior of the drum through the hollow stationary casting, a ow of air can be produced through an air inlet in one of the drum walls which produces an eiiicient drying operation at low temperatures without necessitating the use of an outer stationary imperforate casing encompassing the clothes drum.

The instant invention relates to the speciiic means for heating the air prior to its being sucked into the air inlet of the clothes drum in a clothes drier of the type disclosed in my copending application for a similar construction to which this invention is applicable.

In essence, my invention consists of the provision of a perforate area in `a circular pattern around one of the end walls of the clothes drum or tumbler. By attaching an imperforate shroud member of generally circular conguration to the clothes drum, an annular recess is formed between the drum wall containing the air inlet openings and the shroud to house a stationary heating unit or at least coni-ine the heat given off by a stationary heating unit located adjacent this annular recess. Air ilow past this stationary heating unit and into the drum through the perforate end wall and out f the drum through a centrally located air exhaust opening in the rear drum wall is produced by a suction fan communicating with the latter opening.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, showing a clothes drier embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is ya rear elevational view, partially broken away, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the location of a heating element with respect to the air inlet openings into the clothes drier shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing the entrance to the air exhaust passageway;

essais Figure 5 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, showing a clothes drier embodying a modication of my invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing a clothes drier embodying a second modification of my invention;

Figure 7 is a view taken on line 7--7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a clothes drier embodying a third modication of my invention;

Figure 9 is a view taken on line 9--9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing a clothes drier embodying a fourth modification of my invention; and,

Figure 1l is a view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings for a more complete description of my invention, Figure 1 shows base frame 10 connected to the two upstanding channel support members 11 which are connected at their upper ends on opposite sides of the hollow blower housing casting 12. Also connected to the base frame 10 is a cabinet 14 which encloses the entire clothes drier forming the subject of my invention.

Casting 12 includes a tubular portion 16 and, in this illustrative embodiment, three internal radially directed longitudinal webs 17 which converge toward each other to provide a bearing 18 and an air exhaust pasageway of three segmental parts located between the tubular portion 16 and the bearing 18, Since the supporting webs 17 are longitudinally continuous for support purposes only, the three-part passageway 21 can be for illustrative purposes termed a singular passageway concentric to the bearing 18.

Mounted within bearing 18 is the revoluble drum drive shaft 23 which projects from both ends of the blower housing casting 12. Drum drive shaft 23 carries axed at its rear end a large pulley 25 which is driven by motor 26 through the belt 24, integral pulleys 28 and Z9, and the belt 31 to reduce the speed of the drum drive shaft 23 to the desired tumbling speed of approximately 50 r.p.m.

The opposite or forward end of the drum drive shaft 23 is rigidly fastened to the drum spider member 33 to form va unitary connection with shaft 23. Drum spider member 33 is provided with a hub portion 34 connected to the four radiating spokes 35 which are connected in turn to the rim 36. A heat resistant sealing member 38 encircles the front periphery of blower housing 12 to which it is connected and contacts the rear wall 39 of drum 4b adjacent the periphery of a centrally located air exhaust opening 41 formed in rear wall 39.

The iront face of rim 36 of drum spider 33 is recessed to receive a two-part lint trap generally indicated'by the arrow 43 and comprising a lint screen retainer member 44 and a lint screen 45. The lint screen 45 contains a centrally located aperture which slides over hub 34 of drum spider 33 when

parts

44 and 45 are assembled and inserted into the recessed rim 36. The lint screen retainer member 44 is provided with a plurality of air holes 47 as well as a pair of diametrically opposed nger holes 48 to facilitate removal of the lint trap 43 from spider member 33. When lint trap 43 has been assembled into the position shown in Figure 1, the periphery of the lint screen retainer member 44 forms a lint-tight seal in the recessed portion of rim 36 while the lint screen 44 maintains a linttight seal with hub 34 to etectively filter lint from all air passing through drum spider member 33.

The rim 36 ofthe drum spider member 33 is rigidly bolted to the rear wall 39 of the drum 40 adjacent the pe riphery of the air exhaust opening 41. The rear drum wall 39 is fastened at its periphery to the imperforate cylindrical side wall 51 which carries the clothes elevating vanes 52 to tumble fabrics retained within drum 40 during rotation of the latter member. Y

The cylindrical side wall 51 joins--the-imperforatefront Wall 54 which is provided with a centrally located access opening 55 which is aligned with the accessopening 57 formed in the front wall of cabinet 14. A conventional door gasket 59carried in the access opening 57V and -protruding through drum access opening 55 seals these openings together during rotation of drum 40. A door panel 58 hinged on cabinet 14 covers these

access openings

55 and 57 during theoperation of this clothes drier.

In Figure l, it will be noted that the rear wall39 is provided with-several rows of holes 61 positioned in a circular pattern inthe rear wall. Fastened to rear wall 39 nearits junction with the cylindrical side wall 51 is the shroud member 63 which is of generally circular configuration-and which is provided with a blanked out centrally located portion to provideA an -air access opening 64 concentrically located with respect to the tubular portion 16 of blower housing 12.

Fastened tothe bracket 66 attached to the periphery of blower housing 12 and positioned in the cavity between shroud 63and the rear drum 39 is the electric open coil heating element 67 which serves to heat the air passing through air access opening 64 prior to its entry into drum 4GY through the'foraminous area 61.

Air iiow intodrum 40 throughrholes 61 and into the blower housing'12 is produced by means of the suction fan or impeller 71 which is revolubly mounted upon a rear portion of the drum drive shaft 23 and housed within a scroll-shaped blower housing formed by the cooperation of blower housing 12 with the blower housing cover 73 connected to the rear portion of blower housing 12. The air exhaust elbow member 74- joins the conduit thus formed by the cooperation of

members

12 and 73 to provide a means of exhausting air discharged from the interior of drum 40 by the rotation of the impeller member 71.

Impeller member 71 is integrally attached to the pulley membery 76 which is directly driven by the front motor pulley 77 through belt 78. This drive connection permits impeller 71 to be rotated at approximately 1700 r.p.m. by motor 26-while that same motor rotates drum 40 at ap proXimat/ely 50 r.p.m.

Following its loading with damp fabrics to be dried, the clothes drier shown in Figures 1 to 4 is energized by supplying power to motor 26 and heating element 67 through an external control circuit forming no part of this invention. The energization of the motor 26 causes clothes tumblerl 40 to rotate the tumbler at tumbling speed while causing the impeller member 71 to exhaust air from the blower housing 12 and air exhaust elbow 74.

This pumping of air through the exhaust elbow 74 creates a vacuum within drum 4t)` with the result that air from the ambient atmosphere surrounding drum 40 enters the air access opening 64 and ows over the energized heating element 67 prior to being drawn to the interior of'drum 40 through the perforate area 61 in rear wall 39.

Because of the large inlet area provided by holes 61 and the large air how produced by impeller 7 1, this construction produces a rather large air flow through drum 40 at relatively low temperatures to thereby insure a more safe and delicate drying operation on the fabrics within that drum.

The air leaving drum 40 passes through the lint screen retainer member 44 and the lint screen 45 before being expelled from drum 40 through the centrally located air exhaust opening 41 where it enters the blower housing 12 to be exhausted into the external ductwork connected to exhaust elbow 74.

A second embodiment of my invention is shown in Figure which differs primarily from the embodiment shown in Figure 1 in the construction and positioning of the shroud carried by the rear drum end Wall. Whereas the cooperation between shroud 63 and the rear wall 39 in Figure 1 forms an annular recess openly exposed toward its axis of rotation, the annular recess formed by the rear wall 39a and the shroud 81 carried on the latter rear wall shown in Figure 5 is openly exposed toward the periphery of drum 40. The rows of holes 61a in rear wall 39a are located near the bottom of the circumferential recess formed by shroud 63 and drum 40. Like the embodiment of Figure l, shroud 81 defines a cavity conliningthe heating unit 82 and accordingly also contines the air which is preheated by heating unit 82 prior to its passage through the perforate area 61. This not only reduces wasteful radiant etects of heater 82 within cabinet 14 but also aids in the conservation of heat energy for drying purposes. The heating element `82. for preheating the air entering drum40 is carried on the insulated bracket 83 attached to vblower housing 12.

While the operation of the ysecondnembodiment is very similar to-that of the iirstembodiment, the greater area' available for the location of the heatingelement around the openly exposed annular recess -formed by the rear wall 39a with shroud 81 permits the reduction of the concentration of heat per unit area in that recess by the use of a longular circular heater coil for identical wattage.

Fragmentary views of a=third=embodiment of my invention are shown in Figures 6 and 7. In this embodiment, the rear drum wall (not shown) is irriperforate except for exhaust opening 41 whereas the front. wall 86 carrying the shroud member87 is provided with circular rows of holes 88 located concentrically to the access opening into drum 40. Shroud 87 is therefore similar in appearance and function to the shroud 81 as shown in Figure 5. The remaining parts of the drier are similar to those shown in Figures l to 5.

While heat for the drier modification shown in Figures 6 and 7 could be supplied by circular heating element such as that shown in Figure 15, the heating element 89 shown in Figures 6 and 7 is shown as an arcuate element located beneath the access openings into the cabinet 14 and drum 40 and anchored to the stationary framework of the cabinet 14 by element bracket 98.

The location of shroud 87 at the front of drum 4t) provides a transverse yflow of air through the drum while the positioning of heating element 89 at the lower portion of the drum concentrates the heat source near the lower region of the drum 40 in which the clothes are located. Other than these differences, the operation of the machine illustrated by Figures 6 and 7 is similar in form and operation to that shown in the previous embodiments.

A fourth embodiment of my invention is shown in fragmentary Views of Figures 8 and 9. This modification is very similar to that shown in Figures 6 and 7 in that the shroud member 91 is located on the front of the drum 4t) over holes 88 in the front drum wall 86 which supports andl carries the rotatable shroud. member 91. Shroud 91 is provided with an edge 92 which `extends beyond the periphery of drum 40 to provide an extended recess aswell as an air shieldfor the gas burner 94 which by reason of its flame 95 cannot extend as far linto the cavity formed by wall 86 and shroud 91 as does the electric heating element shown in Figure 6, for example. The gas burner 94 is supported by burner bracket 99 to the stationary framework of the cabinet'14.

Burner 94 is -arcuately formed into a. segment capable of supplying heat energy to a fractional portion of the drum 4t) during its rotation in the drying cycle. This modification functions similarly to that shown in Figures 6 and 7 but differs therefrom in that it relies upon` the draft created through drum 40 to draw the flame 95 toward` the holes 188. This feature reduces the iire hazard in case burner 94 should continue to operate when there is no air ow through drum 40.

A fth embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 10 and 11. This modification is similar to the modification shown in Figures 8 and 9 in that the heat source is supplied by an arcuately formed burner 96 having substantially the same radius of curvature as the periphery of drum 40. The burner 96 is supported by burner bracket 99 to the stationary framework of the cabinet 14. The shroud and drum wall formation of this embodiment is similar to that of iFigure 8 but difers from that prior embodiment by the location of the heating element 96 relative to the recess formed by shroud member 91 and the drum front wall 86.

In the modification of Figure 10, the clothes drier coordinates the directing of the fiame 97 from burner 96 into this recess depending upon the presence or absence of a draft through drum 40 to a greater degree than that coordination which would be available for the machine shown in Figure 8. The burner is located in an upper quadrant, depending upon the direction of drum rotation, so that a draft is necessary to draw the ame 97 into the recess formed between shroud 91 and the front wall 86. Should the burner 96 continue to operate when the air fiow through drum 40 ceases, the ame issuing from burner 96 will rise above burner 96 and drum 40 with the result that heat will not be supplied to the interior of drum 40 to ofverheat the fabrics carried within that tumbler. `Other than these differences, formation and operation of the drier shown in Figures 10 and l1 is substantially similar to that of Figures 8 and 9.

From this description and review of the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that a prime object of my invention is to provide a rotating drum member with a perforate wall to which is attached a shroud member which partially covers the perforate area of that wall so that the cavity thus formed by these members can be supplied with heat from a stationary heat source to thereby heat the interior of the drum without necessitating the use of an imperforate casing encompassing the tumbler or any duct-work connected to such a casing.

It will therefore be appreciated that while several embodiments of my invention are disclosed herein, other modifications may also be made which come within the spirit of my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including a rear wall, means defining a centrally located air exhaust opening in said rear wall, said rear wall further including a perforate portion spaced outwardly from said air exhaust opening and defining an air intake into said drum, means for moving ambient air surrounding said drum into said drum through said perforate portion and out of said drum through said air exhaust opening, exhaust conduit means communicating between said exhaust Opening `and atmosphere, a shroud member fastened to said rear wall and extending over said perforate portion, and a stationary heating unit positioned between said drum and said shroud member for heating air entering said drum through said perforate portion in said rear Wall.

2. In a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including a rear wall, means defining a centrally located air exhaust opening in said rear wall, said rear wall further including a perforate portion spaced outwardly from said air exhaust opening, means for moving ambient air surrounding said drum -air into said drum through said perforate portion and out of said drum through said air exhaust opening, exhaust conduit means communicating between said air exhaust opening and atmosphere, Ia shroud member fastened to said rear wall and extending inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said drum to cover said perforate portion and define an air intake opening aligned with said air exhaust opening, and a stationary heating unit positioned between said shroud member and said drum for heating air passing through said air intake opening and entering said perforate portion in said rear wall.

3. IIn a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including a rear wall, means defining a centrally located air exhaust opening in said rear wall, said rear wall further including a perforate portion encircling said air exhaust opening, means for moving ambient air surrounding said drum into said drum through said perforate portion vand out of said drum through said air exhaust opening, exhaust conduit means communicating between said exhaust opening and atmosphere, a shroud member fastened to said rear wall and projecting toward the periphery of said drum in spaced relationship to said perforate portion to define with said drum a circumferential cavity communicating with said perforate portion, and a stationary heating unit of circular configuration positioned within said cavity for heating air entering said drum through said perforate portion.

4. In a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including front and rear walls, means defining a central access opening in said front wall, means defining a centrally located air exhaust opening in said rear wall, said front wall including a foraminous portion of generally circular configuration adjacent the periphery of said drum to define an air intake into said drum, means for moving ambient air surrounding said drum into said drum through said foraminous portion and out of said drum through said ait` exhaust ope-ning, exhaust conduit means communicating between said exhaust opening and atmosphere, a shroud member in juxtaposition to said front wall and extending toward the periphery of said drum in spaced relationship to said foraminous portion to define with said drum an annular cavity adjacent to and communicating with said foraminous portion, and a heating unit positioned between said drum and said shroud member in said cavity for heating air entering said drum through said foraminous portion.

5. In a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including front and rear Walls, means defining an access opening in said front wall, means defining an air exhaust opening in said rear wall, one of said walls including a foraminous portion defining an air intake into said drum, air translating means for moving ambient air surrounding said drum into said drum through said foraminous portion and out of said drum through said air exhaust opening, exhaust conduit means communicating between said air exhaust opening and atmosphere, a shroud member fastened in juxtaposition to said one wall and extending toward the periphery of said drum in spaced relationship to said foraminous portion to define with the cooperation of said drum an annular recess adjacent to and communicating with said foraminous portion, and a gas burner positioned adjacent said shroud member and in the draft created through said drum by said air translating means for heating air entering said drum through said foraminous portion, said burner being spaced from said foraminous portion and emitting a fiame entering said recess upon the creation of said draft.

6. In a clothes drier, a revoluble drum including front and rear walls, means defining a centrally located access opening in said front wall, means defining a centrally located air exhaust opening in said rear wall, one of said walls defining an annular perforate portion positioned coaxially to said centrally located air exhaust opening and defining an air intake into said drum, impeller means outside of said drum for moving ambient air surrounding said drum into said drum through said perforate portion and out of said drum through said air exhaust opening to the atmosphere, exhaust conduit means communicating between said air exhaust opening and atmosphere, and forming a housing for said impeller means, a shroud member extending over said perforate portion, and a heating unit positioned adjacent said drum for heating air entering said drum between said drum and shroud member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS