US3012347A - Dust and dirt cleaning system for garment pressing plants - Google Patents

Description

DUST AND DIRT CLEANING SYSTEM FOR GARMENT PRESSING PLANTS W. L. BRAUN Dec. 12, 1961 Filed March 16, 1959 United States Patent '0 DUST AND DIRT CLEANING SYSTEM FOR GARMENT PRESSING PLANTS William L. Braun, Norwaik, Conn., assignor to B-Vac Corporation, Norwalk, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,634

4 Claims. (Cl. 382) This invention relates to a dust and dirt cleaning system for a garment pressing plant.

Practically all modern dry-cleaning or garment pressing plants are equipped with a power-driven air vacuum system the primary or only function of which is to remove steam and moisture from a garment during the pressing and steaming operation on a pressing machine supplied with steam from a suitable supply. This vacuum system is connected to the press by means of a pipe called a header, and vacuum is produced in this header by a power-driven suction device, including a separator for separating moisture from the air drawn through the header from the garment press. The operation is a very simple one in which, after a garment has been steamed and pressed and the crease has been firmly put into the cloth by means of a heated metal cover held tightly against the cloth, the supply of steam to the press is cut off and the valve is opened in a connection from the press to the header or vacuum line, and steam and dampness are drawn through and away from the garment to dry and cool it ofli. This is the only function of the air vacuum system now generally employed by pressing or cleaning plants. As steam and moisture are drawn with the air from the press and circulated through this system, it cannot be used for cleaning or sweeping, because if it were used to suck up dust, dirt or lint with this vacuum unit, this matter would collect and be held in the pipes and impeller system, as the interiors of these elements are damp or wet as a result of the moisture of the steam passing through, and this dirt and lint would readily cling to these wet surfaces. Thus in a short time the conduits and impeller system would clog up with this dust, dirt and lint and the air passages of the system would then no longer produce or supply vacuum to the press or carry the air and moisture away from it. This dust, dirt and lint would tend to'build up on the moist or wet surfaces of the system until there would be no opening for the air to pass through because of the vacuum. Also the impellers would soon become loaded with this material and thus become inoperative or unbalanced, and this would possibly result in mechanical damage and failure. For these reasons it is simply impossible to operate these air vacuum systems designed for the pressing or cleaning plant both as a means for removing steam and as a device for picking up dust and dirt. The system including the'header, the conduit connection from the garment press to the header, the connection from the header to the suction or vacuum producing element, as well as this element itself, are free of filter means for the dust and dirt from the press.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an effective and simple apparatus which will permit use of this central vacuum system both as a drier in garment pressing operations and also as a cleaner or sweeper for cleaning'dust, dirt and lint from the plant and equipment, andone which would permit use of the vacuum for removal of lint and dust from all portions of the plant, including the mechanism of presses and other hardto-get-at places. It is necessary in such an apparatus to prevent dirt and lint picked up from the plant and presses from getting into the vacuum system, and therefore I have designed a suitablecol-lector tank with a hose inlet and vacuum outlet including a filter means such, for example, as a rapid-disposal removable bag in the tank between the inlet and outlet, capable of removing dust and lint from air flowing through the tank, with a cleaning suction hose connected to the inlet for picking up dirt and lint from all parts of the plant and presses, and a conduit connection from the outlet to the vacuum header which may be either permanently connected to the header, or preferably connected by a detachable connection, permitting storage of the cleaning apparatus out of the way when not in use. There is also provided in the outlet from the tank to the header a filter screen which acts as a safety device and prevents any lint or dirt particles from getting into the vacuum line or header in case of failure of the filter means in the tank. One or more detachable connections for connecting this cleaning apparatus to the header of a vacuum system may be provided, depending on the size of the plant and the amount of space to be cleaned.

7 With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the garment pressing and cleaning system involving one or more garment presses and the steam supply and vacuum system connected thereto, and my improved dust and dirt cleaning apparatus applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a detachable connection which may be used for connecting the suction conduit from the cleaning apparatus to the vacuum system;

FIG. 4 is a partial side view and partial section thereof;

FIG. 5 is'a sectional view of a filter tank for use in this cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a portion thereof on a somewhat larger scale, and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modified means of connecting the cleaning apparatus to the vacuum system.

The garment cleaning and pressing system may comprise one or more garment presses 10 depending on the size 'of' the plant, three being shown in the drawing. These may comprise any of the standard and well'known type of press in which garments are pressed between heated members by which steam is supplied to the garment and then air is drawn through the garment to dry and cool it, as well as set the folds and creases by removing the resultant moisture. In the drawing these presses are shown diagrammatically and not in detail. They comprise an upper hollow cover member 11 including a perforated lower metal wall, and a hollow opposed lower member 12 provided with an upper perforated surface (not shown) which may or may not be covered with a suitable cloth or fabric. The upper member ,11 may be hinged by suitable supporting means 13 whereby it may be raised from the lower member 12 for insertion and removal of the garment between them, and also provided with foot .or other operable means (not shown) for raising'and lowering the upper member and pressing it against the garment'supported 'on the lower member for the pressing-operation. Means is provided for heating at least one of these members 11 and 12 by circulation of steam through it by means of suitable steam supply pipes 14 connected to any suitable source of steam supply (not shown), and these pipes are provided with suitable control valves 15 whereby the supply of steam to the members of the press may be turned on or cut off. The

lower perforated member 12 is connected by a suitable conduit connection '16 to the vacuum system including a pipe or header 17 connected to a power-driven vacuum producing machine 18. This machine 18 may include a hollow separator tank 19 to which the header 17 is connected, this tank operating as a moisture separator to separate moisture from the -air drawn through the header 17, and at the top of this tank is a vacuum producing suction means 20 including rotatable impeller means 21 driven by a suitable motor 22. This vacuum or suction means is connected to the top of the tank 19 by inlet means, and is provided with a suitable outlet 23. A suitable valve means 24 is provided in the conduit connection 16 between the lower member 12 of the press and the header 17 to open and close this connection.

' Means is provided for connecting my cleaning -appara tus to this vacuum system for operation thereby, in conjunction With the garment pressing operation. This cleaning apparatus comprises a filter and collector tank 25 which may be a" hollow upright metal tank 40 with a hose inlet 26 leading to this tank and a vacuum outlet 27 leading from the tank. The inlet 26 is connected by any suitable connection 28 to a flexible hose 29 connected at its opposite end to a vacuum cleaner or suction head 30 for access to all parts and locations for cleaning and removal of dust, dirt and lint by this apparatus. The outlet 27 is connected by a suitable conduit 31 to the header 17 of the vacuum system. This may be a flexible hose, or it could be a permanent pipe connection if there is space in the plant for containing the collector tank 25 when not in use, but preferably one or more valve controlled connections 32 are provided in the header 17, which connection includes means whereby the flexible hose 31 maybe detachably connected to .th'ei-header 17. Thus this connection may comprise a fixture 33 with an adapter 34 connected to one side thereof into which the tapered coupling member 35 connected to the hose may be inserted and held either by friction, rubber sleeve, or

by. some locking connection (not shown), and when the hose is removed this inlet is closed by a suitable closure valve 36 such, for example, as a valve hinged to the fixture at 37 and adapted to drop either bygravity or a spring (not shown) over and close the opening to the adapted 34 when the hose is removed, to thus close the inlet to the vacuum header to maintain the vacuum therein.

In FIG. 7 is shown a connector whereby the flexible hose 31 or other conduit can be permanently connected to the header 1 7, as, for example, by the connecting fixture 38 controlled by a cut-01f valve 39. The collector or separator 25 comprises a metal tank40 in which is a perforated cylinder 41supporting on its inner side a filter bag 42. The bag fits this cylinder so that it is supported by the cylinder against the strong vacuum produced in the tank, the cylinder being spaced from the outer tank member 40 to thus provide a space 43 surrounding the cylinder and to which the vacuum outlet 27 is connected. In this outlet is a filter screen 44 which acts as -a safety connected to the header 17 either by the detachable connections of FIGS. 3 and 4 or the permanent connection of FIG. 7, thus connecting the vacuum in the system to the collector or separator tank 25, which draws a stream of air through the inlet hose 29 and from the suction head or nozzle 30, carrying with it dirt and lint particles from the cleaning operation, which are collected in the filter bag 42, and this bag when filled may be easily removed and thrown away and a new bag substituted. If this bag should fail, the filter 44 would prevent lint and dirt particles from getting into the vacuum system which draws moist air from the presses. This cleaning apparatus therefore permits use of the vacuum system used for the clothes cleaning and pressing operations in a garment cleaning and pressing plant which, because of the moisture in the air flowing through the system from the presses, cannot be used directly as a cleaning means for the plant; but with this improved apparatus this system can be readily and efiectively used for thoroughly cleaning all the plant, including machines or other apparatus in it, without in any way interfering with the proper functioning of the vacuum system for use in the pressing operations.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A system for garment pressing plants-including a header comprising a conduit, a vacuum producer connected to said header, a garment press of the type in which garments are pressed between heated members by which steam is supplied to the garment and then air is drawn through the garment to cool and dry it by removing the resultant moisture, a conduit connection from the press to the header whereby the vacuum in the header withdraws the air and moisture from the press, said conduit connection and header with its connection to the vacuum producer being free of any filter means for dust and dirt from the press, a vacuum cleaning device comprising a collector tank, a hose inlet and vacuum outlet connected to the tank, a filter means in the tank between said inlet and outlet capable of removing dirt and lint particles from air flowing from the inlet to the outlet, a vacuum cleaning inlet nozzle connected by a flexible hose to said inlet, a conduit connection from said outlet to said header, and valve means controlling said latter conduit connection.

2. A system for garment pressing plants according to claim 1 in which there is an additional filter between the outlet from the tank and the header capable of preventing dust and dirt passing to the header should the filter in the tank fail.

device to prevent any lint or dirt particles from getting into the vacuum line or header 17in case of failure of the filter bag 42. Although it is preferably in this outlet it could be anywhere between the tank and the header 17. For example, it could be in the inlet of the connections 33 or 38 or in the hose coupling 35. This is veryimportant for the reason explained above, to insure that no dirt or 'lmt gets into the vacuum system of the presses to cause clogging of the conduit or air passages involved therein. The tank 25 is closed atits upper end by a suitable removable cover 45 which may be sealed by a suitable rubber gasket 46 to prevent leakage of the air from outside into the tank, and the inlet 26;, leading to the inside of the bag 42 may be carried by this cover. This filter bag is removable and provides a rapid-disposal means for the dirt and lint collected during the cleaning operation.

In the use of this device the inle connection 31 is 3; A system for garment pressing plants according to claim 1 in which there are one or more fixtures having an inlet to the header providing means for detachably connecting the conduit from the tank to the header and providing a closure for the inlet to the header.

4. A system for garment pressing plants according to claim 1 in which the collector tank comprises an outer member, a perforated cylinder in the outer member and of smaller diameter providing a space between the cylinder and the outer member, a removable filter bag on the inner side of the cylinder and supported thereby, the inlet to the tank leads to theinside of the bag, and the outlet from the tank leads from the space between the cylinder and the outer member. I

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 847,947 Kenney Mar. 19, 1907 1,169,873 Sanborn Feb. 1, 1916 1,220,297 Vanderhoof Mar.'27, 1917 2,028,215 Heuberger Jan. 21, 1936 2,388,279 Nufier Nov. 6, 1945 V FOREIGN PATENTS I 666,652 France May 27, 1929 381,622 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1932

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