US3159016A - Combination washer and extractor additive bins - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1964 M. HERTIG ETAL COMBINATION WASHER AND EXTRACTOR ADDITIVE BINS 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1962 INVENTORS i v I V I- l-l Max l/erzfg #owarc/ .2 Werner Dec. 1, 1964 M. HERTIG ETAL COMBINATION WASHERIAND EXTRACTOR ADDITIVE BINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1962 iNVENTORS Max #ert/g Y #on/aro JI Werner ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1964 Original Filed Nov. 6, 1962 M. HERTIG ETAL 3,159,016

COMBINATION WASHER AND EXTRACTOR ADDITIVE BINS :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4 [/29 INVENTORS' Max f/erfi Howard Werner BY Cm -IMW ATTORNEYS 8 Claims. (ill. 63-47) The present invention is a divisional case of pending US. application Serial No. 235,680, filed November 6, 1962. t

The present invention relates generally to laundry appliances and more particularly to a combination washerextractor additive bins.

Commercial combination washer-extractors are plagued by the problems of sediment build-up in their additive bins.

The sediment build-up in the additive bins of the washer-extractors caused frequent shutdown of the washerextractors to clean these bins. Also, the collection of sediment in the additive bins was the cause of an insufficient amount of additive being added to the washer-extractors during the washing of clothes and thus produced improperly cleansed clothes.

The present invention, as hereinafter described, eliminates the detrimental aspects of these above washer-extractors by eliminating the need for shutdown of the washer-extractors to clean the additive bins. Our invention, provides a washer-extractor with synchronized additive bins that simultaneously supply a particular additive to the washer-extractor and are cleaned.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combination washer-extractor having at least one additive bin that is cleaned simultaneously with supplying an additive to the washer-extractor thereby.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a means for simultaneously supplying an additive to a washing machine and cleaning the additive supply bin.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a washing machine with a plurality of synchronized independently controlled additive bins being positioned within an additive chute connected to an imperforate tub casing having an opening formed in the casing adjacent the bottom of the additive chute and the additive chute having a bottom wall inclining from the bottom of said casing opening, and the additive bins being pivotally mounted within said additive chute in a normally upright position with their open ends facing the top wall of the additive chute and means to independently pivot each additive chute whereby one edge of the additive bin open end will contact the bottom wall of the additive chute and the additive bin open end will face the additive chute opening to allow the additive in the bin to flow through the additive chute opening and liquid from within the washer to be supplied through the additive chute opening into the additive bin to wash the additive from within the additive bins.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those sln'lled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawing which by way of preferred examples only illustrate two embodiments of the present invention.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of laundry apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the laundry apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

I United, States Patent C ice FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the laundry apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the additive apparatus on the combination washer-extractor of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the additive apparatus of the present invention illustrated in FIGURE 4.

As shown on the drawings:

In accordance with this invention, a combination commercial washer-extractor is completely encased. The combination washer-extractor is mounted and suspended on four vertical supports. Between the vertical supports and the combination washer-extractor are placed four shock absorbing apparatus that automatically centers an uneven load and stops vibration of the washer-extractor. Also, four heavy weights are disposed symmetrically about the Washer-extractor drum axis to aid in the prevention of vibration and to maintain a constant center of gravity during uneven loads.

The washer-extractor is provided with an additive chute having a plurality of synchronized additive bins that are sized to dump a predetermined amount of various additives at predetermined times into the washer-extractor tub or treatment zone. These bins are mounted in such a manner that when they empty their contents into the tub, they also subject their chambers to the liquid in the tub driven by the drum and are thereby washed. However, the additives in the bins that are not being emptied are maintained in a position such that the additive contents thereof do not come into contact with the laundry liquid.

Referring now to FIGURES l-3, there is illustrated commercial laundry apparatus generally designated by the numeral 11 and which comprises an outer casing designated in its entirety by the numeral 12. The casing 12 is provided by a pair of spaced plate-like front and rear Walls 13 and 14 secured in any desired manner to opposite ends of a generally cylindrical casing body portion forming a tub 16, two side walls 15 and 15a (not shown), and top walls 17 and 18. The casing body portion or tub 16 is of course imperforate and has mounted thereon an additive chute 2t), hereinafter described in detail, and the lower portion thereof may be downwardly recessed to provide a sump to accommodate a supply of laundry fiuid.

The front and rear walls 13 and 14 of the casing 12 each supports shelf means 19 mounted by a plurality of uprights 21 welded or otherwise secured to the front and rear walls 13 and 14. Each shelf 19 mounts thereon bearing means 22 for journaling shaft means supporting and rotatably driving a drum or receptacle 23.

The drum drive shaft (not shown) preferably has an enlarged central portion and reduced diameter end portions. A structure of this character has at least two advantages, first, the enlarged diameter central portion essentially entirely avoids the possibility of whipping and flexure, particularly when the drum or basket 23 is 1'0- tatedat high centrifuging speeds. Second, the reduced diameter shaft portions permit journaling of the shaft in bearings 22 of lesser size than would otherwise be possible.

In a manner conventional in the art, an extractor motor 24 and wash motor 26 drive the combination washer-extractor of the present invention by a series of belts and pulley connections.

The extractor motor 24 and Wash motor 26 are supported upon shelf means 27, which may take the form of an inverted generally U-shaped member having spaced dependent leg portions 28 attached to the casing rear wall 14 and providing an upper shelf portion 29 upon which the named motor means may be situated. The means of attachment of the motor means to the shelf Patented Dec. 1, 1964 3 member may be widely varied and the basket drive belts are encased in a guard housing 31.

The extractor motor 24 is desirably equipped to provide an intermediate and high centrifuging speed, and when the laundry apparatus 11 is constructed to launder approximately 600 pounds of clothes or other fabrics in a single load, the extractor motor may have 12.5 and 25 horsepower capabilities, with an rpm. reading of 820 and 1690, respectively. The wash motor 26, on the other hand, is of a relatively low speed type, and can be provided by a 7.5 horsepower motor with a reading of 84 rpm. During the washing operation the wash motor 26 drives an idle extractor motor, the extractor motor in turn rotatably driving the basket 23. However, to drive the basket 23 at either of the two centrifuging speeds, the basket is driven directly from the motor means 24. Accordingly, to preventundue wear or even destruction of the wash motor 26 during centrifuging, the wash motor is equipped with overrunning clutch means to provide the requisite slippage.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, the front wall 13 of the casing 12 mounts hinge means 32 swingably supporting an access door 33 to permit insertion and removal of fabrics to be laundered. I

The access door 33 on the casing front wall is mechanically locked in a closed position by a locking device 34 which may include a swingable wedge bar 36 under control of handle means 37 operable to wedge the bar means 36 in overlapping wedging contact with the inwardly facing edge 38 of the door 33.

Additionally forming a part of the door locking systern of this invention is a pneumatic locking device 39 comprised of plunger means 41 movable in valve means 42 by air pressures supplied through conduit means 43, the plunger means desirably being received in suitable apertures in the periphery of the door 33. The locking device'34 is effective to prevent opening of the door 33 after-initiation of the laundering operation, and for this purpose, the air supply to the conduit means 43 may be under control of the timing circuitry of the laundry apparatus 11, in a manner well known to the art.

The access door 33 may further be engaged by switch means 40 equipped with suitable contact means and connected to the electrical circuitry of the apparatus 11 so that the laundry machine is shut off when the access door 33 is opened. As appears in FIGURE 1, the switch means 4i? is engageable with the door edge or periphery.

An additional structural feature of the instant invention lies in the provision of means for assuring that the area adjacent the site of installation of the apparatus 11 is maintained essentially free of laundry fluid. The means provided for this purpose appears in FIGURE 1, and comprises a trough member 44 attached to the under surface of the front shelf 19 and positioned beneath a slotted opening (not shown) adjacent the casing front wall 13 and beneath the front bearing assembly 22. The bearing assembly 22 is a water seal-type bearing and leakrage occurs therethrough to maintain an effective seal. Such water leakage is received in the trough member 44, which in turn communicates with a pipe or the like 46 leading to a suitable drain opening in the floor or other foundation upon which the laundry apparatus 11 is positioned and secured. While not shown, a trough and pipe drain liquid from the'shelf on the rear wall 14.

It is desired to note, that the washer-extractor 11 is equipped with an automatic control device 47 (FIGURES 1 and 3) having control panels 45 situated upon the casing front wall 13 and having access through a slot 45a in the side wall 15. The control device 47 is part of the electrical circuitry of the laundry apparatus and automatically and sequentially controls the admission of laundry fluid, liquid or granular laundry materials and the performance of the washing, extracting and pre-conditioning' step. The control device 47 and electrical circuitry of the washer-extractor 11 can be provided in a manner well known to the art, and no further description thereof is required for a complete understanding of the instant invention.

Symmetrically spaced radially outwardly from the drum axis are four weighted bars 48, 49, 51 and 52. The bars 43 and 49 join the front and rear walls 13 and 14 at the top thereof and the bars 51 and 52 join the front and rear walls at the bottom thereof. 'Ihese bars are designed to form ballast or to add weight to the washer-extractor and maintain a non-vibratory state. Since the weights are spaced radially outwardly, they tend to stabilize the center of gravity of the machine mass and minimize vibration of the washer-extractor.

The entire combination washer-extractor of the present invention is float-ingly suspended on two pairof supports or stanchions 53 and 54 which are spaced perpendicularly away from the planes of the front and rear walls 13 and 14, one pair of supports being on each side of the casing 12. The pair of vertical supports 53 are joined at their bases by a support plate 56 that supports the vertical supports on the laundry floor. Likewise, the base of the pair of vertical supports 54 are joined by a base support plate 57. I

in order to keep the vertical supports aligned, two aligning bars 58 and 59 are connected near the front and rear ends respectively of the base support plates 56 and 57 by suitable fastening means 61.

The top of each verticaly support has attached thereto -a spring suspension snubber means (not shown) that is attached by suitable means to the washer-extractor of the present invention.

The casing 12 has four extensions 9lthat extend perpendicularly from the ends of the front and rear walls and have lower plates 92 structurally supported thereby. Each extension 91 has enclosure side walls 93 and 4, top and back walls 95 and 95a declining from the casing front and rear Walls to the extension lower plate 92 and the wall 96 extending therefrom parallel to the casing front and rear walls to enclose the suspension means. The spring suspension vibration snubber which is mounted on the four corners of the washer-extractor prevents and stops vibration of the Washer-extractor and the four heavy weights placed on the washer-extractor of the present invention compress the springs of the snubber to limit the upward resiliency thereof. When the laundry machine is off balance, any tendency of the washer-extractor to vibrate during the spinning operation will be minimized.

Referring to FIGURES l, 4 and 5, the additive chute it) of the present invention acts as an additive storage reservoir is attached to the outer surface of the imperforate casing 16. The additive chute has a top wall 1%, an inclined bottom wall 161, side walls 105, and a back wall 162. The bottom, top and side walls are attached to the imperforate casing 16 by suitable attaching means 193 and sealed against fluid leakage by suitable seals 104 placed therebetween. The additive chute 29 provides effective means for delivering additives to the laundry liquid.

Within the additive chute 2% are mounted means to store a plurality of washing additives wherein said means comprise a detergent bin 106, a bleach bin 1.07, a bluing bin 1%, a water softener bin 109 and a rinse additive bin Hi; and means to individually rotatably mount each additive bin in the additive chute wherein the mounting means provide individual pivot means for each additive bin that are comprised by ten square plates 112 each having a U- brace 113 attached thereto. A square plate is attached to the inner surface of each side wall and two square plates are mounted between each bin by braces 114 attached to the rear wall. Each plate has its U-bracket facing the adjacent additive bin and affixed to each bin are pivoting means such as two protruding rods 115 that rotatably sit on the curved base of the U-brackets 3113 (as illustrated by FIGURE 4). 1

It is of course understood that any number of individually rotatable bins may be used in the additive chute of the present invention and that they may be rotatably mounted by any suitable rotatable mounting means. The bin has a rounded bottom wall 106a, a front wall 1116b and a rear wall 1060, diverging from the bottom wall, two spaced side walls 106d, and an open end mouth 120.

Stop means are attached to one side wall at the base,

thereof. The stop means comprises a support bar 116 that engages a stop 117 that protrudes slightly from the bottom portion of the support 114 to prevent unactuated rotation of the bin. Also, the bin is provided with means to cushion any impact caused by pivoting the bin by providing cushioning means on the top edge of the bin front wall 106]; such as a rubber cushion 118 that absorbs shock and prevents damage to the bin when it is rotated.

Actuating means connected to the chute to rotate each additive bin at a predetermined time from a storage position, illustrated in FIGURE 4, to an additive delivery position illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The actuating means comprises a contact bar 119 attached to the rear surface of the bin adjacent the open end 12% thereof and a pneumatic actuator 123. The contact bar 119 extends from the bin rear wall protrudes through an opening 121 defined by the chute rear wall 102. Attached to the chute rear wall 102 is a housing 122 that houses the plurality of pneumatic actuators 123. The pneumatic actuators 123 are of the known type and one actuator is provided for each additive bin. Each actuator comprises a housing having a piston therein that axially moves an actuator rod 124. The piston and actuator rod 124 are actuated by fluid supplied to a fluid inlet 126. Each actuator being attached to the housing 122 and to the chute back wall 1132 by suitable attaching means 127 and each actuator is aligned so that the actuator rod is in alignment with its respective bin contact bar 119. The actuator provides a sufficient impact, when it contacts the contact bar to dislodge the bin support bar from its stop and thereby rotate the bin to the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The height of the opening 121 and the length of the actuator bar 119 are such that the actuator bar passes freely through the opening 121 when the bin is pivoted.

The additive bins are mounted a predetermined distance above the chute bottom wall 161 so that upon rotation of the bin 166 the front wall cushion 118 contacts the chute bottom wall 101 and the front wall 1116b inclines upwardly from the chute bottom wall 101 to its bottom wall 106a. In this manner the additive bin can effectively deliver additive and be washed by the washing liquid. The bins are filled through an opening in the top Wall of the additive chute which may be closed by a door 129 hinged to wall 131 by hinge132. A predetermined amount of additive is placed into each bin that is to be added to the laundry liquid for introduction into the treatment zone during selective periods of an automatic program of sequenced steps constituting the washing, rinsing and drying cycle. The additive is discharged into the treatment zone through an opening 128 formed in the imperforate housing or tub 16 and which extends substantially the entire length of the chute 20. The drum shown at 23 in FIGURE 4 rotates in the direction of the arrow and tends to drive laundry liquid radially, outwardly and somewhat tangentially through the opening 128 or into the open top of the inverted bin 106. Thus, any remaining additive will be washed out of the inverted bin and added to the laundry liquid for conditioning contact with the clothes being treated. A grille 128a is placed in the opening 128 to prevent introduction of large foreign objects between the tub 16 and the drum 23.

In operation, fresh water and steam is supplied to the washer-extractor of the present invention through suitable means well known to the art, and no further the description thereof is required for a complete understanding of the instant invention. The interior casing may be vented by a vent 133 and the fluid level in the washer-extractor may be under control of a level control means and the 6 fluid level may be visually observed if desired through a sight glass assembly 134 (FIGURE 1).

During the washing cycle of the machine additive such as detergent in the bin 106, bleach in the bin 197, bluing in the bin 108, water softener in the bin 109 are added at selective times during the program cycle to the laundry liquid. At the correct time pneumatic fluid supply means regulated by the sequential control means 47 sends pressurized fluid to the conduit 126 to activate the detergent bin pneumatic actuator 123. The actuator 123 moves the actuator rod 124 upwardly. The activator rod impacts against the actuator arm 119 and rocks the stop arm 116 off the stop 117 to rotate the bin 106 downwardly to the position indicated at 106', in FIGURE 4 so that the rubber stop 118 engages the incline in the bottom wall 109 as indicated at 118. The detergent flows down along the incline wall through the tilted open end 120' into the tub 16 through the opening 128 while the rotating basket D urges laundry liquid into the chute 20. The turbulent water in the chute 20 flows into the bin 106' and washes out the bin preventing any additive sediment from collecting thereon. This operation is followed for all the bins as their contents are added to the basket 23. However, the bins that are not rotated are not eifected by the turbulent water in the chute 20 because the opening 128 is located at the bottom of the bin reservoir below the level of the bins.

It is seen by the above description that the applicants have provided an improved washer-extractor that has an additive chute that does not require shutdown time to clean.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those skilled in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contributions to the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A laundry apparatus comprising:

an impervious housing,

a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing,

means to supply fluid to said drum,

an additive supply opening formed in said housing communicating with the interior of said housing,

an additive chute mounted on said housing so that the interior thereof communicates with said additive supply opening,

at least one additive bin rotatably mounted in said chute, and

actuator means mounted on the chute to rotate the additive bin at a predetermined time so that the mouth of the additive bin will be rotated from a storage position to additive delivery position that places the additive bin mouth in a position facing the supply opening and allows water driven by the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the bin whereby washer-extractor additive sediment collection is substantially eliminated.

2. A laundry apparatus comprising:

an impervious housing,

a forarninous drum rotatably mounted in the housing,

means to supply fluid to said drum,

an additive supply opening defined by said housing communicating with said drum,

an additive chute having a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening,

said bottom wall having an inner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening,

a plurality of additive bins independently rotatably mounted in said chute, and

an actuator means to independently rotate the additive bins at a preselected time interval from a storage position to an additive delivery position that places the additive bin mouth in a position facing the supply opening to deliver additive from the bin into the A supply opening and to simultaneously allow water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin.

3. A laundry apparatus comprising:

an impervious housing,

a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing,

means to supply fluid to said drum,

an additive supply opening defined by said housing communicating with said drum,

an additive chute having g a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening,

a rear wall defining an actuator opening,

said bottom wall having an inner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening,

a plurality of additive bins independently pivotally mounted in said chute,

each bin defining an additive chamber,

stop means connected to each bin to maintain the bins in a normally upright additive storage position with the bin mouth portion facing the chute top Wall,

a pivot lever connected to each bin and protruding through the pivot lever opening, a plurality of actuators mounted on said chute, and said actuators being synchronized to contact the bin pivot levers to pivot the bins at a preselected time interval from their normal upright storage position to an additive delivery position that places the bin mouth on the bottom declining wall facing the sup ply opening to deliver additive from the bin into the supply opening and to simultaneously allow water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin. 4. In a laundry apparatus, a casing forming a treatment zone, Y a drum rotatable in said casing on a horizontal axis to washing and extracting materials, an additive storage reservoir on the outside of said casing,

said casing having an opening formed therein at the bottom of said reservoir communicating the interior of the reservoir with said treatment zone, and plural bins in said reservoir, i

each comprising a pivotally mounted open-top hopper having an upright storage position and an inverted discharge position, ,said open-top hopper at said discharge position being in register with said opening,

whereby laundry liquid displaced by said drum will flush the inverted bin,

5. A laundry apparatus comprising: an impervious housing, a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing, means to supply fluid to said drum, an additive supply opening of a predetermined height defined by said housing communicating with said drum, an additive chute having a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening, a rear wall, and said bottom wall having an inner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening, a plurality of additive bins mounted in said chute, said additive bins having a front wall and a rear Wall diverging from a rounded bottom wall to form an open-end bin month, each bin defining an additive chamber,

stop means connected ot the lower portion of each bin to maintain the bins in a normally upright additive storage position with the bin mouth portion facing the chute top wall,

a pivot means connected to each bin,

means independently pivotally mounting each additive 8 bin with the bin bottom wall spaced a predetermined distance above the chute bottom Wall wherein pivoting of any of the bins places the edge of the bin mouth adjacent the chute bottom wall with the bin front wall inclining away from the chute bottom wall while the bin mouth faces the supply opening, said supply opening being of a predetermined height with the top of the supply opening being positioned a predetermined distance below the top of the additive bins, when the additive bins are in a normally upright position, to prevent liquid from entering the open mouth of the additive bins when they are in their normal upright position, actuator means connected to said chute, said actuator means having means to activate the pivot means to dislodge the bin from the stop means and thereby pivot the bin, said actuator means being synchronized to contact the bin pivot means to independently pivot the bins at a preselected time interval wherein said bins pivot from their normal upright storage position to an additive delivery position that places the bin mouth adjacent the bottom declining chute wall facing the supply opening and in position to deliver additive from the bin to the supply opening and to simultaneously allow Water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin. 6. A laundry apparatus comprising; an impervious housing, a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing, means to supply fluid to said drum, an additive supply opening of a predetermined height defined by said housing communicating with said drum, an additive chute having a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening, a rear wall defining an actuator opening, and said bottom wall having aninner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening, a plurality of additive bins independently pivotally mounted in said chute, said, additive bins having a front Wall and a rear Wall diverging from a rounded bottom wall to form an open-end bin mouth, each bin defining an additive chamber, stop means connected to the lower portion of each bin to maintain the bins in a normally upright additive storage position with the bin mouth portion facing the chute top wall, a pivot means connected to each bin and extending therefrom through the chute actuator opening, said actuator opening being of such a size to allow the pivot lever to freely pass therethrough when said bin is pivoted, means to independently pivotally mount each additive bin with the bin bottom wall spaced a predetermined distance above the chute bottom Wall wherein pivoting any of the bins places the edge of the bin mouth adjacent the chute bottom Wall with the bin front wall inclining away from the chute bottom wall while the bin mouth faces the supply opening, said supply opening being of a predetermined height with the top of the supply opening being positioned a predetermined distance below the top of the additive bins, when the additive bins are in a normally upright position, to prevent liquid from entering the open mouth of the additive bins when they are in their normal upright position, actuator means connected to said chute, said actuator means having means to actuate the pivot means to dislodge the bin from the stop means and thereby pivot the bin, said actuator means being synchronized to contact the bin pivot means to independently pivot the bins at a preselected time interval wherein said bins pivot from their normal upright storage position to an additive delivery position that places the bin mouth adjacent the bottom declining chute wall facing the supply opening and in position to deliver additive from the bin to the supply opening and to simultaneously allow water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin. 7. A laundry apparatus comprising: an impervious housing, a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing, means to supply fluid to said drum, an additive supply opening of a predetermined height defined by said housing communicating with said drum, an additive chute having a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening, a rear Wall defining an actuator opening, and said bottom wall having an inner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening, a plurality of additive bins independently pivotally mounted in said chute, said additive bins having a front Wall and a rear wall diverging from a rounded bottom wall to form an open-end bin mouth, each bin defining an additive chamber, stop means connected to the lower portion of each bin to maintain the bins in a normally upright additive storage position with the bin mouth portion facing the chute top wall, a pivot means connected to each bin and extending therefrom through the chute actuator opening, said actuator opening being of such a size to allow the pivot lever to freely pass therethrough when said bin is pivoted, means to independently pivotally mount each additive bin with the bin bottom wall spaced a predetermined distance above the chute bottom wall wherein pivoting any of the bins places the edge of the bin mouth adjacent the chute bottom wall with the bin front wall inclining away from the chute bottom wall while the bin mouth faces the supply opening, said supply opening being of a predetermined height with the top of the supply opening being positioned a predetermined distance below the top of the additive bins when the additive bins are in a normally upright position to prevent liquid from entering the open mouth of the additive bins when they are in their normal upright position, actuator means mounted on said chute, said actuator means having a piston means positioned beneath the bin pivot means wherein upward movement of said actuator piston rod pushes said pivot means to dislodge the bin from the stop means and thereby pivot the bin, said actuator means being synchronized to contact the bin pivot means to independently pivot the bins at a preselected time interval wherein said bins pivot from their normal upright storage position to an additive delivery position that places the bin mouth adjacent the bottom declining chute wall facing the supply opening and in position to deliver additive from the bin to the supply opening and to simultaneously allow water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin. 8. A laundry apparatus comprising: an impervious housing,

a foraminous drum rotatably mounted in the housing,

means to supply fluid to said drum,

an additive supply opening of a predetermined height defined by said housing communicating with said drum,

an additive chute having a top and bottom wall connected to said housing and enclosing said supply opening,

a rear wall defining an actuator opening, and

said bottom wall having an inner surface declining to the lower edge of the supply opening,

a plurality of additive bins independently pivotally mounted in said chute,

said additive bins having a front wall and a rear wall diverging from a rounded bottom wall to form an open-end bin mouth,

each bin defining an additive chamber,

a cushion strip connected to the outer surface of the front wall adjacent the edge of the bin mouth to provide a cushion for the bin front wall mouth edge,

stop means connected to the lower portion of each bin to maintain the bins in a normally upright additive storage position with the bin mouth portion facing the chute top wall,

a pivot lever connected to each bin and extending therefrom through the chute actuator opening,

said actuator opening being of such a size to allow the pivot lever to freely pass therethrough when said bin is pivoted,

pivot means to independently pivotally mount each additive bin with the bin bottom wall spaced a predetermined distance above the chute bottom wall wherein pivoting any of the bins places the front wall cushioned mouth edge against the chute bottom wall with the bin front wall inclining away from the chute bottom wall while the bin mouth faces the supply p said supply opening being of a predetermined height with the top of the supply opening being positioned a predetermined distance below the top of the additive bins when the additive bins are in a normally upright position to prevent liquid from entering the open mouth of the additive bins when they are in their normal upright position, a plurality of pneumatic actuators mounted on said chute with at least one actuator for each additive bin,

each actuator having a piston rod positioned beneath the bin pivot lever wherein upward movement of said actuator piston rod pushes said pivot lever to dislodge the bin from the stop means and thereby pivot the bin,

said actuators being synchronized to contact the bin pivot levers to indepedently pivot the bins at a preselected time interval wherein said bins pivot from their normal upright storage position to an additive delivery position that places the bin mouth adjacent the bottom declining chute wall facing the supply opening and in position to deliver additive from the bin to the supply opening and to simultaneously allow water from the foraminous drum to flow into the additive bin to clean the additive bin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,803 Perry May 10, 1927 2,339,396 Harvey Jan. 18, 1944 2,431,040 Harvey Nov. 18, 1947

Claims (1)

1. 4. IN A LAUNDRY APPARATUS, A CASING FORMING A TREATMENT ZONE, A DRUM ROTATABLE IN SAID CASING ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS FOR WASHING AND EXTRACTING MATERIALS, AN ADDITIVE STORAGE RESERVOIR ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID CASING, SAID CASING HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID RESERVOIR COMMUNICATING THE INTERIOR OF THE RESERVOIR ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID ZONE, AND PLURAL BINS IN SAID RESERVOIR, EACH COMPRISING A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED OPEN-TOP HOPPER HAVING AN UPRIGHT STORAGE POSITION AND AN INVERTED DISCHARGE POSITION, SAID OPEN-TOP HOPPER AT SAID DISCHARGE POSITION BEING IN REGISTER WITH SAID OPENING, FIG-01 WHEREBY LAUNDRY LIQUID DISPLACED BY SAID DRUM WILL FLUSH THE INVERTED BIN.

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