US3195328A - Laundering and cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 20, 1965 1.. M. MANTELL LAUNDERING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1962 United States Patent O 3 1%,328 LAUNDERHNG AND CLEANING APPARATUS Leon M. Manteil, New York, N.Y. (13$--11 Beach Qhannei Drive, Rockaway Park 94, NY.) Filed Mar. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 178,658 17 Claims- (Cl. 68-43) This invention relates to an apparatus for vigorous agitation and mixing of a liquid or liquids, alone or together with fabrics, or other non-liquid materials. In one form, a gas, such as air, is forced into vigorous contact and admixture with liquid, clothes, or other materials. The invention especially relates to laundering or cleaning apparatus, the liquid being then a cleaning solvent or water, containing soap or'other detergent.

One object of the invention is to provide a manual household appliance which may be used to soak, vigorously mix, squeeze, and wash comparatively small, or even quite large quantities of articles of attire for which it may be inconvenient to employ a power-driven washing machine.

A further object is to devise, for this purpose, a modified form of the ordinary plumbers rubber cup or diaphragm plunger ordinarily used to apply suction to clogged drains to open same. Such modified form can be so constructed that it is readily convertible for use either to open drains or as a laundering or liquid-agitating or mixing device.

Still another object is to provide a power-operated cleaning or washing machine which employs, as its agitator unit, one or more reciprocating rubber or elastorner cups which force gas or air into contact with and admixture with the cleaning liquid or aqueous detergent, and may 'a cam drive for reciprocating the agitator device;

' FIG. 4 illustrates another form of drive mechanism for the machine of FIG. 3, or for the device of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. is a detail of a modified port for the diaphragm.

The devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are manual appliances, but may be equipped with the power drive means illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The device shown in FIG. 1 comprises an elastic, compressible, collapsible cup-shaped, or domed diaphragm body 1 of rubber or synthetic elastomer, on which is formed an elongated tubular extension or sleeve 2 which may be of cylindrical, rectangular, square, or oval shape in outer and inner outline, in cross section. Assuming that this cup portion 1 is one and a half inches high, the extension 2 should preferably be at least five inches high, to project above the ordinary Water level in receptacle 3, to permit access of air at openings 4 and it) formed in thimble 7. Handle 5 passes through the opening 4, being reciprocable therein. Formed on or attached to the lower end of the handle is piston-like part 6. When handle 5 is pushed downwardly it seals an opening 8 formed in cup and then compresses or collapses the cup against clothes lying on bottom 9 of vessel 3. Air caught inside the cup is forced into vigorous admixture with the water, and into the pores of the clothes. Upon raising handle 5, piston 6 moves upward away from opening 8. Air then passes through openings 4 or 16 and 8, to relieve the suction in 3,l95,328 Patented July 20, 1965 cup 1. Thimble 7 is screw-threadedly attached to the top of extension 2. The reciprocational free-play of piston 6 in extension 2 can be adjusted by turning thimble 7. Only a small amplitude of reciprocation is needed. Thimble '7 can also be fully tightened against the top of piston 6, thus converting the device to use as a plumbers plunger. Such double use should be hygienically acceptable for a sink drain, where the device is used to launder clothes placed in a wash basin or sink. Piston 6 may be circular, oval, square, or rectangular in cross section. The bottom of receptacle 3 is provided with parallel ridges so as to diminish any tendency for the plunger to stick to the bottom of the vessel.

The sleeve portion 2 of FIG. 1 should preferably be at least three inches deep, otherwise the handle may wobble in the sleeve. The sleeve and the piston portion of the handle should fit loosely enough (exaggerated in the drawing) to permit the free play required for the limited reciprocation. The side free play is enough to provide a passage for air and or liquid. The piston portion is preferably given a diameter of about an inch, so that the suction-relieving opening 8 may be wide enough to obtain quick relief of suction below the collapsed diaphragm, even if such relief is by down-flow of liquid through opening 8, rather than by air as is preferred.

The lower face of piston 6 of FIG. 1 is dished upwardly in the center, so as to reduce the area 'of contact. This reduces any tendency of the piston face to stick to the .diaphragm upon the upstroke. If it is desired that the pressing of air into the clothes and liquid, in the downstroke, be omitted, then rim 16 is given a toothed or serrated lower edge (not shown), thus preserving communication at all times between opening 8 and the annular passage about piston 6. Piston 6 can then be fixed in position by screwing down the cap 7. It will be under stood that these remarks also apply to apertures 55 and the cover of part 51 in FIG. 3.

The opening 8 of FIG. 1 is flared downwardly, and additional passages 18'are provided in order to reduce the chance that communication through passage 8 may be blocked by compression of the diaphragm and the hole 8, down against the bottom of the vessel 3. The corrugations in bottom 9 assist in this, since they extend outwardly of the diaphragm. The bottom wall 90 of FIG. 3 can be corrugated in similar fashion.

The cup 1 of FIG. 1 may have formed integrally or attached therein a small plate (not shown) suspended a short distance below opening 8 so as to prevent sealing of the opening by compression against clothes.

in FIG. 2, the piston part 6', formed on the handle, carries a bolt or stud 6a adjustably screwed or forcefitted into a socket in the lower face of the piston. Bolt 6a has a head 6b which serves to retain the piston within the socket of extension 2, formed on elastic compressible cup diaphragm 1. Head 6b is prevented from sealing opening '81 on the upstroke by providing a number of cross-wise grooves communicating between opening 81 and the inside of cup 1. The device of FIG. 2 is otherwise substantially the same as FIG. 1. It will be noted that the area of contact, between the lower face of piston 6' and the lower ledge or valve flange formed inside sleeve 2', is diminished by reason of the conical shape of the flange. Further diminution of contact area can be accomplished by combining the dished piston end with the conical valve flange or ledge of FIG. 2. Also, a narrow cylindrical seat (not shown) may be formed on said flange about openings 8 and 8 in FIGS. 1 and 3, to further reduce the area of contact.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated a motor-driven rotary shaft 31 carrying a rotating cam 32 which moves between upper and lower parallel follower surfaces of frame 58, and gives to structure 64-59 a vertically reciprocating motion guided by lower fixed member 69, mounted with Cam 32, may be made as large as desired, to provide a recipro in the lower part 62. of the Washing machine.

cation of from two to four inches, less or more. Air can pass upwardly through passage 54 in rod 64. Formed upon the upper end of rod 64- is a hollow depending sleeve '53. Upon downward movement of rod 64, sleeve 53 pushes against an annular flange 55 forming the lower part of a piston chamber 51. The flange 55 has an integral sleeve 55' which slidably fits around a sleeve 56- which is fixed upon lower plate 90 forming the bottom,

to. enter and to exit from below the cup, as a conse quence of the agitation. Cup 52 is a flexible,,readily compressible, collapsible rubber or polyethylene dia-.

phragm. Part 51 maybe made of the same material, but is preferably made of more rigid material, such as hard rubber or metal or rigid organic plastic.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate drive. At 22 is a self? reversing motor, such as that described in US. Patent 2,105,514 of 1938, to A. F. Welch. The motor is a self-' I starting reversible synchronous inductor motor. The magnetic rotor .of the motor comprises a hollow shaft 65 having an internal square screw thread 66 mating with a thread 68 on the lower part 67 of upward-down ward reciprocating rod 64. It will be understood that thread 66 can be long or short; in fact, it can constitute a single tooth. Rod 64' corresponds otherwise to rod 64 of FIG. 3. Rod 64 is kept from rotating by a fixed key 70 mounted upon fixed member 69, which member otherwise corresponds to fixed member 60 of FIG. 3.

Key '70 fits in slot 71 formed in the lower part of rod 64. Rod 64' is therefore free to move upward and downward, being guided'by the slot and key arrangement.

Further speed reduction of the reciprocation of rod 64- can be obtained by interposing a suitable gear train.-

The reversing motor is preferably designed, by known means, to make several complete rotations before each reversal,'so as to obtain the desired amplitude of reciprocation of rod 64'.

tlon.

If the admixture of air or other gas, with the liquid,

is not intended, the suction in the space below the com-:

pressed, i.e. collapsed, rubber diaphragm, can herelieved at the upstroke by providing for access of water or other liquid; namely to the space above opening 8, in FIGS. 1 and 2, and above openings 511 in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, it would then only be necessary to provide an opening in the side or top wall of upper part of the reciprocating plunger, in which case the water in the vesselv or tub would be recirculated through the sleeve and diaphragm. 'An opening in the side wall of lower part 52 of the plunger would be less effective in that there ,is a -tendency for the collapsed diaphragm to stick. This is due to partial obstruction of such lateral opening by clothes within the diaphragm; Also, such side opening would reduce the efficiency of .the laundering action, in

that the squeezing of water through fabric held below part 52, upon the downstroke, would be less effective.

To increase the efiiciency of the agitator action, a

conical or cup-shaped agitator disk 51 of hard or flexi-ble rubber is formed on or attached around the part 51, for reciprocating movement therewith. v

A simplified structure can be employed in place of However, speedier reciproca tion through a small amplitude is obtained by designing the motor to reverse after less than a complete revolu-.

the conduitsz dts of FIG. 1. The underface of the diaphragm about aperture 8 in FIG. -1, as well as in FIG. 3, can be provided with a number of deep slots or grooves open downwardly, and also open late-rally into the aperture ti. Such slots, shown in FIG. 5, extend radially from the aperture, and along the underface of the diaphragm, preferably to points removed from but about half-way toward or even nearer the 'lower' edge of the diaphragm. Because of the depth of suchslots, and their number, there is no likelihood that clothes can obstruct access of air to the chamber or chambers present under the compressed or collapsed diaphragm. This is another precaution taken to prevent suction-induced sticking of the collapsed diaphragm. Ease of operation is'thus assured.

FIG. 5 illustratesthis modified form of the structure about port 8, in the diaphragm. A plurality of deep and narrow radial slots or grooveslS are formed in the lower surface of thediaphragrn, and; extend a substantial distance downwardly toward the lower rim thereof, for the purpose explained above. Piston 6" has a recess 160 in itslower end, so-that the lower faceis in the form of a flange, which bears against the conical ledge 1', when the piston-is pushed downwardly.

There are other, but I believe, inferior ways to provide a valve for the device. For example, handle 5 and piston 6 may be provided with a bore (not shown) extending upwardly to an exit port in the vicinity of the thumb of the operator. Piston 6 would be tightly fixed in sleeve 2. The bore would then communicate with opening 8. Upon placing the thumb. over the upper exit port and pushing downwardly, the air and liquid in the diaphragm would be expelled downwardly, as the diaphragm .is compressed. Upon the upstroke, the thumb is removed from the upper exit port. This device, while within the broader scope of the invention, ,is inferior to the above. described preferred embodiment of the manual device, because the liquid may squirt upwardly, and for other obvious reasons, including hygienic reasons, and ease of operation. The said exit port can'be provided with a push-button valve for thurnboperation.

I claim:

1. A pump for fluids, comprising a modified plumbers compressible domeddiaphragm plunger of. the type used to opena closed drain by forcing the dome of the diaphragm down upon the. drain aperture, and pulling upwardly to apply suction to said aperture; the plunger structure .thereof comprising a flexible, compressible, colla-psible domed diaphragm having a sleeve portion on and outside of the summit of the dome; the improvement comprising an operating handle, an end portion of which handle is disposed in said sleeve portion and held-therein so as to permit movement of the handle end portion in the sleeve portion; the; plunger structure providing a suction-relieving aperture communicating with the inside of the dome and opening into the sleeve portion below said handle end portion, so that upon pushing the handle, the end portion thereof seals said opening'and applies force to the dome portion to collapse the diaphragm and expel a fluid therefrom, and so that upon pulling the handle the suction-relieving opening is opened.

2. A manually operated laundering apparatus, comprising a modified plumbers compressible domed diaphragm plunger of the type used to open closed drains by forcing the dome of the diaphragm down upon the drain aperture and pulling upwardly to apply suction in said aperture; the plunger structure thereof comprising a flexible, compressible, collapsible domed diaphragm having a sleeve portion on and outside of the summit of the dome; the improvement comprising an operating handle, an end portion of which handle is disposed in said.

sleeve portion and held therein so as to permit movement of the end port-ion in the sleeve portion; the plunger structure providing a suction-relieving port communicating with the inside ofthe dome andopening into the sleeve portion below said handle end portion, so that upon pushing the handle, the end portion thereof seals said opening and compresses the dome portion to collapse the diaphragm, and so that upon pulling the handle the suction-relieving port is opened; and means for reception of laundering liquid and articles to be laundered.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, the plunger structure having means for connecting said handle end portion to said sleeve and normally permitting said free play when the article is in use as laundering apparatus, said means being'adjustable to tighten the handle end portion against said suction-relieving aperture to seal it, sov

that the article can then be used to open drains.

4. The article defined in claim 2, the plunger structure having means for connecting said handle end portion to said sleeve and normallyper-mitting said free play when the article is in use as laundering apparatus, said means being adjustable .to tighten the handle end portion against said suction-relieving aperture to seal it, so that the article can then be used to opendrains.

5. An apparatus for agitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith; comprising first structure providing a concave domed diaphragm of flexible, compressible, elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the concavity, the structure having a sleeve portion connected to. the diaphragm on a face opposite the concave face, the structure having an opening within the sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, said structure providingfor access of gas to the sleeve portion from which it can pass through said opening into said interior space, a second structure for operation of the apparatus, means for retaining a portion of the second structure inthe sleeve portion, so that the said second structure portion abuts and closes said opening when the second structure is moved against the diaphragm to compress it, the retaining means permitting movement .of said second structure within the sleeve portion away from said opening when the second structure is moved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve the suction in the compressed diaphragm; and a receptacle for the liquid.

6. A manually-operated cleansing apparatus, comprising an appliance for agitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith, comprising a first structure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible, elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, the structure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a face opposite the concave face, the structure having an opening within the sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, said structure providing for access of gas to the sleeve portion from which it can exit through said opening, a handle for manual operation of the appliance, said structure providing means for retaining a portion of the handle in the sleeve portion, so that the handle portion abuts and closes said opening when the handle is pushed against the diaphragm to compress it, the retaining means permitting movement of said handle within the sleeve portion away from said opening when the handle is moved in a direct-ion away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve the suction in the compressed diaphragm.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6, the diaphragm and sleeve portion being an integral structure.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 6, in combination with means for reception of cleansing liquid, the dia phragm and sleeve portion together being at least six inches high, so that the upper end of the sleeve portion can extend above a body of liquid in the receptacle when in operation.

9. A manually-operated cleansing apparatus, comprising an appliance for agitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith, comprising a first structure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible, elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, the structure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a face opposite the concave face, the structure having, an opening within the sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, said structure providing for access of gas to the sleeve portion from which it can exit through said opening, a handle for manual operation of the appliance, said structure providing means for retaining a portion of the handle in the sleeve portion, so that the handle portion abuts and closes said opening when the handle is pushed against the diaphragm to compress it, the retaining meanspermitting movement of said handle within the sleeve portion away from said opening when the handle is moved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve the suction in the compressed diaphragm, the means for retaining being adjustable to format will a loose or a firm connection between the handle and the diaphragm, so that the apparatus upon adjustment for firmconnection is utilizable as a plumbers helper to open obstructed drains.

I '10. An apparatus for agitation of a liquid, the appliance comprising a first structure providing a flexible, collapsible, elastic domed diaphragm, the first structure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm, the structure having a suction-relieving opening Within the sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, a second structure for operation of the appliance, the first structure providing means for retaining a portion of the second structure in the sleeve portion, said portion of the second structure being operative to .close said opening when said portion is pushed against the diaphragm to compress it, the retaining means permitting movement of said portion within the sleeve portion away from said opening when the second structure is moved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve the suction in the compressed diaphragm, and means providing a vessel for liquid.

11. A manually operated laundering device, comprising a diaphragm plunger, the plunger structure thereof comprising a flexible, compressible, collapsible, domed diaphragm having a sleeve portion on and outside of the summit of the dome; an operating handle, an end portion of which handle is disposed in said sleeve portion; the plunger structure providing a suction-relieving valve port communicating with the inside of the dome and opening into the sleeve portion, the handle and sleeve portion cooperating to open and to close said port and so that upon pushing the handle, the end portion thereof com presses the dome portion to collapse the diaphragm, the suction-relieving opening being opened upon pulling the handle.

12. The apparatus defined in claim-6, the suction-relieving port having provision for preventing suction-induced sticking of the collapsed diaphragm, comprising slots formed in the under-face of diaphragm, the slots communicating with said port.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 6, in conjunction with a receptacle for liquid, the inside bottom surface portion of the receptacle having a passage formed therein providing communication between the inside and outside of the diaphragm to reduce any tendency for the collapsed diaphragm to stick to said surface portion.

14. A power-driven cleansing machine, comprising a container for cleansing liquid, and an appliance mounted therein for agitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith, said appliance comprising a first structure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible, elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, the structure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a face opposite the concave face, the first structure having an opening within the sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, the first structure providing for access of gas to the sleeve portion from which it can exit through said opening into said interior space, a second structure for operation of the appliance, means for retaining a portion of the second structure in the sleeve portion, so that said second structure portion abuts and closes said opening when it is ly reciprocating support member in the container, power-r operated means for so reciprocating the support member," a downwardly concave diaphragm mounted upon the sup-, port member 'for reciprocationvertically therewith, the,

diaphragm being made of flexible, elastic, compressible material permitting collapse of the dome of the con-- cavity downwardly when the lower rim portion of the diaphragm meets resistance, said agitator structure having a gas passage communicating with the space beneath the diaphragm when the latter :is subjected to upwardly directed force by the reciprocating means, to pass gas therethrough to relieve suction under the compressed diaphragm, said gas passage being automatically closed when the diaphragm is subjected to downwardly directed force to force the washing liquid in the diaphragm against articles being laundered,

16. A 'powendrivenlaundering device, comprising a diaphragm' plunger, the plunger structure thereof comprising a flexible, compressible, collapsible, domed dia f phragm, the plunger structure having a sleeve portion on 1 and outside of the summit of the dome; an operating handle, an end portion of which'handle is disposed in said sleeve portion; the plunger structure providing asuctionrelieving valve port communicating with the inside of the dome and opening into the sleeve portion, the handle and sleeve portion cooperating to open and to close said port andyso that upon moving the handle in one direction, the end portionthereof compresses the'dome portion to collapse the diaphragm, the-suction-relieving opening being opened upon moving the handle in the other direction; a containing vessel for said plunger structure and laundering liquid; said operating handle being mounted for linear I reciprocation in said vessel;.and power-driven means connected forreciprocation of said handle to push and pull the same.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 5,; the second structure, for operation of the apparatus, including powerdriven means for carrying out 'said movements toward and away from the diaphragm.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,010 5/80: Wicklin 6s 217 646,637 4/00 Crow 68-217 1,536,303 5/25, Miller 2 68123 X 1,711,422 4/29 Mogk 68218 FOREIGN PATENTS- 734,648 8/32 France.

WALTERA. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

I. BUNEVICH, 1 Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PUMP FOR FLUIDS, COMPRISING A MODIFIED PLUMBERS COMPRESSIBLE DOMED DIAPHRAGM PLUNGER OF THE TYPE USED TO OPEN A CLOSED DRAIN BY FORCING THE DOME OF THE DIAPHRAGM DOWN UPON THE DRAIN APERTURE AND PULLING UPWARDLY TO APPLY SUCTION TO SAID APERTURE; THE PLUNGER STRUCTURE THEREOF COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE, COMPRESSIBLE, COLLAPSIBLE DOMED DIAPHRAGM HAVING A SLEEVE PORTION ON AND OUTSIDE OF THE SUMMIT OF THE DOME; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN OPERATING HANDLE, AN END PORTION OF WHICH HANDLE IS DISPOSED IN SAID SLEEVE PORTION AND HELD THEREIN SO AS TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE END PORTION IN THE SLEEVE PORTION; THE PLUNGER STRUCTURE PROVIDING A SUCTION-RELIEVING APERTURE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSIDE OF THE DOME AND OPENING INTO THE SLEEVE PORTION BELOW SAID HANDLE END PORTION, SO THAT UPON PUSHING THE HANDLE, THE END PORTION THEREOF SEALS SAID OPENING AND APPLIES FORCE TO THE DOME PORTION TO COLLAPSE THE DIAPHRAGM AND EXPEL A FLUID THEREFROM, AND SO THAT UPON PULLING THE HANDLE THE SUCTION-RELIEVING OPENING IS OPENED.

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