US3353681A

US3353681A - Lint removal system

Info

Publication number: US3353681A
Application number: US511615A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Silva
Original assignee: Borg Warner Corp
Current assignee: Borg Warner Corp
Priority date: 1965-12-06
Filing date: 1965-12-06
Publication date: 1967-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-21

Description

N0v.21,`1967 'w..s|LvA l 3,353,681

LINT REMOVAL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 6. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l Hf 0 0 a j I M40 W0 (l `6`\` g (D 0 o l M am o 36 l 2'? 0) a 0 i? 21 i? 0 m Y (D u] o o o 25 "bin'll' a J3 :mgl-lnk o w w ,26 o 0 Nov. 21, 1967 -w, C. slm/A 3,353,61

LINT REMOVAL SYSTEM Filed Deo. 6,. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 /A/I/ENTOR. /04 /03 W/LL/AM G S/LI/A Filed Deo. 6v. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 sVsrEM FROM F/L 7' El? JP//V ROTA T/ON (REVERSE) ONE afwas/sf? A M /ZS Wm n. #i /Q nM /m L W W w m d w m M M m Q. V 4

United States Patent Giice 3,353,681 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,353,681 LIN'I REMOVAL SYSTEM William C. Silva, Herrin, Ill., assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 511,615 9 Claims. (Cl. 210-355) This invention relates to lint filtering systems for washing machines and the like and more particularly to lint filtering systems of the self-cleaning or automatic-cleaning type.

It is desirable to employ lint filtering systems in washing machines and particularly washing machines of the type adapted to recirculate water passing through the clothes during the washing operation. In such machines, lint-filtering devices are employed in the recirculation system to prevent lint-laden water being returned to the clothes container and being deposited on the clothes. In the event the filter device must be periodically manually removed to clean the device, it frequently occurs that this action is neglected with the consequent clogging of the device by the lint may seriously impair the recirculation flow and thereby reduce washing quality.

An object of the invention is to provide a lint-filtering system for washing machines of the recirculating type and which is self-cleaning during operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lintfiltering system of the above type wherein lint-laden water is continuously filtered during recirculation and provided with means for automatically removing the collected lint from the filter for disposal exteriorly of the machine to a drain upon completion of the washing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lintfiltering device of the type described and comprising mechanical means, solely responsive to the water flow, to remove the lint from the device upon termination of the washing operation thereby eliminating the use of costly, and failure-possibility, of electrically-operated actuating units for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcleaning lint-filtering device capable of providing filtering action during one or more agitator and water-extraction speeds and irrespective of the water levels employed in automatic washing machines.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a lintfiltering device for laundry machines of the recirculating type and comprising lint-screening teeth disposed in the recirculation system during the flow of water in one direction in the washing operation, and mechanical means operative, by the flow of water in the opposite direction during draining of the wash water from the machine, to strip the lint from the teeth for removal by the Water to the drain.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in combination with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of an automatic washing machine embodying the lint filter device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the washing machine shown in FIG. l, illustrating the iiuid circulation system embodying the lint filter device;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the washing machine base assembly, taken along line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the pump employed in the fluid circulation system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is -a schematic showingof the fluid circulation system shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation of the lint filter device; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the lint filter device shown in FIG. 5, taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses an automatic washer in which the present invention finds particular applicability. The automatic washer includes an outter cabinet 11 having a top 12 hingedly supporting a loading and unloading door 14 and carrying a backguard 15 on which are mounted controls for the washing machine. A tub 16, having an annular guard 16a, is provided inside the cabinet 11 having a bottom 17 and a top opening 18 beneath the door 14. Forming a container for clothes or other articles to be washed is a perforate basket 19 having a bottom wall 20, top opening 20a and a substantially cylindrical side wall 21. The basket is mounted on a vertically disposed center post 22.

To provide for relative rotation between the tub and basket, the bottom 20 of the basket is fastened to a center post base 24 by screws 25 (one of which is shown). The center post base 24 is also connected, by screws 25, to a spin hub 26 rotatably journalled in a bearing assembly 28 mounted in the tub bottom 17. For feeding water into the tub to wash or rinse the clothes, a fiume 29 (FIG. 2) is provided mounted on the tub cover 16a to direct water into opening 18 of the tub and through the opening 20a of the basket. The flume is connected by a hose and conduit 30 to a water input contr-ol valve 31.

To agitate the clothes during washing or rinsing, the basket 19 is held stationary while an agitator 36 having a plurality of vanes 38 and a skirt 39 is oscillated to and fro. The agitator has a central opening 40 for receiving the center post 22 and is rotatably supported thereon. The center post remains stationary while the agitator oscil- Y lates.

After the tub has been filled, a wash cycle of operation begins. At this time, reversible oscillatory drive is transmitted to agitator 36 from a motor 41 through a first drive train including a lower drive assembly 42, a transmission 44 and an agitator drive shaft 45. In the exemplary embodiment, the drive shaft 45 extends centrally through the hollow center post 22 and carries a drive block 46 at its upper end. The upper end of the agitator central opening 40 is formed to engage the drive block 46 so that the two structures turn as a unit. For maintaining the agitator seated on the drive block, a cap 48 is threaded on a stud 49 extending from the upper Aend of the drive block 46.

After the wash cycle is completed, wash water is pumped out of the machine and the basket 19 is spun at a relatively high speed to extract wash water from the clothes. The side walls 21 of the basket are perforate so that the water is expelled therethrough. Describing a second drive train for effecting spin rotation of the basket 19, the lower drive assembly 42 is constructed so as to rotate the transmission 44.as a unit including a transmission housing 50. The housing 50 is coupled to the spin hub 26 which supports the center post 22 and basket 19. Accordingly, spinning of the transmission effects rotation of the basket 19.

Turning to the respective drive trains in the illustrative washing machine in more detail, the motor 41 is mounted in inverted fashion on a base plate 51 extending across the bottom of the washing machine 10. The motor has a drive shaft which extends below the mounting plate 51 and carries a drive pulley which is coupled by a belt 52, in the present instance, a V-drive belt, to a pair of driven

pulleys

54, 55, one pulley 54 coupled to drive the lower.` driveassembly 42 and ythe other pulley 55 coupled to drive aftwin impeller pump 56. As explained subsequently, pump 56 operates selectively as a recirculation pump or as a drain pump. Each of the driven pulleys are disposed below the base plate 51 while the driven mechanisms, the lower drive assembly 42, and the pump 56 are mounted atop the base plate 51. The driven pulley 54 is suitably fastened, in the present instance by .a spline and key tit to a main drive shaft S8 extending upwardly from the pulley 54 through the lower drive assembly 42. The upper end of shaft S is coupled via an overrunning or one-way spring clutch to a transmission including a drive pinion 60. The transmission is shown and described in Gerhardt et al U.S. Patent 2,807,951. The one-way spring clutch provides drive to the transmission drive pinion 60 to transmit an oscillatory drive to the agitator during forward rotation of drive shaft 58, while disconnecting drive to pinion 60 during reverse rotation of shaft 58. Accordingly, to effect oscillation of the agitator, the drive shaft 58, as a part of the rst drive train, is rotated. in a forward direction thereby operating the one-way clutch so that the gear train in the transmission 44 effects oscillation of agitator drive shaft 45.

As described, the basket 19 is rotatable with respect to the tub 16. It is, however, undesirable during the agitation cycle to have the basket freely moving. On the other hand, washer operation is smoothed and motor strain is reduced by permitting slight movement of the basket at the point where the agitator reverses direction in its oscillation operation. In addition, following high speed spin of the basket, structure must be provided to slow down the basket. For this purpose, the second drive train includes a brake assembly to retard movement of the transmission housing and thereby the basket 19 during agitation (see FIGS. l, 3). The brake assembly and its operation are the subject of and is disclosed in detail in co-pending application of Clarence M. Overturf and Richard L. Conrath, Ser. No. 371,347, filed lune l, 1964. In general, the brake assembly 64 includes a brake hub 69 suitably fastened to a basket-connected tube with the tube and the transmission housing 50 operating as a unit, thus by holding the tube stationary the transmission housing and basket are held against rotation.

To retard basket rotation, the brake hub 69 is surrounded by a brake lining surrounded by a :brake band 75 and tightly held against the hub by the brake band of spring steel. Braking is effected by selectively holding the brake band against rotation by engaging it with a brake latch pivotally mounted on a support bracket 81. The bracket 81 is mounted on a suspension tube 82 supported in a bearing carried in the brake hub 69.

The brake latch is normally biased as to engage the brake band by a biasing spring. Engagement of the brake is effected during rotation of the brake band 75, and therewith basket 19, in either the forward or reverse directions. To engage the brake during forward rotation of the drive shaft, the agitate direction, the brake band is held by the latch and thereby retarding basket 19 against rotation in either direction. The -brake is also engaged in the reverse direction of rotation of the brake band, necessary during high speed spin of the basket.

Free rotation of the brake hub and appended structure, i.e., transmission housing and basket, is permitted by disengaging the latch and the brake band by a solenoid operating the latch against the spring biasing force so that when it is desired to spin the basket, the transmission housing is freed for rotation by energizing the brake solenoid and releasing the brake.

The second or spin drive train is selectively operated during reverse rotation of the motor by engaging or disengaging a clutch assembly 87. In the present instance, clutch assembly 87 transmits drive from a lower drive hub 88 to the brake hub 69 coupled to the transmission housing 50 and thereby the basket. The lower drive hub 88 is spline-fitted on the main drive shaft 53. The clutch assembly 87 includes a lower drive shaft or column and an upper driven shaft or column. The lower drive column is an integral extension of the lower drive hub 88. The upper driven column is a depending extension of the brake hub 69. A one-way clutch spring has respective upper and lower sections extending over the respective end portions of the generally abutting upper driven column and lower drive column.

The clutch spring is of the coil type and surrounds the respective circular drive transmitting columns or shafts. Rotation of the lower drive column in one direction (presently, reverse motor direction) causes the clutch spring to tighten and wrap-around both columns. This effects transmission of drive from the lower column to the upper column. Rotation of the lower drive column in the opposite direction (forward motor direction) uncoils or loosens the spring so that drive is not transmitted to the upper column.

Selective driving in the wrap-around or drive direction is effected by use of control means including annular means coaxial with the second drive train taking the form, in the exemplary embodiment, of a clutch shield or sleeve 93 (FIG. 3) extending about the spring and holding a terminating end of the lower spring section overlying a portion of lower drive shaft S8. The shield or sleeve 93 and spring are selectively held against rotation by providing, on the upper end of shield 93, engageable means, exemplarily shown as a plurality of projecting ears 93a, which permit coupling with a selectively-operable pivoted clutch pawl 94. The pawl 94 is normally biased by a spring 95 so that a projecting finger 96 can engage one of the ears 93a. FIG. 3 shows the pawl linger 96 disengaged. The result of holding the control shield or sleeve 93 stationary is, that even though the spring lits snugly about the lower drive shaft or column and the upper driven shaft or column, the spring is not tightened and drive is not transmitted between the columns, until the spring and shield are released and permitted to rotate with the drive column.

Describing the structure for selectively engaging the clutch spring 92, the shield 93 is released and the spring is permitted to wrap around the respective drive and driven columns by operation of a solenoid 9S. It is, of course, understood that the driven column must be rotating in the proper direction to effect tightening of the spring about the respective columns. The solenoid 98 has an armature 99 connected by linkage assembly 100 to the clutch pawl 94. The solenoid acts against the bias spring 95 and pivots the pawl to disengage it from shield 93.

The motor 41 is reversible to rotate pump 55 and main drive shaft S8 in either direction. The motor has a start winding and a pair of run windings. Direction of rotation is determined by the relative polarity between the start and run windings, i.e., simply by reversing the relative polarity, the rotation of the motor is reversed.

For a more complete description of the agitator basket drive structures and the brake and clutch controls, reference is made to U.S. Patent 2,807,951 and co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 371,312, led Iune 1, 1964.

To recirculate water during the washing operation and to drain water prior to the spinning operation, the pump 56 is provided (see FIG. 4). This is a dual impeller pump having an upper impeller 103 located in the pump chamber 1.0351 and a lower impeller 104 in the pump chamber 10451. The impellers are carried on a common shaft 55a the lower end of which holds the pulley S5 coupled to the motor by V-belt 52. In one direction of rotation, the upper impeller recirculates water to and from the tub 16 and, in the opposite direction of rotation, the lower impeller 194 drains water from the tub.

The respective recirculation and drainage systems are best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. A hose 107 couples the recirculation impeller chamber 103a to the lower part of the side of tub 16 during operation of the agitator in the washing operation.

To remove or drain liquid from the tub during the y e spinning of the basket in the water-extraction operation, reverse rotation of the motor effects a liquid pumping operation of drain impeller 104. A hose i109 couples the drain impeller to a sump 110 at the bottom of tub 16 to withdraw the water from the tub. The wash or rinse water is forced out by the lower impeller into a drain hose 111 land carried to an appropriate drain connection (not shown).

During forward rotation of pump pulley 55 and while upper impeller 103 is recirculating water in the tub, the lower impeller 104 is acting so as to draw air through hose 111. As preferably constructed, the lower impeller 104 will not draw liquid from the sump 110 during forward rotation of pump pulley 56.

The present invention is directed to a filter arrangement employed in the fluid system to clean the laundering fluid and remove foreign material, such as dirt and lint, from wash water and to insure the removed lint and dirt is prevented from redepositing on the clothes being laundered. It is desirable to recirculate the wash water, passing from the tub during the washing operation, through a filter to provide for the constant extraction of the lint to clarify the wash water and prevent wide spread distribution of lint onto the clothes in the basket. Also, it is equally important to provide for the automatic removal of the lint accumulated by the filter.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, my self-cleaning filter is indicated at F and is located in the fluid system between the sump 110 and intake port of the pump chamber 103a containing the impeller 103. The filter is connected to the sump 110 by a hose l112, and the pump chamber 103a is connected to the filter by a hose 113. Accordingly, during operation of the pump in the washing operation, for example, wash water is drawn by the impeller 103 from the sump 110 of tub 16, hose 112 into and through the filter F, hose 113, into the chamber 103a, through hose 107 to the tub 16. The water is thus continuously recirculated -from the tub through the filter and returned to the tub during operation of the upper impeller 103a during the washing operation.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the structure of the filter F which comprises a bell-shaped body 115 having its upper end provided with a collar portion 116 inserted within and connected to the end of the hose 112 in fluid communication with the tub sump 110. The collar portion l116 forms an entry port of the filter for water flowing through the hose 112 and into the filter during recirculation of the water by the pump propeller 103. The filter body 115 has its lower end terminating in a radially outwardly extending annular flange 117 engaging the rim of a plate 118 and connected thereto by bolts 119 extending through the flange 117 and threaded into the plate 118. A gasket 120 may be positioned between the flange |117 and plate 118 to prevent leakage of water between the fiange and plate and from the compartment 122 formed by the body 115 and plate 118. The plate 118 has a centrally located tube 121 providing a passage for water from the filter compartment 122 to the hose l113 connected to the pump impeller chamber 103a. More specifically, the tube 121 is preferably formed integral with the plate 121 and to dispose a portion 121:1 exteriorly of the plate and extending downwardly to be received wtihin the adjacent end of the hose 1113.

Referring to the structure of the filter providing the lintscavenging function, the tube 121 of the plate 118 also has a portion 121b which extends upwardly from the plate and into a frusto-conical cap 123. As seen in FIG. 5,

the upper end of the tube portion 121b has the radially outer edge of its rim in contact as at |124 with a diametrically-conforming circular portion of the cap 123 and securely connected thereto by welds 125. The upper end of the tube portion 121b is provided with circumferentially spaced slots 126 providing passages for water from the chamber 122 and into hose 113. The cap 123 is provided with upwardly extending teeth or prongs 127 arranged in tiers circumferentially of the outer surface of the cap and also openings 128 extending through the cap and disposed between the tiers of the teeth 127. The teeth 127 of cap 123 extend through aligned openings in a conical hood 129. The hood129 is formed to conform its inner surface to the contour of the outer surface of the cap so that these surfaces are contiguous and engage each other. The openings in the hood 129 are formed sufficiently large, in relation to the teeth 127, to permit vertical movement of the hood for the purpose now to be described.

In the operation of my improved filter, wash water is constantly recirculated by the pump impeller 103, as indicated by the solid arrows in FIG. 5, the water flowing from the pump into and through the hose 107 into the tub, and water is withdrawn from the tub sump 110 and flows through the hose 112 into the filter chamber 122 and from the chamber 122 into the hose 113 for return to the pump. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, lint-laden wash water, fiowing from the tub through hose 112, enters the chamber 122 of the filter and is directed along the outer surface of hood |129 and thereby fiows through the teeth 127 of cap 123. The teeth 127 are effective to screen the wash water and catch the lint whereby the trapped lint is prevented from being recirculated with the water. The substantially lint-free water then flows into the interior of the cap 123 and through the slots in the upper end of tube portion 121b and thence through the tube portion 121a into hose 113.

An important feature of the filter is the provision for automatically cleaning thelint from the filter one or more times during each use of an automatic washer 0f the water recirculating type described. In this oper-ation,

the lint is removed from the teeth 127 of the cap 123 and is flushed from the filter and directed to a drain when the lint is still wet and may be readily fiushed from the teeth. More particularly, the lint is continually scavenged from the water during phases of operation of the automatic washer in which the water is recirculated by the pump. Upon each conclusion of these operational phases, the direction of rotation of the drive motor 41 is reversed with the consequence that the rotation of the impeller 103 is also reversed and thereby the flow yof water is directed toward the filter by the pump` More particularly, and as indicated by the broken arrows in FIG. 5, w-ater is drawn from the tub through hose 107 into the pump by the impeller 103 and is discharged, under pressure, into hose 113 connected to the filter. The water liows upwardly through the tube 121a and is expelled from the upper end of the tube with considerable force to impinge against the inner conical surface of the cap 123. As a consequence, water is ejected through the openings 128 of the cap and against the inner surface of the hood 129, norm-ally closing these openings during filtering, as to move the hood upwardly thereby causing lin-t to be stripped from the teeth, It will be apparent that concurrently, a substantial quantity of water flows through the slots 126 of the tube 121b and along the inner surface of the cap 123, between the spaced facing surfaces of the cap and hood, and along the outer surface of the hood 129 to flush the lint through the ,collar portion 116 of the filter body into and through the hose 112. The lint-laden water flows into the sump 110. As the reversal of the motor direction has caused the impeller 104 to become operative to withdraw water from the sump and thereby from the tub, the lintladen water, from the filter, flows into the sump and even through the hose 109, the pump chamber 10411, `to the drain so that there is no possibility of the lint returning to the tub.

To limit the upward movement of the hood 129 to a position effective to clear the lint from the teeth 127 while retaining the hood on the teeth for later downward gravitational return movement on the cap, the apex of the hood is provided with a cross-shaped portion 131 operative to engage stops 130 formed integral with the bell-shaped body 115 and circumferentially spaced to be in alignment with and thereby engage the arms of the cross-shaped portion 131 of the hood during raising action of hood by the flushing action of the water.

While a detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been provided, it will be obvious that the invention is not to be limited to the specific form disclosed, as it is susceptible of Various modifications, changes and alternative constructions coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self-cleaning filter, la fluid container having first and second ports; a fixed member in said container and having openings extending therethrough; .a movable member telescoped on said fixed member and disposed in the path of fluid from said first port, said movable member having openings extending therethrough and said fixed member having filtering projections extending through the openings in said movable member; means providing for the flow of linteladen fluid under pres* sure through said first port, through said filtering projections to filter said fluid of lint, and through said second port; and means providing for the flow of fluid under pressure through said second port, through the openings in said fixed member to forcibly move said movable member to strip lint from said filtering projections and to discharge the lint through said first port.

2. In a self-cleaning filter as defined in claim 1 wherein said fixed and movable members are cup-shaped; and wherein lint-laden fluid, entering said first port, flows along the outer surface of the movable member and through the filtering projections of the fixed member.

3. In a self-cleaning filter, a fluid container having first and second ports for passage of fluid through said container; a first cup-shaped member in said container and having openings extending therethrough; a second cup-shaped member positioned on and telescoping said first member and disposed for flow of fluid lalong the exterior surface thereof, said second member having openings extending therethrough and said first member having teeth projecting through the openings in said second member; means for effecting the flow of lint-laden fluid through said rst port, said teeth to filter said fluid of lint, and through said second port; and means for forcing fluid through said second port, through the openings in said first member to move said second member along said teeth to scavenge lint from said teeth, and to discharge the lint through said first port.

4. In a self-cleaning filter, a fluid container having first and second ports; a first conically-shaped member in said container and having its apex directed toward said first port, said first member having openings extendinng therethrough; a second conically-shaped member telescoping said first member and having its exterior surface disposed for flow of fluid from said first port along said surface, said second member having openings extending therethrough and said first member having teeth projecting through the openings in said second member; means providing for the flow of lint-laden fluid through said first port, along the exterior surface of said second member and through said teeth to filter said fluid of lint, and through said second port; and means for forcing fluid through said second port and through the openings in said first member to move said second member relative to said first member to scavenge lint from said teeth, and to discharge the lint through said first port.

5. In a self-cleaning filter, a fluid container having upper and lower ports; a first generally conical fixed member in said container and positioned to dispose its apex beneath said upper port, said first member having openings extending therethrough; a second generally conical member telescoping said first member and disposed to intercept fluid entering said first port for flow of fluid along the exterior surface thereof, said second member having openings extending therethrough, said first member having teeth projecting through the openings in said sec* ond member; means providing for the flow of lint-laden fluid through said upper port, along the exterior surface of said second member and between said teeth to filter said fluid of lint, and discharge the fluid through said lower port; and means providing for the flow of fluid through said lower port and into the interior of said lower member and through the openings thereof to raise said upper member to scavenge lint from said teeth, and also along the outer surface of said second member for the discharge of lint through said upper port.

6. In a self-cleaning filter as defined in claim 5 wherein said second member overlies the openings in said first member, asd means are provided to direct the fluid from said lower port into said openings in said lower member.

7. In a self-cleaning filter, a fluid container having an upper port, said container having a tubular portion projecting into the interior of said container, the lower end of said tubular portion defining a lower port of said container and the upper end of said tubular portion having fluid passages; a first generally conical fixed member in said container, said tubular portion extending into said first member and said first member being positioned on the top of said tubular portion to dispose the apex of said fixed member beneath said upper port, said first member having openings extending therethrough; a second generally conical member on said first member and disposed to intercept fluid entering said first port for flow of fluid along the exterior surface thereof, said second member having openings extending therethrough, said first member having filtering projections extending through the openings in said second member, said members being in spaced relation to said container to provide for flow of fluid between said container and said members and through said fluid passages in said tubular portion of said container; means providing for the flow of lint-laden fluid through said upper port, along the exterior surface of said second member and through said filtering projections to filter said fluid of lint, and discharge of the fluid through said lower port; and means providing for the flow of fluid through said lower port, and said tubular portion into the interior of said lower member, and through the openings there-of to raise said upper member to scavenge lint from Said filtering projections, and also along the outer surface of said second member for the discharge of lint through said upper port.

'8. Ina self-cleaning filter as defined in claim 7 wherein the upper end of said tubular portion of said container is provided with slots to define said fluid passages.

9. In a self-cleaning filter as defined in claim 7 wherein said filtering projections are teeth on said first member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,439,535 4/1948 Wilson 210--407 2,555,725 6/1951 Archbold 210-407 X 3,286,841 1l/1966 Dinglinger 210-407 X REUBEN FRIED'MAN, Primary Examiner.

F. MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SELF-CLEANING FILTER, A FLUID CONTAINER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND PORTS; A FIXED MEMBER IN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING OPENINGS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH; A MOVABLE MEMBER TELESCOPED ON SAID FIXED MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF FLUID FROM SAID FIRST PORT, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING OPENINGS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND SAID FIXED MEMBER HAVING FILTERING PROJECTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN SAID MOVABLE MEMBER; MEANS PROVIDING FOR THE FLOW OF LINT-LADEN FLUID UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH SAID FIRST PORT, THROUGH SAID FILTERING PROJECTIONS TO FILTER SAID FLUID OF LINT, AND THROUGH SAID SECONE PORT; AND MEANS PROVIDING FOR THE FLOW OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH SAID SECOND PORT, THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN SAID FIXED MEMBER TO FORCIBLY MOVE SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO STRIP LINT FROM SAID FILTERING PROJECTIONS AND TO DISCHARGE THE LINT THROUGH SAID FIRST PORT.