US3577752A - Laundry apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Institutional laundry equipment including laundry washing and extracting apparatus having a substantially airtight casing, with separate loading and unloading doors, disposed in a partition dividing a laundry area into a laundry-receiving room and a clean laundry room, the receiving room having an exhaust fan for maintaining subatmospheric pressure in the receiving room, an air duct connecting the casing with outside air, port means in the casing opening into the receiving room, and interlocking means for the doors to maintain at least one of the doors closed at all times, the port means being either an air duct or a casing water dump valve open to the receiving room or both.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Max Hertig; Primary Examiner-William l. Price Peter J. Meier, Syracuse, NY. Attorney-F. P. Keiper [2]] Appl. No. 775,088 [22] Filed Nov. 12, 1968 [45] Patented May 4, 1971 [73] Assignee G. A. Braun, Inc.

Syracuse, N.Y.

ABSTRACT: lnstitutional laundry equipment including [54] LAUNDRY APPARATUS laundry vvashing and extracting apparatus having a substan- 4 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig tlally airtight casing, with separate loading and unloading doors, disposed in a partition dividing a laundry area into a U-S- |aund y re eiving room and a clean laundry rogm the recejv. l 1

39/14 ing room having an exhaust fan for maintaining subatmospher- [50] F'eld Search 98/32- 33; lo pressure in the receiving room, an air duct connecting the 134/ 1 I; 68/ 140 casing with outside air, port means in the casing opening into the receiving room, and interlocking means for the doors to [56] References cued maintain at least one of the doors closed at all times, the port UNrrED STATES PATENTS means being either an air duct or a casing water dump valve 3,3 18,122 5/ l 967 Starr et al. 68/210 open to the receiving room or both.

I 1 l I- I 22 1 l l t 11 34 I 2 6 l 3| I I {i 3| 24 q I 1 {f 2 i 30 I 1' 2a 2 o 7- l- 3 t j P I 1 -l rl j n I I l I 1.. q Ea, ll 1L 5 2 referred to as the clean room 26.

The washing machine casing shell 52 is provided with a duct 1 1 LAUNDRY APPARATUS This invention relates to laundry apparatus, and more. particularly to apparatus of the institutional type for use in hospitals, ,hotels, and the like, where cross infection is to be room and a clean laundry room, the apparatus having its loading door in the receiving-room and its unloading door in the cleanroom. Additionally the invention includes apparatus for scavenging the washing apparatus with outside air, and maintaining the apparatus and receiving room subatmospheric, as respects the clean room at all times, and door interlocks to prevent the opening of either unloading or loading door except when the other is closed. it will be understood that the laundry processed in the apparatus will be subjected to decontaminants to prevent the transmission of bacteria such as would be capable of cross infection, through the laundry being processed. I

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. lt is expressly understood that the-drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts: 7

' FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the unloading side of a washing and extraction apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken through the'washing and ex- .traction apparatus substantially'on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a commercial size washing machine of the tumbler centrifugal extraction type with its exterior casing end wall forming a part of partition 22, which divides the laundry work space into two separate rooms isolated from each other. The soiled laundry is delivered to the room 24 which is maintained at a subatmospheric pressure, and'clean laundry is removed from the washing machine directly into the room 26 which is maintained at atmospheric pressure. The washing machine is pro- 1 vided with a soiled laundryloading door 28 and a clean laundry unloading door 30, the latter being in what may be 32 leading to a fresh air supply, at atmospheric pressure, and the cabinet also may be provided with a relief duct 34 preferably of a cross section larger than duct 32, and open to the room 24, the ducts 32 and 34 being open at all times. An exhaust fan 40 of sufiicient capacity, maintains subatmospheric pressure in room 24. It will be understood that only at the conclusion of a complete washing and extraction cycle, will the door 30 be opened for removal of washed and damp dry laundry from the washing machine tumbler and extractor drum. Hence with a suitable seal at the door 30, and interlocks .31 at both doors 28 and 30 to prevent the door 30 from being opened except at, the completion of a cycle and only when door 28 is closed, the chance for foul or contaminated air from room 24 or wall casing 20, to escape into the clean room 26 is completely eliminated.

In order to preclude the fiow of any air from within the casing 52 into room 26, the room 24 is maintained at a pressure differential lower than room 26 by an exhaust fan 40 delivering air from room 24 to the outside. To prevent the spread of contaminants to the outside, a suitable air filtration unit 42 associated with the fan 40 isprovided. Throughsuch means, the pressure in room 24, and within casing 52 is maintained somewhat below atmospheric pressure and below the atmospheric pressure in the clean room 26.

By the arrangement shown, a relatively continuous scavengand a subatmospheric pressure maintained therein,.so that contaminated air will be withdrawn from the casing 52 during the entire 'wash cycle. Atthe same time,'the ducts 32 and 34 permit any expansion or contraction of thequantity of the air contained within the casing 52, without the pressure therein, departing from subatmospheric.

It will be understood that the wash and extraction drum indicated at 50, is contained in the surrounding stationary casing or shell 52 of which the wall 20 is a part. The shell 52 is capable of containing and holding wash orrinse water, in which the wash drum rotates and is partially immersed. Such shell is provided with a dump valve 55 to drain. The shell, when empty, with the dump valve open is open to the subatmospheric pressure in the room 24. Since the shell is open to room 24 at all times through the'dump valve, except during actual wash or rinse when the valve is closed, and the door 30 is locked except following extraction at the end of the wash and extraction cycle, it may besufficient to eliminate or cap the duct 34, since long prior to opening the door 30 to remove the clean laundry, the casing shell will be subjected to subatmospheric pressure during extraction through the open drain valve, and

hence the-shell would be fully scavenged and rendered subatmospheric long prior to any opening of the door 30, by air entering duct 32, and drawn into room 24 through the wide open dump valve.

The size of the duct 32 will be such in relation to the dump valve 55, or the dump valve aided by the exhaust duct 34, as to provide enough restriction to assure subatmospheric pressure within the shell 52.

Entrance to the room 24 will be through a passageway having interlocked doors, as is understood in the art, so as to prevent escape of contaminated air, and to at all times preserve the subatmospheric pressure in room 24. Room 26 may be suitably provided with 'an entrance controlled by interlocked doors and supplied with filtered air at atmospheric pressure or slightly above if desired, to protect the room and clean laundry unloaded therein from contaminated air, which might otherwise enter the room from the surrounding atmosphere.

While a single form of the invention has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arunloading doors, a laundry area separated by a partition in which the laundryapparatus casing is disposed with its unloading door opening into the clean laundry room, and the loading door opening into the receiving room, said receiving room having an exhaust fan means for maintaining subatmospheric pressure in the receiving room, an air duct connecting said casing with outside air other-than from the clean room, port means separate from the air duct in the casing opening into said receiving room of a sufficient size in relation to said air duct to effect subatmospheric pressure in the casing, and interlocking means for said doors to maintain at least one of said doors closed at all times.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises an air duct of greater cross section than said outside airduct.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises a water dump valve for the casing communicating with the receiving room during the extracting operations of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises both an air duct open to the receiving room and a ing flow is maintained through the washing machine casing 52, the extracting operations of the apparatus.

Claims (4)

1. Laundry equipment for institutional use comprising a laundry washing and extracting apparatus having a substantially airtight casing, said casing having separate loading and unloading doors, a laundry area separated by a partition in which the lauNdry apparatus casing is disposed with its unloading door opening into the clean laundry room, and the loading door opening into the receiving room, said receiving room having an exhaust fan means for maintaining subatmospheric pressure in the receiving room, an air duct connecting said casing with outside air other than from the clean room, port means separate from the air duct in the casing opening into said receiving room of a sufficient size in relation to said air duct to effect subatmospheric pressure in the casing, and interlocking means for said doors to maintain at least one of said doors closed at all times.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises an air duct of greater cross section than said outside air duct.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises a water dump valve for the casing communicating with the receiving room during the extracting operations of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the port means comprises both an air duct open to the receiving room and a casing water dump valve open to the receiving room during the extracting operations of the apparatus.

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