GB1078422A - Method and apparatus for laundering - Google Patents

Abstract

1,078,422. Washing machines. AMETEK Inc. Aug. 25, 1964 [June 8, 1964 (2)], No. 34735/64. Heading D1A. Articles to be laundered are washed and rinsed in a basket rotating at a relatively low speed, liquid is removed by rotating the basket at a slightly faster speed, the articles are tumbled by rotating the basket with periodic reversals of direction at the low speed and then the basket is rotated in one direction at a high extracting speed. A cylindrical perforated drum 11, with perforated metal partitions, is mounted on a tubular shaft 12 journalled in a bearing 14 mounted in wall 15 of a housing 10. Water and steam are directed into basket 11 through passages 16 in shaft 12. Shaft 12 is driven during extraction through pulleys 18, 20 and belting 19 by a two speed motor 21, Fig. 1 (not shown), or two single speed motors 21, 61, Fig. 4 (not shown), may be used. A reversible electric motor 22 is connected through a clutch to the armature shaft of motor (21), so that, when the latter is deenergized and the clutch is engaged, motor 22 can rotate drum 11 at wash speed. Pulley 18 is keyed on a hub 26 joined in the end wall 13 of drum 11 and keyed on shaft 12. A rotatable seal 29 is journalled on the other end of shaft 12, seals 31, 32 being provided. A portion 33 of seal 29 is connected through a solenoid valve 39<1> to a steam line 38, and is also connected to cold and hot water inlet lines (42), (43) controlled by solenoid valves (44<1>), (44<11>), Fig. 4 (not shown). The supply of hot and cold water to housing 10 is controlled by solenoid valves (44A), (44B). Air and steam is exhausted from housing 10 by a fan 46. A drum timer (48), Figure 5 (not shown), operates the various contracts to control the washing and drying cycle, in operation, the clothes in basket 11 are subjected to a series of operations including washing, rinsing, spray mixing and steaming after which they are extracted at low speed, the basket is braked and then rotated in alternate directions at washing speed. Steam is then admitted through shaft 12 to shake out and condition the clothes which are then extracted at high speed.