Patent ID: 6343492
Filing Date: 2002-02-05
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
A laundry machine including:a cabinet, a drum mounted in said cabinet rotatable about at least substantially horizon axis, said drum including a substantially cylindrical skin, a pair of opposed ends, a cover section in said skin being slidable in a circumferential direction relative to the remainder of said skin to leave an opening into said drum, cover retention means operable between a first condition for holding the position of said cover section relative to said cabinet and a second condition for not holding the position of said cover section relative to said cabinet, drive means connected to said drum for driving rotation thereof, drive control means for causing operation of said drive means in: an opening operation from a first position in which said retention means may engage said cover section to a second position, if said retention means are engage said rotation from said first position to said second position leaving said opining into said drum, a closing operation in which said drum is rotated from said second position to first position, if said retention means are engaged with said cover section then said closing rotation closes said opening into said drum, and a laundry operation cycle; and access means in said cabinet operable to an open position wherein access is available to said drum.