Apparatus for continuously controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments

A method and apparatus for continuously controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments comprising a plurality of tanks each containing a slightly different cleaning fluid. Each of the tanks is preferably continuously filtered for soluble impurities and is selectively communicable to a washing device into which is introduced the garments. An additional amount of cleaning fluid is added to the wash device approximately equal in weight to the weight of the garments to be washed. A further additional amount of cleaning fluid is added which is approximately proportional to the weight of the garments being washed. After washing, the remaining liquid is returned to the original tank. In this manner the tank will be refilled to the original level and will overflow through an overflow aperture in an amount approximately equal to the further added cleaning liquid. The overflowed cleaning liquid will then be gathered in a sump tank and be pumped to a holding tank and subsequently be distilled to remove pure solvent therefrom. This solvent will pass through a reclaiming line to a position where it may be mixed with cleaning additives in the proper amount in order to match one of the cleaning liquids within one of the plurality of tanks. This new mixture will now be added to the wash cylinder in an amount equal to or proportional to the weight of the garments therein and as such the cycle will be completed. In this fashion, a method and apparatus is disclosed for continuously maintaining the desired condition of the cleaning liquids when washing leather and suede garments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
Suede and leather cleaning is a very complex sub-division of the general 
textile cleaning industry. In the original tanning, the skins are treated 
with oils which tend to keep the skins soft and supple. Unfortunately 
these oils are soluble in dry cleaning solvents and if the leather is 
cleaned in the same manner as other textiles the oils will be removed 
causing the skins to lose the original supple characteristics. Also, 
because of direct sensitivity to heat, the dye stuffs used in leather 
cleaning are much more fugitive than those used in textile and, as such, a 
severe loss in original color is often the result of incorrect cleaning 
procedures. 
Also, with the current new types of leather garments which are being 
introduced including calves skins, horse hides and sheep skins it is far 
more necessary to achieve close control of the cleaning solution since 
these new types of garments are much more sensitive to slight variations 
in the components of the cleaning mixture than the sheep skins which 
comprised approximately 90 percent of the leather garments made in the 
1950's. 
The present invention provides for the usage of a cleaning solvent which 
may be either of perchlorethylene or another conveniently available 
cleaning solvent. Cleaning additives will be mixed in varying amounts to 
the chosen cleaning solvent to provide the final cleaning liquid. Due to 
the great variety of leather garments now available, a plurality of 
cleaning liquids will be necessary. Each of these different cleaning 
liquids will include variable amounts of the cleaning additives in 
addition to the chosen solvent. The present invention shows a system 
utilizing five such baths. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art devices in this field have commonly utilized multiple baths 
each one of which is adaptable to the cleaning of a particular class of 
leather or suede garments. Also, it is old in the art to continuously 
filter the impurities within each individual bath. It is also well known 
in the art to turn the liquid after completion of the washing to the 
particular tank from which the washing solution was originally obtained. 
With such prior art devices a problem existed with respect to the quality 
control of the individual cleaning solution. Assuming that each bath was 
formed in the morning, by the end of the day the amount of fatty acids and 
other soluble and insoluble contaminants within the mixture would strongly 
inhibit the cleaning action of the cleaning liquid. The question of 
quality control was solely in the hands of the manual operator who upon 
visual inspection would determine that, for example, a new bath 4 should 
be mixed or, for example, half of a bath 2 should be drained and a new 
half portion inserted. Such hit or miss quality control is certainly not 
acceptable under the conditions of the current day with many more 
sensitive leather and suede garments. 
Also, in addition to the question of quality control, the baths would 
continually be depleted in volume since a large amount of the solution 
would be retained within the garment after washing and spinning. On the 
average with leather and suede garments, 100 percent of the weight of the 
original garment will be retained in cleaning liquids within the garment 
itself when it is passed from the washing device into the dryer. This 
cleaning liquid is reclaimed at a later stage of the process, however for 
the purposes of the washing device it is lost until new baths are created 
on another day. Therefore, a system is required for continuously 
replenishing the amount of solution within each of the baths being 
utilized. 
The present invention provides a system for continuous cleaning of soluble 
and insoluble impurities from each individual bath as well as for the 
replenishing of the volumes within the baths resulting from depletion by 
retention by the washed garments. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for continuously 
controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments which includes a 
washing means which is adapted to receive garments to be cleaned. This 
wash means defines an inlet to receive cleaning liquid and an outlet to 
drain cleaning liquid therefrom. 
A plurality of tank means each contains the original mixtures of cleaning 
liquids. Each of the tank means contains a slightly different composition 
of cleaning liquid which is particularly adaptable for usage in the 
washing of slightly varying types of leather and suede garments. Each of 
the tanks is selectively in fluid flow communication with the wash means 
to thereby supply the particularly desired cleaning liquid thereto. Each 
tank also includes an overflow aperture therein. 
Each tank has an associated tank pump means which is preferably 
continuously operating to continuously pump liquid from the tank. The tank 
means is adapted to pump the liquid into a filtering line which includes a 
filtering means therein adapted to filter insoluble contaminants 
therefrom. At the end of the filtering line is located a bypass valve 
means. In the normal mode of operation the bypass valve means allows 
passage of the cleaning liquid from the filtering line immediately 
downstream of the filter means into a bypass line which returns the 
cleaning liquid directly to the tank from which it was pumped. 
Alternatively, if actuated, the bypass valve will be adapted to allow the 
cleaning liquid from the tank to be pumped into a supply line which is in 
direct fluid flow communication with the wash device. However, in the 
normal mode the washing liquid will merely be continuously circulated by 
the pump means through the filter in the filter line and through the 
bypass valve into the bypass line and be returned directly to the original 
tank. 
After washing, the liquid will be allowed to drain through the outlet of 
the wash means into a return line which is in selective fluid flow 
communication with each of the tank means. A plurality of return valve 
means are positioned adjacent each tank means within the return line to 
selectively allow return of the cleaning liquid to the proper tank. 
Each of the tanks preferably has an overflow aperture therein such that 
when the liquid therein reaches a predetermined level it will pass out of 
the tank into a drain line and be gathered preferably within a sump tank. 
A sump pump will pump the expelled cleaning liquid into a holding tank. 
The holding tank will then supply this liquid to a distillation means in 
which all of the liquids including contaminants and cleaning additives 
will be removed from the solvent and a relatively pure solvent will be 
gathered within a solvent reservoir. This solvent reservoir will then be 
the source of pure solvent which is pumped through a reclaiming line by a 
solvent pump. 
A selector means is manually or otherwise movable between one of a 
plurality of locations corresponding to the number of tanks of varying 
cleaning liquid. As the selector is placed upon a given mode of operation, 
the corresponding bypass valves and return valves will have their 
operation initiated to cause the passage of the proper cleaning fluid into 
the wash cylinder. Preferably the bypass valves will each be operated by a 
bypass solenoid means and the return valves will each be operated by a 
return solenoid means. In this configuration the selector means will be 
electrically communicated to the various solenoids. When the selector 
means is placed at a given location, a time delay will be initiated for 
operation of the return valve and the corresponding bypass valve will be 
immediately initiated. This immediate initiation will allow the liquid 
from the corresponding tank to flow into the wash cylinder for washing. 
Once the predetermined wash period has been terminated the cleaning fluid 
will pass out of the outlet and be returned to the tank. At that time the 
time delay means within the selector means will cause operation of the 
return valve and the fluid will pass back into the proper tank. 
A controller means such as an electronic controller means will be operably 
connected to a plurality of cleaning additives. The controller means will 
also be operably connected to a reclaiming line through which pure solvent 
is obtainable. The controller will also be operable to know the position 
of the selector means. This may be an actual electrical or mechanical 
interconnection between the controller and the selector or the controller 
itself may be manually movable to a position corresponding to the 
selector. With either mode of operation, the controller will be informed 
as to the mode of operation of the selector. In this configuration the 
controller will then add the proper amounts of the individual cleaning 
additives to the pure solvent to match the cleaning liquid within the 
particular tank being used for that particular washing operation. Also the 
controller will be provided manually or otherwise with the information as 
to the weight and type of the garment being placed within the wash 
cylinder. Therefore the controller will provide an amount of cleaning 
liquid equal in composition to the cleaning liquid being used in the 
particular selector mode in an amount equal to approximately 100 percent 
of the weight of the garment being washed as well as an additional amount 
of from one and a half to two and a half gallons per pound per 60 pounds 
of such garments. 
After washing, the garments will retain approximately 100 percent of their 
weight in cleaning liquid. Since that amount of liquid was originally 
introduced the resulting amount of liquid within the tank will be 
approximately the same except it will be slightly greater in accordance 
with the ratio of one and half to two and a half pounds per 60 gallons of 
liquid. This additional liquid will cause approximately that amount of 
liquid to pass outward through the overflow apertures into the drain lines 
therebelow. This cleaning fluid will be gathered within the sump tank and 
will subsequently be distilled to thereby provide additional pure solvent 
within the solvent reservoir. The cleaning additives and other soluble and 
insoluble impurities are removed from the cleaning solution during 
distillation will usually be disgarded. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for 
continuously filtering cleaning fluids utilized in suede and leather 
garment cleaning. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus 
for continuously controlling the liquids used for the cleaning of suede 
and leather garments wherein a plurality of compositions of cleaning 
fluids is usable. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus 
for continuously controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments 
by the continuous replenishing of cleaning fluids retained by the washed 
garments. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus 
for continuously controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments 
whereby a predetermined amount of a particular cleaning liquid is 
automatically replenished and wherein the amount of such liquid 
automatically replenished is determined by the amount of garments washed 
therein. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus 
for continuously controlling of the cleaning of suede and leather garments 
wherein the expelled cleaning liquid is distilled to remove the cleaning 
solvent therefrom to provide a source of reclaimed pure solvent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention provides a means for the washing of suede and leather 
garments wherein the cleaning liquids are continuously controlled to 
maintain the quality thereof. The garments are initially placed within a 
wash means such as wash cylinder 10. A cleaning liquid is inserted into 
the wash means through inlet 12. Subsequent to washing, the cleaning 
liquid is gathered by the passage out of the wash means through an outlet 
14. 
The cleaning liquids 16a through 16e are selectively held within a tank 
means 18a through 18e. Within various systems a different number of tank 
means 18 can be provided from one or two to any desired number depending 
on the number of types of different leathers and suedes to be cleansed by 
the apparatus. 
A plurality of tank pump means 22a, b, c, d, and e are placed in associated 
with the respective tank means 18a, b, c, d, and e. Each of these tank 
pump means 22 are adapted to pump the cleaning liquid 16 from the tank 
means 18 into a filtering line 24 such as lines 24a, b, c, d, and e. Each 
filtering line 24 includes a filter means 26 therein which is adapted to 
preferably filter out the insoluble impurities therefrom. Preferably at 
the end of the filter line 24 is located a bypass valve means 32. The 
bypass valve means is selectively in fluid flow communication with either 
a bypass line 30 which extends back into the tank means 18 or the supply 
line 28. In the normal operating condition the bypass valve means 32 
allows fluid flow communication between the end of the filter line 24 and 
the bypass lines 30. In this manner by continuous operation of the tank 
pump means 22 the cleaning liquid 16 within the tank means 18 will be 
continuously filtered for insoluble impurities by passage through the 
filter means 26. Preferably, the bypass valve means 32 will be caused to 
operate by actuation of a bypass solenoid means 34. Again in the normal 
operating condition fluid flow communication through the bypass valve 
means 32 will be from the filtering line 24 to the bypass line 30. 
However, when the solenoid means 34 is actuated, or the bypass valve means 
32 is actuated, the bypass valve means 32 will provide fluid flow 
communication no longer to the bypass line 30. Instead fluid flow 
communication will be created between the filter lines 24 and the supply 
line 28. Cleaning liquid will then pass through the supply line 28 
directly into the wash means 10. 
At this point the leather and suede garments to be cleaned will also be 
placed in the wash means and the washing step itself will take place. 
After washing the cleaning liquids will be passed outwardly through the 
outlet 14 of wash means 10 into a return line 38. This return line will be 
selectively in fluid flow communication with all of the tank means 18 of 
the particular device. The return line will actually include a plurality 
of return valve means 40a, b, c, d, and e therein. Each of these return 
valve means is selectively communicable therein to one of the respective 
tank means 18a through 18e. The apparatus will be controlled in such a 
manner that the previously actuated bypass valve means 32 will correspond 
with the subsequently actuated return valve means 40 such that the washing 
fluid will return to the original tank means 18 thereof. If an additional 
amount of fluid is introduced into the tank means 18 above and beyond that 
amount of liquid originally withdrawn therefrom for the cleaning 
operation, an overflow condition will be created within the tank means 
such that liquid will pass outward through the overflow aperture 20 and 
into the drain line 36. A sump tank 62 may be positioned to receive the 
liquid that has passed through drain line 36. A sump pump 66 may also be 
included to pump the liquid from the sump tank into a holding tank 64. 
Holding tank 64 is directly connected to a distillation means 46. The 
distillation means is adapted to distill the cleaning liquid supplied 
thereto and in this manner separate the solvent from the soluble and 
insoluble impurities therein as well as to separate the solvent from the 
cleaning fluids still remaining therein. In this manner a pure solvent 
will be obtained and will be passed into the solvent reservoir 56. A 
solvent pump 58 will remove the solvent from solvent reservoir 56 and pump 
it into a reclaiming line 44. In this manner reclaiming line 44 will 
provide a source of pure solvent for the formulation of new cleaning 
liquid. 
Each of the return valve means 40a, b, c, d, and e is preferably actuated 
by a return solenoid means 42 and in this manner an electrical actuation 
thereof is made possible. As shown in the embodiment in FIG. 1 the 
solenoid 40a will be in a normally open position in the horizontal 
direction and will normally be closed to the passage of liquid downwardly 
into the cylinder 1. The return valve means 40b, c, d, and e will all be 
configured in the same manner. Therefore, when the return of a particular 
liquid to a particular tank means 18 is required that chosen return 
solenoid means 42 will be actuated and the return valve means 40 will be 
opened and allow the passage of cleaning liquid back into the 
corresponding tank means 18. 
The present invention preferably includes a selector means 48 which 
includes a dial 50 thereon which possibly may be manually movable from one 
mode of operation to another. Each mode of operation corresponds to the 
desire to use a particular composition of cleaning liquids found within 
the different tank means 18. For example, if usage of the particular 
composition of cleaning liquids 16c within tank means 18c is required the 
selector will be placed on the number 3 position. The selector 48 will 
then be operable to initially open, perhaps electrically, the bypass valve 
means 32c. At this time the cleaning liquid 16c will pass through the 
supply line 28 into the wash cylinder 10. The washing operation will take 
place. After the washing operation the liquid 16c will pass outward 
through the outlet 14 into the return line 38. The liquid will pass 
through the horizontally open valve 40a and the horizontally open valve 
40b. Valve 42c will be operated by a time delay means 60 located within 
the selector 48 to initiate the opening thereof a certain time period 
after the opening of the corresponding bypass valve 32c. At this point the 
liquid will be reintroduced into the tank means 18c. 
However, when leather and suede garments are washed a high amount of the 
cleaning liquid is retained within the garment itself. On the average the 
weight of the leather and suede garment is increased 100 percent even 
after the spinning within the wash cylinder. In order to maintain the 
quality and level of liquid within the tanks a controller 54 is included 
in the present invention. This control means 54 is operably connected to a 
plurality of cleaning additive reservoirs 52a, 52b, and 52c. The number of 
additives normally will be three but could be any number for the present 
invention. Preferably the selector is electrically or otherwise connected 
to the controller to indicate to the controller 54 what mode of operation 
the selector is currently utilizing. Having had this information 
communicated to the controller 54 the controller will know exactly what 
proportions of additives 52a, 52b, and 52c to mix with the pure solvent 
being supplied through reclaiming line 44 to actually compose a cleaning 
fluid which matches that cleaning fluid currently being utilized within 
the wash cylinder 10. Alternatively, the controller could have a manual 
adjustment which the operator would set to match the position of the 
selector, however, and electrical communication between the controller 54 
and the selector 48 is preferable. 
After the cleaning liquid has been passed from the tank means into the wash 
cylinder 10 the controller will be operable to introduce an amount of 
additional matching cleaning fluid approximately equal to the weight of 
the garments to be washed. In this manner the amount of liquid retained by 
the garments will be replaced by the controller 54 and the level of fluids 
within the tanks 18a, b, c, d, and e will be maintained. However, in order 
to provide some cleansing of the soluble impurities, it is always 
desirable to distill a proportion of the liquids within the tanks. The 
amount of liquids which must be distilled in order to be maintained below 
the quality control level of insoluble impurities is directly proportional 
to the amount of garments being washed by that particular cleaning liquid. 
Therefore, the controller 54 is adapted to add an additional amount of 
liquid above the 100 percent weight level of the washed garments in order 
to provide an overflow through the respective overflow apertures 20a 
through 20e. The amount of additionally introduced cleaning fluid will be 
directly proportional to the weight of the garments being washed and will 
depend somewhat on which bath is being used. For example, the average 
additionally introduced cleaning fluid will be 2 gallons for every 60 
pounds of garments being washed. This two gallons may be as low as one and 
a half or as high as two and a half, this depends upon the particular 
washing solution being used. In other words, the particular class of 
garments usable for the different cleaning fluids within the tanks varies 
the amount of distillation required. That is, the washing of some classes 
of garments requires more distillation than others. Therefore, the 
controller will introduce this slight additional amount of cleaning 
liquid. After the washing is completed and the cleaning liquid has been 
returned to the particular tank means 18 the additionally introduced 
cleaning liquid will cause the passage of exactly that amount of cleaning 
liquid outward through the respective overflow aperture 20a through 20e. 
This liquid will then pass through the drain line 36 to provide exactly 
that amount of additional distillation within distillation means 46 and 
will provide new pure solvent into the solvent reservoir 56. 
In this manner the present invention provides a method and apparatus for 
controlling the level of cleaning fluid within individual tank means 
within an overall compound washing system. Also the present invention 
provides a means of controlling the quantity as well as the quality of 
material within the individual tank means of a compound system by 
continuously filtering the tanks for insoluble impurities and by filtering 
the tanks for insoluble impurities and other contaminants directly 
proportional to the weight of leather and suede materials being washed. 
While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown in the 
drawing and described above, it will be apparent, that many changes may be 
made in the form, arrangement and positioning of the various elements of 
the combination. In consideration thereof it should be understood that 
preferred embodiments of this invention disclosed herein are intended to 
be illustrative only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.