Patent GB-940715-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in coin operated control apparatus
IPC: G07F15/12
Filed: 1962-03-21
Abstract: 940,715. Coin-freed apparatus. WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. March 21, 1962 [March 23, 1961], No. 10898/62. Heading G4V. [Also in Division D1] The operating cycle of a dry cleaning machine is initiated by a switch 138 after a predetermined number of coins have stepped a counting ratchet 130 through one revolution and a deflector 111 is then operated to deflect excess coins to a reject shoot 108. In order that the machine may be stopped for maintenance when a predetermined number of cycles have been performed, a cyclecounting ratchet 184 causes the deflector 111 to be held in reject position and operates a visual or audible signal 210. A presettable sequence controller 60 incorporating a timer motor driving switch cams controls the automatic operation of the machine. Cleaning cycle. Initially the clothes are tumbled in a perforated drum 10 rotating on a horizontal axis in a casing 6 and heated air is circulated through the casing to dry the clothes. During drying, a pump 14 draws solvent from a filtered solvent tank 28a and circulates it through porous tubes 19a and back to the tank through a pressure relief valve 27. After a short interval of pumping, a dispenser 51, which may be of the motor-driven screw type, adds a filter aid such as diatomaceous earth to the tank and this forms a coating on the filter tubes. After the drying is completed, a valve 34 is operated so that the pump 14 draws unfiltered solvent from a tank 28b, which is separated from the filtered solvent tank 28a by a weir 29, and a valve 24 is opened so that the solvent forced through the filters is directed through a nozzle 8 into the drum 10 to wash the clothes. At the beginning of washing, a second dispenser 54 adds to the solvent a mixture of diatomaceous earth and activated charcoal and magnesia. The dispensers discharge into wells 50a, 53a in which the additives form a slurry before being drawn off by the pump 14. After the wash cycle, the valve 24 closes, the solvent circulates back to the tank 28a and the drum rotates at centrifuging speed to remove solvent from the clothes. On completion of the extraction cycle, heated air is circulated through the drum and the solvent in the air stream is removed by a condenser and returned to the tank 28b. The pump 14 stops when the solvent has been sufficiently filtered and a dump valve 43 opens to allow the contents of the filter casing 19 to pass back to the tank 28b through a filter 44a. Finally, outside air is passed through the drum to deodorize the clothes. Cooling coils 74 are provided to keep the solvent at a suitable temperature. Coin mechanism. Each coin momentarily closes a switch 104 and an impulse is delivered to a solenoid 123 which, through a pawl 128 hinged to its armature 127, steps the ratchet wheel 130 round by the space of one tooth. When the sixth coin is deposited, a projection 137 on the wheel 129 closes a switch 138 and the timer motor 61 and a solenoid 114 are energized. The motor drives a number of cams for control of the operating cycle and the solenoid 114 projects the deflector 111 into the coin shoot to reject further coins and opens contacts 118, 120 so that the switch 104 is disconnected from the stepping solenoid 123. The cycle-count ratchet 184 is stepped forward by the energization of a solenoid 170 each time that a cam switch S153 is closed to operate the dispenser 51. After twelve steps of the ratchet 184, a projection 186 closes a switch 193 and a last-cycle solenoid 197 is then energized and changes over contacts so that the signal means 210 is operated and the coin-reject solenoid is kept energized. The signal indicates to an attendant that the filter 44a should be emptied, more solvent added, if necessary, and the dispensers re-charged. When the servicing is completed, the attendant manually advances the cycle-counting ratchet 184 to its start position, in which the last-cycle and coin-reject solenoids are de-energized. Towards the end of each cycle, when a cam-operated switch S151 starts the deodorizing cycle, an impulse through the contacts 211, 212, which have been closed by the energized coin-reject solenoid, energizes the solenoid 123 and steps the ratchet 130 forward to a start position.