Patent GB-989788-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to dry cleaning machines
IPC: D06F43/00
Filed: 1961-09-15
Abstract: 989,788. Dry cleaning. P. A. J. CHARREAU. Sept, 15, 1961 [Sept. 23, 1960; Dec, 15, 1960], No. 33256/61. Heading D1A. In a dry-cleaning machine comprising a rotatable perforated washing-drum 101 lodged in a stationary cylinder 102, solvent is cleansed by evaporation in a casing 160 containing an evaporating device which includes a plurality of rotatable sector discs 222a,222b,222c attached to a motordriven shaft (Figs.9--12,not shown),the evaporation being effected at a temperature below the boiling point of the solvent. Rotation of the shaft causes the discs to be wetted by soiled solvent which flows into casing 160 from cylinder 102 through a conduit 218, the solvent being pre-heated by steam tubes 138 and vaporized by hot gas e.g. air, which is chemically inert to the solvent, flowing through the casing between the discs. The air-vapour mixture is discharged into a condensing device 113 through a conduit 259, valves 256, 261, a conduit 113, an air-impeller 116, and a valve 262, the air being returned to casing 160 through a steam-heated air-heating device 111, a valve 26b and a conduit 109; each of the aforesaid valves is pneumatically operated and has two operative positions. Condensed solvent is collected in a tank 125 having two compartments linked by a pipe 126, whence it is delivered to three sets of nozzles (only one set 179a---183a, is shown in Fig. 5) disposed on the inner periphery of drum 101 through a pump 133, a pipe 137, a bore 303 in a drive-shaft 172 for the drum and a distributing device 194 attached to the drive shaft and coupled to said nozzles by a plurality of pipes (Figs. 13, 14, not shown). Liquid soap stored in a tank 135 may be added to the solvent through a pipe 134. After the contents of drum 101 have been cleansed they are sprayed with a silicone composition stored in a tank 130 and propelled through the nozzles by compressed air supplied to tank 130 by a low-pressure source 270 through pipes 283, 287 and an electrically actuated valve 288. The number of nozzles in each set to which the said composition is supplied is reduced to one by closure of a pressure-operated valve (Fig. 15, not shown). To cleanse the nozzles they may be periodically fed with steam by a source 289 through pipes 290, 293, the source being that which also supplies team to tubes 138 and airheating device 111. The flow of steam is regulated by valves 294--297 operated by compressed air supplied by a high-pressure source 269, the compressed air being controlled by electricallyactuated valves 308--311. Cooling water is supplied to condensing device 118 by a source 298 through a pipe 299 and a valve 300 which is similar to values 294--297. During a washing operation the contents of drum 101 are sprayed with cold solvent whilst the drum is rotated slowly and the surplus solvent is discharged through a valve 267 into casing 160. Hot air and solvent vapour is then passed through the rotating drum 101 causing its contents to become warm by condensation of the vapour, the air-vapour mixture being circulated through a conduit 115, valve 261, conduit 113, impeller 116, valve 262, condensing device 111, valve 265, a conduit 109, casing 160, valve 256, a conduit 107a, and a funnel 105 at the rearward end of the drum. The contents of the drum may be thus alternately wetted and heated. After the washing operation and regeneration of the solvent, the contents of the drum are centrifuged and treated with silicone composition, during which time hot air is passed through the drum to partially dry the contents and polymerize the silicone composition. The cleaning process is completed by passing atmospheric air through the drum to deoderize the contents, the air being taken in through a valve 143 communicating with the atmosphere, heating device 111, valve 265, conduit 107b, and funnel 105. The air-vapour mixture is discharged to the atmosphere through conduit 115, valve 261, conduit 113, impeller 116 and valve 262. Water is separated from the solvent in a decanting vessel (Fig. 2, not shown) situated between condensing device 118, and tank 125, the water being drawn off through a syphon tube. Valves 143, 256, 261, 262, 265 are actuated by compressed air supplied by source 269 and regulated by electrically actuated valves 280, 281, 282. Specification 929,340 is referred to.