Patent GB-597167-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatically controlled washing or dry cleaning machines
IPC: D06F33/06
Filed: 1945-01-24
Abstract: <PICT:0597167/IV/1> <PICT:0597167/IV/2> In dry-cleaning machines of the kind in which an openwork drum is oscillated in a casing for washing and driven fast in one direction for centrifugal drying, and in which the operations of cleaning are automatically performed in sequence under control of a cam-shaft, the cam-shaft being power operated automatically under the control of a rotary interchangeable record element which determines the angular step movements of the cam-shaft and the time of dwell of each step, means is now provided for the automatic rotation of the cam-shaft in both directions enabling a record to be used which will give a predetermined operational stage <PICT:0597167/IV/3> <PICT:0597167/IV/4> <PICT:0597167/IV/5> <PICT:0597167/IV/6> or group of stages to be effected and then repeated.  The apparatus also enables dry-cleaning to be effected using two grades of cleaning solvent, and can be converted from automatic to hand operation and vice versa.  The invention is shown applied to a dry cleaning machine in which the casing 1, Fig. 1, enclosing the perforated drum containing the articles, which is oscillated for cleaning and is continuously rotated for centrifuging the cleaning liquid, is connected by valves 3 and 4 to two tanks 11, 12 in which are two grades of solvent, that in tank 11 having been used for the last rinse of the preceding load and being usually used for the first wash of a load, a solvent discharge valve 5 leading from the casing 1 through a pump 15 and valve 55 to a still 13 or valve 56 to the tank 11; the still also receiving the discharge from a vapour vent 8.  When in automatic operation the tank 11 is filled from the pump 15, a ball cock 24 closes and a relief valve 25 delivers the surplus to the still 13 which returns the solvent to the tank 12.  The lower portion 16 of each tank 11, 12 is partitioned off and delivers a measured quantity when its valve 3 or 4 is opened, these portions being replenished from the tank above through small apertures 23, a ball cock 26 ensuring that tank 11 is always partly filled, being fed from the tank 12. For drying, the machine acts as a tumbler, the drum reversing at cleaning speed and heated air being passed by a pump 17, Fig. 2, through a heater 18 and duct 6 to an inlet 27, and leaving the casing through a duct 7 and fluff filter 29, to pass under a flap valve 30 to a cooler 19 in the base of which the solvent given up collects, the air passing on through a duct 32 to complete the circuit to the fan.  For the final airing and deodourizing of a batch, the steam and water valves to the heater 18 and cooler 19 are shut off and an air inlet valve 21 and air vent valve 22 opened to draw air from a low level through the batch and expel it from the building.  Driving-arrangements.-The machine is driven from a motor 2, Fig. 3, through a belt traversable over a driving drum 36 and a series of pulleys 38, 41, 42, 44 on a shaft 37 by a fork 39 under the control of a cam 40 on the main cam-shaft 9.  The belt has four positions A . . . D, in all of which the pulley 41 is driven, thus, through shafts 51, 10 and control mechanism 53, operating the cam-shaft 9, and through the crossed and open belts 49, 50 of a known reversing-mechanism and shaft 37, oscillating the washing drum 1. During the extraction operation, the drum is continuously rotated by the pulley 38 which is fast on the shaft 37, the reversing-mechanism being provided with a slipping clutch to permit this rotation. Pulley 42 is operatively connected to the solvents pump 15 and pulley 44 to the air pump 17.  Machine control.-The machine is conditioned to carry out its various operations in accordance with the setting of the cam-shaft 9, Figs. 1 and 3.  The cam-shaft has eight positions and is rotated intermittently forwardly or rearwardly under the control of record discs 68, 68a, Figs. 7 and 10, rotatable as a unit with a disc 82, Fig. 9, and sleeve 81 about the shaft 9. Alternatively, the cam-shaft may be manually adjusted by engaging a handle with the squared end 80 of the cam-shaft.  The automatic forward drive for the cam-shaft is derived from a cam 62, Fig. 7, on the constantly rotating shaft 10, Figs. 3 and 7, movement being transmitted to the cam-shaft through a rocker arm 59, pawl 65 and ratchet-wheel 60.  The effectiveness of the pawl 65 is controlled by a trip 67 which co-operates with the tail of the pawl and is itself controlled by the record disc 68 as the edge of the latter wipes under a trail-finger 70.  A similar arrangement (not shown) is provided to rotate the cam-shaft rearwardly under control of record disc 68a.  The trips 67 are also controlled by notches 92 in a manually set control-rod 87 which has three positions corresponding to (i) manual setting of the cam-shaft (ii), resetting of the record discs and (iii) automatic setting of the cam-shaft.  The arrangement is such that the pawls are operative only in the "automatic" position of the control rod.  Double teeth are provided on the ratchet-wheels 60 to prevent automatic rotation of the cam-shaft through more than 360 degrees.  The record discs 68 . . . 68c, Fig. 10, are rotatable around the axis of the cam-shaft 9 by three separate drives, all derived from cams on the shaft 10.  The cams rock arms 61, 95, 109, Fig. 8, carrying pawls 73, 94, 106, respectively co-operating with ratchet-wheels 75, 79, 105, all attached to the record discs.  Pawl 73 rotates the ratchet-wheel 75 through one tooth at timed intervals (i.e. after any predetermined number of rotations of shaft 10) and is continuously operative.  Pawl 106 becomes operative whenever its extension 106A encounters a low spot on record disc 68b to reduce the time of an operation as required.  Pawl 106 is operative only when the control rod 87 is in "automatic" position.  The third pawl 94 is operative only in the "reset" position of the control rod 87, rapidly to complete the rotation of the record discs before a new operation is commenced.  All the ratchet-wheels 75, 79, 105 have double teeth 96 to prevent rotation of the record discs through more than 360 degrees.  This control-mechanism, except the means for the reverse rotation of the cam-shaft 9, comprises the subject-matter of Specification 597,171, [Group VIII].  Control lever and interlocks.-Access to the record discs on the sleeve 81, Fig. 9, is had through a door 84, Figs. 7 and 9, which can be opened only when a control lever 86 on the end of the control rod 87 is in "manual control" position, in which position the lever aligns with a slot 85 in the door.  Conversely opening of the door permits a spring-urged plunger 100 to protrude through the casing and causes a device, Fig. 11 (not shown), to lock the control rod 87.  After a set of discs has been inserted and the door 84 closed, the control lever 86 may be moved clockwise 90 degrees to "reset" position, where it is restrained by the abutment of a snail cam 90, Fig. 10, with a detent 89.  In the "start" position of the record discs, a projection 97 on disc 68b raises the detent 89 to permit further rotation of the control rod to "automatic" position.  A full-stroke ratchet 88 co-operates with a pawl to prevent anti-clockwise rotation of the control rod from "automatic" to "reset" position, while permitting such rotation from "reset" to "manual" position.