Patent GB-933037-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to apparatus for drying or laundering articles
IPC: D06F58/34
Filed: 1961-04-11
Abstract: 933,037. Tumbler and spin driers. PHILCO CORPORATION. April 11, 1961 [April 11, 1960], No. 13002/61. Class 34 (2). A drying apparatus for laundry articles comprises a receptacle for the articles, and air heating means, and wherein operation of the air heating means is initially controlled in dependence of the temperature of the heated air and, on the air reaching a predetermined temperature within the receptacle the heating means is controlled to operate intermittently for a plurality of timed intervals. A perforated basket 14 of the end loading type, having ribs 17, is mounted within a liquid-retaining tub 15 and is rotated on a stud shaft 18 by a motor 23 through a belt and pulley 22 at washing, spin or tumbler drying speeds. For washing and rinsing operations water is introduced into the tub 15 through a hose 24 from a solenoid valve 25 and is withdrawn by a pump (not shown) driven by the motor 23 through a hose 27 having a solenoid valve into a sump in the lower part of the tub and for tumbler drying operation resistance heaters 30 are mounted in front of a reflector plate 32 in the tub 15. A water condensing zone on the inner wall of the tub is fed from a solenoid 36 by a water distributing manifold 34 diametrically opposite the heater 30. Operation.-The wash cycle per se is stated as being conventional, and the term drying cycle is used herein to denote the post spin-drying stage of the laundry cycle. The various phases of the washing and drying cycles are sequentially controlled by a common timer 40 and the control circuits, Fig. 3 (not shown), associated with this timer can be operated for multi-cycle operation by a six push-button switch unit 41 viz. to select hot or warm wash water, and stop/ start the apparatus at any phase of the laundry cycle, and the other three buttons control the programming of the various drying cycles in accordance with the weight of the load to be dried i.e. large, medium or small. A large quantity of heat is supplied to the drum from the heater 30 during the initial stages of the drying cycle to effect quick vaporization of the substantial quantity of moisture retained in the clothes and thereafter the heat input is reduced in intermittent manner to prevent scorching, which latter portion of the cycle is reduced or minimised by the timer 40 which controls operation of the heater in a predetermined manner, the timer-operation is initiated by a thermostatic element responsive to the air temperature within the drum 14. Operation of the " large," " medium " or " small " push button presets a bank of switches to inaugurate a series of events viz. to direct current to the condenser solenoid 36 to produce the flow of water to the manifold 34, rotation of the drum 14 by actuation of the motor 23, opening the drain solenoid valve and energizing the heater 30. The heater is under the control of the timer immediately in the case of the small and medium loads but only when the air temperature has a predetermined high level in the case of a large load, the timer operating the heater to heat the air in a predetermined intermittent manner for a plurality of time intervals.