Patent GB-882104-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in rotary drums for the processing of textile and like articles
Inventor: FERRAH FREDERICK HAMILTON
IPC: D06F43/02
Filed: 1957-10-30
Abstract: 882,104. Dry-cleaning apparatus. MOOR ENGINEERING & PIPE WORKS Ltd. Oct. 27, 1958 [Oct. 30, 1957], No. 33919/57. Class 138 (2). [Also in Group XIII] A dry-cleaning apparatus suitable for cleaning textile and like articles comprises (see Figs. 1 and 2) a drum 1 which consists of a cylindrical portion 11 and a frustoconical portion 12 mounted within a casing 3, the walls 13 of portion 11 being perforated, as at 14 and the drum being rotatable by means of hollow trunnion 16 which is engaged by three freely - rotatable wheels 18, of which two are disposed below trunnion 16 to support the weight of the drum, and three further freely rotatable wheels 21 mounted two above and one below trunnion 16 to oppose the weight of the drum 1 under the cantilever effect of the trunnion bearing upon the lower pair of wheels 18. The wheels 18 and 21 are mounted on spindles 19 and 22 respectively, which are mounted in bushes and fixed to the end wall of the housing, and are driven by a chain (not shown) which couples chain ring 28 mounted on the trunnion with pinion 30; this pinion is secured to shaft 31 which is rotatable by means of variable speed gear-box 33 and a reversible electric motor (not shown). Within drum 1 is provided a series of helical vanes 34 extending from base ring 15 to open discharge end 35. The transverse section of the vanes may be arranged in a radial plane (as shown) or at an angle thereto, so that the free edge of the vane trails with respect to the fixed edge when the drum is in reverse rotation for discharge, as described later. The drum is supported by solvent tank 4, from which solvent is introduced into drum 1 at open end 35 by means of a pump (not shown) and pipe 41. Solvent which collects in casing 3 is returned to tank 4 from chamber 42 by means of pipe 43, thereby maintaining a constant circulation of solvent. Mounted coaxially with drum 1 is a tumbler barrel 2 (see Figs. 3 and 4) enclosed within a casing 57 and supported by a solvent evaporator 58 which is connected by member 60 to tank 61 (Fig. 1). This tank 61 may be used for a second processing liquid, e.g. for reproofing waterproof clothing. Casing 57 is also attached to member 10 of casing 3 (see Fig. 1), so that annular ring 63, which frames displaceable circular damper 65, registers with bell member 64. In the upper part of casing 57 is located air cooler 68 and air duct 69 (see Fig. 4) extending downwards to chamber 70 in which is located heater 71. Blower 72 is mounted with intake 74 opening from the top of casing 57, discharge branch 75 being connected into the top of upward extension 67. Below cooler 68 the floor 76 of the chamber slopes so that solvent may drain out through 77 to tank 4. From extension 67, duct 78 connects with tangential inlet 79 to casing 3 of drum 1 (Fig. 1), duct 78 being provided with damper 81 which is operated automatically by an electrical relay connected with direction control means for the drum-driving motor. Articles to be drycleaned are introduced into cylindrical portion 11 of drum 1 through hollow trunnion 16, the outer end of which is then closed by means of a door (not shown). The drum is then rotated clockwise (viewed in direction A) so that helical vanes 34 displace the articles into portion 11 of the drum. At the same time solvent circulates continuously, as already described. Subsequently, circulation of solvent is discontinued and drum 1 rotated at higher speed to remove solvent. Dampers 65 and 81 are then opened and the driving motor for drum 1 reversed; vanes 34 then serve to displace the articles through opening 35 into barrel 2, and at the same time blower 73 is started so as to circulate air through box 67, cooler 68 and duct 78 to inlet 79 of casing 3, and then through perforations 14 in the wall of drum 1, into the interior of the drum and out through opening 35 into barrel 2, through perforations 46 in the wall thereof and so back to blower intake 74. The circulation of air assists the transfer from drum 1 to barrel 2 and prevents tangling. When transfer is complete, dampers 65 and 81 are closed and drum 1 used for the treatment of a further batch of articles, whilst the articles in barrel 2 are rotated to complete the extraction of solvent. When dry, the articles may be removed from barrel 2 through a closure (not shown) on the side remote from drum 1. The apparatus also comprises a solvent evaporator 58 and condenser 40, but the mode of use thereof is not described.