Patent GB-642603-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines for washing textile fabrics
IPC: D06F47/06
Filed: 1947-08-06
Abstract: 642,603. Washing and drying-machines. MORTON, B., and PERKINS, J. H. Aug. 6, 1947, No. 21406. Convention date, Nov. 26, 1940. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Group XXIII] A machine for washing or dry-cleaning clothes and other textile fabrics comprises a container having a part-spherical wall to which the rim of a flexible diaphragm is secured in a fluidtight manner and to which it closely conforms, a separator being located between the diaphragm and the wall and having intercommunicating spaces for the free flow of liquid which is admitted into the spaces. General features. A tub, Fig. 2, having a cylindrical centre section 11 and hemispherical ends 12, 13 is pivotally mounted on a frame 31, and is either rotated or oscillated by a motor 78 through a dog-clutch 32, Fig. 3. The oscillating mechanism comprises a geardriven crank 87 and a connecting link 88 which is pivoted to a chain 89. The motor 78 also drives an air pump 73, and a water pump 67 for operation of the drying mechanism which is of the diaphragm squeezing type. Tub construction. The dome 12 is hinged to the cylindrical section 11 to form a cover and is locked in place by a flexible band 18 which has a toggle fastener and to which is attached a number of wedge-blocks 19; these blocks have recesses which engage tapered flanges 20, 21, Fig. 3, on the abutting edges of the parts 11, 12, a packing washer 22 between the flanges making the joint watertight. The other dome 13 is screwed to the cylindrical section 11. Each dome has a central perforated hollow clothes lifter 34 and contains a flexible distensible diaphragm 32 of rubber or similar material which is shaped to fit the dome to which it is attached by a turned-back lip 32a. Between the diaphragm and the dome is a wire mesh or other separator 33 to provide water passages. The cylindrical portion 11 has two resilient lifters 35 mounted one on each side of the pivots; in an alternative construction these are omitted and a screen formed of wire rods mounted in a ring is secured so as to divide the tube into two equal parts. In this construction both domes are hinged to the cylindrical portion and are secured as previously described. Water and air supply means. The pivots on which the tub rotates are hollow and washing water enters the tub through the left-hand pivot from a pipe 55 which is connected through a cock 62 with a water supply pipe 63 and a drum pipe 64. The cock 62 is arranged so that either pipe 63 or 64 may be connected to pipe 55 or both shut off. Pipe 63 is connected to hot and cold water sources through any known type of mixing valve. A branch from pipe 55 leads through a tap 77 to one side of the air pump 73. The right-hand pivot contains two coaxially-arranged pipes. The inner pipe is connected to the interior of the tub through a spring-loaded ball-valve 58 and also through a tap 74 to the air pump 73. In one position the tap 74 connects the air pump to the atmosphere. The outer pipe is connected with inlets 45 on the domes 12, 13 through flexible tubes 44, 47, through which water to expand the diaphragms is supplied and it is also connected through a pipe 48 and a cock 69 with the outlet of the water pump 67. A branch from the cock 69 leads to the top of a water tank 65 and the inlet of the water pump is connected to the bottom of the tank. A byepass 71 with a relief valve 72 connects the inlet and outlet pipes of the water pump. Operation. This may be controlled automatically by known means or manually, and after the clothes have been put into the tub (in the partitioned tub half in each side), consists in (a) partially filling the tub with water through pipes 63 and 55 and cock 62 (the air in the tub may be compressed by the water or, if necessary, the tub may be partially exhausted of air before hand by means of the air pump 73, connected through tap 77 and pipe 55, the exhaust of the air pump being connected to atmosphere through tap 74), (b) rotating or oscillating the container by operation of dogclutch 92 to wash the clothes, (c) expelling water from the tub by connecting the water pump through pipe 48 to the diaphragm inlets 45 to expand the diaphragms, and simultaneously connecting pipe 55 to the drain pipe 64 through cock 62 and admitting air from the pump 73 by connecting the tub to it through tap 74; the combined effect of the expansion of the diaphragms and the admission of air forcing in the water, (d) retracting the diaphragms by closing cock 62 to prevent air leaving the tub and changing pipe 48 from the water pump inlet to the water tank 65 so that the air pressure forces the diaphragms back to position, and the water from behind then going to the tank 65; (e) releasing the air pressure in the tub by operation of tap 74. The tub is moved continuously through phases (b)-(e) of this cycle and, if rinsing is necessary, phases (a)-(e) are repeated, after which the clothes are removed.