Patent GB-622285-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in laundry hydro-extractors of the press type
IPC: D06F47/04
Filed: 1946-06-25
Abstract: 622,285. Wringers. BERGER, M. M. June 25, 1946, No. 19039. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Group XXIX] A wringer of the press-type comprises a main vertical hydraulic ram 18, a free-running cable 60 having one end biassed to maintain the cable in taut condition and the other end connected to the ram, a control valve 16 for the ram, and means for actuating the control valve including a pivoted lever 36, a manually-operable cam 58 engaging an end of the lever so as to move the latter in order to effect opening of the valve and downward movement of the ram, a keeper 44 releasably engaging the other end of the lever, and a trip member 66 carried by the cable for releasing the keeper in order to effect closing of the valve at a pre-determined point in the return movement of the ram. The invention is applied to the extractor described in Specification 617,616, in which a receptacle containing the wet articles is wheeled into a framed structure 12 and the ram 18 is then raised so as to lift the bottom plate of the container and the wet articles upwardly, the latter being compressed against the top plate of the structure. After compression of the wet articles, the ram 18 is lowered and a second horizontal ram 24 ejects the articles outwardly through a door opening in the structure. Fluid pressure for raising the ram 18 is supplied from a tank 13 by means of a pump 14, being controlled by the valve 16. The valve 16 comprises a main piston 32, Fig. 3, which has channels 33 arranged so that, in one position of the piston, fluid passes from the pump through pipes 20, 19 to the ram cylinder 17 ; in the second position of the piston, the fluid supply from the pump is cut off and the ram cylinder 17 is free to exhaust through the pipes 19, 22 to the tank 13. A secondary piston 34 in the valve 16 is urged by a spring 35 so as, normally, to hold the valve in the supply position. The piston 32 is adapted to be moved downwardly so as to connect the ram cylinder to exhaust by means of compressed air supplied through a pipe 28 to the upper end of the piston 34, the supply of compressed air being controlled by a control valve 25, Fig. 1. The valve 25 is normally biased upwardly by a spring 30 so as to hold the valve in closed position. The opening of the valve 25 is effected by the cam 58 which is engaged by a stud 41 on one end of the pivoted lever 36, the other end of which is connected to the upper end of the stem 29 of the valve. When, by rotation of the control shaft 55 of the cam 58 by means of a handle 56, the valve stem is lowered so as to open the valve, a seat 43 on the extremity of the lever 36 is engaged by the upper end of the pivoted keeper 48, which is urged by a spring-pressed rod 50 so as to maintain the parts in this position. In order to provide for closing the valve 25 automatically, the cable 60, which has a weight 62 at one end slidable in a tubular guide 63, is disposed vertically on the side of the frame, being passed over pulleys 61 and connected at its other end to the face-plate 23 of the ram 18. A collar 66 is mounted on the cable for coaction with the keeper 44. If, with the ram 18 in its uppermost position, the handle 56 is rotated so as to cause the cam 58 to open the valve 25, the valve 16 is actuated and the ram 18 and collar 66 move downwardly. The collar 66 is positioned so as to contact the keeper 44 when the ram reaches a position just beneath the lower face of the ram 24. The keeper 44 then disengages the lever 36 and the valve 25 is closed so that the ram is stopped in this position to permit actuation of the ram 24 to eject the pressed articles. This control will only be effective provided either a stop valve 20<SP>1</SP> in the fluid supply line to the valve 16 is first closed or the pump 14 is closed. The valve 25 may subsequently be re-set to open position by the handle 56 in order to lower the ram 18 the remainder of the way. If desired, the ram 18 may be stopped in any desired position by rotation of the handle 56, a cam 59 on the side of the cam 58 then engaging a finger 53 on the rod 50 and withdrawing the keeper 44. Specifications 617,615 and 618,678 also are referred to.