Patent Publication Number: US-6666393-B2

Title: Apparatus for breaking up compacted laundry

Description:
This application claims the benefit of foreign priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §§119 to British Patent Application No. 0002458.8, filed Feb. 4, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to means for breaking up heavily compacted batches of laundry after the water extraction process. Continuous batch washing machines are employed by many commercial laundries to process their workloads. On completion of the washing and rinsing cycles these machines automatically discharge a batch of water laden laundry into a water extraction press which is arranged to apply considerable pressure upon the laundry to squeeze out most of its water content. After the pressing operation the load is automatically discharged from the press in the form of a very compacted circular cake. These cakes of laundry are discharged from the press at intervals of approximately two to four minutes onto a storage conveyor which progresses each load in a series of stop and start movements thereby spacing them along the conveyor run which directs them onward to the further processing stages. 
     Due to the very compressed structure of these cakes they do need to be broken apart into a condition where they are easier to handle. This operation is usually performed by a rotary tumbler into which the cake is loaded. Most commercial laundries employ conveyor systems which convey the cakes from the water extraction press and automatically feed them directly into heated tumblers, after a pre-set run cycle the broken up work load is discharged from the tumbler into mobile containers or onto conveyors for onward processing. The tumbler into mobile containers or onto conveyors for onward processing. The tumblers will impart some further drying action on the load of laundry, however most work loads will eventually be processed through multi roller ironing equipment which will iron it and also dry out the remaining residual moisture. The rotary action of the tumbler whilst breaking up the compressed cake can cause severe tangling of the separated articles making the handling operations more difficult. 
     In some laundries the tumblers are manually loaded which requires some effort on the part of the loading operators to partially break up the compressed cake in order to perform the loading operation. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object of the invention is to provide means which will break up the compressed structure of a cake of laundry after it has been discharged from the water extraction press and convey it onward in an easier to handle condition direct to the feeding and ironing equipment for final processing thereby eliminating the time consuming and more expensive tumbler processing operation. 
     According to the invention means are provided which will apply powerful forces on the sides of the circular cake of laundry which has the effect of breaking up the compressed layers of fabric due to the forces being directed in the opposite direction to the forces of the water extraction press which originally formed the compacted cake. In order to maintain an uninterrupted throughput flow of laundry it is desirable for the compressed cakes to be broken apart during their conveying operation from the water extraction press and discharged into mobile laundry trucks or onto conveyors for further processing. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are front views of one embodiment of an apparatus for breaking up compacted laundry. 
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  7  are side views of one embodiment of a structure for breaking compacted laundry. 
     FIGS. 5,  6  and  8 - 10  are views of other embodiments of structures for breaking compacted laundry. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In its preferred form the invention comprises a pair of six pointed star shaped rollers suitably spaced apart and slowly rotated in opposing directions. The compressed cake of laundry is directed by the conveyor system so that the sides of the cake will engage in the nip space between the rollers, as the load is drawn into the narrow gap high pressure forces are exerted upon the sides of the cake which destroy its structure. After passing through the rollers the load is arranged to fall downwards into a mobile truck or onto a conveyor; preferably the discharge point from between the rollers is located at an elevated height above the receiving truck or conveyor as the addition of a gravity drop will improve the further break up of the cake. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  4  will now be described: 
     A pair of star shaped rollers  1  located in a spaced apart horizontal position in a suitable box shaped frame  2  are slowly rotated by way of the required motor and gearing  3 . A hopper  4  is arranged on top of the frame into which a cake  5  will fall at the end of the cake conveyor run  6  where it is directed to engage in the nip space  7  between the rollers which crush it as it passes through finally dropping the load into transporting means  8  situated below. 
     The roller arrangement described above can also be positioned vertically as shown in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 . The compressed cake is conveyed directly into the nip space  7  of the crushing rollers by conveyor  6  and the broken up load deposited onto conveyor means  9  for onward processing. 
     Other alternative means can be employed to apply the required thrust forces on the side walls of the cake to break up its compacted structure: 
     FIG. 8 shows an arrangement where the cake is directed through a series of power driven plain rollers suitably spaced with a wide gap at the engagement point progressively reducing to a narrow gap at the final discharge point. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 show a plan schematic arrangement employing a pair of spaced apart press plates  10  which are powered by either mechanical or fluid means to move inward and apply the crushing force on the side walls of the cake  5 . These plates are located on each side of conveyor run  6  and are arranged to move over the upper surface of the conveyor belt. The conveyor is stopped when a cake is moved into position between the press plates which are then powered inward to apply the required forces on the sides of the cake, they are then moved apart to permit the load to be onward conveyed. 
     Both of the above mentioned arrangements are more complex and less cost effective than the star shaped roller system. For manufacturing expediency the six-pointed star shaped roller is preferred, it should be noted however that other forms of roller shapes would also be effective.