Improvements in Clothes Driers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clothes Driers.
I, MARY LYDIA WHITE MARTINOT, of 1541, Broadway, New York City,
United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved clothes drier especially adapted for use
with oil, gas or alcohol stoves or lamps, and has for its object to simplify the
construction of such devices and to provide a means whereby the clothes will be
thoroughly and rapidly dried without danger of injury thereto.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the drier, taken practically on the line y-y
of Figure 2;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line re of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the drier;
Figure 4 is a central vertical section through the modified form of drier; and
Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the modification.
The body 10 of the drier, practically box-like in shape, being essentially
rectangular in general contour, and the front of the body is provided with a
door 11. The door is of a length and width equal to the height and width of the
front portion of the body.
The body 10, is supported by legs 12, one being preferably arranged at each
corner; and in the central portion of the bottom of the body an opening 13, is
formed, which opening is surrounded by a conducting flue 14, the said flue being
attached to the under face of the bottom of the body and extending vertically
downward therefrom. The conducting flue 14, is preferably provided with a
horizontal flange 15, at its lower end, the said flange being adapted, if desired, to
rest upon the body of a lamp 16, the burner and chimney of the lamp extending
upward into the conducting flue.
If the drier be used in connection with an oil or gas stove, the flange 15, is
preferably made to bear against the top of the stove around the flame or fire opening
therein; and when so used, the legs 12, may be shortened to correspond to the
length of the flue 14, in which event the legs will also rest upon the stove; but,
ordinarily, the drier is made sufficiently large to enable the legs 12 to stand upon
the floor, while the flange of the flue 14, bears upon the stove.
Two spaced radiating plates 17 and 18, are horizontally located in the bottom of
the body 10. The lower plate 18, is preferably made of sheet iron, being supported
at a distance above the bottom, and over the opening 13 of said bottom, by suitable
legs or brackets 19; and the upper plate 17, which is preferably made of tin plate,
is supported in like manner above the plate 18, the brackets having a bearing upon
the lower plate.
Upon the inner face of the sides of the body 10, a series of slide-ways 20, is
secured, the horizontally opposed slide-ways being in alignment. Each horizontally
aligning pair of slide-ways adapted to support a tray A. The tray A, may be
perforated or reticulated, but ordinarily the tray is constructed of lattice work, as
illustrated, and when so constructed, the bottom of the tray consists of interlaced
slats 21, one set of slats crossing the other, as best shown in Figure 2; and from
the slats nearest the margin of the tray, spaced brackets 22, are upwardly projected,

page_text: while to the said brackets side and end strips 23, are secured. If in practice it be
found desirable, the side and end strips 23, of the tray may be inclined outward.
The body is provided at opposite sides with handles 24, and in the top of the
body, vent apertures 25, are provided for the outlet of steam, when desired, which
apertures are preferably covered by sliding lids 26.
The radiating plate 18, is constructed of iron, as that material retains the heat
for the greatest length of time; and the upper radiating plate 17, is made of tin
plate, as that metal does not become heated as much as iron, and consequently the
danger of scorching any of the clothes that may be placed in the lower tray is
obviated.
The modification illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, is essentially of like construc-
tion with the drier illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and consists of a body 10%, box-
like in shape; and the said body is divided into two compartments A' and B', by
a horizontal partition 11ª, which partition is located between the center and bottom
of the body, whereby the compartment A', is considerably larger than the compart-
ment B¹, as is best shown in Figure 4.
The upper compartment A', is closed by a hinged door 12, at the front of the
device, which door is of sufficient length to extend from the partition 11* to the top
of the body, as is best shown in Figure 3. The door has attached thereto any
approved form of handle 13 and latch 14". The front of the lower compartment B¹,
ig open, and the same compartment is adapted to receive an oil or a gas stove 15', a
lamp, or any suitable heating apparatus.
The partition 11", has a central opening 16ª, formed therein, which opening is
adapted to admit heat into the upper compartment A'. The heat is prevented from
coming in contact with the clothes, as in the first form of device mentioned, by
means of two baffle and radiating plates 17 and 18", supported one above the other
at a suitable distance apart by brackets or legs 19" and 20", the lower plate 18ª,
being preferably made of sheet iron, and the upper plate 17 of tin plate.
The clothes are hung within the compartment A¹, over a series of cross bars 21°,
which cross bars are arranged in horizontal series, one series below the other; and the
arrangement of the series is such that the bars thereof are out of vertical alignment,
whereby the clothes hung upon an upper bar will not interfere with those on a
corresponding lower bar of the series beneath it, as is best shown in Figures 4 and 5.
The cross bars extend from side to side of the compartment A', and are riveted,
bolted, soldered, or otherwise secured to said sides.
In the top of the box body a vent aperture 22ª, is provided for the escape of
vapor; and upon one outer side wall of the compartment A', a hook 23ª, or equiva-
lent device is attached, upon which hook a thermometer 24", is hung, whereby the
heat of the interior of the compartment A' may be readily ascertained at any
time.
In the operation of drying the clothes in the form of heater illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2, the drier having been placed in position above a suitable burner,
the clothes, after having been wrung, are spread upon the lattice work trays, the
door is closed, and the lids 26, are slid over the vent apertures. It is obvious that
the clothes will thus be expeditiously dried, and the steam may be allowed to escape
by partially opening the said covers or lids.
The heat entering the flue 14, strikes the lower iron plate 18, which plate becomes
heated and acts as a radiator or conductor, as does also the plate 17 above it; and
the currents of heat passing from beneath and over the plates 17 and 18, find their
way up through the lattice work trays and completely around said trays, the upright
sides of the trays being of less dimensions than the inner cross sectional area of the
body, as is likewise the case with the radiating plates 17 and 18. The plates are
made smaller than the body in order that a considerable amount of heat may pass
upward around the sides and ends thereof directly to the trays. A thermometer 27,
is placed at one side of the body, as shown in Figure 1, for the purpose of deter-
mining the temperature.
The operation of the drier shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, differs only from that

page_text: described above, in that the heating device is placed in the lower compartment, and
the clothes are hung over the rods or bars in the compartment A'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a drier, the combination, with a hollow body provided with a series of slide-
ways and an opening in its bottom, of spaced radiating plates arranged
above the lower opening, and trays supported by the said slide-ways, substantially
as described.
2. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a box-like body
provided with a door at one side, an opening in its bottom surrounded by a down-
wardly-extending flue, and slide-ways secured to the opposite sides of the body, of
two spaced radiating plates, one of iron and the other of tin supported over the
opening in the bottom of the body, and open work trays supported by the slide-ways
of the body, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. As an improved article of manufacture, a portable clothes drier, the same con-
sisting of a box-like body provided with a door at one side, an opening in its bottom
surrounded by a downwardly-extending conducting flue having a flange at its lower
end, and angled slide-ways secured to the opposite inner faces of the body, spaced
horizontal radiating plates located within the body over the flue opening, the said
plates being of less surface area than the cross sectional area of the body, and
lattice-work trays supported by the slide-ways, the bodies of which trays are of less
surface area than the cross sectional area of the box-like body, substantially as
shown and described and for the purpose specified.
4. As an improved article of manufacture, a clothes drier consisting of a box-like
body divided into an upper and lower compartment, the dividing partition having an
opening therein, the upper compartment being adapted for the reception of the
clothes to be dried, and the lower compartment for containing the heating apparatus,
spaced horizontal plates located within the upper compartment over the opening
communicating with the lower one, and series of cross bars located in the upper
compartment above the plates, as and for the purpose specified.
M. L. W. MARTINOT.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
TOOT 1101
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