US2189458A - Dry cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1940. w. w. CARRIER ET AL DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8, 1938 Ell S W] "21 25%| Even/Z0715 AZZarneas Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Application August 8, 1938, Serial No. 223,680

I 1 Claim.

Our invention relates to dry cleaning apparatus and particularly to such apparatus including means for continuously filtering cleaning fluid contained therein.

' In ordinary dry cleaning apparatus the cleaning fluid therein becomes contaminated with dirt and lint during the first portion of a cleaning operation and hence the last part of a cleaning operation either is relatively ineffective or else necessitates replacement of the contaminated cleaning fluid with fresh cleaning fluid.

An object of our invention is to provide dry cleaning apparatus wherein articles being cleaned are subjected to continually clean and clear lo'cleaning fluid throughout a cleaning operation.

A more specific object is to provide dry cleaning apparatus including means for continuously removing dirt and lint from cleaning fluid in use therein and continuously clarifying the fluid.

20- Another objectis to provide suchapparatus including a filter for filtering the cleaning fluid therein and pumping means for continuously circulating the cleaning fluid through the filter.

Still another object is to provide such appa- 25 ratus having a filter of particularly eifective construction which is adapted for containing a fluid-clarifying agent therewithin and which is particularly convenient and easy to clean and service.

Yet another object is to provide such apparatus having a lint trap included therein.

A further object is to provide such apparatus of light, compact, simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like referprovided with a pressure gauge 13 to provide ence characters refer to similar parts throughout a) the several views, and, in which:

, Fig. 1 is a general vertical view of an embodiment of our invention with certain portionsthereof cut away to appear in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken along "the line 22 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a retaining ring in- Referring to the drawing, the letter A indiicates a washing machineof conventional design including the usual tub or tank for containing articles to be cleaned and cleaning fluid. In accordance with our invention the tank 4 is provided with a fluid inlet element 5 on the side thereof and a fluid outlet element 6 in the bottom 5 thereof.

In connection with the fluid inlet 5 and the fluid outlet 6 we provide means for filtering cleaning fluid used in the tank 4 and means for continuously circulating the fluid out of the out- 10 let 6 through our filtering means and back into the tank 4 through the fluid inlet 5.

The embodiment of our cleaning fluid filter illustrated in the drawing includes a casing C having an outer vertically disposed cylindrical portion 'l. The upper end of the cylindrical portion (is open but may be closed by means of a cover or closure plate 8.' The marginal portion 1 is secured as by means of bolts?! to an annular flange Ill provided on the upper end of the cylindrical portion 1 and projecting radially outwardly therefrom. I

Within the interior space of the cylindrical portion 1 is an upstanding cylindrical member II which may consist of a tubular portion Ila having at its upper end a circular closure lib. The lower end of the tubular element li a is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 1 by means of a flat annular element l2 which-is secured and sealed at its respective inner and outer edges to the tubular element Ho and the cylindrical portion 1. The cylindrical element 1, top closure 8, upstanding cylindrical v member II, and annular element I2 together define a chamber having a U-shaped diametrical cross-section. Preferably the closure Ilb of the cylindrical member II is spaced a slight distance below the top cover 8. The top cover 8 may be indication of the pressure in the chamber described above.

Within the chamber B we provide means for filtering cleaning fluid-used in the tank 4. The I filtering means consists principally of a sack 14 which is constructed of flexible reticulated sheet material and is preferably of tubular form with one endthereof open and the other end thereof closed. When the sack I4 is in normal position, the closed end thereof rests upon the upper end of the cylindrical member II. The free edge portion of the sack I4 is removably attached to the upper portion of the internal periphery of the cylindrical portion 1 of the apparatus. The length of the sack I4 is such that the medial portion of the sack will depend from the top' of 5 the cylindrical member I! and the point of removable attachment to the cylindrical portion 1 into the annular space between the cylindrical member ii and the cylindrical portion 1 to form an annular open topped pocket.

We provide means for maintaining the pocket formed by the sack it in spaced relation with the tubular portion i la of the cylindrical member I I and the cylindrical portion 1 of the apparatus. For this purpose We provide a basket disposed within the chamber B and so associated with the sack M as to maintain the same in spaced relation with the tubular member Ha and cylindrical member 7. The basket includes two members i5 and 55a formed of relatively rigid reticulated material such as heavy wire screen and shaped to correspond respectively with the shapes of the inner and outer sides of the sack l4 when the same is in normal position as described above. The member 55 is positioned relative to the sack B4 to lay against the inner side thereof or, in other words, to be disposed at the side of the material forming the sack [4 toward the top and side walls of the cylindrical member I! and the member lfia is of tubular shape to lie between the outer side of the sack l4 and the cylindrical portion 7. The combination of the sack l4 and the member l5 rests at the closed upper end thereof on the upper end of the cylindrical member H and the lower edges of both of the members l5 and 55a rest upon the element I2 of the tank.

Means is provided for supporting and re-inforcing the lower end of the sack l4 and also aifording an unobstructed annular passage leading from all parts of the lower portion of the tank to the tank outlet 29. An annular, inverted channel-shaped member IE1) is placed between the lower marginal portions of the reticulated members and iEa as shown best in Fig. 1 and rests at its free edges on the bottom member l2 of the tank. As shown in Fig. 4, each of the flanges of the member 15b is cut away to provide an annular series of spaced notches I50 therein. The notches 15c enable passage of fluid from the space between the sack I 4 and the interior surfaces of the tank into the interior space of the member I51) for flow therethrough to the tank outlet 29. The reticulated members l5 and 5a and the channel member I51) together comprise a basket for containing and reinforcing the filter bag !4 to prevent bulging thereof and engagement thereof with the tubular member i la and the cylindrical member 1.

The free edge portion of the sack i4 is removably anchored to the upper portion of the interior periphery of the cylindrical member 7 above the upper limit of the reticulated member l5a by means of an expansive ring I6 positioned as indicated in Figs. 1 and a and constructed as best seen in Fig. 3. The ring it is severed at one point therealong to form a split 16a therein whereby the circumference of the ring l6 may be varied. The split lfia may be diagonally disposed as shown in Fig. 3 if desired. Means is provided for resiliently urging the severed ends of the ring 1] G defining the split [6a apart so as to increase the circumference of the ring I6. The resilient means may consist of a helical compression spring ll placed in somewhat compressed condition between lugs l8 and i9 formed on the ring it at opposite sides of the split lBa. With the sack it placed as shown in Fig. 1 the ring H3 may be compressed to its minimum circumference, placed in the position thereof shown pocket formed by the sack in Fig. l, and released whereupon the ring l6 will expand outwardly to press the sack [4, at its upper edge portion, into firm frictional engagement with the internal periphery of the cylindrical member I. As best shown in Fig. 4, the sack I4 is provided in its marginal portion with a pair of spaced annular elements Ma and [4b formed preferably of ropes suitably secured to the sack and disposed respectively above and below the portion of the sack l4 normally engaged by the clamping ring l6.

Means is provided for delivering fluid into the [4 to be filtered through the material of which the sack I4 is formed. Means is also provided for conducting filtered fluid from the lowermost portion of the chamber B. Sections of piping or conduits 20, 2|, and 22 form a path from the outlet element 6 of the tank 4 to an inlet fitting 23 communicating, as shown, with the upper portion of the chamber B in such position as to deliver fluid from the bottom of the tank 4 into the pocket formed by the sack M. A fluid pump 24 is connected between the conduit sections 2! and 22 for pumping fluid from the bottom of the tank 4 into the pocket formed by the sack Id. The pump 24 is driven by suitable means such as the belt 25 by a source of rotary mechanical power such as the motor 26. The pump 24 and motor 26 may be mounted on a shelf 2'. supported from legs 28 which extend downwardly from the cylindrical portion l of the apparatus. The lower portion of the chamber B is provided with an outlet element 29 carried by a suitably apertured part of the annular element I2. The outlet element 29 is connected to a section of conduit 30 which extends vertically and exterior-1y of the cylindrical member 1 to a point adjacent the upper end of the cylindrical member I. The upper end of the conduit 30 is connected through a downwardly extending section of conduit 3! to the inlet fitting 5 of the tank 4. Obviously fluid delivered through the chamber B by means of the pump 24 will pass through the conduits 30 and 3| into the tank 4 of the washing machine A. A drain valve 32 may be provided on the lowest portion of the conduit 30 and a stop valve 33 may be interposed between the conduits 30 and 3|. Another stop valve 34 may be interposed between the conduit 22 and the inlet fitting 23 at the upper portion of the cylindrical member I.

For removal of lint from fluid leaving the outlet element 6 of the tank 4 a lint trap 35 is provided. The lint trap 35 consists of a casin defining a chamber 36, the upper end of which is connected to the conduit 2i and the lower end of which is connected to the conduit 2|. The upper end of the lint trap may be provided with a movable closure 31. Within the lint trap 35 there is provided a screen 38 through which fluid must flow in passing through the lint trap 35 from the conduit 20 to the conduit 2!. If desired a stop valve 39 may be interposed between the conduit 20 and the inlet of the lint trap 35.

In operation of the above described apparatus, articles to be cleaned and cleaning fluid are placed in the tank 4 of the washing-machine A. Sufiicient cleaning fluid may be placed in the described apparatus to fill the conduits 2Q, 2| and 22 up to a suitable level and also fill the chamber B up to a suitable level. The washingmachine A is placed in operation and the motor 26 is placed in operation to drive the pump 24.

' changes may be made in the form, details; con- I Obviously cleaning fluid will be-continuously circulated and re-circulated from the tank 4 through the pump 24 and the filtering apparatus thereafter and back into the tank 4, Thusthc fluid in the tank t will be continuously cleaned by the filtering apparatus and lint from articles being cleaned in the tank 4 will be caught on the screen 38 of the lint trap 35.

Our filter bag I4, when disposed in its normal,

position in our apparatus, is particularly adapted for containing an agent such as clarifying powder for clarifying thecleaning fluid whereby the cleaning fluid will be continually clarified in addition to being continually filtered. During the a process of cleaning fabrics .or other articles with my apparatus, the articles to be cleaned will be constantly subjected to clean filtered and clarifiedcleaning fluid rather than being subjected,

as in the ordinary dry cleaning process, to cleaning fluid which contains dirt and lint from the articles being cleaned.

It is apparent that we have invented a novel,

effective, compact, light, and inexpensiveap-paratus capable of carrying on a particularly efficient dry cleaning process producing an improved result. I

While the filtering apparatus comprising a part of our cleaning system has been illustrated and described as applied to use in connection with dry cleaning, it is to be understood that our filtering apparatus is readily adaptable 'foruse in filtering many kinds of liquidsused in many typesof apparatus.

It will, of course, be understood that various A filter including a vertically disposed cylindrical casing, a cylindrical member disposed within said casing and extending from the bottom thereof to a point adjacent the, top thereof to form an annular chamber defined by said casing and said member, a tubular filtering element substantially longer and somewhat larger in diameter than said member, formed of flexible reticulated sheet, material, and having one end thereof closed, said filtering element being disposedwithin said chamber with the closed end thereof restingupon the upper end of said mem her and the openend thereof supportedfrom the inner side of said casing adjacent the upper end thereof whereby the medial portion of said element will depend to form an annular, opentopped pocket disposed'in said chamber, means for conducting fluid to be filtered into said pocket to be filtered through the material thereof, and an annular member interposed between the bottoms of said pocket and said casing and having an annular interior space therewithin, said annular member having therein an annular series of openings for accommodating] passage of fluid from said chamber into said interior space and said casing having a fluid outlet in communica-- tion with said interior space.

WORTI-IY 'W; CARRIER.

CHARLES VICTOR.

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