US1278593A - Drying and aerating machine. - Google Patents

Description

C. E. & W. M. CLARK 1&1. A. SPARKS.

DRYING AND AERATING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1917. ,278,593.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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c. E. I w. IvI. CLARK A1. A. SPARKS.

DRYING AND AEBATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, |911.

1,27,593. Patented se 0,1918;k

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FITS- E l@ @470) (1)46@ (-COC@ vento/r- C. E. & W. IVI. CLARK & J. A. SPARKS. DRYING AND AERATLNG MACHINE. APPLICATIONHLED JUNE 22. |911.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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CHARLES EDWIN CLARK,WILLIAM MOORE CLARK, AND JONAS A. SPARKS, 0FV ELK CITY, KANSAS.

DBV'YING AND AERATING MACHINE.

Application filedV J' une 22, 1917.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES E. CLARK, lWILLIAM M. CLARK, and JONAS A. SPARKS, citizens of the United` States, residing Yat Elk City, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying and -Aerating Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved drying and aerating machine and has as its primary objectY to provide a device adapted for quickly cleaning and drying clothes or other articles of fabric while at the same time'the clothes will be thoroughly aerated to.

remove therefrom the odors of any cleaning fluids employed.

The invention has as`a further object to provide a construction wherein a rotatable basket will be provided for receiving clothes and wherein the said basket will be equipped with a plurality of fan blades for setting u p a circulation of fresh air through the device to thus elfectually aerate the clothes placed in the basket.

The invention has as a still further object to provide a condenser through which the Other and incidental objects will appear-` as the description proceeds and in the drawings wherein we have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters desig- Speaicatn of Letters Patent. `lPafgejntd Sept, 110, jlQ.

Serial No. 176,449.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.. 2 and illustrating the adjustable journal employed for the lower extremity of the basket shaft,

Fig. 4- is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1 -4 of Fig. 2 and illusy trating the adjustable journal employed adjacentthe upper extremity of the basket shaft,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the ratchet for rotating the basket,

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view illustrating the brake for the basket, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the basket detached and particularly illustrating the fan blades carried thereby.

ln carrying out the invention our improved machine is formed with a base including a platform having side sills 10, end sills 11 and 12 and a cross sill 13 arranged parallel to the end sills. Mounted upon the said sills is the floorlil of the platform. A portion of this floor is offset at one extremity of the platform below the main portion of the floor as illustrated at 15. Arranged upon the floor above the cross sill 13 is the end y, board 16 of the gear housing. Seated upon the floor .to extend from the lower extremity of this end board is a bottom board 17 at the outer extremity of which are arranged spaced upstanding posts 18'` and 19 respectively joined at their upper extremities by a block 20. Extending fro-m the post 19 and is the top board 21 of the gear housing, this top board being arranged substantially parallel to the bottom board 17. Abutting the resting upon the upper edge of the'boardl end board 16 and resting against the side edges ofthe top and bottom boards of the gear housing are side boards 22 for the said housing. The adjacent extremities of these side boards are rested against the side edges of the post 19 and either one or both. of the said side boardsmay be detachably mounted in position s0 that access may be easily had to the interior of the gear housing. Extending beneath the floor 14 of the platform directly under the bottom board 17 of the gear housing is a cross strip 23. This strip abuts at its extremities against the end sill 11 and the cross sill 13. Securing one extremity of the strip is a bolt or-other suitable fastening device 24 extending through the bottom board'17 of the gear housing and through the Hoor 14.0f the platform while the oppocounter shaft 27. Arrangedupon one endy of this shaft between the posts 18 and 19 is a pinion 28 while the opposite extremity af the. said shaft carries a bevel gear 29. Fitted through the upper extremities of the posts 18 and 19 are alined bearings in which is mounted a drive shaft 30 havin a crank 31 connected' to the outer extremity thereof. Fixed upon the drive shaft between the said posts is a gear wheel 32 meshing with the pinion 28 of the counter shaft 27. Accordingly, turning of the crank 31 will rotate the bevel gear 29. Connected to the opposite side edges of the posts 18 and 19 are, as particularly shown in Fig. 1, gear housing members 33 abutting at their lower extremities with ,the adjacent `end edges of the side boards 22` of the main gear housing.

Connected to opposite side edges of the top board 21 of the gear housing are segmental iioor boards 34 resting upon theupper edge of the end board 16 of the said housing.

Mounted upon the said Hoor boards to seat against the said top board is a cylindrical casing 35 the bottom wall ofwh-ich is provided with an axially arranged opening surrounded by an upsta'nding flange 36. This casing may be secured in position in any approved manner and leading from one side of the casing is a discharge spout 37. Closing theupper open end of the casing is a frusto-conical lid 38 and opening through the apex of this lid is an air intake vpipe 39 which, when the lid is fitted upon the casing, projects into the said casing axially thereof.

Rotatably mounted within the casing is a cylindrical basket 40 of a diameter somewhat less than that of thenl casing. Atv its upper extremity the basket is vprovided with an overhanging flange 41 and formed through the cylindrical wall of the casing are a plurality of openings 42. Connected to the basket are a plurality of helically arranged blades 43. Theseblades are secured in any approved manner to the outer side of the circumferential wall of the basket and extend between the top and bottom edges 'thereof with the said blades inclining downwardly and extending circumferentially with respect to the basket.

Mounted upon the lower side of the .basket is a spider 44 the `arms of which are secured to the bottom wall of the basket by bolts or other suitable fastening devices. Extend-A Thisl the upper extremity of the said shaft is an annular collar 46 and set-into the top board 21 of the gear housing within the flange 36 of the casing is a thrust bearing 47 of ap# proved design. This bearing is arranged to coperate with the collar 46 for rotatably supporting the basket. Embedded in the bottom board 17 of the gear casing is a split journal 48 shown inr detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings and embedded in the top board 21 of the said casing is a similar split journal 50 shown in detail in Fig. 4.A These .journals rotatably receive the shaft 45 and threaded. through the bottom board to cooperate with the journal 48 isa set screw 51 while a similar set screw 52 is threaded through the top board to coperate with the journal 50.` As will be readily understood, theseset screws may be adjusted for tightening saidl journals about the shaft 45 and taking up wear upon the said journals as well as to counteract any lost motion or lateral play in the shaft.

Mounted upon thesupporting shaft 45 for the basket and arranged within ,the gearv housing of the base'is a ratchet mechanism for rotating the basket. This ratchet mechanism includes, as particularly shown in Fig. 5, a bevel gear 53 loosely mounted upon the shaft 45 to coperate with the bevel gear 29 of the counter. shaft 27. Opening through the bottom edge of the said bevel gear is a vertically disposed socket 54 which is inclined downwardly and radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the said gear. Slidably'itted in this socket is a pin or pawl 55. Mounted upon the shaft 45 to coperate with the said pinis a cam 56 fixed to the shaft by a screw or other suitable fastening device-57 and provided at the summit of its inclined face with a vertical shoulder 58.

Tt will now be seen that when the crank 31 is vproperly operated, the bevel gear 53 will be rotated upon the shaftv 45 when the' pawl 55 will ride over the cam face of the cam 56 and, as shown in Fig. 5, gravitate to a posithus continue to rotate independently of the s crank. This provides a very simple and effective construction of ratchet mechanism for rotating the basket and inf this connection attention,- is directed to thefact that the operation of the said mechanism will be practically silent. Furthermore, at-

tention is directed to the fact that since the paWl 55 is inclined radially With re spect tothe axis of rotation'of the bevel geafr53, rotary movement of the said bevel gear will, by centrifugal action, tend to project the pawl out of the socket 54 to engage the shoulder of the cam 56. Any possibility of the sticking of the pa'wl willthus be overcome.

Detachably mounted upon the lower end of the lshaft of the basket is a friction disk or pulley 59. Partially surrounding this disk is a brake band 60 secured at one end, as particularlys'hown'in Fig. 6 of the drawings, to a block 61 mounted beneath the floor 14 of the platform adjacent to the said disk. The opposite extremity of this brake band is connected to a lever 62 pivoted upon a hanger bracket 63 secured tothe underside of the floor 14 of the platform to span the' strip 23. The brake band 60 preferably extends the entire length of the inner edge of the said lever to provide a wear strip 64 therefor with the free end of the said strip bent around the outer extremity ofthe lever. Connected'at one end to the freeextremity of the lever is a spring 65 the opposite end of which is secured by a screw or other suitable fastening device to the adjacent sill 10 of the platform. s `will be clear, this spring will'normally act to pivot the lever 62 for expanding the brake band 60 away from the friction disk 59. Mounted upon the floor 14 of the platform above the free extremity of the lever 62 is a foot lever 66. This foot lever is pivotally mounted upon a lsuitable bracket secured to the said Hoor and is provided` with an. angularly disposed arm 67 projecting loosely through the floor of the platform in front of the free extremity of.

the lever 62 to engage the wear` ,strip 63 thereof. v Accordingly, by depressing the lever 64, the lever 62 will be moved to tighten the brake band 60 about the disk 59 for controlling `the rotary movement of the basket 40 or stopping the basket entirely.

Removably fitted upon the odset portion 15 of the floor 14 of the platform is a `preferably rectangular condenser and container `68 abutting'at one extremity with an upstanding posti-or strip 69 connected to the said offset portion of the platform floor and held by a side board 7 0. This condenser is provided with an inclined vintake pipe 71 having a fiange 7 2 formed thereon for receiving, as particularly shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings, a sleeVe'7 3 slidable upon the discharge spout 37 of the casing 35. rlhe condenser is further provided with discharge pipe 74 having a flange 75 formedthereon to receive a sleeve 76 slidable upon the lower end of a vent flue 77. This flue is supported by the post 69 and is connected thereto by-a suitable clip 78 embracing the flue. At its vupper end, the flue 77 is provided with a laterally directed terminal to whichL may be connected an extension of the flue preferably leading to some point-exteriorly of the building in which the device isarranged.

ln use, the clothes to be cleaned having been saturated with the proper cleaning fluids, are placed within the basket 40. rlfhe basket is then rotated by means of the crank 31 as previously described, when, by centrifugal action, the said cleaning fiuids will be expelled from the clothes to flow through the openings 42 in the circumferential wall lof the basket and bev discharged intor the casing 35. rIhe flange 36 upon the bottom wall of the casing will prevent the fluids from flowing out through the opening receiving the shaft 45 of the basket so that the -delivered into the basket will then ow through the openings 42 therein and be discharged out through the pipe 37 of the ca'sing into the condenser.I Any currents of air within the casing striking the lid 38 will be directed downwardly thereby around the inner end of the intake pipe 3 9 to thus create a further suction at the inner extremity of the 'said pipe tending to draw in fresh air therefrom. rlhe purpose of the blades 43 is now therefore apparent. v

ysaid fluids will thus be discharged through y I rlhe air currents entering the condenser 68 from the discharge spout 37 of the casing will be laden with the vaporized' cleaning uids and it will be seenl that the flow of the Asaidair'current's will be somewhat retarded within the condenser. Consequently, a portion of the evaporated fiuids will thus be deposited within the condenser. Moreover, the said air currents upon coming in contact with the cleaning fluids contained within the condenser will be acted upon to condense the evaporated Huids carried by the said air currents while fresh air entering through the v -currents from the condenser.

5 The maj or portion of the cleaning Huds will thus be reclaimed within the condenser. However, to avoid the possibility of explosions, in any instance where highly volatile cleaning fluids are employed, the vent iiue 77 is provided to finally` carry ofi the air This arrangement will also prevent the fouling of the room or place where the device is being used. When desired the condenser may be removed by simply displacing the sleeves and 76.

Having'thus described the invention, what` is claimed as new is:

I l. A device ofthe character described including a casing provided in its bottom portion with adischarge opening, a basket rotatable within the casing and provided in the side wall thereof with a perforation, the basket being open at its upper end, an intake pipe extending from'above the basket and downwardly inclinedyfan blade mounted upon the side wall of the basket torotate therewith, and means for rotating the basket to cause the said blade to set up an in- 'lowing current of airI downwardly through said spout into the basket to be drawn through the perforation therein and expelled downwardly within the casing through the said discharge opening. v i

2. A device of the character described including aplatform having a floor formed with 'a lowered offset portion, a supporting structure rising from the platform, a casing carried by the said supporting structure l and provided in the bottom portion thereof with a discharge spout, the casing being closed at its upper end, a basket rotatable within the casing, an intake pipevdepending into the casiig above the basket and opening through e upper end of the casing, a i closed condenser mounted upon the said lowered offset portion of the floor beneath the casing and connected .with said discharge spout, a post rising from the platform at one end o the condenser, a vent flue for the condenser supported by the said post, and ^means for rotating the basket whereby to v,set upan inflowing 'current of air through '.45 the said lintake pipe into the casing toy be directed through the said spout'into the said receptacle. y

toward the upper open end thereof and open` ing through the casing, a circumferentially lijm/8,593

- 3. A device of the character described including a casing closed at its upper end, a closed vented condenser communicating with the bottoni portion of the casing, a basket rotatable within the casing', an' intake pipey through the closed upper end of openin the casing, and means for otatingthe basket whereby to'set up infiowing currents-of air through the said pipe, .through the' casing and through the condenser for chilling vapors within the condenser and Ventilating the condenser. i

4. A device of the character described including a casing` closed at its upper end, .a closed condenser communicating with the bottom portion of the casing, a vent flue for the condenser, a basket rotatable within the casing, an intake pipe opening through the closed uppery end of the casing, and means for rotating the basket whereby to set up inflowing currents of air through the said pipe, through the casingthrough the condenser and through said vent flue for chilling vapors within the condenser and ventilating the condenser.

5. -A device of the character described including a casing closed at its upper end, a closed vented receptacle connected with the bottom portion of the casing for receiving liquid therefrom,- a basket rotatable within f the casing, an intake pipe opening through the closed upper end of the casing, and means' for rotating the basket whereby to set up inflowing currents of, air through the said pipe, through the casing for expelling vapors therefrom into the condenser, and through the condenser for chilling such vapors withinthe condenser and yVentilating the condenser.

' In testimony -whereof we Iaiiix our sig-` lll@- natures. v s

CHARLESv EDWIN CLARK. WILLIAM MOORE CLARK, JONAS A. SPARKS.

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