US2616279A - Flexible diaphragm type of laundry apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1952 T. s. WATSON 2,616,279

FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM TYPE OF LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. 7km 5, Mai/Um E50 5 BY Qua/Dem q huwa fllfi s.

Nov. 4, 1952 T. s. WATSON 2,616,279

FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM TYPE OF LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 23, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ VIIIIIIIIII F INVENTOR.

motor driven pump 49 whose inlet is connected by a pipe 50 with the bottom of the tank 20. The pipe connection 29a has a check valve fitting 5| therein and a T fltting 52 which connects by piping 53 with a pipe 54 that is provided with suitable four way valves 55 and 56. The valve 55 also connects with a hot water supply pipe 51 and a wash water supply pipe 58 leading into the tank l2. The valve 56 also connects with a cold water supply pipe 59 and a pipe 68 which leads to the inlet of a high pressure rotary motor driven pump 6| whose outlet is connected by a pipe 62 with a three way valve 53 that also connects with the pipe I! and with a waste pipe connection 64 leading out of the tank I2. valve controlled drain outlet 65.

The pipe 69 has a branch pip connection 66 which connects with the pipe 62 and is provided with a check valve fitting 61, so that water at city pressure may be delivered to the pipe 62 before this pressure is boosted by the operation of the pump 6 l The storage tank l2 may be provided with an access openin 68 closed by a door 69 hinged to the support It] at H3 and held in closed position by a pivotally mounted latch H engageable with a keeper 12. Soap or washing powders may be introduced in the tank I2 through opening 68.

The operation of the apparatus is, as follows: With the cover 30 swung to open position the clothes are placed in the space provided by the bags l8 and 24 and the washing fluid is made up in the tank 12 by introducing water through the pipe 58 at the desired temperature obtained from the supply pipes 57 and 59 by the operation of the valves 55 and 56 and washing powder or soap through the opening 68. Th cover is closed, and the pump 49 is then started, and it draws the washing fluid from the tank l2 through the pipe 50 and forces it upwardly through the pipe 13 in the cover member 34 into the space '14 in the cover, thence through the fitting 45, valve 46, and pipe 48 back to the tank 12. Th washing fluid is thus continuously circulated through the clothes to cleanse the dirt therefrom for a suflicient length of time to accomplish this purpose. The pump 49 is then stopped, the valve 46 turned to connect pipe 41 with fitting 45, and either or both of the valves 55 and 56 operated to admit fresh water at the desired temperature into the pipe 53 from which it passes into the pipe 29a, thence through fitting 29 and passage 28 into the space between the deflector 24 and the bag l8 from whence it flows through the opening 25 upwardly through the clothes and out through the cover as first described and then through the fitting 45, valve 46, and pipe 41 to waste, this water acting to rinse the clothes, it being noted that the check valve 5| prevents rinse water passing into the pump 49. The rinsing operation is continued until the clothes are thoroughly rinsed, and then the valve 55 is closed, if open, and the valve 63 moved to connect pipes 62 and I! in circuit flow relation and the valve 55, being open or opened, water at city pressure is introduced into th pipes 66 and v6t and past check valve 61 into pipes 62 and I! and thence into the bottom of the container between the bag l8 andsaid container and exerting its pressure on the bottom of said bag l8 lifts it with the clothes therein upwardly toward the cover. Shortly The tank 12 has athereafter the pump 6| is started, and it then takes water from th pipe 60 and raises its pressure and forces it through the pipe 62 and I1 into the container, this higher pressure acting to close the check valve 61 and also acting on the bag l8 to force the load of clothes therein up against the apertured member 34 of the cover and squeeze or force the water in the clothes into the space 14 from which it flows through fitting 44 to the drain 41, the valve 46 being then set for this purpose. Thus the water is extracted from the clothes, and after this has been completed, the pump 6! is shut off or stopped, the valve 63 turned to connect the pipe H with the waste pipe 64 to release the pressure, whereupon the cover may be swung to open position,

and the washed, rinsed, and partly dried clothes removed. By the term partly dry I mean as much or more water has been extracted from the clothes than is done by the usual operations of wringing or spin drying. While the deflector member 24 has been shown as having a relatively small central opening 25 in its bottom, this opening may in some instances be considerably larger to suit the size of the container and the fluid pressures used. This deflector has been found to be of considerable importance as it protects the clothes from being torn by the bag l8 which may happen where the bag l8 alone is used since the bag sometimes folds or kinks up at its top and bottom portions and in doing so tears the clothes contained therein.

As shown in Fig. 4, I may mount a vibrator 15 on a centrally disposed shaft 16 connected to the cover 34 for vibrating said cover and container and hence the clothes in the container during the washing and/or rinsing operation. Any suitable vibrator may be used, and I have shown one of the electric type.

I desire it 'to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a flexible bag extending into it and. provided with an outlet, an apertured cover for said outlet, means for introducing fluid under pressure between the container and the bag to collapse the bag and force water from the clothes in the bag through said outlet, an inner lining for the bag spaced from the inner side of said bag to provide a flow space between it and the .bag, and a conduit communicating with this flow space.

2. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having an open end and a flexible bag extending from said open end into said container, an apertured cover for said open end, means for introducing fluid under pressure between the container and the bag to collapse the bag and extract water from the clothes in the bag through said outlet, and an inner flexible clothes protective lining disposed within the sides and bottom portions of the bag to prevent tearing of the clothes by the bag during the extraction process.

3. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a top rim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extending into said container, a tank associated with said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said top rim portion and having a passage leading therefrom connected with said tank, a passage in the rim portion of said container above the bag, means connected with said last named passage, the said passage in the cover and said tank for circulating a washing fluid through clothes placed in the bag to wash said clothes, means connected with the passage in the cover and said passage in the rim portion of the container to pass rinse water through the clothes, and means for introducing fluid under pressure into the container between said container and the bag to force the bag and the clothes therein toward the apertured cover to extract water from the rinsed clothes.

4. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a top rim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extending into said container, a tank associated with said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said top rim portion and having a passage leading therefrom connected with said tank, a passage in the rim portion of said container above the bag, means connected with said last named passage, the passage in the cover and said tank for circulating a washing fluid through clothes placed in the bag to wash said clothes, means connected with the passage in the cover and said passage in said rim portion of the container to pass rinse water through the clothes, means for deflecting the washing fluid and the rinse water on its introduction throu h said passage in said rim portion toward the bottom of the bag, and means for introducing fluid under pressure into the container between said container and the bag to force the bag and the clothes therein toward the cover to extract water from the rinsed clothes.

5. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a top rim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extending into said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said top rim portion and having a passage leading therefrom, a flexible clothesprotecting deflector extending into said bag and spaced therefrom to direct fluid toward the bottom of said bag, a passage in said rim portion communicating with the space between the deflector and the bag, means connected with said last named passage and the passage in the cover for circulating a washing fluid through the clothes placed in the bag to wash the clothes, means also connected to said passages to pass rinse water through the clothes, and means for introducing fluid under pressure into the container between said container and the bag to force the bag and the clothes toward the cover to extract rinse water from the clothes.

6. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a top rim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extending into said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said top rim portion, a tank below the container for washing fluid, a passage in said rim portion of the container above the bag, a circulating pump for the washing fluid, means connecting the passage in said cover with said tank, and means connecting said pump with said tank and with the passage in said rim portion whereby the washing fluid in said tank is circulated through clothes placed in the bag to wash the clothes, means also connected with the passage in said cover to pass rinse water through the clothes, flexible means disposed within the sides and bottom portions of the bag for deflecting the washing fluid and the rinse water on its introduction into the container toward the bottom of the bag to cause said fluid and rinse water to flow upwardly through the clothes in the bag, and means for introducing fluid under pressure between the container and the bag to force the bag and the clothes therein toward the apertured cover to extract water from the rinsed clothes.

THOMAS S. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 298,465 Harlow May 13, 1884 1,547,266 Robe July 28, 1925 1,790,584 Hirschy Jan. 27, 1931 1,793,093 Keil et al Feb. 17, 1931 1,968,638 Ducker July 31, 1934 2,099,365 Kemper Nov. 16, 1937 2,178,385 Alward Oct. 31, 1939 2,358,194 White Sept. 12, 1944 2,455,043 Calhoun Nov. 30, 1948 2,472,682 Rand June 7, 1949

Images