Device For Household Use, For Washing And Drying Linen, Articles Of Apparel And The Like

Abstract

A linen washing and drying machine which is partitioned into two vertical adjoining chambers, one for washing and drying lightweight, delicate fabrics, and the other for washing the usual linen. The articles are hung on suspension rods and means are provided for shaking the articles. A valve is provided for the piping which feeds the sprinklers with detergent and/or rinsing liquor so as to reduce the flow of the fluid concerned as it reaches a certain maximum limiting temperature for the washing of delicate articles. The valve can be controlled by thermostatic means or otherwise. Means can also be provided for reducing the intensity of the shaking action imposed upon to the articles.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device capable of carrying out a differential washing operation, and more particularly, with different washing temperatures of linen, articles of apparel and the like.

The conventional household drum washing machines are characterized, to the ends of their practical use, by a loading capacity of from 4 to 5 kilograms of dry linen and by the possibility of selecting among a number of washing programs in order to adapt a few operational parameters to the several kinds of linen.

Generally, linen for household is classified, to the ends of the household washing process, into the following classes:

1. Cotton fabrics, in white or fast colors.

2. Cotton fabrics with poorly fast colors and mixed fabrics (cotton admixed with synthetic fibers).

3. Synthetic-yarn fabrics.

4. Woollen fabrics. This is because every class requires a different handling during the performance of the mechanical washing.

The washing programs differ mainly for the maximum temperature which is reached during washing and for the presence (or not) of the mangling operation (by centrifuging), whereas in the more intricate machines, also the drum speed of rotation and the water level are modified.

In these different programs, summing up and considering the washing stage proper only, the thermal action (and thus, at least partially, the chemical action of the detergent solutions) and the mechanical action are modulated.

As a matter of fact, the high temperatures (from 85.degree. to 100.degree. C) which are useful and often essential for washing very dirty and washing fast cotton, are too high for:

Mixed and synthetic fabrics in which the wrinkling produced by the mechanical washing action is deeply impressed at temperatures above 55.degree.- 65.degree. C, or in which yellow discolorations or modifications of the colors can take place.

Cotton fabrics (or other fabrics) with poorly fast colors in which there is a tendency towards color fading (the detergent solution becomes dyed) at temperatures above 50.degree.-60.degree. C.

Articles in which accessory elements are incorporated, which are susceptible of being damaged at the higher temperatures, such as ribbons, elastic threads, reinforcing accessories, etc.

As regards the mechanical action, the speeds of rotation of a drum which could be suited to cotton, are less advisable for mixed and synthetic fabrics and cannot be tolerated by wool even of the "non-felting" type, since they cause, on the contrary, felting of the wool.

For the same speed of rotation of a drum, a reduction of the mechanical action can be achieved by reducing the times, by increasing the liquor level in the tub and by properly varying the load introduced in the drum.

The plural washing programs as afforded by the conventional drum machines have a reduced value from a practical standpoint.

As a matter of fact, the user who effects washing once weekly or more often, has accumulated a few kilograms of articles, which are divided into at least two groups, one of which (linen which can be laundered at high temperatures) predominates over the other (linen which should be washed at a medium or a low temperature). Thus, the user is led to adopt the high-temperature program prevailingly since it is easy to make up a load of 3 to 5 kilograms of sturdy cotton fabrics, whereas he seldom uses the other programs inasmuch as he can accumulate only with difficulty, even in the weekly time span, an appropriately bulky load of articles to be washed at the lower temperatures.

Stated another way, a user who is sensitive to the economic face of washing problems has before him, very often, the alternative of frequently washing by hand certain articles (shirts, socks, underwear etc.) or of accumulating dirty articles along periods of time over 1 week, to render washing possible at full load and thus at a minimum cost.

Washing and drying devices are known, in which the articles to be washed are hung, in their final desired shape, from supporting rods and are exposed to a plurality of liquid jets, the liquid being, during progress of the washing cycle, once a detergent solution and once a rinsing liquor, whereas the articles are subjected to a shaking action, so that the mechanical shaking action, concurrently with the spraying of liquids, ensures the unsticking of dirt from the surfaces which are either exposed to the jets or sheltered therefrom, while the liquid which flows downwardly along the articles ensures a pressing or smoothing action so that the washed and dried articles can be either directly worn or can they be worn after a light pressing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a washing and drying device is provided, of the kind comprising a cabinet like closed container, a plurality of rods for hanging linen and articles of apparel thereon in an appropriate way, a plurality of sprinklers for spraying a liquid onto the hung articles, with the latter being subjected to a shaking action during washing, characterized in that the inner space of the container is partitioned into two chambers, with one chamber serving for washing delicate articles and the other for usual articles, respectively, each chamber being equipped with mechanisms of its own for spraying and for shaking the articles to be washed, and in which at least one valve is provided for the feeding main for the washing liquor serving for the washing chamber of delicate articles, for cutting the liquid flow, with such valve being actuable as the liquor reaches a preselected temperature, which is the one adapted for washing delicate articles, and thus the lower temperature, whereas heating of the washing solution is continued as well as its feeding to the other of said two chambers.

It becomes thus possible, with the present devices, to carry out differential washing operations of different articles at the most appropriate temperatures and conditions for washing such articles.

The principal advantage of the present invention is that of obtaining said differential washing with a single, simple and cheap washing circuit.

Another advantage, which will become more clearly apparent as the present description proceeds, is that, when the load of articles to be washed in the two chambers is homogeneous in nature, washing is carried out in both chambers under very much the same conditions, whereas, should linen to be treated at a low or medium temperature be arranged in either chamber, and linen to be treated at higher temperatures is positioned in the other chamber, the user can act so as to determine in advance the two different washing cycles for the two chambers. Temperature is modified by throttling the flow of the washing liquid which is directed towards the chamber where the washing at the lower temperatures should be effected, as soon as the washing liquor has reached the lower temperature, while the heating and washing sequence is continued at the higher temperatures in the other washing chamber.

Moreover, the mechanical shaking action on the suspended articles, irrespective of the manner in which shaking action as itself takes place, can be caused to vary accordingly.

Features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the ensuing description, which is given by way of example only and without limitation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, showing one of the washing chambers.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1, the view looking in the direction of the arrows and

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line III--III of FIG. 2, the view looking in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, the device according to the present invention, comprises a cabinet-like container 10 partitioned into two chambers 11 and 12 by a twofold partition wall 13 and 14 which provides a jacket 15. The two chambers 11 and 12 are closed by respective doors 16 and 17 and have, in their topmost sections, pluralities of supporting rods 18, arranged horizontally and appropriately spaced apart in order to allow articles 32, to be washed, to be hung over the rods, appropriately folded in the final desired shape. The supporting rods 18 can be appropriately carried by a framing (not shown), and the latter could be slidably withdrawable, with the aid of guideways, from the chamber which encloses the framing.

The washing circuit comprises a single circulation pump 19, which draws the detergent solution from bottom portion 20, which is common to both the washing chambers, and, via a duct 21, it feeds the sprinkler systems for the chambers 11 and 12, as will be explained hereinafter. On the common bottom portion 20 of the two chambers, a wire mesh filter 22 is provided, which is adapted to retain gross impurity particles, whereas a filter 23 for filtering out finer particles is provided on the delivery side of the pump 19, so as to prevent clogging and stoppage of the sprinkling nozzles. For the discharge of the washing suds and the rinsing liquor at the termination of each washing cycle, a sump pump 24 is provided, and has an outlet duct 25. Lastly, a heating appliance, as diagrammatically shown in the form of a resistor 26, is provided for heating the washing liquor.

Each chamber, 11 and 12, is equipped with a system of jet spray sprinklers for the articles hung on the supporting rods 18 and the system comprises a couple of rotary sprinklers 27A, and 27B, for the chamber 11, and 28A, 28B for the chamber 12, respectively, interconnected by a duct, 29 and 30, respectively, and carrying appropriate and conventional sprinkling nozzles 31. In the drawings, the chamber 11 is intended for the delicate washing, that is to say at lower temperatures, so that on branch tubing 33, which feeds from the duct 21 the rotary sprinklers 27A, 27B, a throttling valve 34 is provided, which is preferably automatically controlled. A second governing valve 35, which could even have a manual control 36, may be provided for throttling the flow directed to the sprinklers 27A, 27B.

A timer for controlling the washing machine cycle and possibly the actuation to the "on" and "off" conditions of the valves 34 and 35 is denoted 50. A thermostat 51 sensitive to the temperature of the washing liquid is located in the bottom portion 20 of the container 10 and, in a manner well known per se, serves to control the actuation of the valves 34 and/or 35 to the position in which the feed of washing liquid to the corresponding washing chamber is intercepted, namely upon reaching a predetermined temperature level, so as to prevent delicate articles from being damaged.

As regards the drying stage, each chamber 11, 12 is equipped with a fan, 37 and 38, respectively, driven by a motor 39 for the fan 37, whereas the motor for the fan 38 is not shown in the drawings. As shown in FIG. 3 an air heating device 52 such as an electrical resistance is provided for the fan 37 and the resistance is controlled by a suitable device such as the programming timer. Of course, a similar resistance is provided for the fan 38. The circuit for the drying air comprises, moreover, the jacket 15, in whose interior a shower tube 40 is provided for condensing the water vapor as formed during drying of the articles, and possibly also for killing the foam left on completion of a washing cycle. An air-heating system (not shown) is also provided at an appropriate location. As already pointed out, either chamber (in the example shown in the drawing this is chamber 11) is preset for carrying out, whenever so desired, the washing of delicate articles at a reduced temperature, possibly also with a less vigorous mechanical handling, as compared with the normal washing conditions. To this purpose, when the washing solution reaches the maximum temperature which can be tolerated for delicate washing, the cutoff valve 34 is closed by means of an appropriate control, such as that furnished by a thermostat or a timer, and the flow is deflected towards the chamber 12. It should be noticed, in this connection, that appropriate expedients, such as the use of throttling valves or by-pass valves, can be provided so as to prevent the temperature and the washing action in the second chamber 12, from being negatively influenced by the cutting of the flow in the chamber 11. In addition, a manually operated throttling valve can be provided for adjusting the intensity of the mechanical action, that is, for reducing this intensity in the washing chamber for delicate handling, especially when the sprinkling jets are entrusted with the task of applying a shaking action to the articles to be washed.

It should be observed that the shaking action can be executed, in a manner known per se, by the hydraulic sprinklers themselves, whose jets impinge on the articles to be washed in the vicinity of the area where the articles are hung on the suspension rods, or by mechanical means which effect horizontal oscillations of the supporting rods.

It should be observed, that the device according to the present invention also makes it possible to carry out drying at different temperatures and for different times, especially on account of the fact that, the centrifuging action being lacking, the drying times and the drying temperatures are radically different, for a few kinds of textile fibers, from those which are required for other kinds of fibers.

The invention has been described in connection with an exemplary embodiment, it being otherwise understood that a number of modifications and changes can be introduced therein, which are conceptually and mechanically equivalent, without departing from the scope of said invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for washing linen, articles of apparel and the like, including a closed container having an access opening capable of being opened and closed and through which the articles to be washed may be admitted and withdrawn, partition means within the container dividing the interior thereof into two chambers for washing delicate articles and usual articles, respectively, a plurality of support members mounted within each chamber for supporting the articles to be treated in a freely hanging condition, a plurality of nozzles in each chamber for directing a liquor onto the articles supported therein, with the articles being subjected to a shaking action for preventing the articles from sticking together during washing, a feeding conduit for the washing liquor, further conduit providing communication between the feeding conduit and the nozzle in each

chamber, at least a cutoff valve being provided for the chamber containing the delicate articles for the cutting the flow of liquor, and means to close said valve when the liquor reaches a preselected temperature, so that the feeding of the liquor at a higher temperature takes place via the conduit leading to the other chamber exclusively.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said nozzles in each chamber comprise a couple of rotary heads equipped with the nozzles which are adapted to direct liquor jets onto the area of the articles to be washed which is near the support members.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said valve is adjustable for throttling the liquor flow, so as to reduce the intensity of the shaking action.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a double circuit for the forced circulation of drying air is provided, said circuit having a common condensing chamber between said two chambers and independent fan means and air-heating means within the container above and in communication with each of the two chambers.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutoff valve is controlled automatically by thermostat means within the container responsive to the temperature of the washing liquor.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that means are provided for excluding the cutoff valve prior to starting a washing cycle, so that the normal washing operation is carried out in both chambers for the articles loaded therein.