Abstract: A continuous washing machines (10) for industrial use having an inner drum (11), which can be driven in circulation, and an outer drum (22), which partially encloses said inner drum, with the outer drum (22) being formed from outer-drum sections (24) which are sealed in relation to the inner drum (11), in which the end sides (25) of the cylindrically designed outer-drum sections (24) are assigned seals (33, 24) which are fastened on the outside of the end regions of the casing of the outer-drum sections (24) by tension straps (45) such that the outer-drum sections (24) need not be specific configurations in the end regions and the seals (33, 34) can be adjusted simply by being displaced on cylindrical end regions of the outer-drum sections (24).

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the washing of items of laundry (11), in which only the items of laundry (11) are transferred from the last washing chamber (18) into the first rinsing chamber (19), without the washing liquid. As a result, the washing liquid cannot pass into the rinsing zone (15), and the method according to the invention thus prevents mixing of different treatment liquids. As a result, an effective treatment of the items of laundry (11), in particular a more effective rinsing thereof, is possible.

Abstract: A method to treat laundry items in the last treatment zone of a tunnel washing machine with a liquid that has a higher temperature than the liquid of the preceding zone, resulting in the liquid of the bound liquor having a higher temperature and making it possible to remove a greater portion of the bound liquor form the laundry items in a hydroextraction press, so that the laundry items leaving the hydroextraction press have only a slight residual moisture which is still has to be removed by drying, thus shortening the drying process and requiring less energy.

Abstract: Tunnel washing machines (10) are equipped with a rotary driven drum (12), through which the laundry to be subjected to wet treatment is conveyed longitudinally. For achieving the greatest possible performance in treatment, the goal is to drive the drum (12) at the highest possible circumferential speed. However, the result of this is that the laundry is not (completely) thrown off the paddle blades (21) in the drum (12). This, has a negative effect on the results of treatment. The method according to the invention proposes that the drum (12) be driven with different circumferential speeds. When the laundry is thrown off the paddle blades (21) the drum (12) and its circumferential speed is thereby considerably reduced, thus causing the laundry to drop from the paddle blades (21) in a complete and reliable manner.

Abstract: Conventional laundry centrifuges are loaded with laundry in a upwardly slanted position, spin-dry in the same position and are then swiveled to an oblique downward angle to unload. The drum (16) of the centrifuge according to the invention receives the laundry in an upwardly slanted position, spin-dries in an upright position and swivels from that position to a downwardly directed position to unload the laundry.