Gaseous Drier Patents (Class 68/20)
  • Patent number: 4526535
    Abstract: A dryer having a gas burner is provided for use in a combined laundry appliance. The gas burner is mounted within a compartment located within the dryer cabinet between the bottom of the dryer drum and the top cover of the washer which has a generally triangular shape when viewed from the side of the dryer with the lower portion of the compartment being shorter in front-to-rear depth than the upper portion of the compartment. The gas burner includes a reverse turn gas pipe for conducting gas from the gas valve mounted at the rear of the compartment to the entry end of a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: The Maytag Company
    Inventor: Daniel F. Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 4519222
    Abstract: Smoothing washed garments (10) in the treatment chamber (11) of a finisher produces a considerable amount of fluff. To remove the fluff from the device in a trouble-free and effective manner the flowing medium carrying the fluff along is passed through a sieve belt (20) which conveys the fluff out of the device. Outside the treatment chamber (11) the fluff is removed in a suitable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1985
    Assignee: Herbert Kannegisser GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Martin Kannegiesser, Klaus Mussiger, Wilfried Dreischmeier
  • Patent number: 4510778
    Abstract: A control system is provided for controlling the operation of a plurality of associated appliances. The appliances are individually powered from separate power sources. A single control panel is mounted on one of the appliances and includes selection switches for operator input of cycle information corresponding to each of the appliances and also includes display apparatus. A single controller is in circuit communication with the power supply of one appliance, the selection switches and the display apparatus and outputs data signals to a driver which outputs data signals to control operation of the appliances and the display apparatus. The driver is operable for outputting a series of multiplexed data signals on outputs to the appliances, the display apparatus and the selection switches so that the controller is operable for effecting selective and independent operation of one or concurrent and independent operation of more than one of a plurality of associated appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: The Maytag Company
    Inventor: Curran D. Cotton
  • Patent number: 4510776
    Abstract: A combination appliance is provided having a washing machine and a separately operable dryer disposed above the washing machine. The washing machine and dryer are separately supported in a generally mating relationship providing the characteristics of a unitary appliance. There is a horizontally disposed top cover associated with the washing machine which defines an access opening to within the washing machine. The top cover also includes guideways at the sides of the access opening with an access door being cooperable with the guideways for sliding movement to close the access opening in a first forward posture and to uncover the access opening in a second rearward posture. The top cover further includes structure for effectively retaining the access door in the guideways in the first forward posture and providing a housing for the access door in the second rearward posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: The Maytag Company
    Inventors: William J. McNally, John C. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 4509345
    Abstract: A laundry heat recovery system includes a heat exchanger associated with each dryer in the system, the heat exchanger being positioned within the exhaust system of the dryer. A controller responsive to the water temperature of the heat exchangers and the water storage for the washer selectively circulates the water through a closed loop system whereby the water within the exchangers is preheated by the associated dryers. By venting the exhaust air through the heat exchanger, the air is dehumidified to permit recirculation of the heated air into the dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Inventor: Peter Alio
  • Patent number: 4507942
    Abstract: A washing machine with a drier having a washing machine body, a drier carrier mounted on the washing machine body and a drier body carried by said drier carrier. Almost whole part of the front surface of the drier carrier is concaved rearwardly to provide a concaved curved front surface. The upper end of the front surface of the drier carrier, which is flush with the front surface of the drier body, is retracted rearwardly from the lower end of the front surface of the drier carrier which is flush with the front surface of the washing machine body. The rear end of the drier body is projected rearwardly from the rear surface of the drier carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsuro Hirose, Kimio Takahashi, Toshiro Mori, Haruyuki Kaito
  • Patent number: 4498317
    Abstract: A laundry handling machine for performing both a washing operation and a drying operation includes a blower which directs air over the motor during both the washing and drying operations to cool the motor and additionally directs air over a heating element during the drying operation to provide heated air through the vat. A rotational speed reduction arrangement is provided for controlling the timing of both of the operations. A drying operation timing device is driven by the washing operation timing device. A rinsing device is coupled with a supply conduct for a rinsing liquid and also with a siphon drain tube which has a larger cross-section than the supply conduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: ITT Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert A. P. Thysen, Gilbert L. J. Timmermans
  • Patent number: 4489574
    Abstract: The present invention comprises apparatus and process for laundering textiles based upon utilizing quantities of an aqueous liquid wash liquor in the wash step ranging from, at least, just enough to be substantially evenly and completely distributed onto all portions of the textiles to, at most, about 5 times the dry weight of the textiles to be laundered. This results in an extremely efficient use of the detergent composition. The present invention also comprises novel wash liquor and detergent compositions for use in said apparatus and process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Wolfgang U. Spendel
  • Patent number: 4484369
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to techniques for high efficiency drying of wet-processed tubular knitted fabric. The wet tubular fabric is initially spread to flat form and then guided in a controlled manner over a so-called Mach nozzle, at which high velocity gaseous medium, usually steam, at speeds approaching the speed of sound and above, is discharged directly through the fabric, which is maintained in tension as it passes over the nozzle outlet. The thus treated tubular knitted fabric, now with a greatly reduced liquid content, is then immediately directed over a second spreader device, which distends the fabric widthwise to a predetermined, uniform width, to restore the fabric width lost during wet processing and during the relatively high tension nozzle treating operation. In this damp, geometrically stabilized condition, the fabric may be directed immediately into an otherwise conventional tensionless dryer for tubular knitted fabric, where the necessary final drying operations are completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1984
    Assignee: Samcoe Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund A. Diggle, Jr., John Krajcovic
  • Patent number: 4468937
    Abstract: Internally of its tub, the machine provides a conduit fitted with fan-shaped delivery outlet. The fan portion of said delivery outlet terminates with an arcuate surface provided with slots along which the fabric being processed runs. The conduit has connected thereto a water supply pipe for the conveyance of air mixed with water on the fabric being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Inventor: Attilio Bertoldi
  • Patent number: 4466149
    Abstract: Rinsing of textile material is accomplished in a tank having a rinsing zone through which the material passes upwardly from a resting zone. Rinsing fluid is applied to the upwardly moving material exclusively in the rinsing zone and in a quantity greater than that which the material can carry with it during its upward movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: Bruckner Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Schuierer
  • Patent number: 4447924
    Abstract: A moisture control system is provided for controlling the amount of chemical added to a fabric. The system includes a suction pipe having a slot therein and a fabric positioned to pass over the slot. A vacuum source is connected through conduit means to the suction pipe. A source of liquid is provided including a predetermined percentage of chemical therein to be added to the fabric. Liquid from the liquid source is added to the fabric and the fabric containing the liquid from the liquid source is advanced over the suction pipe whereupon vacuum is applied to the fabric to deliquefy it. The vacuum source is set to provide a predetermined vacuum depending on the chemical concentration of the liquid and the composition of the fabric. As the fabric passes over the slot a change in the vacuum is sensed and the vacuum source is actuated to retain the vacuum to the predetermined condition thereby maintaining a constant moisture level and amount of added chemical in the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Bolton, George R. Feehery
  • Patent number: 4448582
    Abstract: A textile fabric formed of synthetic fibrous material or blends with natural fibers to which dyestuffs have been applied is subjected to a thermosol heat treatment by directing the fabric supported on an air permeable conveyor through a heated oven while directing heated air downwardly through the fabric and through the underlying supporting conveyor and while at predetermined longitudinally spaced locations as the fabric travels through the oven directing heated air upwardly through the open mesh conveyor and into contact with the fabric so as to lift portions of the fabric from the conveyor to permit free shrinkage and bulking of the fabric while avoiding distortion of the fabric or obtaining an undesirable ironed surface appearance as would occur if the fabric were pinned to the conveyor. This method also achieves very rapid and efficient heat transfer to the fabric and thus avoids the extreme time and temperature conditions which result in harsh treatment of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: American Artos Corporation
    Inventor: David F. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4446632
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in drying equipment for tubular textile ware comprising a vertically floating circular expander adapted to spread the tubular ware from the inside, with drying air being blown from the outside into the tubular ware inside in a first zone and evacuated from the inside to the outside in an adjacent second zone, the improvement which comprises (a) three zones consecutive in the direction of motion of the ware, the zones being mutually bounded by a partition transverse to the direction of motion of the ware and surrounding the circular expander, and being located in the area of an entry part spreading the tubular ware and a corresponding exit part, (b) the zone located between the entry part and the exit part being designed as a suction chamber and the outer zones being designed as blowing chambers, and (c) the entry part and the exit part including axial flow openings for the drying air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1984
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Peter Dornier
  • Patent number: 4435964
    Abstract: An automatic washing machine for shoes which has a water tub incorporating a dehydrating tub which is provided with inner brushes which are mounted with shoes and vertically moved, outer brushes which are arranged to come in contact with external surface of shoes and vertically moved in opposite directions to the inner brushes, and driving means for driving the inner and outer brushes; the water tub is provided with a discharging mechanism to discharge water as required from the water tub and with a lifting head section which opens and closes an opening of the water tub at a position above the water tub and the head section is provided with an air nozzle for drying washed shoes to blow air for drying into the dehydrating tub while the opening of the water tub is closed by the head section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Inventor: Nobuo Misawa
  • Patent number: 4422308
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for spreading a moving web of textile material during a treatment by means of fluid streams directed from the middle to the edges of the web. The side edges of the web are probed by sensors which control the fluid streams directed onto the associated edges of the web. In this way, reliable spreading is obtained with minimal outlay, even with different webs of textile material and under varying working conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: Bruckner Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Pfeiffer, Manfred Schuierer
  • Patent number: 4418433
    Abstract: A dyeing method and system for coloring the pile yarns of a carpet web provides for the reuse of gum used in the dyeing process and the reuse of water used for rinsing the carpet. The gum, which is extracted hot from the carpet web as it exits the steamer where the dye is set in the face yarns and prior to the rinsing of the carpet is filtered and passed through a heat exchanger into a gum storage tank for reuse. The heat exchanger is used to recover latent heat from the gum and preheat water on its way to a boiler used in the dyeing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Assignee: Diamond Carpet Mills, Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald Moreland, Marion L. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 4391602
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for smoothing and drying shaped articles having different fibrous components. In accordance with the disclosed process, the articles, after washing, are hung in the moist state and are heated for a relatively long period while the humidity is carefully regulated to a desired constant level. Subsequently, the articles are mechanically smoothed over a short period of duration by continuously blowing hot air against them uniformly and evenly over the surfaces thereof. The apparatus comprises a steaming chamber and a drying chamber, which are serially arranged and connected by a conveyor or the like to provide transport for the hanging articles. Orifices for introducing steam and nozzles for introducing hot air are provided in the walls of the steaming chamber, and nozzles are provided in the walls of the drying chamber for blowing hot air on the articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Inventors: Otto Stichnoth, Andreas Stichnoth
  • Patent number: 4386509
    Abstract: In a laundering process which includes providing steam at high pressure, directly blowing the steam into fresh water in order to heat the water, and washing and rinsing laundry using the heated fresh water, the step of directly blowing is carried out by delivering at least part of the steam into the fresh water by directing that steam through the laundry which has been rinsed while subjecting the steam to a pressure reduction in a manner to cause the steam to extract rinse water from the laundry which has been rinsed, and conducting the steam and the extracted rinse water into the fresh water in order to heat the fresh water with accompanying condensation of the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: MEWA Mechanische Weberei Altstadt GmbH
    Inventor: Rudolf Kuttelwesch
  • Patent number: 4373362
    Abstract: An apparatus for conducting the continuous washing of printed and dye-fixed, web-shaped textile material, including woven or knitted fabrics, includes a series of textile processing units arranged along a production line. These units include a dwell bath having a conveying means arranged underneath the bath level for textile material deposited in folds, a textile material moistening zone in front of dwell bath, a dewatering means, at least one sieve drum washing bath and a subsequently positioned squeeze means for removing washing liquid from the textile material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Vepa AG
    Inventor: Hans Fleissner
  • Patent number: 4332047
    Abstract: In a laundering process which includes providing steam at high pressure, directly blowing the steam into fresh water in order to heat the water, and washing and rinsing laundry using the heated fresh water, the step of directly blowing is carried out by delivering at least part of the steam into the fresh water by directing that steam through the laundry which has been rinsed while subjecting the steam to a pressure reduction in a manner to cause the steam to extract rinse water from the laundry which has been rinsed, and conducting the steam and the extracted rinse water into the fresh water in order to heat the fresh water with accompanying condensation of the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Mewa Mechanische Weberei Altstadt GmbH
    Inventor: Rudolf Kuttelwesch
  • Patent number: 4322957
    Abstract: The invention provides a drying apparatus for a preliminary drying operation for tubular fabrics which includes a pair of drivable squeeze rollers forming a water expression nip, a freely rotatable supply roller resting against one of the squeeze rollers to form a fabric transportation nip, a transverse stretching device and air bubble forming means arranged below the water expression nip, a tube for receiving fabric from the fabric transportation nip at an upper end and a draining surface extending under the transverse stretching device and the lower end of the tube for receiving bundled fabric from the tube for passing to the transverse stretching device, and a means for supplying water to the tube for assisting downward fabric movement through the tube. The apparatus is compact, simple and can be effectively combined with other machinery for a final drying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: Samuel Pegg & Son, Limited
    Inventors: Andrzej N. Nowicki, David H. Smith
  • Patent number: 4275510
    Abstract: In a laundry system including a washer, a dryer, and a water heater, the improvement of using a heat pipe to recover waste heat, whether it be from the hot air exhaust of the dryer or from the conductive losses from the dryer and to transfer that heat to the feed water of the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Inventor: Odean F. George
  • Patent number: 4270978
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for dewatering papermaker's felt utilizing positive pressure, the felt being deflected in an arc of at least about 90.degree. but less than about 180.degree. by means of a dewatering shoe with a rounded nose having a radius of from about 2" to about 4", the nose of the shoe having an elongated orifice with an effective width of from about 1" to 4" through which air under pressure is directed into the felt. Low pressure flooding means or high pressure shower means may be mounted in the rounded nose of the shoe in advance of the dewatering orifice to direct a cleaning fluid into the felt in advance of dewatering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: Huyck Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Fioravanti
  • Patent number: 4269047
    Abstract: A tube has a longitudinal slot extending over the entire working width of the apparatus, and at least one cover element is arranged on the side of the fabric web remote from the slotted tube. The cover element extends over the entire length of the slot, and also extends over a substantial portion of the path of the fabric web, immediately preceding the slot, and over another substantial portion of the path of the fabric web immediately following the slot. A guide surface for the fabric web is provided on the same side of the web as the slotted tube, which surface forms with the cover element a flow space for conducting the working fluid, which flow space extends from a point in the path of travel of the fabric web lying substantially ahead of the slot to a point in the path of the web lying substantially beyond the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Assignee: Bruckner Apparatebau
    Inventor: Manfred Schuierer
  • Patent number: 4259853
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a length of textile material which has a pile surface includes at least one sieve drum washing bath for washing the entire width of the textile material to even out or level irregularities across the width of the pile surface, a first steamer unit for treating the washed textile material, a dye applicator unit for applying dye to the steamed and washed textile material and a second steamer unit for treating the dye-containing textile material with steam to fix the dye to the textile material. The sieve drum washing bath includes a sieve drum positioned within a container for the treatment liquid and is provided with a plurality of nozzle openings arranged within the container and spaced closely adjacent to the sieve drum for directing the treatment liquid in the form of a plurality of jets across the width of the textile material being supported on the sieve drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: Vepa Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans Fleissner
  • Patent number: 4256176
    Abstract: A heat-reclaiming system is especially adapted for reclaiming heat from used laundry water. It comprises a heat exchanger providing for heat transfer from warm used laundry water to cold incoming water intended for use as fresh laundry water. The heat exchanger is formed with interior ducts and an outer shell. The interior ducts, preferably concentric coils hydraulically in parallel, define a space for the transport through the heat exchanger of the cold incoming water. The outer shell encloses the ducts, and the ducts and shell together define a space providing for the transport through the heat exchanger of the warm used laundry water. The flows of the warm and cold water through the heat exchanger are generally in opposite directions. Maximum heat-transfer efficiency is accomplished by simultaneously pumping both the shell and the duct sides of the exchanger at design flow condition and maximizing the log mean temperature difference across the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Assignee: Aerco International, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Cohen
  • Patent number: 4249399
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for extracting liquid from porous fabrics. The apparatus includes a vacuum source, a back-up plate positioned opposite the vacuum source such that a gap exists therebetween, an adjusting means for setting the minimum size of the gap between the vacuum source and the back-up plate, and a mounting structure to which the back-up plate is secured, the mounting structure allowing the plate to move in a direction away from the vacuum source thereby increasing the size of the gap. In operation, a porous fabric is passed through the gap while the back-up plate floats thereon. The plate is able to bounce over seams or any other irregularities within the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Bolton, Olavi A. Huhtala
  • Patent number: 4245413
    Abstract: Automatic towel dispenser has a box-shaped housing provided with a washing chamber and a drying chamber for an endless towel to be guided therethrough, the towel having a cleaned partial length thereof available for respective use and being guidable over a locking device for limiting the clean partial length of the towel to be withdrawn and guided outside the housing between an outlet opening and an inlet opening formed in the housing, a first storage chamber located in the housing between the inlet opening and the washing chamber for variably piling up therein a plurality of used partial lengths of the towel, and a second storage chamber located in the housing between the drying chamber and the outlet opening for variably piling therein a plurality of cleaned partial lengths of the towel, and means being activatable, upon the emptying to a given extent of the cleaned partial lengths of the towel in the second storage chamber, for passing used partial lengths of the towel through the washing and drying chambe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: Eisen- und Metallindustrie E. Blum Kg
    Inventors: Wolfgang Oberhoff, Hugo W. Geschka
  • Patent number: 4242811
    Abstract: A thermo-pneumatic unit for thermal treatment of moving flat materials such as a drying process for cowhides includes a blower which is located on one side of the travelling path of the materials and adapted for generation of thermally adjusted air flow having specified initial direction and mass velocity distribution so that larger mass velocity is focussed upon the portion of each material requiring higher rate of thermal treatment. Ideally, an even thermal effect is obtained over the entire parts of each material and thermal energy loss is effectively avoided even when the material has initial local variance in moisture content or temperature. A collector for blown air on the other side of the travelling path collects the blown air, which assures higher evenness in thermal effect with less thermal energy loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: Sanko Air Plant, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aritsune Moriyama, Kunio Kida
  • Patent number: 4236320
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of simultaneously conditioning and drying laundry, as well as an apparatus therefor. According to the invention, laundry in an automatic clothes drier is periodically sprayed with fabric softeners and conditioners from a spraying device in the drier drum when the drum is stopped so that the spraying device is located above the laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien (Henkel KGaA)
    Inventors: Karl Schwadike, Dieter Meyer, Rolf Puchta
  • Patent number: 4234312
    Abstract: The removal of water from viscose rayon yarns in the continuous spinning of such yarns is improved by subjecting the yarns to the action of an air jet before the thermal drying treatment. The air jet impinges on the yarns adjacent their passage from the last liquid treatment zone to the drying zone and is directed approximately tangentially to the treatment roller, that is to the helicoidal path of the yarn. The removal of the water is completed by thermal drying. Up to 50% of the water content, and several times the dry weight of the yarn, is eliminated by the pneumatic treatment. The air jet is directed on the yarn by means of a slit-shaped nozzle having its larger dimension substantially parallel to the treatment roller. A plurality of yarns can be treated concurrently on the same device having a plurality of guide rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Societa' Nazionale Industria Applicazioni Viscosa S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ugo Paoletti, Alessandro Volterra
  • Patent number: 4231236
    Abstract: A machine for dyeing and drying stocking articles and like garments comprises a vessel for containing the stocking articles to be processed, a plurality of horizontally extending perforated diaphragms within the vessel on which stocking article cakes are stacked in superimposed layers, a tubular element penetrating centrally the perforated diaphragms and extending in the vessel in an axial direction up the mouth thereof, a driven propeller within the tubular vessel, a closing cover fixed detachably to the vessel, an inlet and outlet for a processing bath, heaters for heating the bath and an inlet and outlet for drying air. The perforated diaphragms have tiltable portions for allowing loading and unloading operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Tidue S.r.l.
    Inventors: Bruno G. Tratta, Ermanno Tagliaferri
  • Patent number: 4225991
    Abstract: A system and method for cleaning and drying porous fabrics such as tufted carpet are disclosed. A porous fabric is first wetted and then passed over a slotted vacuum pipe. A backup plate is positioned opposite the slot, and the fabric passes between the slot and plate. Air is forced to flow in an indirect route into the slot to maximize cleaning and drying. The gap between the slot and backup plate is adjustable to enable the system to handle fabrics or carpets of varying thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Bolton, Olavi A. Huhtala
  • Patent number: 4217768
    Abstract: A dyeing apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a vessel and a perforated cylinder or beam concentrical thereto, the cylinder having a material wound thereon which is to be dyed. The apparatus includes means for isolating idle space within the vessel from the dye liquid circulating region and means for supplying compressed air to the circulating region to dewater the dyed material upon completion of a cycle of dyeing operation. A stream of compressed air permeates the wet material and takes the moisture away as an entrainment. The same apparatus can perform both the dyeing and the drying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1980
    Assignees: Nippon Dyeing Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd., Yoshida Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Isao Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 4207638
    Abstract: A cleaning chamber and a separate spaced-apart drying chamber are provided, which communicate with one another. Articles are cleaned in the cleaning chamber while the same is out of communication with the drying chamber. Then the communication between the chambers are established and the cleaned articles are transported from the cleaning chamber into the drying chamber with a stream of air circulating in a closed path. After this, the communication between the chambers is interrupted and the thus-transported articles are dried in the drying chamber. A transport conduit communicates the chambers with one another, and a flap located in the former is operative for closing and opening the transport conduit. An air passage additionally communicates the chambers with one another, and an air impeller causes air to travel into the cleaning chamber to thereby transport the articles from the same, and to travel into the drying chamber to thereby dry the articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Seco Maschinenbau GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Erwin Biesinger, Eckard Mollendorf
  • Patent number: 4206619
    Abstract: A dyeing apparatus is disclosed which has a cylindrical vessel and a perforated hollow beam supported therein. Textile materials such as yarns, tapes and the like are wound upon the exterior of the beam and soaked to depth with treatment liquid forced radially through the perforations of the beam into the layers of wound-up material. Liquid is withdrawn from the vessel for re-circulation through a first take-out means provided adjacent the upper portion of the vessel and through a second take-out means provided centrally of the bottom portion of the vessel. Control means is provided to regulate the flow of liquid through the two take-out means to be in a specified ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignees: Yoshida Kogyo K.K., Nippon Dyeing Machine Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Fukuroi, Masanobu Hayashi, Hiroshi Yamashita, Isao Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 4204339
    Abstract: An improved cloth-handling machine in which the energy input necessary for evaporating and conducting away water from clothes being dried is minimized. The machine is a tumbler drying or a combination washing/drying machine and includes a casing having a radiant heater disposed adjacent a reflector in its upper portion adapted to heat a tumbler drum rotatably mounted within the casing. Air is withdrawn from the drum and moisture is condensed from the air which is then recirculated back to the interior of the drum. A condenser arrangement, positioned outside the casing, is comprised of an air turbulator portion connected to a drain opening at the bottom of the casing. A spray or mist of cooling water is supplied by way of a nozzle 22 mounted between the turbulator and the drain opening. The turbulator is followed by a filter and a tranquillizing duct leading through a sump to a pump having a syphon-type outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1980
    Assignee: August Lepper, Maschinen-U. Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Muller
  • Patent number: 4195498
    Abstract: A wholly automatic commercial laundry in which soiled laundry is automatically routed to available washing machines, is automatically unloaded, conveyed, and loaded into one of several dryers which is available, or is conveyed directly to a finishing station when drying is not required. A unique programmable selector permits selecting any of several preprogrammed washingcycles, and modifying these cycles in accordance with the laundry to be washed. The selector also provides the necessary information for routing of the batches of laundry from the washing machines to the dryers, for selecting one of several drying cycles, and for routing the laundry to a desired finishing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Pellerin Milnor Corporation (Entire)
    Inventor: Norvin L. Pellerin
  • Patent number: 4187701
    Abstract: A laundry dryer source of heat for providing warm gas to dry laundry is utilized to heat water for laundry washers use, and is particularly suited for coin operated laundries. In the illustrated embodiment each dryer has a gas burner and a water coil is in the flame area of the burner, the coils being connected in circuit between a cool water outlet and a heated water inlet of a typical automatic water heater tank. A pump circulates cool water from the tank through coils and returns heated water from the coils to the tank whenever any of the dryers are in operation. Since most laundry is promptly placed in a dryer after washing, during high or low capacity operation of the laundry, the quantity of heated water is automatically regulated by dryer operation to the overall demand for hot water by the washers, the automatic water heater tank providing heated water during sudden surges in washer operation before the dryers are in operation sufficiently to supply the hot water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1980
    Assignee: WenLo Corporation
    Inventor: Ion L. Wendel
  • Patent number: 4176531
    Abstract: An apparatus for the wet treatment of fibrous materials includes a container filled with a treatment liquid, a liquid-permeable support for the material arranged with a supporting surface at least partially underneath a first liquid level within the container, and means for providing a second liquid level extending uniformly along the entire length of the immersed supporting surface and underneath said supporting surface of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Vepa AG
    Inventor: Hans Fleissner
  • Patent number: 4173077
    Abstract: Process for the uniform drying of a travelling textile web impregnated with treating agents by contacting the textile web oscillatorily over its width with the hot air current or heat radiation supplied by the corresponding sources of heat and hitting the web unilaterally or bilaterally. Devices for carrying out this process are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1979
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Birke, Hans-Ulrich von der Eltz, Franz Schon
  • Patent number: 4166368
    Abstract: In a suction device for removing liquids from textile fabrics, there is provided a tubular body that is adapted to be connected to a suction unit. The tubular body has at least two longitudinal angularly spaced apart passages through the wall thereof. At least three sectors are attached to the outer surface of the body in order to define, with their respective, opposed edges, at least two longitudinal slots that are in registration with the passages in a tubular body. A roller is positioned intermediate the slots and tangentially to the body for advancing the fabric past the slots. A shower head may be provided for ejecting a fabric treating liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1979
    Assignee: Rimar Meccanica S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marcello Beninca', Mario Lora
  • Patent number: 4165547
    Abstract: An improved process for dyeing carpet by intermittently moving the carpet along a path having horizontal and vertical portions. The horizontal portion of the path is immersed in a print form having compartments separated by thin walls and filled with liquid dyes of varying colors, to impart a desired pattern to the fabric. After the horizontal portion of the fabric is withdrawn from the print form, the fabric is moved along its path so that the immersed portion is moved along the vertical portion of the path. A vacuum slot along the vertical portion of the path adjacent the horizontal portion is activated only while the carpet is in motion, and serves to draw the dye toward the backing of the carpet while removing excess dye therefrom. Thereafter the carpet is steamed to set the dyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1979
    Assignee: Bigelow-Sanford, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Parlin, Helmuth Vits
  • Patent number: 4154578
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a carpet on location without removing the carpet to a cleaning plant, the method comprising washing the carpet on location with an alkaline solution and neutralizing the alkaline residue left on the carpet after washing by blowing a spray of an acid solution under pressure into the washed carpet and removing the blown acid solution from the carpet after blowing by drawing a vacuum over the washed and blown carpet. The washing step also comprises blowing a heated spray of the alkaline solution under pressure into the carpet and removing the blown alkaline solution and loosened dirt from the carpet after blowing by drawing a vacuum over the blown carpet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Inventor: William F. Bane
  • Patent number: 4154003
    Abstract: An improved combination washer-dryer comprised of an inner and outer container which are spaced apart so as to form a condensation chamber therebetween. A cooling medium and moist air withdrawn from the inner drying container are simultaneously forced through that chamber which cools the air and causes moisture contained therein to be condensed and thus separatable from the air. Additional condensation and water separators can be employed to further treat the circulating air prior to that air being reheated and returned to the inner drying container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: August Lepper, Maschinen-und Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Muller
  • Patent number: 4151730
    Abstract: A laundry dryer source of heat for providing warm gas to dry laundry is utilized to heat water for laundry washer use, and is particularly suited for coin operated laundries. In the illustrated embodiment each dryer has a gas burner and a water coil is in the flame area of the burner, the coils being connected in circuit between a cool water outlet and a heated water inlet of a typical automatic water heater tank. A water circulating system includes a pump or pumps for circulating cool water from the tank through coils and returning heated water from the coils to the tank whenever any of the dryers are in operation. One embodiment of the circulating system assures continuous water flow through the plurality of dryer water coils during heating operation by providing a substantially equal pressure differential between the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet of each of the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: James L. Lowe
    Inventor: Ion L. Wendel
  • Patent number: 4145819
    Abstract: An apparatus for the drying of lengths of textile material impregnated with a disperse dye or synthetic resin dispersion, which includes a preparatory drying section wherein the length of textile material is conducted in a contact-free manner and is subjected to a first drying operation and a sieve drum means for effecting a final drying treatment. The preparatory drying section includes a transverse tentering frame having a traveling transverse tentering means and is arranged upstream of the sieve drum means. This transverse tentering means is guided through a drying unit for effecting the preparatory drying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1979
    Assignee: Vepa AG
    Inventor: Hans Fleissner
  • Patent number: 4124941
    Abstract: Process for promoting uniform and low levels of migration in drying of moist textile webs impregnated with treating agents using cylinder drying machines, by removing the vapor layer formed on the reverse surface of the textile web not contacting the heated cylinders during the continuous passage of the web through the heat transfer zone by suction or transverse blowing over the width of the web. Devices for carrying out this process are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Birke, Hans-Ulrich VON DER Eltz, Franz Schon
  • Patent number: 4121311
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for the continuous, tensionless treatment of textile material lengths and similar web-shaped flat materials wherein the material is conveyed in gathered form to at least one treatment zone of a material treating unit. A fluid stream impinges intermittently from below upon the length of material approximately at right angles to the conveying direction thereby straightening and compressing the material by an alternating lifting and falling of the material. An air permeable conveyor belt may be employed to convey the length of material through the treating units or a number of spaced individual rollers may be provided in the treating unit with the material forming a loop between adjacent rollers which loop is acted upon by the stream of fluid. A sensor arrangement is provided for determining and controlling the length of the loop so as to maintain such length within predetermined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1978
    Inventor: Arnfried Meyer