Continuous laundering
OwnerPaul H. Gallagherinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Continuous laundering apparatus having a continuous conveyor carrying the goods to be laundered through the apparatus. Devices additional to, and separate from the conveyor are provided for agitating the goods as they are carried by the conveyor. The conveyor positively carries the goods, including in one form, opposed elements confining the goods therebetween and in another form a single element on which the goods rest. The agitating means includes selectively (a) rollers which are free turning, and turn by engagement therewith by the conveyor and compress the goods between the rollers and a reaction plate; (b) plungers or pushers which are positively driven against the goods, compressing them against the reaction plate; and (c) grippers on opposite sides of the conveyor gripping the conveyor, and thus the goods, between them.
Claims16
Apparatus for laundering goods, comprising,
- a tank for holding a quantity of laundering water to establish a normal water level within the tank, and the tank having an inlet end and an outlet end,
- conveyor means including a pair of endless belts made up of mesh enabling water to flush therethrough substantially unimpeded, the belts having respective runs adjacent each other, guiding means joining the side edges of said respective runs together and forming a tube thereof continuous circumferentially therearound, the guiding means being operative for positioning those respective runs in horizontal position, below the water level, and the tube extending in an operating range nearly the length of the tank, the belts forming V-shape inlet and outlet sections respectively adjacent the inlet and outlet ends of the tank, and the conveyor means being operative for receiving goods, in loose and non-continuous form, in the V-shape inlet section, carrying them through the tube, and carrying them through the V-shape outlet section, up out of the water and out of the tank, and
- means for agitating the goods including movable members spaced along said tube and yieldingly engaging at least one of the said runs and thereby agitating the goods between the runs, and reaction means on the side of the runs opposite the movable members and thereby positioned for receiving the thrust from the movable members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.