Apparatus for processing dry-cleaned clothes

In an apparatus for dry cleaning clothes comprising

• a chamber comprising an upper portion, a lower portion and means for hanging clothes to be cleaned;
• air circulation path connecting said upper portion and said lower portion;
• means for causing air current to circulate through said air circulation path and inside said chamber from said upper portion to said lower portion;
• means for supplying solvent to said chamber for cleaning said clothes;
• means for heating air current passing through said air circulation path, said heating means being located at at least one of said upper portion and said lower portion;
• means disposed near said chamber for supplying steam into said chamber;
• and
• means for feeding fresh air into said air circulation path;
• the improvement comprising
• air return path for connecting said lower portion to said upper portion;
• first gate means for selectively connecting said lower portion to said air return path;
• second gate means for selectively connecting said upper portion to said air return path;
• fan means for causing air current containing evaporated solvent to flow from inside of said chamber through said air return path when said first gate means connects said lower portion to said air return path;
• a pair of water cooled radiators for condensing solvent evaporated in said air current, each said radiator having a front end and a rear end, said front ends of both radiators being connected to respective entry paths, said entry paths being commonly connected through an opening path to said fan means, with a deflector means located substantially midway between said front ends of said radiators in said entry paths to enable splitting of air flow having evaporated solvent therein from said opening path into said front ends of said radiators;
• solvent collecting means;
• a pair of convection generating chambers each connected to respective rear ends of said radiators, each said convection generating chamber having an air passage area at the connection with said rear end of said radiator which is wider than an air passage area at the front end of said radiator, said convection generating chambers further comprising a bottom portion connected to said solvent collecting means;
• and
• a pair of exit paths connected to respective convection generating chambers and commonly connected to said second gate means.