Laundry press apparatus and method

A laundry press apparatus, comprising:

• a) a frame having upper and lower plates, each plate having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• b) multiple open ended plate openings that each extend to said upper and lower surfaces:
• c) the frame including a plurality of spacer tubes that hold the plates apart, each spacer tube having a tube bore, each spacer tube having an upper end that engages the lower surface of the upper plate and a lower end that engages the upper surface of the lower plate;
• d) the frame supporting a vessel having an interior that is configured to receive a batch of wetted fabric articles therein that have been laundered;
• e) a press having an elongated ram and a disk supported at the lower end portion of the ram;
• f) wherein the disk is positioned to engage an upper surface portion of the batch of fabric articles that are contained within the vessel interior;
• g) the ram and the disk being movable between upper and lower positions, the lower position being a pressing position that engages the disk with the fabric articles;
• h) the frame including a plurality of rods that extend to the upper and lower plates and through a said plate opening, each of said rods occupying a said tube bore, each rod having upper and lower rod end portions having a larger diameter;
• i) wherein the rod upper end portion extends above the upper plate upper surface and the rod lower end extends below the lower plate lower surface;
• j) each rod having a smaller diameter central portion contained entirely within said tube bore and positioned in between said larger diameter end portions;
• k) fasteners that enable tension to be applied to each rod and wherein each tube is in compression when each rod is tensioned by said application of tension;
• and
• l) wherein each said rod has a tapered section in between the larger diameter end portion and the smaller diameter central portion, said tapered section occupying a said plate opening.

A press for pressing batches of fabric articles to remove excess fluid therefrom, comprising:

• a) a frame having upper and lower plates, each plate having a plurality of open ended plate openings;
• b) the frame supporting a vessel having an interior that is configured to receive a batch of fabric articles therein;
• c) a press having a ram and a disk supported at the lower end portion of the ram;
• d) wherein the disk is positioned to engage an upper surface portion of a said batch of articles that are contained within the vessel interior;
• e) the ram and the disk being movable between upper and lower positions, the lower position being a pressing position that engages the disk with the fabric articles, compressing the fabric articles in between the disk and the vessel;
• f) the frame including a plurality of rods and hollow tubes;
• g) wherein each tube connects to the upper and lower plates next to said plate openings, said hollow tubes spacing the upper and lower plates apart, said rods each having a smaller rod diameter central portion in between upper and lower larger diameter rod end portions that are at least partially externally threaded, each said larger diameter rod end portion having a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the rod central portion;
• h) wherein the central rod portion is spaced inwardly and away from each of the plates;
• i) a plurality of nuts that each attach to an externally threaded portion of a rod larger diameter end portion, wherein a tightening of a said nut enables a tensioning of a said rod and a compressing of a said tube;
• j) wherein each tube has a tube bore and said central rod portion is entirely contained in said tube bore;
• and
• k) each rod having a tapered section in between the central rod portion and the rod larger diameter end portion, said tapered section occupying a said open ended plate opening.

A laundry press apparatus for pressing a batch of fabric articles to remove excess fluid from the articles comprising:

• a) a frame having upper and lower plates, each plate having a plurality of plate openings;
• b) the frame supporting a vessel having a vessel bottom and side portion and an interior that is configured to contain a batch of fabric articles;
• c) a press supporting a ram having upper and lower ram end portions, the ram including a disk supported at the ram lower end portion;
• d) wherein the disk is positioned to engage the batch of articles contained within the vessel interior, wherein the disk fits inside of the vessel side portion;
• e) the ram and the disk being movable between upper and lower positions, the lower position being a pressing position that engages the disk with the fabric articles;
• f) the frame including a plurality of rods and tubes that connect to the upper and lower plates at said plate openings, the tubes spacing the upper and lower plates apart, said rods each having upper and lower end portions that are at least partially externally threaded, each with a diameter that is larger than the diameter of a central portion of said rod that is positioned in between the upper and lower plates;
• g) wherein the central portion is spaced inwardly away from each of the plates;
• h) a plurality of nuts that each attach to an externally threaded portion of a rod end portion, wherein attachment of said nuts to said rods places the rods in tension and the tubes in compression;
• i) wherein each tube has a tube bore and said central rod portion is entirely contained in said tube bore;
• and
• j) each rod having a tapered section in between the central rod portion and the rod larger diameter end portion, said tapered section occupying a said open ended plate opening.

A laundry press apparatus, comprising:

• a) a frame having upper and lower plates and a plurality of spacer tubes that hold the plates apart, each tube having a tube bore;
• b) multiple plate openings that each extend through a said plate including openings in both upper and lower plates;
• c) the frame supporting a vessel, said vessel having an interior that is configured to receive a batch of wetted fabric articles;
• d) the frame supporting a press, the press including a ram and a disk supported at the lower end portion of the ram;
• e) wherein the disk is positioned to engage an upper surface portion of the batch of articles that is contained within the vessel interior;
• f) the ram and the disk being movable between upper and lower positions, the lower position being a pressing position that engages the disk with the fabric articles;
• g) the frame including a plurality of rods that extend to the upper and lower plates, said rods occupying a said tube bore, each rod having upper and lower rod end portions;
• h) wherein the upper and lower end portions of each rod have a diameter that is larger than a diameter of a central portion of the rod that is positioned in between the upper and lower plates;
• i) fasteners are provided that apply tension to each rod and compression to each tube at a position spaced away from said central portion of the rod;
• j) wherein each tube has a tube bore and said central rod portion is entirely contained in said tube bore;
• and
• k) each rod having a tapered section in between the central rod portion and the rod larger diameter end portion, said tapered section occupying a said open ended plate opening.