APPARATUS FOR SANITIZING A DOMESTIC CLOTHES WASHER

• US 3,702,069 A
• Filed: 07/01/1971
• Issued: 11/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verlos G. Sharpe
• Original Assignee: Verlos G. Sharpe
• Inventors: Sharpe, Verlos G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William I.
• Application Number:
  US05/158,681
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12R,12F,17R,17A,207,23.5,23.6,208
• US Class Current: 68/12.18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/145 ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sanitizing domestic clothes washer wherein a predetermined concentration of liquid sanitizing solution is first distributed throughout the washer and the washer'"'"''"'"'s water recirculation system, then removed from the washer but retained in the water recirculation system.

Claims

1. A clothes washing machine comprising, a rotatably mounted perforated clothes receptacle, means for effecting movement of clothes and liquid in said clothes receptacle;

an imperforate liquid receptacle substantially surrounding said clothes receptacle so as to retain liquid within said clothes receptacle, said liquid receptacle having a drain and recirculation sump formed in the bottom thereof;

a reversible rotary pump structure including first and second pumps secured along a common partition to operate together, each of said pumps having first and second openings, each of said pumps adapted to draw in liquid through its first opening and discharge it through its second opening when rotated in one direction, each of said pumps adapted to draw in liquid through its second opening and discharge it through its first opening when rotated in the opposite direction, a common reversible drive motor for said pumps, said clothes receptacle and said movement-effecting means, operation of said motor in a first direction rotating said pumps in said one direction and operating said movement-effecting means, operation of said motor in a second opposite direction rotating said pumps in said opposite direction and rotating said clothes receptacle at a centrifuging speed, first conduit means connected at one end to said first opening of said first pump and adapted to discharge from its other end into a drain, second conduit means connected at one end to said second opening of said first pump and at its other end to said sump, third conduit means connecting said sump with said first opening of said second pump and including means separating the connection thereof with said sump from the connection of said second conduit means with said sump, fourth conduit means having one end connected to said second opening of said second pump and having its other end positioned to discharge into the top of said clothes receptacle;

sealing means in said common partition to prevent the interchange of liquids between said pumps, means for supplying said liquid receptacle with predetermined full or small loads of warm water, means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of disinfectant into the predetermined load of water supplied to form a sanitizing solution, and timer means for controlling said reversible drive motor and said filling means in a sanitize cycle including sequential periods of rinse water fill, rinse agitate, rinse spin, rinse water flush and spin dry, said timer means controlling said water supply means and adapted therewith to supply a small load of warm water during said rinse water fill period and thereafter controlling said water supply means to supply a flushing load of water during said rinse water flush period, said timer means controlling said drive motor for operation in one direction while said sanitizing solution is being formed by said dispensing means to recirculate said sanitizing solution onto said clothes recepTacle and said movement-effecting means during said rinse agitate period, and said timer means controlling said drive motor for operation in the opposite direction during said periods of rinse spin, rinse water flush and spin dry to drain said sanitizing solution and said flushing load of water, said sealing means enabling said second pump to retain a portion of said sanitizing solution in said second pump after the completion of said sanitize cycle.

2. The clothes washing machine of claim 1 wherein said movement-effecting means includes an agitator in said clothes receptacle and said agitator encloses said dispensing means.

3. The clothes washing machine of claim 1 wherein said full load is 21 gallons, said small load is 10 1/2 gallons, said disinfectant is liquid chlorine bleach and said predetermined quantity thereof is 1 1/2 cups, and said flushing load is 1 gallon.