PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL OF THE INJECTION OF ADDITIVES IN A LAUNDERING OPERATION

• US 3,771,333 A
• Filed: 07/25/1972
• Issued: 11/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ojars Jurjans
• Original Assignee: Ojars Jurjans
• Inventors: Jurjans, Ojars
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US05/275,043
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12R,17R,207 137/624.18,624.19,624.20 222/70,135,144.5
• US Class Current: 68/12.18
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86445 Plural, sequential, valve actuations

Abstract

Additives used in a laundering operation are automatically injected into the wash load by the use of a programmed electropneumatic system. An electrical oscillator means operated by a program timer is used to control the cyclical opening and closing of a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve functions to control the application and relief of pneumatic pressure to a plurality of additive pneumatic metering pumps, and additional solenoid valves also operated by the program timer determine which of the metering pumps are actuated by the cyclical pneumatic pressure pulses obtained from said cyclically operating valve.

Claims

1. A system for injecting additive materials into the wash load of an automatic washing machine, comprising a program timer operating in relation to the several stages of operation in the wash program of the machine, said timer including a plurality of electrical contacts means and means for closing said electrical contact means selectively and for predetermined periods of time, a plurality of containers for additives, a metering pump associated with each of said containers and related to a respective one of said contact means, cycling means for driving said pumps, means for selectively coupling said cycling means to one or more of said pumps, means for coupling all of said contact means to said cycling means for activating said cycling means upon the closure of any one of said contact means, means for coupling each of said contact means to said selective coupling means to selectively control the coupling of said cycling means to said pumps in accordance with the closure of respective contact means.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said program timer also controls the operational program of the washing machine.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cycling means comprises an electrical oscillator means.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said oscillator means includes an oscillator and a binary frequency divider driven by said oscillator.

5. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said cycling means includes a valve that is opened and closed in response to the output of said oscillator means.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said selective coupling means comprises a valve for each of said metering pumps controlled by a respective one of said contact means.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6, and further including a source of fluid under pressure, means coupling said source to the first-mentioned valve, and means coupling said first-mentioned valve to all of the second-mentioned valves.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein all said valves are solenoid valves.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said oscillator means includes an oscillator and a binary frequency divider driven by said oscillator.

10. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cycling means includes a valve that opens and closes cyclically when activated.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said selective coupling means comprises a valve for each of said metering pumps controlled by a respective one of said contact means.

12. A system as set forth in claiM 11, and further including a source of fluid under pressure, means coupling said source to the first-mentioned valve, and means coupling said first-mentioned valve to all of the second-mentioned valves.