PRECLEANING A LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINE

• US 3,848,436 A
• Filed: 02/23/1973
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quintin N. Rottering
• Original Assignee: Quintin N. Rottering
• Inventors: Rottering, Quintin N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US05/335,251
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12R,13R,23.5,184,207,208,181R 134/57D,58D,186
• US Class Current: 68/12.19
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only

Abstract

An optional preliminary operation in a laundry washing machine effects a precleaning or flushing of the fluid system including the fluid container, the pump, and the drain conduits to effectively remove residual vitiated fluid from the washing machine and thereby avoid intermixing of the residual fluid with the washing fluid for the succeeding washing operation.

Claims

1. In a laundry apparatus, the combination comprising:

a container for receiving and containing washing fluid, a basket disposed within said container for receiving fabrics to be washed and centrifugally rotatable for removing fluids from said fabrics;

means for washing fabrics in said basket;

pump means communicating with said container and operable for pumping vitiated washing fluid from said container;

pump drive means energizable for operating said pump means;

conduit means effectively connected to said container and communicating with said pump means for conducting said vitiated fluid from said container toward an external drain;

fluid supply means for directing water into said apparatus;

a sequence control circuit for programming said apparatus through a plurality of operations including an optional preliminary apparatus flushing operation and other operations selectable as a group to comprise a primary cycle of operations; and

control means including preselection means for selecting a primary cycle of operations and for optionally selecting said flushing operation, said control means being operable in cooperation with said sequence control circuit for initiating said flushing operation including energizing said fluid supply means and said pump drive means to effect flow of water into said apparatus and through said pump means and said conduit means toward said external drain and being further operable for initiating said primary cycle of operations at completion of said flushing operation, said sequence control circuit being cooperable with said control means responsive to selection of said primary cycle of operations and nonselection of said flushing operation for initiating said selected primary cycle of operations.

2. In a laundry apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said preselection means are manually actuated at the option of the operator of said laundry apparatus.

3. In a laundry apparatus, the combination comprising:

a container for receiving and containing washing fluid;

a perforate basket disposed within said container for receiving fabrics to be washed and centrifugally rotatable for removing fluids from said fabrics;

means for washing fabrics in said basket;

pump means communicating with said container and operable for pumping vitiated washing fluid from said container;

pump drive means energizable for operating said pump means;

conduit means effectively connected to said container and communicating with said pump means for conducting saiD vitiated fluid from said container toward an external drain and including a portion elevated above said pump means whereby residual fluid remains in said apparatus upon interruption of operation of said pump means;

fluid supply means for effecting flow of water into said container;

a sequence control circuit for programming said apparatus through a plurality of operations including an optional preliminary apparatus flushing operation and other operations selectable as a group to comprise a primary cycle of operations;

a control means including a first preselection switch for selecting a primary cycle of operations and an optionally actuatable second preselection switch for selecting said flushing operation, said control means being operable in cooperation with said sequence control circuit for initiating said flushing operation including concurrently energizing said fluid supply means and said pump drive means to effect flow of water into said container and through said pump means and said conduit means toward said external drain for rinsing said container and flushing residual vitiated fluid from said pump means and from said conduit means and being further operable for initiating said primary cycle of operations at completion of said flushing operation, said sequence control circuit being cooperable with said control means responsive to actuation of said first preselection switch and nonactuation of said second preselection switch for initiating and effecting control of said laundry apparatus through said primary cycle of operations.

4. In a laundry apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said sequence control circuit includes circuit means operable for maintaining said fluid supply means and said pump drive means energized for a predetermined period of time and then for effecting deenergization of said pump drive means to initiate said primary cycle of operations.

5. In a laundry apparatus, the combination comprising:

a container for receiving and containing washing fluid;

a perforate basket disposed within said container for receiving fabrics to be washed and centrifugally rotatable for removing fluids from said fabrics;

means for washing fabrics in said basket;

pump means communicating with said container and operable for pumping vitiated washing fluid from said container;

pump drive means energizable for operating said pump means;

conduit means effectively connected to said container and communicating with said pump means for conducting said vitiated fluid from said container;

fluid supply means for effecting flow of water into said container; and

a sequence control circuit including a sequence control timing mechanism having a first increment of control and a last increment of control, said sequence control circuit being operable for programming said apparatus through a plurality of operations beginning in said first increment and including an optional preliminary apparatus flushing operation and followed by other operations selectable as a group to comprise a primary cycle of operations terminating in said last increment; and

control means including preselection means for selecting a primary cycle of operations and for optionally selecting said flushing operation, said control means being cooperable with said sequence control circuit for initiating said flushing operation including concurrently energizing said fluid supply means and said pump drive means in said first increment to effect flow of water into said container and through said pump means and said conduit means to an external drain to rinse said container and to flush residual vitiated fluid from said pump means and from said conduit means and to deenergize said pump drive means after a predetermined time while maintaining said fluid supply means energized to initiate said primary cycle of operations, said sequence control circuit being cooperable with said control means responsive to selection of said primary cycle of operations and nonselection of said flushing operation for initiating said selected primary cycle of operations in said first increment.

6. In a laundry apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said apparatus further includes means for dispensing detergent into said washing fluid for said primary cycle of operations.

7. In a laundry apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said fluid supply means is energized in said first increment for effecting flow of water into said container and wherein said control means responsive to selection of said flushing operation is operable for concurrently energizing said pump drive means in said first increment to prevent the filling of said container whereby flushing of said apparatus is achieved and initiation of said primary cycle of operations is effectively delayed.