Textiles: fluid treating apparatus – Machines – Plural fluid treating machines
Patent
1994-10-06
1996-10-15
Coe, Philip R.
Textiles: fluid treating apparatus
Machines
Plural fluid treating machines
68140, D06F 3100, D06F 3722
Patent
active
055642926
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a washing machine having at least one drum arranged to rotate around a spindle axis, and bearings serving to absorb radial and axial forces generated by movement of the drum.
Background of the Invention
Similar machines (U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,046, Austria 335 956 and German Printed Publication 30 27 382, for example), have long been available and are operated in single, double or tandem load mode of operation. These known washing machines are used particularly in commercial (large) washers and in hospitals, are used for large volumes of wash, and incorporate a plurality of drums arranged to rotate sequentially in series. The machines are subdivided into separate chambers for bleaching, pre-washing, main washing and rinsing of loads of wash. A 360-degree rotation of the drum is required for the passage of loads of wash through the individual, separate chambers. Each load of wash is carried through chutes into the next sequential drum. The drums are either standing still or being swivelled back and forth. To lengthen the washing time of a load of wash within one chamber, a plurality of drums instead of only one drum, can form one chamber.
All of the drums are tightly connected with one another and can be swiveled or rotated around one common spindle (rotary) axis. Bearings are present at the ends of the washing machine, as well as between the individual chambers which are formed of the drum or drums. The bearings together absorb the axial and radial forces. Beyond that, the individual drums have flexible walls on the front, loading end facing inward in the form of diaphragm walls. The flexible walls absorb the charges which occur so that the individual drum axes do not collapse with the relevant spindles because of imprecision or inaccuracy during assembly of the machine. Despite these additional compensatory measures, during movement of the drums, the same sort of wobbling of the drums still occurs, because of the weight shift occurring within the drums during movement of the wash load. As a result of the forces generated from this movement, the traditional bearings wear down rapidly. At this point still nothing is changed, even when roller bearings of highly wear-resistant special synthetic resins are used. Such bearings are of low maintenance in and of themselves. The surfaces of the annular bearings of the drum are made of extra strong high quality alloy steel. Because of the failure of the bearing arrangements in known washing machines, a great deal of down time for the entire washing installation and costly and time-intensive maintenance projects are required. Until this time generally, commercial washing machines have not been very successful commercially.
A swivel which is rotatable around a spindle is known from Austrian Patent 335 956. The swivel ends have two rollers provided with pinions which rotate the washing drum from the pivot point of the swivel outward by means of a drive mechanism. This swivel unit for swiveling the drum incorporates no bearing or support function, but is only intended to drive only individual drum segments of the entire drum installation independently from one another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the present invention involving providing a washing machine which avoids the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional machines, and which as long lasting bearings.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by a washing machine, comprising at least one drum mounted for rotation about a spindle axis, and bearings supporting the drum to absorb axial and radial forces generated by movement of the drum. Each bearing includes a swivel pivotally mounted about a swivel axis and at least one first roller rotatably mounted on the swivel. Tipping means are on each bearing, for pivoting the bearing about a tipping axis transverse to the swivel axis.
The foregoing objects are also basically obtained by a washing machine, comprising at least one drum mounted for rotation about a spindle, and bearings supporting the drum t
REFERENCES:
patent: 694565 (1902-03-01), Mason
patent: 2269700 (1942-01-01), Treshow
patent: 2884287 (1959-04-01), Sommer
patent: 3995458 (1976-12-01), Grunewald et al.
patent: 4020659 (1977-05-01), Bhavsar
patent: 4236393 (1980-12-01), Katzfey
patent: 4522046 (1985-06-01), Dreher
patent: 4856302 (1989-08-01), Eck
patent: 5211039 (1993-05-01), Pellerin
Bowe-Passat Reinigungs-Und Waschereitechnik GmbH
Coe Philip R.
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