EP0284554A1 - Washing method and tunnel type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing machine has a prewash chamber (1), a clear wash chamber (2) and a rinse chamber (3) in a tube (4). The chambers are separated from one another by partitions (5, 6) with transfer openings. During the successive transfer of the laundry from one chamber (1, 2, 3) to the next defined cycle time, the rinse water is exchanged several times in the rinse chamber (3). The first rinse water is collected in a tank (47) and heated to the clear wash temperature during the cycle time. Before the end of the cycle, the prewash liquor is drained from the chamber (1) and the hot clear wash water is poured into the chamber (1). The pre-washed laundry arrives at the end of the cycle, together with the rinse wash liquor, in the rinse chamber (2). This can be heated via a steam connection (43). This training achieves a compact design. The machine enables an extremely varied program design.

Description

A washing method according to the preamble of claim 1 and an associated washing machine is known from EP patent 88,052. This continuous-flow washing machine has five chambers separated from one another by dividing walls with transfer openings. The transfer openings are all arranged on the same tube side and are formed by helical surfaces, each of which connects one chamber wall with the adjacent one and extends as far as the tube wall. In operation, the transfer openings are at the top during a wash cycle and the tube swings back and forth about its longitudinal axis by, for example, 315 °. At the end of the cycle, the tube also makes a full revolution, so that the items of laundry reach the next chamber through the transfer openings. After the last rinsing process in the last rinsing chamber, the clean laundry is emptied into a dewatering device, for example a centrifuge or a press. The dirty laundry is poured into a funnel at the front end of the prewash chamber and washed in with the prewash water at the beginning of the wash cycle.

In the washing machine according to EP patent 88'052, the number of compartments required compared to older continuous washing machines could be reduced by exchanging the washing water in the two washing compartments after half the cycle time. This washing machine has proven itself very well. However, it still takes up a lot of space.

Another continuous washing machine is known from US Pat. No. 4,546,511. This has two prewash chambers, six main wash chambers and four rinse chambers. The rinsing water passes through the rinsing chambers in the opposite direction of the laundry. From the first rinsing chamber, the rinsing water reaches a first tank and from there via an overflow to a second, heated tank. In this it is heated up with steam and pumped into the last clear wash chamber. The water also flows through the clear wash chambers in counterflow to the laundry. One of the chambers can be heated with steam. The water is finally led from the first clear wash chamber to a drain via heat exchangers. The prewash water can be heated via these heat exchangers. The pre-wash water is used to wash the dirty laundry over a slide. Because of the many chambers, this machine is very large. A lot of heat is lost by mixing the different rinsing water. The machine is relatively cumbersome to adapt to other process controls.

A similar, however less mature proposal without a heat exchanger and tank heating is contained in DE-OS 2 226 373.

From CH-PS 443 208 it is known to heat a chamber with steam in a continuous washing machine.

A centrifuge for a continuous washing machine is known from EP-A 83 302, which has also proven very useful. The centrifuge housing can be pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis at its upper front end. In the pivoted position, the drum unloads at a low speed through a funnel arranged below it onto a conveyor belt. This solution requires a relatively large height and length.

DE-OS 2 424 231 describes a loading trolley for a drum washing machine. Two almost airtight containers are attached to one another and attached to a frame. The upper edge is cut off perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the car. Using a lifting device, the loading trolley can be swiveled up while the washing machine is at a standstill and the door is open, so that its upper edge encloses the drum inlet opening. Compressed air is now blown in between the two containers so that the inner one turns into the washing drum inversely and thus emptied its contents into the drum. This type of loading is not suitable for continuous washing machines because loading is only possible when the drum is at a standstill.

The present invention has for its object to provide a washing method and a continuous washing machine with which the space requirement can be reduced. The machine should be as compact as possible. This object is solved by the characterizing features of the claims.

Because the clear wash chamber can be heated directly in the construction of the machine according to the invention, it is possible to carry out the whole clear wash process in a single chamber. Since at the start of the cycle, the laundry including the preheated rinse aid is transported to the rinse chamber, the entire cycle length can be used for the rinse process and the temperature can be controlled over the entire cycle time. Thereby the thermal disinfection of the laundry can be achieved with a cycle time of eg 14 minutes at 95 ° C. This cycle time is sufficient for the rinsing water in the single rinsing chamber change three times to achieve four rinse cycles. The machine according to the invention therefore only requires three chambers, so that it can be made considerably more compact than the known machines. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing.

• Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht einer Waschmaschine,
• Fig. 2 die Zentrifuge in angehobener Stellung,
• Fig. 3 ein Schaltbild,
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt durch eine Schleuse, und
• Fig. 5 einen Shnitt durch eine weitere Schleuse.

It shows:

• 1 is a side view of a washing machine,
• 2 the centrifuge in the raised position,
• 3 is a circuit diagram;
• Fig. 4 shows a section through a lock, and
• 5 shows a section through a further lock.

The continuous washing machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises a tube 4 with three chambers 1, 2, 3, namely a prewash chamber 1, a clear wash chamber 2 and a rinsing chamber 3. The chambers 1, 2, 3 are separated from one another by partitions 5, 6. The walls 5, 6 have on one side of the tube 4 transfer openings, not shown, which extend to the tube wall. The prewash chamber 1 has a coaxial on at the inlet end Step opening 7. At the outlet end, in a further section 8 of the tube 4, the washing chamber 3 is connected to a conveyor helix (not shown) which conveys the clean laundry into a centrifuge 10 via an outlet funnel 9.

On the tube 4, two races 14, 15 are attached. The ring 14 runs on two support rollers 18 driven by a reversible motor 16 via toothed belts 17. The ring 15 is also supported on support rollers (not shown) and is guided axially by guide rollers 19. The chambers 1 and 3 each have a lock 23 on the outer circumference of the tube 4 (FIG. 4). The lock 23 consists of two rings 24 welded onto the outer circumference of the tube 4 at a distance from one another and two rubber beads 26 fastened to one another on the rings 24 with clips 25, the free lips 27 of which are directed towards the tube 4. The pipe 4 has through-bores 28 between the rings 24 via a segment, so that the chambers 1, 3 communicate with the space 29 enclosed by the pipe 4, the rings 24 and the beads 26. A pneumatic cylinder group 30 is arranged on the underside of each of the chambers 1, 3. The piston rods each carry a finger 31 spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the tube 4. When the cylinders 30 are actuated, the fingers 31 engage between the lips 27 and spread them apart, so that the chambers 1, 3 pass through the spaces between them the fingers 31 are emptied. Above the water level, a hollow sword 32, which is wedge-shaped on both sides, is inserted between the lips 27, via which water, liquid detergent or a neutralizing agent can be introduced into the chambers 1, 3. The chamber 2 also has a lock 36, which, however, is designed differently (FIG. 5). A ring 37, which is held stationary with respect to the machine housing, is guided coaxially to the tube 4 via several rollers, not shown. Two ring beads 39 made of rubber are fastened to the ring 37 with clips 38. Their mutually facing free lips 40 rest on the tube 4. The space 41 enclosed by the tube 4, the ring 37 and the beads 39 in turn communicates with the chamber 2 via through bores 28. A connector 42 with a steam connection 43 is welded to the ring 37. Steam can be blown into the space 41 via the connection 43 and thus the chamber 2 can be heated. Further connections, for example for a water level indicator or for the addition of detergent, can be attached to the ring 37.

Two tanks 47, 48 for storing rinsing water are arranged below the tube 4. Both tanks 47, 48 can be heated with steam and can be emptied into a drain via one valve 49 each. A channel 50 is arranged under the fingers 31 at the lock 23 of the chamber 3, which channel the rinsing water which passes through when the lock 23 is opened to the tanks 47, 48 or passes into a process 51. Two flaps 52, 53 at the bottom of the canal control the water flow. If both flaps 52, 53 are at the bottom, the rinse water gets into the tank 47. If the flap 52 is raised, it gets into the outlet 51. When the flap 53 is raised, the rinse water is introduced into the tank 48.

The centrifuge 10 has a drum 58 which is elastically mounted in a housing 57 and has an axial opening 59 which, in the basic position shown in FIG. 1, is adjacent to the outlet opening of the discharge funnel 9. In this position, the drum axis is tilted backwards and downwards. Drum 58 is driven by a speed controlled motor. The housing 57 is fastened on both sides to the free ends of two swivel levers 60, 61 of different lengths. The housing 57 can be swiveled up into the upper limit position shown in FIG. 2 by means of two pneumatic cylinders 62. As a result, the centrifuge 10 is raised and, at the same time, the drum axis is tilted forward downward, so that the drum contents are discharged through the opening 59 onto a slide plate 66 at a low drum speed.

The sliding plate 66 is inclined slightly upwards towards the outlet end and is slightly V-shaped in cross section. It is perforated at its end facing the tube 4. Under the dispensing funnel 9 is one of the in the basic position Plate 66 slide plate 67 projecting vertically upwards. This is attached to a chain 68 on both sides. The two chains 68 are moved synchronously via sprockets 69. The sprockets 69 sit on a common drive shaft 70. Via a motor (not shown), the slide plate 67 can move from the basic position shown in solid lines to the end position shown in dash-dotted lines and thus the laundry on the plate 66 can be pushed out onto a conveyor belt 71. This type of unloading of the centrifuge enables a compact design and is extremely simple and quick, so that the unloading process takes only little time. This means that the cycle time can largely be used for spinning. The push-out device described is also suitable for other washing machines with a connected centrifuge.

A further tank 77 is arranged below the perforated area of the plate 66 and collects the last rinsing water which emerges from the dispensing funnel 9 when the laundry is changed and is ejected by the centrifuge 10. The tank 77 is also connected to the drain via a further drain valve 49.

A loading device 84 comprising a loading container 85 and a lifting device 86 is used to load the prewash chamber 1. Four steering rollers 88 are fastened to the bottom 87 of the container 85. The top edge 89 of the cylin The wall 90 of the container 85 is cut at an angle to the bottom 87. A channel 91 extends diagonally across the bottom 87. This opens into the container 85 on the longer wall side and in a funnel 92 open to the outside on the opposite side. Two handles 93 are attached to the wall 90. In the lowered position of a pivot lever 94, these handles can be inserted into slots 95 of a U-shaped support 96 welded to the lever 94. By pivoting the lever 94 by means of a pneumatic cylinder 97, the container 85 reaches the position shown in FIG. 1, in which it projects into the inlet opening 7 with the lower part of the edge 89. The mouth of a water supply pipe 98 is flush with the funnel 92. The laundry contained in the container 85 is then flushed into the chamber 1 by water via the pipe 98, the funnel 92 and the channel 91. When the container 85 is lowered, the inlet opening 7 is closed by a cover, not shown

As shown in FIG. 3, a fresh water supply line 105 is connected via a valve 106, 107, 108, 109 to the sword 32 of the chamber 3, to the tanks 47, 48 and to the pipe 98. The tanks 47, 48 each feed a pump 110, 111, the outlet of which is connected to the sword 32 of the chamber 1. A steam feed line 113 feeds three steam valves 114, 115, 116. These are connected to the steam connection 43 and two tanks 47, 48 connected. The contents of the tank 77 can be fed to the sword 32 of the chamber 3 via a pump 117. At most, a hot water connection 118 can be connected to this sword 32 with a further valve 119. An overflow 120 can be provided between the tanks 47, 48.

The washing machine described works as follows:

At the end of a work cycle, i.e. when the tube 4 has been rotated an entire revolution, the prewash chamber 1 is empty, the rinse chamber 2 is loaded with the prewashed laundry together with the rinse water, and the rinsing chamber 3 contains the clearly washed laundry together with the wash liquor. The tube 4 swings back and forth. The container 85 with the dry dirty laundry is in the raised position according to FIG. 1. The tank 47 is empty and in the tank 48 there is the second and part of the third rinse water from the previous cycle. The tank 77 contains the last rinse water of the previous cycle.

At the beginning of the new cycle, the valve 109 is opened and the laundry from the container 85 is rinsed into the chamber 1 with fresh water. At the same time, the pump 111 is switched on and the contents of the tank 48 are pumped into the chamber 1 via the sword 32 using the pump 111. The dirty laundry is then prewashed in chamber 1. The chamber 2 is over the Ven til 114 and connection 43 heated with steam. In the chamber 3, the rinsing wash liquor is first drained into the drain 51 by inserting the fingers 31, the flap 53 being at the bottom and the flap 52 being at the top in the illustration according to FIG. 1. As soon as the chamber 3 is empty, it is filled with the last rinse water from the previous cycle by means of the pump 117 via the sword 32 from the tank 77. After about a quarter of the cycle time, this first, approximately 45 ° C. warm rinsing water is passed through the channel 50 into the tank 47 by inserting the fingers 31, both flaps 52, 53 being at the bottom in the illustration in FIG. 1. In tank 47, this first rinse water is heated to almost 95 ° by opening valve 115. As soon as the first rinsing water has run out, the fingers 31 are withdrawn and the rest of the contents of the tank 77 are pumped into the chamber 3 by means of the pump 117. Any water that is additionally required is supplied by opening valve 106. After about half the cycle time, the second rinse water is emptied from the chamber 3 into the tank 48, the flap 53 (FIG. 1) being at the top here. Fresh water is then fed into chamber 3 for the third rinse via valve 106. Depending on the desired prewash temperature, the chamber 48 can be heated by opening the steam valve 116. After about 3/4 of the cycle time, the fingers 31 of the chamber 1 are actuated and the prewash liquor is drained into the drain 51. The chamber 1 by switching on the pump 110 with the clear wash water preheated to the clear wash temperature. At the same time, the third rinse water also enters tank 48 by inserting the fingers 31 of the chamber 3. Any excess either flows via the overflow 120 into the tank 47 or is passed into the outlet 51 by lowering the flap 53 and lifting the flap 52. For the fourth rinse, fresh water is again introduced into the chamber 3 via the valve 106. At the end of the cycle, the tube 4 is rotated a full turn, with which the initial state is reached and the finished laundry, together with the last rinsing water, reaches the centrifuge 10 from the chamber 3 via the discharge funnel 9. The last rinse water thus fills the tank 77. During the next cycle, the laundry is spun in the centrifuge 10 and finally unloaded and removed by lifting the centrifuge 10 onto the plate 66. In the course of the cycle, the pivot lever 94 was also lowered and a filled container 85 was inserted and raised.

In the case of mixed fabrics, it is desirable to cool the liquor slowly after washing it thoroughly. This can be achieved by opening the lock 23 of the chamber 3 with the fingers 31 only intermittently at the beginning of the cycle and at the same time intermittently supplying water with the pump 117. However, it is also possible to heat the first rinse water by opening valve 119.

If a different type of batch is to be washed, the tanks 47, 48, 77 are previously emptied via the valves 49 and then the tanks 47, 48 are refilled via the valves 108, 107. If fresh water is to be used for all rinses, the drain valve 49 of the tank 77 remains open and the rinsing chamber 3 is fed exclusively via the valves 106, 119.

The machine described is extremely versatile in terms of program design. The number of rinses can be chosen relatively freely. Because the clear wash water can be preheated in tank 47, the clear wash process can already be started in chamber 1 at any time within the cycle. This makes it possible to reduce the cycle time if only a little prewashing is required. Heating the clear wash chamber 2 via the lock 36 with steam enables a rapidly effective temperature control. Because the tank 77 is only connected to the washing pipe 4 via the pump 117, an effective partitioning of the area from clean laundry from the area of dirty laundry is possible.

The loading device 84 shown and described can also be used for other washing machines. It enables a considerably shorter design because the inclined conveyor belts that are otherwise required to lift the laundry into the hopper are eliminated. In addition, the provision of dirty laundry in batches is greatly simplified.

Claims (10)

1. A method for washing laundry in a continuous washing machine comprising a tube (4) divided by partitions (5, 6) with transfer openings into a prewash chamber (1), a final wash chamber (2) and a rinse chamber (3), a loading device (84) for introducing laundry into the prewash chamber (1) and a drainage device (10) connected to the rinse chamber (3), wherein in the rinse chamber (3) within the by successive transfer of the laundry from one chamber (1, 2, 3) the next defined cycle time, the rinse water is changed, characterized in that the rinse water in the same, single rinse chamber (3) is exchanged several times within the cycle time, that during the cycle time the rinse water in the single rinse chamber (2) is heated, and that before At the end of the cycle, the prewash liquor is drained into the single prewash chamber (1) and the preheated new wash water is introduced into the prewash chamber (1). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least the first rinse water is collected in a tank (47) and reused as clear wash water, characterized in that the water in the tank (47) is heated during the cycle time. 3. continuous washing machine for performing the method according to claim 2, characterized in that the tube (4) contains only the only prewash chamber (1), the only clear wash chamber (2) and the only rinse chamber (3) that the prewash chamber (1) one first lock (23), the clear wash chamber (2) has a second lock (36) and the rinsing chamber (3) has a third lock (23) such that the clear wash chamber (2) can be heated via the second lock (36) that the prewash chamber (1) can be emptied into a drain (51) via the first lock (23) such that the rinsing chamber (3) can be selectively fed into the heatable tank (47) and into a further water absorption member (48, 51) via the third lock (23). can be emptied and filled via a feed element (32), and that the prewash chamber (1) can be filled from the tank (47). 4. Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the further receiving member consists of a second tank (48) for receiving the second and third rinsing water and an outlet connection (51), and that the content of the second tank (48) in the prewash chamber ( 1) can be filled. 5. Machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the second tank (48) is heatable. 6. Machine according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that a third tank (77) is arranged below the dewatering device (10) for receiving the last rinsing water, which by means of a pump (117) with the supply member (32) third lock (23) connected and can be emptied via a drain (51). 7. Machine according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the dewatering device (10) is designed as a centrifuge, with a drum (58) which can be rotated in a liftable and tiltable housing (57), that underneath the housing (57) Slide plate (66) is arranged, and that a slide (67) for pushing out the laundry on a conveyor belt can be moved over the slide plate (66). 8. Machine according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the loading device (84) comprises a liftable and tiltable laundry container (85) with a wall (90), the upper edge (89) of which is cut off at an angle to the floor (87) , and that a channel (91) running diagonally across the bottom (87) is open on the longer side of the wall (90) towards the inside of the container and on the shorter side of the wall (90) into an outwardly open funnel (92) opens, the funnel (92) in the raised position of the container (85) being aligned with the mouth of a water supply pipe (98). 9. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that on the bottom (87) of the container (85) rollers (88) are fixed, and that the container (85) releasably with a swivel arm (94) for lifting and tilting the container (85 ) connected is. 10. Machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the water supply pipe (98) via a further valve (109) is connected to a fresh water supply line (105), and that the clear wash water via a further supply member (32) through the first lock ( 23) can be filled into the prewash chamber (1).

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