Laundering system

Claim 2

A laundering and finishing system for no-iron garments collected from a number of user sources of soiled garments comprising in combination a hanging zone, a washing zone, a drying zone, and a conveyor network extending from said hanging zone through said washing and drying zones, said conveyor network adapted to support individual garments on hangers to hang loosely for washing and wrinkle-free drying in said zones, said hanging zone arranged to enable a worker to hang soiled garments from one user source at a time in serial order upon an initial conveyor of said conveyor network, and said conveyor network adapted to discharge saId garments in the same serial order so that wrinkle-free garments originating from different sources of soiled garments are not mixed said conveyor system including at least one conveyor line extending through said washing zone adapted to carry said garments with the long direction of the hangers aligned with the direction of said conveyor line, and said washing zone includes a series of successive separate spray stations through which the garments are successively conveyed including at least one wash station and one rinse station, each said spray station adapted to direct liquid spray in the transverse direction against the broad sides of the successive freely hanging garments in the manner that relative movement between garment and spray causes agitated movement of garment portions while thoroughly subjecting the garment to said spray.

Claim 3

A laundering and finishing system for no-iron garments collected from a number of user sources of soiled garments comprising in combination a hanging zone, a washing zone, a drying zone, and a conveyor network extending from said hanging zone through said washing and drying zones, said conveyor network adapted to support individual garments on hangers to hang loosely for washing and wrinkle-free drying in said zones, said hanging zone arranged to enable a worker to hang soiled garments from one user source at a time in serial order upon an initial conveyor of said conveyor network, and said conveyor network adapted to discharge said garments in the same serial order so that wrinkle-free garments originating from different sources of soiled garments are not mixed and wherein said conveyor system includes a first conveyor line extending beyond said hanging zone adapted to carry said garments oriented with the long directions of the hangers at right angles to the said conveyor line, and a second conveyor line extending through said washing zone adapted to carry said garments with the long direction of the hangers aligned with the direction of the second conveyor line, and said washing zone includes a spray zone comprising spray assemblies positioned along the broad sides of the thus-oriented garments, defining a plurality of spray stations including wash and rinse stations.

Claim 4

A laundering and finishing system for no-iron garments collected from a number of user sources of soiled garments comprising in combination a hanging zone, a washing zone, a drying zone, and a conveyor network extending from said hanging zone through said washing and drying zones, said conveyor network adapted to support individual garments on hangers to hang loosely for washing and wrinkle-free drying in said zones, said hanging zone arranged to enable a worker to hang soiled garments from one user source at a time in serial order upon an initial conveyor of said conveyor network, and said conveyor network adapted to discharge said garments in the same serial order so that wrinkle-free garments originating from different sources of soiled garments are not mixed and wherein said conveyor system includes a first conveyor line extending beyond said hanging zone adapted to carry said garments oriented with the long directions of the hangers at right angles to the said conveyor line, and a second conveyor line extending through said washing zone adapted to carry said garments with the long direction of the hangers aligned with the direction of the second conveyor line, and said washing zone includes a spray zone comprising spray assemblies positioned along the broad sides of the thus-oriented garments, defining a plurality of spray stations including wash and rinse stations.

Claim 5

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein the last spray station through which the garments are successively conveyed is a fresh water rinse.

Claim 6

The laundering system of claim 2 wherein said second conveyor line and said spray assemblies are cooperatively arranged to provide relative movement between the water spray assemblies and the garments during washing.

Claim 7

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein said spray stations comprise spray assemblies mounted to rotate in a plane that extends generally parallel to the plane of the garment while spraying said garment.

Claim 8

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein each said spray station comprises a plurality of parallel spray lines.

Claim 9

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein a said spray station comprises a plurality of nozzles arranged to provide overlapping spray zones sized to cover completely the exposed surfaces of said garment.

Claim 10

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein said conveyor line includes timing means for stopping said garment adjacent a spray station for a predetermined spraying time.

Claim 11

The laundering system of claim 8 wherein said predetermined spraying time is in the order of 60 seconds or less.

Claim 12

The laundering system of claim 1 wherein a said spray station comprises spray assemblies, one said spray assembly is mounted on each of the two broad sides of said garment for simultaneous action thereupon, said assemblies being arranged at least partially opposed to one another.

Claim 13

The laundering system of claim 2 wherein said second conveyor line comprises multiple parallel conveyors, defining separate routes through said washing zone, divider means for dividing the garments in the preceding first conveyor line into said multiple conveyor lines, a single third cOnveyor line beyond said washing zone, and merger means following said washing zone for merging the garments onto said third conveyor line in order identical to that of said first conveyor line.

Claim 14

The laundering system of claim 11 wherein said washing zone also includes a soaking zone preceding said divider means, said soaking zone serving all of said parallel routes through said spray zone.

Claim 15

The laundering system of claim 11 wherein said drying zone follows said merger means, said drying zone serving all of said parallel routes through said spray zone.

Claim 16

A laundering and finishing system for no-iron garments collected from a number of user sources of soiled garments comprising in combination a hanging zone, a washing zone, comprising a spray zone having water spray assemblies, a drying zone, and a conveyor network extending from said hanging station through said washing and drying zones, said conveyor network adapted to support individual garments on hangers to hang loosely for washing and wrinkle-free drying in said zones, said hanging zone arranged to enable a worker to hang soiled garments from one user source at a time in serial order upon an initial conveyor of said conveyor network, and said conveyor network adapted to discharge said garments in the same serial order so that garments originating from different sources of soiled garments are not mixed, and said laundering system adapted to vary the spacing of said garments on said conveyor network as said garments proceed through said system, including maintaining the garments close together in a stage preceding said washing zone, and separating said garments further apart along the direction of travel during said spray zone to enable relative movement between the garment and said water spray assemblies, said spray assemblies comprising a series of successive separate spray stations through which the garments are successively conveyed including at least one wash station and one rinse station, each said spray station adapted to direct liquid spray in the transverse direction against the broad sides of the successive freely hanging garments in the manner that relative movement between garment and spray causes agitated movement of garment portions while thoroughly subjecting the garment to said spray.

Claim 17

A laundering and finishing system for no-iron garments collected from a number of user sources of soiled garments comprising in combination a hanging zone, a washing zone, comprising a spray zone having water spray assemblies, a drying zone, and a conveyor network extending from said hanging station through said washing and drying zones, said conveyor network adapted to support individual garments on hangers to hang loosely for washing and wrinkle-free drying in said zones, said hanging zone arranged to enable a worker to hang soiled garments from one user source at a time in serial order upon an initial conveyor of said conveyor network, and said conveyor network adapted to discharge said garments in the same serial order so that garments originating from different sources of soiled garments are not mixed, and said laundering system adapted to vary the spacing of said garments on said conveyor network as said garments proceed through said system, including maintaining the garments close together in a stage preceding said washing zone, and separating said garments further apart along the direction of travel during said spray zone to enable relative movement between the garment and said water spray assemblies, said spray assemblies comprising a series of successive separate spray stations through which the garments are successively conveyed including at least one wash station and one rinse station, each said spray station adapted to direct liquid spray in the transverse direction against the broad sides of the successive freely hanging garments in the manner that relative movement between garment and spray causes agitated movement of garment portions while thoroughly subjecting the garment to said spray.

Claim 18

The laundering system of claim 14 including a prespotting zone between said hanging zone and said washing zone for applying a spot-loosening solution to spots on hanging garments, and a delaying zone allowing said spot-loosening solution to act upon said spots.

Claim 19

The laundering system of claim 14 wherein said washing zone includes a soak zone preceding the washing zone for subjection of the garments to a soaking solution, and means for maintaining successive hanging garments with their broad surfaces closely adjacent one another as they proceed through said soak zone.

Claim 20

The laundry apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said spray stations include spray nozzles on both broad sides of the garment, said spray nozzles being offset from alignment with each other to influence said agitated movement.

Claim 21

The laundry system of claim 1 characterized in that the conveyor is adapted to move relative to said spray stations while said sprays are activated to provide at least one component of said relative motion with reference to said spray.

Claim 22

The laundry system of claim 1 characterized in that said spray stations include nozzles which rotate in at least one direction to progressively vary the spray coverage of the broad side of the garment.

Claim 23

The laundry system of claim 1 characterized in that said plurality of stations includes a plurality of detergent spray stations and a plurality of rinse stations including a final clean rinse station.

Claim 24

The laundry system according to claim 1 characterized in that a soak zone precedes said washing spray stations.

Claim 25

The laundering system of claim 1 characterized in that said conveyor through said washing spray stations compriSes multiple parallel conveyors, defining separate lanes through said spray stations, divider means for dividing the garments in a preceding first conveyor line into said multiple conveyor lanes, a single third conveyor line beyond said washing spray stations, and merger means for merging the garments onto said third conveyor line in order identical to that of said first conveyor line.

Claim 26

The laundering system of claim 22 characterized in that a soaking zone precedes said divider means, said soaking zone serving all of said parallel lanes through said washing spray zone.

Claim 27

The laundering system of claim 22 characterized in that said drying zone follows said merger means, said drying zone serving all of said parallel lanes through said spray zone.