Lint filter for washing machine

Claim 2

In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation heads adapted to spray the recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation heads being oriented with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

Claim 3

In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation nozzles adapted to spray a jet of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation nozzles being oriented in a trailing jet mode with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation nozzles being oriented tangentially with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

Claim 4

In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an inlet end adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and an outlet end having a plurality of recirculation nozzles adapted to spray a jet of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation nozzles being oriented in a trailing jet mode with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, said recirculation nozzles being oriented tangentially with respect to said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

Claim 5

In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an open top and spreader adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and a plurality of open top recirculation chutes adapted to spray a stream of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, each of said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said sidewall with a declining ramp aimed generally tangentially toward said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

Claim 6

In an automatic clothes washing machine having an imperforate tub means adapted to contain a level of washing liquid, said tub means having a bottom outlet for removing washing liquid and a top access opening through which clothes may be loaded into said washing liquid, and a pump associated with said access opening and said outlet and operable for recirculating liquid to said tub means through a hose end adjacent said access opening, the improvement comprising a filter assembly for removing solid contaminants from recirculating liquid comprising a support adjacent said hose end and said access opening, spray means rotatably carried by said support downstream from said hose end, and an elongated mesh bag detachably carried by said support and surrounding said spray means, said mesh bag having sidewall and bottom wall portions adapted to be above the level of washing liquid in said tub means, said spray means having an open top and spreader adapted to receive recirculating liquid from said hose end and a plurality of open top recirculation chutes adapted to spray a stream of recirculating liquid through the sidewall of said mesh bag to remove contaminants from the recirculating liquid by depositing said contaminants on the inside of said sidewall, said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said hose end to effect the rotation of said spray means in response to recirculating liquid, each of said recirculation chutes being oriented with respect to said sidewall with a declining ramp aimed generally tangentially toward said sidewall to flush the deposited contaminants downwardly along said sidewall thereby to self-clean said sidewall of said contaminants while compacting said contaminants into a wad in the bottom wall portion of said bag for easy disposal thereof when said mesh bag is detached from said support and removed from said washing machine through said access opening.

Claim 7

The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein said support includes an upright pointed spindle and said spray means includes a downwardly opening socket loosely overfitting said spindle for rotation thereon, the socket providing a protective recess for said spindle so that accumulations of lint will not retard rotation of said spray means.