US3823823A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cleaning system and method
Assignee: F W Means & Co us
•
Filing: 1972-04-04
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Granted: 1974-07-16
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Expires: 1992-04-04
Abstract
Abstract A cleaning system and method includes a screen for removing lint and other large solids from cleaning solvents. The dirty solvent is discharged from the cleaning receptacle at a location spaced from the screen and the lint and other solids accumulate upon the screen while the solvent passes through the screen where it is collected in a sump. At least a portion of the solvent in the sump is returned to the cleaning receptacle and control means controls the discharge rate of the solvent from the receptacle, either in response to the liquid level in the sump or to the flow rate of the liquid being returned to the receptacle, to maintain the solvent in the sump out of contact with the screen. Periodically the lint which has accumulated on the screen is scraped from the screen and discharged by way of a trash conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 H Dokter
- 👤 R Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:14
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D29/00; B01D29/88; B01D29/92; B01D29/01; B01D29/62; B01D29/64; B01D29/6469; B01D29/6476; B01D29/6484
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
28 words
In the system of claim 1, wherein said cleaning solvent is discharged from said discharge means onto said screen means at a location spaced above said screen means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
In the system of claim 1, wherein said discharge means for removing cleaning solvent comprises sump means, said control means maintaining the level in said sump means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
In the system of claim 3, wherein said control means comprises float valve means responsive to the level of cleaning solvent in said sump to control the flow of cleaning solvent through said discharge means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
In the system of claim 1, including sump means and second discharge means communicating said sump means with said receptacle for returning cleaning solvent to said receptacle, and means to control the rate that said cleaning solvent is discharged to said screen means such that it is greater than the rate that said clEaning solvent is returned to said receptacle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
In the system of claim 5 wherein said control means includes means capable of stopping the flow through the discharge means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
In the system of claim 1, including screen cleaning means for removing lint and other large solids which have accumulated on said screen means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
In the system of claim 7 wherein said screen cleaning means comprises means which moves the accumulated lint and other large solids to an edge of said screen means, and collecting means for removing the lint and other large solids from said edge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
In the system of claim 7 wherein said screen means comprises a stationary flat perforated member having a planar surface facing said discharge means, and said screen cleaning means comprises scraping means movable across said planar surface to at least periodically remove accumulated lint and other large solids from said surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
In the system of claim 7 wherein said screen means is circular and said screen cleaning means rotates relative to said circular screen means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
In the system of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises sump means, conduit means for removing solvent from said sump means and returning said solvent to said receptacle at a predetermined maximum flow rate, and wherein said control means controls the discharge rate of said solvent from said receptacle such that said discharge rate is greater than said predetermined maximum flow rate when said solvent is being discharged to said screen means, but to maintain the solvent level in said sump means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
In the system of claim 11 including filter means in said conduit means between said sump means and said receptacle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
In the system of claim 11 wherein said control means initiates discharge of said solvent from said receptacle when the level of the solvent in said sump is at a predetermined minimum level and stops said discharge when the level of the solvent in said sump is at a predetermined maximum level at which maximum level the solvent is out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of removing lint and other large solids from the cleaning solvent of an article cleaning system, comprising the steps of: discharging at least a portion of the cleaning solvent from the cleaning receptacle upon screen means and at a location spaced from said screen means, flowing the discharged solvent through said screen means while retaining the lint and other large solids on said screen means, removing the cleaning solvent which flows through said screen means from said screen means, and controlling the rate at which the cleaning solvent is discharged upon the screen means from the receptacle in response to the level and flow rate of the solvent which has flowed through said screen means to continuously maintain the cleaning solvent which is removed from said screen means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 14 including at least periodically removing the lint and other large solids from said screen means by moving said lint and other large solids across said screen means, and collecting the removed lint and other large solids at a location spaced from the portion of said screen means upon which said cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the solvent which is removed from said screen means is collected in a sump, and the rate at which the cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle is controlled in response to the level of solvent collected in said sump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 14 including returning at least a portion of the cleaning solvent which passes through said screen means to said receptacle, and wherein the rate at which the cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle when it is being discharged is greater than the maximum rate at which said solvent is returned to said receptacle, whereby the amount of solvent in the recePtacle varies.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the solvent which is removed from said screen means is collected in a sump, and wherein said cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle in response to the level of solvent in said sump, and said solvent in said sump is returned to said receptacle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said cleaning solvent is periodically discharged from said receptacle to said screen means and a portion of the solvent is continuously returned from said sump to said receptacle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 14 including forming a ring of lint and other large solids on the screen means about the location that the cleaning solvent is discharged upon said screen means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
129 words
In a cleaning system, an article cleaning receptacle adapted to clean articles with a cleaning solvent contained therein, screen means for removing lint and other large solids from the cleaning solvent, discharge means on said receptacle for discharging said cleaning solvent from said receptacle onto said screen means, receiving means including an outlet for receiving cleaning solvent from which said lint and other large solids have been removed from said screen means, and control means controlling the flow of said cleaning solvent through said discharge means in response to the flow rate from said receiving means of the solvent from which said lint has been removed to continuously maintain the solvent from which said lint and other large solids have been removed out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
In the system of claim 21, wherein said cleaning solvent is discharged from said discharge means onto said screen means at a location spaced above said screen means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
In the system of claim 21, wherein said receiving means for removing cleaning solvent comprises sump means, said control means maintaining the level in said sump means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
In the system of claim 21, including sump means and second discharge means communicating said sump means with said receptacle for returning cleaning solvent to said receptacle, and means to control the rate that said cleaning solvent is discharged to said screen means such that it is greater than the rate that said cleaning solvent is returned to said receptacle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
In the system of claim 24 wherein said control means includes means capable of stopping the flow through the discharge means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
In the system of claim 21, including screen cleaning means for removing lint and other large solids which have accumulated on said screen means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
In the system of claim 26 wherein said screen cleaning means comprises means which moves the accumulated lint and other large solids to an edge of said screen means, and collecting means for removing the lint and other large solids from said edge.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
In the system of claim 26 wherein said screen means comprises a stationary flat perforated member having a planar surface facing said discharge means, and said screen cleaning means comprises scraping means movable across said planar surface to at least periodically remove accumulated lint and other large solids from said surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
In the system of claim 26 wherein said screen means is circular and said screen cleaning means rotates relative to said circular screen means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
90 words
In the system of claim 21 wherein said receiving means comprises sump means, conduit means for removing solvent from said sump means and returning said solvent to said receptacle at a predetermined maximum flow rate, and wherein said control means controls the discharge rate of said solvent from said receptacle such that said discharge rate is greater than said predetermined maximum flow rate when said solvent is being discharged to said screen means, but to maintain the solvent level in said sump means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
In the system of claim 30 including filter means in said conduit means between said sump means and said receptacle.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of removing lint and other large solids from the cleaning solvent of an article cleaning system, comprising the steps of: discharging at least a portion of the cleaning solvent from the cleaning receptacle upon screen means and at a location spaced from said screen means, flowing the discharged solvent through said screen means while retaining the lint and other large solids on said screen means, removing the cleaning solvent which flows through said screen means from said screen means, and controlling the rate at which the cleaning solvent is discharged upon the screen means from the receptacle in response to the flow rate of the solvent which has flowed through said screen means to continuously maintain the cleaning solvent which is removed from said screen means out of contact with said screen means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 32 including at least periodically removing the lint and other large solids from said screen means by moving said lint and other large solids across said screen means, and collecting the removed lint and other large solids at a location spaced from the portion of said screen means upon which said cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 32 including returning at least a portion of the cleaning solvent which passes through said screen means to said receptacle, and wherein the rate at which the cleaning solvent is discharged from said receptacle when it is being discharged is greater than the maximum rate at which said solvent is returned to said receptacle, whereby the amount of solvent in the receptacle varies.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said cleaning solvent is periodically discharged from said receptacle to said screen means and a portion of the solvent is continuously returned from said sump to said receptacle.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 32 including forming a ring of lint and other large solids on the screen means about the location that the cleaning solvent is discharged upon said screen means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-15 | 1978-01-14 | 1978-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-15 | 1982-01-14 | 1982-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-15 | 1986-01-14 | 1986-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |