US4151730A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laundry hot water supply system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-10-14
•
Granted: 1979-05-01
•
Expires: 1996-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A laundry dryer source of heat for providing warm gas to dry laundry is utilized to heat water for laundry washer use, and is particularly suited for coin operated laundries. In the illustrated embodiment each dryer has a gas burner and a water coil is in the flame area of the burner, the coils being connected in circuit between a cool water outlet and a heated water inlet of a typical automatic water heater tank. A water circulating system includes a pump or pumps for circulating cool water from the tank through coils and returning heated water from the coils to the tank whenever any of the dryers are in operation. One embodiment of the circulating system assures continuous water flow through the plurality of dryer water coils during heating operation by providing a substantially equal pressure differential between the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet of each of the coils. A cross-over between hot and cold water headers may be provided intermediate the series of dryer coils for increasing the temperature of the hot water delivered to the hot water tank. Since most laundry is promptly placed in a dryer after washing, during high or low capacity operation of the laundry the quantity of heated water is automatically regulated by dryer operation to the overall demand for hot water by the washers, the automatic water heater tank providing heated water during sudden surges in washer operation before the dryers are in operation sufficiently to supply the hot water.
Inventors
- 👤 Ion L. Wendel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:32
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06F; D06F95/00; D06F39/00; D06F39/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A laundry hot water supply system comprising, a plurality of dryers each having a chamber for receiving laundry to be dried and drying means operatively associated with said chamber for delivery of warm gas to the chamber to dry the laundry therein, each said drying means including heater means operable for heating the gas responsive to drying operation of the associated dryer, and water handling means including water holding means, one for each of said dryers, for holding water to be heated, each said holding means having an inlet for cool water and an outlet for heated water, each said holding means being intimately associated with the associated heater means upstream of said chamber relative to the flow of warm gas from said heater means to said chamber, for heating the water by means of the more intense heat generated proximate said heater means, and said water handling means further including circulating means for delivering cool water to said inlet and receiving the heated water from said outlet of each said holding means and for maintaining substantially the same pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet of each of said holding means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A laundry hot water supply system comprising, a plurality of dryers each having a chamber for receiving laundry to be dried and drying means operatively associated with said chamber for delivery of warm gas to the chamber to dry the laundry therein, each said drying means including heater means operable for heating the gas responsive to drying operation of the associated dryer, and water handling means including water holding means, one for each of said dryers, for holding water to be heated, each said holding means having an inlet for cool water and an outlet for heated water, each said holding means being intimately associated with the associated heater means upstream of said chamber relative to the flow of warm gas from said heater means to said chamber, for heating the water by means of the more intense heat generated proximate said heater means, and said water handling means further including circulating means for delivering cool water to said inlet and receiving the heated water from said outlet of each said holding means and for maintaining substantially the same pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet of each of said holding means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said circulating means includes cool water conduit means for passage of the cool water to the inlets of said holding means and further includes heated water conduit means for passage of heated water from said outlets, the water in both said conduit means flowing in the same direction proximate connection with said inlets and said outlets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said circulating means includes cool water conduit means for passage of the cool water to the inlets of said holding means and further includes heated water conduit means for passage of heated water from said outlets, said circulating means further includes a connection between said cool water conduit means and said heated water conduit means at an intermediate location along the plurality of holding means for increasing the temperature of the water delivered to said inlets downstream of said connection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as set forth in claim 3 in which said connection includes valve means for regulating the quantity of water passing between said heated water conduit means and said cool water conduit means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said circulating means includes pressure relief means, one associated with each of said holding means, and in circuit with the associated holding means adjacent the inlet thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said heater means have sufficient heating capacity for heating the water at the associated holding means outlet to substantially a normal temperature for washing laundry and simultaneously heating a sufficient quantity of the warm gas for delivery to the associated chamber at a normal temperature for drying the laundry.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A system as set forth in claim 6 in which the circulating means includes water storage means for receiving the heated water, and laundry washer means for receiving the heated water from said storage means and washing the laundry, whereby as the quantity of laundry being washed and dried increases or decreases, the overall quantity of heated water delivered to said storage means increases or decreases, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as set forth in claim 7 in which each said heater means comprises burner means providing a combustion area during normal heating operation, and each said holding means comprises water carrying coil means in said combustion area of the associated burner means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as set forth in claim 8 in which each said burner means comprises a fuel burner unit providing a flame area in said combustion area during normal heating operation thereof, and said coil means comprises water coil units, one for each of said dryers, each coil unit being in the flame area of the associated burner unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as set forth in claim 9 in a coin operated laundry in which said dryers are coin operated, said storage means is a water heater, said washer means comprises a plurality of coin operated laundry washers, and each said washer being connected with a heated water outlet of said storage means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as set forth in claim 10 in which said circulating means includes a cool water header for passage of the cool water to the inlets of said holding means and further includes a heated water header for passage of heated water from said outlets, the water in both said headers flowing in the same direction proximate connection with said inlets and said outlets.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as set forth in claim 11 in which said circulating means includes pressure relief means, one associated with each of said holding means, and in circuit with the associated holding means adjacent the inlet thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
A system as set forth in claim 11 in which said circulating means further includes a cross-over connection between said cool water header and said heated water header at an intermediate location along the plurality of coil units for increasing the temperature of the water delivered to said inlets downstream of said connection, and said connection further includes valve means for regulating the quantity of water passing between said heated water header and said cool water header.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as set forth in claim 13 in which said circulating means includes pressure relief means, one associated with each of said holding means, and in circuit with the associated holding means adjacent the inlet thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
111 words
A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said circulating means includes cool water conduit means for passage of the cool water to the inlets of said holding means and further includes heated water conduit means for passage of heated water from said outlets, the water in both said conduit means flowing in the same direction proximate connection with said inlets and said outlets, and said circulating means further includes a connection between said cool water conduit means and said heated water conduit means at an intermediate location along the plurality of holding means for increasing the temperature of the water delivered to said inlets downstream of said connection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as set forth in claim 15 in which said connection includes valve means for regulating the quantity of water passing between said heated water conduit means and said cool water conduit means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
210 words
A laundry hot water supply system comprising, a plurality of dryers each having a chamber for receiving laundry to be dried and drying means operatively associated with said chamber for delivery of warm gas to the chamber to dry the laundry therein, each said drying means including heater means operable for heating the gas responsive to drying operation of the associated dryer, and water handling means including water holding means, one for each of said dryers, for holding water to be heated, each said holding means having an inlet for cool water and an outlet for heated water, each said holding means being associated with the associated heater means for heating the water therein, said water handling means further including circulating means for delivering cool water to said inlet and receiving the heated water from said outlet of each said holding means, said circulating means including cool water conduit means for passage of cool water to the inlets of said holding means and heated water conduit means for passage of heated water from the outlets of said holding means, said circulating means further including a crossover connection between said cool water conduit means and said heated conduit means at an intermediate location along the plurality of said water holding means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
210 words
A laundry hot water supply system comprising, a plurality of dryers each having a chamber for receiving laundry to be dried and drying means operatively associated with said chamber for delivery of warm gas to the chamber to dry the laundry therein, each said drying means including heater means operable for heating the gas responsive to drying operation of the associated dryer, and water handling means including water holding means, one for each of said dryers, for holding water to be heated, each said holding means having an inlet for cool water and an outlet for heated water, each said holding means being associated with the associated heater means for heating the water therein, said water handling means further including circulating means for delivering cool water to said inlet and receiving the heated water from said outlet of each said holding means, said circulating means including cool water conduit means for passage of cool water to the inlets of said holding means and heated water conduit means for passage of heated water from the outlets of said holding means, said circulating means further including a crossover connection between said cool water conduit means and said heated conduit means at an intermediate location along the plurality of said water holding means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system defined in claim 17 wherein said crossover connection includes a valve means for controlling the quantity of water passing between the cool water conduit means and the heated water conduit means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system defined in claim 17 wherein said circulating means further includes a pump located in one of said cool water conduit means and said heated water conduit means for circulating water through said system, and wherein said circulating means further includes pressure relief means associated with each one of said holding means for controlling the pressure therein.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2143874A
Cited
US3771238A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-04-30 | 1982-10-30 | 1983-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-04-30 | 1986-10-30 | 1987-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-04-30 | 1990-10-30 | 1991-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |