Centrifugally draining single drum washing machine

Claim 1

A washing machine comprising: a drum including a frustum shaped, substantially liquid impermeable interior wall, a back end, and a front end opposite the back end, a perforated panel mounted inside the drum such that the perforated panel is substantially parallel to and spaced away from the back end, and a fluid tight door mounted in the drum for providing access to the interior of the drum; means for supporting and rotating the drum about a horizontal axis of rotation passing substantially through the center of the back end and the center of the front end of the drum; an outlet passing through the back end of the drum, the outlet being substantially aligned with the horizontal axis; an inlet passing through the front end of the drum, the inlet being substantially aligned with the horizontal axis of rotation; a liquid removing means attached to the outlet and located between the back end and the perforated panel; and a plurality of ribs mounted inside the drum and axially extending substantially from the perforate panel to the front end, the washing machine having a wash cycle and a spin cycle, wherein the drum rotating means rotates the drum in one direction during the wash cycle such that when the drum contains water and garments the first side of the ribs will agitate the water and garments, and wherein the drum rotating means rotates the drum in an opposite direction during the spin cycle such that the garments and water will contact the second side of the ribs.

Claim 20

An apparatus for finishing garments comprising: a means for supporting and rotating a drum; a single, substantially fluid tight, rotatable drum having a horizontal axis of rotation and mounted on the means for supporting a drum in such manner as to promote rotation about the horizontal axis of rotation, the drum further having (a) a frustum shaped interior including a back end, a front end opposite the back end, the front end being smaller than the back end, and an interior wall sloping substantially smoothly from the front end to the back end, the horizontal axis of rotation passing substantially through the center of said back end and the center of said front end, (b) an inlet mounted in the front end of the drum, said inlet being substantially axially aligned with the horizontal axis of rotation, said inlet entering the front end of the drum through one or more packed bearings which provide a fluid tight seal and which rotate with the drum enabling the inlet to remain substantially stationary when the drum is rotating, (c) an outlet mounted in the back end of said outlet being substantially axially aligned with the horizontal axis of rotation, said outlet entering the back end of the drum through one or more packed bearings which provide a fluid tight seal and which rotate with the drum, enabling the outlet to remain substantially stationary when the drum is rotating, (d) a perforated panel mounted substantially parallel to and spaced away from the back end inside the drum, (e) a plurality of hollow ribs mounted on the interior wall and extending axially between the perforated panel and the front end, each said rib having an imperforate first side and a perforate second side, (f) a liquid removing means attached to the outlet and located between the back end and the perforated panel, said liquid removing means including a housing and a flexible flap extending from the housing to the interior wall, and, (g) a fluid tight door mounted in the drum for providing access to the interior of the drum; a means for directing a stream of air into the inlet, through the drum, and out of the outlet; and, a motorized means for rotating the drum about the horizontal axis of rotation operably attached to the drum.

Claim 21

An apparatus for finishing garments comprising: a means for supporting and rotating a drum; a single, substantially fluid tight, rotatable drum having a horizontal axis of rotation and mounted on the means for supporting a drum in such manner as to promote rotation about the horizontal axis of rotation, the drum further having (a) a frustum shaped interior including a back end, a front end opposite the back end, the front end being smaller than the back end, and an interior wall sloping substantially smoothly from the front end to the back end, the horizontal axis of rotation passing substantially through the center of said back end and the center of said front end, (b) an inlet mounted in the front end of the drum, said inlet being substantially axially aligned with the horizontal axis of rotation, said inlet entering the front end of the drum through one or more packed bearings which provide a fluid tight seal and which rotate with the drum enabling the inlet to remain substantially stationary when the drum is rotating, (c) an outlet mounted in the back end of said outlet being substantially axially aligned with the horizontal axis of rotation, said outlet entering the back end of the drum through one or more packed bearings which provide a fluid tight seal and which rotate with the drum, enabling the outlet to remain substantially stationary when the drum is rotating, (d) a perforated panel mounted substantially parallel to and spaced away from the back end inside the drum, (e) a plurality of hollow ribs mounted on the interior wall and extending axially between the perforated panel and the front end, each said rib having an imperforate first side and a perforate second side, (f) a liquid removing means attached to the outlet and located between the back end and the perforated panel, said liquid removing means including a housing and a flexible flap extending from the housing to the interior wall, and, (g) a fluid tight door mounted in the drum for providing access to the interior of the drum; a means for directing a stream of air into the inlet, through the drum, and out of the outlet; and, a motorized means for rotating the drum about the horizontal axis of rotation operably attached to the drum.