Washer method and apparatus

Abstract

An improved washer (10, 210, 710) having a quick fill (32, 34) and a quick drain (36, 38) with reduced overall wash time is provided. Means are provided for doing a very cold wash to permit machine washing of fine clothing that heretofore was hand washed or dry cleaned. The washer (10, 210, 710) can be provided with one (30), two (224, 230) or three tanks (750A, B & C, 950A, B & C) for water at three temperatures, very cold (refrigerated), tap or city water supply temperature, or hot water. The very cold can be made by a refrigeration or chilling means (62, 64, 98), located in or adjacent the very cold water tank. The hot water can be provided from or have a heater (230, 320, 750C, 950C) therein one of the tanks. The washer also includes an improved embossed basket (600) with increased surface area. The features can be built into a new washer or retrofitted into an existing washer. Very cold water wash and rinse can be provided so that cloths, and particularly clothes such as made of wool, rayon, acetate or other clothes, such as leathers or furs, usually dry cleaned or hand washed, can be machine washed with the present invention without use of hazardous chemicals or shrinkage.

Description

[0001] This United States PCT application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 446,928 filed Feb. 12, 2003, by the same inventor on which claim of priority is made. This invention relates to a method and apparatus for a clothes washer and particularly relates to a “quick” type washer for commercial or domestic use additionally capable of cold water alternative washing to conventional (“perc”) dry cleaning of fine clothes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is known to wash clothes with a washing machine, and these machines generally operate with several cycles such as “Regular Wash” and “Gentle Wash”. In either cycle the washing machine's wash drum, tub or compartment has to be filled and emptied many times with say wash water, and one or usually more rinses. Generally the wash cycle is made up of fill, wash, drain, fill, rinse, drain, fill, rinse and drain times. The fill and drain times with present washing machines can comprise 50% or mor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] Further to enhance the washing action the inner basket of the wash chamber may have increased surface area such as by providing fins and / or raised inwardly or outwardly embossments on the cylindrical surface and end wall of the basket. The function of the increased surface area is to enhance the washing action on the clothes therein in a gentle but positive manner, without causing undo turbulence which might damage fine clothing and their buttons, while enhancing water flow area such as on a rinse or extraction cycle. This type embossed basket could also be used in a dryer.

Problems solved by technology

This pipe was usually about one inch or less in diameter and limited the supply or fill rate resulting in slow filling.

However, this normal pressure is not always available and can be considerably lower when several washing machines or other devices are using water at about the same time.

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