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 ( 750 A, B & C, 950 A, 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, 750 C, 950 C) 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.

1 . A quick fill washer for washing clothes, said washer being used with a public water supply and having wash chamber means for containing cloths to be washed, comprising quick fill means for filling said wash chamber means with water in about 15 seconds or less, said quick fill means being supplied with water by said public water supply, whereby said washer may be quickly filled with water.  
   
   
       2 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 1 , further comprising quick drain means for quickly draining water from said wash chamber means in 15 seconds or less, whereby said washer chamber may be quickly drained of water.  
   
   
       3 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 1 , wherein said quick fill means comprises one of quick fill tank means and quick fill pump means.  
   
   
       4 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 3 , wherein said quick fill means includes at least one water storage tank filled by said public water supply, and said quick fill means includes a quick fill tank above said wash chamber means, said quick fill tank receiving water from said at least one water storage tank.  
   
   
       5 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 1 , wherein said quick fill means can provide very cold water to said wash chamber means.  
   
   
       17 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 16 , further including means for chilling the water supplied to said quick fill means.  
   
   
       18 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 17 , wherein said means for chilling includes refrigeration means.  
   
   
       19 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 4 , further comprising chiller means for said at least one water storage tank.  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 1 , wherein said water supplied said wash chamber means is 50° F. or less.  
   
   
       22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 1 , wherein said water supplied said washer chamber means is about 40° F. or less.  
   
   
       24 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A quick fill washer as in  claim 3 , at least one water storage tank filled by said public water supply, at least one storage tank is for containing very cold water, in said storage tank is a water chiller, said quick fill means can provide very cold water to said wash chamber means, said water supplied said wash chamber means is 50° F. or less, further including recirculation means for recirculating very cold water from said wash chamber means to said storage tank of very cold water and back to said wash chamber means, including pump means for causing the recirculating flow.  
   
   
       31 - 52 . (canceled)  
   
   
       53 . A washer for washing clothes normally dry cleaned with “perc,” said washer being used with a public water supply and having wash chamber means for containing clothes to be washed, comprising means for filling said wash chamber means with water, said fill means being supplied with water by said public water supply, drain means for draining water from said wash chamber means, at least one water storage tank filled by said public water supply, wherein said storage tank is filled with very cold water, said fill means can provide very cold water to said wash chamber means, means for chilling the water supplied to said quick fill means, whereby said washer may be used to clean fine clothes including woolens, rayons, acetates.  
   
   
       54 . A washer as in  claim 53 , wherein said quick fill means includes at least two water storage tanks filled by said public water supply.  
   
   
       55 . A washer as in claim  50 , wherein said at least two storage tanks are for containing two of very cold water, city water and hot water.  
   
   
       56 . A washer as in  claim 53 , wherein said quick fill means includes at least three water storage tanks filled by said public water supply.  
   
   
       57 . A washer as in  claim 56 , wherein one of said storage tanks is filled with very cold water, one of said storage tanks is a water heater, wherein one of said storage tanks is a water chiller.  
   
   
       58 . (canceled)  
   
   
       59 . A washer as in  claim 53 , wherein some of said water supplied said wash chamber means is about 40° F. or less.  
   
   
       60 . (canceled)  
   
   
       61 . A washer as in  claim 59 , further including recirculation means for recirculating very cold water from said wash chamber means to said storage tank of very cold water and back to said wash chamber means.  
   
   
       62 - 63 . (canceled)  
   
   
       64 . A washer for washing clothes as in  claim 53 , said washer being used with a public water supply and having wash chamber means for containing clothes to be washed, comprising means for filling said wash chamber means with water, said fill means being supplied with water by said public water supply, wherein said storage tank is filled with very cold water, said fill means can provide very cold water to said wash chamber means, means for chilling the water supplied to said fill means, said means for chilling includes refrigeration means.  
   
   
       65 - 67 . (canceled)  
   
   
       68 . A method for operating a washer for doing environmentally safe alternative cleaning to conventional dry cleaning, comprising: 
 (a) filling a water tank with very cold water of 50° F. or less,    (b) transferring very cold water from said water tank into the washer,    (c) washing clothes in said washer with said very cold water,    (d) draining the water from said washer,    (e) filling the washer from the water tank with rinse water,    (f) draining the rinse water from the washer,    (g) removing the clothes from said washer,    whereby the washer may be provided with very cold water for washing and rinse water to effect cleaning at a temperature below 50° F. for cleaning clothes made of one of wool, rayon, acetate, or the like or of a type that was hand washed or dry cleaned.    
   
   
       69 - 74 . (canceled)