Laundry system with drying tumbler

Claim 2

A drying tumbler for clothing or the like comprising a frame, an imperforate cylindrical drum supported on said frame for rotation about its longitudinal axis and having axial loading and unloading openings at its opposite ends, stationary hollow head structures mounted on said frame in spaced relation to the opposite end walls of said drum each comprising a pair of spaced walls closed along their outer edges and having a central opening therethrough conforming to the respective openings in the end walls of said drum, circular sealing means slidably interposed between said drum and each head structure to enclose a cylindrical air space between the head structure and each end wall of the drum, the inner wall of each head structure confronting said drum being apertured to provide communication of the head structure with said cylindrical air space adjacent the head structure, and an air-circulating means connected between said head structures for circulating air through said drum lengthwise thereof via said head structures, cylindrical air spaces and axial openings in the end walls of said drum.

Claim 3

The drying tumbler set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting means is adapted to carry said drum in an inclined relation to the horizontal with said unloading opening at the lower end, and wherein said air-circulating means is directed to cause the circulating air to enter said drum at the unloading end thereof whereby the air flow through said drum is counter to the gravitational influence on the articles being tumbled to cause the articles to remain distributed in said drum while the drum is being rotated.

Claim 4

The drying tumbler set forth in claim 1 wherein the end walls of said drum have also openings near the periphery thereof for additional flow of air via said head structures, cylindrical air spaces and drum whereby to maintain an even distribution of air flow through the drum.

Claim 5

A drying tumbler for clothing or the like comprising a frame, an imperforate cylindrical drum structure supported on said frame for rotation about its longitudinal axis and having axial loading and unloading openings at its opposite ends, stationary hollow head structures mounted on said frame in spaced relation to the opposite end walls of said drum each comprising a pair of spaced walls sealed at their outer edges and having a central opening therethrough conforming to the respective openings in the end walls of said drum, circular sealing means slidably interposed between said drum and each head structure to enclose a cylindrical air space between the head structure and drum, the inner wall of each head structure confronting said drum being apertured to provide communication of the head structure with the cylindrical air space adjacent the head structure, hollow ribs mounted on the inside peripheral wall of said drum throughout the length of the drum, each rib having an apertured wall and being open at the ends thereof through the end walls of the drum to said cylindrical air spaces, air-circulating means having an output duct connected to one head structure and an input duct connected to the other head structure, and baffle plates in said respective ribs intermediately thereof for causing the air entering the ends of said ribs from said one head structure to be diverted from the inlet portions of the ribs into the working space of said drum and back from the working space of the drum out through the remaining outlet portions of the ribs.

Claim 6

A drying tumbler for clothing or the like comprising a frame, an imperforate cylindrical drum structure supported on said frame for rotation about its longitudinal axis and having axial loading and unloading openings at its opposite ends, stationary hollow head structures mounted on said frame in spaced relation to the opposite end walls of said drum each comprising a pair of spaced walls sealed at their outer edges and having a central opening therethrough conforming to the respective openings in the end walls of said drum, circular sealing means slidably interposed between said drum and each head structure to enclose a cylindrical air space between the head structure and drum, the inner wall of each head structure confronting said drum being apertured to provide communication of the head structure with the cylindrical air space adjacent the head structure, hollow ribs mounted on the inside peripheral wall of said drum throughout the length of the drum, each rib having an apertured wall and being open at the ends thereof through the end walls of the drum to said cylindrical air spaces, air-circulating means having an output duct connected to one head structure and an input duct connected to the other head structure, and baffle plates in said respective ribs intermediately thereof for causing the air entering the ends of said ribs from said one head structure to be diverted from the inlet portions of the ribs into the working space of said drum and back from the working space of the drum out through the remaining outlet portions of the ribs.

Claim 7

The drying tumbler set forth in claim 4 including cylindrical wall members extending through said head structures in engagement with said central openings thereof, said wall members being perforated to provide also communication of said cylindrical spaces with said axial openings in the end walls of said drum whereby a portion of the circulating air passes axially through said drum from one end to the other.