Claims
- 1. A liquified gas dry-cleaning system comprising:a pressure vessel for containing a wash bath of a liquified gas under pressure. a basket rotatably supported within the pressure vessel for containing items during cleaning; a drive for rotating the basket within the vessel; said basket having a plurality of baffles mounted on a periphery thereof and extending radially inwardly into said basket for physically contacting and agitating the wash bath and items contained within the basket during a dry-cleaning cycle as an incident to rotation of the basket; a gas jet agitation system having a plurality of nozzles mounted on said basket; and a liquified gas supply operable for selectively directing liquified gas to said nozzles which in turn direct pressurized jet streams of liquified gas into the basket for further agitating the items contained within the basket and the liquid wash bath simultaneously with agitation by said baffles as an incident to basket rotation.
- 2. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 1 in which said baffles extend parallel to the rotary axis of said basket.
- 3. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 2 in which said baffles extend radially into the basket a distance of at least one-tenth the diameter of the basket.
- 4. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 1 in which said spray nozzles are defined by a plurality of manifold tubes disposed about the periphery of said basket.
- 5. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which said manifold tubes and baffles and manifold tubes extend parallel to the rotary axis of said basket.
- 6. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which said nozzles are defined by a plurality of axially spaced discharge apertures in said manifold tubes.
- 7. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 6 in which said apertures are configured for directing pressurized jet streams of liquified gas radially into said basket.
- 8. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which an inner radial end of each said baffle is formed with a recess, and said manifold tubes each are mounted within a respective baffle recess.
- 9. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 8 in which said baffle recesses are substantially U-shaped, and said manifold tubes each are mounted in a baffle recess with at least half of the circumferential periphery of the tube protectively contained within the recess.
- 10. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 9 in which said manifold tubes define inner radial ends of said baffles.
- 11. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which said baffles each have a substantially V-shaped cross section, and said manifold tubes are mounted at the apex of each said substantially V-shaped baffle.
- 12. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which said basket has a shaft supported for relative movement within said pressure vessel, a trunion supported by said shaft having a plurality of radially extending hollow legs each being in fluid communication with one of said manifold tubes, and said liquid supply is operable for directing pressurized liquified gas to said trunion for communicating liquified gas through said trunion legs to said manifold tubes.
- 13. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 12 in which said basket shaft is supported by an annular bushing mounted outwardly of said pressure vessel, said bushing defining an annular chamber about said shaft, said liquid supply being operable for directing liquified gas to said annular chamber, and said shaft being formed with an internal passage communicating with said annular chamber and said trunion legs for enabling communication of liquified gas from said annular chamber through said shaft passage, trunion legs, and manifold tubes.
- 14. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 12 in which one end of each said manifold tube is removably inserted into a respective one of said trunion legs, and the other end of each manifold tube has a removable plug mounted in the end therof and secured to a front portion of said basket.
- 15. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 4 in which said manifold tubes are removably mounted on said baffles.
- 16. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 1 in which said basket includes an outer cylindrical perforated sleeve, and said baffles are mounted in inwardly extending relation to said perforated sleeve.
- 17. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 1 in which said pressure vessel includes a door mounted for movement between open and closed positions, said basket having a support shaft extending outwardly through said pressure vessel from one end of said basket, and the other end of said basket defining an entry opening through which items may be loaded into the basket when said door is in an open position.
- 18. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 17 in which said other end of said basket defines an annular ring, and said door being formed with an annular recess for receiving and supporting said basket for relative rotational movement when said door is in a closed position.
- 19. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 18 in which said other basket end has a conical form which terminates in said ring and which defines said front entry opening.
- 20. A liquified gas dry-cleaning system comprising:a pressure vessel for containing a wash bath of a liquified gas under pressure; a basket rotatably supported within the pressure vessel for containing items during cleaning; a drive for rotating the basket within the vessel; a gas jet agitation system having a plurality of nozzle mounted on said basket; a liquified gas supply operable for selectively directing liquified gas to said nozzles which in turn direct pressurized jet streams of liquified gas into the basket for agitating the items contained within the basket and the liquid wash bath; said pressure vessel including door mounted for movement between open and closed positions; said basket having a support shaft extending outwardly through said pressure vessel from one end of said basket, the other end of said basket having an annular ring defining an entry opening through which items may be loaded into he basket when said door is in an open position; and said door being formed with an annular recess for receiving and supporting said annular ring of the basket for relative rotational movement when said door is in a closed position.
- 21. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 20 in which said basket has a conical end which terminates in said ring.
- 22. A liquified gas dry-cleaning system comprising:a pressure vessel for containing a wash bath of a liquified gas under pressure; a basket rotatably disposed within the pressure vessel for containing items during cleaning; said basket having a shaft supported for rotation relative to said pressure vessel; a drive for rotating said shaft and basket; a gas jet agitation system having a plurality of manifold tubes mounted on said basket; said manifold tubes having a plurality of spaced apart discharge orifices; a trunion supported by said shaft having a plurality of radially extending hollow legs each being in fluid communication with one of said manifold tubes; and a liquified gas supply operable for selectively directing liquified gas to said trunion for communicating liquified gas through said trunion legs to said manifold tubes which in turn direct pressurized jet streams of liquified gas through said discharge orifices into the basket for agitating the items contained within the basket and the liquid wash bath during a dry-cleaning operation.
- 23. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 22 in which said basket shaft is supported by an annular bushing mounted outwardly of said pressure vessel, said bushing defining an annular chamber about said shaft, said liquid supply being operable for directing liquified gas to said annular chamber, and said shaft being formed with an internal passage communicating with said annular chamber and said trunion legs for enabling communication of liquified gas from said annular chamber through said shaft passage, trunion legs, and manifold tubes.
- 24. The liquified gas dry-cleaning system of claim 22 in which one end of each said manifold tube is removably inserted into a respective one of said trunion legs, and the other end of each manifold tube has a removable plug mounted in an end thereof and secured to a front end portion of said basket.
- 25. A liquified gas dry-cleaning method using a pressure vessel having an internal basket for containing items to be cleaned comprising the steps of introducing items to be cleaned into said basket, sealing said pressure vessel, introducing into said vessel under pressure a liquified gas wash bath, rotating said basket to agitate the wash bath and items contained therein during a cleaning cycle, and directing a plurality of pressurized jet streams of liquified gas into said basket from a plurality of discharge orifices located within said basket for causing higher velocity movement of the liquid wash bath and items contained therein simultaneously with agitation as an incident to basket rotation during a cleaning cycle.
- 26. The method of claim 25 including repeatedly reversing the direction of rotary movement of said basket during the cleaning cycle.
- 27. The liquified gas dry-cleaning method of claim 25 including directing pressurized jets of liquified gas into said basket by directing liquified gas through a plurality of manifold tubes mounted on said basket for rotation therewith.
- 28. The liquified gas dry cleaning system of claim 25 in which during each air purge cycle the gaseous form of the liquified gas is introduced into said pressure vessel at a pressure of about 30 psi.
- 29. A liquified carbon dioxide gas dry-cleaning method using a pressure vessel having a internal basket for containing items to be cleaned comprising the steps of:introducing items to be cleaned into said basket; sealing the pressure vessel; carrying out an air purge cycle by introducing under pressure a gaseous form of carbon dioxide into said pressure vessel, rotating said basket so that items within the basket are turned and flexed to release at least a portion of any contained air therein, venting the introduced carbon dioxide gas and released air from the pressure vessel; repeating the air purge cycle at least one additional time; re-sealing the pressure vessel following the final gas purge cycle; and carrying out a dry-cleaning cycle by introducing under pressure a wash bath of liquified carbon dioxide gas into the pressure vessel, and rotating the basket to agitate the contained items and wash bath during the dry cleaning cycle.
- 30. The liquified carbon dioxide dry cleaning method of claim 29 including repeating said air purge cycle three times prior to carrying out the dry-cleaning cycle.
- 31. The liquified carbon dioxide gas dry-cleaning method of claim 29 in which during each air purge cycle gaseous carbon dioxide is introduced into said pressure vessel for about three seconds, the basket is rotated for about three seconds, and the gaseous carbon dioxide and released air is vented for about three seconds.
- 32. The liquified carbon-dioxide gas dry-cleaning method of claim 29 in which during each air purge cycle the gaseous carbon dioxide is introduced into said pressure vessel at a pressure of about 30 psi.
- 33. The liquified carbon dioxide gas dry cleaning method of claim 29 including the step of introducing pressurized streams of liquified carbon dioxide gas into said basket simultaneously as the basket is rotated during a dry cleaning cycle to augment agitation and cleaning of items contained therein.
- 34. A liquified gas dry-cleaning method using a pressure vessel having an internal basket for containing items to be cleaned comprising the steps of introducing items to be cleaned into said basket, sealing said pressure vessel, introducing into said vessel under pressure a liquified gas wash bath, rotating said basket to agitate the wash bath and items contained therein during a cleaning cycle, directing a plurality of pressurized jet streams of liquified gas into said basket for causing higher velocity movement of the liquid wash bath and items contained therein simultaneously with agitation as an incident to basket rotation during a cleaning cycle, carrying out an air purge cycle prior to introducing the liquified gas wash bath into the pressure vessel, said air purge cycle including the steps of introducing into said vessel under pressure of a gaseous form of the liquified gas which makes up the wash bath, rotating the basket so that the items within the basket are turned and flexed to release at least a portion of any contained air therein, venting the introduced gas and released air from the pressure vessel, and repeating the gas purge cycle at least one additional time.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/998,399, filed Dec. 24, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,307.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/998399 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/338292 |
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US |