CA1257087A

CA1257087A - Apparatus and method for drying and sterilizing fabrics

Info

Publication number: CA1257087A
Application number: CA000468812A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Hans Baltes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-29
Filing date: 1984-11-28
Publication date: 1989-07-11
Also published as: JPS60156498A; EP0148385B1; EP0148385A2; EP0148385A3; ATE159775T1

Abstract

Abstract:
(Figure 1) Apparatus for the drying and sterilizing of fabrics, the apparatus comprising a drier cabinet provided with means for suspending therein fabric articles, and with means for generating, distributing and circulating warm air for drying purposes and hot air for the sterilization of the fabric articles.

Description

2~i7~

1 H.Baltes (II) EP

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for drying and sterilizing fabrics.

As known, none of the most modern automatic washing machines is capable of boiling the laundry, as has been practice in forme time~, and thereby eliminating a major part of the bacteria. All of these washing machines, even when set to "boiling laundry~, stop before th~
boiling process as such, i.e. prior to reaching a tempe-rature of 100 C.

A major part of the laundry (pieces of cloth), primarily the constant by increasing portion of delicate mixed fiber fabrics, is washed in par~ at temperatures of as low as 30, 40, 50 or 60 C, because these delicate fa-brics cannot withstand higher temperatures under the mechanical strains imposed by the washing process, i.e.
by the agi~ation.
For the same reason, none of the conventional rotary drieræ is capable of drying highly dPlicate fabrics, such as of pure wool or polyacryl. Further, these driers are specifically provided with a lower heating s~age for drying at only from 50 to 60 C, for less delicate mixed fiber fabrics.

~25~0a7 Accordingly, in spite of the fully automatic washing machines of most sophisticated design and of the elec-tric rotary driers, no housewife is in a position to render her laundry to be in a biologically and hygieni-cally properly clean state, namely al~o in a sterilestate. As known J it is quite easy to become infected with mycosis of ~he feet or the most varied carriers or exciters in steam baths,swimming pools~ hotels or on other occa~ions, while the germs or the like existing in the laundry cannot be eliminated even by a washing process or by most modern rotary drier treatment.

Therefore, in clinical applications and doctor's of-fices, all doctor's and nurse's coats or smocks, towels and other fabrics use~ in this field must be folded in inconvenient manner after the normal washing and drying process, and sterilized in a separate sterilization apparatus under well-known conditions at sterilizing temperatures of about or above 125 C.
Here, the synthetic fibers subjected to the sterilizing temperature in a folded state of the fabric tend to suffer from embrittlement and from fiber breaks at the positions of the folds when they are being unfolded.
Another drawback is the expense of work for removing the dried clothes from the rotary drier, smoothening and ~olding them and packing them in layers into the steri-liæer. Alsot the clothes must be removed and unfolded after the sterilization.
An apparent proposal of improvement according to which the clothes are subjected to sterilization at elevated temperature in the ro~ary drier following ~he drying step, has been found to be impracticable because the 36 fibers of delicate fabrics are upset, broken and thereby permanently damage~d due to the intense motion or agita-tion processes and the resulting abrasion phenomena.

~2~7087 1 It i the object of the present invention to overcome the indicated restrictions and difficulties by providing an apparatus and a method by which it become~ possible to perform the drying and sterilizing operations of delicate synthetic fiber or mixed fiber fabrics without any problem and in easy manner, while preserving the fabrics to a maximum degree. The expense of work re-quired herefor i to be reduced significantly. An appa-ratus contemplated to carry out these operatlon~ ~hould be adapted to be operated in easy and uncomplicated manner, have a low energy consumption, and be adapted to be produced economically.

According to the invention, this object is solved in an apparatus for the drying and sterilizing of fabrics in that said apparatus comprises a drier cabinet including means for suspending therein fabric parts, and means for generating, distributing and especially circulating warm air for drying purposes and hot air for the steriliza-tion of the fabric parts.

Advantageously, this structure allows to save a substan-tial portion o the formerly required work of clearing the drier, smoothening, folding and reloading the fabric into the sterilizer.

As both the dryiny operation and the sterilizing opera-tion may be performed sub~tantially without subjecting the fabric to motion (agitation), wrinkling or folding, most careful treatment of tha fabric is achieved, espe-cially when the sterilizing step is performed immediate-ly after the drying in the drier cabinet.

This provides for optimum sterilizing results because the articles of cloth are prevented from being touched by human hand or contacted with unsterilized atmosphere in the period between the washed and the sterilized ~,2S7~87 1 state. Besides, primary engergy and, further, time and manpower are saved owing to the direct transition from the drying to the sterilizing operation. The smocks or coats and linen are kept smooth; besides, in contrast with the sterilization in a folded state, the clothes have the hot air ~lowing through them more evenly and therefore more effectively, so as to become sterilized in the shortest period of time possible.

In order to prevent the casing of the cabinet from becoming too hot, filtered fresh air aspirated through at least one intake port may be passed tbrough both outer sides and also through the rear wall and the front door for cooling purposes. This structural extra expense is more than compensated for by the mQre intense heat exchange. In such case, the discharge of exhaust air is effected expediently through at least one opening in the bottom or in the top wall of the cabinet.

It is further contemplated that for the step-wise or incremental production of warm air for drying purposes and hot air for sterilizing purposes within a heater register through which air flows, such heater register is operated with unvaried energy input or unvaried hea-ting capacity, re~pectively, and has air flowing therethrough at different rates of flow. This is achieved9 for example, in that for the sterilization the aspira-tion of fresh air to (be admixed to) the circulating hot air, and/or the discharge of exhaust air from the circu-lating hot air is/are at least substantially restricted.Advantageously, this measure both saves energy and pre-vents the entry of non-sterilized ambient air.

Another possibility resides in that the blower includes means for adjusting the rate of air supply, preferably in at least two steps. Reducing the rate of air suppiy allows to obtain an extended residence time of the air ;i7~8~7 1 while flowing through the heater register; and thus improved heat exchange, and, consequently, an increase in temperature of the circulated air. In view of the fact that in the sterilizing process, unlike to the drying process, the quantity of the circulated hot air may be greatly reduced anyhow, the reduction of the rate of feed of the blower in the production of hot air constitu~es and ingeniously simple measure which, be-sides, may be realized at a minimum of expense of tech-nical means.

Preferably, ~he drier cabinet is designed so that thedrying may be performed at warm air temperatures of below 100 C, and sterilization may take place at hot air temperatures in the range of between 120 and 145 C, preferably between 125 and 135 C. When performing the sterilization in the drier cabinet with the articles being being in a hanging or suspended state, a sterili-zing temperature of the upper practicable limit may be used with advantage, because owing to the careful treat-ment the fabrics are not subjected to any further undue strains, such as agitation, wrinkling, etc., aside from the temperature action.

In extreme instances, however, the measure may be used by which the hot air has added thereto as bactericidal substances in the form of glases, vapors or aerosols, for example, halogenated hydrocarbons, such as carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene and the like. It is further possible to admix to the hot air, chlorine, preferably by spraying chlorinated water into the hot air~

The measure of auxiliarily using bactericidal substan-ces i6 advisable when, due to a maximum delicate nature of the fabric (te~tile) fibers, it would not be expe-dient to perform the sterilization at the requisite ~25'7~187 1 temperature limit of, for example, 125 C. Accordingly, the addition of bactericidal substances manner permits to carry out an effective sterilization at a low tempe-rature level while providing for as careful as possible a treatment of the fabric.

Advantageously the means for suspending fabric parts within the drier cabinet comprise bars adapted to swing about a horizontal axis and releasably arrested or locked in an approximately horizontal position, wherein a hinge pin forming the horizontal pivot axis has a circular profile (cross-section) including a notch defi-ning an engagement surface in the side opposite from a horizontally positioned bar, and the bore is configured, in profile, as an elongated or oval hole having a pro-file axis co-extending with the bar axis (y-y), and having a detent protruding into the elongated hole at the side opposite from the bar and defining a counter engagement or arresting surface which extends in paral-lel with the axis ~y-y), with the notch in cooperation with the detent defining lock or latch elements of a lock means, and that a reset element keeping the lock or latch elements in the engaged position is provided in the head portion at the side opposite from the lock or latch elements of the elongated hole.

This solution results in the most simple configuration conceivable of the pivotable rods or bars for suspendin~
the pieces of fabric wi~hin the drier cabinet according to the invention Here, the provision of the engagement (arre~ting) surface and the counter engagement (arre-sting) surface profides for a perfectly regular horizon-tal position of the bar grid formed by swinging the bars upwards, particularly also for the reason that the resi-lient reset element, e.g. a spring-loaded pressure bolt or detent, urges t'he lock or latch elements into posi-tive angagement. Another advantage with respect to ope-~ ~s~

l rability results from the fact that it is no longernecessary for the heat portion to be raised for un-locking; rather, a pressure exerted by hand from the erd of the bar toward the head portion is suficient to unlock the latch.

According to another essential embodiment of the inven-tion, for overcoming the resetting ~orce of the reset element and, thus, for releasing the lock means, a shift 19 ]ever is slid with a circular opening onto the hinge pin in the recess of the yoke, the shift lever being pivoted to ~he yoke in a joint positioned centrally above the elongated hole, and formed with a manually operable actuating cam protruding above the yoke to the rear upper side. This cam is preferably fo~med with a cup-shaped enlargement to form an opera~ing key, and clearly marked by a color marking in a signal color, preferably in red.

This results in a highly uncomplicated operability rea-dily under~tandable to everybody without special instruction, thereby to virtually prevent misoperation or damage. Of special advantage is the dual operability during swinging or folding the bars down, which results 26 from the fact that unlocking may be effected either by pressure applied to the free end of the bar, or by operating the actuating key by finger pressure.

Another advantageous embodimentresides in that the hinge pin includes at the upper side of its profile a second notch being displaced from the notch by 90 and defining a vertical eng~gement surface, which second notch de-fines together with the counter engagement surface of the detent a locking means preventing further pivoting (of the bar) beyond the vertical position when the bar is pivoted to ~ vertical position.

~2~;7~7 1 This constitutes an improvement over prior constructions in which the bar in the course of swinging down, when inattentively operated, might strike agains the cabinet wall and thereby cause at least substantial noise or even damage.

In order to facilitate as far as possible the suspending of the fabrics from the bars, it is further contemplated that the hinge pin equipped with bars, or an assembly of a plurality of hinge pins, are adapted to be shifted separately or commonly from a position within the cabi-net to a position outside of the cabinet, across one or more telescoping rails. Thus, the entire bar assembly may be drawn out from the cabinet and freely hung with pieces of cloth.

A further improvement of these structures i8 achieved in that at least two hinge pins, equipped with bars and joined to telescoping bars through vertical struts, are formed as assembly group or module adapted to be prefa-bricated for installation in the drier cabinet.

By connecting the superposed hinge pins or the bar assembly to form a rigid frame, both the stabiiity of the bar assemblies adapted to be drawn ou~ from the cabinet is substantially improved, and the manufacturing and assembly work is greatly facilitated and thereby rendered more economical and efficient.

Preferably, the hinge pins are extruded light-metal hollow profiles (sections), and the bars comprise U-sections formed from fiberglass-reinforced, temperature resistant plastics material and having depending legs and a semi-circular back (upper side), which bars taper toward the free end, similar to beams of identical bending strength, `ànd are provided with a nose or lug on the free end thereof. Likewise, the shift gate may be ~ 87 l preferably a plastic molded part.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the drier cabinet described above is operated in accordance with a method wherein the air for drying and sterilizing is, in part, passed in circulation.

The invention is described below in a preferred embodi-ment with reference to drawings, with the drawings showing fur~her advantageous details of the invention.

In detail, in the drawings:

Figure l shwos a drier cabinet according to the 16 invention for drying and sterilizing fabrics;

Figure 2 shows an embodiment o~ the drier cabinet according to the invention with modified air guiding means;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a device for suspensing pieces of fabric within the drier cabinet, including a hinge pin having a series of pivotally slid-on laundry rods or bars, with four bars being in a horizontal position to define a holding grid, and one bar assuming a downwardly swung vertical position;

Figure ~ is a sectional view of a hinge assembly;

3~
Figure ~ is a plan view of a hinge assembly;

Figure 6 shows a hinge assembly in the unlocked position, in longitudinal section along plane IV-IV of Figure 5;

1 Figure 7 shows the hinge assembly according to Figure 6 in ~he folded-down state, likewise in section along plane IV-IV;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a frame including frame struts and a pair of hinge pins disposed one below the other, illustrated without the bars for reasons o clarity, and drawn out from a cabinet on telescoping rails;
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a frame strut mounted on telescoping rails;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of a frame trut according to Figure 9 with alundry bars folded down; and Figure 11 is a sectional view of a telescoping rail guide means, approximately to natural ~cale.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the drier cabinet 1 includes in i.nner space 2 adapted to receive pieces of cloth in a hanglng state. The drier cabinet is provided with hanger devices 16 from which pieces of cloth 17 may be hung up.
Such clothes suspensions or holders for the drier cabi-net have come to be known, for example, from the prior German Patent No. 21 49 873 or from the prior German patent application P 27 05 116, respectively, to which explicit reference is herewith made. The inner ~pace 2 of the drier cabinet 1 is enclosed by walls 3, 4 which, in turn, are provided with air circula~in holes 5. Air outlet ports 6 are provided in the bottom wall 4. Owing to the countercurrent air conduction, as indicated by arrows in the ~igure, in which the air flows evenly at every level of the` inner space 2, the clothes 17 suspen-ded therein are uniformly contracted and aerated by the 1 air flow. The drier cabinet comprises and outer casing 7 of sheet metal or plastic. Heat exchanger walIs 8 are provided between this casing and the inner walls 3.
Fre~h air inlet ports 10 are provided in the lower portion 9 of the outer casing 7. From these inlet ports, fresh air flows into the system of the drier cabinet 1 through fresh air ducts 11 which are defined between the casing 7 and one of the heat exchanger walls 8 each.
System air flows in parallel flow (left side o~ the cabinet) or in countercurrent flow (right side of the cabinet) relative thereto from the interior of the cabi-ne~ through circulatin air ducts 12. A blower or fan 13 is provided in the upper portion of the drier cabinet 1, and this blower has the heater register 14 disposed downstream thereof. In the embodiment of the invention, the blower 13 is provided with a device for setting different speeds of rotation, for example, with a pole-changeable asynchronous motor for two ranges of speed of rotation. By means of the multiple-contact or stepping switch 18, the desired range of speed of rotation may be set manually by means of the swit~h knob 18'. On the other hand, the stepping switch 18 i5 connected through control line 26 to a timer mechanism 19 which which permits to select in digital manner or with the use of 26 program cards a program of operation according to which, for example, loaded clothes 17 in their moist state after washing may be subjected initially to a drying process at warm air temperatures, and, upon termination of the drying process, to a sterilizing process at sterilization temperatures. Normally, warm air tempera-tures for drying may be chosen to be below 100 C, while sterilization requires a temperature of about 125 C. In order to provide warm or hot air in the first instance, the blower 13 rotates at a higher stage of peed of rotation; whereby a greater volume of air of a lower temperature is circulatedO Upon initiation of the steri-lization process, the blower 13 is switched to a lower ~57(~

1 speed of rotation, whereby a smaller volume of air of a higher temperature is fed. In order to prevent an upper temperature limit from being exceeded, the drier cabinet 1 is additionally equipped with an overheat (protection) switch 23. The later includes a temperature sensor 20 for sensing the temperature of a gas (air) flow at an expedient position of the flow ducts such as, for exam-ple, within the return duct 11. This overheat (protec-tion) switch 23 is connected to the switching relay 22 via a control line 27. This structure results in a most simple function of th4e overheat protection means in the go-stop-go-stop operation~ whereby the heater register 14 is turned off each time the permissible upper tempe-rature limit is reached or exceeded, and turned on again when the temperature has dropped to a permissible tempe-rature level.

In the sterili~ing operation, especially for delicate synthetic fiber fabrics, the sterilizing temperature is expediently maintained exactly within an allowable range of, for example, between 125 and 130 C. In this opera-tion, it is advisable to greatly restrict the supply of fresh air which is desirable during the drying cycle, and at the same time also to greatly reduce the volume of system air flowing in circulation. To this end, the drier cabinet 1 designed for carrying out the sterili-zing process includes shut-off dampers 24 at the air intake ports 10, as auxiliary means.

In the illustrated embodiment, these dampers are adapted to be operated automatically with the aid of electro-mechanical actuation means 29~ preferably embodied as lifting magnets or solenoids. Control is effected by the program of the timer mechanism 19 through control lines 28. In the illustrated embodiment, these lines are shown in a purely schema~icol form and, in practice, self-evidently installed within the drier cabinet in the ~L2~ii7a~87 1 normal safe and concealed manner.

The mode of functioning of the drier cabinet 1 during the drying and sterilization of pieces of cloth 17 suspended therein, as far as it is not evident already from the preceding specification, may be explained as follows:

After clothes 17 to be dried and sterilized have been loaded into the drier cabinet 1~ the latter is closed, and a corresponding program is set or selected by means of the timer mechanism 19, whereupon first the drying operation is initiated, carried out and terminated, while the sterilizing process is performed immediately thereupon. Here, drying is effected with a given drying time (period) and drying temperature as well as (drying) air volume, in the conventional manner~ At the end of the drying operation, the speed of rotation of the blower 13 i5 reduced by means of the pole-changerable motor in accordance with a corresponding command from the program, ~hrough the stepping switch 18. According-ly, a smaller volume o~ air of higher temperature is fed through the heater register 14 which i8 operated with unvaried energy input. Exceeding of the upper permissib-le temperature limit is prevented from occuring by theoverheat switch 23 including the temperature ~ensor 20 At the same time, a corresponding control pulse of the program, supplied via th4e control lines 28, acts to greatly restrict or even prevent air inflow through the air intake ports 10 with the aid of the shut-off dampers 24.

In order to further activate the now circulating hot sterilizing air, an additional bactericidal agent may be 3~ admi~ed to the hot air flow. In the embodiment shown, the drier cabinet 1 includes to this end an ozone gene-rating chamber 15 which is likewise controlled by the ~ ~7 ~ ~

1 program of the timer mechanism 19 via a control line 30.
Furthermore, the drier cabinet may be provided with means for introducing a desired bactericidal agent, which means is not illustrates in the drawing, however.

Of courqe, the provision of the ozone generating chamber is not mandatory. Further, manually operable ~hut-off dampers may be provided at the air intake ports 10 and also at the air outlet or exhaust ports 6, instead of the electromechanically controlled shut-off dampers 24.

According to the invention, for use as a sterilizing apparatus the drier cabinet requires only a higher expenditure of technical means, compared to its previous conventional use as an exclusive drier cabinet. Conse-quently, the object as outlined above is solved in an ideal manner by the apparatus described.

For the suspension of clothes, such as smocks or blouses, these articles may be hung on hangers having widened hooks such that the hangers are prevented from rotating relative to the bars.

The air guide system and the arrangement of the opera-ting elements may be designed, even in the case of a small-size wall mounted cabinet, such that this cabinet, in case of need, may be mounted above the heat or foot end of a bathing tub.

Furthermore, the particular advantage of the cabinet resides in the fact that the risk of fire is excluded therein in spite of the high temperatures used, because flint does not deposit anywhere in the cabinet, and drying can be performed even without heating.
In order to minimi`~e a heat loss during the drying and sterilizing operation, and thu~ to minimize the thermal ~2~7~1~7 1 load to the environments of the cabinet, according to Fiyure 2 not only the sidewalls, bot also the rear wall, the door, the top wall and the bottom wall may be formed of double sheet and include ext~rnal cold air guide means. Also, the walls may be formed optionally as insulating walls.

More particularly, in such case, the cold air is drawn in or aspirated at the cabinet bottom to flow upwards wi~hin one wall of the cabinet, pass through the top wall and flow down within the opposite wall of the cabinet, to be exhausted at the upper side after having passed through the drying compartment.

Interiorly, the drier cabinet according to the inven-tion, as appears from Figure 3, includes a hinge assem-bly 101 comprising rods or bars 102, 102' for suspending there from pieces of cloth and the like. In the illu-strated structure, the bars 102 are shown in the horizontal position ready to reveive the pieces of cloth, whereas the bar 102'is folded down to assume a vertical position. In the hinge assembly 101, the bars 102, 102' are formed at the side adjacent the hinge, with a hub-shaped head portion 103 extending tranCverse-ly of the bar axis x-x. The heat portions are provided with bores 130 by which they are mounted for pivoting movement about a horizontally extending hinge pin 104, and set either to project in a horizontal position adapted to be secured by lock or latch elements, or to S0 be folded down to the vertical position upon release of the lock. The hinge pin 104 has a circular profile with a notch 107 defining a horizontal engagement (or ar-resting) surface 106 and extending in parallel with its axis x-x at the side opposite from a horizontally exten-ding bar 102. The bore 130 formed in the heat portion isformed, in profile or cross~sect;on, as an elongated or oval hole 105 having a profile axis that coincides with ~257~18~7 1 the bar axis y-y. At hte side opposite from the bar, a detent 109 protrudes into the elongated hole 105, which detent defines a counter engagement (or arresting) sur-face 108 extending in parallel with the bar axis y~y.

In the horizontal position of a bar 102, the detent 109 engages the notch 107, with the detent and the notch defining engagement or arresting element~ of a lock means. In this situation in which the part engage with each other to cooperate in defining the lock means, the head portion 103 and the hinge pin 104 are retained by the action of the resilient reset element 110. Here, the engagement surface 106 and the counter engagement sur-face 108 are each formed such that these surface contact each other with planar faces when engaged with each other.

As is further apparent from the illustration of Figures

4 and S, the head portion 103 is formed with a central recess 113 to constitute a yoke. In the bottom of the recess 113, a bore 135 is ormed to extend in the direc-tion o~ axis y-y, which bore receives the reset element 110 ln the form of a thrust bolt 111 biased by a com-pression spring 112.
~o overcome the resetting force of the reset element 110 and, thus, to release the lock, a shift lever 114 is positioned n the recess 113 of the yoke, which is slid on the hinge pin 104 with a circular opening 136 and pivotally connected to the yoke 104 through a joint 115 di~posed centrally above the elongated hole 105. ~he shift lever 114 is formed at the upper rear an~ with a manually operable actuating cam 116 projecting abovP the yoke. This cam is provided with a cup-shaped enlargement 117 to form an operating key. Upon despressing this key by finger pressure, the key pivots about the joint 115 against the resetting force of the reset element 110, ~257~3~7 1 thereby to shift the hinge pin 104 relative to the bar 102 or the head portion 103 with the degree of freedom deined by the elongated hole 105~ and into abutment with the bar-side end 138 of the elongated hole 105.
This position of the hinge pin 104 relative to the elongated (oval) hole 105 i8 clearly shown in the illu-stration of Figure 6. By this relative movement, the engagement surface 106 is released from the engag4ement with the counter engagement surface 108, and the bar 102 may be swung or folded down to the vertical position, as indicated by the arrow 139 in Figure 6.

As can be seen from Figures 4 to 7, the hinge pin 104 is provided with a second notch 119 which is displaced by o 90 C from the first notch 107~ According to Figure 7, the detent 109 engages this notch in the vertical posi-tion, whereby the counter engagement surface 108 is brought into surface contact with the vertical engage ment or arresting surface 118 of the second notch 119.
Accordingly, in this state the bar 102 is locked in its vertical position, thereby to positively prevent over-travel beyond the vertical position and, thus, striking of the bars 102 against the inner wall of the cabinet lo As can be seen especially from Figures 3 and 5, the notches 107 and 119 are formed to extend in parallel with each other and with the axis x-x of the hinge pin 104.

Furthermore, easy operation is particularly facilitated by the fact that the operating cam 116 of the shift lever 114 is provided with a colored marking in a signal color, preferably in red. Accordingly, the "push button"
which must be actuated for folding down a bar 102, 102' immediately strikes the eyes of even a most inexperien-ced person.

~5~

1 In order to facilitate hanging of the pieces of cloth from the bars 102, the hinge pin 104 provided with the bar~ 102, 102' is mounted in a telescoping rail guide.
Here, the hinge pin 104 is fixedly mounted to the teles-coping rail 122, an~ the wall of the cabinet 1 is fixed-ly connected to the telescoping rail 123. An interposed telescoping rail 124 being slidable relative to the other two telescoping rails provides for almost fric-tion-free movement in a horizontal direction in parallel with the x-x a~is until the hinge assembly 101 is drawn out fully from the interior of the cabinet 1. According to ~igure 8, a further improvement is compared to this structure i~ obtained in that at least two hinge pins 104, 104' form together with vertical struts 125, 125' an integrally rigid rectangular frame 128. In the illu-stration of Figure 8, the bars 102, 102' have been omitted for reasons of clarity, but these bars, oE
course, are mounted on the hinge pins 10~, 104' in the installed and assembled state. These hinge pins are each securely connected to the upper ends 126 and the lower ends 127 of the vertical struts 125, 125'. hccording to a further proposed embodiment, such a connection may be realized expediently when the hinge pins 104 - as shown in Figure 7 - are formed as proiled extruded light-metal hollow sections. In this instance, a (not illu-strated) tie rod or stay may be iserted through the opening 137 of the profile and threadingly joined to the ends 126, 127 of the vertical struts 125, 125l under a pretension. Further, the frame 128 is reinforced by cross-bars 129, 129'. These latter elements, in the example shown, are formed as telescoping rails 122, while telescoping rails 123, 123' are fixedly screwed in the interior of the cabinet 1. Joining of these teles-coping rails is effected by means of teleæcoping inter-mediate rails 124, 124' in a manner being known per se.The assembly of the hinge pins 104, 104' integrated into the rigid frame 128 including the vertical struts 125, ~257~

1 125' constitutes, as a module, a prefabricated assembly group for installation into the drier cabinet 1. This provides for significant savings in production time and for a separate line productability of this assembly group. On the one hand, this permits to reduce produc-tion cost; on the other hand, the varying requirement with respect to the equipment of a drier cabinet with an installed bar structure can be met more flexibly, final-ly, the pull-out installation group greatly facilitates the necessary manipulations by the user.

The placement of a vertical strut 125 on telescoping rails 122 to 124 is shown in Figure 9. In this struc-ture, a cross-bar 129 constitutes the uppermosk teles-coping rail 122, and an S-shaped angled section defines the lower telescoping rail 123 mounted in the cabinet 1, with a telescoping intermediate rail 124 arranged there-between to be movable.

One of the great number of variants for realizing such a known per se telescoping rail assembly is shown on an enlarged scale in Figure 11.

Finally, Figure 10 shows in a purely schematical illu-stration in connection with telescoping guide means 140, 141 a vertical strut 125 in side elevational view, with the bars 102' folded down to the vertical position.

Evidently, the hinge assembly according to the invention combines optimum functioning and maximum comfort of operation with an ingeniously simple construction and, therefore, the poten~ial for highly efficient manufac-ture, while avoiding the heretofore existing problems and drawbacks.
A particularly great length of the bars which provides for a corresponding length for suspendinq articles, ~,~57~7 1 results from the positioning of the telescoping rails 122, 124 and 123 one above the other. This necessitates that the cabinet-side vertical strut 125' i8 provided with a cutout to permit the rails 122 and 124 to pass therethrough when the bars are retracted into the inner space of the cabinet.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for drying and sterilizing fabrics comprising:
(a) a drier cabinet having walls;
(b) means for suspending fabric parts in said cabinet;
(c) means for generating, distributing and circulating first warm air in said cabinet for drying purposes and thereafter hot air for the sterilization of the fabric parts; and, (d) means to cool said cabinet walls by causing fresh air to flow along at least a portion of the interior of said walls of said drier cabinet to cool same comprising distributing ducts in at least a portion of said walls and including at least one fresh air inlet port in at least one of said walls, said distributing ducts directing said fresh air to said means of generating distributing and circulating first warm air, and at least one exhaust air outlet port in at least one of said walls.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said means for circulating air comprises distributing ducts in at least a portion of said walls and includes at least one fresh air inlet port and at least one exhaust air outlet port.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which cold air is aspirated in a portion of said walls and passed behind said walls through passages for cooling the outer surfaces of said drier cabinet, to an opposite portion of said cabinet.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which at least one of said two ports includes a controllable restriction element.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, which produces warm air of a temperature below 100°C for the drying operation, and hot air in a temperature range between 120° and 145°C for the sterilizing operation.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said drier cabinet includes means for introducing a bactericidal agent.

7. An apparatus for drying and sterilizing fabrics comprising a drier cabinet means for suspending fabric parts in said cabinet, and means for generating, distributing and circulating warm air for drying purposes and hot air for the sterilization of the fabric parts, and said means for suspending fabric parts in said drier cabinet comprising bars individually having head portions and adapted to swing about a horizontal axis and releasably locked in an approximately horizontal position, said suspending means including a hinge pin forming a horizontal pivot axis and having a circular cross-sectional profile including a notch defining an engagement surface in the side opposite from each of said bars in a horizontal position, and each bar having a bore configured, in profile, as an elongated hole having a profile axis co-extending with the bar axis, and said head portion of each bar having a detent protruding into said elongated hole of each bore at the side opposite from the bar and defining a counter engagement surface which extends in parallel with the bar axis, said hinge pin having a notch and said each bar head portion having a detent comprising lock means having lock elements, and said each bar head portion having at the side opposite from the lock elements a reset element keeping the lock elements in the engaged position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which each head portion has a recess to form a yoke and which includes for each head portion a shift lever with a circular opening and disposed on said hinge pin in said recess for overcoming the resetting force of said reset element and, thus, for releasing said lock means, said shift lever being pivoted to said yoke centrally above said elongated hole and said shift lever having a manually operable actuating cam protruding above said yoke to the upper rear side thereof.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, in which said hinge pin includes at the upper side of its profile a second notch displaced from the first-mentioned notch by 90° and defining a vertical engagement surface, which second notch comprises together with said counter engagement surface of each detent locking means preventing further pivoting of said each bar beyond the vertical position when said each bar is pivoted to a vertical position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, which includes a plurality of hinge pins adapted to be shifted from a position within the cabinet to a position outside the cabinet.