The present invention relates generally to a dryer construction and, more particularly, pertains to a dryer construction incorporating a rack for non-tumble drying of articles received in the rack.
Conventional home dryers and the like include a rotatable drum that receives the articles to be dried. During a normal drying cycle the drum rotates as hot air traverses through the drum. The rotation of the drum causes the articles to continuously circulate through the drum thereby exposing more surface area to quicken the drying process. This is normally referred to as a tumble dry operation.
However, many types of articles such as "dainty" articles cannot be subjected to a tumble drying operation without being damaged. As a result, these articles must be dried by other methods such as by a clothes rack or the like. Of course, it would be preferable if the ease of an automatic dryer could be used to accommodate such articles.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved dryer construction for the non-tumble drying of articles.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a dryer construction having provision for conventional tumble drying cycles and for non-tumble drying
Another object of this invention is to provide a dryer construction having a removable rack for the selective non-tumble drying of articles.
A further object of the present invention resides in the novel details of construction that provide a non-tumble drying rack in a dryer construction of the type described that effectively prevents the relative movement of articles received in the rack regardless of the amount of articles therein.
Accordingly, a rack constructed according to the present invention is adapted to be used in a dryer of the type having a rotatable drum for preventing tumbling of the articles received in the rack. The rack comprises an open-work basket portion for receiving the articles therein. The basket comprises a bottom wall, opposed side walls, a front wall and a rear wall. A cover is provided for covering the open top of the basket portion and cooperating closing means is provided on the basket portion and the cover for affixing the cover to the basket portion at a preselected one of a plurality of different heights from the bottom wall. Mounting means releasably mounts the rack on the drum to prevent the tumbling of the rack as the drum rotates. Since the cover may be affixed to the basket portion at a number of different locations, the pressure from the cover will prevent relative movement of the articles in the basket regardless of the volume occupied by the articles.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds