United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,219,370 Farrington Et Al
USOO521937OA United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,219,370 Farrington et al. 45) Date of Patent: Jun. 15, 1993 54 TUMBLING METHOD OF WASHING 4,696,171 9/1987 Babulin ................................ 68/207 FABRIC IN A HORIZONTALAXIS WASHER 4,784,666 3/1989 Brenner et al. 8/158 75 Inventors: Sheryl L. Farrington, Lincoln 4,987,627 1/1991 Cur et al. ................................ 8/158 Township, Berrien County; John W. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Euler, St. Joseph; Mark B. Kovich, 209436 2/1956 Australia . St. Joseph Township, Berrien County; Jim J. Pastryk, Weesal Primary Examiner-Theodore Morris Township, Berrien County; Anthony Assistant Examiner-Saeed T. Chaudhry H. Hardaway, Lincoln Township, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stephen D. Krefiman; Berrien County, all of Mich. Thomas J. Roth; Thomas E. Turcotte 73. Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton 57) ABSTRACT Harbor, Mich. An improved wash process is provided wherein during a low speed spin portion of the wash process, the wash (21). Appl. No.: 815,783 chamber or wash basket is rotated about its horizontal 22 Filed: Jan. 2, 1992 axis at a spin speed to effect less than a one gravity centrifugal force on the fabric such that the fabric will 51) int. Cl.' ......................... D06B 1/02; D06F23/02 tumble in the wash chamber. During this tumbling ac 52) U.S.C. .......................................... 8/158; 8/159; tion a recirculating spray of highly concentrated deter 68/23.5; 68/58 gent solution, preferably in the range of at least 0.5% to 58 Field of Search .................... 8/158, 159; 68/23.5, 12% by weight is directed onto the fabric for a first 68/12.14, 58 period of time.
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