Laundry appliance for washing small quantities of clothing

Abstract

A portable washing appliance for washing small quantities of clothing. A container open at the top has a first compartment for receiving an item of clothing for washing. The container includes a perforated basket which is motor or manually driven to effect a washing operation as well as pre-soaked and rinse operations. Water may be discharged from a first compartment in the container into at least one second compartment, located either below or adjacent thereto, which contains a removable waste receptacle. The waste receptacle collects wash water. rinse water and water extracted during a spin dry operations which may be discarded through a kitchen or bathroom sink drain.

1 . A portable washing apparatus for washing small quantities of clothing, comprising:
 a housing comprising a top opening and a waste receptacle opening;   a lid configured to cover the top opening, wherein the lid is positionable in an open position and a closed position;   a wash compartment disposed within the housing, the wash compartment comprising a top open end and a bottom end and being configured to receive water therein;   a perforated basket residing within the wash compartment, the perforated basket being configured to receive clothing therein;   a manual actuator coupled to the lid, the manual actuator configured to rotate the perforated basket about a vertical axis;   a valve coupled to the bottom end of the wash compartment to allow water to be downwardly drained by gravity from the wash compartment; and   a waste receptacle disposed within the housing below the wash compartment so as to receive the water downwardly drained by gravity from the wash compartment, wherein the waste receptacle is removable from the housing via the waste receptacle opening to allow the drained water to be disposed of.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an agitator removably attached to the perforated basket.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the top open end of the wash compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a locking latch secured to the lid to maintain the lid in the closed position.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator comprises a crank mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator comprises a pulley mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator comprises a pump mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the pump mechanism comprises a reciprocating handle assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator is configured to rotate the perforated basket at a rotational speed sufficient to centrifugally remove water from clothing within the perforated basket. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral reservoir disposed within the housing and extending along a periphery of the top opening. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the peripheral reservoir comprises a laundry detergent compartment. 
     
     
         12 . A portable washing apparatus for washing small quantities of clothing, comprising:
 a housing comprising a top opening and a waste receptacle opening;   a lid configured to cover the top opening, wherein the lid is positionable in an open position and a closed position;   a wash compartment disposed within the housing, the wash compartment comprising a top open end and a bottom end and being configured to receive water therein;   a perforated basket residing within the wash compartment, the perforated basket being configured to receive clothing therein;   a pump mechanism coupled to the lid and the perforated basket, wherein the pump mechanism comprises a reciprocating handle assembly, and wherein the pump mechanism is configured to cause the perforated basket to rotate about a vertical axis when the lid is in the closed position and the handle assembly is actuated;   a valve coupled to a bottom end of the wash compartment to allow water to be downwardly drained by gravity from the wash compartment; and   waste receptacle disposed within the housing below the wash compartment so as to receive the water downwardly drained by gravity from the wash compartment, wherein the waste receptacle is removable from the housing via the waste receptacle opening to allow the drained water to be remotely disposed of.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an agitator removably attached to the perforated basket.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the top open end of the wash compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a locking latch secured to the lid to maintain the lid in the closed position.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the handle assembly is incorporated in the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the pump mechanism is configured to rotate the perforated basket at a rotational speed sufficient to centrifugally remove water from clothing within the perforated basket. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a peripheral reservoir disposed within the housing and extending along a periphery of the top opening. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the peripheral reservoir comprises a laundry detergent compartment.