Industrial Washer Door Locking Mechanism and System

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to an industrial washer permitting operation only when secured. In exemplary embodiment, a body including a cylinder is located inside a stationary tub weldment, the cylinder defines a plurality of inner compartments and including a plurality loading openings, each loading opening is dimensioned to permit the placement of laundry within a respective inner compartment of the plurality of inner compartments; a cylinder door is configured to move between an open position and a closed position within the stationary tub weldment, the cylinder door covering at least one the plurality of loading openings in the closed position; a sensor is disposed on the stationary tub weldment; a sensor target bracket is mounted on the cylinder door; and a sensor target is positioned on the sensor target bracket such that the sensor only detects the sensor target when the cylinder door is in the closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An industrial washer permitting operation only when secured, comprising:
 a body comprising a cylinder located inside a stationary tub weldment, the cylinder defining a plurality of inner compartments and including a plurality loading openings, each loading opening being dimensioned to permit the placement of laundry within a respective inner compartment of the plurality of inner compartments;   a cylinder door being configured to move between an open position and a closed position within the stationary tub weldment, the cylinder door covering at least one the plurality of loading openings in the closed position;   a sensor disposed on the stationary tub weldment;   a sensor target bracket mounted on the cylinder door; and   a sensor target positioned on the sensor target bracket such that the sensor only detects the sensor target when the cylinder door is in the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The industrial washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller in communication with the sensor located on the stationary tub weldment, the controller being configured to permit operation only if the sensor detects the sensor target, wherein the sensor target is located on the cylinder door. 
     
     
         3 . The industrial washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cylinder doors, a plurality of sensor targets, and a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensor targets are each positioned on a respective cylinder door of the plurality of cylinder doors, wherein the plurality of sensor targets are each detectable by a respective sensor of the plurality of sensors when the respective cylinder door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The industrial washer of  claim 3 , further comprising a controller in communication with each sensor of the plurality of sensors and configured to permit operation only if each sensor of the plurality of sensors detects a respective sensor target of the plurality of sensor targets. 
     
     
         5 . The industrial washer of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer tub weldment door, being separate from the plurality of cylinder doors, wherein the outer tub weldment door is only closeable when each of the plurality of sensors detects each of the plurality of sensor targets.