Water-extraction press

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
A press for extracting water from wet washing, the press comprising a housing, a perforated press floor for supporting a batch of wet washing, a charging frame for surrounding the batch of wet washing supported by the perforated press floor, a hydraulic ram for pressing the wet washing down against the press floor, the hydraulic ram comprising a generally bell-shaped diaphragm carrier whose open end is closed by a diaphragm and whose hollow interior is pressurizable with hydraulic fluid, and means for moving the charging frame together with the diaphragm carrier as a unit towards the press floor.
2.
A press according to claim 1, wherein the charging frame includes a tubular wall provided with an outwardly-extending sealing flange at its upper end.
3.
A press according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for locking the diaphragm carrier to the charging frame for conjoint downwards movement.
4.
A press according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for locking the diaphragm carrier in its lowest position.
5.
A press according to claim 4, wherein said locking means comprise hydraulic ram means attached to the diaphragm carrier which engage stop members attached to the housing of the press.
6.
A press according to claim 5, wherein a pair of hydraulic piston-and-cylinder units constitute said hydraulic ram means, each of said piston-and-cylinder units having a pair of piston rods extending in opposite directions from its cylinder, and the two piston rods extending in each direction being connected to a respective stop which co-operates with a corresponding stop member attached to the housing.
7.
A press according to claim 6, wherein the housing includes a pair of oppositely disposed side walls.
8.
A press according to claim 7, wherein each side wall supports a respective stop member which extends substantially the entire width of that wall.
9.
A press according to claim 8, wherein each stop member is constituted by a pair of vertically spaced rails.
10.
A press according to claim 1, wherein the charging frame is vertically reciprocable by means of double-acting hydraulic piston-and-cylinder units