is pressed away from the wall of the vessel as it starts to be compressed the platen 33 designed in this manner serves simultaneously to supply the flowing medium air and to distribute it over the laundry for this purpose a compressed air line 53 is connected to the platen 33 specifically at its hub 44 a compressed air space 54 is formed beneath the piston rod 43 of the pressing cylinder 42 this space being connected via a through passage 55 to the underside of the platen 33 and consequently to the radial and transversely aligned distribution channels 51 which are located there and are open towards towards the underside a perforated plate 52 which is likewise shaped in a concave manner is located beneath the underside of the platen 33 the members described above uniformly distribute the flowing medium in the vessel 12 and thereby direct it through the laundry 10 a non return valve 56 is located in the region of the through passage 55 this valve preventing reverse flow of the flowing medium air or preventing water from flowing back especially during the mechanical pressing phase as already stated the vessel 12 or as the case may be the vessel shell 13 can be lifted from the counterpressure plate 14 for this purpose two lifting cylinders 57 58 are supported on the baseplate 15 on the one hand and are connected on the other hand to projections 59 60 on the vessel shell 13 by extending the piston rods of the lifting cylinders 57 58 the vessel shell 13 is raised from the counterpressure plate 14 thus enabling the dewatered batch of laundry 10 to be transported away.