Abstract:
A washing machine includes a cabinet with an opening. A wash basket is mounted within the cabinet for rotation about a wash basket axis, and includes an access opening through which clothes may be loaded and unloaded. At least one agitator is mounted within the basket for rotation about an agitator axis which is at an angle different from the angle of the wash basket axis. A drive mechanism bathed by washing fluid interconnects a drive motor, the wash basket, and the agitator for rotating the agitator about its rotational axis.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional clothes washing machines are of two basic types: a vertical axis, top loading machine and a horizontal axis front loading machine. While front loading machines are generally more economical with respect to water consumption and electrical usage, the top loading machines typically provide easier access. Both types of washing machines include a perforated basket which holds the clothes or articles being washed. In the front loading machine, the clothes are tumbled in the wash water while the basket rotates. In a top loading machines, an oscillating or rotating agitator mixes the clothes and articles in the wash water while the basket remains substantially stationary. At the completion of the wash cycle in either machine, the basket is rotated at a high RPM to extract the wash water from the basket and the clothes therein. 
     An objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved top loading washing machine. 
     A further objective is to provide a top loading washer having rotatable agitators/lifters within a washing basket. 
     A further objective is to provide a novel drive system for rotating the agitators/lifters within a washing basket. 
     A further objective is to provide a drive system for agitators within a washing basket wherein the drive system is at least partially bathed in washing fluid. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a top loading washing machine having low water usage, yet excellent mechanical washing action. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a top loading washing machine having a simple and durable construction. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved top loading, washing machine which is economical to manufacture and to operate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing objects may be achieved by a washing machine having a cabinet with a top opening. A wash basket is mounted within the cabinet for rotation about a wash basket axis. The wash basket has an upwardly facing access opening through which clothes may be loaded and unloaded. At least a first agitator/lifter is mounted in the basket for rotation about an agitator axis which is at an angle different from the angle of the wash basket axis. A drive motor is mounted to the cabinet. A drive mechanism interconnects the motor, the wash basket, and the first agitator for rotating the first agitator about the first agitator axis when the wash basket is held against rotation about its wash basket axis. 
     It is preferred that a second agitator also be mounted within the wash basket and that it also be driven by the drive mechanism. 
     A tub at least partially surrounds the wash basket and contains washing fluid. The drive mechanism preferably is at least partially submerged in and bathed by the washing fluid. 
     While the shape of the washing basket and tub may vary without detracting from the invention, it is preferable that the washing basket and the tub be spherical, and that the agitators each have a concave surface and a convex surface, with the convex surfaces nesting against the spherical walls of the washing basket. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the washing machine of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the gear drive mechanism for the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed view taken generally along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a pictorial view showing the gear drive assembly and one agitator pan. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings the numeral  10  generally designates the washing machine of the present invention. Washing machine  10  includes a cabinet  12 , a control panel  14 , an access opening  15  (FIG.  2 ), and a door  16  which is hinged to move from an open to a closed position over the access opening  15 . 
     Mounted within the lower end of the cabinet  12  on a web  23  is a reversible drive motor  18  of conventional construction. Motor  18  has an output shaft  20  which extends upwardly through a bearing  22  in the web  23 . In this embodiment, motor  18  is attached to the web  23  by brackets  24 . Shaft  20  extends upwardly through a clutch  26  shown schematically in FIGS. 2 and 4. Clutch  26  is adapted to respond to rotation of the shaft  20  in a first direction to drive a hub  34  which is connected to a spherically shaped basket  40 . Rotation of the shaft  20  in the opposite direction disengages the clutch  26  and permits the shaft  20  to rotate independently of hub  34 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a tub  28  includes at its lower end a basin  30  for holding washing fluid. Extending upwardly from basin  30  is a spherically shaped lower tub portion  31 . The tub  28  extends upwardly to the top of basket  40  and terminates at an upper edge  32 . A tub cover  33  is attached to the upper edge  32  and extends inwardly over a portion of the top opening  41  of basket  40 . The tub cover  33  is cooperable with access opening  15  for providing a path into basket  40 . 
     Hub  34  includes a central bore  36  which receives output shaft  20 . Output shaft  20  is attached at its upper end to a drive gear  38 . 
     Hub  34  extends through the basin  30  by way of a rotary seal arrangement shown schemactially at  43  in FIGS. 2 and 4 and is attached to the basket  40  which includes a spherical portion  42  and a gear box portion  44  in its lower end. Extending over the top of the gear box portion  44  is a curved wall  46  which forms an extension of the spherically shaped walls of spherical portion  42 . Curved wall  46  includes a first gear hole  48  and a second gear hole  50  therein. The space below the curved wall  46  comprises a gear box chamber  52  for housing the gear drive to be described hereafter. 
     Basket  40  includes a plurality of perforations in its spherical shaped walls  42  for permitting fluid communication between the interior of basket  40  and the tub  28 . Thus, as fluid is introduced into the basket  40 , the fluid flows through apertures  54  and enters the tub  28  also. As further depicted in FIG. 2, the web  23 , drive motor  18  and the washing assembly are shown suspended from the inside of cabinet  10  by a conventional hung strut suspension system  25  which is of known construction and does not comprise part of the instant invention. 
     Agitator/lifter pans  56 ,  58  each include a circular peripheral rim  60  and a circular pan gear  62  which extends circumferentially around the back side of the rim  60 . 
     Agitator/lifter pans  56 ,  58  are each rotatably mounted to the basket  40  by a pan mount assembly  64  which is shown in enlarged detail in FIG.  5 . The spherical portion  42  of basket  40  includes an opening  66  in each of the opposite sides thereof. Opening  66  is surrounded by an annular shoulder  68 . A plug body  70  includes a head  72  and a shank  74 . Spring fingers  76  extend radially outwardly from the shank  74  and are adapted to move yieldably inwardly. The plug  70  is inserted through the opening  66  in the basket wall  42 . During insertion spring fingers  76  cam radially inwardly and slip past the annular shoulders  68  surrounding opening  66 . After the spring fingers clear the annular shoulder  68  they spring outwardly and retain the plug  70  within the opening  66 . Shank  74  of plug body  70  includes a screw receptacle  78 . 
     Agitator/lifter pans  56  and  58  are each provided with a cylindrical outer sleeve  80  in which is inserted a bearing boss  82 . Inserted within boss  82  is a locking tube  84  having a head  86  and a web  88 . A screw  90  extends through web  88  and is threaded into the screw receptacle  78  of plug  70 . This attaches the agitator pans  56 ,  58  to the side walls  42  of basket  40 , while at the same time permitting the agitator pans  56 ,  58  to rotate about the cylindrical axes of the sleeves  80 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, a gear assembly  92  is housed within the gear box chamber  52  and includes a first driven gear  94  which directly engages the annular teeth of the drive gear  38 . First driven gear  94  is connected to a first pan gear  96  by a gear shaft  98 . An idler gear  100  is also directly driven by drive gear  38 . Idler gear  100 , in turn, engages gear  104  which has a second pan drive gear  106  on its upper surface. 
     In operation, shaft  20  drives gear  38  in a clockwise direction indicated by arrow  108  (FIG.  6 ). This rotates gears  94 ,  100  in the directions shown by arrows  110 ,  114  respectively. Rotation of gear  94  causes similar rotation of first pan gear  96  in the direction indicated by arrow  112 . First pan gear  96  engages the teeth of the circumferential gear  62  on the back of peripheral rim  60  on agitator pan  56 . This causes rotation of agitator pan  56  about its axis formed by the pan mount assembly  64 . 
     Rotation of idler gear  100  causes rotation of gear  104  in the direction indicated by arrow  118 . This also causes rotation of second pan gear  106  in the direction indicated by arrow  120 . In this embodiment, the rotational axis of agitator pans  56  and  58  are each located  60  degrees from the vertical rotational axis of the drive gear  38  and opposite one another. Because of this angular disposition, the rotational planes of the circumferential gears  62  and the first and second pan gears  96 ,  106  operate at an acute angle with respect to each other. 
     It should be noted that first and second pan gears  96 ,  106 , rotate in opposite directions, thereby causing the agitator pans  56 ,  58  to also rotate in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows  122 ,  124  in FIG.  3 . Alternately, gearing can be provided to cause agitator pans  56 ,  58  to rotate in the same direction if desired. 
     All the gears in gear assembly  92  are preferably formed of a plastic material so that they can be bathed within the washing fluid within basin  30  of tub  28  and within the gear box chamber  52  of basket  40 . Various types of noncorrosive materials may be used, but the preferred material is a thermoplastic polymer sold under the trademark Carilon by Shell Chemical Company. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 2 the water or washing fluid level  126  is at approximately the level of the pan mount assemblies  64 . The rotation of the two agitator pans  56 ,  58  creates a tumbling action of the fabrics  134  being washed within the washing basket  40 . This tumbling action is facilitated by ribs  128  which are formed on the interior concave surfaces  130  of the agitator pans  56 ,  58 . The back surfaces of agitator pans  56 ,  58  are convex. While they do not conform precisely to the interior spherical surface of the basket  40  they are shaped to nest against this interior surface with the annular rims  60  of the pans  56 ,  58  bearing against the curved spherical wall  42  of basket  40 . The annular rim  60  is provided with a seal  132  which prevents the fabrics or clothing from becoming entangled with the first and second pan gears  96 ,  106  which protrude upwardly through the first and second gear holes  48 ,  50  in the curved wall portion  46 , and which engage the circumferential gears  62  on the back sides of rims  60  of the agitator pans  56 ,  58 . 
     The present invention has been found to provide superior washing capabilities over prior art washing machines. The tumbling action provided by agitator pans  56 ,  58  is a gentle action that minimizes damage and wear to delicate fabrics. Furthermore, the ribs  128  on the interiors of agitator pans  56 ,  58  cause a lifting of the washing fluid and improve the cleaning of the fabrics within the basket  40 . 
     The gear assembly  92  for driving the pans  56 ,  58  is submerged within the washing fluid, and is bathed by the washing fluid throughout the operation of the device. 
     After the washing cycle has been completed, motor  18  is reversed, and the reverse rotation of shaft  20  causes the clutch  26  to engage with the hub  34 , thereby causing the basket  40  to rotate for its spin cycle. During the spin cycle the washing fluid passes outwardly through apertures  54  due to centrifugal force. The fluid within tub  28  is drained away. 
     In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims.