Two-piece liquid rinse agent dispenser for clothes washing machine

A two piece liquid rinse agent dispenser for use in a top loading automatic clothes washing machine, includes an inner annular member having a central, hollow hub for mounting the dispenser on the agitator of the machine, a first annular wall joined to the hub to define therebetween a first rinse agent receiving chamber having an open upper end and an outwardly extending flange or base wall joined to the hub, including a depending annular wall having external threads formed thereon. An outer cover member of the dispenser comprises an inverted cup dimensioned for receipt over the inner annular member. The upper wall of the outer member defines an opening through which liquid rinse agent is poured into the first chamber. Internal threads are formed along the interior wall of the rim of the cup for mating engagement with the external threads of the inner annular member. The side wall of the cover member, the first annular wall and base wall of the inner annular member cooperate to define a second chamber into which the liquid rinse agent is transferred by high speed rotation of the dispenser and from which the liquid rinse agent is dispensed into the clothes carrying basket of the washing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a liquid dispenser device for an 
automatic clothes washing machine and more particularly to such a device 
designed to be mounted on the clothes agitator thereof and automatically 
dispense liquids, such as, for example, rinse agents, during the operation 
of the machine. 
Automatic dispenser devices for use in dispensing liquid rinse agents and 
the like into the wash basket of an automatic clothes washing machine 
during the operation of the machine, are well known in the art. One such 
dispenser device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,868,006, is of the type 
which is designed to be mounted on the agitator of the clothes washing 
machine. Liquid rinse agent is placed into a first, inner compartment or 
chamber of the dispenser device upon initiation of the washing operation. 
During the wash cycle, while the agitator oscillates, the liquid agent 
remains in the inner compartment. Thereafter, during the spin cycle, the 
liquid agent is acted upon by centrifugal force created by the rotation of 
the dispenser on the agitator, moving the liquid agent into an outer 
chamber of the device. Exit openings communicating with the outer 
compartment permit the liquid rinse agent to be dispensed into the rinse 
water. 
While the principle of operation of the liquid dispenser is sound, being of 
one piece construction, cleaning the device subsequent to use can be 
difficult. To overcome this disadvantage, a device of the type described 
has been fabricated in two or more separable parts. Examples of such 
dispenser devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,054 and 
4,118,957. 
The dispensers illustrated in the last-mentioned prior art patents include 
inner and outer annular members, both of which are mounted on the agitator 
of the clothes washing machine and joined together by a friction fit. In 
one case, the dispenser device comprises inner and outer annular members 
having mating male and female threaded portions at the axes of rotation 
thereof for joining the two members. Because of this method of joining the 
inner and outer members, this dispenser, it appears, must be manufactured 
with precision to avoid imbalance and wobble when the device is spun on 
the agitator. 
While the two piece dispenser devices of the above mentioned patents 
function satisfactorily for the most part to permit cleaning thereof 
subsequent to the use of the device, because of the construction of these 
devices, there is a good possibility that after prolonged use, excessive 
fatiguing of the members may occur, rendering the device ineffective. 
Furthermore, liquid rinse agent must be poured over a portion of the 
support structure of the outer annular member of the device. This can 
cause a splashing of the rinse agent away from the device and a premature 
entry of the rinse agent into the washing machine clothes basket. Also, 
special sealing along the perimeters of the inner and outer annular 
members of these devices is essential to insure that no leakage of liquid 
agent occurs from the device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a 
new and improved multi-piece liquid dispenser device for use in an 
automatic clothes washing machine, which device overcomes the 
disadvantages of the prior art multi-piece devices. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
two-piece liquid dispenser device of the above-described type which is 
relatively simple in construction, easy to use and to clean and which 
operates effectively to dispense liquid rinse agent into the rinse water 
of an automatic clothes washing machine during the operation thereof. 
Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the two-piece liquid rinse agent 
dispenser according to the invention includes an inner annular member 
having a central, hollow, generally conically shaped hub closed off at the 
upper end by a top wall, the hub being designed for receipt on the 
agitator of a clothes washing machine. Extending outwardly and upwardly 
from the side wall of the hub, near the lower, open end thereof, at a 
predetermined angle with respect thereto, is an annular wall. The annular 
wall and wall of the central hub define a first chamber for receipt of 
liquid rinse agent to be dispensed. 
Extending generally transversely outwardly from the lower end of the hub 
side wall beyond the free end of the annular wall, is a flange or base 
wall. An externally threaded annular wall portion depends from the free 
end of the flange. Beyond the threaded portion there is provided an 
annular lip seal. A second annular wall extends downwardly from the 
flange. The last-mentioned wall is spaced from the lower end of the wall 
of the central hub to define a cylindrical passageway therebetween for 
carrying liquid rinse agent into the wash water of the clothes washing 
machine. The flange and hub are joined by an annular wall having a series 
of apertures or openings formed therein through which rinse agent passes 
into the cylindrical passageway from a second chamber formed upon joining 
an outer cover member to the inner annular member. 
The outer cover member has the shape of an inverted cup with an opening 
defined in the top wall thereof to permit rinse agent to be poured into 
the dispenser. The diameter of the opening is greater than the diameter of 
the top wall of the hub to permit liquid rinse agent to be poured into the 
first chamber of the dispenser without splashing the liquid into the 
clothes basket of the machine or onto the outer walls of the dispenser. 
Internal threads designed for mating engagement with the external threads 
of the inner annular member are provided about the rim of the cup. The 
last-mentioned rim is flared outwardly for mating engagement with the 
annular lip seal included on the inner member. 
To assemble the dispenser, the cover member is placed over the inner member 
so that the respective threaded portions mate. Relative rotation of the 
portions screws the two pieces together. When joined, the second chamber 
mentioned heretofore, is defined between the side wall of the outer 
cup-shaped member and the upwardly extending annular wall of the inner 
annular member. The free end of the last-mentioned wall is separated from 
what would be the base wall of the cup-shaped member, providing 
communication between the first and second chambers at the top of the 
dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING: 
Referring now to the drawing in greater detail wherein like numerals have 
been employed throughout the various views to designate similar 
components, there is illustrated in FIG. 1, a clothes washing machine 10 
of a conventional top loading design, shown with the door used to cover 
the clothes receiving opening 12, removed from top wall 14 of the machine. 
Clothes washing machine 10 includes the usual vertical axis, open top, 
cylindrical clothes basket 16 in which clothes to be washed are placed and 
an agitator 18 extending upwardly along the central axis of the clothes 
basket. As is the practice in such a clothes washing machine, the agitator 
is designed to oscillate in a first direction within the clothes basket 16 
during the wash cycle of the machine and subsequent thereto, spins in the 
opposite direction along with the clothes basket 16 to extract water from 
the clothes. The extracted water passes out of the clothes basket via 
apertures 19 provided in the side wall thereof. 
As is shown in FIG. 1, a liquid rinse water agent dispenser 20, according 
to the invention, is mounted on the free end of agitator 18 of clothes 
washing machine 10. The dispenser is shown in greater detail in the 
remaining figures of the drawing. 
Turning to FIG. 2, it can be seen that dispenser 20 is of two-piece 
construction, including an inner annular member 22, and an outer cover 54, 
both preferably of molded plastic. Inner annular member 22 includes a 
central, hollow hub 24, having the general shape of a truncated cone with 
the upper end closed off by top wall 26. The hub is designed to be mounted 
on the upper end of agitator 18 of the clothes washing machine, the 
agitator extending into the lower open end 29 of the hub. Vertically 
extending ribs 27 are formed on the inner wall surface 28 of hub 24 to aid 
in retaining the liquid rinse agent dispenser in position on the agitator. 
An annular wall 30 integrally formed with hub 24, extends outwardly and 
upwardly from side wall 32 thereof at a predetermined acute angle "a" with 
respect thereto. Side wall 32 of hub 24 and annular wall 30, define a 
first chamber 34 for initial receipt of liquid rinse agent to be dispensed 
into the clothes rinse water by dispenser 20. The angle "a" mentioned 
heretofore, is chosen so that annular wall 30 is predeterminedly inclined 
to permit the passage of liquid rinse agent from chamber 34 therealong, 
over free end 41 of the wall into a second chamber 65 (FIG. 3) of 
dispenser 20, to be described hereinafter. 
Extending generally outwardly from hub 24, beneath chamber 34, is an 
annular flange or base wall 36. Flange 36 is joined to wall 30 by an 
annular wall 38, having a plurality of apertures 40 defined therein. The 
free end 39 of flange 36 extends radially outwardly beyond the free end 41 
of annular wall 30. 
At the free end of flange 36 is a depending annular wall 42 which has 
formed therealong, external threads 44, the purpose of which will be 
discussed hereinafter. Flange or base wall 36 as can be seen in FIG. 3 is 
pitched downwardly toward wall 38, to permit liquid rinse agent to flow 
through apertures 40 and out of the dispenser. This will be described in 
greater detail when discussing the operation of the dispenser. 
Extending outwardly from the free end of depending wall 42 is an annular 
flexible lip 46 provided to serve as an additional liquid seal for the 
dispenser. 
Extending vertically downwardly from the lower surface 48 of the flange 36, 
substantially parallel to the lower portion of wall 32 of hub 24, is an 
annular wall 50. Wall 50 is spaced from annular hub wall 32 to define a 
passageway 52 therebetween, through which the liquid rinse agent passes 
from the dispenser into the rinse water in basket 16 of the clothes 
washing machine. 
The cover of the two-piece liquid rinse agent dispenser 20 according to the 
invention comprises an inverted cup member 54 designed to be received over 
the inner annular member. Inverted cup member 54 has an outwardly flared 
rim 56 provided along the lower end 58 thereof. The rim includes internal 
threads 60 designed for mating engagement with external threads 44 of 
annular member 22. 
Top wall 62 of the cup member includes a central circular opening 64 (FIG. 
3) through which liquid rinse agent is poured into first chamber 34 of the 
dispenser. Central opening 64 of cup member 54 is of a diameter greater 
than that of top wall 26 of hub 24 to permit liquid rinse agent to be 
poured into chamber 34 without splashing the rinse agent into basket 16 or 
onto top walls 62, 26, respectively. Top wall 62 of member 54 extends 
partially over the free end 41 of annular wall 30, but is separated 
therefrom to permit liquid rinse agent to be transferred by centrifugal 
force from chamber 34, over end 41 of wall 30, and into a second chamber 
65 defined by the side wall 66 of cup member 54 and annular wall 30. 
To assemble the dispenser, inverted cup member 54 is placed over inner 
annular member 22 so that the threads 44, 60 mate. Relative rotation of 
members 54 and 22 joins the members. When the members have been fully 
joined, flexible lip 46 and rim 56 are in close engagement (FIG. 3). The 
mating threads 44, 60 and the mating lip 46 and 56, provide liquid tight 
seals to avoid leakage of liquid rinse agent from the dispenser. While the 
seal comprising lip 46 and rim 56 has been provided to ensure that no 
leakage of rinse agent from the dispenser occurs, threads 44, 60 when 
fully mated also provide an adequate leak proof seal for the dispenser. As 
such, the lip seal arrangement could, if desired, be eliminated from the 
dispenser. 
Once in an assembled condition, the dispenser 20 is mounted on agitator 18 
of the clothes washing machine by placing end 29 of hub 24 onto the top of 
the agitator and pushing it downwardly thereover. Agitator 18 is received 
in hollow hub 24 and held thereon frictionally by engagement with ribs 27 
formed on the interior wall 28 of the hub. 
Once is place on agitator 18, liquid rinse agent is poured through opening 
64 of the dispenser into first chamber 34. The liquid rinse agent remains 
in chamber 34 during the wash cycle as agitator 18, with dispenser 20, 
oscillates. During a subsequent cycle of the machine, basket 16 and 
agitator 18 with dispenser 20, are spun at high speed to extract water 
from clothes placed in basket 16. At that time, the liquid rinse agent 
initially received in chamber 34 is, by the centrifugal force created 
during the high speed rotation of dispenser 20, transferred upwardly along 
inclined annular wall 30, over end 41 thereof and into chamber 65. No 
liquid rinse agent leaks from chamber 65 of the dispenser as the mating 
threads 44, 60 provide a liquid tight seal thereagainst. The engagement of 
lip 46 and rim 56 as described heretofore, provide a second seal against 
leakage of rinse agent from the dispenser. 
When the extraction cycle is completed, the basket and agitator return to a 
rest condition while the rinse water is introduced into clothes basket 16. 
At the same time, liquid rinse agent, now in chamber 65, flows down along 
inclined flange or base wall 36, through apertures 40 in wall 38, and via 
passageway 52 into the rinse water. 
When the clothes washing operation has been completed, it is desirable to 
clean dispenser 20. This is a simple matter as all that need be done is to 
unscrew the cup-shaped cover 54 from inner annular member 22, separating 
the two pieces. Once separated, hot tap water can be run over the pieces, 
which then have virtually all surfaces thereof exposed. 
As can be seen from the description provided heretofore, the two piece 
rinse agent dispenser 20 according to the invention is of simple 
construction, yet permits easy assembly and disassembly of the pieces 
thereof for easy cleaning and the like. Because of its structure, 
dispenser 20 is resistant to wear at the place of joinder and is 
relatively stable during rapid rotation of the agitator of the clothes 
washing machine upon which the dispenser is mounted. 
While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and 
described, it should be understood that the invention if not limited 
thereto since many modifications thereof may be made. It is therefore 
contemplated to cover by the subject application any and all such 
modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the appended 
claims.