Patent GB-703795-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to clothes washing machines
IPC: D06F37/12
Filed: 1951-10-10
Abstract: 703,795. Washing machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Oct. 10, 1951 [Oct. 14, 1950], No. 23578/51. Class 138 (2) In a clothes washing machine including spin and drain tubs, an operating mechanism and a casing enclosing the tubs and mechanism, the casing has a main body 22 constituted by a unitary sheet metal member whose two outer portions are bent at right angles relative to a centre portion thereof to form three vertical walls of the casing, the lower ends of the main body 22 being fastened to a rectangular base 21 thereby to maintain the relative position of the three walls, a fourth vertical wall 32 of the casing being formed by a separate panel which is secured by a readily detachable connecting means to the'adjacent ends of the two neighbouring vertical walls, and the top wall 40 of the casing being formed by another separate panel having a substantially central opening aligned with the openings of the spin and drain tubs and having its marginal portion detachably secured to the adjacent end of the main body. The base 21 is supported on independently adjustable feet 222 and the main body 22 which forms the back wall 23 and side walls 24, 25 is fixed to it by screws 28 passing through inset depending flanges 25a on each of the sides 24, 21 of the body 22. Inwardly directed flanges 23b, 24b, 25b are provided at the top of each wall. The two side walls 24, 25 are. connected at the top bv a bracket 29 which is welded to the flanges 24b, 25b. The wall 32 is the front of the cabinet and has a boundary flange 33 which is arranged to lie flush with the sides 24, 25 and the flanges 21b, 25b. It is secured to the base 21 by screws passing through an inset flange 34, and it is held at the top to the bracket 29 by a pair of fixtures 37 secured to the bracket which have a tongue and slot engagement with the top flange 33 of the front. The bracket 29 is so shaped that it projects under the top flange 33 to support the weight of the front. The top 40 of the cabinet has a marginal flange 41 arranged to be flush with the front and side walls and this flange has an inturned edge 41a on its front and side portions which rests upon the flanges 24b, 25b, 33. Rattle is prevented by rubber pads 148 on the bracket 29 engaging the edges 41a. The rear of the top is formed as a back splash 42 which slopes upwardly and extends over the rear wall 23 of the cabinet so that when the cabinet is positioned close to a wall of a room a space is provided underneath the backsplash and between the rear wall 23 and the room wall for the hot and cold water supply pipes and the drain pipes of the machine. The underside of the backsplash is closed by a plate 49 welded to the top flange 23b of the rear wall. The top is held in position at the front by engagement of the inturned edge 41a with slots in the fixtures 37. At the rear it is screwed to brackets 51, 52 which are attached to a drain tub 56 which is supported from the base 21. The drain tub has an inwardly directed annular marginal throat 57 disposed below the top wall 40 and has an overflow baffle 59 at the rear of the cabinet within the throat. The front of the baffle is flush with the top edge of the throat 57 and the rear projects above the throat into the interior of the backsplash. A rubber sealing ring 62 closes the opening in the tub defined by the throat 57 and baffle 59 and is compressed between the tub and the top 40 to form a water-tight seal. The space below the tub forms a machinery compartment the mechanism being mounted on a pivotally mounted support. The drain tub 56 contains an imperforate spin tub 77 having a top opening, and an oscillating agitator 78. The top 40 of the cabinet has an opening 113 in alignment with the top opening of both the drain and spin tubs, this is circular and has a downwardly directed throat flange 114. The opening 113 is formed in a substantially rectangular recess 115 in the top 40, the recess being closed by a hinged cover 116 having a flush handle. The backsplash 43 has a central window 122 below which a lamp 124 is positioned to illuminate the backsplash and top wall 40. Hot and cold water valve mechanism is mounted on the bracket 51 on the left hand side of the backsplash with the inlet pipes projecting through the back wall 23 and a common discharge nozzle 138 projects through the back wall of the baffle 59 and discharges into the spin tub through an aperture 141 in the bottom of the baffle 59. A gap between the nozzle and the baffle prevents siphoning and if the tub should overflow the surplus water drains over the back wall of the baffle adjacent the sealing ring 62 which is positioned well below the top 40, to overflow between the cabinet walls and the tub on to the floor of the room. An electric timer and control switch as described in Specification 687,880 is mounted on the bracket 52 on the right hand side of the backsplash to be controlled by. a dial on a shaft projecting through the backsplash. An ornamental dial is provided on the other side of the backsplash.