Patent GB-898296-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to clothes washer machines
IPC: D06F37/36
Filed: 1961-01-13
Abstract: 898,296. Washing-machines. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. Jan. 13, 1961 [Jan. 28, 1960], No. 1494/61. Class 138 (2). [Also in Groups XXIV and XXXIV] A transmission mechanism in a washing machine comprises a friction roller and drum combination providing a selectable coupling between a motor 76 (Fig. 3) and an axiallyreciprocating agitator 48 or a spin tub 34 (Fig. 1, not shown), the operational speed of either being selectable to high or low. The motor 76 is reversible and has a centrifugal clutch 188, 192, 194 (see also Fig. 9, not shown) mounted on a shaft 164 coupled to a stepped shaft 94 (Fig. 3) forming a group of three drive members 96, 98, 100 which can engage with four friction rollers 86, 88, 90, 92. One pair of friction rollers 86, 88 can also engage with drum 82, whilst the other pair 90, 92 can also engage with a drum 84. Drum 82 is mounted on a threaded extension 234 (Fig. 2) of a tubular shaft 64 coupled to the spin tub. A spring- loaded brake friction-disc is coupled to the upper side of the drum 82 and acts upon a fixed disc 252 to bring the spin tub to rest when the motor is switched off; this combination being actuated by the drum 82 moving up the threaded portion of the shaft 64 due to the inertia of the spin tub. Drum 84 is coupled to a shaft 62 by way of an angled extension 228 and agitator arm assembly 126 containing a ball bearing 326 and a spherical bearing 348 ; the shaft 62 being coupled to the agitator. Sahft 62 is splined at its lower end 264 whereby it engages with shaft 64 through a splined sleeve 262 causing both shafts to rotate in unison but permitting shaft 62 to reciprocate axially when driven by drum 84. Shaft 94 extends downwards into a suds pump housing 124 and drives an impeller 125 (Fig. 14, not shown). Each friction roller 86, 88, 90, 92 has an oversized central hole 142a, 142b, 142c, 142d permitting limited radial movement as well as rotational movement. Friction rollers 88, 92 are biased towards shaft 94 and their corresponding drums 82 or 84 by means of spring-loaded nylon bumpers 370 or 384 (Fig. 13, not shown) bearing radially upon the inner surface of the rollers, allowing each roller to engage or disengage itself with respect to the drum according to the direction of rotation of the motor 76 and shaft 94. Friction rollers 86, 90 are biased in a similar direction by means of pairs of nylon bumpers 404 or 414 (Fig. 8) actuated by springs 416, 417 such that both rollers can be simultaneously disengaged by a spring 108 acting upon a system of links 102 (indicated by broken lines). Spring 108 is coupled to a solenoid 430 (Fig. 14, not shown). During " fast agitate " action the motor rotates counterclockwise, causing roller 90 to engage with the drive member 98 and the agitate drum 84 (Fig. 5, not shown), whilst rollers 86, 88, 92 over-run and produce no effect. When " slow spin " action is selected the solenoid is energized so as to withdraw rollers 86, 90 from contact with the drums 82, 84 respectively (Fig. 7, not shown), whilst the motor rotates counterclockwise again causing the rollers 86, 88 to over-run. Rollers 86, 88 are engaged by similar means when " fast spin " or " slow spin " action respectively, is selected, save that the motor rotation is clockwise (Figs. 4 and 6, not shown).