Patent GB-636876-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for controlling the operation of a number of devices associated with washing machines
IPC: D06F34/06
Filed: 1946-04-29
Abstract: 636,876. Washing-machines. ELLIS, H. C. April 29, 1946, No. 12824. Convention date, Dec. 1, 1944. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Groups XXIX, XXX, XXXVII and XXXVIII] The operation of a number of different fluidactuated devices associated with a washing- machine is automatically controlled by means of a flexible control sheet 5, Fig. 1, which is provided with a number of rows of openings and is moved at uniform speed across a tracker bar 1 having a number of passages for the flow of fluid so that, as openings in the two members come into register, fluid passes therethrough in order to effect the desired control. The control sheet and tracker bar are housed in a chamber 70 which is either subject to suction or supplied with fluid, such as air, at low pressure. Pipes 82 lead from the perforations in the tracker bar to a series of diaphragm chambers 8 which actuate either electric switches or valves arranged in a highpressure fluid system. These switches or valves may be used for controlling (a) the actuation of the drive motor of the washing-machine; (b) the flow of water into the machine, including the automatic setting of the quantity and temperature of the delivery; (c) a signal for indicating that water is flowing into the machine; (d) a valve for admitting steam for heating to the machine; (e) valves for supplying soap, sour, bleach, and blue; (f) the dump valve of the machine; and (g) two or more operations of different machines. The sheet may be arranged to provide automatically any desired cycle of rinsing and suds operation. Each diaphragm chamber 8 shown in Figs. 9 and 11 comprises two diaphragms 149, 150 which are held in frames 145, 146, 147 and spaced apart to provide a chamber 152 for lowpressure fluid supplied by the corresponding pipe 82 from the tracker bar. This chamber 152 is also provided with an exhaust outlet 153 which is controlled by a needle valve 154 so as to permit of controlled exhaust at a lower rate than supply. When the chamber 152 receives low-pressure fluid, the diaphragm 150 and disc 157 carried thereby are moved so as to cause a pin 159 to operate either a valve unit 161, Fig. 9, in a high-pressure fluid system or the lever 180 of an electric switch as shown in Fig. 11. A push-button 148 permits operation of the diaphragm 150 for actuating the valve or switch manually. The valve unit 161, Fig. 9, comprises a casing having valves 167, 168 which control, respectively, intake and exhaust passages 163, 162 in relation to an outlet passage 164. Normally, a spring 170 urges the valves 167, 168 and pin 159 so that the diaphragms 149, 150 are in contact, one valve 167 then being closed and the valve 168 open. Alternatively, the pin 159 may control a single spring-pressed valve. The valves or switches are grouped in two sets of manifolds or banks 6, 7, which are housed, together with the corresponding diaphragm chambers 152, in a casing 83 as shown in Fig. 1; the manifolds 6, 7 receive high-pressure fluid from a master manifold 27 connected in the main supply line 23. Each manifold block 190 is provided with two longitudinal communicating passages 191, Fig. 9, having vertical extensions 194 adapted to register with the passages 163 of the units, and vertical passages 193 in the block register with the outlet passages 164 of the units. The control sheet, which may be of paper, is provided with rows of openings, preferably of circular shape and equal size. In its passage in the chamber 70 over the perforated tracker bar 1, the sheet passes from one spool 91, Figs. 2 and 3, over a roller 109 to a receiving spool 106. The removable bottom plate 75 of the chamber carries a number of connections 80; each of which leads by a pipe 79 to a perforation 2 in the tracker bar and by means of a pipe 82 to one of the diaphragm chambers 8. The spools 91, 106 and roller 109 are mounted on shafts carried by end plates 87, 88 which are hinged at their lower ends so that the spool structure may be swung outwardly when the door 71 of the chamber is open. The plate 87 carries a motor 39 which drives the shaft 116 of the spool 106 through gearing 100, 101, 102, the gear 102 being mounted on a slip-friction driving hub 115 on this shaft and adapted to drive, through further gearing 107, 108, the shaft 110 of the driving roller 109. The spool 91; which is mounted coaxially with the hinge parts of the plates 87, is adapted to be turned manually by a knob 94 for re-winding the sheet. Change-speed gearing may be provided between the motor and gear 102 for varying the speed of the sheet. The gear 108 is mounted so that it can be moved out of mesh with the gear 107 by a ]ever 114 when it is desired to re-wind the sheet. When the sheet is to be re-wound with the spool structure in position in the sealed chamber, the operation of a push-button 126 moves the clutch lever 114 so as to stop the drive of the roll 109, and this action also opens a valve 50 whereby low-pressure fluid is supplied to a valve 28, Fig. 1, in order to cut off highpressure supply to the manifolds 6, 7; the same operation may be effected automatically by a latch 127, should the spool structure be swung out of the chamber 70. When the door 71 is closed, it engages a pin so as to open an air supply valve 33, Fig. 1, which is otherwise held closed by a spring. In an alternative form, the control sheet may consist of an endless band. For controlling the supply of water to a machine, the hot and cold water valves 227, 228 shown in Fig. 18 are opened when highpressure fluid in the line 59 is vented at 162 by means of a diaphragm-controlled valve 175 which is actuated when a valve 53 is opened to high pressure from the manifold 7 by the action of the control sheet on the diaphragm 150 of this valve. The valves 227, 228 supply water to a mixing valve 231 and meter 232. The valve 231 is thermostatically operated by a diaphragm 235 under the control of pressure fluid which passes to the diaphragm chamber from a pipe 22, needle valve 317 and pipe 236, Fig. 23. The inner element 298 of a thermostat 299 disposed in the water passage 301 from the meter is in screw-threaded connection at 297 with a rod 295 adapted to be turned to set the thermostat either automatically from the control sheet through a gear 290 or manually by a knob 291. A knife edge 308 on a pivoted lever 306 is pressed by a spring 309 into engagement with a disc 296 on the shaft 295, and at its upper end controls a vent valve 313 in the pipe line 22, 236. Movement of the shaft 295 thereby swings the lever 306 so as to open or close the valve 313 and, correspondingly, adjust the action of the mixing valve 231. The thermostat may be set to any one of a number of predetermined temperatures by the control sheet, which operates through certain of the valves in the manifold 6 to rotate the gear 290 to the extent required. As shown in Fig. 26, the gear 290 is engaged by two rack bars 321, 322 disposed in a casing 320. A tube 326 depending from this casing carries a piston block 330 mounting five pistons 332, each of which can be moved vertically by high-pressure fluid from corresponding valves 333, Fig. 1, in the manifold 6 to the extent permitted by a stop 328 on the tube 326; in so moving, the piston engages the foot 325 of the rack bar 321 and rotates the gear 290 accordingly. The stops 328 of the different pistons are arranged to provide the desired temperatures, any of which can be selected by actuation from the control sheet of the appropriate piston. The device is adapted to be re-set to zero position under the control of the control sheet after delivery of the required amount of water by means of highpressure fluid admitted to a cylinder 335 so as to move the piston 336 upwardly for engagement with the rack bar 322. The quantity of water supplied to the machine is controlled by means of two rack bars 256, 257, Fig. 19, engaging the opposite sides of a gear 238 which is driven from the shaft 239 of the meter 232 through reduction gearing and a slip-friction drive. Depending from a casing 258 enclosing this gearing is a tube 259 carrying a piston block 260 housing five pistons ; each of these pistons is movable vertically in the block under the action of high-pressure fluid from one of the valves 264, Fig. 1, in the manifold 7 controlled by the control sheet. Four of the pistons 261 are mounted so that, in their upward movement, they engage the foot 267 of the rack bar 256 and lift it to the extent permitted by stops 275 on the tube 259, the position of each stop corresponding with a certain predetermined water level. By actuation of the piston corresponding to the water level desired, the gear rotates the meter shaft so as to set the meter to provide the required quantity of water. As water flows through the meter, the gear 238 is rotated by the meter shaft in reverse direction so as to return the piston to its normal position, in which the foot 267 of the rack actuates a valve 271, Fig. 18, to vent the highpressure line 60 controlling the water valves 227, 228 and cut off the water supply. The raised piston can be moved downwardly independently of the meter action by raising the fifth piston 268 so as to engage the foot 269 of the rack bar 257, this action being effected either by high pressure from a valve 280, Fig. 1, in the manifold 27 or manually. The driving motor of the washing-machine is started and stopped by switches operated by valves 46, 47, Fig. 1, in the master manifold 27 under the control of the openings in the control sheet. A further valve 42 in this manifold is operated from the control sheet at the end of the washing operation in order to break the circuit of the motor 39 driving the sheet. When suction is employed in the chamber 70, the latter need not be sealed and the diaphragm chamber 152 is normally exhausted by a suction line so as to maintain the two diaphragms in contact against the action of a spring; on registration occurri