Patent GB-773673-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to clothes washing machines
IPC: D06F13/00
Filed: 1952-12-17
Abstract: 773,673. Washing and squeeze-drying machines. AKTIEBOLAGET ELEKTROLUX. Dec. 17, 1952 [Dec. 21, 1951], No. 31951/52. Class 138 (2). [Also in Group XXIV] In a washing machine comprising a rigid metal or like receptacle 10 containing an oscillating agitator 13 and a resilient lining 11 adapted to be forced towards the centre of the receptacle under the action of a pressure medium introduced between the lining 11 and the walls of the receptacle, the lining and the agitator are relatively so arranged that the lining both in its normal position and in its pressed-in position is disposed on the same side of at least one plane containing the axis of oscillation of the agitator. General arrangement.-The receptacle 10 is supported by means of four hooks 14 welded thereto and secured by bolts 30 to brackets 29 welded to four vertical angle irons 16 forming part of a supporting framework. The lining 11 is secured to the top of the receptacle by a resilient ring 56 and at the bottom is held by a ring 60. The lining has a number of circular corrugations 137 near its upper end. The receptacle 10 communicates with a pot-shaped portion 50 through perforations 61 in a removable disc 62 provided with ridges 63 to prevent the clothes blocking the perforation 61. The pot 50 contains an electric heater 52. A cover 37 for the receptacle may be fitted in place as described in Specification 705,736. The agitator 13 comprises a rigid core 65 over which is drawn a resilient outer part 64 suitably made of rubber and reinforced on the outside with ribs. The core 65 is bent so as to impart a dish shape to the outer part 64. Drive and control mechanism.-The agitator 13 is oscillated about a shaft 69 by means of a crank 75 and link 76. Drive is transmitted from a pulley 89 to the agitator 13 through an internally toothed wheel 91 rigidly connected to the pulley 89 and meshing with a toothed wheel 92 rotatably carried on a disc 94. This disc is coaxial with the pulley 89 but free to rotate relatively thereto except when the end of a spindle 95 is moved axially by a spring 114 so as to lie between two of the teeth of the gear wheel 92. When the spindle 95 is withdrawn the wheels 91, 92 rotate about their respective axes, but when the spindle is moved into position between two teeth of the wheel 92, it locks the wheels 91, 92 together so that both rotate about the common axis of the pulley 89, wheel 91 and disc 94. Oscillatory motion is thus imparted to the agitator 13 through the link 76 which is pivotally connected to the disc 94 and crank 75. The pulley 89 is driven through a system of belts and pulleys by an electric motor 80. A cam 111 forming part of a control unit 97 controls the movement of spindle 95 through a lever arm 112. Cam 111 is mounted on a shaft 110 driven through a ratchet wheel drive 106, 108, 109 by the motor 80. A cam 121 operates a switch 122 controlling the motor 80. The shaft 110 may be manually controlled through bevel wheels 133, 134, and a shaft 135 carrying a removable dial 136. Water supply and discharge.-Cold and hot water are supplied to the pot 50 through a conduit 124 under the control of valves 127, 128 operated by cams 125, 126 respectively on the shaft 110, or manually by pull rods 129, 130 carrying knobs 131, 132. Squeeze drying is effected by admitting water to the space between the lining 11 and receptacle 10. This space has inlet and discharge pipes 53, 54 provided with valves 119, 120 respectively operated by cams 117, 118. Water from the clothes is discharged through conduit 124 and a valve controlled by a cam 123. Modification.-Fig. 11 shows a modification in which air gaps 143, 151 are provided in the washing and squeezing water supply pipes 141, 149 respectively, to prevent back siphoning into the mains, and a pump 158 is used to supply squeeze pressure. The end of pipe 141 is formed as a nozzle 144 which discharges into a funnel 145 connected by a pipe 142 with the pot 50. Overflow from the gap 143 is collected in a chamber 148 and drainage channel 44 connected to a pipe 162 leading to a discharge pump 163. The pipe 149 has a nozzle 152 discharging into a funnel 153 connected by a pipe 150 to the space 138 behind the lining 11. The pipe 150 contains a ball-type check valve 154 and is connected by a pipe 157 with the pump 158. When the jet from nozzle 152 can no longer open the valve 154 due to the back pressure in pipe 150, the water is led through a pipe 161 to the suction side of pump 158 which pumps it to the space 138. Any excess water from pipe 149 will collect in a casing 159 until it reaches the level of an overflow pipe 168 connected by the pipe 162 to the pump 163. The pumps 158, 163 are preferably mounted on a common drive shaft 164 connected with the shaft of the motor 80 by a resilient coupling 165. The air gap 151 may be arranged at the upper part of the machine, the casing 159 forming an addition to a casing 146 surrounding the air gap 143. Specification 773,674 also is referred to.