Patent GB-770815-A (GB)
Title: Improved washing machine
Inventor: SISSON KENNETH OREE
IPC: D06F13/04
Filed: 1955-06-08
Abstract: 770,815. Washing machines. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. June 8, 1955 No. 16441/55. Class 138 (2). [Also in Groups XXIV and XXXII] A washing machine includes a rotatable tub 46 having a reciprocable agitator 54, a housing 121 mounted for rotation in either direction by a reversible motor 222 on a stationary support, a connection between the housing and agitator for conversion of relative rotation of the former into reciprocation of the latter, and a pair of helical coil springs 171, 92 between the tub 46 and the support and housing 121 respectively, wound in opposite senses whereby rotation of the housing in one direction causes winding up of one spring (171) to connect the tub and support, and in the other direction causes winding up of the other spring (92) to connect the tub and the housing. General arrangement.-The tub 46 is mounted in a basin 27 which is supported within a cabinet 20 by means of inverted L-shaped brackets 31 supported by gussets 33 at the corners of the cabinet 20. The basin 27 is also supported by means of two front legs 35 extending down to gussets 37 at the front lower corners of the cabinet 20, and by being secured by screws (Figs. 10, 11, not shown), to the rear wall of the cabinet. The tub 46 has a series of apertures 48 near its rim 50, and a hollow annular housing 52 filled with metal particles to constitute a flywheel. The tub 46 is connected to a hub 44 on a tubular shaft 42, and the agitator 54 to a shaft 62. The agitator 54 is bell-shaped with an upper portion having annular ribs 57, 59 extending above the water level. The basin 27 has a raised central part 29 connected by a resilient member 34 to a flange 36 on a tubular support 38. Connected to the tubular support 38 is a yoke comprising arms 442, 444, and a bottom plate 446 engaged by a grooved bearing ring 448 (Fig. 21). This ring is riveted to an inverted hat-shaped member 450 having its crown portion 452 inserted in the centre of an annular resilient ring 454, held in place by a flanged metal ring 456. Lateral movement of the drive mechanism in the cabinet is limited by the engagement of a pin 460 on the plate 446 with the crown portion 452. A spring 462 presses the ring 448 against the plate 446. Drive means.-The tub and agitator shafts 42, 62 are slidably but non-rotatably connected by a key 70 on the shaft 42 engaging a slot 72 in the shaft 62. The key 70 also engages a slot 73 in a collar 74 locked to the shaft 42 by a ring 76 fitting in a notch in the shaft 42 and a recess in the collar 74. The collar 74, a spring hub 78, a spacer sleeve 80 and the inner race 82 of a ball-bearing 84 are locked against the ring 76 by a nut 86 on the shaft 42. The key 70 engages a slot 77 in the hub 78 which has a groove to receive a turned-in end 90 of the clutch spring 92. A further hub 94 has a flange secured to the outer race 83 of the bearing 84 by an annular cup member 96 riveted to a plate 98 on which the race 83 rests. The outer periphery of the plate 98 is connected to the housing 121. At its lower end the shaft 62 carries a pair of annular members 159, 161 which between them hold the inner race 157 of a ball-bearing 155 at an angle to the axis of the shaft as shown in Fig. 5. The other race 153 of this bearing is clamped to a wobbleplate 149 having an integral pin 147 which is slidable and rotatable in a spherical bearing 145 mounted in part-spherical sockets 135, 137 carried by the housing. The member 161 is keyed to the shaft 62 by a key 163. The collar 74 has a depending skirt 75 which surrounds the upper end of the spring 92 and is surrounded by the spring 171 whose lower end surrounds an annular flange 173 secured to a brake disc 175 having friction facings 177, 179. A member 185 has a flange which rests on the collar 74 and has internal tongues 191 engaged in notches in the support 38, and a second flange which rests on the friction facing 177 and has tongues 183 engaging in notches in a brake-plate 180. Springs 187 hold the plate 180 against the facing 179. When the hub rotates in the direction to unwind the spring 92, the spring 171 is wound round the skirt 75 and flange 173, and the spring 92 engages the inner surfaces of the skirt 75 and flange 173. When the hub 94 rotates in the opposite direction to wind the spring 92 upon the hubs 94, 78, the spring 171 is unwound to disengage the skirt 75 and flange 173. The member 185 has a scoop 193 to force lubricant from the housing 121 into the bearings of the mechanism. The housing has an integral pulley 122 which receives a belt 131 connected to the electric motor 222. Water supply and discharge.-Hot and cold water are supplied through pipes 250, 252 under the control of valves (not shown) to a mixing chamber 254 and thence through a pipe 256 across an air gap to a nozzle 258 made of rubber or the like. The nozzle 258 is set at an angle as shown in Fig. 3 and is provided with a drip collector 245 leading to the basin 27 (Figs. 17, 18, not shown). Selection of initial hot or mixed water is made by a control knob 549. A zig-zag strip of metal within and extending across the mouth of the nozzle (Fig. 19, not shown), prevents soap bubbles being sucked back towards the pipe 256. Liquid can be discharged from the basin by means of a pump 236 having inlet and outlet connections 238, 439. The pump has an impeller mounted on the shaft of the motor 222 and is designed to be equally efficient when rotated in either direction. Control means.-A timer control 511 is connected by a shaft 611 to a control knob 578 which is vertically slidable but non-rotatable with respect to a dial 579 (see Fig. 12, not shown). Vertical movement of the knob 578 starts or stops the timer control and rotation of the knob and dial closes further switches. The electric circuits can be automatically interrupted by means of a bell-crank (Fig. 13, not shown), pivotally mounted in an offset portion 771 of the basin 27 and adapted to be engaged by the tub 46 when its gyrations exceed a predetermined maximum amplitude. Operation.-Knob 578 is first depressed to start the timer and then rotated to complete the electric circuits and hot or mixed water selected by the knob 549. For a mixed fill the hot and cold water valve solenoids are automatically energized alternately for 15 seconds. For a hot fill the hot water valve solenoid is energized continuously. Water is supplied to the machine for 4 minutes. After a pause of half a minute the motor 222 is energized in the direction required to unwind the spring 92 and to wind the spring 171 so that the tub 46 is connected through the shaft 42, collar 74, springs 92, 171 and flange 173 to the brake disc 175 to hold the tub stationary. Simultaneously the agitator shaft 62 is reciprocated vertically. After 9¢ minutes mixed water is supplied to the tub and overflows with the scum through the apertures 48. At the end of this period a pause of half a minute occurs and the motor is then driven in the reverse direction so that the spring 92 engages the hubs 78, 94 and connects the housing 121 to the shafts 42, 62 to rotate the tub 46 and agitator 54 simultaneously for 2¢ minutes, and spin dry the clothes. Further rinsing with agitation, and a final spin drying period follow.