Patent GB-552593-A (GB)
Title: Flow control apparatus for washing machines and the like
IPC: D06F1/08
Filed: 1941-11-07
Abstract: 552,593. Valves, electric switches, washing machines. UNITED STATES HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION. Nov. 7, 1941, No. 14394. Convention date, Nov. 7, 1940. [Class 135] [Also in Groups VIII and XXXVII] A valve device for delivering predetermined quantities of liquid particularly to washing machines comprises a valve moved by hand to its open position where it is held by a catch ultimately released by the movement of a liquid meter acting through an electric switch and solenoid. In the form shown in the Figures the control unit is mounted on the end of a washing drum 16. Hot and cold water admitted to a thermostatically controlled valve 24 passes through a pipe 32 to a liquid meter 12 and thence through a shut-off valve 14 and connection 22 to the washing drum. The shut-off valve comprises a valve member adapted to be opened by a hand lever 88 pivoted at 90 and connected to the valve spindle 98 by arms 96, 92 mounted on a shaft 94. The hand lever 88 may be actuated from the front of the drum by a hand lever 120 pivoted on the pipe 32 and connected by an adjustable link to a bell-crank lever 126 having a forked end 130, 132 straddling the lever 88. The lever is held in its raised position by a pivoted catch 102 co-operating with a toothed quadrant 100 on the lever 88. The catch is released by a finger 108 on a shaft 110 having an arm 118 connected by a link 116 to the core 114 of a solenoid 112 which is normally energized and holds the releasing finger in its inoperative position. The solenoid is energized through a manually operated switch 150 and the contacts 1, 2 of a switch 74 operated by the liquid meter. The liquid meter comprises a turbine wheel 44 connected through reduction gearing 50, worm gearing 52 and friction clutch 54 with a shaft 56. The shaft 56 carries a calibrated indicator disc 46 set to zero by a handle 58 and provided with a series of adjustable tappets 72 adapted to engage a roller carried by a spring arm and depress a plunger to operate the switch to move the movable contact from the contact 2 to a contact 4. This breaks the solenoid circuit and extinguishes a white signal light and establishes a circuit including a time controller 156 and green signal light. Manipulation of the controller 156 breaks the circuit including the green signal light which circuit is established after a predetermined interval. If the hand lever is again operated to open the valve the meter again commences to turn so moving the tappet clear of the roller permitting the switch to return to the position establishing the circuit through the solenoid so allowing the catch to return to its operative position and hold the valve open until the next tappet on the dial engages the switch actuating roller. To permit the catch-releasing member to be manually moved to and returned in its inoperative position a hand-lever 134 at the front of the drum is connected by a link 138 to a weighted bell-crank lever 142 adapted to engage the arm 118. The lever 134 and link move, when operated, into line and remain in that condition until positively moved in the opposite direction.