Patent GB-1117672-A (GB)
Title: Laundry equipment
IPC: D06F39/02
Filed: 1965-02-25
Abstract: 1,117,672. Washing machines. HUPP CORPORATION. 25 Feb., 1965 [25 Feb., 1964], No. 6607/65. Heading D1A. [Also in Divisions Fl, F2 and F4] In the drum of an automatic washing machine having a series of baffles 70A, 70B, 70C, the spacing between each pair of adjacent baffles is different from the spacing between every other pair of adjacent baffles. The washing machine comprises a cabinet 20 having a control panel 22 and containing a fixed tub 26 within which a rotatable drum 28 is mounted in a bearing 29, a detergent dispenser 30 and a water recirculation system including a sump 32, filter 34, pump 36 and nozzle 38. Tub 26 comprises a cylindrical body 40 closed at its rearward end by a conical wall (42) Fig. 2 (not shown) and having at its forward end a plate 44 with an embossment having a circular opening 48 secured to the front panel of cabinet 20 so that the axis of tub 26 is at an angle of about 7 to the horizontal. Drum 28 is perforated and at its rearward edge has a flange 56 to which is welded an assembly 58 comprising walls 60, 62 supporting a hub 64 to which drive shaft 66 is secured. The cylindrical wall 54 of drum 28 has rectangular cutouts 68 to which are spot welded baffles 70A, 70B, 70C, the spacing between baffles being 90, 120 and 150. The filter assembly 34 comprises a cylindrical screen 78 mounted in sump 32, above the base so that it is not clogged by nails, screws and the like, with one end connected by clip 82 to a cover 80 closing an opening in the front of housing 20 surrounded by flange member 84. Cover 80 is held by an arcuate wire 86, whose ends engage notches 79 in member 84 and whose centre engages notch 81 in cover 80 and which may be padlocked in position. The flange 88 of a rubber boot 90 on the front end of sump tube 92 surrounding filter 78 is held between cover 80 and member 84. When in position, one end of sleeve 78 is urged tightly into engagement with an annular magnetic rubber member 94 which projects into sump outlet tube 96 which is connected to the inlet 98 of pump 36 by a T-fitting 100 whose side opening is clamped to vent pipe 102. The pump comprises members 104, 106 forming a chamber 110, member 104 having inlet and outlet conduits 98, 112, the axis of conduit 98 being below that of chamber (110) Fig. 10 (not shown). The impeller assembly 114 rotates on a shaft 115 coaxial with chamber (110) and having a cylindrical portion 118 extending into the off-set conduit 98 so as to form a rotary seal. Vanes 120, 122 integral with hub are offset to the same side of the axis of shaft 115, a balancing weight 128 being provided, and on their edges facing conduit 98 have flat portions 124, 126. The efficiency of pump 36 may be increased by a helical baffle in the bore of conduit 98. During spinning, vanes 70 act as a blower pulling air in through detergent dispenser 30 and blowing it out through vent pipe 102 to reduce over sudsing. This action may be strengthened by a deflector plate (103), Figure 7 (not shown), provided above sump 32. Dispenser 30 for soap, detergent or bleach in liquid, cake, powder or tablet form comprises a soap chute 150 with a flared mouth 152 at its upper end and its lower end welded to a bracket 156 secured to the front panel 46 of the tub 26 to which nozzle 38 is also secured. A funnel 166 carrying a water inlet tube 168 has an opening 170 which is welded to an opening in chute 150, there being an air gap between the outlet of tube 168 and funnel 166 to prevent suds from being sucked into tube 168. A deflector 172 partly covering opening 170 carries a small tube 174 which terminates adjacent bracket 156 where it has a side outlet opening directed across a detergent powder supporting screen 179 extending across chute 150. Water from tube 168 may take one of three paths at deflector 172 viz. it may flow downwardly between deflector 172 and funnel 152 into tube 174; it may flow upwardly through jet openings 180 in deflector 172; or it may pass through the space between deflector 172 and the wall of chute 152 to swirl round in chute 152. The valve controlling flow through tube 168 is opened when the tub is to be filled by the programme control or may be opened manually when detergent or bleach is being added at some other time. Powdered, flaked or granulated detergent or bleach falls to the bottom of tube 150 and rests on screen 179 whereas, if a tablet or cake of detergent is deposited in mouth 152, it is broken up by jets from openings 180. The top of funnel 152 is provided with a rubber gasket 183 which engages the lower surface of the top 181 of cabinet 20 when closed. A lid 185 for funnel 152 is hinged to top 181 and has a seal 188 on its underside which engages a porcelain covered metal flange 189 surrounding an opening in top 181. Shaft 66 carrying tub 28 is rotatably supported in bearing assemblies 192, 194 carried by an annular support ring 196 supported by the reinforced panels 198, 200 of wall 42 and carries a drive pulley 202. A seal is provided round shaft 66 adjacent panel 198 comprising a seal ring 210 sealed against shaft 66 by rings 211 and rotatable therewith and stationary seal rings 212, 214 made of glass fibre bonded by tetrafluorethylene and reinforced by steel liners 216. Rings 212, 214 are urged against the surface of support 196 and are urged by springs 222 against ring 210, grease being supplied to pockets 217 between rings 212, 214.