Patent GB-622908-A (GB)
Title: Improved clothes washing machine
IPC: D06F37/30
Filed: 1945-02-17
Abstract: 622,908. Washing-machines. CONSTANTINE, W. W. (General Motors Corporation). Feb. 17, 1945, No. 4056. [Class 138 (ii)] In a clothes washing machine having a vertically reciprocatable agitator in a rotatable basket and a common driving motor for actuating the basket and agitator alternatively, the basket and motor are pivotally supported in such a manner that the motor acts as a counterweight and a ring-shaped vibratory counterbalancing weight is provided, the period of vibration of which is related to the speed of the basket to cause the weight to exert an automatic counterbalancing reaction to the variable eccentric load in the basket. Driving mechanism.-As shown, the rotatable basket 10, Fig. 1, is supported on a rubber or like sleeve 12, Fig. 2, preferably reinforced by a steel ring 12a, from which a power casing 11, containing a motor 20 with stator 21 and rotor 22, is suspended, the basket comprising an outer cup 50 and an inner perforated cup 51 secured together at 53 and mounted by rubber cushions 54 on a plate or spider 55 keyed at 31 to a shaft 24 to which a transmission cage 23 is secured. Rotation of the cage 23 rotates the basket through the shaft 24, but when the cage is prevented from rotating, by means of a vertically-movable brake 25, which normally is pressed by springs 26 against the casing 11, the agitator 13 is reciprocated by a shaft 14. To effect this, a collar 28, Fig. 4, mounted on a screw-thread 29 is prevented from rotating relatively to the brake 25, in one direction, by a spring coil 30 which is secured to a pin 30a, is wrapped around a peripheral groove in the collar and terminates at 30b. A ridge 28a on the collar is adapted to engage a corresponding groove 25a in the brake plate 25. When the motor rotates in one direction, the thread 29 exerts an upward force on the collar 28 and this, in turn, lifts the brake against the springs 26 and allows the cage 23 to rotate and drive the basket. Rotation of the motor in the opposite direction causes the collar 28 to assume or be retained in its lower position, the brake maintaining the cage 23 stationary, and a gear 32, Fig. 2, on the driving shaft 22a drives a gear 33 on a parallel shaft 34 causing rotation of an inclined shaft 35 about the axis of shaft 34 and a consequent reciprocating motion in a knuckle joint 36 which thus reciprocates the shaft 14 and the agitator. Counterbalancing &c.mechanism.-For counterbalancing any unequal eccentric load produced by uneven distribution of the clothes in the basket, a weight in the form of a ring 17, Figs. 1 and 3, is mounted on a rubber or like resilient support 18 connected to the basket 10 by a collar 19. The ring is effective for speeds between the critical and maximum speed of the machine and to prevent extreme deflection of the basket at or below the critical speed, a rubber or like damper 70, Figs. 3 and 6, may be secured between the lower portions 71, 72 respectively of the machine base and casing 11. Alternatively, the damper 70 need not be secured to the casing 11'but may be of such a size that the casing rests on the block when the basket is filled with water so that the block limits oscillations while the basket is full and is being accelerated. As the weight of the basket decreases after commencement of discharge of water from the basket, the sleeve 12 lifts the lower part of the casing from the block, thus allowing the basket and motor assembly to swing freely at high speeds when the ring 17 counterbalances any uneven load. Lubrication.-The gears 32, 33, Fig. 2, are submerged in oil, introduced through a plugged opening 40a to a sufficient level above the floor 40, and an oil-retaining cage 41 which envelopes the gears near the point of mesh, is connected to a pipe 42 directed to the parts to be lubricated, e.g. the knuckle joint 36. A cup 43 catches splashed oil dripping from a lug 44 for additional lubrication. Frame construction.-The outer cabinet 96, Fig. 3, is preferably of sheet-metal bent into rectangular or circular cross-section to which the combined trough and machine support 91 is welded. A cover 99 for the machine rests on a collar 98 which may be readily removable. Flow of liquid in basket.-During agitation the toroidal action indicated by the arrows 61, Fig. 1, causes water to flow through perforations 60, 58 into the space 59 between the cups 50, 51 and to return through openings 56. The lighter particles of scum &c. are retained in a floating condition in the quiescent upper part of the pocket 59 and, during the centrifugal operation, the water discharged over the rim 57 of the cup 50 carries away these particles. At the same time, any further particles in the inner cup are forced, by the vortex produced by rotation of the basket, through the perforations 60. Automatic washing controls.-The motor may be rotated in the required direction to cause agitation or centrifugal action, by means of a known kind of timer 75, Fig. 3, connected to power lines 76 and set by a handle 77 to close certain contacts in the timer at the correct time intervals to distribute electrical power as required. The timer is connected by lines 78 to the motor and by lines 79 with solenoid valves 80, 81 which control flow of water from hot and cold water connections 82, 83 respectively into the basket. Variations in mains water pressure are compensated by a valve 84 which maintains a constant pressure in the line 85, thus permitting the fixed orifice 86 to produce a uniform velocity of water flow at the nozzle 87 into the basket. Hence, the valves 80, 81 may be timed by the timer to fill the basket to the correct level independently of variations in mains water pressure. The hot water connection 82 is connected to a hot water byepass line 88 and to a thermostatic mixing valve 89, while the cold water connection 83 is connected only to the valve 89 which in turn is connected to the tepid or mixed water line 90. The lines 88, 90 are connected to a common chamber 90a discharging into the valve 84. This control mechanism forms the subject-matter of Specification 622,909. Washing operations.-After the clothes are placed in the basket, the timer 75 is set by the handle 77, soap is added as required and thereafter the controls allow the proper amount of hot water to flow into the basket, after which the agitator is operated for the necessary length of time to wash the clothes. Movement of the agitator is then stopped and the basket rotated to discharge liquid into the trough 91 from whence it flows through a hose 92 to a pump 93 at the lower end of the motor and is discharged through a hose 95. Thereafter the basket is filled with a first hot rinse which is followed by a short agitation and subsequent centrifugal action. A second tepid rinse, agitation and final rotation may then take place.