Patent GB-871032-A (GB)
Title: Improved clothes washer
IPC: D06F13/04
Filed: 1959-05-13
Abstract: 871,032. Washing-machines. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. May 13, 1959 [May 28, 1958], No. 16413/59. Class 138 (2). [Also in Group XXIV] In a washing-machine having a reversible motor 67 which is rotated in one direction to drive an agitator 56 and in the opposite direction to spin a tub 46, a first drive pulley 212 is selected for a high-speed spin, a second pulley 214 for a low-speed spin or high-speed agitation, and a centrifugal clutch 246 drivingly connected to the second pulley 214 is selected for a low-speed agitation. Pulleys 212, 214 are freely rotatable on the shaft 210 of motor 67 and can be drivingly connected thereto by means of a clutch 225 which is movable axially on the shaft 210 by means of a shifter fork 240. In its uppermost position, clutch 225 drives pulley 212 through a friction plate 228, and in its lowermost position it drives pulley 214 through dogs 230 (Fig. 12). In an intermediate position (Fig. 2), drive is transmitted to pulley 214 through a drum 256 fixed to shaft 210, and a pair of brake shoes 260 (Fig. 5) pivoted at 262 to a plate 248. Springs 264 bias the brake shoes 260 into driving engagement with the drum 256 but this is opposed by centrifugal force so that slipping occurs and causes the pulley 214 to rotate at twothirds the speed of drum 256. Drive from the clutchplate 248 to pulley 214 is through a shock-absorbing connection comprising friction discs 250, 252 acted on by a spring 254. The shifter fork 240 is pivotally mounted at its forked end (Fig. 4, not shown) and connected at its other end to a link 301 operated by a solenoid 296. When this solenoid is energized the shifter fork 240 and clutch 225 are moved to their upper positions. A spring 294 biases the fork 240 to its lower position, and the fork is held in the intermediate position by an arm 318 pivoted at 326, when a second solenoid (Fig. 3, not shown) is de-energized. The fork 240 and link 301 are adjustably connected through a pin-and-slot 308, 306, a spring 310 and set-screw 316. Pulleys 212, 214 are connected by belts 122, 123, to pulleys 120, 124, respectively, fast with a rotatable housing 60. When this housing is rotated in one direction the agitator 56 is reciprocated vertically in the tub 46, and on reverse rotation of the housing 60 the tub and agitator are rotated together. The tub 46 is mounted on a shaft 42 which carries a key 70 fitting into a slot 72 in an agitator shaft 58, the key 70 preventing relative rotation between the shafts 42, 58. For one direction of rotation of the housing 60, the spin shaft 42 will be connected through a key 74 to a clutch member 76 which is connected through clutch springs 96, 182 to a sleeve 184. Sleeve 184 is fast with a disc 187 which is frictionally held between a brake-plate 192 and a flange 197 of an inverted cup-shaped member 196. Member 196 is fixed to a tubular housing 38 for the shafts 42, 58. Thus while the housing 60 is rotating in a direction to relax spring 96, shafts 42, 58 are prevented from rotating. Housing 60 is connected to shaft 58 through an angularly-mounted bearing 166 having an extension 158 slidably received in a spherical bearing-member 154. Hence the rotation of housing 60 transmits up- and-down motion to shaft 58. When the housing and a tapered hub 98 connected thereto are rotated in the opposite direction, spring clutch 96 is tightened to connect the hub 98 to a collar 82 keyed to the shaft 42. Spring clutch 182 is unwound to disengage member 76 from sleeve 184, and shafts 42, 58 are rotated for a tub spinning operation. A control circuit (Fig. 10, not shown) including a timer motor, controls the washing cycle and ensures that a high-speed spin is always preceded by a low-speed spin. The motor 67 is mounted on pivots 207 and a spring 209 maintains tension on the belts 122, 123. In a modification (Fig. 14), not shown) a twospeed reversible motor is used in place of the single-speed reversible motor 67. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 751,088 and 770,815.