Patent GB-1227370-A (GB)
IPC: D06F37/30
Filed: 1968-08-28
Abstract: 1,227,370. Washing machines. BURG WARNER CORP. 28 Aug., 1968 [28 Sept., 1967], No. 41178/68. Heading D1A. [Also in Division F1] A fluid pump 40 supplies an hydraulic reciprocable or oscillatable motor 41 with fluid under pressure controlled by a valve 42 having a member 86 movable by fluid directed from the motor 41 in each of its end positions between two positions in which it directs fluid to the ends of the motor, additional fluid being directed from the pump 40 to the valve 42 during its movement to assist this movement. The washer 11 has an oscillatable agitator 12 and a spin basket 13 mounted in a tub 15 supported in a casing 14. Basket 13, agitator 12, an hydraulic transmission 10 and transmission drive shaft 20 are supported on ball bearings 23 in a rubber bushing 25 on a cylindrical steel mounting member 21 mounted in an opening in the bottom of the tub and by roller bearings 31 in a rubber member 17 also mounted in the same opening. A reversible electric motor 32 drives shaft 20 and emptying pump 38. The transmission 10, Fig. 2, comprises a housing 56 formed by a cylindrical roller 59 engaging grooves 60, 61 in plates 57, 58 having connected by bolts 65 to form sump 48 for the hydraulic fluid and to enclose vane motor 41, valve block 64 containing control valving 42, 44, 145, hydraulic lock mechanism 43 and a reversible pump 40. Pump 40 comprises inner rotor 67 keyed to shaft 20 with teeth 71 engaging recesses 70 in an outer rotor 68 rotatable in a housing made up of ring 69a and plates 69b, 69c. During agitation, fluid is sucked in through port 72 and forced out through port 73, the flow being reversed during spin-drying. The vane of the oscillating vane motor 41 see Specification 1,224,571 is integral with agitator shaft 79. Valve block 64 comprises valve 42 and the valve body comprises ports including end ports 95, 101. Arcuate groove 107 in the top of valve block 64 communicates with pocket P and hence with sumps 48, valve 45 being mounted in pocket P and comprising a chamber C having an opening closed by a hemispherical button-like valve member 8, see Fig. 2, biassed closed by spring 9, chamber C being connected to port 72 of pump 40. Port 72 is connected through chamber C to part 73 and is controlled by valve 44 comprising a slidable valve member 121 with a bevelled end co-operating with a surface in the passage and biassed by spring 123. Thus fluid only passes through passage 120 when the flow is from port 72 to port 73 outside the pump and, during this flow, valve 44 throttles the fluid to couple the pump housing and rotors. The basket is bolted to the top of the transmission housing. To prevent rotation of the basket during agitation, lock mechanism 43 is provided having a piston and plunger 129 mounted in -aligned bores 132, 133 in plate 58 and biassed inwardly but actuatable to engage the plunger in one of a series of circumferentially spaced openings 130 in a plate 131 secured to member 17. Bore 132 is connected to port 73 so that, during agitation, fluid under pressure is applied to the piston to force it down and apply the lock. During spinning, the pressure is removed and the plunger rises to release the basket. To prevent the valve spool from moving back slightly from the end and blocking the various parts, parts 135, 136 spaced from end parts 95, 101 in block 64, are connected by passages 137, 138 and further passages to the pump.