Patent GB-680658-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to driving mechanisms for clothes washing machines
IPC: D06F37/40
Filed: 1950-03-09
Abstract: 680,658. Washing and drying machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. March 9, 1950. [March 26, 1949] No. 5990/50. Class 138 (ii). [Also in Group XXIV] A clothes washing machine comprises a gear frame 21 rotatably mounted on a reversible drive shaft 28, a spin basket shaft 14 affixed to the gear frame, a washing means shaft 16 permanently connected to the drive shaft 28 by gearing carried by the gear frame 21, a fixed brake structure 20, a co-operating brake structure 18 journalled on the drive shaft, the structures 18 and 20 being gravity biased into contact with each other, means mechanically connecting the gear frame to the co-operating brake structure during rotation of the drive shaft in one direction, a clutch collar 59 secured either to a driving member 63 (Figs. 2 and 3) or to the drive shaft 28 (Fig. 8), the driving member 63 being rotatably disposed about the drive shaft, the wall of the clutch collar 59 including a pocket 74 (Fig. 3) having one end 75 narrower than the other, a ball or roller 76 within the pocket 74 having a diameter greater than the narrow end thereof for positively connecting the driving member 63 to the drive shaft on rotation of the shaft opposite to the first direction, the driving member being rotatable into engagement with elements of the gear frame to drive the same from the drive shaft, the driving member also releasing the connections between the gear frame and brake structure to free the frame for rotation. During washing, an agitator in the spin basket is oscillated on its shaft 16 while the basket is held stationary by releasably coupling the basket spin means to the brake shoe 18 which directly supports the weight of the basket and contents. For spin drying, the brake is released and a reversible motor 33 spins the basket on its shaft 14. The gearing in the frame 21 for oscillating the agitator is described in Specification 625,328. The brake shoe 18 carries a layer 57 of suitable braking material co-operating with a steel plate 58 surfacing the fixed brake 20. The clutch collar 59 is interposed between a washer 60 on which the gear frame 21 actually rests and a thrust bearing 22 supported on the central web 62 of the brake member 18. The driving member 63 has two radially extending arms 64, 65 terminating in oppositely directed fingers 66, 67 which extend downwardly within the outer wall 68 of brake member 18. The fingers 66, 67 are normally held in operative position by means of a spring 71 which urges the driver 63 to a position determined by a stop 73 depending from the gear frame. The spring 71 is carried by one of two diametrically opposed members 69, 70 which extend downwardly from the gear frame. The ball or roller 76 is normally urged by a spring 77 towards the narrow end 75 of the pocket 74. Thus shaft 28 will transmit torque to the collar during clockwise or "spin" rotation, but not during counterclockwise rotation. Any momentary counterclockwise rotation of driver 63 as the shaft begins rotation is limited by post 73. In a modified arrangement (Fig. 8) the collar 59a is pinned to shaft 28, Fig. 7 (not shown), and has an extension which provides a pocket 74a, 75a containing the roller 76a. The driver 63a has a neck 63b rotatably engaging the shaft 28. As in Fig. 3 driver 63a is coupled to shaft 28 by clockwise rotation of the shaft. As seen in Fig. 3 the inner walls 78, 80 of the members 69, 70 provide oppositely facing convergent pockets with the brake member wall 68. Rollers 81 are biased toward the constricted mouths of these pockets by springs 82. The gear frame 21 is thus locked against rotation in either direction with respect to the brake member 18 during the agitaton period. To spin the basket the motor is reversed so as to rotate shaft 28 clockwise in Fig. 3. Roller 76 is moved into the narrow end 75 of pocket 74 and driver 63 constrained to rotate with the shaft. The driver 63 leaves the stop 73 and the fingers 66, 67 drive the adjacent rollers 81 inwardly into the enlarged pocket area of the members 69, 70. The arms 64, 65 are thus free to rotate these members 69, 70, the frame 21 and the basket. At the end of the spin cycle the motor stops and the clutch rollers 81 again engage the wall 68 of the brake member 18. The brake thus becomes effective to stop the basket. In a modification, Figs. 5 and 6 (not shown), the clutch rollers are positioned on the outside of the brake ring 68, thus allowing the rollers to be thrown outwardly slightly away from the brake surface during spin and eliminating wear on the rollers. A centrifugal impeller 34 is mounted on the motor shaft (Fig. 2) and pumps oil upwardly through an axial shaft passage 40 to splash lubricate the various parts irrespective of the direction of rotation of the motor. The oil at a normal level O.L. flows into the pump chamber 35 through orifices 36 and then through orifices 37 and chamber 38 to the passage 40.