Patent GB-880179-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in laundry machines
IPC: D06F37/30
Filed: 1959-12-02
Abstract: 880,179. Washing-machines. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. Dec. 2, 1959 [Jan. 19, 1959], No. 40945/59. Class 138 (2). [Also in Group XIII] A laundry machine has a thermo-responsive device, including a switch in an electrical control circuit for the motor driving the tub, which prevents the start of rotation of the tub to a speed sufficient to spin dry the clothes therein when the temperature of the clothes is above a certain value. The laundry machine 50, Fig. 1, for washing, rinsing, soaking and spin-drying in a tub 52 comprises a spinner mechanism 56 which drives an agitator 54 when a housing 58 is rotated in one direction by a reversible fourpole, six-pole motor 60 and spins the tub when the housing is rotated by the motor in another direction, the commencement of the spinning of the tub being prevented by a thermoresponsive device 306, Fig. 4, including a switch 308 in a motor circuit controlled by an element 307 adjacent a drain opening 309 when the temperature of the water overflowing from the clothes and hence the temperature of the clothes is above a predetermined value. Cold and hot water are supplied through valves 104, 100, respectively, controlled by solenoids 106, 102 and the water is removed from the tub through apertures 112 into a container 94 from which it is removed through the opening 309 and drain 114 by a pump 116. Drive mechanism.-The motor is connected by a gear-shift mechanism 62 controlled by a solenoid 76 to either a high or low velocity ratio drive to drive the housing 58. The motor has a shaft 64 on which are rotatably mounted pulleys 66, 68 engageable by a selector clutch 70 under the action of a pivoted yoke 72 which is downwardly biased so that the clutch normally engages the pulley 66 for high velocity drive and for spinning the tub at high speed the solenoid is energized to make the yoke and clutch engage the pulley 68. The solenoid is in a circuit with the thermo-responsive device 306 when it is below a certain temperature to prevent the current through the solenoid from reaching a valve sufficient to actuate the gear shift mechanism to connect the low velocity drive and when it reaches above that value as a result of current flow therethrough, it enables sufficient current to flow through the solenoid to actuate it and the gear-shift mechanism to connect the velocity drive. Controls.-In a control panel 118, Fig. 2, a knob 122 controls the positions of various switches to adjust the machine for washing different types of fabrics. The knob simultaneously controls switches in a circuit to control the rinse water temperature, wash water temperature, the speed of the agitator and the speed of spin drying and a timer for achieving a desired sequence of events in the washing cycle. The rinse selector switch 134 when closed on, and open from, a contact 144 results respectively in warm and cold water being admitted to the tub during the rinsing operation. The wash water switch 136 when closed on, and open from a contact 146 results, respectively, in warm and hot water being admitted to the tub during the agitation period, warm water being obtained by energizing the solenoid 106 so that a mixture of hot and cold water is admitted. When the agitator switch 138 is closed on a contact 150 the six-pole winding of the motor is energized for slower reciprocation and when it is closed on a contact 148 the four-pole winding is energized for quicker reciprocation. When the spin selector switch blade is open the solenoid 76 operating the yoke 72 is not energized and the tub is spun at its fast speed. The timer speed switch 142 determines the duration of agitation, rinse, soak and spinning as it is closed on a contact 154. The timer operates at slow speed and the periods are normal and when it is on a contact 156 the timer operates at fast speed and the periods are shorter. The circuit also includes a manual load switch 174 controlled by a knob 172 which admits either a normal or less amount of water to the tub according to the position of the timer switch and the speed of rotation of the agitator, and a switch 180 enables a cold water rinse to be obtained.