Patent GB-636528-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for washing and drying clothes
IPC: D06F35/00
Filed: 1946-04-25
Abstract: 636,528. Washing and drying machines. KIRBY. J. B. April 25, 1946, No. 12544. Convention date, March 13, 1944. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Group II] A clothes washing receptacle is subjected to vertically acting pulsations which progress about its axis, the pulsations having an acceleration greater than that of gravity. The apparatus described achieves this result by arranging the central axis of the receptacle at a small angle to the vertical and then gyrating the receptacle about a vertical axis whilst holding it against rotation about its central axis. General arrangements.- The machine comprises a square outer casing B, Fig. 1, with lid 2 and an inner circular tub C which contains the washing liquid and the clothes receptacle A. The receptacle A is mounted on a tubular support 7 carried by four legs 8 which also support the motor 47, which, as shown in Fig. 2, drives by belt 44 the clothes receptacle and the pump 98. The pump may be used to drain the washer or to circulate the washing liquid continuously from the bottom of tub C into the top of the clothes receptacle A from which it drains down, and means are provided in the pump circulating system for maintaining an adequate flow by automatically admitting fresh water if the flow drops. The clothes receptacle is subjected to a gyrating movement during washing by holding it against rotation by means of a brake, whilst its inclined axis a is rotated about the vertical axis b at about 600 r.p.m. Upon release of the brake, the torque applied to the bearing about which the receptacle gyrates causes the receptacle to rotate and when it attains a certain speed a centrifugal clutch causes it finally to be rotated at the full 600 r.p.m. Clothes receptacle driving arrangements.-The clothes receptacle A is bolted to a block 34 fast with the inner race of a ball-bearing 30, Figs. 1 and 4, which is mounted in a cup-shaped member 29 slightly out of the horizontal. The cup-shaped member 29 is fast with a tubular shaft 48 which is rotatably mounted by an upper ball-bearing 25 in the stationary tube 7 and a lower ball-bearing 77, and is driven through a belt pulley 42 secured to its lower end. The stationary tube 7 has a flange 17 at its lower end, which is clamped between rubber rings 15, 19 to the annular member 11, which in turn is supported by the four legs 8 terminating in adjustable feet 10. One of the feet 10 may incorporate a hydraulically damped spring-loaded leg, Fig. 11 (not shown). Attached to the top of the stationary tube 7 is a weight 24 whose inertia damps out any oscillations of the tube. A central shaft 56 is drivingly connected to the block 34 and clothes receptacle by a pin-and-slot connection 59, 60, and its lower end is similarly connected to a shaft 63 which is freely mounted in sleeve bearing 66 and ball-bearing 69 and to which is keyed a brake drum 67 surrounded by a contractible brake band 78 operated by lever 79. By application of the brake, rotation of shafts 63, 56 and hence of the inner race of ball-bearing 30 is prevented so that when the pulley 42 and tubular shaft 28 are driven, to rotate the cup member 29 and outer race of the ball-bearing 30, the result is to impart a gyratory motion to the clothes receptacle by virtue of the axis a revolving round the vertical axis b, although the clothes receptacle does not rotate. The speed of gyration and the inclination of axis a and the dimensions of the receptacle are such that during the gyratory motion the floor 90 of the receptacle descends faster than the wet clothes would fall freely under the action of gravity. On completion of the washing operation the brake 78 is released so that the clothes receptacle is free to rotate, whereupon the receptacle commences to rotate and as its speed of rotation increases the frequency of the gyratory motion correspondingly decreases. The brake drum 67 has pivoted on its upper face three arcuate centrifugal weights 84 having friction linings on their outer faces which, when the brake drum attains a certain speed of rotation, engage the inner face of the flange 81 of the pulley 42 so that the pulley 42 drives the clothes receptacle directly for a spin drying operation. The brake is operated by means of hand lever 126, Fig. 8, fast on spindle 120, Fig. 2, rotation of which displaces adjustable link 122 connected to the brake lever 79. The clothes receptacle comprises inclined cupshaped deflectors 96 which during the washing cycle cause the clothes to creep up the walls of the receptacle return towards the centre, descend and progress outwardly and upwardly again. The dome-shaped cover 40 prevents damage to the clothes by the bolt heads 39. Water circulation.-Hot water is admitted by the manually controlled valve 102, Fig. 9, and passes through the electrically-controlled valve 103, up pipe 101 into the top of clothes receptacle A. The water drains down into tub C and is then circulated by the continuously running centrifugal pump 98, Fig. 2, through a flexible pipe up into the delivery pipe 100, Figs. 8 and 10, which is pivotally mounted so that its nozzle 107 can discharge into the clothes receptacle or back into the tub C. When sufficient water has entered the tub C to ensure a full circulation through the pump and delivery pipe 100, the pressure of the water on the sylphon 106, Fig. 10, operates switch 105 to energize solenoid 104, Fig. 9, to close valve 103 and cut-off the water supply. Should the quantity of water in circulation drop, the valve 103 is opened until the quantity is sufficient to operate the sylphon 106 again. The angular position of the delivery pipe 100 is controlled by hand lever 126, Figs. 8 and 9, fast on spindle 120 which is connected to the spindle 114 carrying the delivery pipe by a link 117, and crank 116, see also Fig. 2. The hand lever 126 also controls the brake 78 and is so arranged that when the brake is applied during the washing operation, pipe 100 discharges into the clothes receptacle, whereas when the brake is released during spin-drying, pipe 100 is swung to the side. A drain valve 108, Fig. 1, is connected to the outlet side of the pump, and may be opened by link 110 on rotation of spindle 111 upon movement of hand lever 112, Fig. 8. Operation.-With the controls described, the sequence of operations may be varied, but the following sequence is preferred. The correct quantity of water is first added to the clothes in the receptacle by moving lever 112 to drainclosing position and lever 126 to brake-releasing position, the motor is then started and water valve 102 opened. Water enters whilst the receptacle is spinning, to give a preliminary soak, and is automatically shut off when sufficient has entered, as described above. Lever 126 is moved to apply the brake so that the clothes receptacle is gyrated, and detergent is added. On completion of washing, water valve 102 is closed, lever 112 moved to drainopening position and lever 126 to brakereleasing position for a short extraction, after which water valve 102 is opened to admit water for an initial spin rinse. Lever 112 is then moved to drain-closing position and after the water is cut-off by the solenoid the lever 126 is moved to washing position and the clothes subject to a short wash rinse. The drain is then opened whilst the water is left turned on to provide a final spin rinse and the water finally turned off so that the clothes are spun dry. Specifications 636,592 and 636,593 are referred to.