Patent GB-677600-A (GB)
Title: Retractable washing machine for clothes and the like, in cabinet
Inventor: BRECKENRIDGE FRANK
IPC: D06F39/00
Filed: 1951-01-15
Abstract: 677,600. Washing and wringing machines. AUTOMATIC WASHER CO. Jan. 15, 1951, No. 1110/51. Class 138 (ii). In a washing machine having a wash-tub 9 adapted to be lifted and lowered within a cabinet 7, mechanism is provided for auto. matically locking it in its lifted or operative position, and means responsive to the loading of the wash-tub positively prevents disengagement of the locking mechanism from the tub. The tub 9 is provided with rollers 12 which travel in guide channels 13 secured to the inside of the cabinet 7. The lower rollers 12 are journalled in brackets 11 which are secured to the tub and also carry rollers 14 (Fig. 2), engaged by curved portions 15a of levers 15 pivoted at 16 to the cabinet. The levers 15 are biased upwardly by springs 17 which thus elevate and assist in supporting the tub 9. Positive support is provided by levers 19 whose upper ends engage under the brackets 11, and whose lower ends are connected by links 21, 22 to a double crank 23 secured to a shaft 24 carrying a foot pedal (not shown). The levers 19 are pivoted at 20 and can be moved out of the path of movement of the brackets 11 by depressing the foot pedal against the action of a spring, Fig. 3 (not shown). The lower ends of the brackets 11 are provided with metal fingers 29 and curved springs 30 which are designed to flex under the weight of the loaded tub as seen in Fig. 6. The fingers 29 co-operate with lugs 19b on the upper ends of the levers 19 to lock the levers against tub releasing movement when the tub is loaded. The tub may also be locked in its lowered position against the tension of the springs 17 by offset heads 19a of the levers 19 which engage the tops 11a of the brackets 11. An agitator (not shown) is provided in the tub 9 and it can be connected to and disconnected from a driving motor 56 by means of a clutch controlled by a shifter wheel 31 rotatably mounted on the cabinet 7. The wheel 31 carries a pin 40 which is movable in an arcuate slot 41 in the cabinet wall and also extends through a long slot 42 in a bell crank lever 43. This lever is pivoted on a stud 44 on the tub 9 and has a right-angled arm 43a pivotally connected through a link 45 with a lever 46 rigidly connected to the agitator clutch oper. ating shaft 47. The clutch and drive gear has a housing 60 which also supports a wringer column 61. The motor 56 also drives the wringer (not shown) which is carried down inside the cabinet when the washing tub 9 and driving mechanism is lowered. Operation.-By depressing the foot pedal (not shown) the crank 23 is moved anti-clockwise in Fig. 1 and the levers 19 moved to release the upper ends of the brackets 11. The tub may then be lifted by hand (aided by the springs 17) the foot pedal being released so that as soon as the tub reaches its uppermost position the levers 19 will move to supporting position. The arm 43 moves .upwardly with the tub so that the pin 40 slides relatively to the slot 42 but remains stationary relatively to the arcuate slot 41. By turning the wheel 31 lever 43 is turned about its pivot 44 and the clutch operated to connect the agitator to the motor 56. Accidental release of the levers 19 by actuating the pedal is impossible unless the tub is first raised slightly to lift the fingers 29 clear of the lugs 19b. After the washing operation the tub may be drained through a hose 54 supported by a spring 55. If the agitator is not stopped prior to lowering of the tub it will be stopped automatically as it approaches its lowered position since the pin 40 will be forced to move along slot 41, thus returning lever 43 to its vertical position.