Patent GB-654832-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines and methods for washing textile materials
IPC: D06F47/06
Filed: 1946-12-11
Abstract: 654,832. Washing-machines. APPLIANCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA. Dec. 11, 1946, No. 36562. Convention date, Dec. 29, 1945. [Class 138 (ii)] A machine for washing textile materials comprises an oscillatable container 28 having a contractable compartment for washing and rinsing textile materials, a flexible diaphragm 47 anchored in the container and adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure after both the washing operation and the rinsing operation for contracting the compartment in order that the washing and rinsing liquids, including the liquids squeezed from the materials, may be discharged through an outlet in the upper portion of the compartment, means for admitting wash liquid to the compartment and also admitting rinse liquid in quantities sufficient to overflow through the upper outlet, and means for continually oscillating the container throughout the washing, rinsing and extracting operations. As shown in Fig. 2, the container 28, which is of spherical form, is mounted in the upper compartment 23 of a cabinet 20 on the flanged upper end 29 of a drive shaft 30. This shaft is oscillated throughout the operation of the machine by crank mechanism 55... 57 from a shaft 58 by gearing 59 driven from an electric motor; the shafts 30, 58 are maintained in spaced relation by a member 61 carrying bearings for the shafts. The container comprises two hemi-spherical parts 35, 36 of which the upper part 36 is fitted with a perforated cover 38 adapted to be swung about a pivot 40 to uncover an opening 37. Two upstanding ribs 45 are provided in the lower part 35, and two ribs 46 of flexible material are arranged in the upper part 36. After the clothes have been washed for a period in hot water in the oscillating container, a rubber diaphragm 47, which is normally disposed in close contact with the inside of the lower part 35 and ribs 45, is raised for the purpose of squeezing the clothes against the cover 38 and forcing the water through the perforations 41 therein into the compartment 23. The flanged edges 47a, 47b of the diaphragm 47 are gripped between radial flanges 48, 49 on the parts 35, 36 by means of a clamping ring. The diaphragm 47 is adapted to be raised by supplying water to an inlet 65 at the bottom of the container from a flexible hose 77 which is connected by a pipe 97, Fig. 11, to the cold water pressure main 81 through a cam-controlled valve 98 ; at the same time, a pressure pump 96, which is driven by the motor 60 and has its inlet connected with the main 81, discharges into the flexible hose 77 in order to assist in lifting the diaphragm. Hot water is discharged into the top of the container for the washing operation from a mixing valve 94, Fig. 11, through a vertical pipe 76 which is connected by a flexible hose 75 to an arcuate pipe 70, Fig. 4, having outlets 71 ... 73 into the container. For the rinsing operation, cold water from the main 81 is led to the hose 75 through a cam-controlled valve 92, Fig. 11. The compartment 23 is drained through a pipe 89 leading to a drain pump 85 which is driven by the motor 60 and discharges to an outlet 82. During the washing and rinsing operations, a cam-controlled valve 88 is opened so that the output of the pressure pump 96 passes through the valve to the drain pump 85 for discharge to the outlet 82 ; since the drain pump is of much greater capacity than the pressure pump, no water is then supplied to the inlet 65 in the bottom of the container to cause the lifting of the diaphragm. The operation of the machine is under the control of cams 110 ... 113 on a shaft 114 which is intermittently driven by ratchet mechanism 119-128 from a cam 116 on the shaft 30. The cam 110 co-operates with a pivoted follower 136 which is adapted to close a switch 132 in the motor circuit when the cam is manually rotated in the counterclockwise direction by means of a lever 137 from a push knob 141. The cams 111, 112, 113 co-operate with pivoted followers 145, 153, 161 for operating, respectively, the drain valve 88, diaphragm-controlling valve 98, and rinse valve 92. Operation.-After the clothes have been inserted in the container, the mixing valve 94 is opened to supply the necessary quantity of water at the desired temperature to the container through the pipe 76 and hose 75. The cover 38 is then replaced so that its handle 42 closes a safety switch 43 in the motor circuit and is locked in position by a latch device 170. Operation of the push knob 141 then closes the motor switch 132 and sets the motor 60 in operation so as to oscillate the container, drive the pumps 85, 96, and rotate the cam-shaft 114. At this stage, the valves 92, 98 are closed and the valve 88 is open, whereby while the clothes are subject to a washing operation, the discharge from the pump 96 is diverted through the valve 88 and pump 85 to the outlet 82 and any water collecting in the compartment 23 is also pumped to this outlet. When the cam 111 closes the valve 88, the cam 112 opens the valve 98 so as to supply water from the main 81 to the flexible hose 77 and inlet 65 at the bottom of the container ; at the same time, the effect of closing the valve 88 is to supplement this supply by the output from the pump 96. The diaphragm 47 is thus raised in order to squeeze the clothes against the lid 38 and force substantially all the water out of the container and clothes into the compartment 23, from which it is discharged by the drain pump 85. As soon as the cam 112 closes the valve 98, the cam 111 again opens the valve 88 so that the water beneath the diaphragm is discharged to the outlet 82 through the valve 88 by the pump 85 and the diaphragm returns to its normal position. At the same time, the cam 113 opens the rinse valve 92 in order to admit cold water to the container from the main 81 through the pipe 76 and hose 75 The rinse valve remains open sufficiently long for the rinse water to fill the container and overflow therefrom into the compartment 23 Subsequently, the cams 111, 113 close the drain valve 88 and rinse valve 92 and the cam 112 again opens the valve 98 to provide for a second squeezing of the clothes ; the diaphragm returns to its original position when the cam 112 closes the valve 98 and the cam 111 opens the drain valve 88, and the cycle comes to an end by the opening of the switch 132 by the cam 110. Specifications 643,486 and 654,831 are referred to.