Patent GB-625926-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to washing machines, particularly laundry machines
IPC: D06F34/08
Filed: 1946-12-03
Abstract: 625,926. Washing-machines. APPLIANCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA. Dec. 3, 1946, No. 35748. Convention date, Oct. 3, 1945. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Groups II, XXIV and XXXII] A washing-machine comprises a container 35 supported for rotation about its axis, a number of openings 48 in the wall of the container at spaced points about its periphery, and valve means adapted to close the openings when the container is operated at relatively low speed for the washing operation and opening them when the container is rotating at a substantially higher speed for the drying operation. The container 35, Fig. 3, is disposed in an upper compartment 28 of a cabinet and mounted on the flanged upper end 36 of a shaft 37 which is rotatably supported at its foot in bearings 38, Fig. 11, in the tubular portion 40 of a circular support 41. This support 41 is carried from a cross-shaped base 70 with the interposition of resilient mountings 73 (see Group XXXII), and the base is carried by similar mountings on corner brackets 74 at the bottom of the cabinet. The openings 48 in the container are located between the apertured walls of hollow ribs 43, Figs. 3 and 5, which are mounted on the inner wall of the container so as to leave a passage 51 between the said wall and the adjacent edge of the leading wall 49 of the rib. Fixed outside the openings 48 is a tubular member 55 having oppositely-disposed slots 56, 57 in its wall, with the slots 56 in communication with the openings 48. A cylindrical valve member 58 having diametral slots 59 is rotatably mounted in the member 55 so that in one position it closes the openings 48 and in another position puts the openings 48 into communication through the slots 56, 59 with the slots 57. The lower end of each valve member 58 carries an arm 60 which is connected by a spring 61 to a bracket 62 on the bottom of the container. When the container is oscillated at low speed for washing or rinsing purposes, the valve members 58 close the openings 48, but, when the container is rotated at high speed for drying purposes, weights 64 provided on the arms 60 ensure that centrifugal force causes the valve members to permit the discharge of water through the openings 48. An upstanding conical member 44 may be mounted on the bottom of the container. Driving-mechanism.-A motor. 85, Fig. 3. carried by brackets 162, 163 from the support 41 is adapted to drive, through a belt 90, a pulley 88 which is carried on an annular member 95, Fig. 11, rotatably mounted on the shaft 37. Keyed on the shaft 37 is a sleeve 102 to which are keyed the internal members 101, 150 of two clutches 93, 94 for operating the container, respectively, at low-speed oscillation and high-speed rotation. The outer member 149 of the clutch 93 is carried by a tubular member 146 which is rotatably mounted on the tubular member 40 and is adapted to be oscillated from mechanism 91, Fig. 11, by means of a curved arm 145 and crank 92. The mechanism 91 comprises a shaft 118 which is driven by a belt 115 from the pulley 88 and carries a pinion 122 meshing with an internal gear 123 carried from a shaft 125 rotatably mounted in a spider 127. A gear 128 on the shaft 125 meshes with three planet pinions 129 which are rotatably supported by a carrier 130 and mesh with a stationary ring gear 136; the crank 92 is fixed on the shaft 131 of the carrier 130. The outer member 99 of the clutch 94 is carried by an extension of the annular member 95. The inner members 101, 150 of the clutches are adapted to be alternatively operated by means of a rock arm 107 carrying rollers 110, 154 engaging, respectively, the bevelled surfaces of actuators 106, 152 for the clutches. The rock arm 106 is pivotally supported on a shiftable collar 109 which is operated from a hydraulic cylinder 167, Fig. 3, movably mounted on a stationary piston. The upper end of the cylinder 167 is connected to the collar 109 by a horizontal lever 172 which is arranged to fulcrum about the upper ends of a pair of links 175. Water supply and drain means.-Water is supplied to the top of the container 35 through a pipe 47, Fig. 3, from either a mixing valve 181, supplied from cold and hot water pipes 178, 179, or the cold water pipe 178; the supply from these sources is under the control of solenoid valves 184, 189, Fig. 14. A drain pipe 31 leads from the base of the compartment 28 to the inlet 140 of a centrifugal pump 137 which is mounted on the shaft 118 of the mechanism 91, Fig. 11, so as to be operative for the complete cycle of the machine; the outlet 141 from the pump leads to a drain pipe 180. Operation of machine.-The machine is operated under the control of a series of cams 210-214, Fig. 14, which are mounted on a shaft 215 driven by a timer motor 216 for the control of switches 220-224. The switches 220, 223, 224 operate, respectively, to energize the motors 85, 216, warm water solenoid valve 184, and cold water solenoid valve 189. The switches 221, 222 control the supply from the cold water pipe 178 to the cylinder 167 and its discharge to the drain pipe 180, for effecting operation of the clutches 93, 94; the closing of the switch 221 serves to energize solenoid valves 187, 193 in the water circuit to and from the cylinder 167.so as to move the latter in a direction to engage the washing clutch 93, and the switch 222 similarly energizes solenoid valves 195, 197 for engaging the water-extracting clutch 94. In operation, the shaft 215 is set manually so as to cause the cam 210 to close the switch 220 and operate the motors 85, 216. Thereafter, the machine runs through a cycle in which the container 35 is (a) oscillated at low speed with a supply of warm water through the pipe 47, (b) rotates at high speed with the water supply cut off and the valves 58 opened automatically to permit the discharge of water from the openings 48, (c) oscillated at low speed with a supply of cold water for rinsing, and (d) again rotated at high speed without any water supply until the cams open all the switches. The complete cycle of the machine corresponds to one-half revolution of the camshaft 215. If desired, the cams may be so shaped that, for one-half revolution, they provide for the washing of cotton goods in which the rinse is with cold water, and, for the second half, for the washing of woollen goods when warm rinsing water is used; the camshaft may be set manually to carry out either cycle.