Patent GB-643486-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines for washing clothes or the like
IPC: D06F33/04
Filed: 1947-08-05
Abstract: 643,486. Washing and drying machines. GRAHAM, G. C., GRAHAM, D. B., and BARKER, G. H., (trading as GRAHAM & BARKER). Aug. 5, 1947, No. 21195. Convention date, July 25, 1939. [Class 138 (ii)] In a clothes washing machine, washing liquid is admitted to a clothes receiving container and its contents are agitated, the washing liquid and floating foreign matter are flushed from the upper part of the container, further liquid is admitted for rinsing and the space within the container is contracted to squeeze the clothes to remove liquid from them. General features.-A water-tight casing 41, Fig. 1, with a hinged cover 45 is mounted on a base 40 and contains a part-spherical tub 46 which is -pivotally mounted on an inclined shaft 268. Shaft 268 is adjustably held in a slot 273 in an arm 276 so that the angle of the shaft to the vertical may be varied. The arm 276 is rotated by an electric motor 66 which also drives a drain pump 67, an automatic control mechanism 70 and a booster pump 75. The tub is prevented from rotating relatively to the casing 41 by means of two rubber-tyred wheels 287 which engage one on each side of a plate 288 fixed to the casing wall. The tub therefore has a gyratory motion. Tub construction.-The base 56, Fig. 1, of the tub may be flat, concave, or convex and is covered by a resilient diaphragm 55 which is held between the side walls and base by a channel-section member 116, the ends of which are slotted and held together by a clip so that the member 116 is releasable to enable the diaphragm to be replaced. The tub is provided with a detachable cover 47 which has perforations 125 and which is held to the tub by a split ring 131, Fig. 2, of channel section. The ring has a pivoted bail and a toggle link to lock it in position and in one construction is deep enough to allow the cover to move axially during the drying operation so that peripheral holes 127 can register with similar holes 126 in the tub. When the holes are in register, water which has drained through the holes 125 passes through the holes 126, 127, to drain into the casing 41 ; when they do not register water flows back into the tub through holes 127. In another construction, Fig, 4, the cover cannot move and the holes 126a, 127a are in permanent register ; slots 130a enter the lower part of the holes 127a and allow water to drain back into the tub except during the drying stage when the slots 130a are sealed by the clothing pressing against them, the water then draining through the holes 126a into the casing. The tub has two diametrically positioned hollow baffles 52, Fig. 1, which have one wall perpendicular to the tub wall and one sloping wall. The flat walls interrupt the rotational movement of the clothes and water. The baffles are perforated and the drain valves for the tub are mounted inside them. Water-supply and draining means.-Hot and cold water from supply mains 406, 407, Fig. 39, flows through the automatic control mechanism 70 to an adjustable temperature-control and mixing valve 82 of known type and thence through a transparent soap container 83 which is positioned adjacent a window 617, Fig. 1, in the casing 41 so that its contents can be seen. From the soap container, the water flows through a flexible hose 164 and enters the tub near its base, which is also connected through a flexible hose 628 to a float mechanism 85, Fig. 18. When the level of water in the tub is sufficient, the float moves through linkage, a spring-loaded pivoted detent 658 to release a bell-crank 667 which allows an auxiliary switch 87 in the motor circuit to close to start the motor and also to shut off the water supply as described below. The tub is drained by means of valves 226, Fig. 29, which slide in guides formed in the baffles 52 to open holes 233 in the tub wall. Each valve is operated by a spring- loaded piston 242 working in a cylinder 236 which is connected by a hose-pipe 246 to the control mechanism 70. When water to the cylinder 236 is cut off, the spring 255 closes the valves 226, the water in the cylinder 236 escaping through a bleeder opening 256 in the pipe 246. Clothes-drying mechanism.-To remove water, the clothes are squeezed against the cover 47, Fig. 1, by the diaphragm 55 which is expanded by water flowing from the control valve 70 through a check valve 80, Fig. 39, and, if necessary, a booster pump 75, to a diaphragmcontrol valve 72. This diaphragm valve 72, Fig. 6, is mounted underneath the tub base by a nipple 166 which holds the diaphragm slightly off the base to facilitate the ingress of water and which has transverse slots 174 to allow water to escape when the diaphragm is collapsed. The valve comprises a piston rod 187 which carries a fixed head 188 and a slidable head 192 with a compression spring 201 between them. Water entering from a pipe 181 forces the head 188 on to a seat 197 against the action of a spring 202 and also causes the head 192 to abut the head 188. Water can then enter a port 173 to expand the diaphragm 55. When the water pressure and the diaphragm pressure begin to equalize, the head 192 is driven by the spring 201 to the right as shown dotted in Fig. 6 and reduces the flow of water. When the water is cut-off by the control valve or by a trip mechanism, as described below, an adjustable bleeder valve 203 in the wall of the diaphragm valve allows the pressure on the diaphragm to diminish. After a period, spring 202 forces head 188 from its seat, and the water behind the diaphragm can then escape through a port 186 into the casing 41. The check valve 80, Fig. 13, controls the action of the booster pump 75. Water enters from the control mechanism 70 through pipe 561 and, if of sufficient pressure, raises a spring-pressed ball 576 from its seat thus allowing the water to flow to the diaphragm valve 72 through pipe 181. The booster pump idles in this case. If the water pressure is insufficient to raise ball 576, the water enters pipe 507, its pressure is stepped-up by the pump 75 and it is returned through pipe 503 and enters pipe 181 through ball valve 586. A pipe 477 leads to the trip mechanism 76 described below. The booster pump 75, Fig. 15, comprises a piston 518 which is operated from the motor through a rod 451, a crank-pin 548 on which engages a slide 541 on the piston rod 523 to reciprocate the piston. Control mechanism.-A cam-shaft 356, Fig. 12, is driven from the booster pump shaft through reduction gearing and a spring 433 which forms a one-way clutch and permits the shaft to be manually positioned by a knob 435. Four cams 351 ... 354 each operate a spring- loaded piston-type valve 376 ... 379 which, in the left-hand position of Fig. 12, closes the associated one of a series of ports 381 ... 384, Fig. 39, and opens it in the right-hand position. Valve 376 is interposed between the hot water supply pipe 406 and pipe 601 to the mixing valve 82 ; valves 377-379 are each connected to the cold-water line 407 ; valve 377 controls the cold water to the mixing valve 82 through pipe 602 ; valve 378 controls the supply to the cylinders 236 which operate the drain valves 226 ; and valve 379 controls the supply to the diaphragm valve 72. Part of an arm 486 of the trip mechanism 76 is interposed between the valve 379 and its cam 354. When the pressure on the diaphragm 55 reaches a predetermined figure, back pressure transmitted through pipes 181 and 477 operates a spring- loaded piston 472 which raises the arm 486 and then allows valve 379 to close to shut off the water supply to the diaphragm-valve 72. Arm 486 is spring-biassed so that when cam 354 allows plunger 341 to move to the right, arm 486 regains its position between plunger 341 and valve rod 370, the piston 472 having retracted owing to the release of diaphragm 55. Valves 376, 377 may be operated manually by means of a lever 683, Fig. 18, fixed to a shaft 668 which also carries the bell-crank operating switch 87. Shaft 668 carries a pin which engages slots 688, 689 in valve plungers 338, 339. The cam-shaft 356 also carries an arm which trips the main motor switch 86 (not shown) at the end of the cycle. Operation.-Clothing is placed in the tub 46, Fig. 1, and soap powder in the soap container 83 ; the temperature control valve 82 is set to the required temperature and the time of the washing phase set by moving the cam-shaft 356, Fig. 12, manually by knob 435. Lever 683, Fig. 18, is moved to open the valves 376, 377 and auxiliary switch 87 and it is locked in position by detent 658. The main motor switch is then closed. Water flows into the tub 46 and eventually the float mechanism 85 unlatches the detent 658, which closes switch 87 and allows the water valves 376, 377 to close and shut off the water supply to the tub. Switch 87 starts the motor 66 to agitate the tub for the remainder of the cycle and to drive the drain pump 67, Fig. 1, the booster pump 75 and the control mechanism 70. The control mechanism puts the machine through a cycle comprising (a) a washing period ; (b) a flushing period, in which the water valves 376, 377 are opened to raise the water level in the tub and thus flush any scum from the top ; (c) draining, during which the water valves 376, 377 are closed and by the opening of valve 378, the drain-valves 226 are opened to empty the tub ; (d) rinsing, with the drain and water valves open ; (e) rinsing, with the drain valves 226 closed so that the tub fills and overflows from the top to give a rinse in running water ; (f) drying, by closing the water valves, opening the drain valves and opening valve 379 to supply water to the diaphragm valve 72, thus expanding the diaphragm and squeezing the clothes dry, the check valve 80, Fig. 13, diverting the diaphragm water supply through the booster pump, if the pressure is too low, and when the predetermined pressure on this diaphragm is reached, the trip mechanism 76, Fig. 12, operates to allow valve 379 to close and the diaphragm retracts by operation of valve 72 a