Patent ID: 8857227

Claim:
A washing machine appliance, comprising: a wash tub for the receipt of laundry articles and fluid for cleaning; a wash basket received into the wash tub, the wash basket configured for retaining the laundry articles; an agitator positioned in the wash basket, the agitator configured for imparting motion to the articles within the wash basket; a motor for selectively rotating one or both of the agitator and the wash basket; an agitator drive element connected to the agitator and driven by the rotation of the motor; a wash basket drive element connected to the wash basket and configured for selective rotation by the motor; a clutch configured for shifting movement along the agitator drive element so as to selectively position the clutch between i) an engaged position in which the clutch connects the motor and the wash basket drive element so that both the agitator and the wash basket are rotated by the motor, and ii) a disengaged position in which the clutch disconnects the motor and the wash basket drive element such that the agitator is rotated while the rotation of the wash basket is prevented; a yoke configured for moving the clutch between the engaged position and the disengaged position; a cam follower configured for rotation that moves the yoke; a torsion spring, the cam follower connected with the yoke through the torsion spring, the torsion spring configured for biasing the position of the cam follower; and, a switch comprising an actuator that is activated by the shifting of the clutch between the engaged position and the disengaged position, the switch configured to provide a signal indicative of the movement of the clutch.