US2216404A - Clothes wringer - Google Patents

Description

c. K. sKlNNER 2,216;404 cLoTHEs WRINGER Filed Jan. 27, 1938 Inventor: Z, Charles K. Skinner, zz D yI-Hs Attorney.

Patented Get. 1, 1940 CLOTHES WRINGEB Charles Kountze Skinner, Southport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application 27, 1938, Serial No; 187,191

' (c1. ca -253) The present invention relates to clothes wringers of the type suitable for use in conjunction with domestic washing machines.

In clothes wringers of this type it has been l customary' to have a control for the mechanism driving the rolls, adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pressure between' the rolls, and an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls. 'I'hese functions have. in general, beenperformed by separate control members.

'Ihe object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangemnt'in clothes wringers in which a single control member per- 1I. forms two or more of the functions enumerated above.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a front elevation, partly broken away, of .a `clothes wringer embodying my invention showing the parts in their normal position; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the top of the wringer after operation ofthe emergency release; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top plan view `of the central portion of the control bar, partly in'section; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig, 1.-

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention applied to a wringer having a frame comprising a bottom' member I and side stiles 2 and 3, at each end thereof, between which are carried wringer rolls I and 5. The lower wringer roll 4 is journaled in bearing blocks 6 which are stationary in the side stiles and the upper wringer roll 5 is journaled in slidable bearing blocks 1 which are slidable in the side stiles and are urged toward the lower roll by a leaf spring l.

l leaf spring is carried in the head l of a screw Il threaded in a nut I I carried by the top frame member I2 of the wringer. The nut II has a ange I3 which seats aga the under side of the top frame member I 'Ihe flange I3 is pinned to a sleeve Il which loosely extends through an opening I5 in the top frame member and which has an integral head Ii which provt5 jects beyond the edges of the opening I5 on the upper side of the top frame member I2. .With this construction the nut II is rotatably supported in the top frame member I2. By ro.- tation of the nut the screw I 0 is threaded into exerted by the spring 8 on the bearing blocks -1.

As shown in Fig, 1, the upper end of the side The.

stile 2 is provided with a hooked shaped portion I1 which extends through an opening II in the ,Il 'top frame and provides a pivotal connection for theileft end of the top frame. At the right end, the top frame is connected to the side stile 3 by means of a togglecomprising a pair 4of links I9 pivoted at 20 on the outer walls of the side stile v3 and pivoted at 2I on the inside of the anges l' of a channel-shaped link 22. On the inside of the web 23 of the link 22 is secured a leaf spring 2Q having a hooked end 25 which extends through an opening in the end wall 26 of the top frame I2. A leaf spring 21, likewise secured to 10 the web 23, engages the inner side of the wall 26 and yieldably holds the hook 25 in place. The hook 25 provides a pivotal connection between the upper end of the channel-shaped link 22 and the right-hand end of the top frame I2. Drain- 1I boards 21a and guards 2lb for the ends of the rolls are suitably supported on the wringer frame.

As shown in Fig. 3 the link 22 telescopes over the outer end of the side stile 3 and the links I9 are arranged between the outer walls of the no side stiles and the inner side of the flanges of the link 22.

When the toggle comprising links I 9 and 22, is in its normal position, shown in Fig, 1, the pivot points 2li are outside or to the right of the center line connecting the pivot points 2I and 2l.

Itis obvious that the 'upward pressure exerted on the topl frame by the leaf spring 8 will ten'd to pivot thelink 22 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, above its pivot point 2l and that 80 this "force will tend to hold the toggle links in the position shown in Fig. 1. If the link,22 is 'plv-- oted in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 1 until the pivot points 20 are inside, or to the left, of the center line be- .as tween the pivot points 2I and 25, the upward force exerted on the top frame by leaf spring l causes the toggle links Il and 22 tomove to the position shown in Fig. 2 'thereby releasing the pressure between the wringer rolls. The links Il u' and 22 can be returned to the position shown in Fig, 1 by exerting a downward force on the free end of the link 22. The toggle links I9 and 223 can therefore function as an emergency release.

For operating the wringer, I have provided a control bar 28 which is of channel-shaped section with downwardly extending walls 28a. The control bar is pivoted at its ends on pins 22 and ll, respectively, carried by castings 3l and 32 fixed tothe top frame I2. The casting 32 has 50 an arcuate recess 33 (Fig. 3) on its under side 1in which is loosely carried an arcuate member M, the lower ends of which rest on flanges Il at the upper` end of the link 22. 'I'he central i portion ofthe member 24 rests on the top frame Il 70 adjusting the pressure exerted by the spring 8 on lao Iedges of the opening 5|.

|2. 'I'he member 34 is connected to the control bar 28 by a latch 36 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 53 extending across the side walls 28a of the control bar and is held in a central position by spacing sleeves 54 surrounding the pin. The latch is biased by a spring 31 into engagement with a notch 38 in a tongue 39 on the upper side of the member 34. When the latch is in this position, pivotal movement of the control bar 28 in either direction will pivotally move the member 34 causing one of its ends to exert a downward pressure on one of the flanges 35 of the link 22 and thereby causing the link 22 to pivot about the hook 25. If this pivotal movement of this link' 22 is sufnciently great to move the pivot points 2| so that the pivot points 28 are to the left of a center line connecting the pivot points 2l and 25 the pressure between the wringer rolls will be Areleased as described above. In the present construction the pivotal movement is limited by engagement of the control bar with stops 48V on the casting 32 so that the pressure between the rolls is not released while the latch engages the notch 38. As long as the pivot points 28 are to the right of a center line rconnecting the pivot points 2| and 25, the pressure of the spring 8 tends to return the links I9 and 22 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. l

To prevent movement of the member 34 when the control bar 28 is pivoted, the operator must lift the latch 36 out of engagement with the slot 38. This is accomplishedby means of a handle which comprises a lever 4| which is slidable and rotatable in a bushing 42 pivotally supported between the side walls 28a of the control bar' by means of screws 43 extending loosely through the walls 28a and threaded into bosses 44 on the bushing. The lever 4l extends through an elongated slot 4|a in the control bar. It is biased upwardly by means of a coil spring 45 arranged between the upper side of the bushing 42 and a washer 46 on the lever. Upward movement of the washer is limited by a pin 41. Upward `move ment of the lever 4| is limited by a washer 48 arranged between a pin 49 on the lever and the lower side of -the bushing 42. y The lever 4| at its upper end is provided with a knob 58. 'I'he bushing 42 extends loosely through an opening 5| in the left end of the latch 36. Ears 52 on the bushing engage the upper side of the latch 36 at the With this construction it is obvious that the lever 4| will normally be held in the central position, shown in Fig. l, by the spring 31. By moving the knob 58 toward either end of the wringer the lever and the bushing 42 will be pivoted about the screws 43 and this movement will cause the ears 5 2 on the bushing to depress the left-hand end of thelatch 36, raising the right-hand end clear of the notch 38 against the pressure of spring 31. This will disconnect the latch from the member 34 so that the member 34 will remain stationary while the control bar 28 is pivoted.

By pushing downward on the knob 58, the lever 4| may be moved downward until a tongue 55 on the lower end thereof fits in a slot 56 in the upper surface of the head |6. In this position rotation of the knob' 50 will cause the nut to be threaded up and down on the screw |8 thereby the wringer rolls. When the knob 58 is released, the spring 45 returns the lever 4| to the position illustrated in Fig. -1 in which the tongue 55 is clear of the slot 56.

'Ihe pivotal movement of the control bar 28 is used to start and stop the wringer driving mechanism which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown as a typical reversing mechanism comprising a driving pinion 51" adapted to be connected to a suitable driving shaft and oppositely driven meshing gears 58 loose on a shaft 59 which is suitably connected to the lower wringer roll 4. 'Ihe shaft 59 is suitably journaled in the wringer head 68. Between the gears 58 the shaft 59 is provided with a squared portion 6| on which is slidably mounted a clutch 62 having teeth on opposite ends thereof which are adapted to engage complementary depressions (not shown) in the gears 58 thereby selectively coupling the shaft A59 to one of the gears 58. The clutch is operated by' means of a pin 64 which fits in a central groove 65 in the clutch. 'I'he pin is eccentrically carried on a shaft 66 journaled in an arm 61 on the wringer head. On the upper end of the shaft 66 is a pinion 68 which meshes with asegment gear 69 on one end 'of the lever 18 `pivoted at 1| on the wringer head. The other end 12 of the lever 18 loosely fits in an elongated slot 13 in a member 14 fixed to the control bar 28.

As the controlbar 28 is pivoted toward one side or the other -of the wringer the pin and slot connection between the member 14 and the lever 10 causes the lever 18 to be pivoted about its pivot point 1|. By means of the segment gear 69 and the pinion 68' the shaft 66 is thereby rotated causing the clutch to be moved along the squared portion 6| of the shaft 59 thereby controlling the driving connection to the wringer.

The parts are preferably arranged so that when the control bar is pulled toward the operator, the clutch 62 is moved to the position causing rotation of the wringer rolls in the direction to wring material from the side facing the operator. When the control bar is in the neutral position, shown in Figs. 1 and' 3, the clutch is in the neutral position, as shown in Fig. 1 and the rolls are stationary.

To start the operation of the wringer the knob 58 is grasped and moved toward either end of the wringer thus causing the lever A4| and the bushing 42 to pivot about the screws 43. This causes the ears 52 on the bushing 42 to depress the left end of the latch 36 lifting the right end of the latch clear of the notch 38. 'I'he knob 58 is then pulled toward the operator thereby causing the control bar 28 to be pivoted toward the operator and causing the clutch 62 to be shifted into engagement with the proper gear 58 to cause the rolls to rotate in the direction to wring from the side facing the operator. The control knob is then released and the plunger 4| and bushing 42 are returned by the spring 31 to a. central position with respect to the control bar 28. In this position the latch 36 is on one side of the tongue 39 of the arcuate member 34.

If for any reason the operator wishes suddenly to release the pressure between the wringer rolls, the knob 58 is pushed back toward the center of the wringer pivotally moving vthe control bar back to the central position. During this movement, the latch 36, due to its engagement with the tongue 38, causes the member 34 to be pivotally moved in the depression 33. During its pivotal movement, one of the ends of the member 34 engages one of the flanges 35 and pivots the link 22 about the hook 25 to a position releasing the pressure between the wringer rolls. The clearance between the stops 48 is sufllcient to permit the pivotal movement of the control bar 28 necrolls.

essary to cause release of the pressure on the wringer rolls. A

If the operator washes to .stop the rotation of the wringer rolls Without releasing the roll pressure, the knob 5D is first moved toward one end of the wringer and is subsequently pushed toward the central or neutral position. Movement of the knob toward either end of the wringer releases theconnection between the latch 36 and the member 34 and thereby permits the return of the control bar to the central position without releasing the pressure between the rolls. The return of the control bar to the central position moves the clutch 62 to the neutral position in which the driving connection of the rolls is broken.

In wringers, the emergency release is rarely used since it is intended to release the pressure between the rolls in emergencies, such as` when the operators iingers are caught between the In emergencies it has been` found that the operator will not 'use the infrequently used emergency release, but instead, will use the most frequently used control, which is the control for stopping and starting the rotation of the rolls. This is undesirable since the operators fingers will still be held between tle rolls even .though the rotation of the rolls is stopped.

From one aspect the knob can be considered as the handle by means of which the operator normally would control the wringer, the handle being mounted for movement in diverse paths and positioned free of obstruction s as to be readily accessible to and invite use by the operator and arranged so that movement of the handle in one of the paths controls the rotation of the rolls without operating the emergency release and movement of the handle in the 'other path operates the emergency release.

In the present construction where the emergency release and the control of the rotation of the wringer rolls is effected by means of a single lever, the operator will be more likely to use the emergency release. 'I'he wringer is, therefore, safer. The safety of the wringer is increased by the fact that the operator must perform an extra act, i. e. the moving of the control knob toward one end of the wringer, in .order to prevent the operation of the emergency release. It is unlikely that this act will b e performed i-n an emergency.

The stops III which limit the angular move-l ment ofthe .control bar 28 are for the purpose of preventing unintentional operation of the emergency release. When the control bar is' in the neutral position, the rolls are stationary and .there is substantiallypno need for suddenly releasing thepressure between the rolls. If the operator, when. intending to start the rotation of the rolls, should merely pull the control bar'toward one. side of the wringer without iirst moving the knob 50 toward ione end of the wringer, the latch 36 would still be in engagement with the notch 2l. This wouldcause a `partial pivoting o! the member 34 with the resultant pivoting of the link 23,. The pivotal movement of the link 22 would cease when the control bar 28 en` gaged one of the stops l0. Inthis position 'the pivot points 20 would still be to the right of a.

center line connecting the pivot points 2|. and 2.5 and the force exerted by the spring 8 would tend to return the link 22 tothe position shown in Fig. 1. It would, therefore, be impossible to.

operate the wringer since as soon as the operator released the knob 50 the control bar would be returned to the neutral position. To prevent What I claim as new and desire to'v secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, a control member for controlling the direction ot rotation of the rolls having a handle movable with respect thereto biased to a normal position with respect to the control member, and means operable by the handle on movement from said normal position for adjusting the' pressure of the rolls.

2. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, a control member for controlling the direction of rotationy of the rolls, a handle for moving the control member comprising a member slidably and rotatably carried in the control member, means biasing lsaid handle to a normal position with respect to the control member, and means operableby rotation of said handle upon slidable movement from said normal position for y adjusting the pressure of the rolls.

3. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a control member movable to successive positions for controlling the rotation of the rolls, connections between the control member and the emergency release eiective in each of the positions of the control member whereby the emergency release is operable by the control member, a handle for moving the control member, means. operable by the handle for selectively breaking the connection between the control member and the emergency release whereby the control member is selectively movable to a succeeding position without operating the emergency release, and means for reestablishinga connection between the control member and the emergency release upon reaching said succeeding position.

4. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, .an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a` control member movable to, successive positions for controlling the rotation of the rolls and eiective in each of said positions for operating the emergency release, a handle for moving vthe control rolls together, an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a control member movable to successive positions for controlling the rotation of the rolls including a handle movably carried thereby,- connections between the control member and the emergency release eiective in each of the positions of the control member whereby the emergency release is operable by the control member, -means operable by movement of the handle relative to the control member for breaking said connection tothe emergency release whereby the control member is selectively movable to a succeeding position without loperating the emergency release, and means for reestablishing a connection between the control member and the emergency release upon reaching said succeeding position.

6. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a control bar extending across the top of the wringer and having means responsive to movementl thereof transverse to the plane of the rolls of the wringer for controlling the rotation of the rolls, a connection between the control bar and the emergency release whereby the emergency release is operated by the control bar, a handle for moving the control bar and movable'relative thereto, and means operable by movement of the handle toward one end of the wringer for breaking the connection between the control member and the emergency release.

7. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a control bar extending longitudinally of the wringer and having means responsive to movement thereof transverse to the plane of the rolls for controlling the rotation of the rolls and for operating the emergency release, a handle for moving the control bar and movable relative thereto, and means operable by movement of the handle toward one end of the wringer for rendering the control bar ineffective to operate the emergency release.

'8. In a wringer, rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, an emergency release for releasing the pressure between the rolls, a control bar having means responsive to movement thereof transverse to the plane of the rolls of the wringer for controlling the rotation of the rolls and for operating the emergency release, a handle for moving the control bar and rotatable relative thereto, means operable by moving the handle toward one end of the wringer. for rendering the i 0 control bar ineffective to operate the release,

and means operable by rotation of the handle for adjusting the pressure of the rolls.

9. In a wringer of the type having, rolls and driving mechanism including a part shiftable to positions starting and stopping the rotation of the rolls, means for pressing the rolls together, a handle for shifting said part of the driving mechanism to start and stop the rotation o f the rolls, and means operable selectively by the handle for adjusting the pressure of the rolls without shifting said part.

l0. In a wringer of the type having rolls and driving mechanism therefor including a party 11. In a wringer of the type having rolls and driving mechanism therefor and having an emergency release operable to release the pressure between the rolls, a single handle by means of which the, operator normally would control the wringer, said handle being mounted for movement in diverse paths and positioned free of obstruction so as to be readily accessible to and invite use by the operator, means operable by movement of the handle in one of said paths for controlling said driving mechanism without operating said emergency release, and means operable by movement of the handle in another of said paths for operating said emergency release.

CHARLES KOUNTZE SKINNER.

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