US2658372A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

J. B. KIRBY 2,658,372

WASHING MACHINE Nov. 10, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 3l, 1950 Nov. 10, 1953 J. B. KIRBY 2,658,372

WASHING MACHINE Filed March .'51, 1950 y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENToR. .7A Mfs B. /r/ JEBY ATTORNYS J. B. KIRBY WASHING MACHINE Nov. 10, 1953 Filed March 31 4 Sheets-Sheet 3y INVENTOR. JAMES .B-l/f/EBY NM m A T 7'0 RNEYS J. B. KIRBY WASHING MACHINE Nov. 10, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 5l, 1950 A ToEA/EYS Patented Nov. 10, 1953 WASHING MACHINE James B. Kirby, West'Richfeld, Ohio, vassigner to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, as trustee, fCleve'land,` 1.0hio, a corporation of .Ohio

Application March 31, 1950 Serial No. 153,166

This invention relates to domestic laundry 'machines suc-h as washing machines of the single tub, washing-extracting type where the clothes are washed and thereafter centrifugally dried in the same container. n

The principal object of the present invention is to eliminate or vminimize the vertical components of vibratory forces at 'the supportingy feet of the domestic laundry machine. Lateral vibration forces such as those produced byout-of -balance loads in Aa rapidly rotating extractor basket tend to tip machinesof this type in the direction in which t-he out-of -balance `force is acting at any given instant and thus produces vertical vibratory force components in the lsupporting legs -or feet. Such vertical vibrations prevent the use of such machines on vertically -y-ieldable supporting surfaces such as ordinary 'wooden floors AWithout special ymeans for clamping or 'bolting the machine to the oors. -Even -With such special precautions undesirable noises and vibrations are produced in the floors. These vertical vibratory forces also tend to cause walking of the `machines even on rigid or cement iloors so that-some means of cementing or fastening the 4machines to the licor is Yordina-rily required.

In accordance with the present invention 'the vertical components of yibratory forces produced by out-of-balance loads .are eliminated or minimized by yieldably supporting the pedestal -unit including the motor, drive mechanism and container adjacent the vertical axis -of the pedestal within the area dened lby the supporting feet and in a horizontal plane -closely adjacent the supporting surface so that -the vibra-tory forces are transmitted to the supporting Vsurface substantially entirely -as laterally -directed forces. Floors including conventional wooden floors are extremely rigid :in directions parallel to the `surface Yof the floor so that vibrations of the `machine are .resisted Without noise or-perceptible vibration in ithe floor-ing itself.

Another object Vof the `present invention yis to convert both laterally and yvertically -directed -vibration vforces occurring inthe clothes container into laterally directed forces lat the supporting feet. This feature Iof the present invention is of particular importance in connection with Washing machines of fthe type disclosed in mycopending application, Serial No. 619;849 iiled October 2, 1945, in which `vertical -components of force are developed Aduring the washing vaction in addition to the 4lateral forces produced by unbalanced loads in the extracting operation. The latter occur not only in 'machines of this type -6 Claims. (01.68-23) 12 but also in machines of the type shown in my prior patents, V2,109,620 and 2,067,572.

Another object .of vthis invention is to stabilize the pedestal unit carrying the clothes container by combining the motor, drive Vmechanism and container Yin a relatively rigid pedestal unit which is resiliently supported at lits Alovver end `ladjacent the supporting floor surface with the motor at the'lower end of the pedestalwith its heavy'rotating armature Vvertical and substantially in alignment with the Aaxis of the'pedestal.

Another object of this invention is to effectively support the pedestal a-t its lower end `for both lateral and tilting movements 'so l'that vvibratory Aforces in all -types are converted `into lateral forces in the supporting ieet, by supporting ,the pedestal on a vseries of resilient vmembers of rubber or vthe {li-ke 'arranged around the pedestal, each of `which is yieldable vertically sin either direction and also laterally in all directions.

VOther objects of `the present invention `are to eliminate objectionable `or rperceptible vibrations in the vextractingy operation by ysupporting the pedestal unit so -as `to convert vibrations during the'initial accelera-tion of the container vinto lateral forces at the feet, rotating the container at speeds in-excess of its-critical speed forextracting, and balancing ythe container with a :liquid balancing ring at'its-operating speed, and .to im prove ythe operation of the "liquid balancing ring by supplying -the same with liquid from a source independent of the wash water during the .extracting operation -so that the container ymay be accelerated beyond its critical speed as -the ring is being `:filled with liquid.

'It vis a further object of rvmy invention J'to prevent the .transmission of ywashingand extracting vibrations to the yiloor yor other supporting surface for the machine' by supporting Vthe motor, the drive mechanism, the pedestal vfrom the drive mechanism to .the container .and the ``c`onla-r1er coaxially asa junitary assembly vso it may Ahave a limited 3tiltiing.movement about the lower .end of the assembly and frictionally and resiliently restraining such `tilting :in a fplane about ithe lmidpoint of the height `of ,the assembly.

.Other .objects and advantages ,relating .to economy in manufacture .and eiciency in operation will appear from the following description and the appendeddrawings wherein:

y Fig. 1 is `an elevation iwithfparts in section Aof a ywashing and extracting Jmachine made according to my invention;

Fig. 2 isa sectional view -showing'supportstruc- 3 ture details taken on the plane indicated at 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a vertical plane taken as indicated at 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing base details taken on the plane at 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken as indicated at 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevation with parts in section showing a modified form of resilient centering means for the washing and extracting mechanism; and

Fig. 'l is a plan view of the modification of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, an upright square casing I is provided with a removable cover 2, through which the clothes are introduced to the extractor-container 3. At its lower end the casing I is provided with four inwardly projecting ledges 1 which rest upon the horizontal web of a rectangular :door base 4 formed of angle iron. A pair of transverse angle irons 5 are welded or otherwise secured across the base 4 (as shown best in Figs. 4 and 5) and the members 5 in turn support a square motor pan 6. A split supporting sleeve surrounds the motor 8 and is clamped therearound by a bolt or the like extending through clamping ears I I. Laterally extending ears 9. each of which are provided with a rubber suction cup I0, are bent outwardly from the lower end of the sleeve I2. The upper end of the sleeve I2 is formed with an outwardly projecting flange I2a to support the clutch and drive mechanism indicated in its entirety as at I3, the pedestal assembly indicated as at I4, and the clothes container 3 carried by the pedestal.

The ange I2a is apertured at each of three equally spaced points to receive a through bolt and tube assembly secured to the plate I5 attached to the pedestal assembly I4. The through bolts, last referred to, are indicated as at I6 and the tube support surrounding the through bolt is indicated as at I1. The arrangement last described provides a supporting structure for the pedestal which surrounds the drive mechanism I3.

As will be understood by reference to my copending applications, above referred to, the washing operation according to this invention is effected by successively tilting the container 3, and to carry out this washing operation the tubular shaft I8 is rotated and the solid shaft I9 within the tubular shaft is held against rotation so that the inclined bearing 29, fixed to the upper end of the tubular shaft, progressively tilts the container with respect to the vertical axis of shaft I9. During extraction the tubular shaft I8 is held against rotation and the inner solid shaft I9 is rotated so that the container 3 is turned about its axis so as to centrifugally extract the fluid from the clothes.

To carry out the selective rotation of the shafts I6 and I9, I have provided the drive mechanism indicated generally at I3 which includes a countershaft 2I supported by the tube I1. A

pair of laterally-extending clamps 22 and 23 are` secured to the tube I1 and the clamps in turn are welded to a bearing tube 24. The countershaft 2I is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the bearing shaft 24, and the shaft 2| is proportioned so as to extend downwardly and provide a shaft extension 25 which constitutes a drive shaft for the pump 26. A pulley 21 is secured to the countershaft 2I and is belted, as at 28, to the pulley 29 on the motor shaft. The

rotation of the countershaft is transmitted through pulley 30 and belt 3| to pulley 32 mounted for free rotation about the lower end of the tubular shaft I8. The upper and lower faces of the pulley 32 serve as driving clutch faces, the lower face, as at 33, being adapted to engage with a driven clutch part 34 secured to the drive shaft I9. The upper face of the pulley face 32, namely face 35, is adapted to be engaged with a driven clutch part 36 secured to the tubular shaft I8. As shown in Fig. 1, the driven clutch part 36 is in clutched engagement with the driving pulley 32 so that the tubular sleeve I8 is rotated and the washing operation carried out.

The shifting of the drive mechanism from the wash position, as shown, to an extracting drive position is effected by a clutch shifter assembly that is supported on the brackets II-I2 carried by the motor housing. The clutch shifter assembly includes a pair of spaced rings 31 and 38 carried by a through bolt and tube assembly supported by a pair of clutch actuating plates 39 and 40. The through bolt for the clutch shifting mechanism is indicated at 4I and extends downwardly through the ring 38, the tube 43, thence through ring 31 and tube 44, the lower end of the latter resting on bushing 45 mounted in the clutch actuator plate 39. The clutch actuator plates 39 and 40 comprise a pair of oppositely facing members resiliently urged away from each other by springs 46, and the lower plate 46 rests upon a flexible diaphragm 41 which is secured at its edges to a fluid chamber 48 having a fluid inlet 49.

It will be noted that in the position shown in Fig. l the clutch actuating plate 40 is pressed downwardly by the springs 46 bearing against the upper actuating plate 39, and that when fluid under pressure is admitted through opening 49 to the fluid chamber 48 the flexible diaphragm 41 is moved upwardly compressing the springs 46 and by moving the through bolt and tube assembly carried thereby moves the spaced rings 31 and 38 upwardly. Such upward movement of the clutch engaging rings 31 and 36 operatively controls the two driven clutch members 34 and 36 carried by shafts I9 and I8, respectively. The effect upon driven clutch member 36 is to move it out of driving engagement with the face 35 of the pulley 32 and, at the same time, act as a brake to retard the rotation of the driven clutch member 36.

The upward movement of the ring 31 permits the driven clutch part 34 to come into driving engagement with the lower face 33 of the pulley 32 so as to establish rotation of the solid shaft I9 and, thus, set up the extracting phase of the laundry operation. When the extraction phase is completed, the fluid under pressure is released from the fluid chamber 48 and a downward movement of the clutch shifting assembly is effected. As the ring 31 moves downwardly into the position shown, it serves to interrupt the drive to the shaft I9 and, at the same time, acts as a brake to retard the rotation of the driven clutch member 34. It will be understood that a timing device, such as an electrical timer, may be used to control the flow of uid under pressure to the hydraulic chamber 48 so as to time the washing and extracting operations.

The pedestal assembly I4 includes an upright bearing sleeve 50 having a flange at its lower end secured to the plate I5 as at 5I. 'I'he plate I5 is provided with three spaced laterally-extending plates 52 arranged to project from the plate :l5 so as to overhang the ring 55, which is supported by inwardly-extending resilient members 53 carried by a supporting ring 54. The underside of plates 52 are provided with friction material 52a.

At each corner or" the base member 4 lthere is provided an upwardly and inwardly inclined channel-shaped support 5t and the uppermost ends of said supports 5e are welded or otherwise secured to the supporting ring v511. The horizontal surface of the angular supporting ring Eil carries brackets lil which support lthe tub 58, which is arranged to catch the fluid removed from the container 3 vduring extraction. The outlet for the fluid caught by the tub 58 is `indicated at 5@ and leads downwardly through tube @d and flexible connection el to the pump 2S. The bottom of the tub 58 is apertured, Aas at 62,

and a flexible seal 53 extends from -this aperture to engage the outer wall of the pedestal member 55. This arrangement prevents any loss .of water from the tub through the space between the sides of the pedestal and opening in the tub bottom. lt will be noted that the diameter of the tub opening 52 is greater than the outer .diarneter oi the pedestal member 5@ so that the pedestal assembly and drive mechanism and the motor may have considerable movement with respect to the tub 5S and the main casing l. Such movement is restrained and the entire assembly resiliently urged to an upright position by tension springs lid, one end of each or" said springs being anchored to the supporting ring il@ adjacent the upper end of the supporting legs 55 and the other end thereof being secured to pins 55 depending on the underside of plate l5.

The container 3 for the clothes and washing fluid preferably includes a re-entrant bottom portion which surrounds the inclined bearing member 2&3 on the upper end of the pedestal and acap @d xed to the stubstaft extension 51 that is driven by the shaft i9. The container also includes inclined ribs Sii, and the walls of the container 3 slope upwardly and outwardly toward the maximum diameter area indicated at 69. A plurality of openings i9 are provided in this maximum diameter area to permit the escape of washing fluid when the container is rotated on its axis. The tub portion 'Il above the maximum diameter area is inturned toward the center so as to guard against the loss of clothing from the basket during either washing or extraction.

A water-balance ring is secured to the outer wall or" the container il and comprises upper and lower sections l2 and "i3, respectively. The upper section is inturned and secured to the tub wall, as at iii, and the lower section is inturned and curved downwardly, as at l5, to conform to the rounded underside of the container 3. At spaced intervals vertical barile plates l5 are secured to the members i2 and i3. The vertical baille plates i6 are apertured, as at l?, to facilitate redistribution of the iiuid in the water-balance ring during extraction. Circumferential slots are provided on the underside of the water-balance ring, as at lf3, to lnnit the quantity of water held in the ring and to permit drainage of the water-balance ring when the container 3 is brought to rest at the conclusion of the extracting operation. The lower inturned portion 'l5 is spaced from the tub bottom, as shown, to provide an inlet .space '55a for the ring.

To ll the water-balance ring, a water supply conduit 'i9 directs water upwardly through the passageway Si! formed in the pedestal section 50,

and :at the upper end fof :thisfpa'ssage 80 .is xed a nozzle or jet :8i arranged to `discharge fluid against the underside Yof the lcasing 3. iThecontrol valve for vthe conduit T9 and the ii-uidvsupply is operated in timed relation to the shifting :of the "clutch for'the extracting .operation 'so that whenever the `clutch ring 31 is moved so :as to bring the driven clutch member 34 :into driving engagement with the pulley 132 .and :thus :spin the container 3, the valve is opened admitting fluid under pressure into the conduit 19. The 4fluid thus ydischarged from the nozzle 8| is Iby Acentriiugal force `thrown''outwardly into the space 15a between the Vportion 'I5 of the balance ring into the underside vof the tub bottom. Centrifugal force causes such fluid to nll the water-balance ring so that it may compensate rfor yany fout-.ofbalance that `may occur in the container 3 zduring extraction. It will be understood that :as `the out-of-balance load iin the container lmay :cha-nge or shift from time ito time during extraction, vthat the viiuid in the balance ring may .also shift :so as to evenly balance the container Vall during the extraction.

In the event that the extraction phase .of the laundry operation is .interrupted at any timeso that the container 'is brought to rest, the fluid in the balance .ring will :drain by gravity through the opening 7.8. When ithe extraction 4operation is resumed, the discharge of water from the iet 8| will be resumed -and will :again fill the -balance ring and continue to maintain it in lled condition as long as the container '3 is rotating.

During the was-hing phase lof :the :laundry .operation, vibrations in the pedestal assembly are counteracted or minimized -by the oppositely ldisposed weights -821 and A83 carried vby the tubular shaft I3, the weighti82 Abeing secured -at the upper end of the shaft through the `medium of the finclined bearing member 2li andthe AWeight B3 being secured near the lower end of the tubular shaft t8. Such oppositely Adisposed weigh-ts are designed with respect -to 4the load ybeing washed so as to set up `a force couple to compensate for the effect of the forces and `resulting vibrations characteristic 1of .this methodof washing. As will be noted, the weight ..82 is opposite the low side of the container l3 and that when the kcontainer tilts to .an opposite position `so that the low side is at the right hand l,of Fig. 1, the weight 32 will be .disposed at .the lef-t hand sideof Fig. l. Weight 83, being disposed 180 angularly from weight .82, follows the low side of the basket -in its itil-ting movement. :All Aof the 4forces imparted to .the pedestal assembly by the eccentric weight ymotion and by the washing action are accommodated yby the resilient and flexible mounting .provided .-ior in the Aconstruction of `the present invention. This construction permits the .assemblylof motor., drivemechanism rand pedestal -to .tilt within limits as provided by .the resilient rubber fcups I0 and the restraining springs |64 and the resilient supports 53. Such tilting .is frictionally dampened, as at 52a, during extraction.L Vibrations of -another character maybe introduced due to outof-balance occurring in kthe ,container 3. Any out-of-balance during .extraction 4tends lto .cause the pedestal and .its assembly -to .gyrata vand the resilient ilexiblemounting which ,I have ,provided accommodates .such .gyration vand provides friction dampening to limit such gyration.

In the modied form of centering apparatus, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a resilient yieldable centering and snubbing action is obtained. A ilexible strap is anchored at one end thereof to the plate I carried by the pedestal I 4, as indicated at 9|, and the other end of the strap 90 is secured through the medium of tension spring 93 engaging eyelet 92 of the strap to the upright supporting leg 56. An arcuately rounded metal plate 94 is secured to the upper end of the leg 56 and to the ring 54 so as to provide a. snubbing surface for the midportion of the strap 90. The tension exerted by the spring 93 on the strap 90 may be varied within limits by adjustment of the spring anchor bolt 95 carried in the slot 96 of the leg 56. As shown in Fig. '7, the width of the plate 94 exceeds the width of the strap 90 so that limited oscillatory movement of the pedestal within the frame is accommodated. The arrangement shown in the modification of Figs. 6 and 7 provides for convenient adjustment of both the centering tension on the pedestal and the frictional dampening or the snubbing of the movement of the pedestal within the frame.

Although I have described my invention in considerable detail, modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A domestic laundry machine comprising a frame having supporting feet adapted to rest upon a floor surface, a pedestal including a motor, drive mechanism and rotatable container assembled as a unit, resilient means supporting the lower end of said unit on said frame adjacent the vertical axis of said pedestal and in a horizontal plane adjacent the floor engaging surfaces of said supporting feet, and cooperating friction members connected to said frame and said pedestal intermediate the height thereof, frictionally resisting the relative movement between said frame and said pedestal, said connection between the friction members and the frame including resilient means urging said pedestal to a central position with respect to the frame.

2. An extracting machine comprising a frame having supporting feet adapted to rest upon a floor surface, a pedestal having a rotatable container mounted on the upper end thereof and including a motor and drive mechanism, resilient means supporting the lower end of said pedestal on said frame adjacent the vertical axis of said pedestal and in a horizontal plane adjacent the floor engaging surfaces of said supporting feet, said motor and drive mechanism being arranged to rotate said container at a speed exceeding the critical speed of rotation thereof, and a liquid balancing ring carried by said container, a flange at the lower edge of said balancing ring projecting beneath the bottom of the container, water supply means beneath said container discharging Water into said ring during` rotation of said container, said water supply means being mounted eccentric with respect to the axis of the container and being fixed with respect to the rotation thereof.

3. A laundry machine comprising a container for clothes and Washing fluid, means to wash the clothes in said container, the side walls of said container having apertures for the centrifugal discharge of fluid upon the rotation of the container, a water-balance ring for said container comprising an annular chamber surrounding the container and including an imperforate outer wall coaxial with the container, a flange depending from the lower edge of said outer wall, and water supply means arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of the container and being fixed beneath the container and arranged to discharge water radially outward against said flange during the rotation of said container.

4. A domestic laundry machine comprising a frame having supporting feet adapted to rest upon a floor surface, a pedestal unit including a motor at the lower end thereof, and a rotatable container at the upper end thereof, resilient means supporting the lower end of said unit on said frame adjacent the vertical axis of said pedestal and in a horizontal plane adjacent the floor engaging surfaces of said supporting feet. and yieldable centering means connected to said frame and to said pedestal intermediate the height thereof comprising a plurality of radially spaced flexible straps, each strap having one end thereof secured to said pedestal and the other end thereof secured to a tension spring carried by said frame.

5. A domestic laundry machine comprising a frame having supporting feet adapted to rest upon a floor surface, a motor resiliently mounted centrally of said frame in a horizontal plane adjacent the floor engaging surfaces of said supporting feet with the armature of said motor being disposed vertically, a pedestal mounted on said motor coaxially thereof, a rotatable container mounted at the upper end of said pedestal, and yieldable centering means connected to said frame and to said pedestal intermediate the height thereof comprising a plurality of radially spaced, rounded snubbing members carried by said frame, a plurality of radially spaced flexible straps, each strap having one end thereof secured to the pedestal and the other end resiliently thereof secured to the frame with the midportion of said strap in frictional engagement with said rounded snubbing members.

6. Centering means for a laundry machine pedestal comprising upright frame members surrounding said pedestal, a plurality of radially spaced snubbing members carried by said frame in a plane intermediate the height of said pedestal, a plurality of radially spaced flexible straps having their inner ends secured to said pedestal, their intermediate portions frictionally engaging said snubbing members and their outer ends turned downwardly and secured by means of springs to said upright frame members, whereby the pedestal is yieldingly biased to a vertical position and lateral movement thereof with respect u) the frame frictionally resisted.

JAMES B. KIRBY.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,521,858 Bock Jan. 6, 1925 1,604,748 Grauer Oct. 26, 1926 2,224,241 Verdier Dec. 10, 1940 2,318,806 Sisson May ll, 1943 2,375,635 Dyer May 8, 1945 2,461,643 Hemmeter Feb. 15, 1949 2,498,420 Hemmeter Feb. 2l, 1950 2,513,844 Castner July 4, 1950 2,534,194 Emmert et al Dec. 12, 1950

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