US2322559A

US2322559A - Laundry apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2322559A
Application number: US315371A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stuart R Baird
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1940-01-24
Filing date: 1940-01-24
Publication date: 1943-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1960-06-22

Description

June 22, 1943. s, R. BAIRD 2,322,559

LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 ITNES S: l VENTOR `Fune 22, 1943. s. R. BAIRD 2,322,559

LAUNDRY AAPPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1940 2 sheetsfs'het 2 ATTORN Patented June 22, 1943 v LAUNDRY' APPARATUS stuart n. Baird, Marianela, ohio, assigner to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Comllny, East Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania VPu.. a corporation of Application January a4, 1940, serial No. 315,371

- Y1 claim. (ci. ss-24 My invention relates to laundry apparatus and has for an object to provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the'invention is to provide improved means for introducing washing water to the receptacle of a laundry machine. l

It is 'a further object of my invention to provide improved means for spray rinsing fabrics as they are moved within the basket of the laundry machine.

It is a further object of the invention to employ water directed at high velocity into contact with the inner surface of the perforate basket of a washer for cleansing the basket and the tub enclosing the same.

'Ihese and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through a washing machine constructcd and arranged in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a frontview of the tub structure shown in Fig. 1, the outer casing for the same being removed and portions of the tub 4structure being broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing my improved water-admitting means; and,

Fig. 4 isv a sectional View taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3. d

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown my invention applied to a laundry machine of the type disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Frank Breckenridge, Serial No. 203,804, filed April 23, 1938, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This machine is of the inclined4 axis type but it will be understood that my invention isgnot I to be limited to this particular type but is applicable also to other forms of washing apparatus having the axis otherwise disposed.

The washer includes a tub structure I0, generally of frusto-conlcal configuration and having when, closed, it defines a substantially watertight seal for the opening |2.l

Disposed within the tub structure Il is a basket Il also of frusto-conical configuration and closely following the lines of the tub I0, said basket being coaxially disposed within the tub.

The basket includes an access opening I5 formed in. an end wall I6 thereof, said access opening I! being in registry with the access opening of the tub |2. axis during washing periods at relatively low speeds and, during centrifuging periods, at relatively high speed by means of a motor The latter is belted, as shown at I8, to the driving pulley I9 of a two-speed mechanism, generally Shown at 2|. carried by the tub structure I0 and'includes a driven member 22 which is ilxed to the basket.

iioth the motor I| and the two-speed mechanirm `2l are carried by the tub structure I0 in any well understood manner. mechanism 2| forms no part of the present invention so that it will not be described in detail, other than to say that it is adjustable so that the driven member 22 thereof is rotated at a relatively low speed of approximately 52 R. P. M. during washing periods and at a relatively high speed of, for example, 480 R. P. M. during centrifuging periods. A suitable two-speed mechanism of the type shown at 2| `is described and claimed in combination with a tub structure Iin the copending application of Frank Breckenridge, Serial No. 305,512, filed November 21, 1939 and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

Washing water is admitted to the tub from a suitable source through a conduit 23, the discharge end 24 of which is provided with a waterprojectingv device, generally indicated at 25 and constructed and arranged inv accordance with my invention. Further reference to the construction and operation of the water-admission means, including the device 25, will be made hereinafter. Vitiated` washing water is discharged from the tub I0 through an opening 26 formed in the bottom thereof, which opening A communicates by means of a conduit 2`| with the its axis inclined so that the end of the tub structure of major diameter faces upwardly and forwardly. The tub I0 includes an end -wall inlet 28 fof a pump 29, preferably carried by and driven by the motor l1. Flow of water from the discharge opening 26 to the inlet of the pump 29 may be controlled by a suitable valve, such as, for example, an electrically-operated valve 3|. The water translated by the pump is discharged by a conduit 32 to a point of discharge.

The basket structure Il is provided i'nteriorly 'I'he basket is rotatable about its The two-speed mechanism 2| is l The two-speed fabrics.

of maximum diameter.

with means for agitating the fabrics in the body lof washing fluid during washing periods. As

the -soils from the fabrics. 'I'he level of the water within the tub structure is indicated by the broken line A. During washing periods., the

vvanes 33 elevate the fabrics to an upper region of the basket as the latter is rotated. The vanes 33 become more and more inclined as they approach the upper region of the basket because of the inclination of the axis of the frusta-conical basket so that the fabrics slide from the inclined vane toward the end wall of the basket of minor diameter which, as shown, is extended inwardly of the basket to dene a dome 34. The fabrics, gliding from the vane 33, are deposited upon the dome 34 and then glide downwardly over the dome and launch into the body of washing water. The

forward motion imparted to the fabrics by the inclined dome effects movement of the fabrics toward the front of the basket wherein they are again elevated by the vanes. the fabrics and the scrubbi-ng action provided by the dome effectively removes soils from the When the washing operation is completed, the body of water is removed from the tub I0. Slow speed rotation of the basket is continued and the fabrics are elevated and dropped, as described heretofore, fora period of time during which they collect in the annular region, indicated by the numeral 35, or in the region of the basket of minimum diameter. In the absence of water, the fabrics that descend from the dome 34 tend to cling to the surface thereof so that, at this time, the fabrics will gather as anannulus in the region 35 of the basket. The two-speed machanism of the washer is then adjusted to its high speed position, and, during acceleration. the fabrics move outwardly toward the basket region The position assumed by the annular bundle of fabrics during the high speed centrifuging operation is indicated by the broken line B. During both the washing and centrifuging operations, the fabrics are moved within the basket structure in a region thereof extending substantially from the dome 34 to the forward end o f the vanes 33. A basket and vane structure of the type disclosed herein is described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 268,103, filed April 15, 1939, and assigned to the assignee of the-present application.

The construction of my improved water-admission mechanism will now be described in detail. As shown, the'water-admitting conduit portion 24 is secured to the tub III by means of a hose clamp 24a rigidly secured to the tub. A metal conduit 24h extends intoy the conduit 23 and is secured by the clamp 24a. The conduit 24h extends through a portion of the end wall II of the tub I0 and the inner or'discharge end of the'conduit 24h is formed as an oval when viewed in cross section, as shown at 36. The water-projecting device includes-a, b'ody portion 31 which is v wrapped around the ovaled end of the conduit 24h and suitably secured thereto. Support for the water-projectingl device 25 is providedfor by a pair of laterally-extending brackets 38 preferably formed integral with the body portion 31 and se- This agitation of The portion of thegprojecting device 25 which is employed for directing the water discharged by the conduit 24 is defined by a lip 39, the latter being effective to direct the water in a diverging sheetformation as described hereinafter. 'I'he discharge end of the lip 39 is disposed within or adjacent to the access opening I5 of the basket so that the water discharged thereby passes through the opening I5 into the interior of the basket. 1

As shown in the drawings, the lip 33 is so disposed that it directs the sheet of water toward the conical side walls of the basket I4 in a plane angularly disposed with respect to the axis of the basket. Accordingly, the line of engagement of the sheet of water with the basket side walls extends generally from the dome or end wall 34 toward the end wall I6 and also throughout an arcuate portion of the basket. The sheet of water intersects that portion of the basket sidev walls which encompasses the fabrics during both the washing, accelerating and duid-extracting periods, so that all portions of the fabrics. during their rotation, are engaged by the diverging sheet of water and are eectively rinsed. This form of rinsing' may be carried out during both tumbling of the fabrics and high speed rotation or spinning thereof. I consider this an important feature of my invention as, lint or soap scum is effectively washed from all portions of the fabrics whether they are being tumbled within the basket at low speed, as described heretofore, or whether they are centrifuged at high speed. The plane of the sheet of water will be determined by the specific form of washer employed. It will be apparent that the plane of the sheet of water may be varied by changing the position of the lip 39 relative the basket side walls or by varying the formation of the lip 33. y

I have found that a projecting device constructed as shown at 25, effectively provides a thin sheet of water which is maintained substantially intact by its surface tension from the lip 39 until it engages the body of fabrics. 'I'he velocity of the projected water will, of course, depend upon the pressure available and, in this connection, I have found that my improved projecting device 25 eifectively discharges the water as described with water pressures varying between 15 lbs. per sq. in. and 175 lbs. per sq. in. The projecting device which I employ defines an improvement over other forms of sprayers or nozzles of which I am aware, in that it is free from clogging. When a restricting type nozzle is used, it is difficult to maintain a uniform spray because of deposits of solids, present in most water, in the nozzle passage.

'I'he column of water emitted throughV the conduit 24 is elongated and flattened as it passes throughthe ovaled portion 36 of the conduit in order to facilitate its conversion into a sheet formation by the lip 33. The column of water attened by the oval discharge passage is fanned out into a diverging sheet as it leaves the lip 39. Accordingly, the sheet of water passing through the basket diverges towards the side walls and becomes thinner and wider as it traverses the space within the basket.

The tub structure III and its associated elements are disposed within a. housing or casing 4I which includes a front wall having a portion 42 inclined in a plane normal to the axis of the tub.

An access opening 43 is formed in the' wall porcured as by welding to the end wall II of the tub.

tion 42 and is closed by a hinged door 44 during inactive periods of the apparatus. The tub I0 and -he elements carried thereby may be supported vithin the casing 4| in any suitable manner. I vlave omitted a showing of the support for the tub Si), for the sake of brevity and clearness, as it forms no part of the present invention.

F'roml the foregoing description, it will be apparent'that I have provided improved means for admitting water to the washing receptacle of alaundry machine which may be eiectively einu ployed for providing an improved spray rinse. All portions of the fabrics being treated are subjected to the projected water sheet during vtumbling of the fabrics and during the centrifuging thereoL, at which time the fabrics are bundled as an annular ring within a predetermined region of the basket side walls. Furthermore, after the washing operations are completed, thebasket and tub may be effectively cleansed by v projecting the sheet of water within the basket as the latter is rotated. The water scours the` inside of the basket and is carried centrifugally through the basket perforations into engagement with the tub for cleaning the inner surface there# of. The outer surface of the basket is cleaned by' water deflected from the tub and by dipping in the body of water in the bottom of the tub.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore.

that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon asare specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a machine for washing fabrics, the combination of a tub for containing a body of washing water and having an access opening in one end thereof, a rotatable periorate basket disposed within the tub and having its axis of rotation di..- posed at an acute angle from the verticalfsaidbasket including upper front and lower rear end walls and a side wall generally circular in cross section and connecting the end walls, said side wall diverging from the end wallsand dening a region of the basket of relatively large diameter intermediate .the end'walls` thereof, said upper' front end wall having 'an access opening therein registering substantially with the access opening of the tub, and means for admitting water to the tub and including a nozzle carried by lthe tub and spaced radially outwardlyfrom an upper portion of the access opening thereof, said nozzle being disposed above a portion of the side wall of the basket and arrangedto direct water downwardly through the access opening of the basket