US2369334A - Variable-speed laundry machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13194: H, D, BRQTMAN 2,369,334

VARIABLE SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed May 29, 1939 2 Shee'ts-Shee i 1 Ailing l P I Pg, 1. Snventor 2 Bro/762?, 7

Ma 7' ornegs .Feb. 13, 1945 H. D. BROTMAN VARIABLE SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed May 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor w W 7M (Ittornegs Patented Feb. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE-SPEED LAUNDRY MACHINE Hyman D. Brotman, Detroit, Mich. Application May 29, 1939, Serial No. 276,304

I 12 Claims. This invention relates, in general, to laundry machines and, in particular, to improvements in machines having variable speed transmissions.

'A laundry machine employs a variable speed transmission for the purpose of enabling said machine to perform as a clothes-washing means as well as a clothes-drying means, said transmission driving the clothes-containing tub at a relatively low rotary speed during the washing phase and driving said tub at a relatively high rotary speed during the drying phase. In this type of machine there has been employed a direct and positive driving connection between its tub and its drive shaft so as to assure the driving of said tub atand in accordance with the speed of said shaft, but this type of connection has caused said tub and said shaft to be driven together not only during the operation of said machine at either of its two speeds but also immediately upon the changing over from one of said speeds to the other.

It has been and naturally still is desirable to have the tub rotate at. the same speed as its drive shaft, as long as the machine is being operated at either of its two speeds,.and any shock resulting from the change-over from slow speed to high speed, when the aforementioned direct and positive driving connection between the tub and its drive shaft has been employed, is no longer a matter of worry because various means have been discovered and are at present incorporated in the transmission itself to eliminate this shock. But, in the change-over from high speed to low speed severe shock has been encountered because of the great momentum of the tub and its tendency to continue its high speed of rotation. If the machinery has been of such heavy construction as to withstand this shock in the changeover from high to low speed, it has been too massive and expensive; otherwise, breakage has occurred often.

Therefore, the main object of this invention is to provide a new and improved driving mechanism for a laundry machine which will obviate the above objections existent in the present types.

Another object is to improve a variable speed laundry machine so as to eliminate the shock heretofore occurring at the time of changing from one of its speeds to another.

Another object is to improve a variable speed laundry machine so as to eliminate undue stresses in its mechanism when changing the speed of said machine from its higher speed to its lower speed.

Another object is to improve a variable speed 55 20 laundry machine so as to lengthen its life by providing a smoother operation during the speed change-over periods.

Still other objects and advantages of the in-' vention will become readily apparent from a reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying' drawings of which there are two (2) sheets and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the transmission of a laundry machine and showing in detail the invention incorporated therein, the tub being shown in part; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2--2 in Fig. 1.

' The variable speed transmission, which is generally indicated at In in Fig. 1, may be any one of several well known arrangements characteristic of this type of mechanism, but the arrangement chosen for purposes of illustration is the same as that disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 260,013, filed March 6, 1939, and entitled Laundry machine. Transmission Ill is shown as being automatic in its operation, but it is clear that it need not be, it being contemplated that said transmission could also be any one of the well known types of manually operated mechanisms, such as the one disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 195,293, filed March 11, 1938, and entitled Laundry apparatus."

Transmission I0 is enclosed within a housing l2 and comprises, in general, a constant speed driving shaft M, a variable speed driven shaft IS, a pair of gears l8 and 20 fixedly mounted on said shaft l4 and in constant mesh with a second pair of gears 22 and 24 freely mounted on said shaft 15, a friction clutch 26 operable for eifectuating the driving of said shaft 16 at the higher of its two rotary speeds, and a positive clutch 28-39 operable for effectuating the driving of said shaft it at the lower of its two speeds. The driving shaft I4 is driven through the agency of a pulley 32 which is mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith externally of the housing 12,, and said pulley is driven through the agency of any well known prime mover (not shown) at substantially constant speed. The gears I8 and 22 are of substantially the same diameter so that the shaft l6, when driven through the agency of said gears 18 and 22 and the clutch 26, will be drivenat substantially the same speed as the shaft [4. The gears 20 and 24, on the other hand, are in the ratio of-approximately 1:6 so that the shaft [6, when driven through the agency of said gears and 24 and the clutch 28-30, will be driven at substantially one-sixth the speed of the shaft l4.

'A clear description of the clutches 26 and 28-30 is to be found in my aforementioned copending application, Serial No. 260,013, so it is unnecessary to describe the construction of said clutches herein to any greater extent than to point out that the driving section of the clutch 26 is fixed to the constantly rotating gear 22 for rotation therewith, the driving section 36 of the clutch 28-60 is fixed to the constantly rotating gear 26 for rotation therewith, and the driven section '34 of and common to each of said driving clutch sections is independently mounted on a splined portion 36 of the shaft i6 for rotation therewith and selective or automatically timed axial movement therealong between said driving clutch sections. Said co-pending application also clearly describes the function and operation of each of these clutches, so it seems only necessary to point out herein that axial movement of the driven clutch section 34 along the splined section 36 of shaft 16 toward and into engagement with the constantly rotating driving clutch section of clutch 26 causes said shaft to be driven at substantially th same speed as the shaft i i, and that axial movement of said driven clutch section 34 along said splined section 36 toward and into engagement with the constantly rotating driving clutch section 30 of clutch 28- 30 causes said shaft I 6 to be driven at substantially onesixth the speed of said shaft it.

The shiftable clutch member 34 is shown in Fig. l as being driven by a lever 38, and said lever is shown, diagrammatically, as being automatically timed and actuated by and through the agency of a'timer-shifter mechanism, generally indicated at 40. Mechanism 40 is clearly described, both in construction and in function, in my aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No. 260,013, and, in view of the fact that said mechanism comprises no part of the present invention, same will not be further described or discussed herein. Obviously, the shifting of the shiftable clutch member 34 may, instead of being shifted by the automatic mechanism 40, b shifted by a manually operable mechanism such as that shown in my aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No. 195,293. In short, in the present invention it matters not how the shaft i6 is driven at variable speeds, just so long as some provision is made whereby said shaft may be driven first at one speed and then at another.

In order to eliminate shock normally occurring at the relatively movable jaw clutch sections 28 and 30 of the transmission In when changing the speed of the shaft l6 from the higher speed to its lower speed, that is, when the driven clutch section 34 is shifted from engagement with the and that the present pins which carry the ends of the present springs 42 opposite the ends carried the time the present jaw clutch section 28 is being engaged with said jaw clutch section 30. This type of shock absorber has been chosen purely for the purpose of illustration, and, since it has -no bearing upon the invention herein, its use is optional or. its replacement by some other well known means possible.

Though it is not shown in the drawings, an outer, main casing is preferably provided for enclosin'gthe entire laundry machine, such provision being in the interests of safety and appearance, and to and within this casing in any well known manner is secured a wall 48 which supports not only the transmission it but one end of a tub 56, said wall being one of the side walls of an inner casing (not shown) preferably provided for enclosing said tub, and said tub being any one of the well known types of rotary tubs employed in a laundry machine of the type being described. Wall 88 is formed with an opening through which an externally threaded, hollow boss 52 projects, said boss being integral with th transmission housing i2 and internally accommodating the squared end 54 of the shaft it. For rigidly holding the transmission and its housing in proper place with respect to the wall 48, a nut 56 is screwed onto the boss 52 into tightened position, there being optionally provided a sealing washer 58 between said wall and said nut.

The nut 56 has an annular neck portion 60 integral therewith and extending beyond the end of the boss 52, and on said neck portion 60 there is freely mounted an annular flanged plate 64 having a permanently lubricated bearing surface in the nature of a press-fitted, oil-saturated bushing 62. Between plate 64, bushing 62 and nut 56 there may be provided a thrust or sealing washer 66. Between bushing 62 and plate 64 there is provided an annular lubricant reservoir 68 which is formed in said plate and filled with lubricant driving section of the clutch 26 into engagement with the driving section 30 of the clutch 28-46, a plurality of springs 42 is provided, and on end of each of said springs is connected to one of a series of annularly spaced pins 44 fixedly mounted on the constantly rotating gear 24, while the other end of each of said springs is connected to one of a series of annularly spaced'pins 46 which are fixedly mounted on the driving-clutch section 30. The arrangement and function of these springs and pins are clearly set forth inmy aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No. 260,013, and it will be noted in said application that the hub of the present gear 24 freely carries the present jaw clutch section 30 of clutch 28- -30 prior 'to the assembly of said plate and said bushing so that said bushing is constantly in the presence of lubricant.

The hub portion of the plate 64 carries thereon a dished end plate 10 the rim of which cooperates with the flanged portion of the plate 64 and the dished or base portion of which is axially spaced from the hub of plate 66, the bushing 62 the neck 60 of nut 56 and the end 54 of shaft 16, there being preferably provided between the flanged and rim portions of said plates 64 and 10 a sealing washer '12. The dished or base portion of the plate 70 fits into an opening provided therefor in the tub 50, this opening being at and symmetrical with theaxis of movement of said tub, and said plate 10 and the plate 64 are secured together at their flanged and rim portions to said tub 50 by means of a series of annularly spaced bolt and nut units 14. If desired, a pair of washers l6 and I8 is employed in the assembly of the plates 64 and I0 and the tub 50, one on each side of said tub. The tub 50, therefore, is carried by the plates 64 and I0, and this unit 5064--10 together with the bushing 62 is rotatably carried on the stationary nut 56, the nut being carried on the boss 52 of the transmission housing l2.

A driving clutch member is axially formed to fit onto the squared end 54 of the shaft I6 '00 be driven by and in accordance therewith, the driving periphery of said clutch member being arranged for driving engagement with a pair of diametrically disposed pawls,82 which are pivotally mounted in the annular space between the hub and dished portions of the plates 64 and III on pins 84, said pins being press fitted into the hub portion of said plate 64 and extending into and through the dished portion of said plate 10. If desired, a shield 86. may be provided on the inner surface of the tub 50 and secured to the pins 84 by screws 88 for preventing the escape of water from within said tub past said shield.

As shown clearly in Fig. 2, the peripheral driving surface of the driving clutch member 80 is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced sockets 90 which face or open in the direction of rotation of said member and removably receive the pawls 82 to drive the driven unit 64-'|050 through the agency thereof. On the other hand, the general contour of the driving surface of the driving clutch member 80 is such that, when the driven unit 64-10-50 is rotating at a greater speed than the driving unit 54-40, such as when the speed of the shaft I6 is being changed from the higher of its two speeds to the lower of its two speeds and the momentum of the tub 50 causes said tub to continue rotating at said higher speed, said driven unit will freely over-run said driving surface. In other words, except for the sockets 90 which face or open in the direction of rotation of the driving clutch member 80 the driving surface of said member is circular to permit this over-running feature; Though two pairs of sockets 90,

are shown, it is clear that only one pair is absolutely necessary in the event of employing two pawls 82.

Each pawl 82 comprises a socket-engaging portion 92 which faces the driving clutch mem ber 80 in a direction counter to its direction of rotation, and a spring-engaging portion 9% which faces said member 80 .in the same direction as its direction of rotation. These pawl portions 92 and 94 of each pawl 82 lie on opposite sides of the axis of its respective pivot pin 86, the portions 92 being operable, when the driving section of the over-running clutch is either rotating at the same speed or at a higher speed than the driven section of said clutch, for engaging the two sockets 90 provided therefor tocause said clutch sections to rotate together, and the portions 96 being constantly engaged by the free ends of the pair of springs 96 for urging constant engagement between the peripheral driving surface of the driving clutch member 80 and said portions 92 of said pawls 82. The opposite end of each of the springs 96 is fixedly or freely anchored to a pin 98 which is mounted in the hub portion of the plate 68 between the pawl supporting pins 84, and intermediate each respective pair of pins 84 and 98 there is mounted in said plate another pin I which abuts the inner face of the spring thereadjacent and guarantees exertion of spring pressure on the pawl whether the anchored 'end of the spring is loose or fixed.

The over-running clutch retains the advantages of a direct and positive drive between the transmission shaft l6 and the tub 50 after the speed change-over has been made and until the next change-over is to be made, and it eliminates all shock which would otherwise be due to the great momentum of the clothesand water-filled tub at the time of changing from the higher of the two available shaft speeds to the lower of said speeds.

Though it appears in Fig. 1 that the unit 62-64-10-82-50 is free to be displaced from the neck portionill of the nut 56 upon. which it is supported, it is to be remembered, though it is not shown, that the end of the ,tub 50 opposite the end adjacent the transmission In is supported in any well known manner by that wall of the inner casing which is opposite the wall 48.

Although the invention has been described with some detail it is not intended that such description is to be definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will come within the purview of the attached claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a power transmission unit including a transmission casing having an external bearing member, a drive shaft, a driven shaft projecting through said bearing, an overrunning clutch element secured to said driven shaft on the outer end thereof, a power out-put element jouranled on said bearing and extending about said clutch element, change-speed mechanism interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft for selectively driving said driven shaft at high and low speeds respectively, and detents carried by said power out-put element for cooperating with said overrunning clutch element whereby said power out-put element may overrun said driven shaft when the changespeed mechanism is operated. I

'2. In combination with a power-transmission unit including a transmission casing having an external bearing member, a drive shaft, a driven shaft projecting through said bearing, an overrunning clutch element secured to the free end of the driven shaft to rotate therewith, a power out-put element journaled on said bearing, change-speed mechanism interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft for selectively driving said driven shaft at high and low speeds respectively, means carried by said power out-put element for operatively engaging said overrunning clutch element, a high speed clutch and a low speed clutch for selectively connecting said change-speed mechanism with said driven shaft for effecting said high or low speeds, and means for selectively operating said clutches, said low speed clutch comprising a positively engageable jaw clutch and said high speed clutch comprising a relatively slideable friction clutch.

3. In a power transmission unit including a transmission casing having an external bearing member, a drive shaft, a driven shaft projecting through said bearing, a one way clutch element secured tothe driven shaft to rotate therewith, a, power out-put element journaled in said bearing, change-speed mechanism interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft for selectively driving said driven shaft at high and low speeds respectively, a high speed clutch and a low speed clutch for selectively connecting said change-speed mechanism with said driven shaft for effecting said high or low speeds. means for selectively operating said high and low speed clutches, said low speed clutch comprising a positively engageable jaw clutch having resilient shock absorbing mechanism therein for absorbing the shock of engagement and said high speed clutch comprising a relatively slidea ble friction clutch, and means carried by said power output element for operatively and drivingly engaging said one way clutch element whereby said power out-put unit may continue to rotate under its momentum when the changespeed mechanism is manipulated.

4. In combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container and an annular bearing member therefor, a driving shaft, a one-way clutch element having peripheral recesses secured to one end of the shaft to rotate therewith and within the confines of said annular bearing member, and an interchangeable gear mechanism associated with the other end of said shaft to rotate said shaft at various speeds, an annular power output element secured'to the clothes container freely rotatable about and housing said clutch element, detents pivotally mounted between said output element and annular bearing member cooperable with'the retherewith and having peripheral recesses sloping inwardly in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of said shaft, said clutch element being within the confines of said bearing member, an interchangeable gearing mechanism connecting the shaft to rotate said shaft at various speeds, an annular power output member spaced from and secured to the annular bearing member and surrounding said one-way clutch element to rotate freely thereon, a detent pivotally mounted between said annular bearing member and annular power output member for operatively engaging said clutch member to cause said output member to be driven at the same speed as the driving shaft when said interchangeable gearing is operative and to allow said power output and clothes container unit to rotate freely on the driving shaft when the interchangeable gearing is inoperative.

6. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and an annular bearing therefor, a drive and driven shaft, interchangeable gearing connecting said shafts, a one-way clutch element secured to the driven shaft within the confines of said annular bearing member, an annular power output member secured to and spaced from said annular bearing member also surrounding said clutch element and free to rotate thereon, detents pivotally mounted between the annular power output member and annular bearing member for engaging said clutch element, resilient means for urging said detent into engagement with said clutch element whereby said. driven shaft may rotate independently of said power output member during the time intervals between speed changes by the interchangeable gearing.

7. In combination in a washing machine, a rotatable clothes basket and an annular bearing member therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaft interconnected by change speed mechanism, a one-Way clutch element secured to the driven shaft to rotate therewith within the confines of said annular bearing member, a power output member secured to and spaced from said annular bearing member and surrounding said clutch element and free to rotate thereabout, a pair of arcuately spaced pivoted detents pivotally carried between said annular bearing member and. said power output member for drivingly cooperating with said clutch element and means for normally urging said detents in engagement with said clutch element whereby said power output member, clothes basket and annular bearing member may continue to rotate under the impetus of the load in the basket during change speed intervals between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.

8. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and an annular bearing therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a speed changing mechanism interconnecting said shafts, a one-way clutch element secured to the driven shaft having indentations extending in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the driven shaft, an annular power output member secured to the annular bearing member and spaced therefrom encircling said driven shaft and rotatable relative thereto, a pair of detents pivotally carried between said annular bearing 5 member and said output member cooperating so ing speed changing intervals between with said clutch element, a spring for each detent for normally urging said detent into driving engagement with said clutch element whereby said output member may rotate freely durthe drive shaft and driven shaft.

9. In combination in a washing machine, a clothes container and an annular bearing therefor, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a speed 5 changing mechanism interconnecting said shafts,

a one-way clutch element mounted on said driven shaft to rotate therewith and having detent receiving notches, said one-way clutch element being located within the confines of said 4(, bearing member, an annular output member spaced from and secured to said annular bearing member also confining said clutch'element and free to rotate relative thereto, a plurality of a'rcuately spaced, power transmitting members pivotally mounted between said annular bearing member and said power output member for rotation therewith and each having a section extending in a'direction counter to the direction of rotation of the power output member and another section extending in an opposite direction, a plurality of springs anchored to said power output member and annular bearingmember for rotation therewith and each having a free end in constant engagement with one of said power output members for urging its respective first section into driven engagement with one of said portions to drive said power output member with said clutch element through driving cooperation of said notches and said power transmitting members and for permitting the overrunning of said clothes container member with respect to said clutch element during change speed intervals whereby said clothes container power output and annular bearing members may rotate independently of said change speed mechanism.

10. In combination in a washing machine, a

rotating clothes cylinder and anannular bearing power output member for rotation therewith and having a free end in constant engagement with 7 said second section for urging said first section into driven engagement with said one-way clutch element for maintaining a drive between the driven shaft, clothes cylinder, annular bearing member, and power output member as long as the speed of the latter is equal to that of the former, said free end being operable for yielding to the force of said second section created by the departure of said first section from said socket when the speed of the driven shaft is decreased below that of the clothes cylinder, annular bearing member, and output member whereby said clothes cylinder may continue to rotate by the impetus of its load during speed changing intervals of the change speed mechanism.

11. A combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container, a driven shaft, a one-way driving clutch between the container and shaft for driving the container in one direction while allowing the latter to turn independently of and faster than the shaft in the same direction, a driving shaft, and a two-speed driving mechanism between the driving and driven shafts for driving the'latter at a low or at a relatively high speed.

, 12. A combination in a washing machine, a rotary clothes container, a driven shaft, a oneway driving clutch between the container and shaft for driving the container in one direction clutch having positively engageable jaw devices while allowing the latter to turn indepedently of and faster than the shaft in the same direction, a driving shaft, and a two-speed driving mechanism between the driving and driven shafts for driving the latter at a low or at a relatively high speed, said mechanism including a low-speed provided with resilient shock absorbers for absorbing the shock of the engagement, and the high speed clutch comprising a relatively slidable friction device.

HYMAN D. BROTMAN.

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