GB2043707A

GB2043707A - Tub for clothes washing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2043707A
Application number: GB8005438A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Zanussi SpA
Priority date: 1979-02-23
Filing date: 1980-02-18
Publication date: 1980-10-08
Also published as: FR2449742A1; IT1166227B; ES488440A1; GB2043707B; DE3005782C2; IT7945704A0; DE3005782A1; FR2449742B1

Abstract

A clothes washing machine has a tub (6) arranged to contain a rotary washing drum and to which is fixed a crossbar assembly, the crossbar assembly (9) comprising a plurality of radial arms (10) and being arranged to support rotatably a drive shaft for the drum, the free end of each of the arms of the crossbar assembly is fixed to the tub by means of angle brackets (26) welded both to the peripheral casing and to the end wall of the tub, and provided with an opening into which engages a bolt (23) co-operating with a respective nut for anchoring the end of the respective arm of the crossbar assembly. Each of the bolts also forms an attachment means for removable means for securing the tub to the casing (5) of the machine for immobilising the tub during transportation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tub for clothes washing machine The invention relates to the tub of a clothes washing machine and in particular to an arrangement which is applied thereto to permit fastening the crossbar assembly and transportation of the machine.

It is known that conventional clothes washing machines are provided with a washing tub arranged to contain a rotary drum, with a crossbar assembly which is fixed to the tub and which is arranged to support the drum for rotary movement, and means arranged to hold the tub steady during transportation of the machine from the production works to the installation site.

Various ways of fixing the above-mentioned crossbar assembly to the tub are known. One of these ways comprises anchoring the various arms of the crossbar assembly directly to the end wall forming the tub.

Another manner of fixing the crossbar assembly comprises securing the arms of the assembly to the cylindrical casing of the tub.

In another machine, projections are formed by stamping on the outside surface of the end wall of the tub, and the above-mentioned arms of the crossbar assembly are secured to the projections by means of bolts or by means of welding. In turn, the crossbar assembly is provided with a central hub from which the above-mentioned arms extend radially and in which there is provided a throughaperture for receiving the shaft for carrying the drum. The hub is bolted to a spun or drawn sheet metal member, with a sealing means first interposed, the sheet metal member in turn being fixed to the end wall of the tub inperse known manner.

Thus, the crossbar assembly is secured to the tub as described above, both at the arms and at the hub, so that the tub is complicated in construction and requires various manufacturing phases. In addition, it has been found in practice that the forces produced when the drum is in movement, in particular the components which subject the connecting members to a traction force tend to produce faults or gaps in the enamel on the inside surfaces of the end wall and the cylindrical casing of the tub.

A further disadvantage of the above-indicated constructions is that, so that the tub can be immobilised during transportation of the machine, in order to prevent damage thereto and to the vaious operating members connected thereto, the packaging requires a plurality of tie members, connected between the casing of the machine and suitable angle brackets which are fixed to the tub and whose presence further complicates construction of the actual tub.

According to the present invention, there is provided a tub for a clothes washing machine, which is arranged to contain a rotary washing drum, the tub comprising a front wall, a peripheral casing and an end wall, to which a crossbar assembly is fixed, the crossbar assembly comprising a plurality of radial arms and being arranged to support rotatably the drive shaft for the drum, the free end of each of the arms of the crossbar assembly being fixed to the tub by means of an angle bracket which is welded both to the peripheral casing and to the end wall of the tub, the arrangement being such that the weld region is subjected only to shearing forces during actuation of the drum, and the brackets being provided with an opening into which engages a bolt co-operating with a respective nut for anchoring the end of the respective arm of the crossbar assembly.

The present invention can thus provide embodiments which overcome the above-described disadvantages and provide a tub which is of a simpler construction and which is more reliable in operation.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic rear view of a clothes washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the tub of Figure 1 in partial section taken along line A-A; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional detail view of the fixing of the tub of Figure 2 to the casing of the clothes washing machine.

Referring to Figure 1, the drawing diagrammatically shows a clothes washing machine provided with a casing 5 and a tub 6 which is disposed within the casing and which is supported thereby by means of upper suspension means 7 and lower damping means 8 of peruse known type.

The tub 6 is adapted to carry a crossbar assembly 9 provided with radial arms 10 which are fixed to the tub in a manner which will be described hereinafter, and with a hub 11 having a central through opening 12 for receiving the shaft 13 for supporting and driving the drum.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the tub 6 essentially comprises a front wall 14 in which the opening 15 for access to the drum is provided, a peripheral casing 16 of cylindrical form, and an end wall 17. Disposed in the interior of the tub 6 is the drum 18 which is rotatably supported by the above-described shaft 13 and driven by the pulley 19 inperse known manner.

The hub 11 of the assembly 9 is disposed against a circular opening 20 provided in the end wall 17 of the tub 6, with the interposition of a sealing means 21 for sealing both between the end wall 17 and the hub 11 and between the end wall 17 and the shaft 13 of the drum 18, in order to prevent water in the drum 6 from leaking therefrom.

The free end 22 (see Figure 3) of each radial arm 10 of the assembly 9 is connected by means of a bolt 23, a washer 24 and a nut 25, to a metal angle bracket 26 formed by two limb portions 27 and 28 which are respectively welded to the end wall 17 and to the peripheral casing 16 of the tub 6. It will be seen that a rectangular through-opening 29 is provided in the limb portion 28 of the bracket 26, to permit the head 30 of the bolt 23 to be inserted therein, while a tongue portion 31 which is bent downwardly is also provided on the bracket.

In this way, all the brackets 26 can be welded in advance to the tub 6 at the above-described points and subsequently each arm 10 of the assembly 9 can be connected to the limb portion 27 of the respective bracket 26 by way of a bolt 23 whose head has been introduced through the above-described opening 29.

The tongue portion 31 serves as an abutment for the head 30 of the bolt 23 and thereby ensures cor rectfastening of each arm 10 to the respective support bracket 26.

Fastening of the crossbar assembly constructed as described above is thus effected only at the free ends 22 of the radial arms 10 of the actual assembly 9.

Consequently, in addition to simplifying the operations for manufacturing the tubs, the arrangement described also achieves the advantage of using a smaller amount of material insofar as the sheet metal member which was previously fixed to the tub and to which the hub of the crossbar assembly was in turn connected is eliminated.

In addition, if the forces which are applied to the tub 6 during rotation of the drum 18 are considered, it is noted that, by means of the tub designed as described above, the weld points between the peripheral casing 16 and the end wall 17 are subjected only to shearing forces with respect to the assembly 9 (respectively, in the direction indicated by arrow B and arrow C in Figure 2), by virtue of the presence of the above-described support brackets 26.

Consequently, neither the casing northe end wall of the tub are subjected to tensile forces, so that the detachment of enamel on the inside surfaces of the tub is eliminated.

By virtue of the above described construction, it is also possible for the machine to be packaged in such a way as to ensure efficient protection during transportation thereof and to prevent damage to the tub and to the operating members connected thereto.

In practice therefore, the tub is immobilised in a simpler manner than the conventional way of securing the tub.

Figure 3 shows the manner in which such a fastening action is achieved. For this purpose, holes 32 are provided in the back of the casing 5 of the machine, each of the holes being aligned with respect to one of the support brackets 26 secured to the tub 6, and containing a rubber seal 33.

After each radial arm 10 has been fixed as described hereinbefore, a socket or sleeve member 35 whose hole 36 has two sections of different diameters is fitted on to the shank 34 of each bolt 23.

After that, a respective cylindrical sleeve 37 is introduced through each rubber seal 33, after a collar 38 has been interposed, the cylindrical sleeve being provided with a hexagonal head 39 and a screwthreaded through hole 40 whose screwthread is the same as that of the shank 34 of the bolt 23.

Then, each cylindrical sleeve 37 is inserted into a spacer member41 and screwed on to the shank34 of the bolt 23 by acting on the hexagonal head 39 by means of a tool.

In this way, this arrangement achieves the further advantage of eliminating both the tie members of conventional type and the angle brackets which are fixed to the drum and to which the tie members were connected.

Claims

1. A tub for a clothes washing machine, which is arranged to contain a rotary washing drum, the tub comprising a front wall, a peripheral casing and an end wall, to which a crossbar assembly is fixed, the crossbar assembly comprising a plurality of radial arms and being arranged to support rotatably the drive shaft for the drum, the free end of each of the arms of the crossbar assembly being fixed to the tub by means of an angle bracket and which is welded both to the peripheral casing and to the end wall of the tub, the arrangement being such that the weld region is subjected only to shearing forces during actuation of the drum, and the brackets being provided with an opening into which engages a bolt co-operating with a respective nut for anchoring the end of the respective arm of the crossbar assembly.

2. A tub according to claim 1 wherein each of said brackets is provided at a position corresponding to said opening with a tongue portion which is bent over inwardly and which is arranged to form an abutment for the head of the bolt.

3. A tub according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each of said bolts also forms an attachment means for removable means for securing the tub to the casing of the machine for immobilising the tub during transportation.

4. A tub according to claim 3 wherein said attachment means comprise a sleeve member which can be fitted on to the shank of said bolt, a spacer member, a collar and a cylindrical sleeve member provided with a hexagonal head and a screwthreaded hole, said cylindrical sleeve member being insertable into said collar and said spacer member and being capable of being screwed on to the shank of said bolt.

5. A tub for a clothes washing machine constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A clothes washing machine incorporating a tub according to any one of the preceding claims.