GB578637A - Improvements in and relating to washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

578,637. Washing - machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Jan. 28, 1944, No. 1610. Convention date, Feb. 4, 1943. [Class 138 (ii)] A washing-machine comprises a tub 3, Figs. I and 2, having a scoop 22 which faces in one direction of rotation only, and has its outer end adjacent to, and its. inner end radially inward from, the outer wall of the tub, and a drain from. the inner end of the scoop to the outside of the tub whereby during rotation in the said direction at washing speed liquid is picked up from the lowermost part and drained from the .tub and washing is carried out in the reverse direction at washing speed without draining the tub. The tub 3 has an annular compartment 19 of slightly larger external diameter from which it is separated by a partition 7 perforated at 18. Water is supplied through the hollow drive shaft 4 of the tub. An electric driving motor 10 has a switch 13 for controlling the speed of rotation of the tub and a gear box 11 for forward or reverse directions of rotation. Washing is carried out at low speed and in a clockwise direction as viewed.in Fig..2. The tub is emptied by driving at low speed in a counter-clockwise direction, when water draining through the holes 18 into the compartment 19 is pumped by the spiral vane of the scoop 22 to a central orifice 5 and thence to a drain by gravity or pump means. Drying .may be carried out by rotating the tub in either direction at high speed. At this speed centrifugal force exceeds gravity and water draining off through the holes 18 remains in the periphery.of the compartment 19 until the tub slows down. The annular compartment 19 is large enough to accommodate the water extracted in this process. Rinsing is preferably carried out at the low speed of rotation. In a modification of the compartment 19, Fig. 4, scoops 31 replace the spiral vanes and feed a trough 32 which leads to a drain, pipe 33. At high speed in either direction, water held in the periphery by centrifugal force is deflected by lips 34 to drain as soon as sufficient collects to cover the inside edges of the buckets. 'Thus rinsing can be carried out at centrifugal speed.