GB653220A - Improvements in and relating to gear and clutch mechanism for agitator type clothes washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

653,220. Washing and drying machines. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Nov. 19, 1948, No. 30150. Convention date, Nov. 20, 1947. [Class 138 (ii)] [Also in Group II] A clothes washing machine of the type in which washing is performed in a basket 4 by an agitator 5, the basket being afterwards rotated to centrifugally extract the water from the clothes includes an agitator shaft 37 coaxial with and axially movable with respect to a tubular spin shaft 40, and means for actuating the agitator shaft or rotating the spin shaft comprising a casing 17 into which ends of the shafts project, a gear cage 31 to which the spin shaft 40 is connected rotatably mounted in the casing, gearing carried by the cage for connecting an electric motor to the agitator shaft, and means actuated by axial movement of the agitator shaft with respect to the spin shaft for rendering a clutch effective to connect the motor to the gear cage. The motor shaft 22 carries a pinion 26 driving a gear-wheel 27 which is mounted on a shaft 28 carried by a gear frame 31 and has formed integrally therewith an eccentric 32. Surrounding the eccentric 32 is a strap 33 provided with an arm 34 connected to an arm fixed to a hub 36. The hub 36 is supported on the upper end of pinion 26 and is connected to the agitator shaft 37. The lower end of the spin shaft 40 is fixed by a pin 41a in a collar 41 forming part of the gear frame 31. An extension 44 of the shaft 37 is located in a socket 43 in the motor shaft 22 and is biassed upwardly by a compression spring 45. During washing, gear frame 31 is stationary and the motor oscillates the agitator through pinion 26, gearwheel 27, the eccentric connection and shaft 37. During spinning of the basket the motor is connected directly to gear frame 31 to rotate the gear frame, shaft 40 and the spin basket and also shaft 37 and the agitator. The clutch for connecting the motor shaft with the gear frame comprises a clutch ring 55 depending from the underside of the frame and adapted to be engaged by suitable clutch facings 56 on the outer ends of a pair of clutch arms 57 (Fig. 4). These clutch arms are pivotally mounted on pins 58 carried by ears projecting from a collar fixed to the motor shaft 22, and in the agitating position shown are held away from the clutch ring 55 by sliding pins 61, the inner ends of which engage the surface of shaft extension 44. To connect the motor shaft to the gear frame, the shaft 37 and agitator 5 are lifted to bring a groove 62 in shaft extension 44 into line with the pins 61. The arms 57 being no longer held by the pins 61 are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force to bring the facings 56 into engagement with the clutch ring 55, the inner ends of the pins moving into the groove 62. To hold shaft 37 in its raised or lowered positions a detent mechanism is provided comprising a socket 63 in which is located a shift pin 64 biassed upwardly by a spring 65. The wall of the socket 63 has several circumferentially spaced holes in which are detent balls 68 adapted to engage in annular detent grooves 69 and 70 in an upper bearing 39. In order to release the balls so that the shaft can be raised or lowered, shift pin 64 is pressed down to bring an annular groove 71 therein into line with the balls. The frame 31 may be prevented from turning during agitation, by means of a locking pin 75 pressed by a spring 77 into engagement with a notch 74 in a collar 72 on the shaft 40. When shaft 37 is lifted to its spin position a releasing pin 73 is pushed outwardly by the lower bevelled edge of a groove 78 in the shaft 37 so as to move pin 75 out of notch 74. When shaft 40 is turning, the inner end of pin 75 rides on the surface of collar 72. Shaft 37 may be provided with a tapered non-circular clutch head 80 which fits into a socket 81 in hub 36 but is lifted free during the spin cycle to disconnect shaft 37 from the gearing carried by frame 31.