GB839446A - Improvements in two speed drive for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

839,446. Friction clutches. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Dec. 10, 1957 [Dec. 12, 1956], No. 38331/57. Class 80 (2). [Also in Group VIII] A two-speed clutch drive for a washing- machine (see Group VIII) comprises a driving- shaft 18 fast upon which is a plate 19 carrying friction shoes 22, 23 biased radially inwards by springs 27 and moved outwards by centrifugal force, when the driving-shaft rotates, to engage the inner periphery of an intermediate drum 24 freely rotatable upon the driving-shaft, a plate 34 beneath the intermediate drum being mounted by a bearing 35 upon the driving-shaft, friction in the bearing 35 causing the plate 34 to rotate with the driving-shaft 18 so that centrifugal force acts upon friction shoes 36, 37 to pivot them upon the plate 34 and move their friction surfaces 44, 45 inwards into engagement with the outer periphery of the intermediate drum 24, at the same time friction shoes 38, 39 also pivoting outwards upon the lower plate 34 to engage the inner periphery of a final driven drum 32 which is accordingly directly connected to the driving-shaft. If a solenoid 66 is energized, prior to rotation of the driving-shaft 18, a brake pad 62 is brought into engagement with the periphery of the lower disc 34, which is accordingly held stationary. On rotation of the driving-shaft 18, the clutch shoes 22, 23 drive the intermediate drum 24, as before, and clutch shoes 52, 53 having outwardly-projecting lugs 54 engaging recesses in the final driven drum 32 are biased by springs 60 to engage the outer periphery of the intermediate drum 24. As the speed of rotation of final driven drum 32 increases, centrifugal force acts upon the friction shoes 54, 55 against the bias of the springs 60 to tend to disengage them from the outer periphery of the intermediate drum 24. Ultimately the shoes 54, 55 slip with respect to the intermediate drum 24, and the final driven drum 32 is accordingly driven at a speed less than that of the shaft 18. The shoes 22, 23 are pivoted at their ends 25, 26 upon the carrier plate 19, and are free at their opposite ends. The shoes 36, 37 are formed with integral masses 46, 47 which fly outwards under centrifugal force to move the friction surfaces 44, 45 inwards into engagement with the outer periphery of the intermediate drum 24, and are connected to the shoes 38, 39, which move radially outwards to engage the inner periphery of the final driven drum 32, by springs 48, 49.