US1011577A - Driving-gear mechanism for washing-machines. - Google Patents

Description

T.' W. CHAPMAN. l `DRIVING. GEAR MBGHANISM P911 WASHING4 MACHINES.

APPLICATION IIED SEPT. 5, 1911.

2 SHEETS-#SHEET 1.

Patented Dec. 12,1911:

' T. W. CHAPMAN. DRIVING GEAR MEUHANISM FOR WASHING. MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 12,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT oE-EIoE- TIIERON W. cHArNIANOERELvIDERE, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR `To NATIONAL SEWING MACHINE eoIvIrhNY, OE BELVIDERE, ILLrNOIs, A CORPORATION OE ILLINOIS.

DRIVING-GEAR I s/IEoHANIsMfEoR WASHINGJVIAGEINES.

Specification of Letters latent.

To all whom 'it may concer/m, l Be it known that I, THERON W. CHAPMAN,

. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Belvidere, in the county of Boone and 1 full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference' being had `to the accompanying draw ings',l and to .the letters of reference marked thereon, which formia part of this specification..` f Y .This invention relates to an improvement in Adriving gear mechanism for washing machines and the like and consists of the mata,`

ters hereinafter described and more particu-l and as shown in the drawingthe bracket 15B- -ly isprovided with a casing 15b inclosingsaid The invention as shown herein is applied toawashing machine of a familiar type i', comprising atub orreceptacle for contain# therein. ingthe clothes and water, and provided with imparted larly pointed out inthe appended claims.

a beater mounted on a shaft depending through the lid into the tub and adapted to be given an oscillating rotary movement by the driving mechanism, so that the clothes are agitated by a stirring motion irs't in' one direction and then in a reverse direction. The driving mechanism is ofthe high-speed, lever-operated kind and includes a iy-wheel adapted for continuous rotation in one directionv by reason of' which the effort requiredto operate the machine, once it has Vbeen started, is greatly reduced.4

In the drawings z--Figure l is a view representing a front elevation of a washing machine provided with -my improved driving mechanism'. Fig. 2 is a -view representin Aa horizontal section through Fig. `1 on the lme ,2-*2 thereof. Fig. 3 is a view representing a top plan view "of the washer'. Fig. 4 is a view representing a vertical section through that part ofthe operating mechanism 1ocated below the tub.

Referring now to that embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, 10 indicates thetub-which 'is of familiar construe tion and has four upright legs 11, upon which 'it issu'pported. Said legs are rigidly braced apart near their lower ends by diagonally arranged bars 11a, 11, which also, as

Will presently appear, act to support the part ofthe driving'mechani'sm located below 4the tub. IThe tubfhas' ahinged lid 12 of the tub. The hinges 12a are 'provided on their leaves xed to the board 12 with upright angular plates 12b, 12b, which form- Stops adapted to limit the swinging movementof the lid when the same is turned Patented Dee. [12, 1911. Appucation inea september 5,1911.' seria1N0.e47,7s7.

backward on its hinges, and to support the lid in open position.

14 indicates the usual beater, and 15 a shaft to the lower end of which said beater is rigidly secured, said shaft depending through an aperture in the hingedlid and being. rotatively suspended therefrom by means of a bracket 15a. Above the lid a spur-gear 16 is keyed to `the beater shaft 15,

gear, so as to prevent the clothing or sleeve of the operator from becoming entangled Oscillating rotative movement is to vsaid gear by means of a longitudinally reciprocating rod or bar 17 prol vided on one lateral edge with rack-teeth 17, which mesh with the teeth of the spurgear 16. The rack-teeth 17al `are protected by a plate 18 secured to the top face of the bar A17I in position to cover said teeth. v Said plate also acts to limit the downward movement of said rod by its engagement with the top faces of the teeth of the gear 16. 'The rack-teeth 172l are held in engagement with the teeth of the gear 16 by means of an angle-bar 19 secured. to the top ofthe lid 12 and having bearing engagement with vthe outer lateral edge of the bar 17 One end of the bar 17 is pivotally connected yto the upper end of a` lever 20 which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends' to a bracket-arm 21 secured to the side of the tub body. 22 indicates a prime-mover in the form of a hand-controlled lever which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends and nearer its lower end to a bracket arm 23 secured to the levers are'operatively connected together by.

means lof two parallel horizontal odsor vlinks 24, 25, the one,24havi n pivo vl connection with `the lowerend of t ,e han -leve'r 22, and the other, 25,"having pivotal con'nection with the lower end of the lever20, and by means of a walking-beam'26, which is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the respect/ivev rods or links 24, 25. Said walking-beam 26 is pivotally mounted at a point midway of its ends to swing in yav hori* zontal plane on a stud 27, which rises vertically from a bracket 28 secured to the braces 11a which connect the legs of the tub.

l As shown, the bracket 28 consists of a semi` circular casting which is rigidly secured to the cross-braces 11". It is apparent from this construction that by oscillating the hand-lever 22 toward and away from the tub body, oscillatory movement will be im arted ranged to be rotated continuously in one direction by the operatin mechanism. Said fly-wheel, as shown in t e drawings, is located below the tub body on a vertical shaft 31, which has rotative bearing at its upper end kin a socket 31a formed in a bar 32 secured to the bottom wall 10a of the tub, and having rotative bearing at its lower end in a socket 33 formed in a bar 33 which, as

` illustrated, is in the form of an integral,

radial arm of the semi-circular bracket 28 'on which the walking-beam 26 is pivotally mounted. In the socket 33 is located a half round ball 33b which rests in the bottom of said socket and presents its upper rounded surface to the flat end of the fly-wheel shaft 31, which has thrust bearing against it. This construction provides a very simple antifriction bearing for the fly-wheel so that it will rotate with little or no friction. On

. the shaft 31 abovethe bar 33 is fixed a pinion 37. 34 indicates a large gear in meshwith the pinion 37 and provided on its upper face with a crank-pin 35. Said gear 34 is rotatively mounted on a stud 34EL rising from the semi-circular bracket 28. A pitman 36 connects said crank-pin with the end of the walking-beam 26 to which the link 24 is connected. It is apparent that each oscillatory movement of the walking-beam 26 will be transformed by the pitman into a continuous rotary movement of the gear 34 and Hthis, transmitted lthrough the pinion 37, causes a continuous rotary movement of the shaft 31. and ily-wheel 30. Thus, by oscillating the hand-lever 22, oscillating rotary movement will be imparted to the which `directly operates the beater-shaft, f

may be swung vertically upward out of the way on its pivotal connection with the handlever 22. Said hand-lever is preferably provided at its upper end with a socket 22a to receive a wooden handle 22h. F or convenience in operating the lever 22, a stirrup 22e is preferably formed at its lower end for working it by means of the foot.

I claim as my invention l 1. Mechanism for operating washing machines and the like comprising in combinaw tion with a supporting body and an operating shaft rotatively supported thereby, a prime moving lever fulcrumed to the side of said body, a second lever fulcrumed to the side of said body and adapted to oscillate in a plane parallel to the plane of oscillation of said prime moving lever, a walkingbeam pivoted to oscillate in a plane at right angles to the planes of oscillation of said levers, means operatively connecting said walking-beam with said levers, mechanisml intermediate said second lever and said operatingl shaft adapted to impart oscillating, rotary movement to said shaft, a y-wheel rotatively supported by said body, and means intermediate said walking-beam and said fly-wheel adapted to transform the:

oscillating movement of said walking beam into a continuous rotary movement of sail fly-wheel.

2. Mechanism for operating washing ma chines and the like comprising in combina.- tion with a supporting body,l and an operating shaft rotatively supported thereby, a prime-moving lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the side of said body,'a second lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the side of said body and adapted to oscillate in a plane parallel to the plane of oscillation of said prime-moving lever, a walking-beam A pivotally supported below said body, means operatively' connecting said walking-beam with said levers, mechanism intermediate said second lever and said operating shaft adapted to impart oscillating, rotary movement to said shaft, a y-wheel rotatively mounted below said body, and means intermediate said walking-beam and said flywheel adapted to transform the oscillating movement of said walking-beam into a continuous rotary movement of said fly-wheel.

3. Mechanism for operating washing ma-V chines and the like comprising in combination with a supporting body and an o erating shaft -rotatively supported there y, a prime-movin its `ends to te side ofsaid body, a second lever fulcrumed intermediateits ends to the lever fulcrumed intermediate-` side of said body and adapted to oscillate in a plane parallel to the plane of oscillation of said operating` lever, a walking-.beam pivoted below said body to oscillate in a 5 horizontal plane, links connecting the opposite ends of said Walking-beam With said levers, a longitudinallyreciprocating rackbar having pivotal connect-ion With the upper end of said second lever, a gear on said 10 operating shaft in mesh with said rack-bar,

a horizontal flywheel rotatively mounted below saidv body, and means intermediate said Walking-beam and said fly-Wheel adapted to transform the oscillatlng movement of said Walking-beam .into a continuous l5 rotary movement of said fly-Wheel. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aiiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 25th day 1 of August A. D. 1911.

' THERON W. CHAPMAN. Witnesses:

FRANK L. GOODRICH, CLARENCE B. A'rwoonl

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