US1215502A - Driving mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

Patnted Feb. 13, 1917.

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JOHN l?. DORAU', OF JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN.

`DRIVING MEcHANIsM.

Specification of Letters Patent. A

Patented Feb. 13, V1917.

Application filed May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,485.

To all whom t may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, JOHN P. Domina citizen of the United States, and resident of Jefferson, in theA county of Jefferson and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanisms, of which the following is a descrip# tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this speciiication.

The invention relates to driving Vmechanism, and more particularly to a driving mechanism for a washing machine.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a driving mechanism for operating the shaft carrying the clothes pounder so as to rock the pounder shaft during a Vcomplete revolution of the drive shaft in one direction while said pounder shaft `makes a complete up and down movement or vertical reciprocation and to rock said shaft during a complete revolution of the drive shaft in the opposite direction while said pounder shaft makes another complete up and down movement or vertical reciprocation. The advantage of this movement in machines of this character is that the change of direction of rotation of the drive shaft and consequently that of the driving connection between it and the pounder shaft causes the pounder to strike the' clothes in a different place and thus more eiiiciently accomplish the washing of the clothes than in that type 0f washing machine in which the pounder always strikes the clothes in the same place.

A further object of this invention is lto provide a driving mechanism to cause the pounder shaft to operate as above described in which the cycle of operations in opposite directions is accomplished by .one complete operation of ythe operating handle.

A further object of this inventionv is to provide a construction in which the arrangement of the driving mechanism permits the cover of the machine in which the pounder shaft is carried to be raised and lowered without cleavage of the gears constituting the driving mechanism.

A further object `of this invention is to provide in certain instances a construction in which the fly wheel is mounted on the main body portion of the machine and to so arrange the driving mechanism between the fly-wheel and the pounder shaft to permit the cover of the machine in which vthe pounder shaft isv carried to be raised andv lowered without disengaging the driving mechanism.

The invention YfurtherY consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined byA claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings :--V Y Figurel is a sideelevat'ion of the driving Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of driving mechanism of that shown in Fig. 4.

The washing machine to which the driving mechanism is applied consists of a tub or clothes receptacle 5 of usual construction provided with a lhinged cover 6' in which a vertically disposed pounder shaft 7 is journaled and slidably mounted, and a pounder 8 carried at the lower end of the shaft 7.

In each instance, the driving mechanism comprises means for causing the pounder shaft to rock from normal position to the left and then back to normal position again while the pounder moves from its lower to its upper position and to rock it from normal position to the right and then back tol Anormal position again while the pounder moves from its lower to its upper position and rocks it from normal position to the left and then back to normal position again while the pounder moves from its upper to its lower position during this revolution.

In Fig. 1,.the mechanism for accomplishing this purpose comprises a segmental bevel gear 9 mounted on an oscillatory lever 10 journaled on a shaft 10 :mounted on a bracket 11 securedV to the tub 5, a bevel gear 12 in mesh with the gear 9 and mounted on a drive shaft 13 journaled in a bearing bracket 14 on the cover 6 which cover is hinged to the shaft 10 carried by the bracket 11 by an arm let in which the shaft 10 is p'ivotally mounted and a driving connection between said shaft 13 and the shaft 7. The driving connectiony consists of a collar 15 Xedly secured to the shaft 7 by a pin 15 and provided with an extension 1G having a bore 16 therein in which the enlarged rounded'extremity 17 of the shaft 13 is slidably and rotatably mounted, lt will be understood that the bored-member could be formed on the shaft 13 and could engage with a rounded member on the shaft 7 and that such reversal of parts would perform the same functions as the connection just described. The end 18 of the shaft 13 is angularly inclined with respect to that portion journaled in the bracket 1a and when the shaft 13 is rotated in either direction through the gears 9 and 12,V it will, through the driving connection justdescribed, impart a complete vertical reciprocation to the shaft 7. It will be further noted that on the forward movement of the lever 10 the shaft 13, through the gearing 9 and 12, will make one complete revolution in one direction and this will cause a complete up and down movement of the shaft 7 which is also given a movement from normal position to the left and then back to normal position while the pounder moves fromvits lower to its upper position and then said shaft 7 is given a mo vei ent from normal position to the right and then back to normalr position while the pounder moves from its upper to its lower position. On the backward movement of the lever 10 the shaft 13, through the gearing 9 and 12, will make one complete revolution in the opposite direction from that ust described and this will also cause a complete up and down movement of the shaft 7 which is, under these conditions, rocked Yfrom normal position to the right and then back to normal position while the pounder moves from its lower to its upper position and then said shaft 7 is rocked from normal position to the left and back to Vnormal position while the pounder' moves from its upper to its lower position. From the above movement it will be noted that the pounder on the forward movement, of the lever 10 will strike the clothes in one place and move down to its normal lowermost position and on the backward movement of the lever 10 will strike the clothes in another place and move-down to its normal lowermost position and that in either case, owing to the rocking movement of the pounders as it moves into and out of contact with the clothes, there will a rubbing and agitation of the clothes produced.

In the arrangement of the gearing above described the hinging of the cover 6 upon the bracket 14 permits the cover and the gearing connected thereto to be swung up without disengaging the gears 9 and 12.

Means are provided for imparting the necessary momentum to the operating mechanism comprising a fly-wheel 19 revolubly mounted on a shaft 2O secured to the bottom of the tub and carrying a gear 21 which is in mesh with a gear 22 also revolubly mounted on the bottom of the tub, and means connecting said gear 22 with the operating lever 10 to continuously rotate said gear and fly-wheel.

This connecting means consists of a pitman 23 pivotally and eccentrically connected at one end to the gear 22 and pivotally. connected at the other end to the lower end of a lever 24 which'is pivotally connectedY intermediate its ends to a bracket 25 mounted in the side of thetub and which is slidably and pivotally connected at its upper end with the lever 1Q by aV connection consisting of an enlargedroundedend portion 26 and a cylindrical bore 27 forming a part of the lever 10.- As a result of this connection between the lever 10 and the ywheel 19, the .oscillation of the lever 10 will impart a continuous rotation toi the {iiywheel which will provide sufficient momentum for the operating mechanism so as to insureits proper operation and the cover will be relieved of the weight of the flywheel through the hinged connection previously described. i

1n Figs. 2 and 3 the connection between the shaft 7 and the shaft 13 is the same as that previously described and the connection between the lever 10 and the shaft 13 is similar, except that t the shaft 13 carries a spur gear 12 in mesh with an annular segment-al gear 9 formed on a portion of the lever 10, pivotally mounted on a pin 10 secured to the bracket 14 on the cover 6. The mechanism for imparting the necessary momentum to the drive shaft 13 is, however, different, though in this instance, the fly-wheel isV mounted on the side of the tub and there -is no separation of the gears when the cover is lifted and the cover is relieved of the weight of the fly-wheel. This mechanism comprises a' fly-wheel 28 revolubly mounted on a pin 29 carried by a bracket 30 secured to the side of the tub. The wheel 28 carries a gear 31 which meshes with a gear 32 suitably journaled on the bracket 30 and a pitman 33 pivotally and eccentrically connected at one end to the gear 32 and pivotally connected at its other end to an extension 34 of the lever 10' so that the oscillation of said lever 10 will,

through the pitman 33, gears 32 and 31, continuously rotate the fly-wheel 28 to impart the necessary momentum to the driving mechanism. It will also be noted that thelink connectionbetween the gear 32 and the lever 10 permits the raising of the hinged cover 6 without disengagement of In Figs. 5 and 6 the connection between v the shaft 7 and the Shaft 13 is the same as that previously described and carries a spur gear 12 which, in Figs. 4 and 5, meshes with a segmental gear 35, and in Fig. 6 with an annularsegmental gear 36,in each case formed in an oscillating lever 10 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 37 carried by the bracket 14 on the cover. Thus the connection between the lever 10 and the shaft 13 is substantially the same as in the first form described and causes a similar movement of the pounder during its backward and forward oscillation.

The means for imparting the necessary momentum to the shaft 13 in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises af fly-wheel 38 pivotally mounted on a shaft 39 carried by the bracket on the cover of the machine, said wheel 38 being also provided with a gear 40, which meshes with a gear 41 carried by the shaft 13 and a link 42 eecentrically and pivotally mounted on the gear 41 and connected to the lever l0 for transmitting the oscillatory movement of said lever to the gearing just described to cause a continuous rotation of the fly-wheel. In this form a portion 43 of the lever 10 adjacent the gear 35 is cut out or slotted to make room for the pin or shaft 39. It will be noted in the construction above described the gearing will not separate on the opening of the cover.

The means for imparting the necessary momentum to the shaft 13 in Fig. 6 comprises a fly-wheel 44 mounted on the shaft 3T carried by the cover 6 of the machine, a gear 46 integral with said wheel 44 and in mesh with a gear 41 similar to the gear 41 above described and similarly mounted on the shaft 13 and a link 42 eccentrically and pivotally mounted on the gear 41 and pivotally connected to the lever 10. The oscillation of the lever 10 causes a continuous rotation of the fly-wheel 44 through the gearing and linkage above described and in this instance the lever 10 is pivoted on the shaft 37 to secure a more compact arrangement than that shown in Fig. 4.

' In this construction also the'gearing will not separate on the opening of the cover.

Thus in the diderent constructions above described there is a continuous rotation of the dy-wheel on the backward and forward movement of the operating lever and thereV are also complete rotations of the shaft 13 in opposite directions during one operation of said lever. It will be Vfurther noted from the foregoing description that the connection between the shaft 13 and the Vshaft 7 causes the pounder to strike the clothes in two diderent places during one operation of the lever.

The invention thus exemplifies a new and improved form of driving mechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with washing machines.

What I claim as my invention is l. In a driving mechanism, the combination, with a vertical shaft, of a drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a member Xed to the vertical shaft and provided with a bore, said drive shaft having an odset portion pivotally and slidably mounted in said bore, and means for operating said drive shaft. v

2. In a driving mechanism, the combination, of a vertical shaft, a drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto and provided with an odset portion, aY member fixed to said vertical shaft and operatively connected to said odset portion to form a sliding and pivotal driving connection between said shafts, and means for imparting an alternately reversed rotation to said drive shaft.

3. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a vertical shaft, a drive shaft disposed atan angle thereto and provided with an odset portion, a member having a bore therein fixed to said vertical shaft, said odset portion of the drive shaft being provided with a rounded end for sliding and pivotal movement within said bore, an oscillating lever, and a gearing connection between said lever and drive shaft to impart an alternately reversed rotation to said drive shaft on the operation of said lever.

4. In a driving mechanism, the combination, with a vertical shaft, of a drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a member fixed to the vertical shaft and provided with a bore, said drive shaft havingan odset portion pivotally and slidably mounted in said bore, a gear mounted on the drive shaft, an oscillatory lever, and a segmental gear carried by said Vlever and in mesh with the gear on said drive shaft. t

5. In a driving mechanism, the combination, with a vertical shaft, of a. drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a member Xed to the vertical shaft and provided with a bore, said drive shaft having an odset portion pivotally and slidably mounted in said bore, a gear mounted on the drive shaft, an

oscillatory lever, a segmental gear carried by said lever and in mesh with the gear on said drive shaft, and means operatively connected to said lever for imparting the necessary momentum to said drive shaft.

6. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a. support, of a vertical shaft, a drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a driving connection between said shafts to horizontally rock and vertically reciprocate said vertical shaft, a gear on the drive sha-ft,

an oscillating lever, a segmental gear car ried by said lever and in mesh with the gear on the drive shaft, an intermediate gear, a link eccentrically connected to said lever and intermediate gear, a fly wheel mounted on the support, and a direct gearing connection between said intermediate gear and said iy wheel.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature.

JOHN P. DORAU.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

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