US1322627A - Mechanism for washing-machines - Google Patents

Description

W. H. SARGENT.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1915.

1,322,627.. Patented Non-25, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

W. H. SARGENT.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES- APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25.1915.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 W. H. SARGENT.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1915.

1,322,627., Patented-Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. H. SARGENT.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES APPLICATION FILED szP-Tjzs. 1915.

1,322,627. I Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

I j C if era-ans rnrnnr WILLIAM H. S-ARG'ENT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO WAYNE MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPOlEt-AITON' OF MISSOURI.

ornnn'rmc MECHANISM non. WASHING--MACHINES..

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent gqi Nov. 255, 1%19,

Application filed September 25, 1815. Serial No. 52,615.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SARGENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Operating Mechanism for Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention rel-ates to improvements in operating mechanism.for washing machines, and consists in the novel design, arrangement and combination of the various parts and elements hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Another object of the'invention is to provide operating mechanism actuated from a single prime mover for imparting to a vertical shaft acombined reciprocating vertical and an alternating rotary motion, in combination with means for imparting to a transverse shaft a rotary motion, with provision for operatively connecting and disconnecting either or both of said shafts with the driving mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide operating mechanism for washing machines whereby an alternating vertical movement and an alternating rotary movement may be imparted to the pounder shaft, each alternating rotary reciprocation being in a reverse direction.

With the foregoing ends as well as additional advantages and features attainable from the present construction, in view, I have designed, combined and arranged the various parts and elements as hereinafter more fully disclosed and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being made in the course of the description to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the machine embodying the mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation opposite to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan ,view of a washing machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. l is a detailed view further illustrating certain features of the driving mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section through certain of the parts constituting the driving connection for effecting an alternating vertical and reiiprocating motion of the pounde'r shaft.

Fig. (3 is a bottomplan view of a rack and pinion constructionconstituting a part of the mechanism for imparting the vertical and rotary reciprocating motion to the pounder shaft.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View showing particularly the clutch mechanism in the operative connection between the pounder shaft and the upright shaft. e

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings a portable support or frame is provided for the operating mechanism. As illustrated, the support comprises a rectangular frame 1 mounted on legs or standards 2. For the purpose of increasing the rigidity of the frame it is preferable to provide reinforcing members 3, extending obliquely from the end members of the frame and being connected with each leg, respectively. An open platform a formed from slats 4 disposed transversely of the frame is provided, the opposite end of the frame being open to receive a removable support comprising, in the embodiment shown, a tub 5 of a washing machine.

The tub 5 is mounted in the frame on trunnions 6 which seat in brackets 7 secured to the side members of the frame. The trunnions 6 are eccentrically attached to the tub, the rear end of the tub being supported by an arm 8 pivoted in a bracket 9 mounted on the tub. The arm 8 may be moved by a handle 10. In normal position the arm extends outwardly from the end of the tub and rests upon the upper face of the end member of the frame, supporting the tub in horizontal position. When, however, the arm 8 is turned at right angles by operation of the handle lOthe end of the tub will be depressedin the frame, thereby providing means for draining the tub. The tub 5 is provided with a cover 11 which is hinged so that it may be raised and lowered from thetub, a latching device .12 being provided to hold the cover in position when closed.

' An upright support 13 in the form of. a tubular standard is secured to the upper face of the frame member. The member 13 has a flange 14 nearits' upper extremity. A swingable bracket is mounted above the termination of the support 13 which bracket includes a yoke member 15 and a transverse member 16 at the outer extremity of which is a handle 17. The transverse member tions.

16 of the bracket is adapted to support a wringer frame 18. The wringer mechanism proper is of usual construction and comprises wringer rolls 19, one of which it will be understood; is on an idle shaft and the.

mechanism carried thereby, is sWingable' about the support 13, so that the wringer may be operated in various selected posivide a keeper rod 21 which 1s supported in brackets 22 depending from the lower edge ofthe transverse member 16 of the wringer bracket. A spring 23, encircling the rod 21, bears at one end against one of the brackets 22 and at the other end against a collar 24 on the rod 21, thereby actuatin the rod 21 toward the periphery of the flange 14 of the standard 13. A series of sockets 25 at selected positions are formed in the flange.

14, the'end of the rod 21 seating therein and locking the wringer bracket in position; For the'purpose of disengaging the end of the rod from the socket manually, I provide an engageable portion 26 for. withdrawing the rod from the sockets against the tendency of the spring 23.

An upright shaft "27 is mounted in the standard 13 and extends at one end to a point below the frame member 1 and at its other end through bearings 28, formed in the yoke member 15. The mechanism for driving the upright shaft 27 comprises a motor M supported in a 'platform 29 mounted below the frame 1 of the machine, which .motor drives the motor shaft 36 carrying a pulley 31, the power from the pulley 31 being transmitted by a belt 32 to a drive pulley 33 carried bya stud shaft 34 journaled in bearings 35 at the extremities of the brackets 36 depending from the frame of the machine. The shaft 34 drives a pinion 37 which is in mesh with a gear 38 loosely mounted on a shaft 39 journaled in bearings 40 formed in the brackets 36. The relative diameters of the pinion 37 and gear 38 is such that the gear 38 will be driven at a reduced speed with respect to the inion 37. The gear 38 is slidable lon itudinally of the shaft 39 and. the face of t i'e pinion 37 is wide enough so as to maintain the meshed engagement between it and the gear 38 throughout the extent of the longitudinal movement of the gear 38.

In driving the upright shaft 27 in one direction the clutch member 41, formed on the'hub of the gear 38, is engaged with a complementary clutch member 42'rigid on the shaft 39, the driven gear38 thus being placed inoperative relationship with the shaft 39, whereby a 'beveled gear 43 fast I In order that the wringer bracket may be locked in its selected posltions I proon the shaft 39 is driven and in turn drives the bevel pinion 44 on the extremity of the upright shaft 27. In reversing the rotation of the shaft 27 the gear 38 is moved longitudinally of the shaft 39 until a clutch member 45 on the hub of the gear 38 is operativel engaged with a complementary clutch mem er 46 on the hub of the bevel gear 47.

The bevel gear 47 is'fmounted so that it revolves freely on the shaft 39, but is arranged .so that it,is prevented from sliding-longitudinally thereof by a suitable engaglng construction so that it will always be in mesh with the bevel gear 44. 'In this adjustment power is transmitted directly from the gear 38 to the bevel gear 47.

As the bevel gears 43 and 47 are on opposite sides of the axis of the bevel gear 44'and disposed at right angles thereto, it is obvious that when the gear 44 is driven from one or the other of the gears 43 and 47 the direction of rotation of the gear 44 and therefore the shaft 27. will bereversed.

It will be noted that the distance between the clutch members 42 and 46 is suflicient so that the clutch members 41 and 45 carried on the hub of the gear 38 may be brought to a neutral position in which none of the clutch elements are,, engaged. The mechanism for controlling the clutch construction just described comprises a slidable rod 48 mounted in bearings at'theextremities of the brackets 36, which rod 48 carries an arm 49 having a bifurcated extremity 50 from. the arms of which pins 51 extend inwardly and engage in a groove in the hub of the 7 gear 38. The rod 48 is moved by a lever 52 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 53 and extends upwardly and has a handle portion 54 conveniently accessible to the operator.

"From the foregoing it will be understood that the washing machine mechanism and the coiiperatin wringer mechanism are both driven from tile upright shaft 27, and that the direction of rotation of said shaft 27 is reversible at the option of the operator. Reverse movement is imparted to the shaft 27 by shifting the gear 38 from engagement with the clutch member 42 into engagement with the clutch 46 of the pinion 47, and vice versa. When the shaft 27 is reversed the operation of the wringer mechanism is reversed and as an incident to the reversing of the wringer mechanism the washing machine mechanism will also be reversed.

I also direct attention to the fact that both the wringer mechanism and the washing means? By this construction I havedifi'erentiated from other combined washing machines and wringers now in use. It will also be observed. that, in addition to the above described control forthe washing machine and wringer, I have provided independently and optionally operative controlling devices whereby either of said mechanisms may be operated independently of the other.

A slotted enlargement on the lever 52 embraces the connecting shaft from the shaft 27 to the mechanism for operating the pounder shaft, the extent of movement of the lever 52 being controlled by the movement of the lever permitted by the slot in the portion 55, the end of the slot at each limit of movement abutting against the shaft referred to.

The mechanism for driving the wringer mechanism from the vertical shaft 27 and.

for operatively connecting and disconnecting said mechanism with the vertical shaft comprises a beveled pinion 56 loosely mounted over the shaft 27. The bevel pinion is provided with a hub 57 in which is formed a groove extremity of the bracket 15 projects into the groove 58. This construction provides for retaining the bevel pinion 56 in position so as to hold said pinion permanently in mesh with a bevel gear 60 which is rigid on the shaft 20-of the wringer mechanism.

A clutch device comprising a clutch element 61 formed on the hub of the bevel pinion 56 and a complementary clutch element 62 provide means for operatively connecting and disconnecting the pinion 56 with theshaft 27. The clutch member 62 is in the form of a sleeve and embraces the shaft 27 being splined thereon by a pin and slot connection 63. raised and lowered so as to be engaged with and disengaged from the-clutch element 61 by a manually manipulative device compris: ing a lever 64: rigid with a shaft 65, the shaft 65 being journaled in bearings66 and 67 supported by the bracket 15 and the wringer frame, respectively. The shaft 65 carries anarm 68 connected by a link 69 to a lever 70. The lever 7 0 is bifurcated at its extremity and has inwardly extending pins 71 which engage in a groove 72 formed in the member 62.

When the lever 64 is operated to a certain position, the two clutch members 61 and 62 will be engaged. As the link 69 is made in a curved form and eccentrically connected to the arm 68, when the lever 64 is swung to the limit of its movement in either direction, it will be locked in position so as to either maintain the clutch engaged or to prevent the accidental engagement of the clutch until the lever is operated.

As the shaft 27 may be driven in either direction, the control of the operation of the ing- 58. A shoulder 59 formed at the The clutch element 62 is The pounder shaft carries at its lower extremity a pounder 76 of known construction, which pounder may be provided with detachable blades 77.

The mechanism for reciprocating the pounder shaft vertically and in a rotary direction comprises a bevel pinion 78 mounted on the shaft 27 which meshes with a complepinion 79 secured to a shaft mentary bevel 80 disposed at right angles to the shaft 27 and journaled in bearings 81 and 82, the bearing 81 being formed on a bracket 83 integral with the standard 13, and the bear- 82being formed at one extremity of a bracket 84 secured to the cover of the machine. The shaft 80 extends beyond the bearing 82 and has bearing also in the other extremity 85 of the bracket 8%. The shaft 80 carries a bevel pinion 86 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 80 and is adapted to be engaged therewith by a clutch device including a clutch member 87 on the hub of the pinion 86 and a complementary clutch member 88 which is in the form of a sleeve and splined on the shaft 80.

The clutch member 88 is actuated toward the clutch member 87 by an expansion spring 89 encircling the shaft 86 and disposed between the end of the clutch member 88 and the bearing 85.

The connection for breakin the clutched engagement of the elements 87 and 88 comprises a rod 90 having a bifurcated member 91 in the arms of which are inwardly extending pins engaging in a groove formed by the flanges 92 on the'member 88. The,

rod 99 extends through a sleeve 93 formed on the member 84 and has on its outer extremity a hand wheel 94:. A hub 95 extends inwardly and meets the outer face of the sleeve 93. The matching edges of the sleeve 93 and the hub 95 lie on an oblique line so that there is a cam contact between them. Thus, when the wheel 94 is rotated, the rod. 90 will be drawn inwardly moving the clutch element 88 against the tendency of the spring 89 away from the clutch member 87, thereby breaking the operative c0nnection between the shaft 80 and the pinion 86. The pinion 86 is in mesh with a pinion 96. The pinion. 96 is mounted on a short shaft 97 supported by the bracket 84 secured to the cover of the machine. The pinion 96 has a bevel face meshing with the pinion 86 and also a horizontal face which meshes iae ' 113 and the segmental gear 1'14, there will with a gear 99'on a shaft 100, the shaft 100 being supported above the pinion 96 and mounted in a bearing portion in the bracket 84.

The shaft 100 extends inwardly and through a bearing portion'lOl of the bracket 75 carrying at its inner end a crank arm 102. The crank arm 102 is operatively connected with a block 103, which block 103 carries two lugs 104spaced apart and provided with openings in their extremities which embrace the shaft 7 3. The face of the block 103 bears against on oval-shaped bracket 105. The matching surfaces of the block 103 and the bracket 105 are planed so that the block 103 will operate smoothly against the bracket and the parts will be retained in proper adjustment and prevented from vibrating when operating.

The rotation ofthe shaft 100 by means of the mechanism just described will reciprocate the shaft 73 vertically. In order to rotate the shaft 73 I provide a stud 106 mounted in a standard portion 107 of the bracket 84 upon which shaft is loosely mounted the disk 108 provided with a beveled gear 109 on its under face, which gear meshes with and is driven by a matching bevel pinion 110 disposed at right angles thereto and fast on the shaft 100.

Tothe upper face of the disk 108 and eccentrically connected thereto is a bar or link 111 which is Provided with a slot'112 engaging over the end of the shaft 73. The bar or llnk 1'11 is formed with a depending rack 113 on its under face, which rack engages with a segmental gear 114 secured to a swinging bracket 115. The swinging bracket 115 is yoke-shaped and has openings in its extremity which embrace the shaft 73. A disk 116 with an axial opening therein embraces the shaft 73 between the lugs 104 and is attached, to the shaft 73' by a set screw 117. A pin,118 in the disk extends into a slot 119 arranged vertically in the swinging bracket 115.

The relationship of the bevel pinion 110 to the bevel gear 109 is in the ratio of two to one, so that it will require two rotations of the shaft 100 and therefore two reciprocations of the shaft 73 to each rotation of the disk 108. As an alternating rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 73 by the rack be imparted to the shaft 73 an alternating rotary movement, the arc of movement being first in one direction and then in the other during the alternate up; and down stroke of the shaft. This movement of the shaft 7 3 in an up and down path and in one rotary direction and then the other, thoroughlyagitates the clothes in the tub, combining the frictional rubbing action due to the r0- tarv motion and the suction action due to the vertical reciprocation. As the rotary motion is alternately in one direction and then the other, the clothes in the tub are prevented'to a large degree from wrapping of the wrapping of the clothes about the pounder shaft and pounder for readily reversing the operation of the mechanism, so that the pounder shaft may bereadily driven in a reverse direction to disengage the clothes and to establish normal operation of the machine Without the necessity of removing the clothes from the tub-or, indeed, of even opening the machine. This reversing of the mechanism is accomplished through the reverse device for the power mechanism heretofore fully disclosed.

I am aware that the principle of the present invention may be embodied in modified forms and that details in construction and design may be changed without in the least comprising a support, a bracket attached to said support, a vertical shaft extending through said support, and 1ournaled 1n said bracket for axial and rocking movements, a,

rotary crank shaft, means operated by said crank shaft to impart axial movements to said vertical shaft, a gear element through which said vertical shaft extends, a movable bracket holding said gear element from vertical movement by said vertical shaft, means for actuating said gear element from said crank shaft, and means for rocking said vertical shaft from said movable bracket.

2. Mechanism of the character described, comprising a support, a bracket attached to said support, a vertical shaft extending through said support, and journaled in said bracket for axial and rocking, movements, a crank shaft, a crank device connecting said crank shaft with said vertical shaft for imparting axial movements to the vertical shaft by the crank shaft, a movable bracket in connection with said vertical shaft held from ver tical movement by the first-named bracket, an arm attached to the vertical shaft and actuated by said movable bracket to rock the vertical shaft, a gear element in connection with said movable bracket, a rack machine shaft by rotation of the crank shaft, a

bracket through which the vertical shaft is slidable, a gear element inconnection with said bracket, means for operating said gear element from said crank shaft, and an element attached'to the Vertical shaft and having pin-in-slot connection'with said bracket, whereby, said vertical shaft will be rocked by said bracket.

4. Operating mechanism for washing machines, comprising a support, a vertical shaft journaled in said support for axial. and rocking movements, a movable bracket in connection with said shaft, means. for holding said bracket against movement by said shaft, a crank shaft having crank connection with said vertical shaft for imparting axial movement to the vertical shaft by rotation of the crank shaft, a gear element in connection with said bracket, connections for operating the gear "element from the crank shaft, and a device connecting said bracket with said vertical shaftfor rocking said vertical shaft by movement of said bracket.

5. Mechanism of the character described, comprising a vertical shaft mounted for axial and rocking movements, a swinging bracket in connection with the'vertical shaft .having a slot therein, an element attached to the vertical shaft extending into said slot.

for rocking thevertical shaft by movement of said bracket, means holding said bracket from movement by said vertical shaft, a crank shaft operatively connected with said vertical shaft for imparting axial move ments to the vertical shaft, gearing driven by the crank shaft, a reciprocating rack actuated by said gearing, and a gear element in connection with said bracket and meshing with said rack.

In Witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SARGENT. Witnesses:

N. G. BUTLER, L. C. KINGSLAND.

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