US1768702A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet J. RAMART'IN WASHING'MAGHINE Filed April s. 1926 July 1, -1930.

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J. P. MARTIN 1,768,702

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Hummm' l l will Patented July 1, 1930 JOHN P. MARTIN, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA WASHING MACHINE l Application led April 8,

This invention relates to clothes washing machines, and more particularly to the type using a washing cone.

In my previous patents, Nos. .1,528,682 and 1,586,374-1 have disclosed a washing machine of this type wherein the clothes are received in a stationary perforated basket within the tub, and wherein the washing is effected by the vertical reciprocation of a cone, means io beingprovided wherein air pressure is built up within the cone during the downward stroke of the cone, which pressure is released atthe downwardmost limit of movement of the cone, and whereinthe arrangement is such that a suction is created on the upward movement of the cone, this suction being relieved when the cone reaches the uppermost limit of its movement.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improvement on this type of washer wherein the clothes may be more eiiiciently washed and wherein there will be less tendency for the clothes to remain packed at the bottom of the basket. Accordingto the present invention, it is proposed that the washing cone be normally stationary and that the basket be reciprocated up and down, thereby lifting the clothes toward the cone and then dropping away from the cone. Means is provided for varying the pressure inthe cone in a manner si ilar to that described in my earlier atents except that the pressure is maintained) in the stationary cone during the upward movement of the basket.` This pressure is relieved when the basket reaches its uppermost limit of'travel. On Ythe downward movement of the basket a suction ris created within the cone which tends to retard the downward movement of the clothes in the basket. This suction is relieved when the basket reaches its lowermost position. It will be seen that the varying pressure is eiective in the cone in the samewhvgcrank 9 at its manner that it is effective in my patents above referred t'o, but that an improved washing action is obtained by reason ofthe movement oi the basket toward and away from the cone. There is in this arrangementno tendency for 50 the clothes to become packed in the bottom invention;

. packin 192e. serial up. 100,654.

of the basket, and a more thorough agitation of the clothes is secured.

The invention also provides a structure', which is more simple than the structure shown in my earlierpatents and which can be more 55 cheaply manufactured.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my in*l vention,'but variouschanges andmodica- 60 tions may be made inthe structure thereof within the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 represents a section through a machine transverse vertical embodying my Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover removed; v

Figure 3 is a staggered horizontal section in the plane of line III- -III of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a detail view showing a releasable connection between the basket and the rods by means of which it is reciprocated;

Figure 5 is a detail view showing a transverse vertical section through the holding means disclosed in Figure 4 ;v and y. Figure 6 is a detail View showing a modified form of cone.

In the drawings, 2 designates a supporting frame in the upper part of which is secured a suitable tub 3. This tub is preferably cylindrical in form and has a rim 4 in its upper end. Passing through the bottom of the tub close to the side walls thereof at Vdiametric'ally opposite points are fixed tubes 5 having pack- 85 ing glands 6 at their upper ends. Passing through the tubes 5 and projecting above the 6 and extending well below the botthe tub are vertically reciprocable rods 7 These rods may be reciproeated in 90 any suitable wa As a means for reciprocating the rods 7 I iave shown a transversely extending shait 8 below the bottom of the tub opposite ends. The cranks 9 are connected with the rods 7 95 tom o V.through connecting links or rods 10. The rotation of the shaft 8 thereby serves to impart a vertically reciprocating motion to the rods 7. The lower ends of the rods 7 may be slidably received in bearings 11. y As a means for 10 I perforated on its sides and which spider rotating the shaft 8, I have shown an electric motor 12 which drives a shaft 13. The shaft 13 has a worm gear 14 thereon intermediate its ends and another worm gear 15 thereon at its outer end. The shaft 13 is at right angles to and above the shaft 8. The worm gear 14 meshes with a worm gear wheel 16 which is loose on the shaft 8. A clutch member 17 shiftable along the shaft 8 by means of a suit-l able operating lever designated 18 provides a means for connecting the driven worm gear wheel 16 with the shaft 8.

The worm gear 15 serves to drive the conventional wringer mechanism commonly employed on washing machines. This includes the shaft 19 and the wringer indicated in broken lines at20. 4

Within the tub 3 is a clothes basket 21 which is referably formed of a suitable nonrusting s eet metal and which is preferably referably as a perforated corrugated cone-sli tom 21. At diametrical points on the upper end of the basket are laterally projecting lugs 22 which have sockets 23 therein into which the up r ends of the rods 7 extend. The rods 7 may secured in the sockets 23 in any suitable way. As a means of securing this connection, I have shown the arrangement illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. In this arrangement a notch 24 is provided in the upper end of the shaft 7 near the top thereof. Passing through the lug 22 is a transversely slidable latch member 25v having a slot therein through which the rod 7 extends. A spring 26 is provided for normally urging one end of the slot in the member 25 into engagement with the notch 24 to thereby hold the basket and the rod against relative vertical movement. To disconnect the basket from the rods to permit of its being lifted out of the tub, it is merely necessary to ush in the ends of the slidable members 25 w ile at the same time lifting the basket. In placing the basket -into the tub it is only necessar that the ends of the rods 7 be aligned with t e sockets 23, after which the basket can be pushed down, the latch members 25 automatically entering into locking engagement with the rods. Removably carried in the top of the tub 3 is a spider 27. The ends of the arms of the spider are received in horizontally arranged slots`28 in the rim 4 in the to of the tub. Vertical openings 29 permit o the removal and insertion of the ends of the arms ofthe sprider into the slots 28. To remove the om the position shown in Figure 1, it is necessary to give the spider a slight rotation in one direction until the ends of the spider are in alignment with the o enings 29, whereupon the spider may be lifte vertically out of engagement with the rim 4. If so desired, a suitable latch, consisting of a vertically movable pin or the like, may be rovid in the rim, as indicated at 30. is

aped botlatch co-operates with one of the arms of the spider to prevent the rotation thereof when it is in latchingposition. This prevents the accidental removal of the spider.

In the center of the spider is an opening whose shape is similar to the shape of a key hole. Passing vertically'thrgugh this hole is a shaft 31 having a series of teeth 32 thereon projecting from one side thereof. A latch member 33 is pvotally secured to the spider at 34 and has a lug 35 which engages between the teeth 32 on the stem 31. A spring 36 is provided for urging the latch into latching position.

By reason of the arrangement herein provided, itis ssible by movement of the latch 33 a inst t e tension of the spring 36 to moveV the ug 35 out of engagement with the teeth 32, to thereby permit of the rod 31 being adjusted vertically up or down to the desired position. If there are` but few clothes to be washed, the stem 31 is set down to its lowermost limit. If there are a great many clothes in the basket, the cone may be set in the up' ermost position shown in Figure 1. It may beadjusted as desired between the upper and lowermost limits by the o eration of the latch as hereinbefore explained).

The stem 31 carries a washing cone 37 at its lower end. This cone preferably has an outer shell 38 and an inner perforate shell 39. The rod 31 is hollow and has openin at 40 which terminate above the perforate plate 39 and below the outer shell 38.

In order to obtain the most ecient wash ing action it is necessary to vary the air pressure in the cone, as hereinbefore suggested. It is desirable to force air down through the cone and maintain a ressure in the cone during the time the bas et is rising. When'the basket has reached its uppermost'limitl 1t 1s desirable that this pressure should be relieved so that when the basket starts to move down a artal vacuum condition may be establis ed in the cone. This condition exists until the basket has reached the lowermost limit of its movement. y

In order to obtain such variation of pressure in the cone, I preferably employ a pump cylinder 41 rigidly carried on cross members 42 below the tub. This cylinder is of special construction,having air escape ports 43 therein just above the lowermost limit of the travel of the piston. In the upper part of the cylinder are spaced apart ports 44 and 45, t e latter being above the former a distance ecpal at least to the thickness of the piston w ich works in the cylinder. This piston is designated 46 and is operated from a piston rod V47 enga-ging a crank 48 on the shaft 8 which reclprocates the basket. Secured to the outside of the cylinder 4l around the orts 44 and 45 is a connectiii assage 49. ading from the upper end ofthe cylinder 41'is a pipe 50 which passes 'vertically up lowermost positions. As thus arrange clothes.

. prevent the clothes from the outside of the tub, entering the tub above the watery level thereof and preferably near the top. The upper end 51 of this pipe is 'adapted to receive a quick detachable hose coupling 52 on the end of a hose 53, this hose connecting with the upper end of the hollow rod 31. i y

`With this arrangement the piston 46 will travel upward as the rods travel up. As soon as the piston has traveled past the ports 43 it will begin to compress air into the cylinder, forcing this air out of the pipe 50 through the hose 53 and down the pipe 3 1 into the cone. In Figure l of the drawings I have shown the cone in its uppermost position, but in the normal operation of themachine the cone would preferably be set down further into the basket so that its lower edge would be below the normal water level in the tub. This water level 'would preferably be below the packing glands 6. The' rising basket tends to force the clothes therein against the fixed cone, thereb forcing the water through the This action is improved by the forcing of air into the cone by the pump. W'hen the piston nears the upper limit of its travel, it will move past the ports 44 while the ports will remain uncovered. The pressure which is accumulated in the cylinder and in the pipe and in the cone may then be relieved by reason of the air passing around the piston through the ports 45 and 44 to the atmosphere, the spacing between these ports being greater than the thickness of the piston.

When this occurs both the basket and the piston will be at the upper limits of their travel. When the piston starts down, at which time the basket also starts down, the piston will move below the ports 44 and thereafter tend to create'a suction in the cylinder. This suction will continue until the piston moves past the ports 43, when air from the atmosphere may then enter the cylinder through the ports 43 and relieve the suction. At this time the piston, as well as the basket, will be indtheir t e piston notonly acts with the cylinder as a compressor, but also constitutes a valve means for restoring atmospheric pressure in the cone at predetermined intervals.

When the basket is moving\down the suction maintained in the washing cone will tend to hold the clothes in suspension until the suction in the cone isreleased. This serves to becoming packed in the basket, so that a more thorough agitation and circulation of water through the clothes is secured.

The machine ma be provided with a removable cover 54 which is preferably formed of sheet metal, and which may be set onto the rim 4 in the top of the tub. This cover when in place serves to conceal the hollow rod 31 .and the hose coupling, and to close the machine. The cover, however, may be removed,

*placed and the hose connection made at'52.

the machine with water/the,

ried.l This check valve has a limited vertical movement in the stem, being confined by a cross pin or other suitable stop element 59.

The cup shown in Figure 6 can be* substituted for the cup 4shown in Figure l, in which case the compression cylinder 4l and the piston, as well as the pipe 50 and the hose 53, are not required. The clothes are forced against the cone on the upward movement of the bas ket, tending lto force the air outv of the cone through the ball valve 56. Vhen the basket starts to move down, the clothes will tend to move away from the cone, creating a suctionv therein which holds the ball valve 56 on its s'eat and prevents the entrance of air into the cylinder. Vhile this arrangement materially simplifies the operation of the machine, it is not possible to obtain the same pressure conditions under the cone that vcan be obtained with the pump. The blowing of air through the cone by means of the pump not only is desirable for the reason that it gives a more thorough agitation, but it also serves to aerate the clothes while they are being washed. A

A drain pipe 60 may the bot-tomof the tub.

The machine as herein described is relatively simple and can be cheaply manufactured.

The washing action of the machine is materially improved reciprocable movement of the perforated basket Wliereby-wateris forced through the bottom and sides of the basket. The oper ation is alsoniaterially improved over those machines having cones which reciprocate vertically, because the clothes are not only lifted away from the bottom of the basket by reason of the water passing through the bottom of the basket when downwardly, but also the clothes are ke t be suitably located from packing onthe bottom by means of t e clothes is secured, there are no moving parts the basket is moved lll() by reason of the vertically s which can contact with the clothes to cause injury thereto.

In operating the maehine,` the cover 54 is removed, after which the spider 27 can be taken out of the top of the tub. Vhen the spider 27 is lifted 'out the cone will, of course, be taken out with it, thereby permitting the clothes to be placed in the basket. The spider with the washing cone is then re- Upon filling motor may be started to operate the basket.

In its operation, airis pumped into and drawn out ofthe cone in a most effective manner without the cone ever being above the water line in the tub, whereas in most machines of the cone type air can only be .su plied to the cone when the cone raises entire y above the water level.

I claim: l

1. A washing machine including a tub, a basket in the tub, a frame for supporting the tub, means below the tub and passing through the bottom of the tub for reciprocating the basket vertically, a washing cone removably carried in the top of the tub above the bottom of the basket, a pump below the tub, and a pipe through which air pressures from the pump are communicated to the cone.

2. A washing machine including a tub, a basket in the tub, a frame for supporting the tub, means below the tub and passing through the bottom of the tub for reciprocating the basket vertically, a washing cone removably carried inthe top of the tub above the bottom of the basket, a pump below the tub, and a pipe-including a detachable hose for communicating pressures in vthe pump to the cone. y y s 3. A washing machine including a tub, a basket in the tub, a frame for supporting the tub, means below the tub and passing through the bottom of the tub for reciprocating the basket vertically, a washing cone removably carried in the top of the tub above the bottom of the basket, an air pump connected with the basketreciprocating mecl1anism to operate simultaneously therewith, and a connection through which air may flow between the washing cone and the pump. I 4. A washing machine including a tub, a frame `for supporting the tub, a basket in the tub, rods at each side of the basket for reciprocating the basket, power driven means `below the tub for reciprocating the rods, a

removable cone in the top of the tub above the bottom of the basket, a pump below the tub communicating with the cone, said pump having piston-controlled air escape ports therein at its upper and lowermost limits, and means for operating the pump simultaneously with the reciprocation o the said 50 rods.

5. A washing machine including a tub, a vertically reciprocable basket within the tub, means for reciprocating the basket, a supporting element removably carried in the top of the tub, a washing e ement depending from the supporting element, a pipe communicating with the washing element, a flexible hose communicating with the pipe, and

means below the tub with which the hose conp nects for varying the air pressure within the washing element.

6. A washing machine including a tub, a vertically reciprocable basket within the tub, means below the tub for reciprocating the basket, a removable supporting member carried in the'top of the tub above the basket, a hollow stem passing through the supporting member, a washing cone carried on the lower end of the stem, a flexible air conduit connected with the upper end of the stem, a cover member supported on the top of the tub extending up over the top of said stem,

and a variable pressure source with which .member supported on the top of the tub extending up over the top of said stem, and a variab e pressure source with which the ilexible air conduit is detachably connected, said stem being vertically adjustable in the sup- 4porting member.

8. A washing machine including a fixed tub, a vertically reciprocable basket within the tub, means below the tub for imparting a vertically reciprocable movement to the basket, a washing cone in the tub above the bottom of the basket, a pump below the tub including a cylinder and a piston, said cylinder having ports therein arranged to be opened and closed by the movement 0f the piston, a pipe for communicating pressures in the cylinder to the washing` cone, and means for reciprocating the piston in unison with the basket, whereby it moves up when the basket moves up and moves down when the basket moves down, said ports in the cylinder being arranged to effect an increase in pressure in the cone when the piston is moving upwardly and to effect a decrease in pressure in the cone when the piston is moving downwardly.

9. In a washin machine, a tub, a vertically reciprocable per orate clothes basket within the tub, means for reciprocating the basket,.

a washing cone removably carried in the basket above the uppermost limit of movement of the bottom of the basket, a fluid lpassage leading from the interior of the cone and open to the atmosphere, and means operated by said basket reciprocating means for closin the passage on the downward movement 0 the basket to create a suction in the cone, and means for opening the passage to communicate with the atmosphere at the upper and lower limits of the movement of the basket. In testimony whereoil have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN P. MARTIN.

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