US1772094A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1930. A. w. ALToRFl-:R

WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1927 llmz'rma.-

Y ...im 9

Patented Aug. 5,v 1930 y 1,772,094.

UNITED STATES PATENTy OFFICE ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, OF PEOBIA, ASSIGNOR T ALTORFEB BROS. COH- i Pm, 0l' EAST PEOBIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS wasnnre mesma Application med December 8, 1927. Serial ll'o. 238,552.

This invention has reference to washing The tub lis here shown of the conventional machines and it has for its principal ob'ect square type having preferably a substanto improve the agitator structure thereo in tially iiat bottom 2 throughout its area above the provision of a'novel driving connection which is supported to be oscillated an a 5 between the agitator and agitator operating tator or washing element The iiat bottom 55 .l

shaft; in the provision of a novel manner o 2 1s shouldered at 4, forming an annular oisulpporting the agitator in its relation to the set, with the portion 2 of the bottom slightly tu bottom; in the provision of anovel means depressed, and from such shouldered portion to prevent clothing and other material from the bottom slopes upward] into the sides of entering under the edge of the agitator, likethe tub. I have shown the bottom 2 provided Wise dirt and other foreign matter, and in with an opening 5 through which passes av theprovision of a novel driving means for yjournal bearing 6 vfor a verticall disposed the a 'tator operating shaft. shaft. In Fig. 2 this opening is axially of the rther object of the invention is to protub, while in Fig. 4 this opening is off-set vide an agitator operating shaft having a from the axis of the tub. In Fig. 2 the jour 65 preferably oating upper end below the nornal bearing 6 is a stem extension from a vermal water level in the tub; such iioating end tically u standing stem 7, while in Fig. 4 the of said'shaft facilitating the easy and conjournal earing is an extension from a gear venient connection of the agitatorgwith said casing section 8 adapted: to be coupled to the shaft. base of said stem 7. In each instance suitable A still further object ofthe invention is to packing is shown over and underlying the provide a verticali disposed tubular stem ottom 2 and surrounding the extension 6 to orming a housing or the agitator operating prevent leakage, a nut 9 having a threaded shaft and a. bearing means for an upstanding connection with said extension to firmly se- 75 sleeveV of the agitator; said stemA having a cure the parts inplace.

bearing support at its base, which provides a "The stem 7 extends to a Point in the tub support for and on which the agitator roabove the normal water leve therein, is open tates. at its upper end and formed or provided in- Other and further objects will morefully teriorly at or near this point with a bearing appear from the following description. surface 10. At "its lower end said stem lis 8 That the invention may be more fully unformed or` provided with a stepped base 11 derstood, reference is had to the accompanywhich provldes a bearing support on which is ing drawings forming part of this descripsupported and rotates the agitator 3. This tion, illustrating a preferred embodiment of stem 7 serves as a housing in which oscillates the invention, in which the upstanding agitator operating shaft' 12, 85

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a washing machine which, in Fig. 2 passes up through and has a tub with my improved agitator mechanism journal bearing in the extension 6 of the stem therein; l and the base thereof, while in Fig. 4 it passes Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through throu h and has a journal bearing relation tub and agitator mechanism; in the ase of the stem and terminates there- 9 Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, showing beneath without passino' through and out of the stem and bearing'support thereon for the the bottom 2 of thetu as in Fig. 2.` The agitator and the associated agitator operatupper end of the shaft 12, in each instance, in shaft, and terminates short of the stem end having the ig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. bearing surface 10 and therefore below the 95 2, except that the oifset driving shaft and the normal water level in the tub and preferably ring to the agitator operating shaft are has, what is termed a floating position in the sgilwn. u per ortinof said stem '7, and is easily Like characters of reference denote correa 'gnab e with the vertically extended sleeve' 5 sponding parts throughout the figures. f 13 of the agitator when seating the same for 19 15 diately above -t -or in several pieces and welded or otherwise' connected. Said agitator comprises a preferably disc-like member 3, which, when it is in operative osition in the tub lies immee bottom portion 2 and is formed or provided with a radially arranged annular flange 14, whereby to form, together with the base of the disc a structure complementary to the shoulder 4 in the tub bottom,

l whereby to prevent clothing and other mates rials from getting under the agitator and to prevent dirt and other foreign matterl from also getting under said agitator. Disposed radially and upstanding from the surface of the disc and terminating in its base and said sleeve are a plurality of baies, wings or agitating vanes 15, common in structure of like character. The sleeve 13 extends downwardly to .a point below the top surfaces of the 3o baiiies 15 and is provided interiorly at or near its lower terminal 4with an externally disposed bearing surface 16 rotatable on the lower surface of the sleeve' 7, while the u per end of said sleeve 13 normally extends a ove $5 the end of the stem 7, at which point it is formed or provided with an inturned downwardly extending bearing member 17, overlying the upper end of the stem and terminating downwardly in the stem 7 below its upper end and below the normal water level in uthe tub. The member 17 rotates on the bearing surface 10 within the stem 7. and the lower end of said member 17 is formed or provided with a socket or opening 18 which preferably conforms to the shape of the end portion 12 of the shaft 12, whereby a slip on v and off connectionmay vbe had between the sleeve 13 and the shaft 12 to transmit movement from said shaft to the agitator and its sleeve. The floating of the` upper ,end of the Y shaft 12 facilitating the easy and convenient attachment of the part 17 of the sleeve 13 l with the upper end of the shaft 12, as such floatin` end will allow the shaft to be easily 55 aligned with the part 17 of the sleeve 13. As shown, the stem 7 forms a housing for the shaft l2 said stem and its base only at the latter point, being allowed to float at -its upper end and the mturned portion of thesleeve 13 has a bearing relation at its upper end interiorly of the stem 7 and externally of the stem at its lower end; the said sleeve, however, being supported on and by the stem 7 only at its lower end and then by the base 11, as will be understood.

` bearing which has a journal bearing withl rIhe agitator operating shaft 12, as shown in Fig. 2, would have its operative connection with its driving means below the tub bottom, whereas, as shown in Fig. 4 this operative connection is above the tub bottom and beneath and confined within the agitator. As thus arranged the base of the stem 7 is coupled or secured to the gear housing section 8, which, in addition to having a connection with the bottom 2 of the tub through and by means of the extension 6, may be secured to aid bottom in any other suitable manner and niennytheagitator operating shaft 12 does not extend downwardly or upwardly through the bottom of the tub, but terminates in the casing 8 and has connected thereto a gear wheel 19 in mesh with and` adapted to receive its power from a gear pinion 20 on the upper end of a driving shaft 21 having a journal in the base of the stem 7 and being olf-set with respect to the axis of the tub 1 passes down through (or up through, as the case may be) and has a journal bearing in the extension 6, its lower end having a driving connection anism, not shown. This arrangement of drive to the agitator operating shaft will allow `for a different ratio of speeds from the driving shaft to the agitator operating shaft, or a uniform speed therebetween, as may be desired. Also, the use of vsuch gearing, to permit a different ratio of speeds between the driving and agitator shafts will eliminate many of the elements ordinarily included in the usual and customary transmission gearing. It is also obvious that by this arrangement'the gearing is fully protected against water entering thehousing, does not interfere with the agitator and provision is made to prevent leakagev around the sleeve 6, both in the form shown in Fig. 4, as well as in Fig. 2.

Furthermore the sleeve of the agitator is above the normal water level in the tub, so that the coupling between said sleeve and the upper-end of the shaft 12, even though posi.- tioned below such normal water level is protected against leakage or overflow into the stem 7.

What l claim is:

In a washing machine, in combination, a tub, a tubular stem having a journal bearing in the bottom of the tub and extending to a point above the normal water level in the tub and provided with an interiorly arranged with any suitable driving mech` suitable means. Also in this arrangebearing surface at its upper end and with aring surface at extending u into the throng its .low-

driving floating an exteriorly arran ed its lower end, a sha stem and having a bearing er end and terminating in a upstanding sleeve having a bearing on the exteriorly arranged bearing surface on the lowend within the stem below the normal water level in the tub and an agitator including an er end of the stem and provided with an inwardly dependin bearing member at its lipper end having a earing relation with the exteriorly arranged bearing surface at the u per end of the stem, and the terminal of sald bearing member adapted to have a slip on and off driving connection with the driving end of said shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto afm fixe? my hand this 2nd day of December,

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER.

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