US1782684A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

.,Nv. 25, 1930. G. M, GmsoNk 1,782,684

WASHING MACHINE FiledAug. e, 1928 Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE- GEORGE M. GIBSON, OF PELLA, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T WOODROW WASHING MACIIINE COMPANY, OF PELLArI-OWA, A CORPORATION IOWA l WASHING MACHINE Application filed August 6, 1928. Serial No. 297,825.

rlhis inventionfrelates to washing machines of that type having an agitator shaft -projecting upwardly through the bottom of the tub and lprovided with an agitator on its upper end and Within said tub and adapted to operate adjacent to the bottom of the tub.

In this type of Washing machine the natural tendency of the clothes being washed is to gather and bunch in the center of the tub above the agitator, and they often become tangled in the agitator, causing the clothes to become tangled and hard to remove. In Washing machines of this type the agitator is usually provided with a large hub flange or disk which is set in a recess in the bottom of the tub. This is an expensive construction and is undesirable on account of dirt and lint collecting in the recess, and considerable dilieulty is experienced in packing the agitator a0 shaft.

It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a washing machine of simple, durable and inexpensive constru-ction of the type employing a reciprocating rotary agitator located nea-r the bottom of the tub, said agitator being located and constructed so that an increased agitation of the clothes is made possible, and at the same time causing them to be separated and distributed quite uniformly Within the Water in the tub, and eliminating to a large extent the tendency of the clothes to collect or bunch at the center of the tub.

A further object is to provide in a Washing machine of the type above described anv improved agitator whereby the tendency of the clothes to collect or twist about the agitator is reduced.

A further object is to provide in a washing machine of the type.v above described. im-

proved means for detacllably and operatively connecting the agitator with the agitator shaft.

A further object is to provide improved means for packing the agitator shaft.

A further object is to provide an agitator so .constructed that it maybe used in connection With a flat bottom washing machine..

' My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter-more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1 f -v f,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional ,view. Figure 2 is a sectional viewtaken'on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. y Y Figure 3 is an enlarged'` detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.l v.

My improved Washing machine comprises a tub 10, preferably of cylindrical formation, and having a bottom 11 and a top 12. The top is provided with an opening 13 through which the clothes are placedin the washing ma` A cover 14: is provided for said'op'enchine. ins.

15, the lower ends of which are secured to a -horizontalplatform 16 on which an electric motor 17 is mounted. i The gear casing 18 isk secured beneath the bottom of the tubl and provided with a vertically `arranged agita- .tor shaft 19 which extends upwardly through the bottom of the tub. l The bottom of the tub 11 is provided with an opening 20 placed a considerable distance from the center of the bottom of the tub, and;

provided with a packing gland 21 through which the shaft 19 extends. Said gland comprises a conical shell 22 which projects up- Wardly into the washing machine tub, and has a flange 23 at its lower end. A screw threaded plug or'bushing 24' is provided for increasing the pressure ou the packing'withm the gland 21. The -packingchamber is comparatively largev to hold a large amount of packing material, thereby providlng means whereby a water tight joint will be lnsured without excessive pressure on the packing material. The conical' shaped member extends upwardly inl'o the tub a conslderable distance ,which helps to decrease the Water pressure 'on'the packing.

An annular plate 25 is secured to the upper surface of the bottom 11 and surrounding the opening 20. Said annular plate, the bottom 11 and the flange 23 are secured together by means of bolts or rivets 26. Theupper and The tub 10 is supported suitable legs 'lhe upper' end of the shaft 19 is provided with a triangularly shaped block 2T fixed to said shaft a,slight distance below the upper end, and is designed to support and Operate the agitator` 2S, which comprises a hollow hub portion 29 which has the form of a truncated, three-'sided prism, the lower end of which terminates in a flange or disk 30 designed to be supported above the plate 25, and has its outer edge turned downwardly over the edge of said plate.

The upper end of the hub 29 is provided with an opening 31 for receiving the upper end of the shaft 19, while the hub 29 is designed to rest on the block 27 which provides means for imparting motion to said hub, and at the same time permits the hub to be easily and quickly removed by simply grasping and elevating the same. y

The corners of the hub 29 are provide with agitator blades 32 and 33, the blades 32 being of the same length, while the blade 33 is considerably longer. The blades 32 are considerably wider vertically than the blade 33, and the blade 33 is set at a nearer vertical angle than the blades 32. The lower edge of the blade 33 is cut away so that there is a greater distance between the lower edge of the blade 33 and the bottom of the tub than the distance between the lower edge of the blades 32 and the bottom of the tub.

It will be seen that the agitator is supported eceentrically within the tub with the blades 32 supported in the smaller space between the the shaft and the side of the tub, while the blade 33 is supported in the larger space, as clearly shown in Figure 2, when the agitator is in the position of its half stroke.

The shaft 19 is actuated by means of an arm 34 securred to the lower end of said shaft. and operatively connected with a crank gear 35 by means of a link 36. Said gear 35 is actuated through a gear 37, the clutch device 38 and a worm gear 39, said gear 39 being operated b v a` worm 4() supported on the shaft 41. which in turn is actated by means of a belt 42 driven by the motor 17. By this arrangement it will be seen that an oscillatory rotary movement will be imparted to the. agitator as the motor 1T is operated.

The height of the agitator is usually about half the depth of the tub` and the tub is filled with water with the water line slightly over three-fourths the distance from the top io the bottom. The agitator is operated comparatively rapidly, about seventy-seven strokes per minute, which produces a large amount of agitation in the water, the water being so agitated as to cause the clothes to be tditributed quite uniformly throughout the u It will readily be seen that as the agitator 1s oscillated. the water will have a tendency r to move radially outwardly from the ends of the blades, causing a partial vacuum to be created near the center of the agitator, whicH causes the clothes to move toward the center of the agitator. This causes a large amount of diiiiculty when the agitator shaft is placed n alinement with the vertical center' of the tub. The'clothes usually collect and tangle about the agitator.

This diliiculty is largely overcome with my device by placing the center of the agitator shaft to one side of the tub and providing short blades 32 and a longer blade 33 mounted as above described.

In operating the machine with comparatively few or no clothes in the water, a whirlpool will be established at the point A, which is the vertical center of the tub. In

this respect my agitator operates subst-antialblade 33 has a tendency to move the water at a higher velocity than the blades 32.

The natural tendency ofthe water is to move outwardly along the bottom of the tub and upwardly along its vertical sides and inwardly over the top, thence downwardly at the point A causing the whirlpool above referred to.

On account of the agitator having a tendency7 to create a vacuum above the center of the hub 29, and on account of the outer end of the blade 33 having a tendency to create a vacuum back of the outer end of the blade, it will be seen that two separate vacuum points are thus established and clothes moving into the whirlpool A will be separated and spread as they travel to the two vacuum centers, part of the clothes moving toward the point B, while the other part moves toward the center ofthe agitator. This results in the clothes being distributed quite uniformly and evenly through the tub. and at the same time are continuously moved about.

Because of the oscillatory movement of the agitator, the cycle oi' operation above described is not continuous, but the clothes move in a more or less intermittent manner and a rc oscillated in ,a horizontal plane as well as travel in paths established in a vertical and radial plane.

On account of the outer end of the blade 33 being higher than the outer ends of the blades 32, the tendency toward the water in the bottom of the tub to synchronously follow the oscillatory movement of the blades 32 is largely eliminated, due to the fact that the izo outer end ofthe bladeisoperating in a plane above the plane in `which the ,blades 32 open' ate. and diie to the fact that the moveiii'ent of.

vation than that above the blades 32, in theV manner as illustrated in Figure l.`

By this arrangement, the clothes are not` only agitated in a horizontal oscillatory path,

but they arealso agitated in a vertical oscil-l latory path.

The tendency of the outer end of the blad'e 33 to create a vacuum of a comparatively highdegree, greatly assist-s iii preventing the buncliing of the clothes at theceiiter of the agitator by forming outward currents of Water from the center of the agitatorto the ends of the blades, the radial velocit. of

which, is in excess of the radial velocity rom' the blades 32. Y Y j It `Will readily be seen that ifaportioiiof the clothes are separated and movedfto the' outer end of the blade 33, thenjtlie othei1 portionWill be moved to the outer .endqpof .the blades 32, instead of bunching and collecting in the center of the top of the agitator, which has heretofore resulted. when the agitator is located in the center of the tub with the blades of uniform length and Width.

By providing the annular plate 25 and turning the outer end of the plate downvardly over the edge of the plate, I have provided an agitator which may be placed above a flat bottom tub Without any danger.

ofthe clothes gathering or beconiing entangled between the bottom of the tub and the-agitator, and without having to form a depression in the. bottom of the tub to receive the flange, as has hcretoforebeenthe practice.

By this construction, I am enabled to forni a hub flange ofcomparatively small diameter instead of making the flangeof a diaineter substantially equal to twice the length of the blades. Y

ly providing the triangularly shaped block Q7 and inclining` the walls of the hnlil), I

4have provided meansl whereby the agitator may be easily and quickly removed or replaced without thcusc of set screws or the like, and at the saine time tirinly and rigidly supports the agitator in position.

On account of the blade lil being longer than the blades 32, it will readily be seen that it necessary to place the agitator in proper relation with the shaft 19. This I have accomplished by mounting the block 27 slightly olf of its center on the shaft 19, and inak` ing thesaid ,block 2T with' tivo. of .its laces larger than its third face, and :forming the hub 29 to Vtitfthe same.'f .A l:

.Thus it ..\vill be seen that- I have yprovided a Washing,machineotsimple, durable and. in# expensive construction, vvhich is capable of rapidly ,Washing the clothes, onwaccount of.`

excessive agitation produced-iii the ".itci, and..

on account of its ability Vto separate 'the clotliesja-nd distribute them.-througliout thc tub, so that .a maximum amountozfvivatciivill at all times be forced andcirculated .through the clothes. i

I claimas my invention y:

1. A Washiiigvmachine compr-isinga tub, airagitator adapted to oscillate abovela .ver-

ticalaxis mounted eccentrica-lly .within said tub, said agitator comprisirigaliub portion having radial upright blades, y one said blades being longer than the others, -and means for imparting oscillatoryrotary movcf nient to said agitator.

2. In combination, av-ivashiiiig machine, a.

tub, va vertical agitator shaftfi-niounted ecfl centrically `within said tub,-an agitatorhaving a comparatively large hubportion detachably and operatively connected tothe-upper end of said shaft, said-hub liaviiigradial 'upf' right.` blades, one of which is narrower and, longer than the others' and designed to oscillatein a larger space between the sides of sa-id tub 'and said hub portion, andnieans-for ini-- parting rotary oscillatory movement,A .to said shaft. 1 4 J 3. In a Washing machine,.aii agitator. provided'with a hub portion having the Aforni ot-v a hollow, three-sided truncated i -prism,.thefv vertical corners of said radial agitator blades.

prism terminating iii 4. In a washing machine, 'ani agitator provided with a hub portion having the form ofa liollow,threesided truncated prism, 'the verj tical corners of said prism terminating iii radial agitator blades,one ofsaid blades .being longer than the others with itsonter end designed to operate in a horizontal planeabove the upper ends of the other-blades.-

' 5. In a washing inacli1ne, an agitatorprovided with a hub portion having'the form of a hollow, threesidedtruncated prism, 'the vertical corners of said prism terminating in radial agitator blades, the lower end of said hub portion terminating ina disk oi-flaiigo having itsperiplieral edge bent down wa'rdly to forni an annular flange. 1 v

(i.` In combination, a washingmachinc-tub having'abottom and sides` the` bottom being provided with an eccentrically arranged opening, an annular plate on the 'upper face-ol' said bottonisurrounding said opening, a packing gland supported withiiiisaid opening, aii'oscilla'tory shaft supported in saidA packing gl-and having one end extending u i into'sa'id Washing machine, the upperend o saidsliaft being provided with a "triangularly shaped ies - having a bottom and sides, the vbottom being provided with an eccentrically arranged opening, an annular plate on the upper face of said bottom surrounding said'opening, a packing lg and supported withinsaid opening, an oscillatory shaft supported in said packing gland having one end extending up into said washing machine, the upper end of said shaft being provided with a triangularly shaped block having the form of a. truncated prism, an agitator hub having the form of a hollow truncated prism designed to be supported over said block, the lower end of said hub portion terminating in a fiange or disk having its peripheral edge turned downwardly over the edge of said annular plate, the vertical corners of said agitator terniinating in radial blades, one of said blades being longer and of a higher. elevation than the others. p

8. A washing machine comprising a tub, an agitator adapted to oscillate about a vertical axis mounted eccentrically within said tub, saidagitator comprising a hub portion having radial upright blades, the area of the active faces of some of said blades being greater than the areal of the others, and means for imparting oscillatory rotary movement to said agitator.

9. In combination, a. washing machine tub having a bottom and sides, the bottom being provided with an eccentrically arranged opening. an annular plate on the upper face of said bottom surrounding said opening, a packinggland supported within said opening. an oscillator shaft supported in said packing gland having one end extending up into said washing machine, the upper end of said shaft being provided with a triangularly shaped block having the form of a truncated prism, an agitator hub having tbc form of a hollow truncated prism designed to be supported over lsaid block. the lower end of said hub portion terminating in a iangc or disk having its peripheral edge turned downardly over tbe edge of said annular plate, the vertical corners of said agitator termiuat ing in radial blades. V

lt). In combination, a washing machine tub having a bottom and sides, the bottom being provided with an eccentrically ar` ranged opening, an annular plate over the upper face of said bottom surrounding said opening, a packing gland supported within said opening, an oscillatory shaft supported in said packing gland having one end extending upwardly into said washing machine, an agitator hub supported on the upper end of said shaft, the lower end of said hub terminating in a tiange or disk having its peripheral edge turned downwardly over the edge of said annular plate.

11. In combination, a washing machine tub having a bottom and sides, the bottom being provided` with an eccentrically .arranged opening, an annular plate over the upper face of said bottom surrounding said opening, a packing gland supported within said opening, an oscillatory shaft supported in said plate over the upper surface of said bottom surrounding said opening, a packing gland supported within said opening, an oscillatory shaft supported in said packing gland having one end extending upwardly into said washing machine, and an agitator hub supported on the upper end of said shaft, the lower end of said hub terminating in a flange or disk having its peripheral edge turned downwardly over thev edge of said annular plate.

13. In combination, a washing machine tub having a comparatively thin bottom and an opening therein, an annular flange adjacent to one side of said bottom and surround- Y ing said opening, a packing gland supported within said opening having a flange to engage the other side of said bottom, an annular packing between one of said flanges and said bottom, bolts for securing said ianges, packing and bottom members together, and an oscillatory shaft supported in said packing gland having one end extending upwardly into said washing machine.

Des Moines, Iowa, July 13, 1928.

GEORGE M. GIBSON.

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