US1834133A - Driving mechanism for washing machines - Google Patents

Description

D331, 1931. MELSQN 1,334,133

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Feb. 6. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l o 33 v FIE-1 Arrunmsavs J- NELSON DRIVING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Dec. 1, 1931 Filed Feb. 6, 1926 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E v N n D T T A v. E 7 a M 994- 4 I 8 W a 4 4 WWW 4 rumbm side of the washing machine cover and bein dolly,

Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN NELSON, OF NEWTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR 'IO AUTOMATIC WASHER COMPANY, OF

NEWNN, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE DRIY'IN G MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Application filed February 6, 1926. Serial No. 86,382.

This invention relates to driving mechanism for washing machines. I

One of the objects of the invention is to provide driving mechanism for washing machines permitting the movement of the dolly without the positioning of the driving means therefor upon the upper side of the lid.

Another object is 1n the provision of driving means for a dolly type of washing machine, said driving means and clutching mechanism therefor being mounted entirely beneath the lid and top of the washer.

Still another object is the provision of a dolly type of washin machine, wherein the driving mechanism t erefor is of the rack and gear type, said mechanism being fashioned in a manner to permit mounting thereof beneath the top of the washer, and still permitting o tional raising and lowering of the lid to acilitate entry and removal of materials to be washed.

A further object lies in the provision of a particularly fashioned spring tensioned rack, the same being mounted upon the under adapted to engage the driving gears for the dolly, the same being attached to a lid member ca able of being raised or lowered as desire A still further object is to provide driving means for a dolly type of washing machine, said driving means including a spring tensioned rack member fashioned for relative engagement with gear mechanism for the the same being positioned upon the pivoted lid portion.

Other objects will appear in the followin specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partially in section, showing in general the mounting of the driving mechanism herein in connection with the dolly;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, from above, portions thereof being shown in section, of the driving mechanism for the dolly;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 0 Fig. 2;

in Fig. 1 a general view of the driving mechanism in connection with the dolly, wherein it may be observed that the cover and lid portion of the washing machine tub carries none of the driving elements which are so common to the conventional type of washer.

Referring more particularly to the mechanism, there is shown at 10 the well known tub portion. This tub 10 is suitably attached to a steel base 11, to which is secured a supporting frame 12, carrying the power means, namely, the electric motor 13. The four legs 14 support the tub and frame in the conventional manner. The supporting frame 12 similarly provides the means for locating in a fixed manner thereon a gear casing 15, said gear casing extending upwardly't-herefrom to provide a housing 16 for the main drive shaft 17. Power is transmitted to the main drive shaft 17 through a belt connection 18, belt g wheel 19, worm 20 and worm gear 21.

Upon the edges-of the tub 10 is placed a cast aluminum cover 22, which is shown perhaps most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This cover is raised, as shown in Fig. 1;, above the upper end of the main drive shaft 17, and as has been stated before, covers the driving mechanism for the doll which in the present instance is located eneath the cover and lid in an unexposed position, and with the novel result of having a dolly type of washer with a cover portion therefor that g has none of the driving elements thereabove.

Attached to the upper end of the drive shaft 17 is a crank '23, with a pin 24 thereon having pivotal engagement with a pitman 25, the same having pivotal connection 26 with a raised pin 27 on a rack 28.

Before describing in detail the remaining driving mechanism, it might be stated that a second crank 29 provides the driving means for the wringer mechanism through the following portions: The wringer drive shaft 30 is keyed, as at 31, within the crank 29, which is supported in a bearing 32 positioned in tho housing 33 for the wringer drive mechanism.

This

, 34,'the same providing the driving means for L gages a conformin' a power roll 35 of a wringer design shown at 36, .Returning inlg mechanism, and specifically to the rack w ich was designated as 28, we find that this rack is carried'in a frame 37, there being pro vided in said frame a guideway 38', which en- 'groove upon the under side of the rack. cover member 39 holds the rack in place in vtheframe 3,7. The pin 27 moves in a slot in the covermember 39.

Referring est showin of the frame '37, we find such frame for t e rack pivoted at 40 to the cover 22. The opposite end of the frame 37 has a pivotal connection 41 with an arm 42, said arm having a spring tensioned connection 43' with a crank member 44, adaptedto be manually 0 rated bya conventional handle 45 pivotal V ment of which is'limited by the stops 46 and 47. The spring tensioned connection referred to 5 ofthe drawings, compression sprin slidably related cy result that a. tensioned relationing between the crankarm and respective of the osition of the frame, the same bein contro ed obviously by the movement of the, handle 45to either of the positions designated by the stops 46 and 47 In Fig. 4 of the drawings, there is shown an enlarged detail of means for holding the frame 37 to a shelf 51 cast integrally with '48 is contained within the aluminum cover. -The'nieans above referred to includes the screw 51a threaded into the guideway 38 and having a tensioned frictional connection through the spring 52 pressing on the washer 52a which engages the shelf 51. It is apparent from this view that lateral movementof the/frame may be effected through an aperture 53 therein provided for the purpose. The movement of the frame referred v by means ,ofthe handle member, and said movement of the frame which carries the rack likewise causes movement of said rack to and from the. at drive mechanism 'for the dolly later to described.

Another tensioning means for the rack, and morefparticularly,theframe thereof, is provided'by the coil spring 54, suitably 10 cated in a projection 55 cast integrally with the cover22. I i

Referring now to Fig. 2, for perhaps'the clearest disclosure of the gear drive for the dolly, we find an intermediate gear 56 pivoted rotatably in the bearing 57 secured in the lid 58. This intermediate gear is adapted to mesh with the before mentioned rack, said.

a -s sawthat: conventional gearing referred to generally as of convent-ional-.

to the description of the'driv-- sarily be screwed thereon,

to Fig.2'for perhaps the clearnated at 67, the same y mounted inthe cover'22, the move-' therewith. "Obviously, the lid 58 has' two" generally-as 43 is shown in detail in Fig, wherein we find that a 'nders 49 and 50 with the the frame is provided irto above "is obviously accomplished space below it gear the-pinion 59,-iwhich in turn has mounted thereinthe shaft 60, the same providing the final connecting drive means (for m son-yer. I 7

To facilitate location of the intermediate gear 56 in the same plane as the rack bar, the lid is cast in such manner that a supplemental cover'or. lid portion 62must necesin order that the ripper side of the lid ma be fiat,

1g. 1. The-lid 5 8, as s own. in Fig. 3, does not com rise the entire top of the washer, the tub ing artly covered by'the overlyin edges 0 t e cover 22.

T e lid 58 is pivoted to the cover 22 in the followin manner, the same being shown in detailin ig. 2. A hearing cap 63 is'secured to the cover 22, the same 64 threaded therein. j The journal of the lid hinge bearing is at 66. The actual hinge for the lid is desigbeing cast integrally hinges,'but in view of their similarit only one has been described. The other hinge is gear56 b spacing the rack from the gear.'

In view 0 the fact that the lid must be raised and lowered, there must be some means to prevent movement of the rack to such a position as to cause unnatural en agement of the rack with the gear in case t e lid should be .raised or lowered while the rack is in motion.

A knob or fastener 69 insures locking of the lid member 58 with the cover 22. A supplemental lid portion has been described as 62, but as a matter of fact, this ortion is actually a part of the lid 58, and t ere is a second supplemental lid 70, which is pivoted at 71 to the lid 58 as wellv as an opposed point, not shown, said supplemental lid providing a covering for the rack and adjacent rtion of the intermediate gear which may t: raised, as desired, forthe purpose of viewing the driving mechanism. The pivot 71 is located at leastas high as the hinge 67 and the lid 70 extends upwardlyifrom the pivot a slight distance, as shown inFig. 3, soas to leave a for the hinge. When the lid 58 is in a lowered position, this supplemental lid 70 lies in the same plane as the lid and conforms to the entire top of the washingmachine, as shown in Fig. 1.

With respect to the operation of the washing machine and the included driving mechanismfor the dolly, we find that the pltman 25, driven bythe maindrive shaft 17, actuates the rack 28, in 'areciprocatory manner, with as shown in shownat and the lock nut 1 having a set. screw the result that the intermediate gear 56 is rotated, as well as the pinion 59, which supports the dolly shaft 60. Means for unclutching the rack from the intermediate gear is provided in the above described frame ortion 37 and crank 0 erated handle mem- Eer 47, which moves th quently the rack, into and out of engagement with said gear. A spring tensioned relationship between the rack and intermediate gear to permit a quietly running driving mechanism isprovided by the use of the coil spring 54, which applies, at all times, a tension upon the frame portion in a' manner to normally;

hold-the frame and rack in engagement wit the intermediate gear, and also the compression spring mounting between the frame por-, tion 37 and the lever mechanism for moving same away from, as well as towards, the gear. This spring tensioned relationing of the rack and frame with respect to the intermediate gear prevents any possibility of breakage of the gear teeth when thrown into or out of mesh, without previously manually disenga ing the rack from said gear.

further means for insuring proper meshing of the adjacent'teeth upon the rack and gear, even though there is a failure to unclutch the rack from the gear prior to the raising of the lid which carries the gear, is provided by bevelling the teeth,'both on the rack, as shown at 72, and on the intermediate gear, as shown at 73.

Normally, the operation with respect to the stopping of the dolly would be effected by manual operation of thehandle 47 to disengage the rack from the intermediate gear.

This unclutching action would be followed by the raising of the lid 58 to permit withdrawal of the materials washed, prior to the wringing action.

It is repeated that the spring tensioned fashioning of the rack, and the bevelling of adjacent gear teeth both on the rack and the intermediate gear, prevents any possible breakage, due to the raising or lowering of the lid portion while the rack is in engagement with the intermediate gear.

It is further apparent from inspection of Fig. 1, that no parts of the drivin mechanism are disposedupon the top of t e washing machine, as in the well known dolly washer, and that an improved dolly machine is provided, which has a perfectly fiat upper surface and an entirely enclosed driving mechanism, not only simple in construction, butt providing a greatly increased degree of sa ety.

What I claim is:

1. A driving mechanism for a washing machine agitator comprising a gear, a rack bar for imparting alternating rotary movement to said gear, a spring tensioned movable supporting frame for the rack bar, and manually operable means adapted to move e frame and conse-T,

said frame and rack into and out of engagement with said gear.

2. A driving mechanism for a washing machine agitator, comprising a gear, a rack bar for imparting motlon to said gear, a pivoted frame for the rackbar, a spring normally holding said frame and rack in engagement with said gear, a lever member connected with the frame and ada ted to move said frame and rack into an out of engagement with the gear, and a s ring tensioned connection between said rame and lever. 3. A driving mechanism for a washin machine agitator comprising a gear, a me bar for imparting motion to said gear, a supporting frame for the rack bar comprising a guide thereon for the rack bar, a lever member adapted to control the movement of the rack bar to and from the gear, and resilient means for pressing the rack bar into engagement with the gear.

4. In a washing machine having a tub, a

cover, a pivoted lid on said cover and an agitator in said tubJ/driving mechanism for said agitator, comprising a reciprocating rack bar disposed beneath the cover, a pivoted frame for supporting said rack bar, a gear for actuating said agitator mounted upon the lower side of the pivoted lid, lever mechanism for controlling the movement of the frame and rack into and out of engagement with said gear, and a spring tensioned mounting for said frame.

5. In a washing machine having a tub, a cover, a pivoted lid on said cover and an agitator in said tub, driving mechanism for said agitator, comprising a reciprocating rack disposed beneath the cover, a gear mounted on the lower side of the pivoted lid for imparting motion to the agitator, and means for insuring proper meshing of the rack and gear upon movement of the piv- 6. In a washing machine having a tub,-a I

cover, apivoted lid on said cover and an agitator in said tub, driving mechanism for said agitator, comprising a reciprocating rack bar disposed beneath the cover, a gear mounted beneaththe'pivoted lid and adapted to engage the reciprocating rack bar a spring tensioned mounting for the rack ar and a lever controlling the movement of the rack into and out of engagement with said ear. 7. In a washing machine having a tub, a cover, a pivoted lid on said cover and an agitator in said tub, driving mechanism for said agitator, comprising a gear mounted on the lower side of said lid adapted to impart movement to the agitator, a reciprocatrack for actuating-Him 1 anti 1 per mitting' en'g'dgement an I 7 nt o t the rackand gear,-'.wit hout;bre;kage of v 5 the; teethwwhile in motion,' inclfidi 2 aIten- Y 5 sioned mounting 'foi the rack. in fa; bw- I eled fashionin'gpf adjacent teeth portions'on both thqrack andbar. 1 5 I v I In testimony whereof, 'I-have hereunto af- 10 "fixed my signature.-

. JOHNZNELSION.-

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