US1894564A

US1894564A - Domestic appliance

Info

Publication number: US1894564A
Application number: US629201A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph L Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Delco Light Co
Priority date: 1923-03-31
Filing date: 1923-03-31
Publication date: 1933-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1950-01-17

Description

Jan. 17, 1933. E 1,894,5 4

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Fild March 31, 1 2 "r Sheets-Sheet 1 1213755555? [nu/55TH"- RALPHL.LEE.

Jan. 17, 1933. LEE 1,894,564

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed March 51, 1925 7 sheets-Sheet 5 EALPHL. LEE.

3 WQLQN Jan. 17, 1933. R. L. LEE

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 51, 1923 [72 1757575? '1 AL PHL-LEE Jan. 17, 1933; R. L; LEE

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Fild March 51, 1923 'r Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 17, 1933. R. L. LEE

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed March 31, 1925 7'Sheets-Sheet 6 5 mil... I

a n E U m RALPHL-L Er.

g Mada 56514277351?- Jan. 17, 1933. R. L. LEE

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original File d March 31, 1923 4 [HUEHZ'DT' EAL, FHL.L EE. -W

H5 in-71w" Patented Jan. 17, 1 9 33 unrree STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH L. LEE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T .TJELCO-LIGHT COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Application filed March 31, 1923, Serial No. 629,201. Renewed November 6, 1930.

The present invention relates to clothes washing apparatus and aims to provide an improved method of washing clothes and apparatus by means of which this method can be effectively and rapidly carried out.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved laundry machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the washing machine certain parts being shown in section, the view being taken in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the driving mechanism for operating the washing machine;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an end view looking in direction of arrow 7 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the washing machine tub Fig. '10 is a fragmentary plan View of a portion of the perforated baffle or false bottom;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the frame construction, the section bein taken on line 1l11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12. is a mechanical and electrical diagram partly in perspective showing the reversing mechanism of the laundry unit;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of the washing machine motor reversing device;

Fig. 14 is fragmentary plan view showing how the mechanism shown in Fig. 13 can be adapted for manual control to reverse the wringer motor;

Figs. 15 to 18 are diagrammatic views illustrating the mode of operating the washing machine; and

Fig. 19 is a view of a chart showing a comparison between the action of the tub produced by the driving mechanism in the present invention and the action produced by the usual crank motion.

Referring to the drawings the frame 20 of the laundry apparatus comprises a main or end frame 21 upon which is mounted a power head 22 for operating the tub 23. Main frame 24 is spaced from the frame 21 by frame tie-

bars

25, 26, and 27 which are connected to the frames by screws 50. The frame 24 provides a post 28 upon which is swingingly mounted a wringer 29 having a. driving mechanism 30. Casters 31 are provided for the ready movement of the laundry unit.

Washing machine drive The frame 21 is provided with a boss 31a supporting at one end the power head 22. The power head includes a motor 32, and the armature shaft 33 provides a worm 34 which meshes with a worm gear 35. WVorm 34 and worm gear 35 are located within a gear housing 36 which is connected by screws 37 with the boss 31a. Gear 35 drives a shaft 38 journaled in the frame of the gear housing 36 and in the boss 31a.

Gear housing 36 is provided with an opening which is enclosed by a cover 40 held in place by screws 41 and provided with an oil filler opening closed by the plug 42, the level of the opening determining the level to which lubricant can be placed within the gear housing 36. The boss 31a is provided with diagonal passages 43 and 44 to provide conduits for delivering oil to the bearing in the boss 31a and for draining excess oil. A groove 45 at the inner end of the boss 31a is adapted to receive oil, the excess draining into the oil reservoir in housing 36 by means of passages 46 and 44. The gear 35 and worm 34 are submerged within the lubricant and are adapted to cause the circulation of lubricant within the gear housing 36 whereby the passages heretofore mentioned are supplied with the required lubricant.

The

side frames

20 and 21 are provided with horizontally aligned and oppositely disposed

bearings

51a and 52a for axles 51 and 52, respectively. Axles 51 and 52 are connected by means of screws 53 to spiders and 55 attached to tub 23. A sector 57 1S freely rotatable on the shaft 51 and meshes with a pinion 58 carried by the driving shaft 38. Referring more particularly to Fig. 5 the sector 57 includes an car 60 to which is connected on opposite sides thereof a series of leaf springs 61. These springs 61 are located on opposite sides of a stud 62 carried by the spider 54 (see Fig. A U-shaped clip 64 fits around the sides of the springs 61 and over the stud 62 and is held in place by a cotter pin 65. Clip 64 prevents the springs 61 from being dislocated during the action of the device while at the same time permitting the stud 62 to slide relative to the springs 61.

The sector 57 is provided on the end thereof with bumper springs 67 held in place by screws 68 and which are adapted to strike against the top wall 69 of the frame 21 and thereby absorb the shock produced by the sector 57 striking the top wall 69, should the sector at any time move beyond its usual limits of travel.

The top wall 69 of the side frame 21 extends a substantial distance inwardly so as to form with the side of the tub 23 a housing which encloses substantially the gearing. The wall 69 does not however extend beyond the end of the spider for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

The opposite spider 55 carries a stud 71 which in turn carries a spring clip 72 connected with an equalizing spring 7 3. Spring 73 at its other end is connected with a spring clip 74 which is attached by means of stud 75 to the end frame 24. The stud 71 is mounted in direct alignment with the axle 52 and the stud 75 when the tub is in its center position.

With this type of frame and tub support structure the tub can be readily removed without dismantling any of the supporting structures. The cotter pin 65 is withdrawn and the U-shaped member 65 is removed. Then, by removing screws 53, the axles 51 and 52 can be removed through the sides of the

side frame

21 and 24. The location of the motor 32 with respect to the axle 51 is such that the axle can be withdrawn far enough to clear the spider 54. It is not necessary to remove the axles 51 and 52 manually. The spiders 54 and 55 are provided with camming surfaces 76 as is shown on the spider 55. When the tub is moved upwardly the camming surfaces 76 will force the axles 51 and '52 outwardly to clear the spiders. As the tub is moved upwardly the spider 54 will clear the wall 69 and the stud 62 will slide upwardly between the leaf springs 61. Then by slightly tilting the tub 23, the stud 62 can be removed from between the leaf springs 61 and the tub can then be withdrawn.

The stud 75 on the side frame 24 is undercut as at 78 (see Fig. 8). The opening in the spring clip 74 is slightly larger in diam eter than the outside diameter of stud 75 so that it can be readily placed thereon. hen spring 7 3 is stretched into position the bottom part of clip 74 will move within the undercut portion 78 and a shoulder 79 formed thereby will prevent clip 74 from being accidentally disengaged from stud 7 After tub 23 has been removed it is but necessary to remove the screws 37 in order to remove the power head 22 from the frame 21.

The tie-

bars

25, 26, and 27 are preferably formed by the usual casting methods which result in the formation of an oblique surface 81 (see Fig. 11) at each end of a bar. Thissurface 81 is called the draft in foundry practice and is the result of using a pattern which is provided with surfaces located in converging relation with respect to the mold so that the pattern may be withdrawn from the molding sand without disturbing it. Usually, draft surfaces are machined off, but in the present invention the surfaces 81 remain as naturally formed, and the

frames

21 and 24 are provided with oblique surfaces adapted to receive surfaces 81 so that the bars will be secured at right angles to the frames.

The power head 22 includes a switch mechanism for reversing the reversible electric motor 32. This reversing switch, though it may be any suitable device for reversing certain circuits in the motor, is preferably of the brush lifting type disclosed in the patent to Ralph L. Lee, No. 1,552,067, of September 1, 1925.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, motor armature 120 carries a commutator 121 and is normally engaged by a brush 122 carried by brush arm 123 which is pivoted on a post 124 and carries a roller 125 and a spring clip stud 126. Commutator 121 cooperates with alternately lifting brushes 127 and 128 carried respectively by

brush arms

129 and 130 provided with rollers 131 and 132 respectively. Brush arm 129 is pivoted at 124 and brush arm 130 is pivoted at 133. A spring 134 insulatingly connected with the spring clip stud 126 and a stud 129a carried by brush arm 129 normally tends to maintain the

brushes

122 and 127 in engagement with the commutator 1-1. A spring 135 is connected with a brush arm stud 130a on the brush arm 130 and a post 136, and normally tends to maintain brush 128 in engagement with the commutator 121. A manually operable brush operating lever 137 is also fulcrumed on post 136 and has a portion 138 which is adapted to engage roller 125 to lift the brush 122 out of engagement with the commutator 121. A notch 140 is provided by the operating lever 137 into which the roller is adapted to rest after brush 122 has been lifted out of engagement with the commutator 121. Operating lever 137 projects through an opening 141 formed in the motor housing.

The mechanism for automatically controlling the brush lifting reversing switch comprises a lug 143 carried by gear which is adapted to engage a projecting arm 144 carried by an oscillating shaft 145 when the gear rotates. Shaft 145 carries a camming member 146 secured thereto and is provided with camming surfaces 147 and 148 adapted to alternately engage with a roller 150 carried by an arm 151 which is pivoted at 152 and provided with a projecting arm 153 which in turn is connected by a spring 154 to a stud 155. Spring 154 normally tends to maintain the'roller 150 within notches 156 and 157 formed by the camming member 146. During each swing of the gear 35 the lug 143 engages the projecting arm 144 to oscillate the cam member 146. Assume that the next movement of the cam member 146 will be in a clockwise direction from that shown in ig.'13, whereby the camming surface 14'? thereof will cause the roller 150 to move toward the apex at the junction of surfaces 147 and 148. After roller 150 reaches said apex the spring 154 will cause roller 150 to bear against the camming surface 148 and thereby cause roller 150 to quickly rotate the cam member 146 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 13. Brush actuating cam 159 is shown broken away (the broken part however being shown in phantom by dot and dash lines). Cam 159 is provided with notches 161 for receiving rollers 131 and 132. Cam 159 has a hole 163 into which is adapted to project an actuating stud 164 carried by cam member'146.

Clockwise movement of the cam member 146 will cause the stud 164 to move within the hole 163. Further movement of the stud 164 will cause it to engage the wall of the hole 163 causing the cam 159 to move clock wise. Cam 159 will then engage the roller 132' to move it to the right as viewed in Fig. 13 causing the brush 128 to be lifted from the commutator 121. At the same time the notch 161 will be removed from the roller 131, and spring 134 will then cause brush 12'! to engage commutator 121. Cam 159 does not engage the roller 132 until the roller 150 has moved entirely across the camming surface 147 and is in engagement with cumming surface 148. At this time the camming member146 will then be moved quickly causing the brush 128 to be moved away from the commutator quickly and also causing the brush 127 to be quickly lowered into engagement with the commutator 121. Thus, sparking at the brushes is materially reduced.

The motor 32 is provided with oppositely

wound field windings

166 and 167 which are adapted to produce opposite magnetic effects indicated by

arrows

166a and 167 a re= spectively whereby the armature of the motor will be caused to rotate in opposite directions when these windings arerendered operative alternately. One side of the current source is connected by wire 169 to the arm 123 of brush 122 while the other side of the line is connected at terminal 170 with

field windings

166 and 167. VVindings 166 are connected with brush 128 and windings 1 67 are connected with brush 127. Fig. 12 shows the brush 127 in engagement with commutator 121 and therefore windings 167 are operable. After the motor has rotated to such an amount that the lug 143 on the gear 135 causes the oscillation of the brushes field winding 166 will become operable to retate the motor in the opposite direction.

The reversing switch is actuated to reverse the motor field while the tub is still moving toward the end of its swing and while the motor is rotating at full speed. Therefore the sudden reversal of the motor field amounts to applying a magnetic brake upon the motor armature tending to arrest its movement as well as to cause it to move in the opposite direction. This magnetic brake contributes to the quick stopping of the motor and tub, and the mechanism for applying the brake also contributes to the quick acceleration of the motor and tub in the opposite direction.

Means other than the mechanism for reversing the motor field are employed to assist in bringing the tub quickly to rest at the end of its swing and for rapidly accelerating the tub in the opposite direction of swing. This means includes the driving leaf spring 61 and equalizing spring 7 3. During the operation of the motor the tub is driven through the leaf springs 61. Due to the weight of the tub and its contents the tub tends to lag behind the driving mechanism and therefore the springs 61 are flexed in one directionrbut when the driving mechanism is reversed the momentum of the tub will cause the springs 61 to be flexed in the opposite direction. As the tub moves from horizontal toward its limit of swing the spring 73 will also be considerably stretched beyond normal. Both springs tend to overcome the momentum of the tub and then tend to accelerate the movement of the tub in the opposite direction.

The driving mechanism therefore includes means for quickly decelerating the swing of the tub just before the end of its swing and then quickly accelerating the swing of the tub in the opposite direction. The action of the magnetic brake and of the springs 61 and 7 3 heretofore described contribute in quickly stopping the movement of the tub in one direction and the energy stored in the springs assists in rapidly accelerating the motor and tub in the opposite direction.

The deceleration and acceleration of the movement of the tub is far greater than can be obtained by simple harmonic or crank motions. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 19. The curve 185 shows the typical velocity characteristic of a crank arm operated swinging tub for different periods of one swing, the crank having uniform motion. In the crank arm operated washing machine, the velocity is relatively slow just after starting aswing and gradually increases attaining the peak at about midway of the swing, and then grad nally decreasing. Curve 186 indicates, by wa of comparison with curve 185, the velocity characteristic of the movement of the tub when actuated by the driving mechanism of the present invention. There is a rapid acceleration to a maximum velocity which is substantially maintained over a greater portion of the time of swin and then a rapid deceleration to the time of reversal. Such a characteristic is not possible in the usual crank mechanism employed to drive a moving tube washing machine, and the acceleration obtained is greater than possible with any simple harmonic motion device which is governed by the laws of the sine curve. This motion of the tub indicated by curve 186 cooperates with certain elements of the tub to carry out the mode of washing to be described.

W ringer driving mechanism The driving mechanism of the wringer power head 30 is similarly constructed to that of the wash machine and is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 12. The driving mechanism 30 includes an armature 172 which is normally engaged by a brush 173 and alternately engaged by brushes 17d and 175, respectively, connected with

field windings

176 and 177. The motor of the wringer is placed in parallel with the motor of the washing machine and both are connected with a single terminal plug 178.

The wringer motor is also reversed by re- "ersing the field of the motor. The levers carryingbrushes 174 and 175 and the retaining arm 151 and the roller 150 are the same as that of the washing machine reversing switch. A manually operated cam 180 (see Fig. 141) is substituted for automatically actuated cam 159. Cam 180 is provided with three

notches

181, 182, and 183 for receiving roller 150. \Vhen the roller 150 is located in notch 182 both brushes 175 and 171 will be held away from the commutator whereby neither of the field circuits are operative and the armature 172 will not rotate. Vhen the cam 180 is moved so that roller 150 is received by notch 183 brush 17 1 will be in engagement with commutator 172 and brush 175 will be out of engagement with the commutator 172, and

therefore the motor field will be reversed to cause the motor to rotate the wringer rolls in the opposite direction.

Tub constmctz'on Referring now to the Figs. 9 and 10 there is shown a tub 23 and the screws 82 which secure the tub to the spiders 54 and 55. Tub 23 is oblong in horizontal section and is provided adjacent the opening at its upper end with deflectors 83. The tub is provided with a crowned and perforated false bottom or clothes supporting bai'lle comprising

bafile plates

84 and 85 located above the bottom of the tub and providing a sediment space 86. Hinge strips 87 are secured to the sides of tub 23 and the

batlle plates

84 and 85 are provided with hinge or hook members 88 which engage strips 87. The bafile plates 81 and 85 project upwardly at a slight angle forming a crowned bafile or false bottom, the crown being located at the central portion of the tub. The baffles 8 1 and 85 are held by suitable means in the position shown. The size and number of holes in the battle or false bottom are such as to cooperate with the driving mechanism in such a manner that the clothes will be pressed against the plates by water issuing through the holes in a plurality of relatively small jets. These holes should not be too large or the cloths will become entangled with the bailles and will not slide along to receive the proper rubbing action. If the holes are too small then the action of the water will be unduly retarded, and the suction pressure of the water tending to hold the clothes on the baflle and thus retarding their sliding movement would not be suflicent to effect th proper washing action. The number of holes is preferably one per square inch of total baffle area, and the ratio of solid baflle area to apertured bafile area is preferably 2.5 to 1.

Mode of operation The improved mode of washing clothes provided by the present invention is illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 16, 17 and 18. The tub 23 is filled with water to a little above the horizontal plane of its supporting axis as indicated by the level 189 in Fig. 15. A body of clothes 188 is placed upon the baflles or false bottoms 8 1 and 85, the quantity of clothes being submerged a substantial distance below the level 189. As the tub swings counter-clockwise into the position shown in Fig. 16 the clothes will tend to pile up as indicated at 18860 against the left side of the tub while a portion of the clothes will trail along as indicated at 1885 upon the battle 85. The clothes are being subjected to the action of a plurality of jets of

water

190 and 191 issuing respectively through the

baffies

84 and 85 and in opposite directions. Thus while the clothes are moving in the direction of arrow 194 in Fig. 16 they are being subjected to the action of water in directions transverse to the direction of motion of the clothes along the baffle plates. The action of the jets 190 tends toretard the motion of the clothes because the currents of water tend to suck the clothes downward ly through apertures in the baffle 85 and thereby tend to cause the clothes to be rubbed against the baflle plates as the clothes move along the bafie plate and to retard the motion of the clothes relative to the motion of the water.

While the clothes are moving in the direction of arrow 194 they are subjected also to the action of the impact of water directed by the left hand deflector 83 which causes the water to bediverted as indicated by arrow 192 and to be splashed upon the clothes from above as indicated by the arrows 198.

the baffle plates they are being subjected to the action of water from both sides of the body of clothes, these streams tending to washthrough the clothes.

The motion of the tub 23 in the counterclockwise direction is quickly arrested by virtue of the driving mechanism heretofore described and its motion in the opposite dimotion is very rapidly accelerated. There extreme tilted positions, or substantially as soon as the tub has arrived in position shown in Fig. 17, the water will have splashed against the right side of the tub with a substantial force and will begin to be thrown up against the right hand deflector 83. At

this instant, as shown in Fig. 17, the clothes are traveling in the direction of the arrow 199 but they cannot keep up with the water moving in this direction because of the retarding action of the jets 195 and also because theclothes'do not reverse their motion as soon as the motion of the water is reversed. Therefore, by the time that the body of water has slapped against the right side of the tub the clothes have proceeded to the right about as far as indicated by numeral 1880. Therefore, there is a space between the right end of the body of clothes and the right side of the tub as indicated by arrows 197, therefore a portion of the body of water following the course of arrows 195, 196 and 197 assist in piling up the water to form a wave or crest indicated at 198. This free flow of water assists in increasing the suction of water produced by jets 195 tending to increase the action of water which retards the sliding of the clothes. Since the water is traveling faster than the clothes during the swing of the tub in the position shown in Fig. 18, the water will be deflected by the right hand deflector 83 thereby causing it to roll over in the direction of the

arrows

201 and 202 while the clothes are still moving in the direction of arrow 200. The clothes will trail behind as indicated at 188d in Fig. 18 because of the retarding action of jets 195 tending to press the clothes against the baflie 8 1 causing them to be subjected to a rubbing action.

The tub is quickly arrested and quickly accelerated in a counter-clockwise direction again so that the washing action will be repeated as heretofore set forth, the motions of the water and clothes being reversed.

It is apparent that the present invention provides for washing clothes by means producing the maximum difference between the motion of the water and the motion of the clothes, while the clothes are being rubbed. More particularly, the process of washing includes subjecting the clothes to a rubbing action while subjecting the clothes to the action of water transverse to the rubbing action and issuing in jets directed in a plurality of directions. While the clothes are being rubbed they are also subjected to the action of a current of water passing in the direction of the rubbing action, said current of water moving faster than the clothes. While the clothes are caused to rub along a support they are subjected to the action of water from both sides of the clothes and issuing through the clothes in a direction generally with that of the rubbing action.

The present invention therefore utilizes the force of water to cause the clothes to be rubbed against the surface as well as to cause the water to be forced through the clothes in a plurality of directions simultaneously. By virtue of these combinations of cleansing act-ions to which the clothes are subjected simultaneously. the efliciency of the washing process is greatly improved and therefore the time required for washing has been materially reduced, and the clothes are washed cleaner and with less damage than heretofore possible.

To stop the operation of the tub, the motor is stopped by moving lever 137 (Fig. 13). If the washing tub should come to rest in other than a horizontalposition which'is the most convenient position for removal I of the clothes, the tub can be manually returned to horizontal position by pushing downwardly on one side or the other of the tub. The operating mechanism includes the reversible worm gear drive 3 1 and 35, and shaft 38 is connected with the tub by only one pair of

gears

58, 57. Therefore the tub can easily be moved manually to rotate the motor to permit the tub to be moved manually to a horizontal position. Therefore itis not necesset to disconnect the tub from the motor an gearing by means of a clutch or otherwise.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred embodiment of one form of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted and various changes and alterations made in the shape, size, and proportion of the elements therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Washing apparatus comprising in combination, a tub adapted to have a to-and-fro motion; a reversible electrical driving means for operating the tub; and means for automatically reversing the direction of the cur rent through the driving means before the latter completes its movement whereby the driving means exerts force tending to reverse the tub, thereby quickly overcoming the momentum of the tub.

2. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a tub adapted to have a to-and-fro motion, a reversible electric motor for imparting such motion to the tub, and automatic means for controlling the electric connections of the motor to reverse the motor before the end of travel of the tub in one direction or the other.

3. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a tub adapted to have a to-and-fro motion; a reversible electric motor; yieldable driving connections between the motor and the tub; and means for changing the electrical connections of the motor to reverse the driving effect thereof before the tub has reached the limit of travel in one direction or the other.

4:. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a tub adapted to have a toand-fro motion; aspring secured to the tub to hold it in normal, upright position; a reversible electric motor drivingly connected with the tub; and means for reversing the electrical connections of the motor before the tub reaches the limit of travel in either direction, said reversal causing the motor to act as a magnetic brake and to co-operate with the 7 spring, first, rapidly to decelerate the movement of the tub and bring it to a stop, and second, rapidly to accelerate the tub in its movement in the opposite direction.

5. Washing apparatus comprising in combination, a tub adapted to have a to-and-fro motion; a reversible electric motor; yieldable driving connections between the tub and motor; a spring secured to the tub to hold it in normal, upright position; and means for reversing the electrical connections of the motor before the tub reaches the limit of travel in eitherdirection, said reversal causing the motor to act as a magnetic brake and to co- Operate with the yieldable driving connectlons and the spring, first, rapidly to decelerate the movement of the tub and bring it to a stop, and second, rapidly to accelerate the tub in its movement in the opposite direction.

6. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a tub having stub shafts extending therefrom and pivoted to a frame so as to permit to-and-fro movement of the tub; a reversible electric motor having a portion of its drive shaft extending therefrom; driving connections between the motor and tub, comprising a toothed sector rotatably mounted on one of the stub shafts, a worn on the motor drive shaft, gearing connections between the sector and worm and a shock absorbing connecting member between the sector and tub; and means controlled by the gearing connections for reversing the electrical connections of the motor before the tub reaches the limit of travel in either direction, said reversal causing the motor to act as a magnetic brake, rapidly to decelerate the movement of the tub and bring it to a stop, after which the motor, aided by the shock absorbing connecting'member, moves the tub 7 in the opposite direction with quick acceleration.

7. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame; a tub having stub shafts extending therefrom, said shafts being ournaled in the frame so as to permit to-and-fro movement of the tub; a reversible motor having a drive shaft extending therefrom; a worm on said shaft; a toothed sector rotatably supported on one of the stub shafts; gearing connections between the worm and toothed sector; blade springs connecting the toothed sector and tub; and means controlled by the movement of the gearing connections for reversing the motor before the tub reaches the limit of travel in either direction, whereby the tub and motor counteract to flex the blade springs, thereby rapidly to stop the movement of the tub and quickly reverse its direction of movement.

8. Washing apparatus comprising, in combination, a tub adapted to have a to and fro motion, means including an electric motor operatively associated with said tub for causing said to and fro motion, and means cooperating with said motor for positively reversing the driving effects of said motor before said tub has reached the limit of its motion in one dircotion'said first named means including means in addition to said motor for rapidly accelerating said tub to its maximum speed in the other direction after it has reached the limit of its travel in the said one direction.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

RALPH L. LEE.