US2042242A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1936. w. K. voss 2,042,242

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 26, 1936. w 055 2,042,242

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sh e et 2 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES i .i'rizi-ri' OFFlCE" 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to washing machines and more in particular to a' novel drive or operating mechanism therefor. Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and simplified driving mechanism for a washing machine. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable mounting for a vertically disposed motor or prime mover whereby the position of the motor may be shifted to adjust the tension on the belt for driving the operating mechanism. The present embodiment discloses and contemplates a simple adjusting device for shifting or changing the position of the motor whereby to draw more taut or'loosen the tension on the belt which is driven by the motor and 'drives a pulleyonthe housing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compact washing machine driving and operating mechanism mounted below and suspended from the tub whereby to eliminate the platform or other base or mounting adjacent the bottom of the machine so as to provide additional clearance space below the tub and operating mechanism. I

A general object is to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, 'efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and maintenance, which embodies few operating parts arranged so as to be readily accessible for inspection, repair or replacement of parts. a

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby. intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the washing machine.

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

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional for adjusting or shifting the position ofthe motor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention is shown as comprising a washing machine 5 tub I having a cover or closure 2 and supporting legs 3, l and 5, equally spaced around thecir'cumference of the tub, and the legs 3 and 5 connected to the tub by any suitable means. A wringer mechanism 6 is disclosed as rotatably mounted upon a sleeve or standard 1 suitably positioned on a gear housing or casing 8.

This gear housing or casing 8 comprises an 'upper section 9 and a lower section III, the latter being supported by the leg 4 of the machine.

15 The means for supporting the housing by the leg 4 includes a bracket ll provided with 'a pair of ears or flanges I2 adapted to be connected to the legs by suitable attaching means l3 such as bolts or the like. The'upper section 9 of the housing orcasing B is provided with a tubular boss l4, which'is preferably formed integrally therewith but, of course, may be connected in any suitable manner thereto. This boss is provided with-an annular flange l5 adapted to seat against and be. connected to the bottom of the tub I and to an inverted cup-shaped bearing member I5 within the tub. For this purpose, the bearing member i6 is provided with a plurality of spaced lugs or bosses I1 adaptedto receive bolts or other attaching means I'I passing through the annular flange of the boss M, through the bottom of the tub I, and into the lugs or bosses H. The hearing I6, together with the tubular boss l4,- thus provides an enclosed, watertight. compartment, 35

portions of which are on opposite sides of the tub bottom and are in communication through an enlarged'aperture l6 provided in said bottom.

A center pole or agitating shaft l8 passes centrally through the boss I4, aperture l6 and bearing l6, and through an upwardly extending sleeve l9 threadedly engaged in the upper portion of the bearing I 6. Detachably mounted upon the bearing I6 is a sleeve 20 provided with longitudinally extending grooves II on opposite sides thereof and extending for substantially the full length of the same. This sleeve 20 extends above.- the top of the inner sleeve l8 and is keyed or otherwise secured tothe shaft or center pole l8 so as to rotate therewith, the inner sleeve I! of course being held stationary on the bearing member It. The upper ends of the sleeves l9 and 20 are disposed above the highest water level thereby to seal the assembly against the escape of water from'the tub.

. a socket bearing l8- which preferably is formed integrally with the lower housing section II). Thus, the shaft is supported by the two widely spaced bearings i5 and i8, respectively, disposed substantial distances above and beneath the bottom of the tub. A decided advantage is'obtained thereby in that the shaft is rigidly and sturdily supported and is amply capable of withstanding any lateral stresses applied thereto in the operation of the machine.

Within the tubular boss H, which encloses and protects the portion of the shaft l8 intermediate the tub bottom and the upper gear housing section 9, is means for preventing the passage of water along the shaft into the housing. To this end, the upper section 9 within the boss H has an outstanding circular flange Il thereon deflning the aperture through which the shaft extends into the housing. This flange, together with the I lower portion of the boss, forms an annular, U-

shaped channel N completely surrounding the shaft. The shaft carries a downwardly sloping and outwardly flaring sleeve H arranged with its peripheral edge overlying the channel N and disposed between the flange N and the boss H. A small aperture 14 in the boss l4 provides a drain for water accumulations. Hence, the gear housing is positively sealed against the entrance of all condensate, seepage. or other accidental water.

A floating dolly or agitator 22 is provided with lugs or projections (not shown) adapted to slidingly engage in the groove 2| in the sleeve 20,

F thereby permitting automatic adjustment of the agitator or dolly in accordance with the quantity of washing fluid in the tub. The dolly is provided with a handle 23 permitting the same to be manually raised and removed from the sleeve 20 whenever desired. Blades 24 are provided on the agitator or dolly for swishing the clothes or material operated upon through the cleansing fluid. The present construction of agitator or dolly and the sleeve 20 upon which the same is slidable and by which the dolly or agitator'is operated, is more fully disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 438,334, filed March 24, 1930, now Patent No. 1,869,590, granted August 2, 1932.

The means and mechanism for driving the center pole or dolly shaft l8 and for oscillating the same, comprises a vertically disposed motor or prime mover 25 provided with a source of current supply 25 and a switch 21 conveniently located on the leg 5. The shaft )1 of the motor is extended a substantial distance above the motor and is provided with a pulley 29 keyed thereto and rotatable therewith. This pulley, in turn, drives a belt 50, the latter in turn driving a large pulley 3| mounted on a shaft 52 and keyed thereto so as to rotate the same. Alined bosses 33 and 34, formed on and extending outwardly of the sections 9 and In of the gear housing respectively, provide bearings for the shaft 52. Located within the housing 5 and keyed to the shaft 32, is a pinion 35 meshing with and driving a large gear 35 keyed'to a shaft 31 mounted in bearing members 58 and 35 formed similarly to the bearings 35, 54. The bearing member 55 is arranged to seat within the sleeve I for the wringer drive, and the shaft flextends upwardly through the sleeve 1 to form the drive shaft for the wringer mechanism.

An annular flangeor-boss 40 is eccentrically formed on the gear and is provided with a sesame plurality of inwardly projecting ears or lugs M (Fig. 4) adapted to receive bolts or thelike 42 provided with washers for seating and maintaining an eccentric strap 44 around the flange or boss 40. This flange or boss 40 is also provided with a lug 55 (Fig. 2) through which the shaft 31 passes. The eccentric strap 44 is providedwith a connecting arm or rod 45 which is attached to a crank arm 41 by means of a pivot pin 41. The crank arm 41 is provided with a bearing member or sleeve 48 to receive the agitator drive shaft. l5. The sleeve 45 is rigidly connected with the shaft U by such means as a pin 49. The arrangement of these parts is such that, as the gear 56 and the eccentric boss 40 rotate, the strap 44 describes a circular orbit which movement, through the rod 45, crank arm 41 and sleeve 45, produces an oscillatory move ment of the shaft l8 to actuate the\dolly. The limit of the movement of the crank arm is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The means for adjustablymounting the motor assembly is as follows: The motor 25 is provided with a base 50 having a rod or pin 5| passing therethrough and seated within bearings 5i on the base. A bracket member 52 (Figs. 1 and 3)- is mounted or formed on the lower section III of the gear housing 8 and is provided with an upper hearing or lug 53 and a lower hearing or lug 54, through which the rod or pin 5| passes. By reason of this construction, it will be readily seen that the motor or prime mover is pivoted and adjustably positioned on the pin ii, the purpose being to adjust the tension on the belt 30 by' shifting the position of the motor 25 and its pulley 29. The invention contemplates a simple and efllcient means of adjusting the position of the motor, the same including a bolt or threaded member 55 (Fig. 5) threadedly engaging in a lug 58 on the lower section ID of the gear housing. The end of the bolt 55 is arranged to engage a part of the motor base 50 at a point remote from the pivotal axis thereof. By merely adjusting the bolt 55, it is, therefore, possible to swing the motor to adjust the tension of the belt 30. A look nut 55 prevents shifting of the member 55 after it has once been manually adjusted.

From the above description and the disclosure in the drawings, it will be readily seen that I have provided a novel and eflicient direct drive for the center pole or shaft i5 which drives the washing machine dolly and the shaft 31 forthe wringer drive. The upper end of the shaft 51 carries preferably means for connecting the shaft with the wringer mechanism such as'a coupling member 58 having a cut-out 55 adapted to receive pins or other coupling means on the end of a stub' person of the operator, a shield 52 (Fig. 3) encompasses the pulleys and belt and is formed on or connected to the upper section 9 of the gear casing or housing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a washing machine including a tub and a plurality of supporting legs; a simplified compact power transmission mechanism embodying in combination an elongated flattened gear the part within said housing engageable for rotating said shalt: means within said housing including a large rotatable gear having an eccentric boss on one face and a connecting rod of substantial length in operative engagement at one end with said eccentric boss and at its other end with said rigid means so as to impart rotational movement to said shait upon rotation of said gear; a wringer drive shaft arranged ooaxially and rigidy with said large gear whereby the shaft is continuously rotated upon rotation of the gear; a motor adjustably mounted on said gear housing on a vertical axis and having a drive shaft extending upwardly toward the bottom of said tub, a friction pulley and belt drive in a plane between said large gear and the bottom 0! said tub and operatively connecting said motor shaft and said large gear: and means ior adjusting the position of said motor relative to said housing to adiust the tension of said belt in order to insure a uniform transmission of power.

2. In a washing machine including a tub and supporting means therefor, a dolly shaft extending vertically below the bottom plane of said.

tub, a vertical wringer shaft on one side of said tub and also extending below the bottom plane of said tub, power transmission mechanism including a gear housing rem'ovably supported below said tub with the ends of both of said shafts operatively connected with the mechanism within the housing, a motor-supporting bracket mounted on said housing, an electric motor having means providing a movable connection with said bracket, and means including a drive connection between said motor and said power transmission mechanism adjustable by movement of said motor relative to said housing, said motor and power 20 transmission mechanism together forming a compact unit adapted to be installedor removed as an entity.

WALTER K. VOSS.

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