US2056803A - Clothes washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1936'. H. B. FAILING CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 2 sheets-ne@ 1 Filed June 14, 1935 Oct. 6, 1936.

H. B. FAILING CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1953 /TTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,056,803 *CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Homer Bruce Failing, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor of one-third to Herbert E. Walters and one-third to Willard E. Jaquith, both of Syracuse, N. Y.

Application June 14, 1933, Serial No. 675,723

6 Claims.

kinds of fabric are placed'in separate foraminous or network bags or similar flexible containers which, together with a suitable washing iluid, are introduced into the machine andagitated therein until thoroughly cleansed.

The main object of the present invention is to provide simple and eicient means for effecting an intermittent but progressive angular and axial movement of the articles through a series of successive containers for the washing and/or rinsing D nuid or nuids from the inlet of the first to che outlet of the last container of the series and in such manner as to effect a thorough washing, rinsing and cleansing of the articles in transit through the series and thus permit a substantially continuous infeed of the soiled articles and outfeed of the cleansed articles for an indenite period of time without interrupting the operation of the machine. Y

One of the specific objects is to produce this combined angular. and axial movement of the articles by means of a rotary screw conveyor or successive co-axial conveyors, and means for oscillating the same through different angles or arcs in opposite directions or through equal angles in one direction and lesser angles in the reverse direction whereby successive cycles'of oscillation will cause one or more complete revo,- lutions of the conveyor.

Another speciilc object is to provide `means whereby the articles to be washed when fed into the inlet of one container will be automatically fed through the entire series of containers and discharged from the last one of the series in a thoroughly cleansed condition. Y

Other objects and'uses relating to speciiic parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes washing machine embodying the various features of my invention and including, in this instance a series of four, containers through which the articles to be washed are adapted to be fed, the guide for the operating rack'being shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly broken away, taken on line 2 2, Figure 1. n

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse verticalsetional views taken respectively Von lines 3-3 and 4 4; Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged detail vertical sectional views taken respectively on lines 5-5 4and 66, Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line '1 -1, Figure 5.

f Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view representing the differential arcs of movement of the screw conveyor about its axis in reverse directions.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the Vdetached toothed rack for rotating the conveyor screw shaft.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified construction of screw conveyor.`

Figure 'l1 is a vertical sectional View similar to Figure 10 showing a further modified construction of screw conveyor and one of the containers secured thereto.

' The construction shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive comprises a plurality of, in this instance four, cylindrical containers l mounted end to end in c'o-axial relation upon opposite ends and intermediate standards 2, 2', and 3 for receiving a 1 corresponding number of Screw conveyors 4 which are-all mounted upon a rotary shaft 5 for simultaneous rotation therewith.

The opposite ends of each cylinder are supported in semi-circular bearings 6 on the adjacent Standards 2, 2', and 3 which are adapted to rest y"upon theV floor on which the washer is installed and are suitably `secured to the adjacent ends of the containers to hold the latter in kfixed relation'thereto. v

Each of the cylindrical containers I is provided with opposite .end walls 1 and I extending circumferentially, around the shaft 5 for receiving and'retaining` a Ysuilicient quantity of Water or other liquid for washing or rinsing purposes, the outer end wall of the rst container of the series and corresponding end Walls of the other containers being provided respectively with inlet openings and 8' for receiving the clothes to be washed and rinsed, the inlet opening 8 in the outer end wall of the rst container of the series 4being preferably arranged wholly above the shaft '5 lwhile the inlet openings 8' of the remaining containers preferably extend entirely around the shaft, as shown more clearly in Figure It.v

g The opposite end wall of each container l is provided with an outlet opening 9 extending entirely around the shaft 5 for permitting the discharge of; the laundry articles therethrough in .a manner hereinafter described.

introduced by hand or otherwise into the inletl opening 8 of the rst container I of the series; and in order to facilitate this introduction I have l shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 an inclined portion I of a suitable chute having its lower end registered with the bottom of the opening 6 with; sumcient clearance thereabove to 'allowfree en`A trance of the clothes into the. container.undexgA their own weight.

VIf desired, the peripheral wall of each container" 'I may be divided lengthwise and horizontallyiinto lower and upper sections I and I frespectively in which oase the lower sections I and their re- Y Y spective Ven d wallsfl and 'I will be rigidly -held in the corresponding bearings 6 while each upper section I/f maybe hinged along one iside at II to the corresponding side of the, 1ower v section I and its opposite side provided with a handoperated locking device I2 cooperating with a keeper I3 for releasably holdingtheupper` section I in'its closed position andper'mitting it to .beopened when necessary for inspection or repairs of the interior parts ofthe machine.

The lid sections I mayalso be `provided with relatively-small openings I4 normally closed by lids I 4 which, whenV opened permits inspection `of the work during the washing process and also permits the introduction of soap powder or other material which maybe necessaryto expedite the Washing of the articles.

Each screw conveyor 4 comprises a centralA tubular hub I 5Akeyed or otherwise secured to vthe vshaft 5 and providedwith a helical blade I6 having itsY helixes arranged iny uniform axially spacedv relation'and connected by lengthwise bars II which are arranged in uniformly spaced relation Ycircumferentially around and in spacedrelation to the hub I5 as shown more clearly in 4Figure 2.

The diameters of the screwblades vI6 are substantially .uniform from end to end and somelwhatrless than that of the interior oftheir respective containers I, all of said conveyors being mounted co-axially upon one andthe same shaft V5 for simultaneous rotation about an axis parallel with but in a plane below the axis'of the several containers vso as to bring thelower edges rotate about an axis eccentricto the axis ofv their respective containers without' frictional engagement withthe bottoms thereof and for this purpose the radii Vof the severalblades I6 is'slig'htly f less than that of the interior of vtheir'corresponding containers to `'cause the lower edges of the blades I6 Itortravrel in close proximity to thebottoml wallsof their containers while. the distance between the remaininggportions ofthe edges of the blades and peripheral walls of the containers Wi11. gradually increase from` bottom to top toV Y aiordample clearance for therlaundry articles as they are moved.angularlyand'axially -relatively to the axis of the shaft within their respective containers.

The inlet ends of the several screw conveyors are provided with pockets I8 extending around the adjacent portions of the hub I5 and having their outer ends adj acent the corresponding inlet openings 8 and 8 open and registering therewith for receiving the laundry articles which may be fed throughsaid openings 8 and-8. Y

The pockets I8 are providedy with closed inner end walls I9 forming continuations of the adja- -ceht portions of the inlet Vend of the spiral blade I6 but these pockets are preferably provided with radial openings I6' in one side to permit the laundry-.articles to pass therethrough between the adjacent helixes-'of the spiral blade I6.

` Thesepocketsflfrotate with their respective s crew conveyors Yand are arranged to form a part 0i the first two helixes of the blade I6 so thatf'fw-hen the laundry articles are introduced through the openings 8 or 8 they will drop into the adjacent Apockets 4Iliand discharge `through .the radial'openingsI between `the adjacent 4helixes 'of the conveyor blade I6. Then, as the screw conveyor andpockets I8 arerotated, the articles disposed vbetween the .iirst two helixes thereof will Vbepicked up by the adjacent cross bar I] andcarried circumferentially around and above the horizontal plane of the shaft5 and allowed to drop, to .the bottom of the container between the .next succeeding pair o f lhelixes where the articles are again picked up by the adjacent bars I1 ,and carried circumierentially around and above the horizontal plane of the shaft 5 until they are again allowed tordrop into ythe bottom of the tank into thenext succeeding pair oiy helixes, -this operation v being vcontinued untilthe articles are finally discharged through the outlet.9 of each container. j

TheA outlet end of each container is providedv with arelatively .fixed pocket 2 0 rigidly' secured lthereto and open atthe top to permit the rdischarge of the articles from between the last two helixes of .the Vscrew conveyor as theyl are carried upwardly, around; andv 'above the horizontal vplane of the: axis ofrtheishaft .5

' Theinner. endwall 20Iof`1the pocketI 20 extends across the horizontal vplane of the axis of the Vshaft 5xand is preferablyinclined downwardly `and axially :toward theiadjacent inlet 8 so that the articlesswhich arev disposed'in the vpocket 26 will gravitate downwardly and axially through `the opening 8 `and into the'pocket I8 of .the

next succeeding conveyor." .i l

These v operations' upon the ,laundry larticles are repeated through each succeeding container `I and corresponding conveyor 4 until the arti-V Suitable means is provided of different lengths and in such manner as to effect one 4.or Ymorecomplete revolutions of the conveyors following a predetermined number of cycles of oscillation and for this purpose one end ofthe shaft 5 ise'xtended throughV and beyond one of its outer end' be'arings`,'preferably that nearest the inlet end of the lrst container of vthe series, and'is'` provided witha'gear"22"meshing` `for oscillating the shaft 5 and'several conveyors lmounted thereon through different angles or rather :through arcs with a driving gear 23 which is keyed orl other'- wise secured to a stub shaft 24 having one-end journaled in the adjacent standard 2 and its other end journaled in an ad itional standard 25, Figures 1,2, 5, ande. f' 'if r l This stub shaftv 24 carries a pair ofrelatively rotatable pinions 26 and 26' meshing respectively with tooth racks 21 and 21o both yoi which latter are rigidly secured toa rack'bar 28 which, in turn, is slidably mounted Vav suitable guide groove 29 on the standard 25, as shown more clearly in Figures 1, 2, 5, `6,' and 9,said rack being yieldingly held against thef'undersides of their respective pinions by means 'of a leaf springV 36.

Any suitable means maybe provided for reciprocating the rackA bar 28 along the guide groove 29 for alternately rotating the gears 26 and 26 in reverse'directions and thereby to effect corresponding reverse rotation of the stub shaft 24 and screw conveyor 4 through the medium of the gears 23 and 22, and for this purpose one end of the rack bar 28 is connected by a link 3| to a rotary eccentric or crank disc 32 which is secured to a rotary driving shaft 33, the latter being mounted upon a suitable bracket 34 or other fixed support, Figure 1 The shaft 33 may be driven by an electric motor or other suitable power means, 'not shown.

The pinions 26 and 26 are looselymounted'end to end upon the stub shaft 24 for relative rotary movement, each pinion being adapted to be connected to the stub shaft by a one way drive clutch as shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6,

The portion of the shaft 24 surrounded by the pinion 26 is provided with a plurality of, in this instance four, peripheral cams 35 adapted to Ybe engaged by aV corresponding number of rollers 36 when the pinion is rotated in the direction. indicated by arrow fr, Figure 6, throughy the forward movement of the rack bar 28 in-thedirection indicated by arrow y' in the same figure. Thatl is, these rollers are interposed between the cam faces 35 and inner periphery of the pinion 26 so that when the pinion is rotated in the opposite direction from that indicated by arrow :l: through the forward movement of the rack bar 28, the rollers 36 will be moved to the low points of their respective cams, thus releasing the pinion 26 from rocking engagement withthe shaft 24.

The portion of the shaft 24 surrounded by the pinion 26 is provided with a plurality of, in Ythis instance four, peripheral cams 35 which are inclined in a reverse direction from those `shown in Figure 6. A corresponding number of rollers 36 are interposed between the cams 35 and inner periphery of the pinion 26 for locking said pinion to the shaft when thev pinion is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow m, Figure 5, through the :rearward movement of the rack bar 28 in the direction indicated by arrow 11., it being understood that when the pinion is rotated in the opposite direction through the reverse' movement of the rack bar 28, the pinion 26' will `be released from locking connection with the'shaft It Vwill be noted upon reference to Figures 1, 5, and 6 that the rack bar 28 is shown inits extreme rearward position andthat the lrackr21 engaging the pinion 26 is somewhat longer than the rack 21' engaging the pinion126, the object of which is to cause the rotation ofthe shaft 5 and its screw conveyor through arcs of Adifferent lengths as the rack bar 28- is reciprocated end- The relation of the pinion 26 and its operating rack bar 21Y isv such that when the rack bar 'is moved from its Ynormal forward position rearwardly `the full length of its stroke, the corresponding pinion will Vbe moved about its axis through approximately one half revolution as indicated by the arc a in Figure 8, thereby effecting a corresponding angular movement of the stub shaft 24, gears 23 and 22 and screw conveyoras 4. Y

It will be observed that both racks 21 and 21 are mounted upon the same rack bar 28 for simultaneous 'movement in reverse directions under which conditions the forward movement of the rack bar from its normal position to effect the angular movement of the screw conveyor through an arc of approximately 180 deg., would cause the-rack' bar 21 to rotate its pinion 26' in the same direction and at the same speed as that of 4the shaft 24 and screw conveyor 4, during which movement the rollers 36' willremain incontact with the lowpoints of their respective Vcams'35. f

This angularv movement of the pinion 26 and screw conveyor 4 vWill continue until the rack bar 28 reaches the limit of its rearward stroke but at about the time thel rack bar-28 has been moved rearwardly approximately half its stroke or substantially half the length of the rack 21, the rack 21' will have been moved rearwardly out of engagementwith its p-inion 26', it being understoodA that the length of the rack 21 is approximately one half that of therack 21 and that the pinions 26 and 26 are of the same pitch diameter. Y

As soon as the shorter rack 21' has been moved rearwardly out of engagement with its pinion 26', the stub shaft 24 and screw conveyor will con- .tinuetobe rotated through the remaining half "of the'rearward stroke of the rack bar 21 under Vwhich conditions the pinion 26 will be free to rotate withV the stub shaft through the frictional 'engagement of the balls 36 with the inner periphery of the pinion 26 and cams 35.

Then, as soon as the rack bar 28 reaches the limit of itsrearward lmovement Yand is returned through the first half of its return stroke, the pinion 26 will be free to rotate aboutthe shaft 24 inthe direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow gv, Figure 6, thus preventing the reverse :angular movement ofthe screwjconveyor and permitting the latterto remain at rest until the Yrack 21' re-engages its pinion 26 during the last half of the return stroke of the rack bar.

o Under these' latter conditions, the pinion 26 will be :rotated in the direction indicated by arrow. m, Figure 5, thereby effecting a corresponding angular movement ofthe shaft 24 and screw conveyor 4 throughan arcrof approximately l90 deg., asindicated diagrammatically by the lines b, Figure 8, it being understood that when the pinion 26 is rotated in the directionvindicated by arrow myit will. become locked to the shaft 24through the'medium of the rollers 36 and' ycams 35', thereby rotating the'gears23 and 22 and effecting a corresponding angular movementof the screw conveyor 4 in the direction .indicated by arrow o, Figure 5. Y e

During this reverse angular movement of the pinion 26' by its'rack 21 the pinion 26 will also 4be rotated in the' same direction opposite to that `indicated by arrow as, Figure 6, andv at the same speed, due to the fact that both pinions Y2.6 and '26 are of the same pitch diameter. j After the rack bar 28 has returned to its normal or Vstarting positions, the Operations of the rack bar28, pinions 26,and' 26` and screw con- .will cause the screw conveyor to be moved angularly through diiferentarcs a and b as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 8.

It will be seen from thisV diagram that the screw conveyor is moved first in one direction through an arc of approximately 180 deg., and then returned through an arc of approximately 90 deg., these operations being repeated as long as may be desired, resulting ina complete revolution of the conveyor after a predetermined number of cycles of oscillation.

Y Y It will also be observed that after the rack 21 has completed its forward stroke to eilect the ,angular movement of therconveyor through an arc 180 deg., it may return through a half stroke without eiiecting the operation of the conveyor which remains at rest until the return of the rack 21 into engagement with its pinion 26 whereupon the `conveyor will be rotated Yin a reverse direction through an arc of approximately 90 deg., until the rack bar returns to its normal starting position. Y

The'construction shown in Figure 10 is quite similar to that shown Vin Figures 1 to 4 inclusive except that a supplemental cylinder VMl is secured to the periphery of its spiral blade I6V to' rotate therewith within the outer cylindrical container Y I and is preferably foraminous in that its pearranged end to end coaxially'in the mannerV ripheral wall is provided with a multiplicity of relatively small perforations to allow the washing or rinsing iiuid to pass therethrough.

VIn vthe construction shown in Figure 11, the outer stationary cylindrical container I, shown in Figure 10, is omitted and the supplemental cylinder as 40 is secured to the periphery Vof the spiral balde I6 in a manner somewhat similar. to

Vthat shown inFigure 10 to rotate with the shaft 5, but is preferably imperforate for the purpose of retaining alquantity of washing or'rinsing fiuid therein. Y i

yIn each of themodifications shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and in Figures 10 and 11, the spiral blade Yor screw I6 and connecting bars I'I are foraminousin that they are provided with a multiplicity offsmall openings to allow the circulation of the liquid therethrough to and from the spaces between the helixes.

It is to be understood, however, that the modi'- fled containers shown in Figures' 10 and 11 will be arranged end to end in sequence in a manner somewhat similar to thatV shown in Figure 1` and that the screw conveyors inthe several ,containersV will be mounted upon a single shaft as 5 to oscilcilate therewith in Vthe vmanner previously explained for the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. Y

' Operation Assuming now that the several containers I are shown in Figures 1V and 2, and that each container contains a predetermined quantity of Y washing or rinsing fluid and that the several screw con- Y'container of the series to be ldischarged in the Ycorresponding receiving lchamber orYK pocket I8 which articles, together with the washing or rinsing fluid. will tend to gravitate toward the bottom of the container and between the adjacent helixes ofthe corresponding screw so that when the latter is oscillated through an arc of approximately 180 deg., the articles will be carried from the bottom upwardly in the direction of rotation some distance above the Vhorizontal planej of the shaft 5 and at the same time will be fed successively by and between the helixes of the screw conveyor until finally discharged from the first conveyor of the series into the pocket 20 thereof. As the screws continue to rotate the articles discharged in the pocket 20 of the first container will gravitate through the inlet opening 8 into the pocket I8 in the inlet end of the next container of the series where the operation upon the articles is repeated.

In like manner, the articles are successively fed from one container to the other until nally discharged from the outlet pocket 20 of the last container of the series into a suitable receptacle, not shown. Y

It will now be evident from the foregoingde-Y Y being oscillated back and forth through arcs ex-v tending about the axis of the agitator or conveyor and by being reciprocated axially of the container in' first one direction and then in the op- 'Y posite direction by the screw actionr of the conveyor blades during the oscillatory Vmovement thereof. Furthermore,.it will be observed that owing to the degree of oscillation of the conveyor or agitator, the cross members I1 will be rapidly moved thereby, in first one direction and then in the opposite direction and will thus be caused to strike against the clothes from first one side and then from the other side and to carry the clothes, after coming in engagementtherewith, upwardly along the corresponding side of the container until they drop by their own weight from these members and tumble inwardly and downwardly to the bottom of the container.

Thus, the clothes are vigorously subjected to the action of the washing or cleansing fluid in each container and at the'same time are progressively moved through the containers fromV the inlet to the outlet ends thereof and from one container to the nextrowing to the'fact that the conveyor in each container is rotated in opposite directions through unequal radial angles whereby the conveyors are caused to make complete successive revolutions. y Y

The number of oscillations of the conveyor or agitator required to complete each revolution thereof 1s a factor controlled by varying the angle of difference between each successive oscillatory movement of the conveyor. Therperiod of Vtime the clothes remain in each containerobviously depends upon this latter degree of movement of the conveyor combined with the .speed of operation thereof together with the length of the con- Y tainer so that if Vthe treatment of the clothes in the cleansing fiuld in one container requires a more or less period of time than in other con- Vtainers, this may be readily compensated for sol that there will be no loss of time in any of the washing operations by providing containers an conveyors of proper lengths.

It will thus be seen that Ihave provided a washing apparatus wherein articles to be washed `may be continuously Vfed into the inlet end of the first container and acted ,upon so that the articles will be thoroughly treated in cachindividual washing compartment and automatically moved from one cleansing operation to the next and nally be discharged at the outlet end of the last container in a thoroughly washed and cleansed condition, thus producing an apparatus adapted to perform what may be termed a continuous washing operation.

What I claim is:

l. In a laundry washing machine, a rotary screw conveyor adapted to receive laundry articles at one end and to discharge them at its other end, means for retaining a washing fluid between the helixes of the conveyor blade, and means for rotating the conveyor on its axis alternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

2. In a laundry washing machine, a horizontally disposed cylindrical container for the Washing fluid and articles to be washed, said container having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the reception and exit respectively of said articles, and means including a spiral blade mounted in the container for alternately moving said articles axially of the container in reverse directions and about the axis of the container through arcs of different lengths whereby the articles will be progressively moved through the container and washing iiuid from the inlet opening to said outlet opening.

3. In a laundry machine, a horizontally disposed cylindrical container for the Washing fluid and articles to be washed, said container having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the reception and exit respectively of said articles, and means including a spiral blade mounted in the container for alternately moving the articles axially of the container in reverse directions and about the axis of the container through an arc of approximately one hundred and eighty degrees (180) in one direction and approximately ninety degrees in the opposite direction whereby the articles will be progressively moved through the container and washing iluid from the inlet opening to said outlet opening.

4. In a laundry Washing machine, a horizontally disposed rotary screw conveyor adapted to receive laundry articles at one end and to discharge them at its other end, means for retaining a washing fluid between the helixes of the conveyor blade, longitudinally extending bars connecting the helixes of the conveyor, and means for rotating the conveyor on its axis alternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

5. In a laundry washing machine, a plurality of coaxial washing fluid containers each having an inlet in one end and an outlet in its other end for the reception and exit respectively of the articles to be washed, the inlet end of each succeeding container being closely adjacent the exit end of the preceding container and arranged to receive the articles therefrom, each container having a rotary screw conveyor therein for feeding the articles from its inlet through its outlet and into the inlet of the next succeeding container, and means for alternately rotating the conveyors in reverse directions about a common axis through arcs of different lengths.

6. In a laundry Washing machine, a horizontally disposed stationary container for the Washing uid, said container having an inlet in one end and an outlet in its other end for the reception and exit respectively of the articles to be washed, a foraminous supplemental container rotatably mounted in the first mentioned container and having an inlet and an outlet arranged to register with the inlet and outlet respectively of the first mentioned container for receiving the articles therein and for discharging them therefrom through said inlets and outlets, a spiral blade mounted in the supplemental container, and means for rotating the supplemental container and blade in unison on their axes alternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

HOMER BRUCE FAILING.

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