US2086496A - Control mechanism for the wringer rolls of a washing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1937. P. E. GFVLLDHOF CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE WRINC'ER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE INVENTBR 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 20

ATTBRNEYS S 5 E N H July 6, 1937.

P. E. GELDHOF CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 20, 1933 WITNESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

INVEMTBR Awmmexs July 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF 2,086,496

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed 001;. 20, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 7 //////1 m WAW/AWAAVV/l/b W l, r-I 0 I WITNESS July 6, 1937. E GELDHQF 2,086,496

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 20, 1953 4 SheetSSheec 4 INVERTER Awmmms Patented July 6,. 1937 ROLIQJS OF A WASHING MACHINE Peter Eduard ,Geldhof, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 20, 1933, SerialNo. 694,428

. 20 Claims.

My invention relates to control mechanism for the wringer rolls of a washing mabhine.

An object of my invention is to provide means whereby the starting, stopping and reversing of the rolls may be accomplished with but slight physical effort.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby, upon operation of the usual safety device associated with the wringer rolls,

' the power of the drive shaft is automatically employed to disengage the driving mechanism for the rolls.

A further object of my invention is to provide a push button control for the wringer rolls of a washing machine whereby the rolls may be controlled from both sides of the machine.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a wringer roll driving and reversing unit which maybe mounted on a washing machine,

driven therefrom-and swung to any position with respect thereto, the unit including a driving clutch thrown by the power of the drive shaft into engagement With' either of, a pair of re-' siliently mounted clutch elements, the assembly s driven together.

being so arranged that the entire driving and reversing mechanism is mounted in a compact unit in a convenient position for operation.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a clutch element thrown by power into and out of engagement with the clutch elements effort from either side of the machine and whereby the operation of the usual safety device for the rolls operates to stop the rotation of the rolls automatically.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichz- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the wringer rolls and the control means therefor. 1

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure. 3 is a side elevation-partially in section showing the construction of the safety device and control mechanism-for the wringer rolls? Figure 4 is a View taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 3.

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the interior casing and relation of parts of the wrlnger roll safety device. 1 Figure 8 is a' view taken on line 88 of Figure 5.

(01. sa -s2) Figure 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8. Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2 with-the push button control arranged so that it is operable on eitherside of the wringer rolls.

-Figure 11 is a view taken on line ll-ll of 5 Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a'perspective view showing the construction of a modified form of driving clutch adapted for use in my control mechanism.

In general, as shown in Figure 1, the wringer 10 roll structure and control mechanism therefor comprise a supporting tube H mounted on the washing machine in any usual and well-known manner and adapted to receive and support a hollow boss .I2 depending from a casing l3 enclosl5 ing and supporting the roll driving and reversing mechanism. A drive shaft l4 extends upwardly concentric with the supporting tube II and is driven from the driving mechanism of the washing machine in any usual manner well-known in the art to which this invention applies.

The drive shaft I4 is slotted at its upper extremity to receive pins IE on the lower end of a. drive shaft I! so that the shafts I4 and I! are A spring-pressed plunger [5 manually operable by a handle I5 is mounted in the depending boss l2 and is selectively engageable with any one of a plurality of apertures 20 formed circumferentially of the supporting tube i I. With this construction the entire wringer as- 30 sembly together with the casing 13, may be removed from the supporting tube H by a vertical lift or may be swung about the axis of the supporting tube I i so as to be moved with relation to the tub of the washing machine into any desired 35 position.' As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the, drive shaft i1 projects upwardly into the casing l3 and has bearing supports therein at I8 and I9. The shaft I1 is suppdrted against longitudinal displacement by asset screw 2|, the end of which is fitted into a recess 23 formed in the upper end of the shaft l'l.

A- driving clutch element 24, mounted on andkeyed to the shaft I! so as to be continuously rotated thereby, is longitudinally shiftable into engagement with either of a pair of driven clutch elements 26 and 21.

The driving clutch element 24 is retained in a desired one of a plurality of positions by a spring-pressed ball 28 which, when the clutch is shifted, rides into any one of a plurality of apertures 29 fdrmed in the driving clutch. The driven clutch elements are splined respectively as indicated at 3| to a pair of beveled reversing gears 32 and 33. A spring 34 ismounted in a hollow annular space formed between each 5 of the driven clutch elements and the gears 32 and 33 and serves to urge each of the drivefi clutch elements in a direction towards the driving clutch, each of the springs being seated on a shoulder 36 formed respectively in the'internal bore of the gears 32 and 33. A retaining ring 31 seats in a groove formed on the outer periphery of the'driven clutch elements 26 and 21, contacts with the splines and limits the longitudinal displacement of the driven clutch elements in a direction towards the driving clutch.

The gears 32 and 33 mesh with a beveled ring gear 4| and the rotation of the driving clutch 24 is in a direction such that engagement of said element with the driven clutch element 33 rotates the ring gear 4| in a clockwise direction, as viewed rear face a hollow outwardly extending boss 42' suitably supported in the casing l3 .and into which projects a flexible driving union 43 which forms a driving connection with the lower roll shaft 44 through pin slot connections 4? and 46. The upper roll 49 is-driven from the lower roll through a pair of gears 50 indicated in Figure 6 mounted on the opposite end of the rolls.

I have provided, as shown more clearly ii Figures 2, 3 and 8, means for utilizing the power of the drve, shaft I! to shift the driving clutch element into engagement with either of the driven clutch elements 26 and 27 or from either of said positions into a neutral position. On the periphery of the driving-clutch, preferably integral therewith, are a pair of cams 52 and 53 formed in a position and manner such that upon selective movement of a plurality of control plungers 54,, 55, and 56 into engagement with the cam elements 52 and 53, the driving clutch is depending upon the position of the driving clutch.

The control plungers 54, 55, and 56 are mounted for. sliding movement in a plurality of guide openings bored in a control housing 58 formed as part of the casing l3 and are connected to finger-operated push buttoncontrols 60, 6| and 62 which project outside of the casing in a position for convenient manipulation by the operator. It will be apparent that upon movement of the push button control 60 inwardly, the control plunger 54 is moved into engagement with the upper side surface of the cam 52 when the driving clutch has moved to the proper position, and as the driving clutch continues to rotate, the power of the drive shaft positively camsthe driving clutches into a position to engage the driven clutch element 21.. Because the driving clutch is positively shifted, in order to enable engagement of the clutch elements, the driven clutches are resiliently'mounted as above described so that upon engagement of the face surfaces, the driven clutch 2'l moves longitudinally of the shaft until further rotation'of the driving clutch enables the teeth of the elements to slide into engagement. Movement of the push button 6| actuates the control plunger 55 so as to move it into engagement with the driving clutch element midway between the cams whereby, upon rotation, the

driven clutch element is restored to a neutral position. Actuation of the, lowermost ppsh button 62 serves to cam the driving clutch upwardly into engagement with the driven clutch 26 so as to reverse the rolls and rotate them in a direction towards the operator, as viewed in Figures 1 and 3.

Means are provided, whereby upon 'actuationlinks 64 inter-connectedbetween the upper and ton 60 inwardly, the lower button 62 through the link 64, is moved outwardly outof engagement with the driving clutch element 24. v

Extending from each of the upper and lower buttons 60 and 62, as more clearly shown in Figure 2, is a projection or arm 10 which contacts with the center control button 6| for the purpose of inter-connecting the'three buttons. The arms 10 together with the links 64, correlate the action of the control buttons. If, for example, the button 6 is already in operativeposition, upon movement of the upper button 66 inwardly into engagement with the driving clutch element, the link 64 acts to move the control button 62 outwardly a distance suflicient to enable the lower 'arm 10, in contact with the center control button 6|, to pull the control plunger 55 out of operative position with relation to the driving clutch. In this manner, the control plunger 54 is moved into engagement with the upper cam surface 52 to shift the driving clutch and during this movement, the control plunger is automatically withdrawn. If either the upper or lower control plungers 54 or 56 are in engagement with the driving clutch and it is desired to stop rotation of the rolls, the center button is pushed. This causes movement of the arm 16 of the push button which is not in operative position so as to move that push button inwardly a slight distance thereby rotating the link 64 about its pivot. The rotation of the link 64 slides the control plunger which is in engagement with the driving clutch 24 from operative to inoperative position. It will thus be apparent that the center control button 6| has two positions of movement, as indicated in the dotted and full lines, while the upper and lower control buttons and 62 each have three positions, an inner position, indicated by the dotted-line 12, an intermediate position indicated by the full lines in which position the driving clutch is in neutral, and an extreme outer position indicated by the dotted line I3. I r

As shown more clearly in Figures 3, 4, and 6,

- I have showna safety device for the wringer rolls which may be of any of the various types *now commonly usedin connection with wringer operated control for the wringer rolls.

The wrlnger rolls 46 and 49 are mounted in a' frame structure 15 in bearings 16 and 11 in such manner that upon release of a safety head 11, the pressure between, the rolls is relieved and the upper roll '49 may be moved away from the lower roll 46. A locking link formed by a pair of arms 19 is pivoted on a cross bar 82 and extends downwardly on the outside of theroll shafts to a point near the bottom of the casing. A platform 84 is normally urged upwardly by a spring 96 and has extending upwardly therefrom a pair of members 81 behind which the lock arms 19 are positioned when the rolls are in a locked presa release bar 94 extends across the wringer roll framein a convenient position to be actuated by the operator. The release bar 94 has at one end pivoted thereto a link 95 which is also pivoted to the casing. .A- similar link 96 is pivoted to the release bar 94 on the other side and is pivoted at 91 to a member 98 which extends through a slot 99 in the casing to engagea release link I9I. It will be observed, as shown in Figure 6, that a similar release bar 94, mounted on the opposite side of the roll, is connected to a release link I sure engagement.

I92 similar to the release'link WI. The release links are inter-connected by a cross bar I93 and pivot on the cross rod 9I previously mentioned.

The lower ends of the release links I9I and I92 contact with 'a member I94 pivotally' mounted near the bottom of the casing, the member I94 contacting with the upper edges of the upstand ing members 81'on the platform 84.

A release spring I96 is mounted in the safety head 11 by means of a threaded tension control knob I91. The ends ofthe spring contact with the bearings 16 on opposite sides of the casing. When the,lock arms 19 are in a position such that the cross rod 93is positioned in the notches 92 and the lower ends of the arms 19 are positioned behind the members 81, the spring I 96 may be tensioned by rotating the control knob I91 and the rolls 46 and 49'brought into pres- When the release bar 94 is pushed either accidentally or for the purpose of releasing the rolls,

the link 96 ispushed toward the right, moving the member 98 in the slot formed near the top of the casing which, in turn, pushes the release links I92 about the cross rod 9| so as to rotate the release links I 92 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure '1. Rotation of the release links ment with the lock rod 93. The spring I96 then vits operation is correlated with my novel powerthe lock arms ride behind the ends of .the upstanding members 81 being cammed over into 'such position and tolocking posi ion with rearm II2.has a bearing in the casing I3 into which it extends. A U-shaped arm II8 extends around 'the bevel gear 33 and is fixed to the crank arm and pivoted at II9 to the other side of the casing. An integral portion I29 of the U-shaped ,arm 9 extends upwardly and is pivotally secured to'an L-shaped arm I2I. The

L-shaped arm I2I is apertured at its extremity to slidably receive the center control plunger 55 which is of decreased diameter at the point of attachment to form a shoulder at I22 so that when the plunger rod 55 is out of engagement with the driving clutch element 24, the shoulder I22 is in engagement with the Lshaped arm I2 I.

When the release bar 94 is operated, as above described, the lock arms 19 move upwardly, enabling the spring II3 to act to rotate the crank arm I I2. The rotation of the crank arm moves the L-shaped arm I2I inwardly which, through engagement with the shoulder I22, moves the control plunger inwardly to operative position to cam the drivingclutch 24 by the power of the drive shaft into a neutral position.

In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown a structure in which two sets of push button controls are arranged on opposite sides of the casing I3 so that the wrin'ger roll driving and reversing mechthe rear side of the casing are inter-connected in a. manner similar to that described in connection with push b ittons 69, 6|, and 62. The sets of push buttons on opposite sides of the casing are connected by a cross bar I39 curved around the driving clutch 24 and pivotally connected to the pins which retain the links 64. The center push button I28 is connected to a control plunger I3I similar to the control plunger 55, while the upper and lower push buttons I21 and I29 are centrally bored to receive. members I32 fixed in the casing. The push buttons I21 and I29 do not operate directly on the driving clutch 24 merely, upon manipulation, sliding inwardly and outwardly on the members I32,'their motion being transmitted through the links 64 and cross bar I39 to operate the control plu'ngers on the opposite side of the casing. It will be observed that operation of the lower push button I29 moves the control plunger 54 into operative position, while operation "of the upper push button I21 actuates the lower control plunger on the opposite side. Thus, actuation of the upper push button when the operator is standing at the front of the machine, moves the clothes fed between the rolls, in a direction away from the operator, while actuation of the upper push button at the rear of the machine, reverses the direction of the rolls, but from the operators position at the rear of the machine, the clothes are fed in a direction. away from the operator.

In 'Figures 3 and 8 the cams 52 and, 53 are curved continuously around the surface of the driving clutch so that when the control plunger is pushed inwardly, unless the driving clutch is in such position as to enable immediate engagement, a time interval must elapse during which the operator must maintain contact on the push button until the cam rotates into a position such that the control plunger may be pushed into engagement with the effective surface of the cam. To decrease this time interval, I have provided, as shown in Figures 10 and 12, a double acting cam so that the longest time interval which may, elapse before engagement may take place, is reduced from 180 degrees rotation of the driving power.

clutch, to 90 degrees. It will be apparent that engagement of the control plunger may-be 00- casioned over a considerable arc of movement of the driving clutch on opposite sides thereof so from the scope of my invention, as set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim: 1; Th combination with apressure releasing safety vice for a roll wringing mechanism of a washing machine, of driving mechanism for rotating the rolls, said driving mechanism including a movable clutch element, means for revers ing the direction of rotation of the rolls comprising a pair of driven clutch elements, poweroperated means for moving said-movable clutch element into engagement with either of said driven clutch elements or into a neutral position, manually operated means. for selectively controlling the operation of said power-operated means, and means actuated upon release of said safety device for operating said power-operated means to throw said movable clutch to a neutral position.

2. The .combination with a pressure releasing,

' safety device for a roll wringing mechanism of a washing machine, of driving mechanism for rotating the rolls,.said driving mechanism including a driving clutch element, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the rolls comprising a pair of driven clutch elements, a plurality of manually operated elements for selectively con' trialling theposition of said driving clutch element, means associated with said driving clutch element whereby upon engagement of said manually operated means therewith, the power of said driving mechanism is utilized to throw said driving clutch element into the selected position, and means actuated upon operation of said safety device for automatically throwing. one of said manually operated elements into a position such that said driving clutch element is thrown to a neutral'position. I

3. In a mechanism for wringing clothes, a driving shaft, a driving clutch element rotated by said driving shaft, a driven clutch element, and means including manually operated means for utilizing the power of said driving shaft to exert I a positive action on said driving clutch element to throw said driving clutch element into engagement with said driven clutch element.

4. In a control mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, a unitary driving and reversing mechanism for the rolls including a drive shaft, a driving clutch element and a pair of driven clutch elements, and means including manually operated means for utilizing the power of said drive shaft to throw said driving clutch element into engagement with either of said driven clutch elements.

5. In a drive mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, a drivingshaft, a driving clutch element rotated by said shaft, a pair of resiliently mounted driven clutch elements, said driving clutch element having a plurality of cam surfaces, and a plurality of manually operated members selectively movable into engagement with said cam surfaces whereby the power of said driving shaft is utilized to throw said driving clutch element into engagement with either of said driven clutch elements.

6. In a drive mechanism for the pressure rolls ofa clothes wringer, adriving shaft, a driving clutch element rotated by said shaft, a pair of driven clutch elements, means for applying the power of said driving shaft to move said driving clutch element into engagement with either of said driven clutch velements comprising a plurality of manually operated members movable into and out of operative association with said driving clutch element, and means whereby upon movement of one of said manually operated members into operative position with relation to said driving clutch element,-another of said manually operated members is automatically moved out of operative position. I

'7. In a drive mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, a driving shaft, a driving clutch element rotated by said shaft, a pair of resiliently mounted driven clutch elements, means for applying the power'of said driving shaft to move said drivingvclutch element into engagement with either of said drivenclutch elements or to a neutral position comprising a plurality of manually operated members, and means inter-connecting said manually operated members whereby movement of one of said manually operated members to operative position moves another of said members to inoperative position.

8. The combination in a wringer roll reversing .mechanism, of a driving clutch element and a pair of driven clutch elements, and means associated with said driving clutch element for applying power thereto to throw said driving clutch element into engagement with either of tion of the rolls 'is reversed, power means for rotating said driving clutch element, and means ment of said driving clutch element into engage mentwith' one of driven clutch elements, the rolls rotate in onedirection and upon movement into engagement with the other of said driven clutch elements, the rotation of the rolls movement of one of said manually operated members into operative position, anothen of said members is automatically moved out of operative position. i 11. In acontrol mechanism for the wringer rolls of a washing machine, a driving and a driven clutchelement, a manually operated member having a neutral and an operative position and for use solely in moving said clutch elements into engagementand a manually operated member having a neutral and an operative position and'for use solely for moving said clutch elements out'of engagement, and means interconnecting said manually operated members for moving one of said manually operated members to the neutral position when the other of said members is moved to the operative position.

12. In a control mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, a pair of rotatable rolls,

\ means for rotating said rolls, mechanism for controlling the operation'of said rolls, acasing for housing said control mechanism, a plurality ofmanually operable push buttons extending into said casing, and means secured to'the casing and interconnecting at least two of said push buttons whereby the movement of one of said push --buttons into operative position moves the other of said push buttons out of operative position.

13. In a control mechanism for the wringer rolls of a washing machine; a pair of rotatable rolls, means for rotating said rolls, mechanism for controlling the operation of said rolls, a

' casing 'for'housing said control mechanism, a

. moving said member out of operative position upon'moveme'nt of either of said inter-connected members into operative position.

14. In' a control mechanism forthe wringer rolls of a washing machine, a pair of rotatable rolls, means for rotating said rolls, mechanism for controlling the operation of said rolls, a casing for housing said control mechanism; 'a plurality of manually operated control members extendingoutwardly fromsaid casing on opposite sides thereof, and means in the casing interconnecting said members whereby the wringer I rolls may be controlled from either side thereof.

15. In a control mechanism for the wringer rolls of a washing machine, a pair of rotatable rolls, means for rotating said rolls, mechanism for controlling the operation of said rolls, a casing for housing said control mechanism, rolldriving and reversing mechanism in said casing,

manually operated mean's extending outside of- Sam casing on opposite sides thereof, means engageable by said manually operated means for applying the power of said roll driving mechanism to cause engagement and disengagement thereof, and means extending through the casing for inter-connecting said manually operated means.

16 Ina control mechanism for the pressure 5 rolls of a clothes wringer, a unitary driving and reversing mechanism for the rolls including a drive shaft, a pair of driven clutch elements mountedon said shaft, a driving clutch element mounted on said shaft and shiftable into engagement with either of said driven clutch elements, and means including manually operated means for utilizing the power of said drive shaft to shift said driving clutch element into or out of engagement with either of said driven clutch element non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, a 20 toothed driven clutch element, said drivenclutch element being rotatably and resiliently mounted on said shaft whereby when the teeth of the driving clutch element are moved into contact with the teeth of the driven clutch element the resilient mounting of the driven clutch element will enable a yielding thereof whereby the teeth of the clutch elements may be moved into engagement without undue clashing.

18. In a control mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, means for rotating the rolls comprising a drive shaft, a toothed driving clutch element non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, a toothed driven clutch element rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for applying the power of the drive shaft to shift said driving clutch element along said shaft-into engagement with said driven clutch element, said driven clutch element being resiliently mounted whereby it may yield when the faces of the teeth of the clutch elements are brought into engagement so that the teeth of the driving and driven clutch elements may be brought into registry before the driving clutch element is pushed into engagement with the teeth of the driven clutch element,

19.- In a control mechanism for the pressure rolls of a clothes wringer, the combination of a unitary driving and reversing mechanism for the rolls including a constantly rotating drive shaft,

a casing for the mechanism, a pair of driven b clutch elements loosely mounted on said drive shaft, a driving clutch member splined to and constantly rotating with said driveshaft and having a driving clutch element on each endthereof, cam surfaces on said driving clutch member, three pushbuttons projecting externally of the casing and having portions thereof projecting. into the casing engageable with the cam surfaces on said driving clutch member, one of said push buttons when pushed inward engagingone of said cam surfaces to urge the driving clutch member along said shaft in a direction such that one' of said driving clutch elements engages a driven clutch element and the rolls are rotated in one direction, said action being accomplished by the driving clutch member .along said shaft in the 7 opposite direction so that the other of said driving clutch elements engages the other of said driven clutch elements and the rolls are rotated in the reverse direction, said action also being accomplished by the power of the drive shaft 76 through the continued rotation of. the driving clutch member, and the third of said push butmember from either of its driving positionsby the power of the drive shaft through the continued rotation of the driving clutch member.

20. In a control mechanism for the pressure rolls of aclothes wringer, the combination of a unitary driving and reversing mechanism for the rolls including a constantly rotating drive shaft,'

a. casing for the mechanism, a pair of driven clutch elements loosely mounted on said drive shaft, a driving clutch member-splined to and constantly rotating with said drive shaft and having a driving clutch element on each end thereof, said clutch'elements-being toothed and each of said driven clutch elements being yieldingly mounted so that when the driving clutch elements are thrown into engagement therewith they may yield in the. direction of movement of the driving clutch element to enable engagement of the clutch elements without undue clashing of clutch teeth, cam surfaces on said driving clutch member, three push buttons projecting exter-.

nally of the casing and having portions there'of projecting into the casing engageable with the cam surfaces on said driving clutch member, one of said push buttons when pushed inward engaging one of said cam surfaces to urge the driving clutch. member along said shaft i a direction such that one of said driving clut n elements engages a driven clutch element and. the rolls are rotated in one direction, said action being accomplished by the power of the drive shaft through the continued rotation'of' the driving action also being accomplished by the power of the drive shaft through the continued rotation of'thedriving' clutch member, and the third of said push buttons when pushed inward engaging other of said cam surfaces to withdraw the driving clutchmember from either of 'its driving, positions by the power of the drive shaft through PETER EDUARD GELDHOF. v

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