US2119254A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

' vmfsam MAGHINE Filed may 25. 1935 2 sheets-#smeet l May 31, 193s.

R. H. wHrrELL-:Y 2,119,254

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 J2, JZ

Patented May 31, 1938 l PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE Robert H. Whiteley, Oak Park, lll.

Application May 25, 1935, Serial' No. 23,414

2 Claims.

.The presentinvention relates to washing machines particularly adapted to be used for washing clothes, and while the machine is primarily designed for use in the home, it may be constrcted in any size and used commercially as One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved washing machine which is adapted to wash fabrics or clothes more quickly with lesswear and tear on the garment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved washing machine so constructed thatit'res'ults in a different and improved form of circulation of the water with respect tothe water, or both, so as to accomplish its functions more efficiently than the devices of the prior art.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved washing machine which may be cheaply than the devices of` the prior art, but which is adapted to accomplish the same or bet- -ter results ata lower'cost. l

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved washing machine which is sturdy, simple in mechanical construction, compactgand eicient, and which is'adapted to be used with all of the usual washing machine accessories, includthe agitators, sh'owing the shape of one type of agitator vane, and its relation to the curved cylindrical bottom of the container;

Fig. 3 .is a fragmentary elevational view of the mechanism fora modification;

Fig. 4 is a similar'view of the mechanism of another modiiication;

Fig. 5 is aside elevational view taken from the right of Fig.'4, showing a fragmentof the mechanism for reciprocating the agitator.

-Referringto Fig. 1, the washing machine preferably comprises a container Il), which may be i" "substantially rectangular in plan but which is 55 clothing, or the clothing with respect to theV constructed more simply andk therefore more `the drawings, of lwhich there are preferably provided with a curved bottomwall II,'which is curved about the center of the agitator shafts. The container I0 also comprises the end walls I2, top I3, and usual side walls, and the top is provided with an opening which may be closed by means of the door I4. Door I4 is provided with an oiset hinge I5 so arranged that a rubber packing I6 may be interposed between thedoor and the top wall I3, and theY fastener I1 is preferably ofthe type adapted to draw the door into tight engagement with the packing IB.

The end walls I2 are provided with apertures I8 for receiving the packing gland I9, which has a threaded sleeve surrounding the shaft 20 and is secured to the wall I2 by means of rivets 2l, which pass through the attaching flange.

VA packing 22 is compressed by means of the sleeve 23, which also serves as a thrust bearing for the drive pulley 24, and the shaft'ZIl may extend into an auxiliary bearing 25, which is secured to an outer supporting plate 26.

The container Il) is supported upon a base 21,

vcomprising four angle iron legs having casters 28, the legs being joined by horizontal angle iron members 29 and by auxiliary angle iron members 30,- which are adapted to support the motor 3l.

The drive shaft 32 of the motor supports 'a drive pinion 33 and drives by means of a V belt 34 a pulley 35 carried by cross shaft 36. Cross shaft 36 is supported in bearings 31 in the frame and carries a pair of drive pulleys 38, the structure being the same on both sides of the machine wherethe machine is provided with an agitator on both sides.

Pulley38 drives the larger pulleyv 24 by means of a V belt 39, and in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 both of the agitatorsCMl may be driven in v the same direction clockwise or counterclockwise,

depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor. The cross shaft 36 is also provided with a beveled pinion 4I, which is adapted to drive the shaft of the mechanical wringer 42 of the. usual type, which is mounted to swing in a horizontal plane ,about a vertical axis above the washing machine.

The machine may be provided with a whirling drying device comprising a perforated receptacle 43, Ywhich is adapted to be rotated by an extension of the shaft 36, located in the housing 44, wherein the whirling receptacle 43 is mounted for rotation upon a vertical axis.

The machineI may be used with or without aV basket 45, comprisinga wire member, rectangular in plan, and adapted substantially to fit within the free space inside the receptacle I0. Angle mining the position of the basketv 45, and the basket is preferably provided with handles 41. 48 indicates the clothing or fabric upon which the washing machine is acting, and the line 49 indicates the preferred water level, but I desire it to be understood that other water levels may be employed.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the agitator 40 may comprise a disc 50 of metal, wood or other suitable material, which is provided with an axially extending shaft 20. Agitator vanes 5I are provided on the disc 5U, and any suitable number of vanes may be employed. y

My washer may be operated with one vanev or with two vanes equally spaced from each other, or with three or four or more vanes. Each of the vanes is identical in shape, except left yhand or right hand vanes may be provided, depending upon the direction of rotation of the vanes. It will be observed that the vanes are curved longitudinally at their backs 52 and that the back extends upward at right angles to a flat base which fits against the iiat disc 50.

Two or more apertures are provided for the reception of screw bolts 53 which pass through the vanes and are threaded into the disc 50, the heads of the screw bolts being embedded in counterbores.

'I'he top 54 of the vane 5| may take the shape of a curved rib of the thickness shown, terminating in a peripherally extending point 55. The outer lower edge 56 of the vane may be substantially cylindrical, curving with the edge of the disc 40. The vane increases in thickness from its top to its base,v and has a sloping curved wall 51 extending from the top 54 downto the forward curved edge 58, and the vane extends from a point near the shaft 20 to a point near the periphery, but curves forward in the direction of rotation in such a manner that water is thrown outward and in a direction longitudinally away from the shaft 20 along the axis of the shaft.

'Ihe vanes act both by virtue of their displacement of the water on account of the volume of the vane and also by virtue of their shape and direction of movement.

When the clothes are confined in a basket, then the washing action takes`place without contact between the clothing and the agitators, although movement of both the clothing and the water takes place, but when the clothing is not confined in the basket there is the additional circulation of the clothing and the rubbing action of the agitators on the clothing.

Referring to Fig. 1, in this modification both of the agitators may rotate in the same direction, and either or both may be provided with right hand or left hand agitators.

Referring now to Fig. 3, in this modification the motor 59 drives either the reducing gears or the clutch 50, and drives a pinion 6l which drives one spur gear 62 in one direction and the other spur gear 63 in the other direction. In this case,

therefore, the agitators rotate in opposite directions.

' The sloping face 51 of any agitatoris preferably arranged on the` side toward which the agitator is moving,.but these agitators may be arranged oppositely, if desired.

Referring to Fig. 4, this is a modification in which the motor 64 by means of the pulleys 65, 66 and V belt 61 drives cross shaft 68. Cross shaft 68 is provided with a crank 69 having a pin 10 which is arranged in a 'slot 1I in the arm 12. The arm 12 is pivoted at 13 and carries a gear segment 14 at its opposite end, engaging the pinion 15 on the agitator shaft 20. In this case the agitators are reciprocated or oscillated, that is, rotate first in one direction and then in the other. This oscillating motion may be arranged so that both agitators are oscillating in the same direction at the same time, or so that they are operating in opposite directions at the same time. The synchronization of the agitators or lack of synchronization depends on the location of the arm 69 with respect to another arm 16 on the shaft 68. When these arms are oppositely located at the same time, as shown in the full lines, then the agitators rotate in opposite directions during their oscillation; but when the right hand arm 69 is arranged as shown in dotted lines at 11, then the agitators will oscillate in the same direction at thesame time.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved Washing machine including' a pair of agitators arranged to oscillate or. rotate on a. horizontal axis. These agitatorsare adapted to cause the water and/or clothing to move in an entirely different manner, whereby the motion of the clothing in the water, or the water with respect to it and through the clothing, effects a cleaning action in a shorter period of time and more efciently than in the devices of the prior art.

.While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a clothes washing machine, the combination of a container having a hemi-cylindrcal bottom portion and having substantially vertical end Walls, for receiving the washing iiuid and clothes, with a pair of agitators, said agitators being mounted for rotation about horizontal axes in said end walls, and said container being adapted to be filled with cleaning iiuid to a point below the axes of the agitators, means for imparting a rotative motion to said agitators, each of said agitators comprising a substantially fiat supporting disc adapted to extend into juxtaposition with the external cylindrical walls of said container, and each agitator having upon said supporting disc a pair of agitator blades located on the side of said agitator-supporting disc, away from the adjacent wall of the container, said blades facing each other upon oppositely disposed discs, each of said blades extending in a general radial direction with respect' to the axis of rotation'of each agitator, and each blade having its rearward wall extending at substantially right angles to vthe surface of the disc and having its forward 2. Ina clothes washing machine, the combina- I tion of a container having a hemi-cylindri'cal bottom portion and having substantially vertical end walls, for receiving the washing fluid and clothes,

with a pair of agitators, said agitators being mounted for rotation about horizontal axes in said end walls, and said container being adapted to be lled with cleaning uid to a point below the axes ofthe agitators, means for imparting a rotative motion to said agitators, each oi' said agitators comprising a substantially fiat supporting disc adapted to extend into juxtaposition with the external cylindrical Walls of said container, and each agitator having upon-said supporting disc a pair -of agitator blades located on the side of said agitator-supporting disc; away from the adjacent wall of the container, said blades fac ing each other upon .oppositely disposed discs, each of said blades extending in a general radial direction withrespect to the axis of rotation o! each agitator, and each blade having its rearward wall extending at substantially right angles to the surface of the disc and having its forward wall extending at an obtuse angle with re-v spectto said disc, whereby the blade occupies a substantial volume and is adapted to displace 5 cleaning uid and impel cleaning fluid axially from said discs to establish in the 'cleaning iiuld a predetermined flow of liquid from said impeller blades into the clothes and out of the clothes at points spaced from the blades, and back to the 10 supporting the clothes in spaced'relation to .the lilil blades.

* ROBERT H. WHI'IELEY.

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