US2182661A - Washing machine and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec 55 1939 e. w. DUNHAM WASHING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Ma 14, 1937 Inventor: George WDurwham by v His btorney Fig.2.

Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.182.661 WASHING MACHINE AND THE LIKE George W. Dunham, Westport, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York Application May 14, 1937, Serial No. 142,647

1 Claim.

the like wherein the tub is secured on the support in a simple and effective manner, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention attention is directed to the followm ing description and claim appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the tub and support during assembly.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the tub fastened to the support.

Referring to the drawing, the tub I, which may be made of relatively light sheet metal coated with enamel, is supported by a cylindrical sheet metal skirt 2. A tubular sleeve or post 3 extends through a central opening in the bottom of the tub upwardly to a poin above the normal water level in the tub. A vertical shaft 4 for driving 5 an agitator 5 extends upwardly within the post 3 and is journalled at the upper end thereof in a bearing 6. The coupling between the shaft and the agitator comprises a nut l fixed to the upper end of the-shaft which fits into a complementary metal socket 8 molded to the inner surface of a rubber sleeve.9. The outer surface of the sleeve 9 is secured to the inner surface of the tubular portion [0 at the upper end of the agitator. The sleeve 9 provides a resilient support for the agitator and also provides a torsionally resilient driving connection between the oscillatory shaft 4 and the agitator. This driving connection decreases the shock resulting from the sudden reversal of the agitator, with the result that noise 0 caused by play in the oscillating mechanism is decreased. Since the upper end of the socket 8 is closed, leakage is prevented around the shaft 4 of the water which is splashed over the upper end of the agitator.

At the lower end of the agitator is an annulus ll of rubber bonded to ametal ring llb, whichis secured to the agitator. The annulus ll bears on the outside of the post 3 and provides a resilient bearingfor guiding the agitator. The bearing prevents noise due to wobbling of the agitator with respect to the post 3. The rubber bearing H has very low friction with water lubrication and has the further advantage that it is not harmed by particlesof grit in the water.

The lower ,end of the post 3 is bolted to the upper side of the gear casing l2 containing the driving mechanism for oscillating the agitator shaft. To prevent transmission of noise originating in the gear casing to the tub and the skirt 2 which serves as the tub support, there is provided a resilient mounting for the gear casing preventing metallic contact between the gear casing and any part of the tub or skirt. This mounting comprises rings I3 of rubber, or other resilient material, which are arranged on eitherside of a flange I4 of a bracket l5 secured to the skirt 2. The parts are held in assembled relation by a bolt l6 extending through the rings l3. One end of the bolt I6 is fixed to the gear case cover plate. A clearance hole I! in the flange prevents 1 metallic contact between the bolt and the flange. A resilient support of this construction is provided between the skirt 2 and each end of the gear casing. At the left end of the gear casing the resilient support is located between the gear casing cover and the skirt. At the right end of 1 the gear casing the resilient support is located between a bracket l8 and the skirt. M

In order to prevent transmission of noise from the gear casing through the wringer post l9,

which is fixed in the gear casing, I have provided 25 a similar resilient mounting between the tub and collar 20 which is adapted to support a wringer.

This mounting comprises pads 2| of resilient material which are arranged on either side of the tub and which are held in place by screws 22 threaded through clearance holes in the tub into the collar.

A resilient mounting is also provided between the post 3 and the bottom of the tub. This mounting comprises rings 23 of resilient material I which are arranged on either side of the tub and which are clamped between the flange 24 on the post 3 and a nut 25 threadedon the post. The rings 23 also serve as a water-tight seal.

'In order for the resilient connection between the post and the bottom of the tub to be effective in preventing the transmission of vibration and noise the tub is supported upon the skirt 2 so'that the weight of the tub and contents will not be transmitted through the resilient rings 23 to the gear casing. i

In the supporting arrangement for the tub,

the inside diameter of the skirt is made slightly larger than the outside diameter ofthe tub so 0 that'the tub may be nes t ed into the upper portion' -of the skirt. For securing the tube to the skirt a circumferential head 26 is provided in the side wall of the tub, preferably near the lower portion thereof. The upper edge of the skirt is provided with an annularly bulging rim pro-- viding a shoulder 21 and an offset portion 28 of awidth approximately that of the bead 28. To prevent a metallic contact between the tub'and skirt, a strip of non-metallic or sound deadening material 29, such as rubber, is placed between the bead and the bulging rim of the skirt. The strip of sound deadening material 29 may be preformed during the manufacture thereof in a cross-sectional modified U-shape such as shown in Fig. 3.

Prior to the assembling of the machine the strip of scund deadening material may be folded out fiatwise and placed around the tube with one edge of the strip over the bead, as shown in Fig.

2, thus safeguarding against the chipping of the enameled surface of the tub during the assembling operation. With the strip in place about the tub, the tub is nested into the skirt, the covered bead 26 resting upon the annular shoulder 21 of the bulged portion of the skirt. The tub is then securely fastened to the skirt by crimping the upwardly extending annular offset portion 28 over the protruding bead 26 on the tub as shown in Fig. 3. The bulged rim of the skirt may be provided with a plurality of spaced vertical slits so that only the tabs 28 between the slits need be crimped over the bead 25. A similar result will be obtained by making the portions 28 as circumferentially spaced lugs or tabs projecting from the upper edge of the skirt. The portion 30 of the strip-protects the enameled surface of the tub adjacent the bead during the crimping operation of the skirt edge 28. After the crimping operation, the portion 30 of the strip is folded down over the bulged rim of the skirt covering the crimped portion 28. The portion 30 of the strip which extends annularly around the machine and protrudes from the surface thereof further acts as a buffer to protect the enameled finish of the machine from abrasion or defacement by collision with the other objects while in assembly, shipment or in use. The strip 29 further provides a seal between the tub and the skirt so that water flowing down the outside of the tub will not leak between the.tub and the skirt.

By my invention I provide a rigid support between the tub and the skirt so that the machine may be moved without exerting any force upon any of the resilient mountings, nor is any of the weight of the tub and contents transmitted to the support through any of the resilient mountings to impair their effectiveness as such while the machine is in use.

While I have illustrated my invention in connection with a washing machine, it is applicable to other devices which require the securing of a M tub to a support.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In combination, a tub, a sheet metal skirt, a bead on the side wall of said tub, said skirt being provided with an annular offset portion at the upper edge thereof forming a shoulder cooperating with said bead on said tub, portions of said offset portion being crimped over said bead, and a non-metallic strip extending from between said tub and said skirt, over the edge of the skirtQand around the outside of said skirt.

GEORGE W. DUNHAM.

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