US2292815A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

11,1942- H. F.'BARlFFl WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1940 Inventor: Herbert, F. BaFiF F i His ttovneg- Patented Aug. 11, 1942 wasnmc MACHINE Herbert F. Barim, Hamden, Coma, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 21, 1940, Serial No. 357,744

(or; 68-23) g H 'cesses 21 in a spiral gear 28 which is loose on the 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to washing machines oi the type in which clothes are .washed and centrifugally dried in a single tube or receptacle.

It has heretofore been suggested that the clothes be rinsed by spraying fresh water into the tub during centrifugal drying, this being known as "spray rinsing."

The object of my invention is to. provide an improved construction and arrangement for spray rinsing the clothes during centrifugal drying. and for a consideration of what I believe novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto. v

In the accompany ng d awing, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a-perspective view of the driving mechanism for the washing ma chine; and Fig.3 is a control diagram.

. Referring to the drawing, there is shown a washing machinehaving an outer casing or tank I in the upper part of which is a tub or clothes receptacle 2 having a bladed agitator 3 therein. In the'upper part of the tub side walls are openings 4 which define the liquid level in the tub during washing and through which liquid is centrifugally discharged during drying. By a suitable arrangement, for example that shown in Patent 2,161,618- -G. W. Dunham, the agitator is selectively oscillated for washing or the receptacle is rotated for centrifugal drying by a vertical shaft 5 extending up through a sleeve worm l5 which mesheswith a worm gear l8 having a socket II for receiving the crank pin of a rack it. The rack reciprocates in a guide 19 pivotally carried on arms 20 fixed to a rock shaft 2|. By turning" the rock shaft in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the rack is moved into'engagement with a pinion 22' fixed to the shaft 5. is an arm 23 having its free end loosely received in a groove 24 in a clutch'member 25 splined to the shaft l2. Wherithe rock shaft 2| is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the clutch member 25 is moved axially along shaft l2 2| is in the position illustrated, the clutch mem shaft l2 and which meshes with a spiral gear 29 keyed to the shaft 5. When the rock shaft ber 25 is out of engagementwith the gear 28 and the rack I8 is out of-engagementwith the pinion' 22 so that the shaft 5 is stationary. The rock shaft 2| is turned by a control knob 30.fixed toa shaft 3| slidably and rotatably carried in walls gear 38 accordingly turns with the knob 30. The

' nular filter 53 carried on the upper rim of the When'the outer casing is to be range-d m discharge toa drain. The pumpisdnvenbga -pulley 54 fixed tothe pump shaft""55j by'a belt-f Also fixed to'therock shaft2l.

rotation of the bevel gear 38 is transmitted to the rock shaft 2| through bevel gears 39, 40, 4], 42, and 43. The control knob 30 is shown in the 0116" position. When the control knob is turned to the position in which the pointer 44 points to dry the rock shaft 2| is moved to the position in which the clutch member 25 engages the gear 28 and the shaft 5 is rotated at its centrifugal. extracting speed through the gears .28 and 23.

When the knob is turned to the position in which the pointer 44 points to wash," the rack 18 is moved into engagement with the pinion 22 and the shaft 5 is oscillated at the washing speed.

During washing an excess of liquid is placed in the receptacle 2 so that some of the liquid overflows through the openings 4 and is conducted from an opening 45 in the bottom of the outer casing through a conduit 46 and valve 41 to the inlet of a pump 48. The discharge of the pump is connected by a flexible hose 49 ms dis-' charge nozzle 50 which during washing is inserted through an opening 5| in the cover 52 for the outer casing so as to discharge onto any anreceptacle 2. I I emptied, the discharge nozzle may'b' ifi am i'a pulley 51 integral with the"'pulley l4.

Since the pump is driven directly froni'the mo-' tor it rotates throughout'the washing and drying H operations. -During washing the liquid v vhich fi overflows through the openings 4 is pumped Q from the bottom of the outer casing onto the filter s3. A During centrifugal casing,'whence it falls into an annular trough 58 fixed to the outer-casing below the.recep tacle--j to a position in which its teeth 23 engage re- 55 2. The liquid caught in the trough 58 drains",

drying the liquid the I clothes is centrifugally discharged through the openings] against-the side walls of the outer.

through a conduit 59 to a solenoid-operated valve 68, shown in detail in Fig. 3, which either conducts the liquid through a conduit 6i to the bottom of the outer casing or conducts the liquid through a conduit 82 to a drain.

The tub is filled through a, conduit 53 connected to the water supply and having a discharge nozzle 84 directed into the receptacle 2. The conduit 83 is controlled by a valve 65 which is opened only when the machine is to be filled. Around the valve 65 is a by-pass conduit 66 controlled by a solenoid-operated valve 61, shown in detail in Fig. 3. The valve 81 is opened'only when fresh water is to be introduced into the receptacle during centrifugal drying to rinse the clothes at which time the valve 65 is closed.

During the washing and drying operations the driving motor is energized through the circuit extending from a conductor 68 connected to one side of the power line, a line switch 69, conductor I0, spring contact arm II, and contact 12 connected to one end of the high speed winding 8. The other end of the high speed winding 8 is connected through conductor 12' to the motor armature I which is connected through a conductor I3 to the grounded side of the power line. The spring arm II is normally biased into engagement with the contact I2. When the control knob 30 is in the dry position a key I4 on the shaft 3| is in register with a keyway I5 in the wall 33 of the control box 35. The knob 30 can accordingly be pulled outward away from the control box so a cam I8 on the shaft 3| engages a projection 11 on the spring contact arm II and moves the contact arm away from the contact I2 and into engagement with'a contact I8 connected to one end of the low speed motor winding 8. This shifts the motor from the high speed to the low speed position. The closing of the circuit to the contact I8 closes a circuit to a solenoid 19, operating the valve 60. The valve 88 is biased by a spring 80 to' a position in which the liquid flowing through the valve is conducted through the conduit 8| to the bottom of the outer casing. Upon energizing of the solenoid I8, the valve plunger is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, shutting the passage to the conduit 6| and opening the passage to the conduit 82, so that the liquid flowing through the valve is conducted to the drain. The closing of the circuit through the contact I8 also closes a circuit to a solenoid 8| in the valve 61 extending from the contact I8 which is connected to the line conductor 88. through conductor 82, solenoid 8|, conductor 83, centrifugal switch 84, and conductor 85 to the ground side of the power line. The centrifugal switch 84 is mounted on the motor shaft I II and is arranged so that the switch is open during the high speed operation of the motor and is closed when the motor speed is low enough so that the clothes will not be damaged by impact with the fresh water discharged through the nozzle 64. The solenoid 8| can be energized only when the motor is connected in its low speed position and when the motor speed has been reduced sufliciently to close the centrifugal switch 84. This is in efl'ect an interlock between the valve controlling the rinse water and the switch controlling the motor speed. Upon energizing of the solenoid 8i the valve 81 is opened to admit fresh water into the receptacle 2 through the nozzle 84. This water is thrown outwardly through the clothes by centrifugal force, rinsing the same. when the control knob 38 is pushed inward the spring contact arm moves away from the contact I8 into engagement with the contact I2. This opens the circuits to the solenoids I9 and 8i, causing the return of the valves and 61 to the positions illustrated.

In the use of the machine the receptacle 2 is filled untilwater. overflows through the openings 8 by opening the valve 65 so'that fresh water is admitted from the water supply 63 through the nozzle 64. The switch 68 is then closed to start the motor, the valve 41 in the pump inlet is opened, the clothes and washing compound are put in the receptacle, and the control knob 30 is turned to the wash" position. The rack I8 is now in engagement with the pinion 22 and the agitator 3 is oscillated by the shaft 5. The pump 48 pumps water from the bottom of the outer casing I through the flexible hose 49 and nozzle 50 onto the filter 53. Since the water is continually overflowing through the openings 4 the water in the clothes receptacle is continuously filtered throughout the washing operation. At the conclusion of the washing operation the valve 41 in the pump inlet 46 is closed and the control knob is turned to the dry position, moving the rack I8 out of engagement with the pinion 22 and moving the clutch member 25 into engagement with the spiral gear 28. This completes a driving connection from the motor to the receptacle 2 through the spiral gears 28 and 29 and the vertical shaft 5. The clothes receptacle is now rotated at high speed to centrifugally dry the clothes. The liquid in the clothes is discharged through the openings 4 against the side walls of the outer casing and falls into the annular trough 58, whence it drains through the conduit 58, valve 80, and conduit 6| to the bottom of the outer casing. When the drying operation is completed the control knob 30 is pulled outward so the spring contact arm II is moved by the cam I6 into engagement with the contact I8 connected to the low speed motor winding 9. This closes a circuit through the solenoid I9 of the valve 80, closing the passage to the conduit 6| and opening the passage to the conduit 82 so that the liquid caught in the trough 58 will be conducted to the drain. As soon as the motor speed is reduced to a safe value the centrifugal switch 84 closes and thereby completes a circuit to the solenoid 8i of the valve 81. This opens the valve 61 and causes the introduction of fresh water from the water supply 63 through the conduit 68 and nozzle 84. With this arrangement it is impossible to introduce rinsing water into the clothes receptacle when the speed of rotation is high enough so that the fabric can be damaged by the impact of the rinsing water. When the rinsing operation is completed the control knob 38 is pushed inward, opening the circuit to the solenoid 8| and thereby cutting off the flow of rinsing water. At the same time the circuit to the solenoid I8 is opened and the valve 88 is returned to the position illustrated in which the passage to the conduit 82 is closed and the passage to the conduit BI is opened. The liquid remaining in the clothes at the end of the rinsing operation will be centrifugally discharged through the openings 4 and caught in the trough 58 and returned to the outer casing through the conduit 6|. The rotation of the receptacle is stopped by turning the control knob 38 to theoif position. After the clothes have been removed, the valve 41 is opened and the liquid in the bottom of the outer casing is pumped through the flexible hose 48 which may be arranged to fill the receptacle 2 for washing another batch of clothes or may be arranged to discharge to a drain and thereby empty the outer casing.

What I claim as new and dGSiIQ'tO secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. In a washing machine, a clothes receptacle,

high and low speeds for centrifugal drying, provisions for introducing rinsing liquid to the receptacle, and a speed responsive device for preventing the introduction of rinsing liquid during the high speed rotation of the receptacle.

2. In a washing machine, a receptacle for receiving liquid and clothes to be washed and centrifugally dried, mechanism for selectively agitating the liquid and clothes in the receptacle for washing and for rotating the receptacle at high and low speeds for centrifugal drying, provisions for introducing rinsing liquid into the receptacle, a control for said mechanism movable to washing and drying positions and effective while in the drying position to control the introduction of rinsing liquid, and interlock means for preventing the introduction of rinsing liquid during high speed rotation of the receptacle.

3. In a washing machine, a receptacle for receiving liquid and clothes to be washed and cenmeans for selectively rotating the receptacle at I with liquid without injury to thefabric by impact of the liquid spray and spraying the clothes with fabric, means for spray rinsing the clothes,

means for reducing speed of the receptacle, and

a control for the rotation of the receptacle and the spray rinsing movable first to the high speed position and second to a position controlling the spraying of rinsing liquid and the reduction of the receptacle speed to a value insufficient to cause injury to the fabric.

6. In a washing machine, a clothes receptacle,

means for rotating the receptacle to centrifugally dry the clothes at a speed at which the impact of a liquid spray on the clothes would injure the fabric, means for sprayingthe clothes during the centrifugal drying operation with rinsing liquid, a control movable to positions controlling the retation of the receptacle and the rinsing, and means responsive to movement of the control to the rinsing position for reducing the speed of the receptacle whereby the impact of the spray on the clothes is reduced to a value insufiicient to cause injury to the fabric.

HERBERT F. BARIFFI.

gally drying the clothes, the steps of centrifuging the clothes in a centrifuge receptacle at a speed above that at which the clothes may be sprayed

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