US2372770A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet l J. G. DE REMER WASHING MACHINE Original Filed March 18, 1939 April 3, 1945. J. cs.l DE REMI-:R 2,372,770

wmsHIlqG` MACHINE Original Filed March 18"..A 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 3 1945- J. G. DE REMER 2,372,770

WASHING MACHINE original Filed March 18, 1939 ,s sheets-sheet s l 156 dw Patented Apr. 3, 1945l v UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Jay Grant cDe' Berner, Darien, Conn.,

J. G. De `Reiner Research Corporation,

assignor to Union City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application March 18, 1939, Serial No. 262,652, now PatentNo. 2,350,218, dated M ay 30, 1944. Divided and application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,069. Again divided and this application February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,238

2 claims. (ci. ca -12) an outer' tank with, driving devicesv forimpressing uboth a spinning motion and a gyrating motion on the basket. The driving devices may be suitably positioned under the tank and thebasket may be supported in the tank by a suitable drive shaft or pedestal assembly vcomprising an outer tubular gyrating shaft and an inner spin shaft. The gyratlng shaft may have a large friction gear secured thereto and the spin shaft a somewhat smaller friction gear. The driving devices may comprise a main electricdrive motor having a.

friction gear on each end engaging the gyrating and spin shaft friction gears respectively.

The above laundry machine is particularly adapted for full automaticl operation. A special shifting element may be provided fo'r shifting between the washing and drying positions. This shifting element may comprise' .a' brake ring which engages the spin shaft gear to move it up and down. During the washing operation, the brake ring may engage the spin shaft gear, holding 1t stationary and removed from its drive inotor gear. For drying, the shift element may'permit thespin shaft gear -to engage its drive motor gear, the brake element entirely releasing the spin shaft gear during the drying operation. The gyrating shaft gear and its motor gear are in engagement continuously during both washing and drying operations.'`

The shift element may be operated by a suitable nut and screw mechanism driven by asmall reversible electric control motor which operates to move the shift element first to its washing of contacts for controlling the control motor, and

' sector rings for controlling the main drive motor.

Suitable clockwork is provided for driving a contact arm through a suitable clutch whereby the contact arm may be adjusted independent of the clockwork. This contact arm engages the various contacts and sector rings for controlling entirely automatically the sequence of operations so that the clothes, when once placed in the basket, may be washed, rinsed and dried entirely automatically, each operation being timed withoutv further attention from the operator after the clothes have been placed in the basket.

The invention also consists incertain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter'set forth andclaimed. Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out n the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forniing a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation of the laundry machine with parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the main drive shaft assembly;

position and then to its drying position. Suitable contact and circuit devices may be provided for automatically operating and vreversing the control motor. l A A According to a preferred form, the contact and circuit devices may comprise a stationary dial having a rst series of contacts for controlling hot and cold^waterwsupply valves, a second series Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a completelyautomatic operation;

. and

lFig. 5 is a detail of the gyrating-ring used for the washing operation.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to. be as generic in theirapplication as the art will permit. i

Like referencecharacters denote like parts in the several gures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for 'purposes of explanation, but it will be understood thatthe details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspects of the invention. I

Rererring now-tothe drawings and, more particularly, to Figs. 1 and 2, a particular type of laundry machine is described to which the automatic control is especially adapted, although it will be understood that this control is not limited to this type of machine.

This laundry machine comprises, in general, an

f outer tank I enclosing an imperforate type tor I4 drives both the spin shaft I2 and gyrating shaft I3, and control motor I5 automatically shifts the machine back and forth between washing' and drying operations. Pump I3 is fox` the purpose of emptying the tank into a sink or the use.

The basket II is made of suitablev material, such as sheet metal and comprises a dished bottom running into an upwardly and outwardly flaring side wall 24. An annular ring having aper. tures 25 is -secured to side wall 24.- Ring 25 has an inturned flange 21 for retaining the laundry during the washing and drying operations.

A plurality of ballles 23 are secured t0 the side wall 24 to assist in agitating the laundry during the washing operation. Two diametrically opposed bailles may be used', as shown, or any larger number. The basket is supportedv by stub shaft 2| having a top plate 22. 'I'he bottom wall 23 of the spinner i's secured between plate 22 and cooperating 'plate 23 b'y welding, brazing, or in lany other suitable way.

\ Tank I0 is made up of a structural base ring 3| supporting an annular side wall 32 and in turn supported by legs 33, three legs being shown for purposes of illustration. The bottom of the tank is made up of an annular trough 34 secured to the sleeve or pedestal 35. An annular flared bracing member 35 is secured to sleeve 35 and tothe bottom of trough 34. as indicated particularly in Fig. 1. 'I'he sheet metal members 32, 34, 35 and 33 may be secured together by welding or brazing, or in any other way well known in the art.A

'I'he cover for tank I3 comprises a fiat ring 31 seated within the upper edge of the tank and having an annular seat 42. Seated on this seat is central lid 33 having a depending flared wallapplies an accelerating vforce to the precessing basket shaft made up of shafts 5I and 2| above universal joint 52. To impart this accelerating force, friction rings Glare secured to the upper edge of gyrating shaft I3. Friction rings 33 c0- operate with a spherical cup or plate 6| which is secured to sleeve 52, which in turn supports bearing bushing 33 journalled on sleeve 58. The bushing 53 is flared at both ends for a purpose hereinafter described. The spherical friction surfaces on cup 6I and friction rings 60 are laid out about the center of universal joint 52 when in its lower v or drying position, indicated in Fig. 2.

For transferring weight from the basket II to the spherical cup 5|, a sleeve 54 is provided, journalled on cup GI by bearing ring 55. A shield 35 is secured to cup 6| and carries a felt washer 31 bearing against ring 64 for the purpose of retaining lubricant within the -shield 38 and for preventing water from getting into the bearing mechanism. Shield 63 is secured to gyrating sleeve I3 to prevent water getting into the drive shaft assembly.

In the position shown in Fig. 2, the parts are in theirdrying position and the drying operation has just begun. Spin shaft I2 rotates at a centrifugally extracting speed and at the same time gyrating shaft I3 rotates in the same direction at V a slower speed. The friction members 50 and 5| carry the basket shaft 2|, 5| joumalled in bear ing 53 in a vconical path.

For washing, a gyrating ring 1| is secured to gyrating shaft I3. Ring 1I, shown in detail in Fig. 5, has an olf-center recess 12 adapted to receive a ring or bushing 13 tapered to seat easily within recess 12. Spin shaft I2 is raised in a manner hereinafter described to cause ring 'I3 to Aseat in recess 12. Ring 13 is journalled ra- 33. Secured 'to the top of wall 33 is a fiat wall 40. Walls 33 and 40 providea chamber and act as baffles to prevent water from being thrown out of the machine during the washing operation. At the same time, walls 39 and 40 have aligned openings for feeding wash water through supply hose |38.

The drive shaft assembly comprises sleeve 35 which Journalsvsleeve shaft i3, which in turn journals spin shaft I2. The sleeve or pedestal 35 carries a lower shoulder ring 44 providing a radial bearing for gyrating'shaft I3 and a 4collar is secured to shaft I3 to provide a vertical thrust bearing operating against ring 44.

The spin shaft I2 comprises a lower section 50 and upper section 5| connected by a universal joint 52, permitting the upper section l5| to spin with the lower section 53 and also to execute a conical precessing movement about the center of universal joint 52, as will be explained more in detail hereinafter. Ring'53 is secured to gyrating sleeve I3 and supports bearing sleeve 54 for journalling lower section 53. Bearing washers act between ring 53 and the shoulder on universal joint 52 to take the vertical thrust of spin shaft I2 -Y ,''he upper section 5| has a sleeve 55 iixedly secured thereto, this sleeve being splined to receive, 10 2 is the drying position at the .beginning of the dially by bearing 15 and axially between collars 14 an'd 15 fixed on shaft 53.

For driving the machine, an electric motor |4 is bolted to saddle 13. Saddle 13 has side ears 11 pivoted at 8| to side walls 18 of hanger 33. Hanger 33 is suspendedy from pivot B2 secured to base ring 3|..

The shaft of electric motor I4 carries bevel friction gears 33 and 34, engaging respectively gears 86 and 35 yon lower section 53 and gyrating shaft I3. Spring 31 acts between the adjacent leg 33 and an ear 11 of saddle 13 to yieldably urge friction gears 83 and 34 into engagement with friction gears 33 and 35. A stop 33 is secured to a leg 33 and an adjustable screw 33 is secured to saddle 13 to limit the upward movement of gear 33 when it is disengaged from gear 35 for the purpose hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 2 the pump I5 comprises a casing 3| having an impeller 32 pinned t0 lower section 50. 'I'he casing 3| is journalled on shaft 53 and has inlet 33 and outlet 34. Flexible hose 35 connects inlet 33 with a drain tube 31 connected to the tank bottom (Fig. l). Flexible hose 33 connects discharge outlet 34 with a gooseneck 33 adapted tobe hung over the edge of a sink, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The water flows in the direction of the 'arrows and the flexible hose 35 resists the torque a complementary splined end 51 of basket stubrdrying operation. To shiftffrom drying position shaft 2|. Spring 53 acts between a recess in up- Der section 5| and the bottom of stub shaft 2| for a purpose hereinafter described. e

' gTo overcome precession, the gyrating shaft I3 13 4rating ring 1I.

to washing position, the spin shaft I2 is elevated,

this disengaging drive gears I3 and 33 and en gaging gyrating bushing 13 with the recess in gy- `||2 made up of a worm |05 on the drive shaft of l motor l5, which meshes worm wheel |06 on screw shaft |01. Screw shaft |01 engages nut |08 having trunnions |09 connected to the forked end of arm which is secured to pivot shaft Pivot shaft Iis supported by hangers ||3 from the bottom ofplate |04 and carries the arms I0|.

It will be apparent from Fig. 1 that when current is supplied to. control motor I5, it will ro. tate screw shaft 01, causing nut |08 to move downwardly, which inturn imparts upward movement to brake collar |00 which shifts the machine from the drying to the washing position in the manner described above. Reversal of the control motor I5 will bring' the parts back to the position lshown in Fig. l.

beginning of this operation.l The nut |08 has :lust

reached its uppermost position on screw shaft |01 and the brake ring |00 has just permitted Vfriction gear 80 to engage motor friction gear 83 and hasv :lust released gear 85 from braking action. Gyrating shaft I3 is already moving at washing speed and spin shaft |2 is beginning to rotateat drying speed. In explaining this operation, it will be rst assumed that the clothes and everything spinning with the basket are perfectly balanced with respect to thebasket axis. In actual practice this condition will rarely or seldom occur and the basket will-spin about a theoretical center of make certain settings and thereafter all washing, rinsing and drying is done entirely automatically, eachy operation being timed, and no further attention from the operator is necessary until itis time to remove the clothes from t^e basket for hanging out to dry or for ironing.

Referring now to Fig. 3, a circuit arrangement is shown for controlling tre automatic operation. The arrangement comprises a dial having a clock shaft ||6 which may be the shaft corresponding to the shaft which ordinarily supports the minute hand of any suitable clock mechanism, 'either electric or spring driven. Secured to clock shaft H6 is a contact arm H1 which may be secured to shaft ||6 by any ordinary friction clutch commonly used in clocks, whereby thelcontact arm ||1 may be rotated by the 'operator independent of the clock mechanism` Arranged in the path of thecontaet arm are sector rings ||8, ||9 ard contacts |20-I3l.

. The several sector rings and contacts are connected to a source of power H4 which may be any ordinary A. C. or D. C. household power fine, which power is controlled by a switch l5. Connected in circuit is the main drive motor h3 oi the machine and the control motor |5.v Also ccnnected in circuit is a solenoid cperatxl water valve connected in a hot water supply line H and a second solenoid'operated water valve |35 connected in a cold water'supply line C. Connected in the hot water line H is asoap box |31 in which may be placed soap chipsor soap powder which is carried into the machine by the flw of hot water. Pipes H and C are connected to hose |38 which passes through the cover o f ,tank l0.

It will b'eunderstood that, if desired, the solenoid valves |35'and |36, soap contarxer |31. cn-

tact dial and control-switch ||5 may be suitably built into the machine.

' Operation The drying operation will r11-st be described since the machine is shown inposition at the mass spaced from the geometrical basket axis, but the correcting action is substantially the same in both cases.

The basket partakes ofA two movements 1) a spinning movement about its own axis, and (2)y a gyrating movement about thec enter of universal joint 52, the basket axis describing a. conical surface. Friction rings carry friction cup 8| in a circular path, the basket shaft 2| spinning within cupl by means of bearings 03 and 65.

It will thus be seen that the gym-stabilizer including gyrating shaft 3 exerts a force on the basket tangential to its conical precessional movement. The direction of rotation ofl gyrating shaft I3 is the same as the direction of spin shaft I2 and gyrating shaft |3-impresses an accelerating force on the precessional niovement'o.F the basket. The tangential accelerating iorce causes the basket to move in a direction at right angles to the-force or toward true vertical position, the friction surfaces 60 and 0| permittingl y In case the clothes the gym-stabilizer will center the entire whirling mass about the theoretical center of mass which will differ slightly rfrom the axis of the spinner basket and shaft 2|. In this case, there will be a slight circular motion of the spherical cup or disc 5| on ring 60, but the correcting force acting toward, true vertical due to the correcting action oigtyrating shaft I3 will nevertheless continue to e s After the basket l has been spun at centrifugally extracting speed a sufficient length of time to expel the water from the clothes, the auto,-

matic control operates control motor |5 in such and arresting, the spinning movement 'of spin shaft |2. Further downward movement of nut |08 elevates spin shaft I2, raising the universal joint 52 off thrust bearing 55, compressing springr and moving sleeve shaft 56 and gyrating ring 15 upwardly to engage in the socket 12 of gyrating ring 1|, the tapered surface of these members facilitating seating of these parts. l It will be noted that the basket partakes of no upward movement, but that the basket shaft 2| telescopes down within sleeve shaft 56, compressing spring 58. Friction'members and 8| maintain ycont/act, the flaring ends of bearing bushing 63 accommodating theupward shift of universal joint ('52 which places it slightly off `center with respect to the center of curvature of the spherical surface of friction members 60, 0|.

are not evenly distributed,

Y water to-now for one and one-A This is the washing position. The gyrating shaft I3 carrying gyrating ring 1l positively moves ring 13 in a circular path, but the basket shaft 2| partakes of norotation about its own axis because spring 50 provides sumcient contact pressure between gear 86 and brake ring |00 to ing washing.

Thus the basket II with its measured contents of water and clothes is gyrated about the center of universal joint 52 in elevated position, the agi.- tator blades 28 helping to tumble the clothes, opening them up and exposing all parts to the washing action of the water. The ring 25 and flange 21 on the basket prevent the water from sloshing out during washing, the bales 33 and 40 on the tank cover' directing any water which might spout upwardly back into the basket and preventing this water from discharging out of the machine. l y

After the clothes are washed for a sufficient length of time, the control motor I5 drives the nut |08 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, this movement disengaging gyrating rings 1| and 13, engaging the universal joint 52 with thrust bearing 55, engaging spin gear 86 with motor gear 83 ,and disengaging the brake ring |00 from the spin gear 86. The frictional surfaces of gears 83 and B6 permit the necessary slipping to drive spin shaft I2 up to centrifugally discharging speed. Here again spring 58 helps supply the necessary downward pressure to spin gear 36.

Most of the weight of basket I'I and contents during drying is borne by spherical friction members 60 and 6|.

The automatic control functions as follows: Assume the contact arm ||1 is restingo5 all contacts in position X from a previous run and the switch I I5 is open. 'I'he machine is in the washing position. The clothes will be placed in the basket and the top container |31 will be filled. It is only necessary then to-close power switch |I5 and to start the clock driving clock shaft H6.

Engagement of arm ||1 with contact button operates cold water solenoid |36 to deliverv a measured amount of cold water into basket The moving arm ||1 contacts sector rings Ill, ||9, thereby starting the one-quarter horse power main driving motor Il. The machine being in the washing position, the clothes are theni given a. pr-rinse in cold water of, say, ve minutes until the contact arm I 1 hits button |2|.

This causes control motor I5 to shift the brake ringI 00 to the drying posltion.- The machine now of the various buttons may, therefore, be selected to allot the proper times to carry out the functions controlled by the widths of these con- `tacts. For example, contactbutton |20, operating cold'water solenoid |30, may cause cold suming the water supply is adjusted to four gal:- lons per minute and the capacity of the-basket is six gallons. It is obvious that when y the arm Ahold these members in non-slipping relation durdrive nut |00 from its lower to its upper position.

Upon contacting button |22. the control motor II will be reversed, thereby returning the machine to washing position. At'thesame time, contact with button |22 opens hot water valve |25, causing hot water to pass through the soap box I 21 and ll the basket with a predetermined amount of hot water and soap.- The machine |25 opens hot water valve |25 to give the clothesv a hot rinse. It will be understood that the mst time hot water passes through soap chamber |21, for the washing operation, it empties the chamber and that, consequently, this and subsequent hot rinses are given in pure hot water.

The hot rinsing will take place for, say, five minutes, until contact arm ||1 touches button |21 which shifts the machine to drying position, after which the machine may dry for, say, five minutes. The drying operation continues until Contact arm n1 touches hutten |29 which shirts lf minutes, as- .Y

the machine to washing position. kContact withv button |28 again opens hot water valve |25 which fills the basket with hot water for a second hot This hot rinse may continue for, say, five minutes, until contact arm ||1 hits button |20 which shifts the machine to the drying position. This drying operation will continue for, say, ten or fifteen minutes, if it is desired to spin the clothes.

dry enough for ironing, or until contact arm |I1 engages button ISI' which shifts the machine to washing position, or ready for the next batch of clothes. As the arm ||1 passes oil.' of sector rings H2, IIB to position X, main drive motor Il stops and, if desired, the clockwork may also have been set to stop automatically.. v

The machine is now at rest and in the starting position. 'Ihe clothes have been spun dry and may b'e removed from the machine by the operator. The new batch of clothes may be placed in the basket; the soap box |31 filled again, and the automatic control set to operate upon this batch of laundry in the same manner as above described.

Thus, it will be seen that a combined kwashing and drying machineis provided that is simple in construction and operation, Both spin and gyrating shafts are located below the basket to permit easy access to the top of the basket. Since the basket spills no water during washing, a mininium amount of water is` consumed. A suitable water level in the basket for washing'will be about even with .the holes 26.

This type of machine alsolends itself admir-d ably for full' automatic operation. as both washing and drying operaticns'may -be carried Aon ,with the clothes in the same container. No water circulation is required since water-is prevented from sloshing out 0f the basket during washing andthe tank I0 may be made of minimum capacity since it does not have to store water. The pump I6 runs only during the drying operation when water is being expelled vfrom the basket. The guard ring 25 eectively prevents the discharge of. clothes during washing and drying and the vlarge number of holes 26 permit the water to be expelled during drying.

.The washing action is achieved by the gyrating shaft rotating at the same speed as is used for correction purposes during the drying operation. A positive gyrating drive is achieved for the washing operation. v

The two-part cover for the tank is convenient, as it is only necessary to remove the center lid 38 for inserting clothes into the -basket and re'- .moving them from the basket. The ring 3l normally stays in place and acts as a guard to prevent water discharged from the basket Il during drying from splattering out of vthe tank l0. The guard ring 3l is completely removable from the tank for cleaning purposes and to permit the spinner basket to be removed. This member may be easily lifted out of the machine, the splined basket shaft 2i lifting out the sleeve shaft 56 and being easily replaceable therein.

Various modifications of the invention will be tionen, describes and claims the basket and tank with the double wall cover 'cooperating to help prevent expulsion of the liquid vduring washing while permitting expulsion .of the liquid lfrom the basket during While certain novel -features of theI invention I have been disclosed and are pointed out in the apparent to those skilled in the art. For example.

if automatic operation is not desired, the control motor I5, reduction gears H2 and nut and screw bolt assembly 108, |09 may be eliminated and a simple' pedal placed on the end of arm IM with suitable catch mechanism for shifting between washingv and drying positions. Also, the bailies 38 and 40 in the tank cover formingconcentrie chamber 4| may be conveniently usedr as a soap` chamber.

Also, if desired, provision-may be made for reversing the main drive motor Il during some or the operations, for example, during the rinsing operation in the event trouble is encountered from clothes becoming tangled in the basket due to continuous rotation of the basket in one direction.

Also, if it is desired to gyrete the basket ethigh speeds during the washing Operation, a countei-weight may be applied' to oilset any tendency of the machine to lurcli around during washi ing. The counterweight would be applied either to gyrating shaft I3 or its guard ring 68, or to the upper side of the rim of friction wheel 85, the`counterweight always being placed diametriannexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may. be made by thoseskilled in the art without depart ing `from the spirit of the invention.

- What is claimed is: 1. In an automatic control for washing and drying machines having a shift'able element for between V-pesitiens eorrespr Klingv te washing and operations, a'reversible cori-v trol motor operating said shiitable element back and forth.v a main drive motor for said mat-linie, a hot water supply conduit having a soap chamber incorporated therein, va cold water supply conduit, said conduits supplying said machine, electro-mechanical valves in said conduits, a V.conv trol dial comprising. clock mechanism having a minute shaft, a contact arm, a friction clutch between said arm and said shaft, said dial have ing concentric-sector rings for controlling saidmain motor, a rst series of contacts for con-I trolling each of said valves separately' from the other, a second series ofcontacts for controlling said control motor, said arm contacting said secthrough the entire cycle of -operations to keep said main motor running, certain of Asaid second series or contacts said control motor in one direction and certain of said second of contacts running said control motor in the'opposite direction. v v 2. In an automatic control for washing and drying machines having a sliiftable element-,froichanging betweenewashing and positions, "a reversible control motor operating 'said shiftable element back and forth, a main `drive motor for said machine, a hot water supply conduit, a cold water supply conduit, said conduits supply.-

i ing` said machine, electro-mechanical valves inr cally opposite to the eccentric opening 12 ot the washing. operation.'

said conduits, clock mechanism having a drive' shaft, a contact member, 'a dial membena clutch between'sald drive shaftand one of vsaid members to move said 'members relatively. said dial havj ing concentric sector ringsior controlling said main motor, a first series of contacts forholdinc said valves open, a second seriesv of contacts for y controlling said control motor, 'said arm contact-f ing said sector rings through the entire cycle Patent 2,350,218, above-mentioned. describes e and claims the means for stabilizing the'basket during'centrifugal extraction involving the use of concentric drive shafts: this application also describes and claims the drivingmechanism including the drive motor with friction gears on the opposite ends 'or its shaft' engaslns the trietion gears on the spin and gyyting shafts.

of operations to keep -said main motor running, certain of said second series ci' contacts said control motor in .one direction and certain of said second series o'f` contacts running. said control motor in the opposite direction. the width ofthe contacts determining the period during which said valves are openand the period for which control motor runs in either direction.

' `.'unrrirtan'rDit Appneeaen serial Ne. 329,069, steve-men

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