US2396105A

US2396105A - Laundry machine

Info

Publication number: US2396105A
Application number: US387207A
Authority: US
Inventors: James B Kirby
Original assignee: Apex Electrical Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Apex Electrical Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1941-04-07
Filing date: 1941-04-07
Publication date: 1946-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1963-03-05

Description

March 5, 1946. J. B. KIRBY Y I 5 LAUNDRY MACHINE I Filed April 7; 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet v3 INVENTOR. flMEj 5. M55) 42;! ATTORNEY.

March 5, I I B LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 7, 1941 '4 SheetsSheet 4 v INVENTOR.

. 7 BY ,Z QMEZS 5. ZBY

I I 1 ATTORNEY.

Patented 4 UNITED "LAUNDRY MACHINE James 1;. Kirby, West ltichfieIGQOhio, assignor t6 The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company,

I Cleveland,

- trustee ApplicationApril -fl 19 Qhlo, a corporation. of Ohio, as

'5 east. (01. se -2's I This invention relates to clothes washing machines and more particularly to a combinedwashing and centrifugal'xtracting machine, wherein the extractor basket operation'is automatically controlled so as to prevent the ,occurrence of excessive gyration of the extractor basket and the destructive effects resulting from such excessive v y a i n- 7 Numerous attempts have'been made'to provide r a a centrifugal extractor suited for domestic laun dry use which would operate efficiently under that a basket rigidly supportedfproduced high bearing-loads and that the required base and bearing structure resulted in a machine involving such weight and expense that it would be unsuited for domestic use. To overcome in'part the defects of arigidly supported extractor :as-'- sembly', it has been proposed to flexibly mount the extractor unit so thatthe basket and shaft carried thereby may move within certain limits accommodate and dissipate the forces].-

so as" to developed by basket rotation, ,A-.familiar characteristic of centrifugalextractors is their comparative stabilityor dynamic balance after they'have passed through their advantage ofthis last-mentioned characteristic and provide a method and apparatus for accelerating the travel of thebasket and its shaft'along its path of precession so that the rotating basket will acquire a'position of dynamic balance and stability without'the production of excessive de-" structive gyrational movements.

, Accordingly, -it is among the objects of my invention to provide a washing machine having a centrifugal extractor mounted to'precess inresponse to rotation thereof and in which the travel of the extractor through its precessional path is accelerated by a device which progressively decreases the magnitude of the precessional path.

It'i's a further object of my invention to provide a washing-"machine according to; the pre-vceding object in which the device for progressively decreasing themagnitude of precession includes a friction-drive connection that automatically in response to themovement of the extractor basket away from its position of maximum stability moves toward and away from a driving position of dynamic balance.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a'washing machine having an extractor arranged v according to thepreceding objects, wherein a" v horizontallyarranged rotating disc is frictionally connectedto one end of a link, which link is connected at itsother end to the shaft of the extractor basket so that the rotation of the disc 'op'eratesto advance and accelerate theextractor' basket shaft through itspath of precession.

critical speed of rotation'to tthefhigh speed'required for centrifugal extraction. It has beenobservedthat as the rotation of the basket increased from zero to extractingspeed, there is afrnarked tendency for the basket toprecess or' gyrate about a center. In a unit that is mounted for free movement about-its support, there is a tendencyfor the basket to follow an increasingly larger path of precessionas the rotational speedf' is increased toward extracting speed. This precession or gy'rationmay be so excessive in the v I event of out-of-balance loadsin thebasket, that the basket will strike the sides of the casing in which it is mounted and adversely afiect the bearings and mountings of the'basket before it acquiresoextracting speed and dynamic stability. "Another known characteristic of centrifugal extractors is that'where an externally applied;

force acts to accelerate .the speed of precession as 'the rotation speed of the basket is increased, the basket will tendtof'quickly acquireit's position of greateststability or dynamic balance.

According to my'invention, I propose to take It is a further object of my'invention to provide a washing machine according to the preceding objects in which the driving effect of the disc on the link variesin accordance with the I position of the link with respect to the center I of thedisc and this last-named position is inturn controlled by the position of the extractor basket shaft with respect to its axis of gyration.

It is'a further object 01 my invention to provide a washing machine having an extractor basket'mounted on a shaft to rotate about the axis of said shaft when dynamically balanced and to precess with respect to'its dynamically balanced position as the rotation of the shaft on its axis is increased from zero to extracting speed and wherein said shaft is journaled to one end of a link and the other end of the link. is frictionally connected to a disc-whereby the shaft, is accelerated in its travel through its precessional path by the rotation of the disc at a speed exceeding the speed of precession resulting from the rotation of the shaft and'basket.

It is a further object of my invention to'proother? vide a washing machine constructed according to the preceding objects in which means are provided to rock the extractor basket about its mounting to effect a washing of the clothes and the means to wash the clothes are operatively connected to the means for advancing the shaft through its precessional path so that the washing means and the precessional advance means successively act on said basket and shaft, during the washing and extracting operations, respectively.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a combined washing and extracting machine in which an extractor basket is fixed to one end of a substantially vertical shaft; and-flexibly mounted at the other end so that the shaft and basket may move in response to means forrocking the shaft to effect washing and process in response to rotation of the extractor basket and wherein the precession of the shaft during extraction is accelerated by a device operating in dependently of the means to effect washing.

It is a further object of m invention to provide a combined washing and extracting machine having a basket mounted on a substantially verticalshaft, washing means to rock the shaft about its lowerend, precession accelerating means to advance the shaft through its path of precession and means connecting the washing means and the precession accelerating means, whereby the precession accelerating means is rendered operative upon rendering the washing means inoperative. I

It is a further object of my invention to provide an extractor mounted to .precess in response to rotation of the extractor basket and wherein a link journaled atone end to the extractor is pivoted intermediate its ends sothat the other end of the link follows a path corresponding to the precessional path of the extractor and advances through its path in a direction opposite to the direction of precession of the extractor basket.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device for accelerating the precession of an extractor basket wherein a disc supplyingthe accelerating force rotates in a direction opposite to the direction followed by the extractor basket through its path of precession.

Another object of this invention is to provide a laundry machine having a container mounted; on a rotatable shaft wherein the various laundry.

derstood after consideration has been given to the following detailed description taken in con-- junction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through laundry apparatus constructed according to my invention;

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on the line l* ---l of Figure'l;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22-of Figure 1;

Fi ure 3 is a fra mentary sectional view t ken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a. medial sectional elevational vview illustrating an extractor tub of a two tub laundry unit embodying my present invention;

Figure 5 is atop plan view with parts thereof broken away to illustrate the driving mechanism for the extractor container;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken on the line 8-6 of Figure 7; V

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view with *parts broken away and taken generally on the The plate l2 ma besupported in an 'suitable manner, as for example, on resilient members l3, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The casing 10 is provided with a top I I having acentrally disposed flanged opening l5 therein, thereby affording access to the laundry mechanism disposed within the casing l0.,, A suitable cover 16 hinged atone side of the opening it serves'as a closure for the opening, A conduit l1, leading from a valve l8 and terminating in a down-turned nozzle l9 projecting through the cover, I 6 serves to direct aspray of water into a container'positioned within the casing l0. .7

Mounted within thecas'ing In on suitable angle members 20 secured to the. inner side wall of the casingis a shell 2|, substantially oval in crosssection, and formed with an inwardly extending trough 22 about its lower edge. The bottom of the trough'22 is downwardly inclined and terminates at one sideof the casing in .anoutlet'23 which may-be connected by means'of a conduit 24 to any suitable drain. Disposed within the shell is a combined washing, rinsing andextracting container 28, which is generall spherical in contour, having afianged opening 29 in the top thereof through which clothingand washing fluid are 'adaptedto be introduced into the container. Secured on the lower inner surface of the container are suitable washingproiections 30 against which the clothing isadapted toibe rubbed during the washing and rinsing cycles of operation of the laundry machine. Extending through the wall of the container at the lineof greatest diameter are a' plurality of small apertures 3| disposed in a ring about the container and through whichfiuid within the container and the clothing therein disposed is'adapted to be expelled by centrifugal force upon rapid rotation of the container. The apertures 3| are normally maintained sealed by a resilient band 32' mounted on the exterior surface of the container and maintained in position by spaced angular segments 33. Spaced springs 34 maintain the band under tension to seal the openings until the centrifugal force overcomes the spring tension and releases the fluid through the openings 3|. An inclined drip rim 35 secured to the lower outer surface of the container below the apertures 3| serves, to direct the expelled water from the container into the trough22.

The container 28 is secured to the upper surface of a plate 33 integrally formed on the upper end of avdrive shaft 31 whichis rotatablyjouro I v asoa os znale dzwithin a tubular housing. The lower endof the housing is supported by a yoke 39, the

ends of which are pivotally supported'in trunnions formed on the end, of ;a second yoke 40. The

yoke 40 extends substantially parallel with -the V base plate 12 and-isformed' with atubular'shank 4| which is rotatably' mounted upon a, shaft 42 extending between spaced bracket members 43 casing 18, suitablysupported' irom the innerside wall of the casing I ll by means offa b'racketl I. :Rotatablymounted within-the casing 10 is a drive shaft 12 which extends downwardly through the lower wall of the casing and hasmounted thereon a pulley wheel 13. 'Ihe upDer end ofthe shaft i 12 carries a pinion "which is adapted to mesh I 7 v with a gearwheel I freely rotatable on the lower secured on'the surface of thei baseiplate' l2;. It

' .willvbe seen thatlby the'foregoing structure 'a support is provided for the shaft 31 so that the" 1 'shaft is capable ofjsubstantia'l' universalmove- "ment' about its supporting point andathereby is. mounted for gyratorymovement, Between the iupper :end of the housing 38 and the'lower surface'of theplate 36, thereis disposed a roller bearing ring 44 and a coupling sleeve 45 formed of tworelatively movable intersecting members F45 and 45. 'For resiliently 'supporting'theiupper end of the housing in a substantially vertical end of ashaft' 18. The uppersurfac of'th'egear whee1v'15 is provided with a diametrically extending slotill whichisadapted to receive a pin 18 1 extending through thelower end ofthe shaft 13. Thegear wheel 151s slidablyin mesh: with the pinion 14 and rotates continuouslyduring the operation of the machine; and theshaft 18 is -operatively*connected to th gear wheel 15' by bringing the slot '11 of the gear wheel into engag'ement with'the pin 18. For shifting the gear wheel 'l5flongitudinally' of the shaft 16, there is position and for urging the return of'the housing to such position when forces have caused it to assume an angulated positionwithrespect to. the vertical, there is provided a plurality of elongated coil springs 46 extending radially from a ring 41] I encircling the upper end of the housingto bracket members 48 Imountedinithe cornersof the casing The lower end below the housing 381 and h'asffreelylrotatable thereon a pulley wheel 5i which" is maintained thereon by means of a thrust bearing 52 and a nut 53. Slidably splined to the shaft 3'! between the pulley 5i and the lower end of the housing 38 is o drum 54 having a friction shoe 55 secured to the lower surface thereof and engageable with the upper face of the pulley 5|. The drum is normally urged downwardly andinto engagement with the pulley wheel 5| by means of a coil spring 56 encircling the shaft 31 between" the hub of the drum 58 and the lower end of the shaft housing 38; to effect a driving connection between the pulley 5i and the "shaft 31 for rotatingthe'latter. The drum 54 is provided with e an outwardly extending flange 51 having a-friction shoe 58 secured to the lower surfacethereof. 'A second drum 59, encircling thedrum' 54 is formed with an inturned flange 80' against which 7 the friction shoe 58 bears when deceleration of the shaft 31 is to be effected and to disengage v theshaft from the pulley 5|. The drum 59 which serves to move the drum 54 along the shaft .31

of the drive shaft 3l extends provided ayoke 19' 'engageable between spaced collars keyed to an extension shaft 8| formed on a cap 82 threaded on the hub of the gear wheel 15.

The 'yoke'19 is actuated by means of a rod-83 having'a lever arm 84which is actuated by means of? wire-85 operativelyconnected to the timing mechanism A.* The extension shaft 8| has secured-to its-lower end'aipulley wheel 88. The drive shaft .12 iszprovided with a worm 81 which meshes with a wormwh'eel 88 mountedn the 7 end of a shaft 89 and serves to drive the operating mechanism of thetiming and control 'device' gA, as described in my aforesaid patent.

The shaft ,18 is journaled in an upwardly extending housing 90 formed integrally with the 1 gear case 18. A bracke-t9l' extending from the V housing 98 to the wall of the casing l8 serves to supportthe upper end of the housing in a sub- 93. 7 coupling member 93, on the crank arm 92 and a r 'slmilar'couplingmember 95 formed on the sleeve stantially'rigid position. Formed onthe upper end of the'shaft 76 is a crank arm 92 which has associated therewith a universal'coupling member A connecting rod 94 extends between-the encircling the shaft-31. A spring 98 extending transversely from the crank end'ofthe rod' 94 to o the Wallof'the casing l0 serves to urge the crank armout of alignment'with the shafts 31 and I8 7 to insure longitudinal 'free-movem'jentof the connecting rod 94 when the shaft 18 is disconnected from" the driving-gear 15. A spring pressed pawl 91 mounted on the connecting rod 94and engageable with'a rack 9'! formed'on the lower surface I against'the force of the "coil spring "55, is; ac

tuatedby a disc 6! formed'with a central sleeve 62 which encircles the lower end-ofthe jhousi'ng'i 38." The disc'li! is supported onthelower ends f of links 83 wh ch are pivoted to the ends ofcr'ank' arms 64 mounted on the rod 65 which is journaled of the plate 36 effects a step-by-step rotation of niecontainer. 28- during the linear oscillation thereof. @Thisrotatlve movement is effective'to change, the position of the clothing 'within the in a suitable bearing formed on theyoke 39., Ro-

tative movement is imparted tothe rod'85 by -means of ailever 66 adapted to be actuated by a wire 61 leading from the'ti'mingandcontrol mechanism diagrammatically indicated in" Figure2 and des gnated with the reference character A/ The timing and control mechanism which may be employed in theoperation of-the subject machine LettersPaten't 2,344,253 which issued to me March 14, 1944.

is disclosed'in detail and claimed in United States container with respect to the path of oscillation to effect a uniform washing and/or'rinsing of'the "clothing. I Y p The pulley wheel 5! on the'shaft 31 and the' pulley wheel 13 on thewlower end of the 'shaft' 12V- areoperatively connected by means of a belt 98 to a'driving pulley 99 mounted onthe lower s end of th armature shaft of a'mot r. I00; Motor I00 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 'Hll secured to the wall of the casing l0, and the belt 98 is tensioned. by-a spring I02 extending between the motor I00 and a bracket secured to 'the'casing wall.

With reference to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated mechanism for accelerating preces sional movement of the shaft 31 tothereby effect a centering or balancing ofv the container supported upon the upper end of theshaft; This mechanism comprises a shaft 103 journaled ina housing I04 supported in a bracket I05 secured to a side wall of the casing I adjacent that to which the oscillating mechanism is secured. The shaft I03. is rotated by means of a belt I06 extending between a pulley wheel I01 secured to the lower end of the shaft I03 and the pulley wheel 86 associated with the oscillating mechanism. On the upper end of the shaft I03 there is formed a disc I 08 adapted to bear upon a hearing ring I09 positioned. between the disc and the upper end of the housing I04. Bearing on the upper surface of the rotating disc I08 isv a friction shoe IIO which is supported and guided to its position on the disc I08 by the connecting arm II 2. Swivelly connected on'one end of the arm I I2 is a bearing member I I I in which rotates the post I10 upstanding' from the friction shoe H0. The other end of the arm H2 is attached to the shaft 45 by means of the member 45 of the connecting sleeve. The connecting arm II2 extends substantially at an angle of ninety degrees to the arm 94 and comprises spacedtubular members H4 and H and an intermediate sleeve IIG which are maintained in assembled relation by a concentric tubular member II1.

. The opposite ends of the connecting rod II2 are bracket I2I which is pivoted to the outer end of a bracket I22 secured to the housing I04. A

spring I23 extending between the arm H2 and the bracket I22 serves to control the amount of friction between shoe H0 and the surface of. the

disc I08. The outer end of the arm 83 is adapted to be journaled in a bearing I24 mounted on the surface of bracket I22. An arm I25 is keyed to the rod 83 and has formed on the outer end thereof a ball socket I26. Socket I26 receives the lower end of a rod I21 which is slidably received within a sleeve I28 depending .from the arm I I2. By this construction, the clutch mechanism for operatively connecting the shaft 15 with gear wheel 15 is interconnected with the mechanism for accelerating precessional movement, so that when the oscillating mechanism operates to effect washing of the clothes within the tub, the arm II 2 is raised through the rod I21 to break the contact between the friction shoe H0 and the surface of. the disc I08.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated the extracting unit of a two tub laundry machine having applied thereto my invention for accelerating precessional 'movement and thereby centering the extractor container during the extracting operation. The ap paratus' illustrated in these figures includes a casing I28 having mounted therein a cylindrical shell I29, the lower wall of which is inwardly flanged to define a trough I30. The bottom of the trough I30 is downwardly inclined and terminates in an outlet I3I which may be suitably connected to a drain b means of conduit I32. Mounted within the shell I29 is an open topped extractor container I33 having a plurality of openings I34 in the wall portion thereof through which water may be expelled from the clothing disposed therein. A drip rim I35 is secured to the lower portion of the exterior wall of the extractor container and serves to direct fluid flowing from the container into the trough I30. The bottom of the container is secured to a plate zontall disposed yoke I40, the shank I of which is rotatably mounted on ashaft I42 supported in spaced bracket members I43. The shaft I31 is provided with a rotatably mounted pulley wheel I44 on the lower end thereof and which is adapted to beoperatively connected to the shaft I31 by means of. a clutch mechanism broadly indicated by the numeral I45, and which is similar to that hereinbefore disclosed with reference to Figures 1 and 1 The apparatus for accelerating precessional movement and thus centering the container I 33 includes a casing having a vertical shaft I45 upon which is mounted a pinion I41. The shaft extends downwardly through the casing wall and has secured thereto a pulley wheel I48. Meshing with the pinion I41 is a gear. wheel I49 secured to the lower end of a shaft I50 journaled in, the vertically extending housing I5I. The housing I5I is secured to the side wall of the casing I28 by means of a bracket, member I52 The upper end of the shaft I50 is provided with a disc I53, the surface of which is substantially polished to receive a friction shoe I54. Intermediate the lower surface of the disc I53 and the housing I5I is a bearing ring I55. The friction shoe. I54 is operatively connected to the shaft I31 by means of a connecting arm I55 which is of construction similar to that hereinabove described and'disclosed in Figures 6 and '1. This arm is pivotally supported 85 by means of. a guide arm" I51 extending from the midpoint of the connecting arm I56 to the outer extremity of the bracket I58 formed on the housing I5I The guide arm I51 is hinged both to the bracket I58 and the arm I56. A Ospring I59 extending between the arm I56 and the bracket I58 serves to maintain the friction shoe I54 in contact with the upper surface of the disc I53. ing from the upper end of the housing I38 to spaced points about thetub serve to resiliently center the shaft. A ring-like weight I6I is secured to the bottom of the tub for aiding in balancingthe container I33 when it is rapidly rotated for extracting purposes.

The pulley wheel I44 on the rotating shaft I 31 and the pulleywheel I48 of the centering mechanism are driven by means of a belt IBI connected to the driving pulley I82 mounted on the lower end of the armature shaft of a motor I83.' The motor is'pivotallysupported in a bracket I85 secured to the side wall of the casing I28 andthe belt I8I is tensioned by means of the coil spring I84 extending from the motor to the casing wall.

60 The operation of the laundry machine illustrated inFigures 1 to 3 may be manually controlled or may be controlled by suitable timing mechanism such as is describedin my aforesaid patent. In the. former caseQeaeh operation of the machine must be separably instituted and terminated by means of a suitable control. In the latter case, the entire cycle of operations performed by the machine is automatically controlled, but as the operations performed by the machine are the same in either case, for simplification only the operation of the machine as controlled by the automatic timer, generally referred to by the character .A, will be described herein.

In such operation of the machine, a water supply conduit, not shown, through which fluid A plurality of springs I extendte m is supplied to the nozzle I8 is connected to any suitable water supply under pressur and at thev desired temperature. and the outlet23 of the shell -2I is connected to a suitable drain by, means of the conduit 24. The electric conduit for conveying current to the'motor I 18 connected to a source of current supply. 1

Clothing and soapare placed'in the container 28 and. cover I6 is closed, and then the switch is actuated toclose the circuit to' the motor I00.

. Simultaneously the timing and control mecha- I nism is initiated. The water supplycontrol of the timing mechanism a allows apredetermined amount of water to flow into'the container 28. While the water is flowing into the container, the time control mechanism pulls the wire 85 rotating the arm 84 .which actuates the yoke I8 to move the gear wheel I along .the shaft I8 into en-' lI, the band 82 unseaiing the openings under the centrifugal force" of the fluid in the spinning container. When the. extracting periodis terminated and as'the container ispermitted to .decelerate to a state of. rest, any precessional I movement that again develops in the container and shaft causes thefriction disc I I0 to again assumeaan eccentric position with respect to the driving disc'I08, so that it transmitsjah accelerating forceby means of the connecting rod II2 back to the shaft 31, -,.thereby;l governing and overcoming its precessional movement'before the movement becomes severe., It is' 'intended in'this gagement with the pin. I8, thereby connecting the shaft "I6 to the drive shaft I2 for rotation in a The shaft 18 through .its associated I :0, "direction opposite to the rotation of the container shaft '31.

crank arm 02 and connecting rod floscillates I the container 28 for the duration of the washing period'provided by the setting of the timinginech- I anism. Upon each reciprocation of the container 28, the pawl 01 on the connecting rod 84 is effective to rotate the container one notch on the rack formed on the lower surface of the plate 88, thereby continually shifting the clothes within the container with respect to the direction of reciprocation. At the expiration of the washing period, the timing mechanism releases the wire: 85, and the gear wheel 15 drops out of engagement with the pin I8, thereby disengaging the shaft I6. Simultaneously the frictional contact between the disc l08 and friction shoe H0 is established. At the same time or immediately thereafter, a force is applied to wire 81 by the timing mechanism, causing the pulley wheel 5| to be operatively connected to shaft 3I'for rotating the container. Simultaneously with the release of wire 85, the rod 83 connected to the arm 84 is rotated to cause therod I21 to drop down .and permit the spring I23 to draw arm II2 down so as to establish contact between the friction shoe IIO on the end thereof and the surface of the disc I08. When the container 28 and the shaft 81 upon which the container is mounted are intheir normal vertical position, the disc H0 is substantially concentric. with the disc I08, and as the axis of the friction shoe 0 and the post H0 attached thereto are the same, no

movement is transmitted'from the accelerating mechanism to the'shaft of the'con'tainer. As

end thereof, the lower end of the shaft bein 1 lathe case inventionto use an accelerating' force tofovercome precessional tendency of the shaft and container;

device for the shaft I31 .upon whichfthe' extractor container is mounted is operablyfconnectedto (the .pulley wheel I by the belt I8I,',and:is con! tinuously driven. The'shaft-I50 is back geared I to reverse rotation and give. slow speed'sli htlyf in excess of the speed of precession. When the shaft I3! is operably connected to the continu- 1, An extractor comprising a container, a rotate I able shaft supporting the container on the upper flexibly mounted to permit the shaftand container to precess in response to rotation of the shaftand container about the shaft axis, a power driven disc rotating on a fixed axis, a rodmounted forreciprocation and operably connected at oneend to the extractor shaft to be actuated by precessional movement only of the shaft, a mem- I vber carried by the rod and engaging said disc,

said member being movable acros's the axis of t said disc and being coaxial with said shaftwhen the extractor shaft is centered,'*the rotation of said disc being at a speed higher than the pre- I session speed ,of the extractor shaft and in a direction effective to accelerate precession and I thereby center the xtractor shaft.

precession develops upon the rotation of the container, the friction shoe H0 is guided to a position with respect to the disc I08, so that a force is applied through the frictional engagement of the shoe and disc to correct the precessional movement and balancethe containen Inasmuch as the departure of the shaft 81 of the extractor container from its normal vertical position controls the position of the friction "shoe I I0 with .respect to disc I08, when the container reaches a rotating speed at which it is in equilibrium and not subject to any tendency to precess, the friction shoe H0 is. brought into a position concentric with the disc I08 and no longer operates to transmit any force back to the shaft 31 by means of the. connecting rod. The timing mach- 2. In a combined washing and extracting ma- I I chine, a container adapted to hold clothes and washing fluid, a supporting shaft for the'container, means for oscillating the container about a generally horizontal axis to effect washing, vmeans to rotate the container and shaft at high speed to effect extraction, mechanism to prevent excessive precessional movement'of' the shaft 1 while the container is being. accelerated through a critical speed with an out-of-balance load com- I prising friction drive means for accelerating the precessional movement byapplyinga force normal to the shaft adjacent to the container in the path of the container and shaft precession.

3. A washing machine comprising a container,

. a rotatable shaft supporting said container on its I upper end, means for rotating said shaft at high speed for extracting, said shaft supported for gyratorymovement adjacent its lower end, means anism operates to keep the .container spinnin for a period of time sufficient to allow all washing fluid which can be extracted from the clothes to drain from the containerthroughthe apertures for oscillating said shaft about-a horizontal axis to effect washing of the clothes and means to overcome excessive gyration of the shaft and container during that phase of the extracting oper- I of the extracting illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the centering I ation'when the container is rotating through a critical speed with an out-of-balance load, said mean comprising mechanism for applying a. force normal to the shaft in the direction of its precessional path to accelerate precession and effect a, centering and balancing of the shaft and container. I

4; A washing machine comprising a container, a rotatable shaft supporting said container on its upper end, said shaft being supported for gyratory movement adjacent its lower end, means for rotating said shaft at high speed for extracting,

means for oscillating said shaft in a substantially vertical plane about its support for washsaid shafts which is responsive to the precession of the shaft of said container to transmit an accelerating force to said container shaft in the direction of precession.

5.- A combined washer'and extractor comprising a clothes container, an upright shaft supporting said container, means for supporting said shaft and container for .rotarymovement and precessional movements and rocking movement about two horizontal axes, means for agitating material within said container during the washfing operation by rocking said container and shaft about one of said axes, power driven means for imparting reciprocating movements to said agitating means, driving means for rotating said shaft during the extracting operation, means for controlling the precessionrof said container and shaft during the extracting operation, means for disconnecting said agitating means from said power driven means and connecting said drivin means to said shaft, and means for controlling the operation of said precession controlling means to render the same operative upon connection of said shaft to its driving means.

JAMES B. KIRBY.