US2403233A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

A. J. PATCH 2,403,233

WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1943 Jul 2, 1946.

8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pa fab A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE July 2, 1946.

8 Sheets-Sheet 2 an wwxn ms b R V E Filed Sept. 13, 1943 I Q mm *Azz 11 ml A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE July 2, 1946.

Filed Sept. 13, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2, 1946.

A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 4' Allen Jlhirb A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE July 2, 1 946.

Filed Sept. 13, 1943 8 Sheets$heet 5 July 2, 1946. A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1943 8 Sheeis-Sheet 6 Azzm 1P4 $07;

A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE July 2, 1946;

Filed Sept. 13, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 w ml Allen .1 Pwk/p Wk/4M I 1 MW,

A. J. PATCH WASHING MACHINE July 2, 1946.

a Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 13, 1943 NARN aw -m, 2, 1946 7 um-m stares Parr-1 1 crying aspiicauonfs eftetziz: fe t i sight. 502,119

- My present invention relates to washing machine operating mechanism, and particularly to Q .clothes washingor laundry machines having an impulsing agitator oscillatable on a vertical axis with the'oscillation accomplished by bottom drive An object of this invention is to provide a washing machine of this typeyand control means.

therefor, in which the impeller or agitator oscill'ating or driving means can be adjusted to vary the length or degree or male of oscillation.

Another object is to so construct and associate. the parts that the oscillation control and varying means can be shifted to or set in a neutral position in which the impeller or agitator remains stationary, thus obviating the necessity of prowashing machine mechanism at a cost no greater than the usual clutch or other similar power or drive connecting and disconnecting means as now ordinarily employed.

means, and to controls for the impulsing agitator. I

ually actuatable and settable means, capable of Still another purpose is to provide agitator? actuating means by which the agitator can be swung through a wide angle of oscillation, with smooth and substantially vibrationless. operation,

Another purpose is to provide a washing ma-' I chine having an operating and oscillation control means of this character, with-which a single control and actuating lever or memberlis available for full and ready manual control and adjustment of the parts from. the stopped to the desirable degrees intermediate. 2

With the above and other objects in view, some of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and others of which are inherent in the construction and assembly and the operation and full oscillating setting for the agitatonand to all use of theparts, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations and. arrangements and associations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connectionwiththe drawings.

In the drawings: j

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a clothes washing machine showing ons'embosiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts shown in Figure 1 and with portions in "section.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view across the lower part of the machine below the tub, and with parts of the gear case broken away.

Fig. 4 is anenlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the operating lever and linkage connection and the adjustment therefor.

A Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view looking into and with which the parts can'be adjusted to ac- 3 complish oscillation of the. agitator from a stopped position 'thjrough easy stages or increases;

- invention with the parts inof length of oscillation up to the angle or degree of oscillationsuitablefor the particular conditions or to the maximum, and with which the parts can be gradually adjusted to accordingly. decrease the oscillation or can beset for immediate adjustment of the parts to instantaneously. stop-the oscillatory movement of the impeller,

and mounting of the gearing and lever and linliage arrangements in-one embodiment of the operative or oscillating position. I

. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts in the fnoperativesetting or adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. ii illus'trating another embodiment-oi the'invention withpthe parts in oscillating and operating position.

with smooth operating and control in any and 1 .all adjustments and aetuations and settings of the parts.-

' tion.

Still another purpose is to provide a washing I machine and oscillating means and control theregfor madeup of few simple and inexpensive parts readily assembled and unlikely to become quickly or easily worn or damaged while in use, whereby ful y adjustable control and agitator starting and stopping meanscan be employed in and with the Fig. 8 is aview similar to. Fig. showing th e p'arts adjusted "to non-oscillating or stopped r'ela- Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, disclosing still another embodiment of my invention with the parts in oscillating and operating setting.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the parts set in non-oscillating or stopped relation. I

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 9.,

Fig.12 is a view similar'to Fig. 5' illustrating 3 another and perhaps'preferred format my inventio'n".-with the parts in one extreme of swing or -1 oscillatory operating movement.

Fig. 13 is a like'view showing the parts in an extreme operating position.

Fig. 14 is still another like view disclosing the inoperative or neutral setting of the parts. I

- Fig. 15' is a longitudinal vertical sectional viewof the showing in Fig. 12 taken substantially on I a staggered medial line to thereby better show 1 bearing connections operating parts.

and mountings of and for the In eaohof the embodiments of the invention position through-the bottom of the tub; and,

; means is provided within. the. control of the operator, through the medium of a readily acces-- sible lever, for adjusting the length or angle or degree of oscillation of the upright impeller shaft and.f0r settingof the parts to a position in which oscillation of the shaft is stopped, thereby 1 permitting the starting and stopping of the oscillatory movement of the agitator and allowin 3 minute adjustment of the length or degree of swing when the parts are set'for oscillation ofthe i impeller.

In the adaptation of the invention illustrated vin Figures 1 through 6, ,the tub I, substantially circular in plan, has a side wall 2 and a bottom wall 2, and this tub is mounted and supported on legs 4, an enclosing case structure I being preferably provided around the tub and substantially 1 concentrically following the contour of the side wall 2. A bearing sleeve I is mounted to rise sub stantially centrally within the tub i as a housin around an opening through the bottom of the tub, and agitator shaft 1 is mounted in a bearing 8 at its upper end for oscillatory movement within the housing, the upper end of this agitator shaft "preferably extending above the bearing I sleeve I. An agitator l is mounted on suitable bearings In on the sleeve 0 to be capable of oscillatory movement within the tub, and this agitator is provided with a portion H engaging with and holding upon the upper end of the oscillatable agitator shaft 1 sothat as the shaft I is oscillated the agitator will be carried therewith to have a similar oscillatory movement. Further, as the f degree or angle of oscillation of shaft I ls in- 1 creased or-decreased the movement of the agita- 1 tor 0 will be accordingly varied and. as shaft 7 is stopped the agitator will also be stopped.

' A cross supporting member I 2, or other suitable carried by thegear casing It. A drive gear I! is 5 revolubly mounted on-a stub shaft l8 within the gear case It, at a point separated laterally from "the mounting of the agitator shaft I, and this.

drive gear has a bearing ll eccentrically disposed j with respect to the fans of .rotation, whereby the gear constitutes eccentriemeana' A motor,- generally indicated at 2l,-h as a belt pulley 2| on the shaft the f, ahd a belt Wiley 22 is on a stub shaft 22 mounted in a suitable bearing in the gear case I3. A belt ll isiitted overtheas herein illustrated, an agitator is mounted and is actuated for oscillation within an upright tub 1 havingside and bottom walls; through an im 1 peller shaft oscillatably mounted in upright dis-.

4 w mitted from the motor to this stub shaft'2l, and a drive pinion 25 on the stub shaft 23 meshes with the driv gear I'I for continuously rotating said gear II or eccentric means while the motor is in operation. A wringer operating shaft 26 has one'end thereof revolubly mounted in bearing 2'! and extending into the gear case l3 where it is providedwith a pinion gear 28 meshing with drive gear I'L- In this way-motion is imparted to the wringer shaft 26, and this shaft can be connected in any desired manner with a wringer and canbe provided with any suitable control. A pitman rod 29 has one end thereof connected at the eccentric bearing IS; in consequence of which thepitman will be continuously operated duringrotation of the drive gear .or eccentric means ill. The pitman rod has its free end extending adjacent to the oscillatable agitator Shaft II.

substantially radially therefrom, and an arcuate adiusting'arm 30, or equivalent structure.

operating link 3| pivo'tally connecting on the end of the pitman 28 at 32 has a hearing at its re--'- maining end pivotally connected at with the extending oscillating arm or means 30. An arcuate control link is pivotally connected with the pitman 2! on the axial center as at 32, of the pivotal mounting of the operating link 3!, and this control link 34 hasa bearing 35 at its swinging and spaced adistance substantially corre-.

sponding to the distance of the bearing 32 from the pivotal mounting at 32.

' A control and setting lever 26 is swingably mounted by stub shaft 31 oscillatable in a bearing 38 on the gear case 13, and on its inner endv this stub shaft 21 carries a radially extending The adjusting arm is -'pivota'=tlly connected with the bearing 25 of adjusting link 34 by pivot means ll. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this operating and control lever 36 projects through a peripheral- 1y extending slot or opening 4| provided through the wall 01'. the casing I; and this opening M is provided on one side with serrations or notches and with toothed-formations 42 providing a plurality of stops for the adjusting lever 36. whereby this lever is held in desired adjusted positions.

With the. structure as; shown, the operating lever 28 can be made sufficiently flexible to permit ele-- vation for disengagement from the tooth-like .detents 42 and the lever can then be freely swung to any desired position of adjustment. Upon re- I lease, the operating and control lever will fit into oscillating link and the control link and the eontrol lever. and connecting parts is perhaps best or. setting of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 5;

one of-the recesses between adjacent detents l2 and the parts will be held in this. adjustment until manually released or reset. i The relative disposition and association of the shown in Fig. 4, and the oscillating connection 7 whereas, the inoperative "or stopped setting and relation of the parts is disclosed in Fig. 6.

with this construction and. mounting and con- .nection and associationiofthe parts, when the lever 2i ismovedto the position. shown in Fig. 5 the axialoenter of the bearing of the part means I is'swuns it oush oscillatory-move meat. Consequently" the operationof pitman 2t.

3 through the eccentric means'.l will cause link a belt pulleys 2i and 22 so-that motion is trans- 7| 34 to'be' swung around the center at I r all! thesanie time cause-the operating to e imparted to theo'scillating arm or means I, in consequence of which the agitator shaft 1 v will receive oscillatory movement. When operating or control lever It is swung or moved to bring the axial center of the bearing at I. more nearly into substantially axial alignment with the center of the bearing ll; the de ree or length of the oscillatory'impiils'e imparted to the eachlating means 31 will be shortened. When the axial centers ofbearing portions it and "are brolllht into axial alignment, as illustrated in.

Pig. 6, the two-links will swing or pivot around this coinciding axially aligned center as the, common bearing connection at 8! is moved by the pitman 2!, in consequence of which the agitator shaft 1 will not have any'oscillating force or movement applied thereto, To insure that the agitator shaft I, and consequently the agitator 0, will remain stationary'dn the stoppedeposition of the parts. a stop N extends radially with re- I spect to the stub; shaft )1 and-has .a face'presented to engage with; a portion or the linkage, or with some other portion, whereby the shaft 1 is held in the stoppedposition and against casual oscillating impulses or forces or movement. This 7 stopped position or setting of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 8, audit will of course be understood that the control or operating lever II can be set to and will be {retained in any position intermediate the extreme-settings as illustrated in Figs. 5 vand 6 to adapt; the parts for a greater or lesser degree of oscillatory'movement pr swing of the agitator. 1 j (Zonsequeniilm with the parts as illustrated and described the movement of the agitator can be gradually started and gradually stopped and the parts can be set so that the agitator can be 080111 lated or operated through any desired length or angle of oscillation as may be consideredsuitable or desirable for the-particular materials being washed or particular. conditions under which the machine is being operated. In the starting and stopping'and the operation with any desired degree of oscillation, motor and the drive eccentric. means are continuously operated and there is no Jerking or severe strain upon the agitator or the operating F irts or the control means as the controls are actuated for starting and stopping and for adjustment of the movement or degree of oscillation of the asitator.

with the segmental rack teeth"; of the rack moved so that oscillatory movement asoaass her or oscillating means will be stopped in consequence of which the agitator shaft 1 will also be stopped and will not impart any oscillatory force tothe agitator 0. Obviously, the structure as disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8 permits of ad- Justment of the control means to various settings oi the parts so that the oscillating means will start and stop oscillatory movement of the agitator shaft I, and consequently the agitator, and will impart controlled oscillating movement to the agitator through any length or degree or angle of oecillation between the two extremes of settings In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings Ihave illustrated another modified construction which in several respects lends itself particularly well to manufacture and to embodiment in a commercial washing machine. The gear casing has the lower end of the agitator shaft ll extending thereinto, anddrive gear Ii i revolubly mounted with-' in the gear casing at a point spaced away from the agitator shaft II. An oscillating arm I! is on theag'itator shaft I to extend substantially radially therefrom and is provided with a bearingl opening at itsouterswinging ,end. A

control and setting arm It extends substantially radially from a stubshaft is mounted in a bearing ll formed in the gear casing so that the stub shaft is substantially axially aligned with the agitator-shaft II, and this control and setting arm is has a bearing pinor member I! carried at the outer end thereof and spaced from the axial. center a distance corresponding substantially to the distance between the axial center of the agitator shaft" II and the center of the bearing opening of the oscillating arm II. The stub shaft It has its lower end extending beneath the casing II and a control and setting lever I1 is connected on this extending end to beavailable to oscillate the stub shaft is and consequentlyswing the control and setting arm II. An arcuate link is is swingably' connected at one end at the bearing ofthe oscillating arm 52, and

a second arcuate link I! is pivotall connected at one end with the control and setting arm ll.

These-two arcu'ate links II and I have bearings at their outer ends and the spacing between the bearings at "the ends of the, two links is substantially equal. A pltman rod Cl is connected at one end at an eccentric bearing ll of vthe drive gear II, and is extended toward the location of the parts as grouped around the agitator shaft ll. At its extending end, the pitman ll is connected with the extending ends of the two arcuate links II and is through themedium oi a bearing pin", or in any other suitable manner. The

' ilar part, is carried by the casing structure in member u. The itmanis' has the oscillating link II and thecontroi' link ll oscillatably or swingably mountedthereon at a common center, a

' tutes oscillating means cooperating with the rack pinion u for oscillation oi the agitator shaft 1', and whenthe partsiare in theposition illustrated in Pig. 8,"movement of segmental rack mem position to be engaged bythis stop extension 08 when the oscillating. .arm I! is in one extreme position 'otmovement.

With this modified constructiom thecontrol and setting lever II can be manually moved to adjust the control and setting arm I! to the positions shown in Figs. 9 and- 10 and to any position intermediate. When the parts are in the adjusted relation illustrated in'l 'ig. 9, the arcuate links I. and It willhe'movedoroperated through the connection with'the pitman I between the positions as shown by thefull-and the:dotted lines. and in consequence the oscillating arm I! will be movedandoscillatedpthrough an angle considerably more thanonehalf of a circle, thus e imparting wide angle oscillatory movement of will establisha-substantially leakproo'f connection the agitator shaft 55 and consequently to the agitator carried or actuated by or from this shaft I. When the control and setting lever 51 is "thereof ensaging'with the stop'lug or pin 64. With the axial centers .of the pins 56 and 82' aligned, the arcuate links 58 and I! will move or 1 swing in substantially the relation. as indicated-. by the full and the dotted lines andin conse--- quence there will be no movement imparted or mediate the two extremes as'illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 respectively, and in consequence the control. and setting arm 53 will be adjusted to I transmitted to swing the oscillating arm 52. In

' this adaptation, the control and. setting leverjl can be equated to any desired position intergive or impart greater or lesser swinging move- I ment to the oscillating arm 52.

As stated, the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 12 through 15 may be a preferred form, and may prove best adapted to commercial manufacture and most practical in use and performance. With thisadaptation, the tub and agitator and the supporting and other main. structural features may be substantially the same as described above. The gear casing 65 has the drive gear GI revolubly mounted therein and meshed to be. rotated by .dr'ive pinion 61. The

drive gear 6' can in turn be meshed with'a' become readily loosened or worn or damaged through long continued use. This agitator shaft can be extended upwardly, in the manner as hereinbefore'described, through the bottom of the washing machinetub and can have the a tator mounted thereon substantially in the manthrough the bottom of the casing so that the low'er portion of the casing can, be employed to receive andretainalubricant. in

A control and setting shaft :18 is fitted in suitable bearing to have ,a portion thereof within' the gear case '5, and an operating arm 19 is fixed upon andextends substantially radiallyfrom this controland setting shaft ll. A- tOBE link 30 swingably connected at oneend' with the endof: the operating arm 19,.and this toggle link at its other end is swingably connected with the fulcrum and adjusting member 12, as at 8|, The fulcrum and adjusting member has a bearing 82 thereon which-upon swinging movement of saidmember 12 will be moved to substantially center with the axis of bearing II at the outer end of the operating arm IL: A control and settin lever 84 is fixed to and extends radially fromthe control and setting shaft II with its outer end disposed to be readily available to the user-or}; operator of the washing machine so that this control and setting lever can be manually swung to move the fulcrum and adjusting member)". from the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13 to the. neutral position shownin Fig. 14,-or-to any op crating position; intermediate these two extremes.

A pitman rod. ll extends from; an eccentric bearing 85' of the drive gear 66 tohave its free agitator shaft 89, and this end oi the pitman rod is provided with bearings i6 and I. Anioperather set forth, or in any other way that will be best suited for the particular construction and conditions of use. An operating arm II' is fixed to and extends radially from the oscillatable agitator shaft '1, preferably in the upper part of the gear casing I, and a fulcrum and adjusting member I2 is swingably mounted within the lower part of the gear case at awpoint separated from the shaft 01 and on the side thereof away from the drive gear '8. This fulcrum member is of somewhat segmental shape and is swingably or oscillatable on a bearing stud I; mounted in a suitable bearing 14 of the gear casing. As here shown, the bearing stud It is formed externally on a long taper and the opening of the bearing I4 is correspondingly formed. A bolt 15 extendsupwardly throughan enlarged bore in the bearing stud II and a spring 16 received around the bolt bears between the head'of this bolt and the lower end of the enlarged recess of the stud bearing portion II; with a washer l1 seated against the lower end of the bearing portion "holding the bolt 15 against upward thrust, and in this manner the bearinsstud Ills resiliently urged Fig. 14 will bring the bearing 82 thereof closer ing link I! having bearingsat its wo ends is connected swingably at one end with the bearing of the pitman rod and at its remaining end with the bearing 83 of the operating arm H. A ful crum link 88 having bearings at its opposite ends is fitted to the bearing 81 of the pitman rod 85 and the bearing 82 of the fulcrum and adjusting member 12.

As the mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 12 and '13, the fulcrum and adjusting member is moved to one extreme, or to the position where maximum oscillatory movement will be-imparted by the pitman rod and the linkage to the agitator shaft 89, and in this relation the toggle link 80 is set on substantially dead center so that the parts will be substantially held and retained against accidental or casual displacement or readjusting. When the parts are moved. to the other extreme position, being the neutral position as illustrated in Fig. 14, the toggle link 80 is in folded relation and it is then desirable to have a stop extending upwardly from the bottomoi the casing 88 to engage with the fulcrum and adjusting member to retain this member against excessive movement. In this neutral adjustment, it is desirable that the axial center lot the bear ing stud 13 substantially coincides with the axial center or the bearings It and 81 when the pitman a rod 8! has attained its full movement to one extreme position, and consequently the stop 90 may well be madeadjustable as by being mounted eccentrically on a clamp bolt, as indicated at 9|. Obviously, rack or retaining means for holding the control and settinglever at in adjusted positions can be provided, perhaps somewhat after the manner as described above,'o'r in any other suitable form.

with this construction of the parts. the movement or setting of the fulcrum or -adjusting member from the position shown in Figs. '12 and 13; through the neutral position as illustratedv in to the neutral position, and in consequence'the pivotal connectim for the, fulcrum link will 1 9 I be so adjusted that the operating link ll will swing the operating arm ll through an angle of lesser degree, thereby shortening the oscillatory movement. of the agitator shaft II. The maximum operating setting is shown in Figs. 12

g and 13, and the twoextremes of movement are illustrated in these views. When the parts are set for the neutral or inoperative position, as illu'stratedin Fig. 14, the operating arm II will be swung to a position with the bearing 88 thereof perpendicularly'aligned with the bearing 82 of the fulcrum and adjusting member 12, in consequence of which the operating link II and the fulcrum link a will be simultaneously swung around this same axial center between the full and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 14, withmeans pivotally out moving or swinging the operating arm ll,

ings separated so that as these two links are actuated through the pitman rod 86 movement will be imparted to swing the operating arm II and consequently oscillate the agitator shaft '0. Ob-- viously, the fulcrum and adjusting member 12 can be set to any desired position'between the two extremes and the degree or angle of oscillation of the agitator shaft 60 will be correspondingly varied. This particular embodiment of the invention will lend itself well to manufacturing methods and procedures, and the structure when in use will operate smoothly and with precision thereby preventing undue wear upon or damage to any of the parts and insuring quiet operation of the washing machine throughout along period to life and utility.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments of my invention and have suggested only certain other possible modiflcations or embodiments, it will be appreciated that the linkage or operating connections can be varied in other manners, and that changes in the form and construction and connection and association of the parts can be made to accomplish the desired function without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Awashing machine comprising "the oscillating means of the-agitator shaft, and

' means pivotally connecting and swingably mounting the bearing end of the secondlink whereby .said bearing end can be-moved into and from axial alignment with. the pivotal connection between the first link and the oscillating means.

10 an agitator shaft oscillatably mounted in upright relation, oscillating means connected with said agitator shaft, continuously operating eccentric means spaced from saidagitator shaft, a pitman rod connected at one end with said eccentric necting the free end of one of said links with theoscillating means for the agitator shaft, and

connecting and swingably one end with said eccentric means and its remaining end extending toward the agitator shaft and provided with a bearing, a pair of links pivotallyconnected at the bearing of said pitman and provided with bearings at their free ends spaced an equal distance from the said pivotal connection, means pivotally connecting the free end of one of said links with the oscillating means for the agitator shaft, and lever,

means swingably mounted and having the bearing end of the second link pivotally connected therewith eccentrically of the swingably mounting whereby said bearing end can be moved into and from axial alignment with the pivotal connection between the first link and the oscillating means.

4. A washingv machine operating mechanism comprising an agitator shaft oscillatably mounted in upright relation, oscillating means connected with said agitator, shaft, eccentric means spaced from said agitator shaft, a pitman rod connected at one-end with said eccentric means and having its remaining end extending toward the agitator shaft, a pair of links pivotally connected'with the extending and of said pitman and provided with bearings at their free ends spaced an equal distance from the pivotal connection with the 1 pitman, means pivotally connecting the free end of one of said links with the oscillating means for the agitator shaft, means pivotally connecting and swingably mounting the bearing end of the second link whereby said bearing end can be moved into and from axial alignment with the pivotal connection between the first link and the oscillating means, and stop means holding parts against oscillationwhen the bearing ends of the two links are in axial alignment.

'5. A washing machine operating mechanism comprising an agitator shaftoscillatably mounted in upright relation, oscillating means connected with said agitator shaft, eccentric meansvspaced from said agitator shaft, a pitman rod'connected at one end with said eccentric means and having its remaining end extending toward the agitator shaft, 9. pair of links pivotally connected with the extending end of said pitman and provided with bearings at their free ends spaced an equal distance from the pivotal connection with the pitman, means pivotally connecting the free end of one of said links with the oscillating means I A washing machine comprising, for the agitator mm. a case on one side of said tub having an elongated slotted opening therethrough, a control lever swingably mounted adjacent to said agitator shaft and having its end projecting through said slot and available for' element mounted to be alternately oscillated, a 'swin'gable operating link connected at one end to oscillate said element, an adjusting link swingably connected at the other end of said operating link, means applying swinging force to said links substantially at the point of swinging connection therebetween, and a, movable pivot connection for the free end of the adjusting link.

'7. Means for operating an element including an ,oscillatableactuating shaft having an arm extending therefrom, an operating link swingably connected with said arm and having a bearing at its free end, a setting link swingably connected at said bearing, means applying operating force through said swingingconnectionto said links, and a variable movable pivot connection for the remaining end of said setting link.

8. Means for operating an element includin an oscillatable actuating shaft having an arm extending therefrom, anoperating link swingably connected with said arm and having a bearing at its free end, a setting'link swingably connected at said bearing, means applying operating force through said swinging connection tosaid links, a variable movable pivot connection for the remaining end of said setting link, and manually actuatable setting means for adjusting said movable pivot into axial alignment with the bearing connection of the operating link with the operating arm and to positions away from such axial alignment.

9. A device of the character described comprising an oscillatably mounted agitator shaft, oscillating means connected with said agitator shaft,

'- eccentric means spaced fromsaid agitator shaft,

a pitman rod connected at one end with said eccentric means and'having its remaining end extending adjacent to the agitator shaft, an operating link pivotally connected at one end with the end of said pitman rod and having a bearing .at its remaining end, a control link pivotally whereby said bearing end can be moved into and laterally away from axial alignment with the pivotal connection between the operating link and the oscillating means.

10. A device of the character described comprising an oscillatably mounted agitator shaft, oscillating means connected with'said agitator shaft, eccentric means spaced from said agitator shaft, a pitman rod connected at one end with said eccentric means and having its remaining end extending adjacent to the agitator shaft, an operating link pivotally connected at one end with the end of said pitman rod and having a hearing at its remaining end, a control link piv otall'y connected with said pitman substantially and said control link being provided with a hear! ing at its remaining end spaced from the pivotal connection a distance corresponding substantially to the similar distance on the operating link, a

side to provide detents, a control lever pivotally mounted at one side of .the agitator shaft and having its end extending through the opening in the case for manual access and adjustment, and a pivotal connection between the free end of the control link and the control lever at a point I paced from the swinging mounting of said lever.

11. A mechanism of the character described comprising an oscillatably mounted. agitator shaft, a gear case into which said agitator shaft extends, an oscillating arm on said agitator shaft within the gear case provided with a bearing portion at its outer end, eccentric means within the gear case spaced from said agitator shaft, a pitman rod connected at one end with said eccentric mean and having its remaining end extending adjacent to the agitator shaft, an operating link pivotally connected at one end with said pitman rod and at its other end at the bearing of the oscillating arm, a control link also .pivotally connected with the pitman at substantially the axial center of the pivotal connection of the operating link and provided with a bearing spaced from the pivotal mounting a distance corresponding substantially to the spacing of the bearing of the operating link, and means pivotally connecting and swingably mounting the bearing end of the control link whereby said bearing, end can be moved into and from axial alignment with theswinging connection'between the operating link and the oscillating arm.

12. A mechanism of the character described comprising an oscillatably mounted agitator shaft, a gear case into which said agitator shaft extends, continuously operated eccentric means within the gear case, a pitman rod connected at one end with said eccentric means and-having a remaining end extending adjacent to the end oi the shaft within the gear case, an operating link pivotally connected at on end with said pitman rod and having a bearing at its remaining end, a control link pivotally connected with said pitman on substantially the same axial center and havinga hearing at its end spaced a distance corresponding substantially to the spacing of the bearings of the operating link, a rack pinion on the end of the agitator haft within the gear case, a segmental rack oscillatably mounted within the gear case and having the teeth thereof meshing with the teeth of the rack pinion, an oscillating connection between .the end of the power link and said oscillating means, a control lever swin ably mounted adjacent to the agitator shaft and having its end extending for manual manipulation and adjustment, and a pivotal connection with a bearing opening spaced substantially the at the center of pivoting of the operating link ame distance from the axial center as from the Opening of the oscillating arm, an arcuate link I swingably connected with said oscillating arm, a second arcuate link swingably connected with said control and setting arm, said two arcuate links being provided at their outer ends with 7 control and setting am, said two arcuate links bearings spaced substantially equal distances from the swinging mountings of said links, ec-

centric means, and a pitman rod from said eccentric means having the bearing ends of the arcuate links pivotally connected therewith on a common axis. a

14. A washing machine operating mechanism of the class described comprising anoscillatably mounted agitator shaft, an oscillating .arm carried by said agitator shaft and having a bearing at its outer swinging end, a stub shaft substantially axially aligned with the lower end of said agitator shaft having a control and setting arm extending radially therefrom and provided with a bearing opening spaced substantially th same distance from the axial center as from the openbeing provided at their outer ends with bearings spaced substantially equal distances -from the swinging mountings of said links, eccentric means, a pitman rod from said eccentric means I having the bearing ends of the arcuate links pivotally connected therewith on a common axis,; stop means at one extreme of oscillating move-' ment of the oscillating arm on the agitator shaft, and a control and setting lever lby which said stub shaft is moved to adjust said control and setting arm to have the hearing at the end thereof substantially aligned with the bearing at the end of the oscillating arm when said osciliating arm is against said stop mean and to other.

P sitions in which the said bearings are out of 20 axial alignment.

ALLEN J. PATCH:

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