US2526969A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1950 w. H. POWERS 2,526,969

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1945 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet l v WARREN h. POWERS @zawaw W. H. POWERS WASHING MACHINE Oct. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1945 m W m WAFIVE/V f/l POWER zU/m'uey Oct. 24, 1950 w POWERS 2,526,969

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Shet '5 QM; @za/bww x! 1m rneys I uvento r Oct. 24, 1950 w. H. POWERS 2,526,969

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,526,969 "WASHING MACHINE Warren-H.'Powers, Coronado, Calif.

' Application July 27, 1945, Serial No.'607,310

4'claims.

This present invention relates to'washi'ng machines and its "main object is the provision of drier'means in a washing machine, operable Without the operator putting her or his hands in the cleansing liquid.

Another object ofthe invention'is to provide a'washing machine'whi'ch'lessens the number of times the clothes have 'to'be handled'by hand and shortens the time necessary to do the wash- Another'objec't of the invention is the provision of an apparatus including a single'source of power'that may drive the washing means or drying means.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novelty of construction, combination and arrangement of parts specifically described in the followingde'scription and claimed inthe appended claims.

In the drawings accompanying "and forming a part of this specification and illustrating the preferred embodiment ofmy invention:

Figure '1 is aside elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention; 7 I

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical, diametral section;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-'-'4 of Figure 3; h I

Figure 5 'is an enlarged horizontal section on line 5 50f Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partly broken away perspective view of the agitator, the clutch and the mechanism for alternately rotating the shaft in opposite directions;

Figure 7 is an enlarged diametral detail section on line !'--'l of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a horizontal, transverse detail section online 8-8 of Figure 7';

Figure 9 is a vertical di'a'metral detail section on line 9--9'of Figu'refi;

Figure 10 is an enlarged d-iametral detail sec* tion through the clutch sleeve-and the shaft on which it slides;

Figure 1 1 is a transverse detail section on line ||l [of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the central portion of the agitator.

In the drawings in which like characters of reference designate like or similar parts, numeralZ denotes each of four casters the rollers of which are made of rubber and which have locking devices-like those used on hospital cots. Each caster is mountedin a conventional manner on the lower endof one of four channel legs 3 which are spaced from one another and converge upwardly. The concave sides of the cha n nel bars used as legs face inwardly. The flanges of the'channelsare notched adjacent their lower ends to receive the marginal circumferential portion of a' table 4. Another table or platform 5 is supported by the legs above the first '"named table in a similar-manner.

The top ends of the legs are secured to' ;the lower side of the bottom 6 of aliquid holding casing 7 the top of which; is closedbya remove able cover 8 provided with a centrally located bearing?) onitslowerside. H

In the center of the lower table 4 isan aperture which serves as a journal for the reduced lower end portion of a vertically disposed shaft Ill. The reduced shaft portion-is also journaled in a ring or collar I l which bears with its upper flat side against the shoulder'formed by the re-' duced portion with the thicker shaft-part. l The ring is provided with a pair of diametrally opposite trunnions I2 which are each journaled'in registering apertures formed in the parallel end portions of a pair of arms l3. Thejlatter'converge outwardlyor away fromthe shaft and form the inner end of a foot lever M which is pivoted in the bifurcated upper end of a fulcrum link I5. A pair of short spaced posts [6 arises from the table 4 and are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the lower end of the link. The

part of the lever l4 extending outwardlyof the fulcrum structure carries at its extreme enda pedal plate H with serrations in its uppersur face for the foot of the operator who may hit the shaft by placing some of his weight upon: the pedal.

The shaft extends through a hole in the upper table 5 and a collar l8-atta'ched to the tops'urface thereof, and flanged'at the lowere'nd. The shaft. also extends loosely through one of the rounded 01f corners of a substantially triangular support ing plate l9 which rests oscillatably upon a the upper end of the collar. The shaft has a tudinal groove 20 and extends through thecentral hole of a gear ZZTWhich is oscillatably supported by the plate l9. The gear is in mesh with a rack 23 slidablv disposed above the plate and engagin with its smooth backside a pair of rollers 24 joul' naled with their lower nds in the plate andat their upper ends in a plate 25 which overlies the rack and forms part of the structure described for guiding the rack and securing its mesh engagement with the gear. The outer endpf the rack is p bted' by bolt 26 t6 the outer end of a horizontal arm 21 the inner end of which is fixed to the lower end of a pulley shaft 28.

The latter is journaled in a bearing 29 which is fixed by a set screw 30 or otherwise to an angle 3| attached to the leg structure. The upper end portion of the pulley shaft is rotatably supported in a journal 32 attached to the lower side of the bottom 6 and carries a fixed pulley 33 with a thickened periphery for a V-groove 34.

In the V-groove is a corresponding belt 35 which also engages in the notch of a hub 36 integral with or secured to and depending from a central pulley 31. The hub and pulley structure is journaled upon the shaft in and has upon its lower end downwardly extending clutch fingers 38 which are inwardly spaced from the cylindrical hub surface and thereby form a shoulder 39. The same rests in a rotatable manner upon the upper marginal surface surrounding an opening formed in the upper horizontal leg 40 of a bracket H which has a lower horizontal leg 42 extending in the opposite direction and attached to the top surface of table 5.

Above the gear 22 which has on its upper end clutch fingers 43 and below the fingers 38 is a clutch sleeve 45 surrounding the shaft and splined thereon for sliding movement without rotation by a key 44. The same is seated in a recess formed in the hole of the sleeve and is slidably disposed in the slot of the shaft. through a radial hole in the sleeve and threaded with its inner end into the key. The sleeve is normally in lowered position in which its lower fingers 41 are in mesh with fingers 43 of the gear 22, but will rise with the shaft after the latter has been lifted to such an extent that the lower end of the sleeve abuts the end of the slot. This movement of shaft and sleeve will cause the upper fingers 48 of the latter to engage with the fingers 38 so that the shaft and sleeve partake of the unidirectional rotation of the hub and pulley structure 36, 31.

In the groove of the pulley 31 engages a belt 49 also engaging the groove of a pulley 50 of an electric motor 5! the frame of which is attached to or integral with a block 52 fixed to one of the legs.

The shaft extends upward through the circular central hole of an annular plate 53 afiixed to the underside of the bottom of the casing and a hole in registry with the first hole in the bottom. A

sleeve 54 of an inner diameter equal to that of the last mentioned hole and in registry therewith is integral with or attached at the lower end to the inner and top side of the bottom and surrounds the shaft. A sleeve 55 of a larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of the last mentioned sleeve surrounds the same in concentric and rotatable relation and is attached at its lower end to the inner and top side of a bottom 56 forming part of a drier 5'! which also includes a cylindrical portion. The sleeve 55 is surrounded by a sleeve 58 which forms the central part of a washer also including a bottom centrally attached to the last mentioned sleeve 58 and partitions 60 arising therefrom.

In order to successively engage the washer or oscillating motion and the drier for unidirectional motion the shaft [0 has an upper end shaped for that purpose and cooperates with the fiat top ends of sleeves 55, 58 in a manner now to be described. The extreme top end portion 6| of the shaft is frusto-conical and fits into the bearing 9 described and attached to the center of the cover. Below the frusto-conical portion is a part 62 which is flattened on opposite sides and fits into A bolt 46 is inserted a complementary opening 63 in the flat top end of the washer sleeve 58 when the shaft I0 is in its lower position and the lower fingers of the clutch sleeve mesh with the fingers of the gear engaged by the rack. Below the flattened portion 62 is a cylindrical reduced portion 64 which revolves in the opening 63 of the washer sleeve when the frusto-conical portion is in its bearing. Below the reduced cylindrical portion is a, second larger portion 65 having flat sides adapted for engagement in a complementary opening 66 formed in the fiat top end of drier sleeve 55.

In order to operate the machine described, the casing is filled with the necessary cleansing liquid and the soiled fabric to be washed immersed therein The shaft is in lowered position in which its reduced lower end rotates in the 'central opening of table 4. In this position of the shaft the lower fingers of the clutch sleeve are interlaced with the fingers of the gear 22 and the upper flattened shaft portion 62 is in the complementary end opening of the outer or washer sleeve 58 and the reduced cylindrical shaft portion 64 is in the end opening of the inner or drier sleeve 55. The closing of the switch of the motor will rotate the hub and pulley structure and the other pulley and cause the rack to oscillate the gear and shaft locked thereto. The washer is thereby oscillated and washes the fabric.

In order to operate the drier the shaft is lifted by the lever, This results in engagement between the clutch sleeve and hub 35 and in unidirectional rotation of the shaft locked to the clutch sleeve. During this operation the lower flattened shaft portion is in the end opening of the drier sleeve 55 so that the drier is rotated. The upper reduced cylindrical portion 64 of the shaft rotates now in the opening of the washer sleeve 58 without taking the same along. The frusto-conical part is in the bearing 9 and the fabric, washer and drier are out of the cleansing liquid.

I have specifically described the preferred embodiment of my invention in all of its details in order to impart a full, clear and exact understanding of the inventive idea. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to the precise construction and relative arrangement of parts as disclosed, my invention being defined by my appended claims within the scope of which changes in structure and in arrangement may be made without departure from my invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a washing machine, a casing provided with a support, a clothes receptacle rotatably mounted in the casing, an agitator rotatably mounted in the clothes receptacle, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted in the support and casing and having portions constructed and arranged for alternatively drivingly engaging and disengaging the clothes receptacle and agitator upon vertical displacement of the shaft relatively to said parts, driven means rotatably mounted on the shaft and beneath the casing and including a clutch element, a pinion rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with a clutch element, a reciprocably mounted rack bar in engagement with said pinion, a crank for actuating said rack bar, a driving connection between the crank and said driven means, a clutch keyed to said shaft and disposed between the clutch elements of the driven means and pinion and having portions disposed for movement into engagement with said l 1 elements for selectively revolving or oscil- 5 lating said shaft, and manually actuated means for vertically displacing the shaft.

2. A washing machine as in claim 1, said driven means comprising a belt pulley provided with a depending hub having clutch fingers at its lower end, and a bearing member including a supporting bracket mounted on a portion of said support for rotatably receiving the hub of the pulley and thereby rotatably supporting said driven means on the shaft.

3. A washing machine as in claim 1, the driving connection of said crank including a shaft, bearing means for journaling said shaft substantially parallel to the first mentioned shaft, said crank being keyed to one end of said last mentioned shaft, and means connecting said driven means to the last mentioned shaft for revolving the last mentioned shaft in unison with the driven means.

4. A washing machine as in claim 1, said driven means and driving connection of the crank each 20 including belt pulleys, and a belt connecting said belt pulleys for revolving the crank independently of said shaft.

WARREN H. POWERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,437,514 Graydon Dec. 5, 1922 1,691,089 Steinhelfer Nov. 13, 1928 1,769,764 Barker July 1, 1930 1,843,347 Steelsmith Feb. 2, 1932 1,911,903 Kirby May 30, 1933 2,171,845 Cureton Sept. 5, 1939 2,282,999 Engelke May 12, 1942 2,361,767 Hays Oct. 31, 1944

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