US2624203A - Drive for washing and wringing unit - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANN DRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1945 i/ L r [I7 I I02,

INVENTOR Aueusr H. HHRTNHNN ATTORNEY Hum Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANN 2,624,203

DRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT Filed Sept. 4, 1945 3 SheetsSheet 2 unnnn Wm 01''. ZIIIIvI,

- INVENTOR Ausus-T H HH/PTMANN ATTORPLEY Jan. 6, 1953 A. H. HARTMANN DRIVE FOR WASHING AND WRINGING UNIT BYNuMy W AT oRN EY Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED sTAres BATENT OFFICE miwamawisme ANn wnmcifidhhnii August H. naiimanmoamsna, Calif. Application September 4, 1945; Serial No. 614,121

5 Claims.

The invention relates to a clothes washing and wringing unit arranged for use with a wash tray for performing washing operations upon clothing in the tray and thereafter wringing out the washed clothing. H K A A general object is to provide an improved and particularly effective drive-for an oscillating washing agitator. V v 4 t r t Another object is to provide an improved drive for the actuation of a clothes wringer of the unit.

A further object is toprovide conveniently located and mutually independent controls for the agitator, and wrin elf ofthe unit.

Yetanother o ect i to Pro ide? a o. larly ready removal and replacement of the washing agitator. v H I I v} The invention possesses other objects and featunes f a t m f wh withi m going, will be set forth or he apparent inthe following descriptions of typical embodiments thereof, and in the accompanying drawings in which, t

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a unit embodying features ofthe present invention'and mounted in use position upon a domestie wash tray fixture, portions of the wash tray being' broken awayt'l Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit, the cover andv operating motor and wringerbeingremoved.

Figure 3' is an elevation takenionithebroken linej. 3'-"'3 .in Figure 2; portions of the" supporting tray and the agitator beingjomitted.

Figure-4 is a sectional elevation at the line 4-;4 in Figure 2, the viewjncluding the cover portion Figure 5 is a, fragmentary section "at the line ti -5 in Figure V f.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section at the line 6-6inFigure 2. Figure '7 is a fragmentary section at the line 1-4 in Figure 5. v Figure 8 is a section at the line 8-8 in Figure 2. Figure 9 is a section at the line 9-9 in Figure'8. Figure 10 is a section at the line In -l in Figure 9. j ,7 j Figure 11 is a fragmentary top view of a clutchcontrol means shown inFigure 7. t Y

Figure 12 is a plan view similar to that of Figure 2, and discloses a unit having a drive mechanism embodying certainmodifications of the drive mechanism of the first embodiment.

Figures 13 to 16 inclusiveare sections taken on the lines I3-l 3 and.- I l-l4 and |-l5 and IG-IB respectively of Figure 12. a,

-A disclosed in-the embodiment of Figuresl to 11 inclusive,-themechanlSmof-a washing and wringing unit J8, is. mounted on a base plate 191 which, is arranged, for supported disposal upon andacross the top of a wash tray 2| having up- Qqmnlet a. 9. 9 s pac i n a n j q sm in. .ngqh ni .m o th unit;

The. ws e i :bffihe. ire unit 8. gr.- ranged tobe operated from an electric motor mounted on the base plate I9 and having its shaft 3|. extending into the space 28 through aside wall 2 of said space. The wall 32 i's parallel to the rear wall'33 of the'space 28 which extends along'jand adjacentjthe rear edge IQ of the base plate IBI'andiS spaced from the front edge l9' of thefplateto provide forthe' mounting of the match-291,111 front of itl- " Walls 34 and 35 extend forwardly fromthe different ends of the wall 32 t v provide sidsiforamoto'rl-i see; tdabfov the plate; in the" present wan-3.4 is adjacent and paralleLto the, left ,of thebasj plate cradles 3] exte d integrally. om he basje late withinthejspac'e 3.610: su' rtingthe rnotori in appropriate" positi therein. and ,cover ,21" is provided, with a'rrdiitpcrt o 3e:- dependingi'blow thfllevel of. itsplanepffsupporton-thejbase walls and to the basej'plate jedgejat {the front of the space 36 for fullyclosing "the'jspace 36"at1its front. 1

forwardlyf'irom theleft side end of the rear wall 33 'to a' juncture jwiththe'wall 32, and a front wall l'l e'xtendsjfromi the forward end of the wall 35 fig: a juncture"'withtheforward end of the right-side end wall '42' extending forwardlyfrom the rear wall 33. The ibottom portion of" the space 28- is thus laterally-and jointly defined within thelwalls '33and' 39and" 32 and 35 and M and l2 taken in order:v 1A partition 43 connects the tvalisj32 and 3-3oto the right of the 'shaft'3l. Atthe corners defined atthe juncture points of the-ivarious 'wallsdefining thej'spa'ce '28, fillets 44 are provided for stiifening the structure thereat, said iillets being provided with threaded openings extending downwardly from their top ends for receivingthe screws by which the cover 21 is secured upon the; wall structure; Upright ribs 44' are provide'd--as--needed at intermediate points of "The left-end wal1f3 9 of the, space 28 extends 3 the rear wall 33 and front wall 6! for performing the functions of the fillets 44 thereat.

It will now be noted that a jack-shaft it is mounted in the space 28 in parallel relation to the wall 33, said shaft being carried in and between suitable bearings 46 and 4! and d8 provided respectively at the wall 39 and partition Q3 and a bearing block 49 spaced from the right-end casing wall 42; as indicated, the bearing 16 includes end-thrust anti-friction bearings for preventing an axial displacement of the shaft 45. Driving of the shaft 55 is effected by the operation of a worm gear 5! carried on the motor shaft 3i and constantly engaging a spur gear 52 fixed on the shaft 45; in this manner, the shaft 65 is arranged to be rotated with the motor shaft.

The present jack-shaft 55 is arranged to actuate an agitator 53 suspended from the base plate IQ for its oscillating operation within the space of a tray. As particularly shown, the agitator 53 has a flat base portion from which its side face tapers conically upwardly to a sleeve end which is arranged to complementarily and slidably receive the bottom end of a stem member 5% which is mounted for oscillation without axial displacement. Radial webs 53' extend from the flat base portion of the agitator to points near its top, and the stem member 54 and the bore of the agitator sleeve portion which complementarily receives the stem are of rectangular cross-section for insuring oscillating movements of the stem and agitator together. While the bottom of the agitator might engage the tray bottom 25 for the support of the agitator thereon, a set screw 55 is preferably provided in the sleeve portion of the agitator for engaging the inserted stem to secure the agitator in adjusted spaced relation to the tray bottom.

At its upper end, the stem member 54 carries a sleeve 53 fixed thereto and extending upwardly of the stem extremity for receiving the lower end of a shaft 5? which depends from the base plate IS in its bore. A bayonet slot 58 is provided in the side of the sleeve 56 above the top of the stern 5 3 for receiving a pin 59 extending radially from the shaft 57 at a point nearits bottom end; the arrangement is essentially such that the stem-and-agitator assembly is supported upon the pin 59, but may be readily released from its suspended support on the shaft 5? by lifting and rotating it slightly to free the pin from the bayonet slot 58, whereby the agitator may be detached if and when the unit is being placed on or removed from its mounted position on the tray.

The shaft 5? is journalled in an upright bearing sleeve '53 provided by the plate l9 and extending upwardly of the plate to at least the level of the axis of the drive shaft 45, said level determining the maximum depth of the liquid lubricant which is provided and maintained in the casing space 28 for the lubrication of all wearing parts of the mechanism therein; see Figure 4. While the present arrangement permits little, if any, escape of lubricant along the shaft 57, the latter may carry a sealedly encircling member 6| at a point below the sleeve 69 and cooperative with the shaft to provide an annular cup for trapping any lubricant which may escape along the shaft. A cap-like member 62 is pinned or otherwise fixed to the upper end of the shaft 57, encloses the topof the sleeve 6%, receives the bearing ring 53 disopsed upon the top of the sleeve 66 for the rotative support of this member thereon and provides a spur gear 54 integral therewith.

A stub shaft 55 extends upwardly from the base plate 9 at a point between the shaft 57 and the jack-shaft in a plane perpendicular to the jack-shaft axis and rotatably mounts a member 66 providing a segmental gear 6? coaxial with the axis of swinging of the member and in meshing engagement with the gear 64. The member further provides an arm 58 at its bottom, and is supported upon the underlying base plate portion on a bearing ring 69. Means are provided for oscillating the member 66 about the shaft 65 whereby its segmental gear '57 may oscillate the shaft 5! and the agitator. Preferably and as shown, the pitch diameter of the segmental gear El is greater than the pitch diameter of the gear 6: whereby the agitator may be oscillated through a greater turn angle than is the gear '61.

As particularlyillustrated, the means for oscillating the member 66 comprises a cam member H consisting of a tubular hub "i2 rotatably mounted upon the shaft 45 and provided with a continuous encircling flange 13 of uniform thickness axially of its hub, of uniform height radially of the hub, having its radial surface elements perpendicular to the shaft axis, and having the general plane of its periphery oblique to said axis. Mutually spaced and upstanding rollers 74 are provided at the free end of the arm of the member 56 for constantly receiving the cam ,fiange F3 in contacting engagement between them, the arrangement being such that a rotation of the cam is operative by reason of the progressive engagement of different portions of the cam flange 73 between the rollers to rock the member 6'3 about its aXis and so oscillate the agitator through the c-o-action of the segmental gear 6? with the gear 54 on the shaft 511'. As particularly shown, the base plate I9 is provided with a depressed portion beneath the member 65 as required for its installation and the operation of its arm 53 beneath the cam member I i.

In the present structure, the cam member H has its hub 72 held against axial movement along the shaft 45 between collars 15 fixed on the shaft. The hub end nearest the drive gear 52 is cylindrically recessed to receive the collar 15 thereat. and said hub end is provided with clutch teeth 16 extending axially therefrom toward a clutch collar ll slidable on and splined to the drive shaft 45 for movement to selectively dispose teeth 78 thereof between or axially spaced from the clutch teeth is of the hub H in this manner the cam member H is arranged to be driven from the shaft 45. As particularly shown, the collar 77 is provided with an annular peripheral groove in which the arms of a shift fork 79 are arranged to be constantly engaged. The fork it extends from a hub 8| which is slidably mounted upon a stub-shaft at which extends from the casing partition 43 in a line parallel to and above the shaft @5.

Adjustments of the fork it along the stub shaft 8?. are arranged to be effected by a means provided on the cover 2?. As particularly illustrated (Figures 4 and 7 and 11) an upright stem 83 is journalled in a boss provided on the cover and mounts an adjustment lever 84 for movement over the boss face between limiting positions in which it is releasably held by a spring detent 85 mounted in the boss and selectively operative in sockets provided in the opposed face of a fanshaped lever extension. An arm 85 extends from the stem 83 beneath the cover and is provided with a depending pin 81 which constantly engages in a slot 88 provided across the top of the fork hub 23!. The arrangement is such that a lever 84 may be optionally set for the engagement or disengagement of the described clutch which controls the operation of the cam member H from the shaft 45.

It will now be noted that the jack-shaft 45 is also used for actuating a clothes wringer 89, said wringer being mounted on the front wall M at a bracket 9| fixed to the wall to extend over a tray port-ion not covered by the unit. A shaft 92 is journalled in and between the casing walls 33 and ll, and extends through the latter at the bracket 9! for operative engagement with the drive shaft of the mounted wringer, as indicated in Figures 2 and 8. Means are preferably provided for reversedly actuating the wringer from the drive shaft 55 independently of the use of the latter shaft to actuate the washing agitator 53, said means generally comprising a gear connection through a suitable clutch device.

As particularly shown, the end of the shaft 65 beyond the bearing block 49 mounts a bevel gear 93 which is in constant engagement at opposite sides thereof with bevel gears 94 and 95 rotatable on a shaft 96 which is journalled in and between the walls 33 and GI opposite the end of the shaft 35 and coplanar therewith. The gears 94 and 95, while rotatable with respect to the shaft 96, are retained in engagement with the gear 93, and their mutually opposed hub ends are provided with clutch teeth for cooperative engagement respectively with clutch teeth provided at opposite ends of a clutch sleeve 91 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 95 and is splined thereto for rotation therewith. The sleeve 9! is provided with a peripheral annular groove 93 in which the arms of a shift fork 99 are operative in a usual manner. In the present structure, the wringer-operating shaft 92 is disposed vertically above the shaft 96 and carries a spur gear Iill which constantly meshes with a spur gear Hi2 fixed on the shaft 95; as shown, the gear It! is smaller than the gear I522 whereby the shaft 92 may be driven at a faster rate than is the shaft 93. The shift fork 99 depends from a sleeve member I03 slidably mounted upon the shaft 92 and function-ing as a support and guide means for the fork.

Control of the positioning of the shift fork 99 is arranged to be effected by means of a hand lever I94 mounted on and operative above the cover 2'! in an arrangement generally similar to that of the clutch control lever 84 for the agitator drive connections. The lever IE4 is mounted on a stem m5 which carries a radial arm I06 beneath the cover from which a pin Isl slidably engages in a slot I08 provided across the top of the fork sleeve I03. A spring detent I69 is operative beneath a radial extension HI of the lever I64 for selective disposal in any one of three sockets provided in the under face of the extension, whereby the lever may be selectively set for inoperatively or operatively disposing the clutch sleeve with respect to the bevel gears. It will be understood that with the drive arrangements now described for the agitator and wringer, either or both may be actuated from the common drive shaft 45.

Since the present unit I8 is arranged for its removable mounting upon a wash tray 2i, means are preferably provided for releasably fixing the unit in place upon the tray. Figure 3 discloses a securing arrangement in which members H2 and H3 mounted on the under side of the base plate I9 and simultaneously reactive with the mutually opposed inner faces of the tray ends 22 for securing the unit I8 in set position upon the top viding a laterally offset rollers I'M receiving 6 of the tray. The member I I2 comprises a thumb screw which is engaged through a lug H4 depending from the plate l9 near one side thereof, while the member I I3 comprises a thrust bar prowall-engaging foot H5 at longitudinal slot for receiving a thumb screw IIB which is operative to clamp the set bar against the under side of a lug I I1 depending from the base plate. The lug I I1 is appreciably spaced from the wringer side of the base plate whereby the member I I3 is adjustable for fitting the securing means to trays of different widths. When a unit has been positioned upon a tray with the point of the screw I I2 engaging a tray end 22, the member II3 is set with its foot H5 engaging the other tray end, the screw IIGis tightened, and the screw H2 is then finally tightened to provide forcible securing reactions of it and the foot I I5 with the opposite trayends.

The embodiment of Figures 12 to 16 inclusive discloses certain modifications in the driving of an agitator shaft 5'! and a wringer from a common shaft I45. The shaft hi5 carries a cam H as in the first embodiment for actuation with the shaft through the clutch collar H which is controlled by the fork I9 from the hand lever 86. In the present structure, a member use is mounted for reciprocation upon the base i is in a line par allel to the axis of the shaft 55 and provides a longitudinal rack bar it! having its teeth constantly meshing with the gear 6% of the agitator shaft 57. The present member W6 is provided with a longitudinal groove IE8 of uniform crosssections in its top, and a fixedly mounted bar I89 which is engaged in the groove as a guide means for the member and is carried on posts i'lfi extending from the base plate 1 IS). A plate member I89 is mounted on the member IBil and extends laterally therefrom over the member IBE to retain the member against an upward movement from its operative position; the member I69 might be integral with the member lee if desired.

Stub shafts extend laterally from the member 66 toward the axis of the shaft Hi5 and carry the flange I13 of the cam member H between them, whereby, as the member 'II is, rotated, the member IE5 is reciprocated to oscillate the shaft 51 through the coaction of the rack and gear. It will be noted that the horizontal axes of the rollers I'M are perpendicular to and coplanar with the axis of the shaft I45, whereas, in the first embodiment, the axes of the rollers 14 are upright and parallel and have their common plane in different angular relations to the shaft axis in different positions thereof.

In the present structure, the shaft M5 is extended beyond a bearing its into a bearing I15 in the right-end wall M2 of the base H9 corresponding to the base IQ of the first embodiment, and the shaft portion between the bearings I42! and I15 carries a helical gear I93 which meshes with a complementary helical gear I94 mounted on a wringer-actuating shaft I92 journalled in and between the front and rear casing walls I33 and IM, with the shaft I92 extending forwardly through and from the wall I33 at a wringersupporting bracket I9! for driving connection with a wringer (not shown) mounted on the bracket. The worm gear I94 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft I92, and one end of its hub I94 is provided with clutch teeth for complementary engagement with clutch teeth provided at the opposed end of a shift sleeve l9?! splined to the shaft and shiftable to engage 0r disengage its one end and having a 7* teethgwiththoseof the hub I94; a collar 184'}- is fixed to the shaft 192 at theopposite side ofthe earlQA-from the ;lut.ch,means to maintain the gear incontact with the gear I 93.,

The shiftv sleeve I9! is provided with an annular groove I98 slidably receiving a. shift finger I99 provided by a member-200 which is slidably supported on-the shaft 1 92 at the opposite end of the sleeve from its clutch face; As particularly shown, the member 20!! is longitudinally grooved fromebelow to slidablyand rotatably receive the shaft, and theupper end of this member is engaged'by guide tracks 20! depending from, the casing cover 12'! into complementary grooves in the top of the member for securing the member in upright position upon the shaft I92. A hand lever 204 is mounted on the top of the cover I21 on a stem 205 which carries a gear 206 beneath the cover for operative engagement with a rack 20'! provided at the top of the member 200, whereby the lever is operative to shift the member between a pair of limiting positions in which the clutch is respectively disengaged or engaged. In eneral reference to this clutch control and those provided for the first embodiment, it is noted that the lifting away of the cover carrying the clutch control levers is all that is necessary for disengaging the lever assemblies from the shift forks, ready access to the unit mechanism thus being provided for.

Since the present drive of the wringer-actuating shaft I92 from the shaft 45 is not reversible, the drive motor M is preferably of the reversible type, as is indicated by the showing ofa two-way switch 298 in Figure 12, it being understood that it may be desired or necessary to reverse the wringer and that the direction of the rotation of the shaft M is unimportant as far as the operative oscillating actuation of the agitator is concerned.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and operation of the present Washing and wringing units will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the present inventions appertain. While I have described the features and principles of operation of assemblies which I now consider to comprise preferred embodiments of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showings are primarily illustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a washer unit arranged for mounting on the rim of a wash tray, a support base providing a basin for a lubricant and having a laterally closed tubular boss extending upwardly from the basin bottom to a level above the lubricant in the basin and having its bore extend through the basin bottom, an agitator shaft depending from the base and journalled in the bore of the boss and directly supported upon the top of the boss, a horizontal drive shaft mounted on the base and extending within the basin space, means coactive between the shafts and entirely Within the lubricant in the basin for oscillating said agitator shaft, and thrust members adjustably mounted on and beneath the basin bottom for their cooperative projection against opposite points of the side of the mounting tray for fixing the unit in laterally adjusted position on the tray rim.

2. In a washer unit arranged for its fixed mounting upon the top of a wash tray, a support base providing a basin for lubricant and having a laterally closed ,tubular boss extending upwardly a level above the lubri-- extending within the lubricant space, a drive cam carried by the drive shaft for rotation therewith andcomprising a cam flange oblique to the shaft axis, and a unitary element movably mounted on said'base Within the lubricant in the basin and having mutually fixed parts directly connecting said cam flange and gear for an oscillative driving of the latter from the former as the drive shaft is rotated.

3. In a washer unit for clothing and the like,

a base arranged for support in fixed position upon the rim of a wash tray, an upright agitator shaft depending through the base and mounting a drive gear above the base, a drive shaft carried by the base in overlying relation to it and in the plane of the gear, a drive cam carried by the drive shaft and providing a continuous and uniform one-turn radial cam fiange oblique to the shaft axis, an elementmovable on said base for movement between limiting positions thereof and providing a fork means fixedly related thereto and constantly engaging the cam flange for efiecting an actuation of the element between its limiting positions as the cam is rotated, and a direct gear connection between the element andthe gear of the agitator shaft disposed solely on the cam side of the shaft gear.

4. In a Washer unit for clothng and the like, a base for fixed support upon and above a wash tray and providing an upwardly-open basin space for a lubricant, an upright agitator shaft sealedly depending through the base bottom and mounting a drive gear in said space, a drive shaft carried by the base in said space and in the plane of said gear, a drive cam carried by the drive shaft and comprising a tubular hub rotatively receiving the drive shaft and mounting a continuous cam flange oblique to the shaft axis, a clutch means directly operative to releasably connect the cam hub with the drive shaft for rotation therewith, an element movable on said base in a horizontal plane and between limiting positions thereof and engaging the cam flange for an actuation of the element between its limiting positions as the cam is rotated, a direct gear connection in said space between the element and the gear of the agitator shaft, a removable cover for said space, and a manually-settable control member for the clutch carried by said cover.

5. In a washing and wringing unit of the character described, a base arranged for its removable and fixedly positioned support upon the rim of a wash tray and providing a continuous side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall to provide a basin space for receiving a lubricant, means on the base mounting a jack-shaft in said space in horizontal disposition, an upright agitator-operating shaft supportedly depending through the base bottom from Within said space, a wringeroperating shaft supportedly extending through the basin side wall from within said space, a motor means mounted on the base for effecting a continuous rotation of the jack-shaft, mutually independent drive connections between the jack shaft and the agitator and wringer shafts, a clo- 9 sure cover for said basin space removably supported on said wall, and control members for the different drive connections carried by the cover and extending upwardly from the connections through the cover to provide for manual settings thereof from above the cover.

AUGUST H. HARTMANN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 720,140 Hausfeld Feb. 10, 1903 867,121 Frenier Sept. 24, 1907 1,269,740 Pinkney June 18, 1918 Number 15 Number Name Date Mars June 29, 1926 Morehouse et a1. May 3, 1927 Thompson Aug. 21, 1928 Rempe Dec. 17, 1929 Labisky July 14, 1931 Cooper Oct. 13, 1936 Hirstel Oct. 26, 1937 Jackson Dec. 6, 1938 Woodkin Oct. 15, 1940 Kaufman July 7, 1942 Jackson Apr. 17, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Mar. 29, 1929

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