US2636374A

US2636374A - Orbital movement dasher

Info

Publication number: US2636374A
Application number: US748326A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Castricone
Original assignee: ALTORFER BROS CO
Current assignee: ALTORFER BROS CO
Priority date: 1947-05-15
Filing date: 1947-05-15
Publication date: 1953-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-28

Description

April 28, 1953 J. A. CASTRICONE ORBITAL MOVEMENT DASHER Filed May 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

April 28, 1953 J. A. CASTRICONE 2,636,374

ORBITAL MOVEMENT DASHER Filed May 15, 1947 v3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

(Lin Q. 522352; 60229 April 28, 1953 J. A. CASTRICONE ORBITAL MOVEMENT DSHER 3 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed May 15, 1947 I N V EN TOR. oizz Q flas'izz'cozze Patented Apr. 28, 1953 2,636,374 ORBITAL MOVEMENT DASHER John A.; Castricone, Peoria, 111., assignor to Altorfer Bros. Company, Peoria, 111., a. corporation ofIllinois Application May 15, 1947, Serial No. 748,326

4 Claims. (C1. 68-134) 'This invention relates to dashers for washing machines and particularly to dashers mounted for orbital rotation without substantial axial rotation within a washing machine tub. It is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 691,688, filed August 20, 1946, now

Patent 'No. 2,535,390, granted December 26, 1950, which application in turn was a continuation-inpart of my application Serial No. 647,565, filed issued February Machine.

Although the 'dashers of the current application were generally described and claimed as elements of the washing machine combination-the details, specific functions and structures of'the dashers'best adapted to this specific type of washing machine were not fully disclosed, described and claimed.

It is the particular object ofthepresent invention to provide an effective dasher for washing machines employing orbital movement mechanism for rotating the dasher within the tub but without substantial axial rotation of the dasher. Another object is to provide optimum structure 25, 1947, for Clothes Washin February 14, 1946, now my Patent No. 2,416,611,

for orbital movement dashers to accomplish effective scrubbing and flushingaction uniformly onfall size batches of clothes ranging from minimum'to maximum size batches. 1

Another object is to provide an'orbital movement'dasher that will distribute the'clothes' uniformly around the tub in'a ring and prevent bunching of clothes. A furtherobject is to provide a dasher which will effect light scrubbing action over the comrow surface contact with the edges of the vanes. A further object is to provide a dasherwhich with its light scrubbing action and contact on the surface of the clothes will cause the ring of plete surface of the clothes in the batch by narclothes to be axially rotated within the tub by l the orbital movement of the dasher and thus present the entire surface of the batch of clothes thus formed in a ring. to'the scrubbing action of the dasher vanes.v

And a further objectis -to provide a dasher whichwill effect flushing actionin addition to -the scrubbing action by means of ejectedwater currents through holes in the body of the dasher.

Other objects and benefits will be disclosed in the following description and drawings in which; Fig. 1 is a broken elevational view partly in section to disclose the dasher and its action on the clothes as it moves in its orbital pathjwithin t N Q Fig. 2 is a top planviewoi apreferred form of 2 my dasher showing the arrangement of the vanes and the holes in the body of the dasher;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevational view of the dasher shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are half cross sectional elevational views of different forms of dashers as will later to be explained and discussed; and Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a preferred form of dasher showing in solid lines the contact of the clothes with the edges of the dasher vanes as will later be explained.

Now referring to the drawings and at the outset to Fig. 1, I show a preferred form of my dasher 10 in full outline as it would appear in position on the right side of the tub during its orbital movement and in dotted outline H as it would appear on the opposite side of the tub during its orbital movement. The tub 12 with its Water line l3 as they appear in cross section clearly disclose that the overall cross sectional area of the dasher 10 including its vanes is a substantial proportion of the entire cross sectional area of the tub below the water line 13, and that the enclosed body of the dasher represents a large percentage of the cross sectional area. The volumetric displacement of the dasher in proportion to the wash water in the tub ranges from eight to twenty per cent and. varies with the speed of rotatio of the dasher. It will thus be appreciated that when the dasher H1 is rotated orbitally within the tub, that the cross sectional areas or volumetric capacity total available for clothes are the areas 15 and 16 as shown in cross section. When the dasher ll! moves-to its opposite orbital position shown in dotted outline II the cross sectional areas 15 and 16- are reversed as shown in the oppositely cross hatched area 11 to the left of the dasher. The dasher is rotated unidirectionally at a relatively high speed as fully disclosed and discussed in my prior Patent No. 2,4 6,611, above referred to by the belt and pulley mechanism i9 driven by the electric motor 18. As shown in- Fig.3, the dasher 10 comprises a body having a conical upper portion with a conical lower portion tapered outwardly at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal axis of the and disclosed in my prior patent, No. 2,416,611.

whichorives "the dasher lb in an orbital path 3 without substantial rotation within the tub 12. On the body of the dasher ill, the holes 2| extend completely through the section to provide waterways between the outside and inside of the dasher body. It will readily be appreciated that as the dasher is moved rapidly in its orbital path, water will be ejected through the holes 2i. On the body of the dasher is are slit high vanes 23 and six low vanes 25 alternating therewith and uniformly distributed in a radial manner over the entire surface of the body 29. It will readily be appreciated that the vanes are much more closely spaced than is customary in the conventional agitator of the reciprocating agitator machine now popular on the market. As a matter of fact, most agitators of such machines have three vanes although there is a considerable portion that have four vanes. Naturally, as such agitators are reciprocated in axial rotation, the clothes ride on and between the vanes thus to be axially rotated or reciprccated to and fro causing a relative axial movement between the clothes and water. Contrary to this theory of washing action, the vanes on my dasher vary from one and a half to four inch axial spacing and as shown in this preferred embodiment of dasher, this twelve inch dasher has twelve radial vanes. Depending on the diameter or the dasher, the number of vanes may vary from 6 to 16 but must be arranged to hold the clothes away from the body of the dasher in order to provide necessary water passageways.

It will be clearly noted that the high vanes 23 have inclined edges which for the major portion closely approximate the vertical. This extreme angle of inclination is designed to prevent clothes from stopping or sticking as they move downwardly over theoutersurfaoe of the dasher. The lower vanes 2 located intermediate of the high vanes 23 have a slightly less vertical inclination and do not extendas high as the vanes 23 for the purpose which will later be explained.

Now referring to Figs; 1 2 and 3, it will be observed that the eccentricity of the drive member 22 attaches to the dasher It on an eccentric radius R from the center of the main drive shaft. It will also be appreciated that the driving mechanism 22 moves the dasher ID on the radius R without substantial axial rotation.

Now referring to Fig. 2, it will be appreciated that the edge of each vane '23 (as well as every other point on the dasher) will reciprocate back and forth on the radius R or the diameter D thus clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus every point of the dasher and particularlyall edges of all the vanes of the 'dasher will be reciprocated back and, forth in a rotary reciprocating movement indicated by the diameter D. Thus, the doughnut- 'lilre vring or clothes surrounding the dasher will be expanded and contracted at all pointswithin the inner area of the doughnut as clearly shown by the difference between the cross sections -!6 which represents :a compression and expansion of all sections oi the doughnut amountin to the differential section area I t. It will further be appreciated that every vane on the outside circumference of the dasher l0 will berecipr'ocated backward and forward and sidewise in all directions through a circle as represen'ted'by the arrowed diameter D. This rotating motion of the vanes of the dasher It will impsi a toroidal flow of water currents downwardly toward the bottom of the dasher, then outwardly and upwardly and inwardly at the top.

1 Now again referring to Eig L-itwill beobyiou's that because of the conical shape of the dasher, the bottom edges of the doughnut of clothes will be compressed and forced outwardly which will mechanically effect an axial rotation of the doughnut outwardly and upwardly then inwardly assisted by toroidal water-flow as clearly shown by the direction arrows in the cross sections I5 and [6.

Thus by a combination of a relatively minor toroidal flow of water induced by the water action of the

vanes

23 and 24, and the mechanical pushing action of the dasher ill on the inside bottom sections of the doughnut of clothes, the clothes will be rotated outwardly at the bottom, upwardly at the sides, and inwardly at the top to continuously rotate the doughnut of clothes axiauy within the tub. Further, by the unidirectional rotation of the dasher as shown by the arrow on the circle having the diameter D, a minor turning force of counterclockwise rotation will rs'ul't'i'r'i moving the doughnut or clothes slowly around the tub in a counterclockwise direction. see arrow '2? in Fig. '7.

7 Now referring to Fig. 7, and appreciating that the clothes are being rotated as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, the inner surface of the doughnut of clothes surrounding the dasher will be looped over the full vanes l-V, "3-V, 5- 95, 7 V, 9 V and V as clearly shown in Fig. when they contact the upper section or the dasher at -25 as shown in Fig. '3. As the clothes move downwardly to the position 26-2 6 as shown in 'Fig. 3, the shorter vanes 23 will then contact the clothes and the clot hes will then wrap over the vanes 2 V, l-V, 6 V, 8-1 Ill-V and l'2-V as shown in Fig. *7. Thus, as the clothes move downward the rolling rotating action of the axially rotating doughnut of clothes as shown in sections I5 and It of Fig- '1, will rub the clothes by wrapping contact over the edges of the vanes. "This rubbing action will occur over the entire inner surface of the doughnut as the clothes are rotated clockwise as shown by the arrows 27 in Fig. *7. Further, the entire interior section of the doughnut of clothes as they contact the vanes will be flexed as roughly indicated by the scalloped lines S-S indicating the shape oi the clothes on the interior of the doughnut and further as "the clothes are rotated clockwise as indicated by the arrow 2 the En? tire interior section of the doughnut will be flexed in stepped sections as the clothes rotate clockwise in accordance with the arrow 27.

Further, at the 'point ZB at the "right hand side of the dasher It the clothes will be compressed as they are urged upwardly as shown by the arrows '29. when they reach the top adjacent the water line at T4 the clothes will be expanded as indicated by the increased dimension when the dasher H! is in the position shown in Fig. 1. On the opposite side of the dasher the areas 28 and 30 will be expanded proportionately to the dimensions 3| and 32. Thus the cross sectional area or the doughnut of clothes will be expanded on the opposite side of the flasher T0 to the extent shown by the (inferential cross sectional areas '11 at the left hand side of the dasher It asshown in Fig. '1. r

From the'ioregoing, it will be appreciated that he clothes are progressively rubbed as they are rotated downwardly over the dasher, then they are compressed at the bottom of the dasher as they are forced upwardly and then permitted to expand and again moved inwardly into confa was new e a e- Now referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, I show different forms of dasherswherein the body' of the dasher is formed in various ways but generally tapered upwardly. However, the outer edges of the longer vanes 23 with edges 33, 34 and 35 are of a steep pitch closely approximating the vertical so that the downwardly moving clothes from the interior of the doughnut are exposed to. a minimum of friction thus permitting the free rolling axial rotation of the clothes within the doughnut as previously described. Again referring to Fig. '7, and particularly to the wrapping contacts of the clothes around the vanes as shown by the scalloped lines S it will be appreciated that the contact of the clothes with the'vanes is only on the narrow outer edges of .the vanes. This results in a narrow polished edge surface of the vanes as shown by the

areas

36, 31 and 38 in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 respectively. A similar polished edge condition of the shorter vanes 24 has been noted. From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that regardless of the detailed shape of the body of the agitator (other than generally tapered upwardly) as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. when the body of the dasher is effectively covered by steep vanes to prevent clothes contact with the body of the dasher and permit water circulation between the clothes and dasher, effective washing results are accomplished.

The holes 2| through the body of the dasher permit jets of water to be ejected as the dasher is rapidly moved in its orbital path. These water jets not only assist the toroidal rotation of the clothes within the tub, but effectively augment the washing action by progressively flushing the clothes as they are frictionallyratcheted downwardly over the dasher vanes.

Although I have shown the vanes on my dasher as vertical in all instances, I desire to explain and teach that angular or spiral vanes may be used when it is desirable. Such angular or spiral vanes will increase or decrease the rotation of the clothes around the tub as shown by the arrow 27 in Fig. 7, depending on the relation of the angularity of the vanes to the direction of rotation of the dasher.

In the foregoing descriptions I have dealt with preferred forms of the invention employing a dasher having a hollow central body portion. In these preferred forms of mechanism the dasher drive involves a center post rotatably supporting a drive shaft with a crank and means to support the dasher on the center post for orbital movement without substantial axial rotation. It is obvious that with such driving structure the hollow central body portion is structurally necessary.

What I claim is:

1. A dasher for a clothes washing machine adapted for orbital movement in washing action, said dasher comprising a substantially cylindrical base portion of appreciable height with a substantially conical upper portion rigid therewith, said base portion having a top surface tapering inwardly to the upper portion at a substantial angle thereto, said upper portion being appreciably reduced relative to said base portion, and vanes spaced at intervals around said upper portion and extending downwardly thereon substantially to the base portion, said vanes having inwardly inclined outer edges, and auxiliary vanes interposed between the first-mentioned vanes and extending inwardly along said top surface to the upper portion, said auxiliary vanes having. upper edges inclined.upwardlyandlinwardly substantially in one direction throughout the length thereof.

2. A dasher fora clothes washingmachine adapted for orbital movement in washingaction, said dasher being hollow and having a substantially conical upper portion and a sloping lower portion extending downwardly and. outwardly therefrom, main vanes projecting laterally from the upper and lower portions and extending upwardly therealong, and auxiliary vanes interposed between the main vanes and extending inwardly along said sloping lower portion to the upper portion, said auxiliary vanes having upper edges inclined upwardly and inwardly substantially in one direction throughout the length thereof, said upper portion and sloping lower portion having holes therethrough between the vanes and at vertically spaced points for ejecting water therethrough from within the dasher upon orbital movement thereof.

3. A dasher for a clothes washing machine adapted for orbital movement in washing action, said dasher being hollow and having an open lower end, said dasher having a substantially conical upper portion and an outwardly flaring lower portion tapering at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal axis of said dasher, said lower portion having a down-turned rim thereon at its periphery, upright main vanes extending upwardly along the upper and lower portions and spaced apart circumferentially of the dasher appreciably less than from each other, each of said main vanes having an inwardly inclined outer edge, auxiliary vanes interposed between the main vanes and extending inwardly along said sloping lower portion from the outer edge thereof to the upper portion, said auxiliary vanes having upper edges inclined upwardly and inwardly substantially in one direction throughout the length thereof, said upper portion and sloping lower portion having a multiplicity of holes therethrough spaced at intervals along the length thereof and spaced apart transversely between the vanes for ejecting water therethrough from within the dasher upon orbital movement thereof.

4. A dasher for a clothes washing machine adapted for orbital movement in washing action, said dasher comprising a substantially cylindrical base portion of appreciable height with a substantially conical upper portion rigid therewith, said base portion having a top surface tapering inwardly to the upper portion at a substantial angle thereto, said upper portion being appreciably reduced relative to said base portion, and vane spaced at intervals around said upper portion and extending downwardly thereon substantially to the base portion, said vanes having inwardly inclined outer edges, and auxiliary vanes interposed between the first-mentioned vanes and extending inwardly along said top surface to the upper portion, said auxiliary vanes having upper edges inclined upwardly and inwardly substantially in one direction throughout the length thereof, said conical upper portion and the top JOHN A. CASTRICONE.

(References on following page) 'ffleterencns Cited in the file at this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Dehle Apr. 2, 1935 Fedler Jan. 4, 1927 Joseph Mar. 25, 1930 Geldhof Dec. 5, 1933 Maus Nov, 12, 1935 8 Name Date. Geldhof July 27, 1937 Waterwm-th Aug. 31, 1937 Kirby Jan. 11, 1938 Faber Mar. 8, 1938 Jackson Dec. 6; 1938 Rocke May .2, 1939 Janda May 23. i989 Castricone Feb. 25, 19491