US2667269A - Supporting frame for clotheswashing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

J m 1954 c. L. REITZ ET AL SUPPORTING FRAME FOR CLOTHES-WASHING MECHANISM Filed May 26, 1950 Inventors: CliFw ord L. .Peitz i F PG sd i i1 Attorneys.

The

Patented Jan. 26, 19 54 UNITED; stmrasi; PATENT? OFFICE;

SUPPORTING'FRAME'FOR oLo'rnEs-i WASHING MECHANISM Clifford L. Reitz'; Trenton, N. J.,and- Edward G.

Lipski; Bristoh and James Young;Erie Pa assig-nors-tmGeneral Electric (Jompany; a, cor-a porationof N ew-York.

Application May 261- 1950, seriarNoi' 1645382 10 Claimsa. (Cl. 210-42). 1 L 2 This .:invention' relates 'fcorandmprovedi means-1: lish'e's: a compensating mass-momentrarm 1rela-"-a for supporting 'rnechanismsvihavingt a rotating h. tion'ship whic-hiipancelsiouththe.;vibrationalcomes body which" at. the :commen'cementiofrotation'ui ponentsi contri'butingcizlargelyr'to "Ithe'xrvertical may have substantial:weighttarid unpredictable r: poundingf-tactiong::aseilaterrmore fully idescribedm static unbalance. The stifiness 1 :characteristics:"of v 'the"-"resi1ient For example, our inventionis useful'in clothes mounting meansrestablishzra zlow' first critical/ washing machines of then type-. havingaa single; spe'ed- -aloout:fl() R:P. aM::-:+and a secondvcriticaliv substantially imperforate, receptacleior washingrz. substantiallyzsaloove 5 their: approximately 700' and drying'clothes, andzin which'cthesdrying opal R. P.1M3runningrsp'e'eclsaz.Thedampener includes-' oration is accomplished by-spinningr'thereceptacle 0 a spring'rloaded'frictionsipad carriediby. a :post at relatively high speed' tolextract water by cen-w affixedtoith'esibase memberzvconcentriciwithtithewz trifugal actiorr Allwashing machines rof thi resilient mount and engaging a portion of' th'e'ri general type do not employ the same operationalei. rigid frame: At theifirstcritioalspeed;thevibra 1- sequence, but it may be accepted th'at at-wleast-. tionnodeshiftsupwardlyiromits initial verylow twice duringteach-run all such imachinescen positionfapproximately:tozthen planeof theresili-v trifugally extract waterwfollowinga period- :1 :rent":mounti11g, wand Ell/hand beW"Sald 'spetid, which the clothes have been mechan cally-21gb therefore, thereis a substantiahmovement of the tated in a water' bath. The distribution-10f the "1 rigid frame relative to the dampener, anol:c'orre;-:--v

clothes abouttthe receptacle--at:"the:commence1r I spondinglyfl'arge';dampeningeffect; As-the ment ofthe water extraction operation' is there 'chine?reaohes itssoperational s'peed of about/700 fore entirely fortuitous and is 'almost' certainly R. P. 'M. ;tthe node-becomesrelatively olose :to the; nonsymmetrical as to weight fdisposition; :and it surface :of the. dampenen :and the-smalle relative w is necessaryrnot'only properly to support the'st-aticmovement betweerrth'e". rigidaframe and the dampe weight of the machine. 'duringvtheagitationsofw: enerreduces therdampeningxefiect andtheenergy; 1" the clothes;--but= to provide Ia supportingsystemn? 1oss1in the-idampenersystems? which will resiliently restrain theiextremef-vibra w Other-features andadvantages-willloe apparent: tions' and "oscillations? to which aniiunbalanced from 'thefoll'owing:detailedz'description :of-a presrrotating system is 'subj 801]? as --it passes rthrougha ently preferred?embodiment-of: our invention and its eriticalspeed-or speeds. a studyiofctheaccompany ng:drawing in which W 'haV SO ht by:o inv tiontaprovide:a Fig.1 is a.vertical sectionala'elevation-of a'wa-shingw; s pp r ing s ru re for a wa hin :machin machineiemb'odyingr'our invention, and Fi .2 is a mechanism which-affords'stability during-the ag-ir side elevation 10f the 10Wer=pqrti0n.0f the support,- tationof the clothes iniwhichvthetotal---weight-- ing frame'and associated-:fdampener y to be supported is high a-nd: yet flexibly supports -z- A ,t i h n a hin b dyingour in! a the rotating system; which provides a simplified ventioniincludes-an;outer::casing=--l havinge super-- dampener-advantageously located relative to'the porting base "frame'zfi fpljovidedywitht i/ bl vibration node at the critical speed and-running plurality ofIadjustab1e-ieet-v3 i eans'ofwh-ich Speed Of the o at ys m to p ovid ma the :base mayr'be'rleveled relative to its floor-101 dampin a the ystem appr ches nd pas es other'supportrv Thewoasing'-may1be:round orpoly thr h its critical speedi a yl ezro gonahaas-desiredr: Itwillhe assumedthatinthe damping at running sp reby reducing fric-z present-embodiment:the-tub rand base frame: are tio l ssesfl runningvspeed d providing squarexrln anyteventxthe baseiframe extendssmoother operation; and w ic flY' entirelyaroundmhe casing. Secured within [the- Densities against the axially directed compon ts casing'is a tubrlwithiniwhieh is disposeda recep.-- of vibrations so as substantially to eliminatetacle'fii knowninithenartfas a basket -einrwhich :4 poundi of t ma a a s s s p r theiclothesrare Washedaand. dried. i The/basket base. i may" be: imperfoi'ate 1' except :for a liner of holesi We achieve these objectives by carrying-the which: may: establish a norma'hwaterlevel and.

clothesreceptacle and its-driving mechanism-on through.-whichsthewwater: escapesintothetub.

a rigid frame resting upon a resilient structure during-the centrifugingaoperation..-

carrie'd by'a fixedbase member.. The vertical In athemillustrated"embodiment the -tub is "a -J supporting axis of the resilient structure extends: non-rigid structureefor example, onermolded of through the .centerof gravity of the static load rubber==+and is "secured toethaw-casingabyameansw rather than coincident with theaxis about which 1 such-asan outwardlyiexparrdingielamping ringat the receptacle rotatesi This axial location estaband the suitable securementrofaa flange- 9 to thee.

understood. A drive mechanism is housed withs in a gear casing l2. From said casing emerges a tubular shaft l4 within which is a concentrically arranged shaft l5. Shaft 14 is affixed to a collar #5 to which the basket 5 is secured. To shaft I5 is affixed a washing device [1.

The present invention is not concerned with the actual operating mechanism by means of which shaft l5 oscillates the washing device I! and shaft l4 spins the basket 5. Suitable mechanisms are now well known in the art and a detailed explanation thereof would serve no useful purpose here. Sufiice it to say that when the main shaft I8 is rotated in one direction, the basket is held substantially stationary and the shaft I5 oscillates within the then-stationary shaft l4. When shaft I8 is driven in the opposite direction, shaft I4 is rotated to spin the then released basket. Drive of shaft 18 may advantageously be accomplished by a belt l9 and sheaves 25, 2|, the latter being sized to provide desired operational speed relative to motor speed. Sheave 25 comprises an element of a suitable clutch 22 driven by the reversible motor 23. The tub 4 may be secured to the gear casing l2 in water-tight relation by means such as a relatively thick collar 24 which is clamped tightly against the cylindrical wall of said casing by conventional clamping bands 25. A unidirectional pump 26 driven from clutch 22 creates a pressure head for emptying the tub through an outflow conduit (not shown) when the motor is running in the centrifuging direction. Said pump may be afiixed to a neck 21 by suitable clamp means 28.

The basket is purposely of heavy construction to provide a flywheel effect, and it and its contentsat full load about eight pounds of clothes and seventeen gallons of water-may have a total weight of well over two hundred pounds. When it is considered that the motor and drive mechanism are preferably supported from the same frame as the basket and its gear casing, and that the flexible tub 4 can offer no substantial lateral stability it will be seen that an adequate supporting structure is of great importance. Our invention provides stability and elasticity by a frame and suspension structure of which a preferred embodiment includes the following:

The foundation comprises a rigid member 28 which extends across the base of the machine and is welded or otherwise permanently secured to the opposite sides of the base frame. Fixed to said member 29, which advantageously is of channel form, is a resilient mounting 30 which in a preferred form includes a rubber annulus 3! having bonded to the upper and lower'surfaces thereof the respective centrally apertured metal plates 32, 33. the channel 29 so as to establish the axis of the annulus vertically through the center of gravity of the basket and its driving mechanism rather than along the axis of the shaft l5. The plate 32 provides the base for a supporting frame on which the gear casing and motor are carried. To the base plate 34 of the gear casing we afiix a frame member 35 of channel section. One end of said member is preferably brought upward to fasten directly to said base plate. Rod means 33 extend between the base plate and the frame member to complete the gear casing support. We prefer to use two rods 36 suitably secured to Plate 33 is rigidly aifixed to the support member 35 and to the base plate 34, thus providing with fastening means 3! at least three rigid and symmetrical points of connection between member 35 and the gear case base plate. It will be understood that the spacing of the supports 36 is such as to avoid conflict with the drive belt IS. The motor 23 is carried by an ex tension 38 of frame member 35, preferably by means allowing movement of the motor relative to shaft I8 for belt adjustment. The flexibility of the tub 4 permits such displacement without imposing an undesirable strain on the pump connection 21. The support frame is completed by the U-shaped pedestal securely fastened at its ends to member 35 and at its base to the upper plate 32 of the resilient supporting structure.

In a standard domestic washing machine using a conventional washing machine motor and accessories, the load calculations indicate that the center of mass of the entire system is in a plane about 1 in. to the left of the basket axis as viewed in Fig. 1. A rubber ring 3! having an average diameter of about 5 /2 in. and placed with its axis extending vertically through the center of gravity provides an adequate restoring force to insure basket stability during the washing operation. We prefer to use a rubber annulus rather than springs spaced about a circle of comparable radius because the physical continuity of the rubber more adequately handles the complex strains imposed on the resilient support as the frame member 40 gyrates about a nodal point during centrifuging, as later explained.

The characteristics of the support system will first be considered independently of the dampener system. The elastic quality and disposition of the resilient mounting ring 3| provides an enforced node system in which the rotating mass and its accessories may be likened to a top set in a nonrotating bearing. The resilient ring provides a fairly low first critical speed (approximately R. P. M.) and the centralizing forces which are necessary to prevent the system from falling over to any side under its own weight and weight of water.

The first critical speed will be traversed during the first few revolutions. The movement of water within the basket will decrease the effect of unbalance immediately after the first critical and during the early acceleration to running speed. The enforced node establishes the second critical at a speed substantially in excess of the maximum running speed of about 700 R. P. M.

Inasmuch as the basket supporting gear case :2 along with the rigid member 35 and pedestal 40 present a substantially rigid structure mounted on flexible annulus 35, the nodal point is always substantially along the axis of ring 3| it has been deliberately established off-center with respect to the axis of the rotating body to accommodate the center of mass of the mechanism as a Whole. This eliminates the vertical critical or pounding action encountered when the node is placed on the center line of the rotating member, and which results from vertical motion of the motor without a counter-balance as the basket gyrates. By enforcing a node, or non-vibrating point, along a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the movable mass in the present arrangement, however, there come into play mutually opposing couples represented by the motor mass multiplied by its moment arm MI and the mass of the basket structure and contents multiplied by its rela- 4. In an automatic washer of the type having a vertical axis basket in which the clothes are washed and spin dried, a drive mechanism including a motor rotatably supporting and driving said basket, the center of gravity of the combined basket and drive mechanism being displaced laterally with respect to the basket axis, support means for said basket and associated drive mechanism comprising, a rigid transverse member carrying said drive mechanism, a rigid base member, a resilient member fixed to said base member and having an average radius exceeding the radius of gyration of the said center of gravity, a rigid pedestal interconnecting said resilient member and said transverse member, said resilient member being symmetrical about a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity thereby enforcing gyratory vibrational nodes which lie along such axis through the center of gravity and below said transverse member, and friction pad means carried by said base member and resiliently biased into contact with said transverse member in a position symmetrical with respect to said axis through the center of gravity.

5. In an automatic washer, a vertical axis clothes washing basket rotatable at high speed for liquid extraction, a drive mechanism assembly supporting and driving said basket, a drive motor, a rigid frame member fixed to said drive mechanism assembly and having a motor supporting arm carrying said motor with its center of mass displaced from the axis of said basket, means transmitting power from said motor to said mechanism, a rigid base frame, resilient means on said base frame symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis passing through the center of mass of said combined frame member and the structures carried thereby, a rigid pedestal secured at its upper and lower ends respectively ,to said frame member and said resilient means thereby enforcing a gyratory vibrational node substantially along said vertical axis passing through said combined center of mass, and friction producing means between said frame member and said rigid base opposing lateral relative motion therebetween.

6. Support means for a washing machine of the type having a vertical axis basket in which the clothes are washed and spin dried, said machine having a means for rotatably supporting the basket and a motor for rotating the basket: comprising, in combination, a frame member fixed to said basket support means and having a rigid arm extending laterally therefrom for supporting the motor with the combined center of gravity of said frame member and the load carried thereby displaced laterally from said basket axis, a resilient vertical axis base member fixed relative to said frame member, a rigid pedestal disposed between said frame member and said base member and fixed to each of them to constitute the base member the support of the entire static load, the area of said resilient base member being such as to constitute said member substantially the sole means of lateral stability for said load, and a friction member positioned above and substantially coaxially with respect to said resilient member and frictionally engageable with said frame member, the axis of said resilient member extending vertically upward through the said center of gravity and being eccentric with respect to the axis of said spin basket.

7. In an automatic washer, a vertical axis clothes washing basket rotatable at high speed for liquid extraction, a drive mechanism assembly supporting and driving said basket, a drive motor, a rigid frame member fixed to said drive mechanism assembly and having a motor supporting arm carrying said motor with its center of mass displaced from the axis of said basket, means transmitting power from said motor to said mechanism, a rigid base frame, resilient means on said base frame symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis passing through the center of mass of said combined frame member and the structures carried thereby, a rigid pedestal secured at its upper and lower ends respectively to said frame member and said resilient means thereby enforcing a gyratory vibrational node substantially along said vertical axis passing through said combined center of mass, a rigid post fixed to said base frame at the axis of said resilient means and extending upwardly therefrom, friction pad means on said post and means for urging said friction pad resiliently into contact with said frame member, said resilient means enforcing a critical speed gyratory vibrational node at approximately the plane of said resilient means, whereby gyrations of the frame member during rotation of the basket will produce relative movement between said frame member and said friction pad.

8. In an automatic Washer, a vertical axis basket in which clothes are Washed and spin dried, a gear case rotatably supporting said basket and including a drive mechanism therein, a drive motor, power transmission means between said motor and drive mechanism, a rigid member carrying said gear case and motor with the center of gravity of the combined load including said motor, gear case, and basket displaced laterally from said basket axis, a rigid base member, a resilient annular member carried by said base member symmetrically with respect to a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of said combined load, and a rigid pedestal extending vertically from said resilient member to said rigid member and secured thereto, whereby the gymtory vibrational node for said combined load is enforced along said vertical axis passing through the center of gravity.

9. Support means for a washing machine of the type having a vertical axis basket in which the clothes are washed and spin dried, said machine having means for supporting the basket for rotation, and a motor for rotating the basket: comprising, in combination, a frame member fixed to said basket supporting means and having a rigid motor support arm extending radially therefrom, a resilient base member fixed relative to said movable frame member, a pedestal disposed between said frame member and said base member so as to constitute the latter the support for the entire static load including said basket, motor, supporting means, and frame member, the center of gravity of said load being displaced laterally from said basket axis, and a friction member fixed relative to said frame member and resiliently engaging said frame member, the axis of said resilient base member and said friction member being vertical and coincident and including thereon the center of gravity of said load.

10. In an automatic washer, a vertical axis basket in which clothes are washed and spin dried,- a drive mechanism including a motor rotatably supporting and driving said basket, a rigid frame member supporting said drive mechanism with the center of mass of the combined frame member and structures carried thereby displaced laterally from said basket axis, a rigid base member,

10 a vertically extending means between said frame References Cited in the file of this patent member and said base member yieldably support- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing said frame member on a vertical axis passing Number Name Date through said center of mass, a rigid post fixed to said base member coaxially with said vertically 5 23131928 Dyer 1943 extending means, a friction pad axially movable 2334853 Beattle 1943.

on said post, and means biasing said friction pad 2,361,266" Clark 1944 upwardly into sliding frictional engagement with 2,366,236 Clark 1945:

said frame member, whereby relative movement 2381894 Ferns 1945 of said frame member resulting from gyration of i0 FOREIGN PATENTS said basket is frictionally damped. Number Country Date CLIFFORD REITZ- 300,874 Great Britain Nov. 22, 1928 EDWARD LIPSKI- 747,475 France Mar. 23, 1953 JAMES F. YOUNG.

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