US2909051A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

0d. 20, 1959 w, ALTORFER 2,909,051

WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTOR .HE'NRY W ALTORFER BY (W y- ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1959 H. w. ALTORFER 2,909,051

WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1956 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HENRY WALTORFER- ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent signments, to American Motors Corporation, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application August 8, 1956, Serial No. 602,812 11 Claims. (Cl. 68-18) The present invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly to washing machines of the type in which clothes are washed and dried centrifugally in a single receptacle.

In washing machines of the foregoing type, there may result, during washing, an accumulation of lint, dirt and solid particles of various kinds. It is desirable to remove these prior to drying in order that they will not remain in the washed clothes during and after drying, and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a washing machine witha new and improved means for filtering lint, dirt and other particles from the washing fluid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine with a new and improved filtering means comprising fluid pumping means within the receptacle and operating conjointly with the Washing means to effect a flow of fluid to filter means located above the normal liquid level within the receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved washing machine having a washing fluid holding receptacle, operable washing means in the receptacle, filter means supported by said washing means above the normal liquid level in and draining into said receptacle, and means including pumping means carried by and operable conjointly with said washing means for effecting a flow of fluid from the receptacle to said filter means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a washing machine with new and improved pumping means constructed as a part of a movable washing means and operating conjointly therewith.

In brief, the washing machine of the present invention includes a receptacle adapted to contain the clothes to be washed and the washing fluid. Movable washing means, such as an orbitally movable dasher, is mounted within the receptacle to wash the clothes. Filtering means are provided above the normal liquid level in the receptacle to remove lint and other solid particles from the fluid and flow of the fluid to the filtering means is effected by pump ing means carried by the Washing means. The filtering means is preferably operated conjointly with the washing means during the Washing period. The filtering means is mounted at the upper end of the washing means, which may be an orbitally movable dasher, and the pumping mean is mounted within the dasher below the filter means, thereby to provide a simple yet effective filtering means for removing foreign matter from the washing fluid.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, in the course of which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through a washing machine embodying the present invention; and

,Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal cross sectional views taken along the line 22 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, respectively. 7

Referring 'now to the drawings and first primarily to Fig. l, a washing machine 10 is fragmentarily illustrated as having an outer stationary receptacle or tub 12 and an inner rotatable receptacle 14 within which is mounted movable washing means 16. The machine includes also a hinged cover 15, only fragmentarily shown, located above the central opening in the receptacle 14. During washing, the inner receptacle 14 is held stationary and filled with Water to what may be considered to be a normal water level indicated by the reference character 18 and the washing means 16 is operated to wash the clothes placed within the receptacle. To effect drying, the inner receptacle 14 is rotated at high speed thereby centrifugally to extract fluid January 28, 1958, and assigned secured as by screws 51 to the the bottom of the receptacle, the

from the clothes, the water rising peripherally in receptacle 14 and flowing into tube 12.

The present invention pertains to means for filtering the washing fluid to remove lint and other foreign material from the fluid so that this material will not remain in the clothes. The filtering means includes a filter element 20 and pumping means, indicated as a whole by reference character 22, both of which will be described in greater detail hereinafter subsequent to brief further description of the washing means.

The washing means 16 may take various forms other than that illustrated which includes an orbitally movable dasher or agitator 24 and dasher supporting means indi cated generally by reference character 25. The dasher comprises a generally conical hollow body 26 with an upstanding upper end portion 28 of gradually reduced diameter and a lower downwardly and outwardly flaring stepped portion 30 terminating in a dependent skirt portion 32 having its lower edge 34 located an appreciable distance above the adjacent upwardly stepped portion 36 of the bottom 38 of receptacle 14. The dasher has a plurality of angularly spaced apart radial fins 40 extending vertically along the conical wall. At least some of the fins are provided with flexible yieldable vanes 42 to facilitate distribution of clothes within the receptacle 14.

The interior of the dasher is filled with fluid during the washing action and, as described in the copending application of John A. Castricone, Serial No. 394,674, filed November 27, 1953, now Patent No. 2,821,076, issued to the assignee of this application, some of this fluid is pumped radially outwardly adjacent the bottom edge 34 of the dasher during washing. The fluid flows into the interior of the dasher through various of the openings in the dasher, there being an upper series of vertically and angularly spaced apart openings 44 in the upper part 28 of the dasher and another series 46 in the stepped lower portion. The radial outward pumping results from the coaction between the dependent rim 32 and an upstanding annular ring 48 made of rubber and having a horizontal sealing portion 50 bottom 38 of receptacle 14 and a receptacle supporting casting 52 which is fixedly secured to a tubular rotatably mounted shaft 54 adapted to be rotated by motor means, not

.centrifuging or drying operation.

the dasher'is driven orbitally, as described hereinafter, the dependent skirt portion peripherally approaches and then recedes from the ring 48 to provide a pumping action that causes fluid to flow radially outwardly along flow going around the receptacle as the point of smallest proximity between the rim 32 and ring 43 goes around a circle.

The dasher or agitator 24 is mounted upon the dasher supporting means 25 which is movably mounted in the receptacle upon a crank pin 56 secured, as by welding, in

' offset relation to the upper end of a drive shaft 58 rotatably journalled within the tubular shaft 54 by suitable means including the bearing 60. The crank pin 56 moves bodily around the axis of rotation of shaft 58 as the Patented Oct. 20, 1959 shown, during the latter is rotated and in so moving, the pin 56 effects orbital non-rotary movement of dasher 24 through a dasher supporting head casting or hearing bracket 62 journalled on the: pin and an upper sleeve or cap element 64 upon which the dasher-is mounted, as will *bedescribed shortly. The cap--64 is secured. to casting; 62 as by a plurality of securing screws 65. Rotary movement of thedasherd uring washing'isprevented by a sealing boot 66"made of resilient material, such as rubber, and secured at its lower end to the receptacle casting 52 and at its upper end to a dependent flange 68 of the head casting The securingmeans may take the form of metallic clamping bands 79. Any leakage inside the boot 66 isprevented-trom leaking downwardly along shaft'58 by shaft sealmeans :72 which may be of conventional construction.

The head casting 62 has spaced apart central sleeve bearings 74 of what may be considered a hub constituted by an upwardly extending casting portion 76 and a dependent portion 78 having a shoulder 80 intermediate its ends and spaced radially inwardly a substantial distance from the dependent flange 68 heretofore referred to. The flange 68 is connected to the hub portion by a downwardly and outwardly extending portion 82 having a plurality of openings 84 therein constituting inlet passageways for the pumping means 22, which will be described in greater detail shortly.

The dasher mounting cap element 64 has a hollow enlarged lower portion 86 surrounding the hub portion 76' and receiving a ball thrust bearing 88 seated upon the upper end of crank pin 56. The lower portion 86 has a peripheral flange 8% by means of which it is secured-by the previously referred to screws 65 to the head casting 62. The head casting has a peripheral radial flange 92 apertured for the reception of a plurality of dasher locating and driving pins 94 secured to the interior of the dasher as by being molded therein.

The upper end of the dasher is received on and located by the upper end 96 of the element 64 which receives the bore 98 formed in the centrally apertured upper end 100 of the dasher.

The dasher is detachably secured in place by a remova ble plastic cap structure, indicated as a whole by reference character 102, having an interiorly threaded nut-104 secured centrally thereof for fastening onto a tube 106 haw'ng an externally threaded upper end 107. The cap overlies the dasher and when the nut is threaded onto the upper end 197 of the tube 106, the dasher is securely held in place. The tube 106 may be secured to element 64 as by the securing screws 108.

The filter means of the present invention will now be described. it includes, as already set forth, the filter element 20 and the pump means 22. The filter element is mounted above the normal liquid level 18 and preferably upon the dasher so that it will partake of the movement of the dasher, which movement maintains the lint and other foreign material collected in the filter in motion so that it will not clog the filter. The filter element is generally cup-shaped with an upstanding imperforate' outer part lltland an annular perforate central part 112 centrally of which is an annular rubber ring 114 whereby the filter can readily be removably and frictionally mounted on the cap 102 which effectively forms part of the dasher. The filter is thus frictionally held in place upon the dasher and above the normal water level so that water will flow from the filter downwardly into the receptacle.

The pump is arranged to circulate water in the receptacle, it taking in water centrally of the receptacle and from a point below the water level through the dasher apertures 44 and 46 and causing'it to flow upwardly through discharge passageway indicated generally by reference character 120 for flow onto the filter element 20. The discharge passageway is connected at its lower end toa variable volume chamber122 of the pump by passageway portionlZtlA in head casting 62. Portion 120A' communicates with aligned portion 12013 in the lower part of element 64 which is connected by passage portions C and 120D to tube 106. The upper end of tube 106 is generally coplanar with or rises slightly above the curved top side 124 of cap 102. The upper end of the tube is provided with a check valve 126 constituted by a diaphragm of resilient material biased by a spring 128 into a normally closed position from which it moves to an open dotted line position 129 on the compression stroke ofpumpr22. The valve 126 is covered by a dished cover plate-130'securedby screws 132 some distance above the curved cap top 124 as upon four upstanding radial ribs 134 constituting side walls of discharge passages 136 through which fluid is forced radially outwardly into the filter element. The flow is generally such that the fluid strikes near the outer periphery of the filter element. This, coupled with the orbital movement, causes lint, etc., to be rolled in a ball upon the filter element, whereby the latter is not likely to be clogged. Location of the check valve 126 at the top of the agitator renders it easily accessible for cleaning, should this become necessary.

The pump 22 includes the previously referred to inlet passageways 84 in the head casting 62, which constitutes part of the pump, and the discharge passageway 120. It includes, also, a movable annular wall 140 which is formed as part of a rubber element indicated as a whole by reference character 142 and secured at the underside of casting 62. The radially innermost part 144 of element 142 is secured as by a wire clamp 145 to the dependent hub part 78 of the head casting. An intermediate part 146 of element 142 is secured as by a retaining ring 147 to the junction or parts 68 and 82 of the casting.

The pump inlet valve means is constituted by an upwardly and inwardly extending flexible annular flap 148 closing the pump inlet openings 84 except on the suction stroke of the pump.

The pump 22 is thus mounted upon and carried by the washing means and it is operated conjointly with the latter. This operation is eitected by a cam 150 taking the form of a non-rotatable ring journalled on the crank pin 56 and reciprocated vertically by a pin 152 extending transversely through the crank pin and ccacting with the diametrically opposite rounded grooves 154 on the cam. The cam ring has an upwardly extending tubular extension 156 slidably received on the hub part 7801 the head casting.

The cam 150 is operatively connected to the movable pump element 142 by a tubular coupling 158 having its larger diameter upper part 158A secured to wall 140 of the pump element 142 and its lower smaller diameter part 158B secured to the cam. The movable wall element is biased downwardly by a plurality of springs 160. The

upper ends of the springs are secured to a clamping ring.

Thus, as the cam is reciprocated by rotation of shaft 58' and bodily movement of crank pin 56, the movable wall element 140 of the pump is reciprocated to effect alternate expansion and contraction of the variable volume pump chamber 122 thereby alternately to draw water into the pump from the lower interior portion of the dasher and to expel it radially outwardly through the cap structure.

From the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, it may be noted that the filtering means may be constructed and assembled readily and economically. It requires no conduits or pumping means outside of the receptacle and while simple, it operates efliciently, particularly in conjunction with a washing machine utilizing an orbitally movable dasher and in which the flow of water in the washing receptacle it moved radially outwvardly at the bottom and then upwardly and inwardly 1 operation of the filter means.

5, dasher where it is caused to flow into the interior of the dasher through various of the openings 44 and 46, primarily those closest to the inlet passageways 84 of the pump. The location of the pump within the dasher does not interfere with the outward flow-of Water from under the dasher because the flange 92 is spaced from the inner Wall of the dasher.

The operation of the filtering means, which in the illustrated and described embodiment, occurs simultaneously with the washing operation, is eifeoted by rotation of the shaft 58 about is axis. This, in turn, causes the crank pin 56 bodily to move around the axis of shaft 58 thereby to move the washing means in an orbital path within the receptacle. 6

- As'the crank pin is moved, the cam operating pin 152 mounted thereon causes vertical reciprocation of the cam 1'50 and the latter operates, as described above, the flexible wall 140 of the pump, thereby alternatelyto cause water to flow from the interior of the dasher into the pumping chamber 122 and to flow out through the discharge tube 120 and past the check valve 126 at the upper end of tube 106. The operation of the pump is relativelyrapid, for example, about 600 impulses per minute corresponding to a speed of rotation of 300 r.p.m. of the shaft 58, which is conventionally utilized.

The lint and other foreign matter present in the washinig fluid is thus caused to flow with the washing fluid into the pump and thence onto the filter element 20 which, as described heretofore, is located a short distance above the normal water level. This location of the filter element insures an effective filtering action and continuous movement of the filter, along Withthe radial throwing out of the water substantially against the imperforate annular wall 110 of the filterelement, insures non-clogging In operation, it has been noticed that the lint and other matter tends to collect in a-ballv so that a major portion of the filter is always open to provide an elfective filtering action without danger of clogging and resulting overflow. The location of the check valve 126 at the top of the dasher makes it easy toreach and clean should it become clogged as by accumulation of linttherein. 7 Y

The capacity of the pump may be varied if desired but it should have suflicient capacity to pump the quantity of washing fluid usually used several times during the normal washing period.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the details of an illustrative embodiment, it should be understood that these details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a washing machine, a receptacle adapted to contain clothes to be washed and washing liquid, movable Washing means in said receptacle movable relative to the receptacle to effect Washing of the clothes in the liquid and including an upper portion above the normal liquid level in the receptacle, filter means removably seated on the upper portion of said washing means above the liquid level and draining into said receptacle, and means including pumping means Within said receptacle and a passageway through the washing means for effecting a flow of liquid from the receptacle to said filter means.

2. In a washing machine, a receptacle, movable washing means including a dasher and dasher supporting means in said receptacle, a removable cap for securing the dasher on said supporting means and having fluid passageways therein, filter means removably seated on said cap, and means including pumping means for eflecting a flow of fluid from the receptacle through the passageways in said cap onto said filter means.

3. In a washing machine, a receptacle, movable hollow orbitally movable washing means in said receptacle movable orbitally in a horizontal plane, filter means means.

4. In a washing machine, a receptacle adapted to contain clothes to be washed and washing fluid, washing means movably mounted within said receptacle including a dasher and dasher supporting means, means for moving said washing means in an orbital path in said receptacle including a rotatable drive shaft and a crank pin moved by the shaft bodily about the axis of rotation of said shaft, said dasher supporting means being journalled on said crank pin, means secured to the dasher supporting means for preventing rotation thereof relative to the receptacle, said supporting means including concentric inner and outer dependent flanges and a connecting portion having inlet passageway and discharge passageway defining means, a movable flexible wall defining a pumping element secured to said supporting means below and extending between said flanges and having a movable annular portion defining a suction operated inlet valve means cooperating with said inlet passageway means, means for vertically reciprocating said pumping element including a cam element connected to said movable wall and reciprocably mounted on said crank pin and having a tubular portion reciprocably mounted on said inner dependent flange and a pin secured to said crank pin for reciprocating said cam, said dasher supporting means including a tubular upper portion terminating in an externally threaded upper end and constituting part of the discharge passageway, said dasher having an apertured upper portion mounted on said tubular upper portion, a centrally apertured cap reways on said cap communicating with said discharge passageway, a cup-shaped filter element frictionally and detachably mounted on said cap and adapted to drain into said receptacle, and said dasher being apertured for the flow of fluid into the interior of the dasher so that as the shaft is rotated the pumping element is reciprocated and fluid is alternately admitted into the pumping chamber through said inlet passageways and expelled through said discharge passageway and said radially directed outlet passageways onto said filter, whereby lint and other foreign matter is collected in the filter and fluid drains from the filter into the receptacle.

5. In a washing machine, a receptacle adapted to contain clothes to be Washed and washing fluid, washing means movably mounted within said receptical including a dasher and dasher supporting means, means for moving said washing means including a rotatable drive shaft and a crank pin upon which the dasher supporting means is mounted and moved by the shaft bodily about the axis of rotation of said shaft, said supporting means including concentric inner and outer dependent structures and having inlet passageway and discharge passageway defining means, a movable wall defining a pumping element secured to said supporting means below and extending between said structures, means for vertically reciprocating said pumping element including a cam element reciprocated by said shaft, said dasher supporting means including a tubular upper portion terminating in an upper end and constituting part of the discharge passageway, said dasher having an apertured upper portion mounted on said tubular upper portion, a centrally apertured cap removably mounted on said upmounted on said cap and biased normally to close said offluid into the interior of the dasher so that as the shaft is rotated the pumping element is reciprocated and fiuid is alternately admitted into the pumping chamber 1 means and .upwardly through vthe finterior of saidngitathrough said inlet passageways and expelled through said discharge passageway and said radially directed outlet passageways onto said'filter, whereby lint and other foreign matter is collected in the filter and fluid drains from the filter into the receptacle.

tubular upper end, generally radially outwardlydirected t l fluidtoutlet passageways on said cap communicating with said discharge passageway, a-cup-shaped filterelement v mounted on said cap and adapted to drain into said receptacle, and said dasher being apertured fore-the flow washing means in said receptacle movable relative to the receptacle to effect washing of the clothes, cup-shaped filter means supported on said washing means above the liquid level in and draining into saidreceptacle and ineluding an imperforate generally vertical sidewall and t a perforate bottom, and means including pumping means within said washing means for efiecting a flowtofiwfiuid from the receptacle radially outwardly against the imperforate side wall and thence onto said perforate bottom wall of the filter means.

7. In a washing machine, a receptacle adapted to cona movable vwall-defining a pumping; element, andmeans tain clothes to be washed and washing liquid, movable washing means in said receptacle movahlerelative to the 2 receptacle to elfect washing of the clothes, cup-shaped filter means supported on said washing means above the liquid level in and draining into said receptacle and including an imperforate generally vertical side ,wall and a perforate bottom, and means including rapidly pulsating type pumping means within said washing means for effecting a flow of fluid from the receptacle radially outwardly against theimperforate side wall and thence onto said perforate bottom wall of the filter means.

8. In a washing machine, a receptacle adapted to contain clothes to be washed and washingliquid upright agitator -means movably mounted substantially in the central region of said receptacle for movement relative tosaid receptacle-toefiect agitatiomof saidtclothes in theliquidacontainedin said receptacle and almotion of t theztliquid; about said agitator filter; means supported a abovezsaid agitatortz meansl and above the normal- .liquid level in .and draining-into .saidqreceptacle, :means. within said agitator means including pumpingmeans operable .conjointly with said-agitator means for effecting a flow of liquid from,the receptacletcrtheinterior, of said-agitator said pumping means.

9. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 8, said filter meansbeing supported on said agitatorlmeans.

-?10.1In.,a washing machine-asset forth in :claim 9, said .tmovement of said: agitator ;,beingin a. generally horizontal plane ,'andtsaid-flowofdiquid from the receptacle'to the interior.- of. said ag-itaton means being from .the central regiontofithe receptacle.

.11.,111 a washingtmachineaas set forthtin claim -8; said driving (meanscomprising a. rotatable: drive :shaftextend- ,ing withinsme washing machine through-the bottom of ,said receptacle in the central regionnthereof, and; said pumping means comprisinghousing structure having in- --let. passageway and discharge, passageway defining means,

rionreciproeatingsaid pumping element includingva; cam aelementawithin said-agitator means reciprocatedby said :::drive-,;shaft land operatively connected, to said pumping element.

References .Citedin the file of this patent NITED STATES PATENTS ss98'l3380 Chaumat, Jan.-:10,%'1911 a 1,601,091 Wayland :Sept. 28, 1 1926 2,274,500 7 #:Osuch -"Feb. 24,5:1942 194481979; .Colley Sept. 213;1949 42,498,894 McCormick-tea a1. ;-1Feb."28, c1950 "FOREIGN PATENTS 796,891 France -a Feb. 3,19%

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