US2919568A - Strainer for drain of a clothes washer - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5, 1960 A, M. STONE ETAL 2,919,558

STRAINER FOR DRAIN OF A CLOTHES WASHER Filed Nov. 21, 1956 29 Sheets-Sheet I.

F' l G. I

, I T 2-5 5 Q L a O a F: :2) I: I X

/ c s s 3 a o a 0 A4 'J '3 I Q Q J "J u 0 0 n n 0 g- 1 0 0 0 o I a 7 A In l? 7 9 V i 4 O O IN VENT 0R5 AIDAN M. STONE e. JESSE H. BEL-CHER THEIR ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1960 A. M. STONE ET AL STRAINER FOR DRAIN OF A CLOTHES WASHER Filed Nov. 21, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS AIDAN M. sroua b JESSE H. BELCHER THEIR ATTORNEY Jan. 5; 1960 A. M. STONE ETAL 2,919,553

, STRAINER FOR DRAIN OF A CLOTHES WASHER Filed Nov. 21, 1956 QShgets-Sheet s F'IG.3

INVENTORS AIDAN M. STONE JESSE H. BELCHER BY/WW THEI R ATTORNEY STRAINER FOR DRAIN OF A crorrms WASHER Application November 21, 1956, Serial No. 623,600

'3 Claims. (Cl. 68-18) The present invention relates to a straining device to be utilized in clothes washing machines and more particularly to a device which prevents the passage of elongated objects into the drain pump.

.Clothes washing machines of the automatic extraction type are customarily provided with a drain pump which connects with the drain port or drain conduit for draining the washing container or tub after each washing operation is completed. The pump is driven either from the main drive motor of the machine or from a separate pump motor and is automatically placed into operation, at the close of the washing operation, to drain the tub. It has been found, however, that these washing machine pumps are very susceptible to clogging and failure due to solid objects getting into them as the tub is drained.

This is particularly true in horizontal axis machines wherein the clothes are washed in a rotating drum provided with perforations in order to let the wash water onto the clothes. Any solid objects separated from the clothes during washing may escape through these perforations into the tub and from there into the drain pump.

Many washers provide a perforated strainer device at the entrance to the drain conduit to prevent these solid objects from entering the conduit along with the drain water- These strainers provide protection by stopping most solid objects such as buttons and marbles which have dimensions that will not pass through the strainer holes. However, this type of strainer device does not effectively stop articles such as bobby pins, wooden match sticks, nails, and straight pins or other elongated, narrow objects which have a cross sectional dimension that permits them to pass through the perforations in the strainer devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for straining the washing liquid as it is drained from the tub whereby solid objects are caught and prevented from entering the drain pump.

7 It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved straining device which prevents the passage of'inarrow elongated objects into the drain pump.

More specifically it is the object of the present invention to provide a straining device for a sump having an arrangement of perforations and notches which allows complete drainage of the water or liquid from within the tub yet prevents the passage of elongated objectsice port by a narrow flange which extends downwardly from the periphery of the center portion. The center portion contains a plurality of drain holes so arranged in relation to the drain port and the flat surface on the bottom of the tub that elongated objects having a length at least slightly greater than the height of the flange are prevented from passing into the drain port and are trapped by the cooperating action of the flat surface on the bottom of the tub and the periphery or edges of the drain holes.

As a further aspect of the invention in order to assure complete drainage of the water from the tub, there are provided around the edge of the downwardly extending flange a plurality of notches which permit water to flow from the flat depressed surface region of the tub through the flange into the interior of the strainer device and thence to the drain. These notches are provided only on those portions of the flange which lie closely adjacent the upwardly extending sides around the flat depressed surface of the tub. Long, narrow objects are trapped by the cooperating action of the upstanding side walls, the edges of the notches, and the flat depressed surface and thereby prevented from entering the drain conduit with the water.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a combined clothes washing and drying machine with portions of the machine broken away and partly in section in order to illustrate details of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the machine of Fig. 1 with the side panel removed and with surfaces broken away to show the straining device of the present inventron;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the liquid holding tub showing the sump and the straining means therein;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, we have shown therein a domestic laundry machine comprising a combination washer and dryer. The machine is of the horizontal axis type. That is, it includes a clothes basket 1 which is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis. The basket 1 is mounted within an outer imperforate tub 2, and the cylindrical side wall of'the basket is provided with a plurality of perforations or holes 3 in order to allow communication between the basket and the tub. The basket is rotatably supported from the tub 2 by a horizontally extending shaft 4 which is mounted in an elongated bearing hung from the rear wall of the tub structure. The shaft 4, as well as supporting the basket 2, also serves to drive it during the operation of the machine. The basket is loaded and unloaded in the usual manner through an opening in the front wall thereof which is aligned respectively with openings in the tub and the outer appearance cabinet 5 of the machine. A hinged door (not shown) mounted on the appearance cabinet 5 seals around the tub opening so as to close olf the tub 2 during the operation of the machine.

The tub 2 and the appearance cabinet 5 are both mounted on a suitable base structure 6 at the bottom of the machine. The tub, specifically, is mounted thereon by means of a plurality of brackets or arms 7 which are mounted on upstanding plates 8 fixedly attached to the base. In addition to the tub and the appearance cabinet, the base 6 also mounts the basket drive means. The drive means comprises a motor 9 connected to a multispeed transmission (not shown) which drives the basket through a belt 11. The belt 11 turns a basket drive pulley- 12 which is mounted on the outer end of the basket drive shaft 4. The transmission assembly is shiftable between different gear ratios so that the basket 1 may be driven at one speed for tumbling clothes and at a second higher speed for centrifugally extracting water from the clothes.

As mentioned above, the machine illustrated is a combination washer-dryer. That is, it proceeds through a cycle of operations, first washing and damp-drying the clothes and then, if desired, completely or fluff-drying the clothes. The clothes basket 1 is driven at a slower speed both for washing the clothes and for tumbling them during the drying operation and is driven at its higher speed for extracting both wash and rinse water from them by centrifugal extraction. The machine during its sequence of operations is under the control of a suitable timer motor operated sequence control 13 which energizes and deenergizes the various electrical components of the machine in a predetermined sequence.

In order to supply water to the tub 2 for washing and rinsing purposes, the machine is provided with suitable hot and cold water supply connections (not shown). These supply connections discharge across an air gap into the funnel 14, and the funnel 14 discharges into a hose or conduit 15 which leads to a sump 16 mounted underneath the bottom of the tub, as can be seen in Fig. 2. The inlet water entering the sump 16 first fills the sump and then rises into the tub through an opening or drain port 17 (Fig. 4) in the bottom of the tub 2. The bottom wall of the tub 2 is provided with a flat depressed surface 18 having the drain port 17 therein. The sump 16 in addition to serving as a means for filling the tub also serves as a means whereby the dirty water is drained from the tub at the conclusion of the washing and rinsing operations. The water is drained from the tub into the sump through the opening or drain port 17 and then is discharged from the sump through a hose 19 to a drain pump (not shown). From the drain pump the water is passed out of the machine through a suitable waste line. It will be understood, of course, that the drain pump like the other electrical elements of the machine is under the control of the sequence control 13.

The water level in the tub during the washing operation is controlled by a pressure sensing device, of the type well known in the art, which energizes a pair of solenoid operated water valves which, in turn, admit hot or cold water from the supply connections to the funnel 1 4. It will be understood, of course, that the sensing device controls the water valve solenoids only when suitable circuits are closed by the timer operated sequence control 13. The water level in the tub during the washing operation is such that the lower portion of the perforated basket 1 is submerged whereby the basket dips continually into the water as it rotates. For example, in a size of the illustrated machine suitable for domestic use having a clothes basket 26 inches in diameter, the water level in the tub during washing is about 5 inches above the bottom of the basket.

According to the present invention, there is provided over the drain port 17 upon the flat depressed surface 18 in the bottom of the tub, a straining device 21 which removes solid objects from the drain flow before they reach the pump. The straining device 21 is particularly well adapted to prevent the passage of long narrow objects such as nails, matches, paper clips, and bobby pins which sometimes escape the usual straining devices.

The straining device comprises a central or roof portion 22 containing a plurality of perforations or drain holes 23. The central portion 22 is disposed above the flat depressed surface 18 in the bottom of the tub and is supported thereon by a shallow downwardly extending flange 24 formed around the periphery of the central portion 22 and resting on the surface 18. As can be seen in Figs. 3 and 4 the downwardly extending flange 24 lies flush against the depressed surface 18 and abuts this surface to completely surround the drain port 17. Thus, in order for liquid to pass from the tub to the drain port 17 it must first flow through the straining device 21. As can be seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 the downwardly extending flange 24 lies closely adjacent at least some portions of the upstanding side walls which lead from the tub to the depressed surface on the bottom of the tub. Referring to Fig. 4, the flange portion 24a lies closely adjacent the upstanding side wall 25. As can be seen in Fig. 5 the flange portions 24b and 24c are closely adjacent the upstanding sidewalls 26 and 27 respectively.

Obviously, any solid objects of greater cross sectional dimensions than the area of the individual drain holes or perforations 23 will be prevented from passing through the drain port 17. In order to prevent long, narrow objects such as bobby pins, nails, or paper clips from passing through the drain port 17 and thence into the drain pump, the strainer holes 23 of the straining device are arranged such that there are no holes in the central portion 22 of the device in the area directly above the drain port 17 and immediately adjacent thereto. The closest strainer holes 23 with respect to the drain port 17 are positioned far enough away from the circumference or lip 32 of the drain port 17 such that any long narrow object passing through a strainer hole, as illustrated by the match 33 in Fig. 4, is prevented by the flat surface 18 and the edges of the strainer hole from entering the drain port. That is, the diameter of the strainer holes is such in relation to the height of the central portion 22 above the fiat depressed surface 18 that a long narrow object passing into a strainer hole is prevented by the edges of the strainer hole from canting sufficiently to enable the object to pass into that area underneath the cenral portion 22. It is to be understood that, in arranging the strainer holes or perforations in the central portion 22, the proximity of the strainer holes 23 to that area of the central portion 22 directly above the drain port is dependent both on the diameter of the strainer holes 23 and the height of the central portion 22 above the flat surface 18, i.e. the height of the flange. That is, the smaller the diameter of the holes 23, and the shorter the distance between the flat surface 18 and the central portion 22, the closer the holes 23 be placed to the area directly above the drain port 17. Of course, the thickness of the material used in manufacturing the strainer device will vary this somewhat, but for one particular thickness of material the above relationship holds true. In general, it will be seen that the desired result is basically achieved by the arrangement of the flat central roof portion 22 and the fiat depressed surface 18 in slightly spaced and parallel relationship to each other, with their respective openings as shown.

In order to assure the complete drainage of liquid from within the tub a plurality of notches or semi-circular holes 34 have been formed in the edges of the downwardly extending flange 24. These form a plurality of strainer holes for the liquid as the liquid level falls below the height of the flange. In order to prevent the passage of long narrow objects through these notches 34 the present invention provides for notches to be formed only in those portions of the flange 24 which are closely adjacent upstanding walls extending from the flat surface 18. Thus, as can be seen in Fig. 3 where the curved portions 35 of the straining device are not closely adjacent the upstanding walls, there are no notches formed therein. Likewise, the downwardly extending flange portion 24d, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, is adjacent no upstanding side wall, and therefore, contains no notches or semi-circular drain holes 34. As can be seen in Fig. 4 notches 34 are provided in flange portions 24a and 2411 which lie closely adjacent upstanding side walls 25 and 26 respectively. There are also notches (not shown) formed in the downwardly extending flange portion 24c adjacent upstanding wall 27. As is illustrated in Fig. 4 long, narrow objects such as the hobby pi'n38 are prevented from passing through the notches by the wedging action produced by the cooperation of the edge of the notches 34, the flat surface 18 and the upstanding side walls. The particular size of the notches 34 depends on the distance between the flange 24 and the adjacent upstanding side wall. That is, the closer the flange happens to be positioned to the side wall the larger the notches may be formed.

In order to retain the straining device in place over the drain 17 there is provided a retaining means in the form of a U-shaped spring clip 36 which is riveted, or fastened by other means well-known in the art, to the imperforate portion of the straining device above the drain port 17. The legs of the spring clip 36 are designed to engage the undersideof the drain port 17 and hold the straining device in place above the drain port. A handle 37 is also riveted to the central portion of the straining device in order to provide a means for removing the straining device from the drain port.

By the present invention there has been provided a new and improved straining device for use in a washing machine or a combination washer-dryer, which is effective in preventing clogging of the drain pump by solid objects carried in the drain flow. Moreover, this straining device is particularly adapted to prevent thepassage therethrough of long narrow objects which are ordinarily not trapped by the normal straining devices.

While in accordance 'with the patent statutes there has been described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in modifications may be made therein and without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, the aim in the appended claims to cover all equivalent variation as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

It will be understood that the term clothes washing machine in the appended claims is intended to include combination washer-dryers within its coverage.

What we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a clothes washing machine having a liquid holding tub including a flat depressed surface on the floor thereof with a drain port positioned therein for discharging liquid from within saidtub, a straining means positioned over said drain port comprising a member having a flat central roof portion with a plurality of strainer openings therein, a shallow flange extending downwardly from the periphery of said fiat central portion, said member resting on said flange upon said flat depressed surface of said tub so that said flat central roof portion and said flat depressed tub surface are substantially parallel and in slightly spaced relation to each other, said strainer openings being arranged on said center portion such as to be excluded from the area on said central portion lying directly above said drain port, said openings also arranged outwardly from said area on said center portion lying directly above said drain port a suflicient distance such that elongated narrow objects passing into said strainer openings are prevented from entering said drain port by the cooperating action of said flat surfaces and the periphery of said strainer openings.

2. In a clothes washing machine having a liquid holding tub including a flat depressed surface on the floor thereof with a drain port positioned therein for discharging liquid from within said tub, a straining means posi- 6 tioned over said drain port comprising a member having a substantially flat central portion with a plurality of strainer openings therein, a shallow flange extending downwardly from the periphery of said flat central portion, said member resting on the edge of said downwardly extending flange upon said flat depressed surface of said tub so that said flat central portion and said flat depressed tub surface are substantially parallel and in slightly spaced relation to each other, said strainer openings ararnged on said central portion such as to be excluded from the area on said central portion lying directly above said drain port, said openings arranged a distance outwardly from said area on said central portion lying directly above said drain port, said openings having a diameter of such a dimension in relation to said distance said openings are arranged from said area on said central portion directly above said drain port tha narrow objects passing into the straining openings are prevented from entering said drain port by the cooperating action of said flat depressed surface and the periphery of said straining openings.

3. In combination with a clothes washing machine having a liquid holding tub including a flat depressed surface in the floor thereof having upstanding side walls around the edges thereof and having a drain port positioned therein for discharging fluid from within the tub, a straining means positioned over said drain port comprising a member having a flat central portion, and a shallow flange extending downwardly from the periphery thereof and supporting said straining means upon said flat surface within said tub so that said flat central portion and said flat depressed tub surface are substantially parallel and in slightly spaced relation to each other, said central portion having a plurality of straining openings therein, said straining openings arranged on said central portion such as to be excluded from the area on said central portion lying directly above said drain port, said openings arranged a distanuce outwardly from said area on said central-portion lying directly above said drain port, said distance being sufficiently remote from said area on said central portion lying directly above said drain port and said diameter of said strainer holes being sufficiently small in relation to the height of said flange that straight narrow objects passing into said straining openings are prevented from entering said drain port by the cooperative action of said flat depressed surface and the periphery of said straining openings, said downwardly extending flange having a portion thereof lying adjacent at least one of said upstanding side walls around said flat depressed portion, said flange portion adjacent said side wall having notches therein, the adjacency of said upstanding side wall to said flange portion preventing straight narrow objects of slightly greater length than the distance between said flange and said upstanding side walls from passing through said notches.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 149,489 Lewis Apr. 7, 1874 931,019 Dawes Aug. 10, 1909 1,382,992 Lombard June 28, 1921 2,079,269 Williams- May 4, 1937 2,218,276 Woodin Oct. 15, 1940 2,283,160 Boosey May 19, 1942 2,336,348 Demers Dec. 7, 1943

Images