US2987904A - Domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1961 K. o. SISSON DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1958 INVENTOR. Hamel)! 0. 6755021 5M8 Y B "a aim W by f 5 ma 0 W u. 6, mix a If .2, M

4g; ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 13, 1961 K. o. s|ssoN DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed May 28, 1958 Ken/W2)! 0. 5135021 BY 52 28. H15 ATTORNE June.13, 1961 K. o. SISSON 2,987,904

' DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed May 28, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY Unite States i.

This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an improvement for spinning and agitating mechanisms.

With the increased improvement and use of the socalled wash-and-wear fabrics, it has become apparent that the various agitation-types and spinning actions imposed upon these fabrics by the conventional clothes washer have a marked effect on the washing result. Better washing results occur where the agitation is accomplished at a lesser speed than is the spinning operation.

In obtaining the variable operating speeds in an agitating and spinning mechanism such as is taught in the patent to Sissson, 2,758,685, issued August 14, 1956, and in copending applications S.N. 738,361 and SN. 738,330 filed concurrently herewith, it is necessary to modify the mechanism to compensate for inertial differences between the rotating parts created by the variation in wash and spin speeds. For instance, the patented mechanism recites an action wherein the agitation is accomplished at 750 strokes per minute with a .75 inch stroke and the spinning is accomplished at the same speed, i.e. 750 rpm. In the improved spin and agitating mechanism of this application, the agitate stroke has been increased to 1.75 inch, but instead of the agitate and spin speeds being the same, there is now a differential between low speed agitation at 330 strokes per minute and high speed spin at 850 rpm. Should this mechanism be switched inadvertently from the high spin speed to the low agitate speed, severe shock would occur in the spin and agitate mechanism with damage possible to the washing machine. The problem is most likely to occur at the completion of a high speed spin, at which point theagitate and spin mechanism driving arrangement including the motor and belt system decelerates at a faster rate than does the spinning tub. This difference in rates of deceleration from high speed tub spin has the equivalent effect of reversing the direction of rotation of the motor, which consequently serves to initiate the vertical reciprocation of the agitator. This invention is directed to means for preventing this relative deceleration and the reversal of function which necessarily follows.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide centrifugally actuated braking means for preventing a reversal of wash cycle function from spinning to agitate.

It is also an object of this invention to provide centrifugally actuated brake shoes which are placed into engagement with a rotatable portion of an agitate and spinning mechanism when said mechanism is being operated to produce a spinning action.

Another object of this invention is to include, on a screw clutch adapted to selectively drive an agitate and spinning mechanism, a spring-biased dog for preventing a reversal of screw clutch drive upon deceleration.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a screw clutch having a screw portion and a nut portion wherein said screw portion has a slot and said nut portion a dog for cooperating with said slot to resist relative rotaton between said nut and said screw.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is along line 4--4 of FIGURE 3 showing a plan view of.

the decelerator brake;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the screw clutch. assembly with parts broken away, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 7;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 showing the screw clutch assembly;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the screw clutch assembly; and

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the screw memr ber of the screw clutch assembly.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an outer cabinet shell 20 provided with a lid 22. This outer cabinet shell 20 is formed with a base flange 24 on which are provided adjustaable feet 26. Within the cabinet shell 20 there is provided a catch basin or water container having a vertical tubular portion 28. The vertical tubular portion 28 connects to a bottom portion 30 having a raised center provided with an opening 31.

Extending over and secured to the opening 31 in the raised center of the bottom portion 30 is a conical rubber support member 34, the upper end of which lockingly engages a tubular support housing 38 of the washing machine agitate and spin mechanism of the type in the cited patent, shown generally at 39. Rotatably mounted on a bearing 40 (FIG. 2) within the tubular support housing 38 is a tubular tub spin shaft 42, the upper end of which is connected and sealed to a washing machine tub 46, as at 48. The tub 46 is provided with a series of apertures 50 at the upper terminus of the tub side wall and an upper rim or tub access collar 52, of

reduced diameter, which prevents the loss of the clothes during the spinning operation. To reduce the vibrations of the mechanism during spinning of the tub, there is provided a ballast ring 54 mounted upon the top of the tub 46 surrounding its opening, which is. filled with ballast material such as iron or lead.

Within the tub 46 an agitator 56 is affixed to the top of an agitate shaft 58. The shaft 58 is of a solid metal construction for strength and extends downwardly through the concentrically arranged tubular support housing 38 and the tubular spin shaft 42 into a rotatably mounted mechanism drive housing 60 of the agitate and spinning mechanism 39. Since the support housing 38 is the primary means of vertical support for the washing machine mechanism, the housing 38 is aflixed to the flexible cone member 34 for transferring the weight carried to the cabinet 20. The flexible cone member or hat 3-4 is effective to locate the tub 46 within the cabinet 20 and to absorb the vibrations originating within the tub or in the agitate and spin mechanism. For additional dampening adjacent the lower end of the washing machine mechanism 39, snubber brackets 62 are bolted or at tached to two oppositely arranged support brackets welded to the stationary support housing 38 along the lower half thereof. The brackets 62 extend downwardly around the rotatable housing 60 and out of contact therewith and are connected to a snubber plate as at 65. The plate Patented June 13, v1961 a asot I I a 64 carries a pin 63 which projects into any suitable resilient dampening means 66 positioned with respect to the base 24 of the washing machine on a cross brace 67. Thus, an arrangement is provided wherein a washing machine mechanism 39 is suspended resiliently at the upper end thereof from a centrally located bulkhead 30 and guarded against lateral movement at the lower end thereof by a snubbing arrangement .62, 64, 66. With the foregoing arrangement and the washing machine mechanism to be described hereinafter, a rotation of the rotatable housing 60 in one direction serves to impart a vertical reciprocation of shaft 58 which produces, by means of an agitator 56, a washing action within the tub 46. By rotating the housing 60 in an opposite direction, rotational motion is transmitted by means of shaft 42 to the shaft attached tub 46 and a spinning action or clothes wringing operation is effected.

Other elements of the washing machine include a reversible motor 67 adapted to rotate the mechanism housing 60 through a belt driving arrangement, shown generally at 68. To drain the water collecting above the bottom partition 30, a pump 69, driven by motor 67 and suspended a spaced distance below the motor on rods 71, is utilized to pump water from the washing machine.

To better understand the improved agitate and spinning mechanism 39, reference may now be had to FIGS. 2 and 3. The lower portion of tubular shaft 42 is provided with a key 70 fitting into an extended key slot 72 formed at one end of the inner agitate shaft 58, to permit a relatively vertically slidable connection between the shafts 42 and 58. A second key 74 aifects a connection with an annular clutch member 76 circumscribing the outer periphery of shaft 42. This clutch member 76 is retained on its upper side by a ring 78 fitting in a notch on the outer surface of the shaft 42 and lodged within a recess in the clutch member 76. The bottom of the member 76 rests against a clutch torque spring retainer 80 also surrounding the shaft 42 and inengagement with a clutch torque spring collar 82, both the retainer 88 and the collar 82 being connected to shaft 42 by key 74. A spacer sleeve 84 which rests on the inner race 86 of a ball bearing 88 completes the assembly of parts 74, 76, 80- and 82. This assembly may then be locked in place on shaft 42 by a nut 90 on the threaded end of shaft 42 and by a suitable lock washer 9 2. As aforesaid, the key 74 engages a notch or key slot in the collar 82 to prevent relative rotation between the collar 82 and shaft 42. The collar 82 is formed with a second notch at one point on its axially upper end to receive a radially inwardly turned axially upper end portion 94 of a wound spring clutch member 96. The clutch spring 96 is wound in such a direction that when a tapered hub 98 is turned in the direction to produce an agitating action, the spring 96 will be unwound. When in an unwound or relaxed state, the spring 96 will not grip hub 98 and thus the hub will rotate freely within the spring. Since the selected agitating or spinning action is initiated by the selective rotation of housing :60, structure is necessary to transmit the rotational motion of housing 60 to hub 98. In this regard the hub 98 is afi'ixed to a cup member 108 which rests on the outer race of bearing 88. In driving and support relationship to the cup 100 and attached hub 98 is a mechanism housing support 102 to which the cup member is attached by any suitable means such as by the illustrated rivet 103.

The outer periphery of the plate 102 is notched as at 105 and held against the bottom of a peripheral flange 104 of an upper portion 106 of the rotatable housing 60. The housing portion 106 encloses the clutch mechanism and overlies a plain bearing 188 at its upper end which bears against the lower portion of the tubular housing support 38, as shown in FIG. 2. Above the bearing 108 there is provided a shaft seal 110 formed of an inner ring portion 111 of rubber-like material around which a light tension @ring 113 is placed to hold the portion 111 in contact with the outer surface of the tubular support housing 38. The seal is retained against moving downwardly by a seal retainer 114 which rests in a cavity at the top of the rotatable housing portion 106.

The notched edge of the support plate 102 is held in place against the bottom flange of the upper housing member 106 by the upper flange 116 of the lower rotat able housing portion 118. The flange around the bottom of the upper housing member 106 is shaped to form one side of a V-grooved pulley 12! while the flange around the top of the lower housing 118 is shaped to provide the second side of the V-grooved pulley. The pulley 120 thus formed is adapted to receive a conventional V-belt 122 by which the rotatable housing 60 is rotated to produce a high speed spinning action .of tub 46. A second and larger pulley 124 is pre-cast of any suitable material and provided with a large central opening 126 to permit the pulley 124 to pass over the bottom housing portion 118. Several spacers 128 are cast in tegral with pulley 124 about the radially inner periphery thereof and drilled to receive a mounting bolt 130 with which the pulley 124 is attached to the rotatable housing 60. This connection serves also to secure the flanges 104, 116 of housing portions v106, 118, respectively, in attached relationship. The spacers 128 are cast in a manner to project on one side only of pulley 124. Thus, the pulley 124 may be held a spaced distance from pulley 120, as shown in FIG. 2, or immediately adjacent thereto if placed over the rotatable housing 68 in reverse fashion. This construction permits a single pulley element to be adapted to different washing ma? chine driving arrangements, wherein a lesser spread be.- tween pulleys is permissible.

The lower housing portion 118 at one side is provided with a recess 132 which receives an inner spherical socket member 134 and an outer spherical socket member 136, which are clamped together against an inner shoulder of recess 132. A more detailed explanation of this spherical bearing mounting arrangement is taught in my copending application S.N. 738,330, filed concurrently herewith. A spherical bearing member 154 provides a pivotal connection between the lower housing member 118 and an extending pin or arm 158 which slides within a cylindrical bearing surface 159 inside the spherical bearing member 154. The extending pin or rod 158 is in the form of a projection from a ring-shaped member 160 which is clamped, by three bolts 162, to the outer race 164 of a ball bearing 166. The inner race 168 of the ball bearing 166 is mounted upon an upper angular support or conical crank member 170 against the shoulder 171 provided by the reduced end portion of the inner agitate shaft 58. The inner race 168 is held in place by a complementary lower angular support or conical crank member 172 set at the same angle to the axis of shaft 58 as the upper member 170. Member 172 is keyed to the end of shaft 58 by a key 174 and the members 170, 168 and 172 are locked in place by a nut 176 which is threaded onto the bottom of the stub end of the shaft 58 and locked thereto by a lock washer 178. A plain sleeve bearing 180 serves to locate shaft 58 within shaft 42 and provides a bearing surface for the vertical reciprocation of shaft 58.

The clutch mechanism includes a second wound spring clutch member 182 which is wound so as to grip internally. The upper end of this wound spring clutch member 182 is supported upon an outer spring engaging surface of the clutch member 76 while the lower end of the wound spring clutch member 182 is supported upon the outer spring engaging surface of an upstanding sleeve portion 184 of a drive shaft torque plate assembly 186. The sleeve 184 is bonded directly to a friction disc portion 187 of the torque plate assembly 186 and has bonded thereto friction facings 188, 190 upon its upper and lower surfaces. Below the friction surface 190 there is provided 'a brake plate 192 which is provided with notches" 194cm its periphery which are gripped by tongues (notmember 196 is formed with a plurality of inwardly extending tongues 202 which engage notches 203 provided in the lower end of the tubular housing support member 38. This arrangement, therefore, provides a friction device in which the elements 196 and flange 197, spring 198 and brake plate 192 are locked to the normally stationary housing member 38 so that they do not turn with the rotatably driven housing 60.

The inverted cup-shaped friction element 196, through the friction surfaces or washers 188, 190 on disc 187 is connected to the upstanding sleeve portion 184 of the drive shaft torque plate assembly 186. In this relationship, the member 184 will be connected to the clutch element 76 whenever the element 76 rotates in such a direction as to wind or tighten the wound spring clutch member 182 tightly upon the radially outer spring engaging surfaces of the members 76 and 184. The member 184 is also connected to the clutch 76 when the wound spring clutch member 96 is unwound or relaxed so that the outer surface of the wound spring clutch member 96 then engages the radially inner spring engaging surfaces of the members 76 and 184. The wound spring clutch members 182 and 96 are both wound so that their natural tendency is to engage with their inner spring engaging surfaces. They are arranged so that when the hub 98 is turned in such a direction as to unwind the spring 96, the wound spring clutch member 182 will be wound tightly on the outer spring engaging surfaces of parts 76 and 184. At the same time, the unwinding of the spring 96 will cause it to engage the inner spring engaging surfaces of the elements 76 and 184. This will connect the tub or spin shaft 42 to the stationary support housing 38 as follows. The spin shaft 42 will be connected through key 74 to clutch member 76, the wound spring clutch members 96 and 182 to the sleeve portion 184 of drive shaft torque plate assembly 186, and the friction elements 188 and 190 to the inverted cup-shaped housing 196 which is fixed to stationary tubular support housing 38. Key 70, of course, prevents agitate shaft 58 from rotating relatively to spin shaft 42.

The tub or spin shaft 42 and the agitator shaft '58 are thereby prevented from rotating while the housing 60 is being rotated in a direction to relax spring 96. With the shaft 58 locked against rotation, the arm 158 of the rocking mechanism or pivoted member 160 moves in a circle about the shaft 58, thereby forcing the free or shaft attached end of this pivoted member 160 downwardly and back once every revolution. This motion is enforced by the fixed angular mounting of the inner race 168 of the ball bearing 166 upon the agitator shaft 58. The upward and downward movement of the pivoted member 160 reciprocates the agitator shaft 58 and the agitator 56 through a stroke of about 1.75 for agitating the washing liquid in the tub 46.

As aforesaid, when the driving hub 98 is turned in the direction to unwind the wound spring 96 and to wind the wound spring clutch member 182, the tubular tub or spin shaft 42 will be connected through key 74, the clutch element 76, the wound spring clutch members 182 and 96, to the brake plate 187 frictionally connected with the elements 196 and 192 which are locked to the normal stationary tubular housing member 38. This acts as a friction braking device to hold the tub 46 stationary.

' When the housing 60 and driving hub 98 are turned in the opposite direction to wind inwardly or tighten the 6 wound spring clutch member 96 upon the outer 'sprin'g en: gaging surface of the hub 98 and sleeve 82, there-is pro vided a driving connection for spinning tub 46. The

member 82 is keyed to the shaft 42 by key 74 and subsequently to the shaft 58 by means of key 70. At the same time, the wound spring clutch member 182 is unwound to disengage the members 76 and 184. The brake plate 187, thus disengaged from the rotating parts, remains motionless in the sandwiched braking connection, and the clutching mechanism is adapted for a tub spinning operation.

When the driving motor 67 is deenergized at the termination of the spinning operation, the wound spring clutch 98 will be unwound to provide a connection from the tub or spin shaft 42 through the key 74, the clutch member 76 and both wound spring clutch members 98 and 182 to the friction disc or plate 187. The frictional engagement between the friction disc 187, brake plate 192 and stationary flanged cup member 196 imparts a braking effect on the rotation of spin shaft 142 which will tend to overcome the inertia of the spinning tube 146.

The manner in which the agitate and spinning mechanism 39 is selectively rotated will best be understood with reference to Fig. 2. Th prime mover or motor 67 is disposed adjacent the rotatable housing 60 in a manner to place the motor shaft 210 parallel to concentric shafts 42 and 58 in the mechanism 39. A pin drive pulley 212 and an agitate drive pulley 214 are arranged in spaced relationship on motor shaft 210 in coplanar juxtaposition to driving pulleys and 124, respectively. The driving pulley 212 is located on shaft 210 by a retaining ring 216 and is relatively rotatably mounted on the shaft by a bearing 218. Disposed between driving pulleys 212 and 214 is a selector clutch, shown generally at 220. Spacer sleeves 222 and 224 locate selector clutch 220 in correct relationship to the pulleys 212 and 214. Driving pulley 214 is also relatively ro-tatably mounted on shaft 210 by a second bearing 226. A spacer sleeve or pump housing collar 228 spans the distance between the inner race of bearing 226 and the casing of pump 69 within which the free end of motor shaft 210 projects to operate a pump impeller (not shown).

Broadly, the selector clutch 220 is comprised of a helical screw portion 230 keyed to shaft 210 for rotation therewith and a selector nut portion 232 adapted for relative rotation on the helical threads of screw portion 230. For transmitting the rotational motion of motor 67 to rotatable housing 60 of the agitate and spin mechanism 39, a V-belt 122 interconnects driving pulley 212 and driven pulley 120 while a second V-belt 123 interconnects driving pulley 214 with driven pulley 124. In this relationship it should now be apparent that a rotation of mo tor 67 and shaft attached screw 230 in one direction will cause the selector clutch 220, in rotating relatively to the screw member 230, to drivingly engage driving pulley 212. Thus, the rotatable housing 60 will be rotated in a manner to effect a spin operation by means of motor shaft 210, screw 230, selector clutch 220, driving pulley 212, V-belt 122 and driven pulley 120. Conversely, a rotation of the motor 67 in a reverse direction will cause the selector clutch 220 to move downwardly into engagement with driving pulley 214 and driven pulley 124 on rotatable housing 60 will be driven through V-belt 123 to effect an agitating action within laundry tub 46. In the agitating and spinning mechanism set forth in the previously cited patent to Sisson, the rotation of rotatable housing 60 was effected at the same speed in both agitation and spin, i.e. there was but one driving pulley and one driven pulley. However, in the arrangement of Fig. 2 of this case and the driving relationship disclosed in connection with copending application S.N. 738,330, a multiple pulley system is included to effect a plurality of operating speeds for agitate and spin mechanism 39. In the patented device no harm resulted when the rotation of rotatable housing 60 was suddenly reversed. This is due to a mechanism structure wherein the parts necessary to efiect the reciprocation of the agitate shaft 58 were designed to pera e in re pons to =ihilfl1fi0i2fifitflfl p d o a ble h usi g 60 a s u ed re e se fa hi n to ffe a pin. In the imp d ag t and-spi m ha i m of his case and ,copending applications S,.N. 738,330 and SN. 738,361, the agitate speeds have been materially reduced so that agitation is no longer accomplished at the same mechanism speed as is the spinning operation. For instance, the rotatable housing 69 is now rotated in one direction at 850 rpm. to effect a spinning or centrifuging of tub 46. On the other hand, the rotation of housing 60 in the opposite direction is accomplished at the lower speed of 330 rpm. to effect a slower agitation speed of like amount. It should now be apparent that relative rotation between the stationary support housing 38 and the rotatable housing 60 of agitate and spin mechanism 39 is selectively responsible for either agitating or spining the washing machine function. The normal operation of such mechanism is effected by means of a motor 67 and has been explained thus hereinbefore. However, the deceleration of the various rotating parts at the conclusion of an 850 r.p.n1. spin cycle creates other problems which this invention is designed to solve.

The problem arises due to reversal of operation during deceleration from high speed tub spinning. To best understand the problem, the washing machine mechanism should be considered as comprised of two rotating systems. The first system, or tub spin system, includes the tub 46, the rotating shaft 42 attached to the tub, the agitator 56 and the solid shaft 58 to which the agitator is attached and those portions of the clutching mechanism keyed to shaft 42 within the upper housing 106 of the rotatable drive housing 60. The other rotating system, or prime mover system, is comprised of the rotor of motor 67, the motor shaft 210, the selector clutch 220, the driving pulleys 212 and 214, the driven pulleys 120 and 124, the rotatable housing 60 and the reciprocating mechanism or rocking arm 160. At the conclusion of a high speed spinning operation of laundry tub 46, the motor 67 is deenergized. Thus, both the tub spin system and the prime mover system start decelerating at the same time. However, the inertia of the tub spinning system is considerably greater than the motor or prime mover system and the latter will tend to cease rotating more quickly than will the tub spinning system. In other words, at the conclusion of the spin cycle the inertia built up in the rotating parts is considerable and the tendency of these parts is to continue spinning for an extended period. However, the inertia of the prime mover system including the housing 60, the pulley system 68 and the motor 67 is somewhat less than that of the tub spin producing parts or system, and consequently, the rotating parts of the prime mover system will tend to decelerate more quickly than will the parts associated with the spinning tub 46. As the disparity in rotating speeds increases between the drive portions of the prime mover system and the spin portions of the tub system, this relative motion will cause agitate shaft 58 to start reciprocating vertically. Stated differently, this difference in rates of deceleration has the equivalent effect of reversing the direction of rotation of the motor and since reversal of rotation serves to initiate the agitating action of the wash cycle, the shaft 58 is suddenly caused to reciprocate violently at a speed faster than its designed operational speed of 330 strokes per minute. Thus, this invention is directed to a decelerator arrangement for preventing the relative rotation between the tub spin system and the prime mover system during deceleration from the centrifuging portion of the wash cycle.

The decelerator arrangement will be fully explained in connection with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. A centrifugally actuated braking assembly, shown generally at 234, is adapted to rotate with tub spin shaft 42. To effect this action an annular decelerator brake cup 236 is formed with radially inwardly facing tabs 238 spaced at 90 intervals h rc bp t. Hutch s 2 1 o ed n a owerp iieu of sleeve member 18.4 to receive the tab portions 238 in supporting relationship to the brake cup 236. A lock ring 243overlies the outer periphery of sleeve 184 to limit the downward movement of decelerator cup 236 and to securely lock the cup on sleeve 184. The decelerator cup 236 is formed also with a cylindrical flange 239 to which are connected as by a Welding process a plurality of radially outwardly projecting steel rods or brake shoe center supports 240. For the purposes of this invention, four rods 240 spaced at intervals about the decelerator cup 236 have been found sufiicient to slidingly. support an equal number of arcuate brake shoes 242 which may be die cast in complementary fashion to the radial configuration of housing 166. A bottom flange 244is formed on the decelerator cup 236 from which a plurality of horizontal support tabs 248 extend in horizontal support relationship to recesses 250 die cast into the brake shoes 242. The brake shoes 242 are drilled at 252 to receive slidably the support rods 240. Thus the brake shoes 242 are supported against pivoting from a horizontal plane by the action of decelerator cup tabs 248 on brake shoe shoulders or recesses 250 and for movement radially outwardly on rods 240. Frictional material of any suitable type 254 is bonded to the radially outer edge of each edge of the arcuate brake shoes 242 to improve frictional engagement between brake shoe 242 and the inner Wall of upper housing 106.

Structure has now been described for a decelerator arrangement 234 which is effective to prevent relative rotation between rotatable housing 60 and spin shaft 42 during deceleration at the conclusion of a spin cycle. In this regard the decelerator cup 236 is rotated by the decelerating spin shaft 42, clutch member 76 keyed thereto, wound clutch springs 96 and 182 which connect sleeve member 184 to clutch 76 and thus the decelerator cup 236, This rotation of decelerator cup 236- causes brake shoes 242 to move radially outwardly in response to centrifugal force. This force places the brake shoes 242 into braking engagement with the wall of rotatable housing portion 106, thereby eliminating relative rotation between housing 106 and shaft 42 during deceleration of shaft 42. This action, where members 106 and 42 are interconnected, prevents the relative rotation which is equivalent to initiating an agitation cycle with the reciprocation of shaft 58.

'Dififerences in decelerating rates create a problem in the design of selector clutch 220 as well. At the termination of any power cycle in which motor 67 is utilized, the motor shaft 210 and the screw or driving member 230 keyed thereto tend to decelerate more quickly due to friction in the prime mover system, than the nut portion or driven member 232 which is relatively rotatably carried on the screw member 238. It should be apparent that such relative .rates of deceleration have the equivalent effect of reversing the rotation of motor shaft 210. Thus, the selector nut 232 is moved from one of the elements or'pulleys 212 and 214 to the other during deceleration of the rotating parts at the conclusion of any cycle involving the prime mover system. If, for instance, the motor 67 had just been deenergized at the conclusion of a spin cycle where the pulley 212 had been selected by screw clutch 220 to drive driven pulley 129, the smaller drive pulley 214 will be idling at an extremely high rate of speed on shaft 210. This is due to the speed increase obtainable in proceeding through pulley 212, belt 122, pulley 124, belt 123 to pulley 214. If, now, the nut 232 were moved suddenly from pulley 212 into engagement with rapidly idling pulley 214, a damaging shock could occur to the prime mover system. For this reason, a second deceleration arrangement is proposed by this invention to prevent the occurrence of such selector clutch reversal.

For the purposes of this explanation, the selector clutch construction proposed by this invention is best seen in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8. In FIG. 6, for instance, selector clutch 220 is comprised of a screw portion 230 attached to motor shaft 210 by a key 260. A nut portion 232 is comprised of an upper disc 262, a lower disc 264 identical to upper disc 262, and a center disc 266 of slightly greater diameter than discs 262 and 264. The center disc 266 is made slightly larger than the juxtaposed membei's of the sandwiched assembly as a manufacturing convenience to prevent edges which might have become burred during thedisc-stamping operation from opposing each other and preventing a close sandwiched relationship of the parts. The center disc 266 is formed with a cutout portion 268 so configured to receive a bell crank 270 pivotally mounted on pin 272 and biased into screw locking engagement by a spring 274. In assembling the nut member 232, the discs 262, 264 and 266 are placed in concentric juxtaposition with the bell crank 270 residing between the discs 262, 264 and within the cutout 268. The discs are then welded together to form the selector nut 232. The center of nut 232 is drilled and tapped to form threads complementary to those helical threads on screw portion 230. Friction material 276 of any suitable type may then be bonded to the outer surface of discs 262 and 264.

In FIG. 8 the screw member 230 of the selector clutch 220 is shown formed with a notch 278 in one of its helical threads 280. To assemble the selector clutch 220, the screw member 230 is threaded into nut 232 in a manner which places notch 278 adjacent a dog end 282 of bellcrank arm 270. The phantom outline of bell crank 270 in FIG. illustrates the natural tendency of spring 274 to place the dog end 282 within the screw notch 278, whenever the dog end and notch are in juxtaposition.

With the screw clutch 220 assembled on the motor shaft 210 in the manner of FIG. 2, the operation of this deceleration feature will best be understood. At the conclusion of a spin cycle in which nut member 232 is drivingly engaged with driving pulley 212, the motor 67 is deenergized in accordance with any conventional sequence timer. The resistance to rotation acting upon the prime mover system tends to cause motor shaft 210 to decelerate more quickly than the selector nut 232 which, due to the inertia built up during rotation, tends to continue rotating. This tendency to continue in motion is equivalent to a reversal of shaft rotation and nut member 232 threads itself on screw 230 away from pulley 212. However, before the nut 232 can engage the rapidly rotating pulley 214, the dog end 282 drops into screw notch 278 and thereby holds the nut portion 232 in a neutral position intermediate both driving pulleys 212 and 214.

It should now be apparent that the problems created by relative rotation of parts during deceleration in both the agitate and spin mechanism 39 and the driving or prime mover arrangement have been effectively solved by the concepts of this invention.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, two shaft means concentrically arranged, an enclosing housing completely enclosing the one adjacent end of each of the shaft means, the opposite adjacent ends of each of said shaft means protruding out of said housing, means preventing relative rota-tion of said two shaft means, said housing including a relatively stationary portion enclosing said shaft means and a rotatable portion rotatable with respect to the normally stationary portion, both of said shaft means being rotatably mounted with respect to both of said portions in said housing, decelerator means connected to one of said shaft means when said one of said shaft means is decelerating, said decelerator means including a centrifugally actuated brake shoe movable into engagement with said rotatable portion to prevent relative rotation between said rotatable" portion and said one of said shaft means, and means for rotating said rotatable portion in one direction at one speed to reciprocate one of said shafts and to rotate said portion in another direction at another speed to rotate the other of said shafts, said last named means including a reversible single speed power shaft parallel to" said rotatable portion, said shaft supporting first and sec- 0nd pulleys relatively rotatably mounted on said power shaft, a screw attached to said power shaft between said pulleys, a slot in said screw, and a nut rotatably carried on said screw overlying said slot, said nut having an upper portion for drivingly engaging said first pulley when said shaft is rotated in one direction, a lower por tion for drivingly engaging said second pulley when said shaft is rotated in another direction, a central portion for pivotally enclosing a dog, and a spring adapted to bias said dog into said slot when said nut is engaging neither of said pulleys.

2. A prime mover system for a washing machine having a mechanism adapted to produce a vertical agitation when rotated in one direction and a spin when rotated in the opposite direction comprising, a single speed motor, a power transmission including a high speed spin member, a low speed agitate member and means for selecting, one of said members, said last named means including a screw attached to said motor between said members, a slot in said screw, and a nut rotatably carried on said screw overlying said slot, said nut having an upper por-- tion for drivingly engaging said spin member when said motor is rotated in one direction, a lower portion for drivingly engaging said agitate member when said motor:

is rotated in another direction, a central portion forpivotally supporting a dog, and a spring in said central portion adapted to bias said dog into said slot when said. nut is engaging neither of said members.

3. A prime mover system for a washing machine having a mechanism adapted to produce an agitation when a portion thereof is rotated in one direction and a spin. when said portion is rotated in the opposite direction comprising, a high speed spin member, a low speed agitate member'and means for selecting one of said members,. said last named means including a reversible screw be-- tween said members, a slot in said screw and a nut rotatably carried on said screw overlying said slot, said nut; having one portion for drivingly engaging said spin. member when said screw is rotated in one direction, a; second portion for drivingly engaging said agitate mem-- her when said screw is rotated in another direction and: a dog pivotally mounted between said portions, and a. spring adapted to bias said dog into said slot when said; nut is engaging neither of said members.

4. In combination two shaft means concentrically ar ranged, an enclosing housing completely enclosing the one adjacent end of each of the shaft means, the opposite adjacent ends of each of said shaft means protruding out of said housing, means preventing relative rotation of said two shaft means, said housing including a relatively stationary portion enclosing said shaft means and a rotatable portion rotatable with respect to the normlly stationary portion, both of said shaft means being rotatably mounted with respect to both of said portions of said housing, means connecting and disconnecting the first of said two shaft means alternately to said relatively stationary portion and to said rotatable portion, reciprocating means located entirely within the said rotatable portion connected between said rotatable portion and the second of said two shaft means and being operable solely by the relative rotation between said rotatable portion and said second shaft means, said rotatable housing portion having fixed thereon a plurality of driven pulleys, a reversible drive means having a plurality of driving pul leys in belt drive relationship with said driven pulleys, and decelerator means connected to said first of said two shaft means when said first shaft is decelerating, said decel atorinclud n a centt il a lyac ua edbrake shoe movable into engagement with said rotatableportion, thereby to prevent relative rotation between said rotatable portion and said first shaft.

5. In combination, a mechanism havingfirst and second driven members and a driving portion, said mechanism including means to produce a first motion in said first driven member when said portion is rotated in one direction and a second motion in said second driven member when said portion is rotated in an opposite direction, and decelerator means selectively centrifugally moved by said second driven member into engagement with said driving portion at termination of said second motion to prevent relative rotation between said driving portion and said second driven member.

6. In combination, a mechanism having a driven member portion and a driving portion, said mechanism including means to motivate a first element of said driven member portion When said driving portion is rotated in one direction andto motivate a second element of said driven member portion when said driving portion is rotated in an opposite direction and decelerator means selectively centrifugally moved by said driven member portion into engagement with said driving portion at termination of one of said motivations to prevent relative rotation between said portions.

7. In combination, a mechanism having a driven member and a driving portion adapted to motivate a first element when said portion is rotated in one direction and to motivate a second element when said portion is rotated in an opposite direction and decelerator means selectively centrifugally moved by said driven member into engage ment with said driving portion to prevent relative protation between said driven mmber and said driving portion.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said means includes a recess in one of said driving portions or said driven member, a dog on the other of said driving portion or said driven member and means for biasing said dog in said recess.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said means includes a recess in said driving portion, a dog onsaid driven member and means for biasing said dog in said recess when said driven member is motivating neither oi said elements.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein said decelerator means includes a support rack, a centrifugally actuated brake shoe on said rack and means operable at the termination of one of said motivations for connecting said driven member to said rack in driving relationship whereby said brake shoe moves radially outwardly into braking engagement with said driving portion.

11. A laundry appliance including a tub spin system and a prime mover system, said tub spin system comprising a spin tub, a spin shaft connected to said tub, an agitator, and an agitate shaft connected to said agitator, said prime mover system comprising a reversibly rotatable power shaft, first and second pulleys relatively rotatably mounted on said power shaft, a screw attached to said power shaft between said pulleys and having a slot and a pulley selector nut rotatably carried thereon, a rotatable housing portion, said housing portion enclosing means for seler vely otatln ai pin ha n said .hoi ing portion is rotated in one direction and for agitatingisaid agitator when'said housingportion is rotated in the opposite direction, and means for transferring the rotation of said power shaft to said housing portion, and decelerator means for said tub spin system and said prime mover system including a centrifugally actuated brake shoe in said housing portion, means operable at the termination of the rotation .of said spin shaft for connecting said brake shoe to said spin shaft, whereby said brake shoe is placed into braking engagement'with said housing portion during deceleration of said tubspin system, and including a dog pivotally mounted on said selector nut and means for biasing said dog into said slot during deceleration of said prime mover system.

121a combination, a mechanism having a driven,.member and a drivingportion adapted to motivate a first element when said portion is rotated in one direction and to motivate a second element when said portion is rotated in an opposite direction and decelerator means selectively yieldingly connecting said driven member and said driving portion, said decelerator means including a recess in one of said driving portion or said driven member, a dog on the other of said driving portion or said driven member and means for biasing said dog in said recess.

13. In combination, a mechanism having a driven-member and a driving portion adapted to motivate a first element when said portion is rotated in one direction and to motivate -a second element when said portion is rotated in an opposite direction and'decelerator means selectively yieldingly connecting said driven member and said driving portion, said decelerator means including a recess in said driving portion,:a-dog on said drivenmm ber and means for biasing said dog in said recess when said driven member is motivating neither of said elements.

14. In combination, a-mechanism having-a drivenmemher and a driving portion adapted to motivate a first element when said portion is rotated in one direction and to motivate a second element when said portion is rotated in an opposite direction and decelerator'means selectively yieldingly connecting said driven member and said driving portion, said decelerator means including a support rack, a centrifugally actuated brake shoe on 'said rack and means operable at the termination of one of said motivations for connecting said driven member to said rack in driving relationship whereby said brake shoe moves radially outwardly into braking engagement with said driving portion.

References Cited inzthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,441,926 Zahn et al. May 18, 19.48 2,699,683 Castner Jan. 18, 1955 2,758,685 Sisson Aug. 14, 1956 2,845,156 Dayton July 29, 1958 2,869,344 Bochan Jan.v 20, 195.9

FOREIGN PATENTS 204,257 Australia Nov. 15, 19 56

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