US2993966A

US2993966A - Cycle control

Info

Publication number: US2993966A
Application number: US729901A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Smith
Original assignee: Rowan Controller Co
Current assignee: Rowan Controller Co
Priority date: 1958-04-21
Filing date: 1958-04-21
Publication date: 1961-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-25

Description

J. J. SMITH CYCLE CONTROL July 25, 1961 Filed April 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR J. J. SMITH CYCLE CONTROL July 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1958 INVENTOR M- United States Patent O land Filed Apr. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 729,901 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) This invention relates to a cycle control for automatic washing machines and the like.

In the present cycle control arrangements, it is the practice to have a plurality of control cams mounted on a spindle and driven by a synchronous motor. One of the control cams normally operates a switch which energizes the synchronous motor to start the control through its cycle. In order to move that particular cam to its switch closing position, a lever or the like is operated manually.

The rotation of the main switch operating cam carries with it the rotation of the rest of the cams on the spindle. If the degree of rotation effected by the operator is precise, the length of cycle which each operates will be uniform. On the other hand, as more frequently happens, the manual rotation normally overrides the starting switch by varying amounts so that each cycle of operation is of a different duration from the others.

The present invention is designed to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior constructions. In accordance with the present invention,.lost motion means is provided between the manually operable member and the spindle upon which the control cams are mounted. The device is arranged to drive the starting switch operating cam directly through the lost motion angle in order to start the operation of the control without rotating the remaining control cams. Through this arrangement, every cycle of operation is precisely the same as the previous cycle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cycle control device for automatic washing machines and the like in which identical cycles of operation are assured.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cycle control in which lost motion means are provided between the manually operable member and the cycle control cams.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cycle control having lost motion means as described above with means for restoring the lost motion mechanism to its starting position at the conclusion of each cycle.

These and other objects of the invention Will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the inventlon;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

The control device consists of two frame members and 12 between which the control earns 14, 16, 18 and 20 are supported. A small synchronous motor 22 connected through suitable gearing located in a gear box 24 to a spindle 26 is mounted on frame plate 10 by screws 28. Small gear 30 extends from the gear box 24 and engages a gear 32 fixed to the spindle 26.

The control cams 14 to 20 are fixed to the spindle 26 and are spaced apart by bushings 34.

Fixed at the end of the spindle 26 remote from the gear drive is a lost motion plate 36 having a slot 38 (FIGURES 1 and 4) engageable by a pin 40 fixed on "ice starting switch cam. The starting switch cam 42 is r'o tatably mounted with respect to the spindle 26 is carried with the spindle 26 only through the lost motion connection 38-40. Also fixed to the starting switch cam 42 is a leaf spring abutment 44 and a rigid abutment 46.

Cooperating with the starting switch cam 42 is an operating member 48 slidably mounted by pins 50 to the frame plate.

Slots

52 and 54 in the operating member 48 permit the operating member to slide relatively to the plate 12. A spring 56 held by a screw 57 acting agalnst a pin 59 and bushing 58 atone end urges the operating member 48 to the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 through its engagement with a hole 60 in operating member.

The operating member 48 has a start projection 62 which is engageable with the edge 64 of the leaf spring 44 to rotate the cam 42. As shown in FIGURE 2, the leaf spring 44 projects away from the surface of the cam 42 in order to permit its engagement by projection 62.

The operating member 48 also carries a projection 66 which cooperates with the abutment 46 fixed on the cam 42. The projection 66 is in the circular path of abutment 46 when the operating member 48 is in its normal position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. In operation of the starting switch cam 42, the operating member is manually pushed slidably against the resistance of the spring 56. During this movement, the projection 62 engages the edge 64 of leaf spring 44 to rotate the cam 42 through the lost motion angle, that is, the angle of the slot 38 in the lost motion plate 36. When the operating member 48 moves this distance, projection 66 moves out of the way 'of abutment 46 to permit the cam 48 to rotate.

When the operating member 42 moves through the lost motion angle, a cam follower 68 connected to the motor operating switch is pivoted, causing the energization of motor 22 to drive the spindle 26. The pivoting of the cam follower 68 is permitted by the dip 70 in the contour of the cam surface 42 out of which the cam follower 68 rides when the cam 42 is rotated. A shallower dip 72 is provided in the cam 42 to prevent the inadvertent return of the cam 42 when the operating lever is released. The abutment 46 will, of course, be rotated the angular distance of the lost motion which will dispose the abutment in the path of the return stroke of the projection 66. Accordingly, on return of the operating member 48, the member 66 engages the projection 46 and frictionally holds the member 46 and the cam 42 against rotation.

When the lost motion slot 38 is driven a sufiicient distance toengage pin 40, the slot 38 through its engagement with pin 40 begins the rotary movement of the cam 42, drawing aboutment 46 away from the projection 66. Thus, the cam 42 is returned to its starting position with respect to the lost motion plate 36.

As the plate 36 continues to drive the cam 42 through the cycle, the leaf spring 44 will pass under the projection 62, the resiliency of the leaf spring permitting the cam 42 to move through the complete cycle without interference. The cycle is completed immediately after the leaf spring 44 passes under the projection 62 leaving the cam 42 disposed with respect to the operating member 48 for operation of a new cycle.

The control device has application in many home appliances such as dish washers, clothes washing machines, clothes dryers and the like. Obviously, the control device will have application in other arrangements in which a program switch controls a series of operations in a cycle. For this reason, the arrangement of the earns 14, 1:6, 18 and 20 is illustrative only. As indicated above, these cams are fixed to the spindle 26 driven by the motor 28 to rotate with the spindle through a complete cycle. Each cam cooperates with a particular follower 74 pivotally mounted on a pin 76 and spaced from each other and from the frame members and 12 by bushings 78. The followers 74 engage buttons 80 on micro-switches 82 which are electrically connected to the particular circuits operated by the control device. For example, in a dish washing machine, the micro-switches could be connected to the soap dispenser, the water inlet, the heating element, and the drain valve.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed in the above description, what is deemed to be the most practical and eificient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiment as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary cycle control for automatic appliances a starting arrangement comprising, a frame, a spindle rotatably mounted in said frame, start cam means rotatably mounted on said spindle, a disk fixed to said spindle, lost motion means connecting said cam means to said disk, a start switch operable upon rotation of said start cam, a manual st-art member slidably mounted in said frame adjacent said cam means, a lea-f spring fixed at one end to said cam, means at the other end of said spring projecting away from said cam to form an abutment engageable by said start member.

2. A cycle control for automatic appliances comprising, a frame, a spindle journaled in said frame, a motor mounted on said frame for driving said spindle, a plurality of control cams fixed to said spindle, switches mounted on said frame and operably engaging said cams, a starting switch cam rotatably mounted on said spindle, lost motion means connecting said starting switch cam to said spindle for rotation therewith, operating means engageable with said starting switch cam for rotating said starting switch cam with respect to said spindle for operating said starting switch without rotating said spindle, and a leaf spring abutment fixed to said starting switch cam and engageable by said operating member, said leaf spring being depressible by said operating member to permit said switch operating cam to pass said operating member to complete a full cycle.

3. A cycle control for automatic appliances comprising, a frame, a spindle journaled in said frame, a motor mounted on said frame for driving said spindle, a plurality of control cams fixed to said spindle, switches mounted on said frame and operably engaging said cams, a starting switch cam rotatably mounted on said spindle, lost motion means connecting said starting switch camto said spindle for rotation therewith, operating means engageable with said starting switch cam for rotating said starting switch cam with respect to said spindle for operating said starting switch without rotating said spindle, and cooperating abutments fixed respectively to said operating member and said switch operating cam, said abutments being angularly disposed to engage prior to the completion of a cycle to restrain angular movement of said switch operating cam through the angle of said lost motion means, said abutment on said operating member being movable out of the path of said cam abutment upon operation of said operating member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,491,223 Casner Apr. 22, 1924 2,202,149 Gottlieb May 28, 1940 2,309,915 Mulock Feb. 2, 1943 2,536,256 Berg Jan. 2, 1951 2,566,014 Archbold Aug. 28, 1951