US3005328A

US3005328A - Automatic washing machines

Info

Publication number: US3005328A
Application number: US799661A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gehrig Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-03-18
Filing date: 1959-03-16
Publication date: 1961-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-24
Also published as: FR1220400A

Description

Oct. 24, 1961 J. GEHRIG 3,005,328

` AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed March 16. 1959 Tos'efk G EHRlG INV ENTOR B: WMJQYAAj-,Zhiv A 51175 3,005,328 AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Joseph Gehrig, Jacob Burckhardt-Strasse 73,

Basel, Switzerland Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,661 Clalms priority, application Switzerland Mar. 18, 1958 2 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) Two driving motors are often provided for automatic washing machines incorporating a rotary druminto which the linen is to be introduced. Of these motors one revolves at a comparatively slow speed and will be termed hereinafter the oscillating motor, while the other motor revolves at a comparatively high speed and will be termed the spinning motor. The washing motor is 'associated with a reversing or pole-shifting device, the part played by which is to reverse the washing motor and thereby oscillate the washing drum during the washing procedure alternatingly in both directions. A time switch or program-controlled system provides at the end of each Washing operation for an automatic disconnection of the snited States Patent 0 cillating motor and for the energization of the spinning motor with a view to draining the linen inside the washing drum through a high speed spinning movement. If the direction of rotation of the drum does not correspond at such a moment with the direction in which it isV to be driven by the spinning motor, there is a risk of an overstressing of the driving means. It is also possible that the linen collects then to one side of the drum, so that the drum rotates with a considerable eccentricity of its center of gravity, which may lead to further damage.

Now, my invention has for its object a washing machine wherein these dilierent risks are set aside through the fact that the spinning motor is no longer energized for draining the Vlinen as, long. as the direction of rotation of the oscillating motor at the moment consideredY is op posed to that provided by the spinning motor. r

I have illustrated in the single figure of the accompanying drawing a wiring diagram of an embodiment of my invention given by way of exemplication. In said diagram, 1 designates the automatic washing machine, the rotary drum 2 of which is adapted to carry the linen, while electrical heating means 3 incorporated with the machine serve for the heating of the water required for the washing. The washing machine is provided with two three-phase motors, to wit, as already mentioned, an oscillating motor 4 rotating at a comparatively low speed and a spinning motor 5 rotating at a comparatively high speed. These two motors are connected in parallel with the three-phase mains illustrated at R, S, T. There is provided in the connections for each motor a main switch 6, the common control winding for said main switches being illustrated at 7. The oscillating motor 4 is associated with a reversing or pole-shifting switch generally designated by the reference 8 and of which the control member 8a is subjected to the action of a traction spring 9 urging it normally into the position illustrated. It is assumed that this condition of the reversing switch 8 corresponds to the rotation of the oscillating motor 4 in the direction of the arrow x. The direction of rotation of the spinning motor is designated by the arrow y. The switch-controlling member 8a is subjected to the action of a control winding 10 which, when energized, urges the reversing switch 8 in a direction opposing the action of the traction spring 9, whereby the switch enters a position corresponding to the direction of rotation of the oscillating motor 4 illustrated by the arrow y opposed to the preceding direction of rotation.

As mentioned hereinabove, the oscillating motor 4 and, consequently, the rotary drum 2 are rotated during the Washing operation alternatingly in both directions; this is obtained through the fact that the control winding 10 is rice energized at a rhythm corresponding to the desired rhythm of rotary reciprocation of the drum 2. Said winding 10 is inserted in an auxiliary branch circuit fed by the auxiliary circuit ab through the lead 11, switch 12 and further lead 11a. A synchronous motor 14 is furthermore connected through the lead 11, auxiliary switch 16 and lead 13 with the auxiliary circuit ab and it drives a cam 15 providing for the alternating Yclosing and opening of the switch 12 in series with the winding 10, whereby the reversing switch 8 is energized periodically as precedingly mentioned. 'I'he movable member controlling the auxiliary switch 16 in the circuit energizing the synchronous motor is rigid with the member4 controlling the main switches or contactor 6. On the other hand, there is provided a further auxiliary switch 17 in the circuit of the control winding 7 also fed by the auxiliary circuit ab and this auxiliary switch 17 is controlled by a movable control member -rigidly connected with the control member 8a for the reversing switch 8. Said auxiliary switch 17 is inserted in series with a switch 18 controlled by a cam 19. This cam 19 is driven by a further synchronous motor 20 or timer motor which drives also a distributor cam 21 closingeither of two

switches

22 and 23 inserted in parallel in the circuit of the timer motor 20. The timer motor 20 associated with the two

cams

19 and 21 and the cam-actuated

switches

22 and 23 can be considered yas a program-controlled system of which only those parts are shown which are actually of interest for the understanding of the present invention.

The electrical heating means 3 are connected through a contactor switch 24 with the three-phase mains R, S, T. The winding 25 which controls said contactor switch 24 is connected with the auxiliary circuit ab under the control of a thermostat 26 subjected to the temperature of the washing water or of the washingV lye. In one'V of the branch circuits of the circuit for the timer motor 20 there is inserted in series with the switch 23 a further switch 27, the control member of which is rigidly connected with the control member of the contactor switch 24 for the heating means.

I will now describe the operation of the washing machine taking more particularly into account the proposed object, to wit: that of preventing the transfer of the energization from the oscillating motor 4 to the spinning v motor 5 from leading to an initiating draining of the linen before the two motors rotate in the same direction.

As already mentioned, there is obtained, through the switch 12 controlled by the cam 15, a sequence of periodical reversals of the direction of rotation of the oscillating motor through the reversing switch 8. Assuming that the machine is started with the switches in the position shown in the ligure, since the switch 18 has not been closed by the cam 19 the control winding 7 for the main switch 6 is not energized. The switch 16 is thus closed and the synchronous motor 14 is energized to rotate the cam 15, which in turn causes the periodic reversal of the poles of motor 4 through the pole shifting switch 8. If during this time the thermostat 26, due to a drop in temperature in the washing machine should cause control winding 25 to become energized so as to close the heating contactor 24, this will open the portion 27 of the contactor 24. With the cam 21 in the opposite position from that shown, which it would be in for a heating cycle to occur, the timer motor 20 will be in a circuit with the switch 23 and the portion 27 of the contactor 24. With the portion 27 open, the timer motor circuit will be deenergized, and the timer motor will stop until the heating cycle is completed. The timer motor 20 will again start to run when the contactor 24 returns to the position shown, rotating cam 19. The cam 19 provides in its turn the alternating opening and closing of the switch 18. When the latter is open, the winding 7 controlling the main switches 6 is deenergized, so that the latter enters the position illustrated, for which the spinning motor is deenergized and the oscillating motor 4 is energized. At the same time, the lauxiliary switch 16 closes consequently the circuit over the synchronous motor 14, so that the latter runs and the reversing switch 8 reverses periodically the direction of rotation of the oscillating motor 4. The program-controlled system 19-23 ensures at the end of the washing period a closing of the switch 18. If the reversing switch 8 is then, on the other hand, in a position such that the oscillating motor 4 revolves in the direction y, the circuit feeding the winding 7 for the main switches 6 is closed at 17 and 18, so that the main switches 6 are operated, which deenergizes the oscillating motor 4 and energizes the spinning motor 5. Thus, the shifting of energy between the

motors

4 and 5 can be obtained only when the auxiliary switch 17 is closed, that is when the reversing switch 8 is in a -position corresponding to the direction of rotation y for the motor 4, i.e. when the two

motors

4 and 5 revolve in the same direction. For the position thus assumed by the main switches 6, the auxiliary switch 16 is also open and, consequently, the synchronous motor 14 is inoperative and the reversing means 8 are no longer actuated.

After a predetermined duration of draining, the program-controlled system 19-23` opens again the switch 18, which has for its result that the main switches 6 provide again for the shifting of energy from the spinning motor 5 to the oscillating motor 4 together with a reenergization of the reversing means 14--12--10-8.

What l claim is:

1. An automatic Washing machine, comprising in combination a tub having a rotatable drum therein, a low speed motor means which is reversible and connected to said drum for rotating the drum alternately in opposite directions, pole reversing switch means in the electric power supply to said low speed motor means for reversing the power supply to said low speed motor means for reversing the direction of said low speed motor means, a high speed motor means connected to said drum for spinming said drum in one direction at a high speed for centrifugally extracting the washing and rinsing liquid from the wash within said drum, a Ymotor switch means in the electric power supply for said motors and completing the circuit to one of said motors while opening the circuit to the other of said motors, and program timer means connected to said pole reversing switch means and the motor switch means for said 10W speed and high speed motor means for controlling the sequence of the low speed drive and high speed drive of said tub, said program timer means and said pole reversing switch means being connected for moving said motor switch means for connecting the high speed motor means to the power supply and disconnecting said low speed motor means from the power supply only when the direction of rotation of said low speed motor means is the same as the direction in which said high speed motor means rotates.

2. A washing machine as claimed in claim l in which said pole reversing switch means has a make and break contact therein which is closed when the direction of rotation of said low speed motor means is the same as the direction of rotation of said high speed motor means, and said programtimer means having ra cam controlled switch which is closed when said high speed motor means is to be run, said make and break contact and said cam controlled switch being connected in series, and said motor switch means being a solenoid controlled main switch, said make and break contact and said camcontrolled switch being in the solenoid circuit of said main switch, whereby the high speed spinning of said drum in said one direction is started while said drum is moving in said one direction under the action of said low speed motor means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,056,833 Davis Oct. 6, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Germany (Printed Application) P11968 VII/ 8d, Nov. 29, 1956.