US3720936A - Warning signal relay and system - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch is designed to be used in a washing machine to sense an out-of-balance condition of the tub during the spin cycle. The assembly is wired into the washer with the coil in series with the washer motor but the coil is normally shunted by a switch which is self biased to its ''''closed'''' position bridging the coil terminals. In this condition the motor operation is normal. When an out-of-balance tub in a clothes washer bumps the wand projecting from the armature the armature is moved to the core of the coil and actuates the switch plunger to open the switch, thus placing the coil in series with the motor. The relatively high impedance of the coil relative to the motor impedance limits motor current so the motor stops. The A-C supply to the coil causes the armature to vibrate (buzz) giving an audible signal that the washer has stopped due to an unbalanced load. The washer is restored to normal by opening the line switch which deenergizes the coil to thereby release the armature and permit the switch to reclose and restore the coil shunt.

Description

tinited States Patent n91 idalhale et a1.

| 1March 13, 1973 1 1 WARNllNG SKGNAL RELAY AND SYSTEM [75] lnventorszAbedl G. Kahale, Roselle; Kenji Yatsushiro, Chicago; Thaddeus S. Wielgos, Des Plaines, all of 111.

[73] Assignee: Controls Company of America, Melrose Park, Ill.

[22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 177,799

[52] 1.1.S. CL. ..340/261, 200/6145 M, 210/144, 318/460 [51] int. Cl. ..G08b 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..340/261;' 200/52 R, 153 T,

61.45 R, ZOO/61.45 M; 73/66; 318/460; 210/144 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Waugh ..210 144 Primary Examiner.lohn W. Caldwell Assistant ExaminerGlen R. Swann, I11 Att0rney-John W. Michael et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The switch is designed to be used in a washing machine to sense an out-of-balanee condition of the tub during the spin cycle. The assembly is wired into the washer with the coil in series with the washer motor but the coil is normally shunted by a switch which is self biased to its closed position bridging the coil terminals. In this condition the motor operation is normal. When an out-of-balance tub in a clothes washer bumps the wand projecting from the armature the armature is moved to the core of the coil and actuates the switch plunger to open the switch, thus placing the coil in series with the motor. The relatively high impedance of the coil relative to the motor impedance limits motor current so the motor stops. The A-C supply to the coil causes the armature to vibrate (buzz) giving an audible signal that the washer has stopped due to an unbalanced load. The washer is restored to normal by opening the line switch which de-energizes the coil to thereby release the armature and permit the switch to reclose and restore the coil shunt.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WARNING SIGNAL RELAY AND SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to kickout switches for domestic clothes washers. These switches or warning signal relays are designed to be actuated when the washer is subjected to an unbalanced load, causing the tub to oscillate or gyrate beyond desired limits. When actuated, the kickout switch functions to stop the drive motor and also energize a buzzer, giving the user an audible signal that the machine has stopped and the load must be more evenly distributed.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past the most common and successful kickout switch had a pivoted armature normally held away from the core of the relay coil and provided with a wand which was positioned to be bumped by the wash machine tub when it gyrated beyond a desired limit. This, then, would push the armature to the core and at the same time the armature actuated a single pole double throw snap switch which would de-energize the wash machine motor and energize the coil circuit whereby the armature would then beheld against the core of the coil and vibrate at line frequency, that is, it would develop the 60-I-Iertzbu zz, giving the signal to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The construction described in the Abstract eliminates a number of wiring connections, eliminates a double throw snap switch, and considerably reduces cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation of the switch.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view with part broken away to show the switch.

FIG. 3 is an end view with a portion of the terminal and switch housing broken away to show details of the switch.

FIG. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the manner in which the kickout switch is connected in the motor circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An encapsulated coil has elongated terminals 12,14 projecting from one side. A formed resilient switch blade 16 is mounted on terminal 12 and projects down across and up to underlie terminal 14 with the blade contact I8 normally biased against contact carried by terminal 14. The plastic cover 22 is slipped over the terminals until an aperture on the projecting upper surface 24 overlies the center hole in the coil and the key 26 projecting upwardly from the coil is received in a cooperating slot in the upper surface 24. The core 28 tits in the center aperture of the coil with the head of the core resting against the upper surface 24 of the plastic housing 22. The assembly of the plastic housing and coil is assembled to the bracket 32 by passing the assembly through (from right to left in FIG. ll) a cooperating aperture in the end or vertical portion 30 of bracket 32. The core then projects through the bottom 34 of the bracket and the end of the core is peened over as at 36 to retain the coil and plastic housing in proper orientation to the bracket 32.

Plastic plunger 38 fits in a cooperating aperture in the upper surface 24 of the plastic housing so the guide pin 40 passes through a cooperating aperture in the blade 16 and into a cooperating hole in the bottom of the plastic housing, thus constraining the plunger to vertical movement and positioning it so that the shoulder portion 42 will actuate the blade 16 when the plunger is moved downwardly. Normally the plunger is biased upwardly by the self bias of the resilient blade 16.

The armature 44 has one end provided with a T- shaped projection 46 which is received in a slot in the upper portion of the end 30 of bracket 32. The tab 48 is bent under the armature into alignment with the end of the bracket 30 to provide a pivot support and retain the armature connected to the bracket. The armature projects over the core and normally is inclined upwardly by the strength of the self bias of the switch blade acting on the armature through the plunger. A wand 50 has one end turned down to project through the armature and the armature has a tab overlying and bent against the wand at 52 while at the free end of the armature the wand is bent down through the cooperating slot, thus firmly securing the wand. A small non-magnetic rivet 54 is mounted in the armature over the core so as to provide only a small contact area with the core to insure the armature moving away from the core as the -I-Iertz voltage swings through zero and thus insure a good buzz at 60-I'Iertz.

The free end of the wand projects into proximity of the tub in a washer so as to be engaged by the tub should the tub start to gyrate excessively. The washer and the tub in the washer are not shown, this being conventional.

The present kickout switch is wired into the washer as indicated in FIG. 4, that is, the drive motor 56 for the washer and the coil 10 are in series across the linebut are normally shunted by the kickout switch as indicated. When the tub hits the end of the wand the armature is moved down against the core of the coil and at the same time the plunger 38 moves down to move the blade I6 downwardly and open contacts 18 and 20. At this moment the coil 10 is no longer shunted by the switch and the coil therefor is now in series with the wash machine motor 56. The high impedance of the coil compared to the low impedance of the motor effectively limits the current available to the motor and the motor stops while the coil continues to be energized. The armature will now vibrate or buzz at the frequency of the A-C supply.

We claim:

I. A kickout switchfor washing machines comprising:

a coil including terminals and a core member,

a normally closed switch across the terminals to normally shunt the coil,

an armature member,

means interconnecting said members for movement of one to and from the other, means biasing the members apart,

means connecting the armature member and switch whereby the switch is opened when said members are moved together.

2. A kickout switch according to claim 1 in combination with the drive motor of a washing machine, includmg,

an electrical circuit placing said terminals in series with the motor whereby the motor functions normally when the coil is shunted by said switch and the motor stops when the switch opens and the coil is in series with the motor at which time the high impedance of the coil relative to the impedance of the motor limits the current to the motor. 3. A kickout switch according to claim 1 including, a housing enclosing a major portion of the terminals, said switch being located in said housing and comprising,

a blade mounted on one of the terminals and having its free end normally contacting the other terminal,

said connecting means comprising a plunger guided by the housing and acting on the blade,

a bracket supporting the coil and housing,

said armature member being pivoted on the bracket and acting on the plunger to open the switch as said members move into contact.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 in which the housing includes an aperture in alignment with the center of the coil and the core member has an enlarged head overlying the housing and extends through the coil and bracket and the extending portion is peened over to fix the coil and housing to the bracket.

5. A control circuit for a motor comprising,

an electrical motor,

a buzzer including a relay including a coil and a core and having an armature which emits an audible signal when vibrating against the core of the relay coil while the coil is energized by A-C voltage,

saidmotor and relay being in series across an A-C voltage supply whereby the motor stops when the relay is energized due to the motor current limiting effect by reason of the relatively high impedance of the coil compared to the motor impedance,

a switch normally shunting the relay coil and connected to the armature for operation to open position by the armature when an external force moves the armature and the core together.

Dedication 3,720,936.Abed G. Kahale, Roselle, Kenjz' Yatsushz'm, Chicago, and Thaddeus S. Wz'elgos, Des Plaines, I11. WARNING SIGNAL RELAY AND SYSTEM. Patent dated Mar. 13, 1973. Dedication filed Oct. 23, 1973, by the assignee, Gontwls Oompany 0 f Amem'ca. Hereby dedicates to the Public the remaining term of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette Febmary 5, 1974] Dedication 3,720,936.Abed G. Kahale, Roselle, Kenji Yatsushiwo, Chicago, and Thaddeus S. Wielgos, Des Plaines, I11. WARNING SIGNAL RELAY AND SYSTEM. Patent dated Mar. 13, 1973. Dedication filed Oct. 23, 1973, by the assignee, Controls Company 0 f Amem'ca. Hereby dedicates to the Public the remaining term of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette Febmar'y 5, 1.97.4]

Claims (5)

1. A kickout switch for washing machines comprising: a coil including terminals and a core member, a normally closed switch across the terminals to normally shunt the coil, an armature member, means interconnecting said members for movement of one to and from the other, means biasing the members apart, means connecting the armature member and switch whereby the switch is opened when said members are moved together.

1. A kickout switch for washing machines comprising: a coil including terminals and a core member, a normally closed switch across the terminals to normally shunt the coil, an armature member, means interconnecting said members for movement of one to and from the other, means biasing the members apart, means connecting the armature member and switch whereby the switch is opened when said members are moved together.

2. A kickout switch according to claim 1 in combination with the drive motor of a washing machine, including, an electrical circuit placing said terminals in series with the motor whereby tHe motor functions normally when the coil is shunted by said switch and the motor stops when the switch opens and the coil is in series with the motor at which time the high impedance of the coil relative to the impedance of the motor limits the current to the motor.

3. A kickout switch according to claim 1 including, a housing enclosing a major portion of the terminals, said switch being located in said housing and comprising, a blade mounted on one of the terminals and having its free end normally contacting the other terminal, said connecting means comprising a plunger guided by the housing and acting on the blade, a bracket supporting the coil and housing, said armature member being pivoted on the bracket and acting on the plunger to open the switch as said members move into contact.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 in which the housing includes an aperture in alignment with the center of the coil and the core member has an enlarged head overlying the housing and extends through the coil and bracket and the extending portion is peened over to fix the coil and housing to the bracket.

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