US3726114A

US3726114A - Agitator structure for centerpost agitator washing machines

Info

Publication number: US3726114A
Application number: US00135641A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Ahmad
Original assignee: Westinghouse Canada Inc
Current assignee: Westinghouse Canada Inc
Priority date: 1970-09-14
Filing date: 1971-04-20
Publication date: 1973-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-10
Also published as: CA944574A; AU3171071A

Abstract

A spiral ramp agitator for a centerpost washer is disclosed which has a plurality of small ribbed-shaped protuberances extending from the outwardly facing surface of the vane and generally adjacent the leading edge thereof to provide a dragging effect on the clothes, especially during the rearward portion of the oscillatory cycle of the agitator.

Description

waited seam @fiifili Ahmad 51 Apr. 10, 1973 1 AGKTATOR STRUCTURE FOR [56] References Cited *CENTERPOST AGITATOR WASH-m6 UNITED STATES PATENTS MACWES 2,734,367 2/1956 Geldhof ..68/133 75 Inventor: Bashin- Ahmad, Burlington i 2,741,905 4/1956 Petersen ..68/134 Canada 2,228,057 1/1941 Kirby ..68/134X 2,220,476 11/1940 Conterman ..68/134 73 Assignee; C i W ti h (j D116,978 10/1939 Comer-man ..68/l34 X i o ()ntario Canada et al [22] Filed: Apr- 0, 19 Primary ExaminerWilliaJn 1. Price AttorneyF. H. Henson, E. C. Arenz and F. A. [21] Appl. No.. 135,641 Winans [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Sept. 14, 1970 Canada ..92,990 A Spiral p agitator for a Centerpost Washer is closed which has a plurality of small ribbed-shaped 52 us. C1. ..68/134 protuberances extaming from the Outwardly faeing [51] Int Cl ma 17/10 surface of the vane and generally adjacent the leading [58] Fig. 0%. "68/133 134 g thereof to provide a gg g effect on the clothes, especially during the rearward portion of the oscillatory cycle of the agitator.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures AGI'IATOR STRUCTURE FOR CENTERPOST AGITA'IOR WASHING MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved agitator structure for well known centerpost type washers, and more particularly to such an agitator generally referred to as a spiral ramp agitator.

2. Description of the Prior Art Spiral ramp agitators are well known in the art and are generally characterized by a central post portion projecting above a flared circular base, hereinafter referred to as the bell portion. A plurality of vanes emanates from generally the upper part of the post portion and are spirally contoured so that they progress outwardly and downwardly and terminate in a rather abrupt leading edge joining them to the bell portion. The vanes are joined to either the adjacent outer surface of another of the vanes or the adjacent centerpost portion by a similarly contoured spiral ramp.

Another known prior art centerpost agitator comprises a centerpost having vanes spirally emanating therefrom in a manner similar to that described above but after a relatively short spiral contour, they terminate in rather large radially extending paddle portions, thus resulting, in effect, in a paddle type agitator and not to be included in the term spiral ramp agitator as referred to in the present specification.

As a practical matter, the agitators are molded as a unitary article such that each portion is continuous with mating portions thereby producing no definite line of demarcation and providing a generally overall smooth surface.

The use of such spiral ramp agitator in a washer providing oscillatory motion thereto provides a desirable washing action generally through the torroidal circulation pattern it induces in the water and clothes in the tub; however, it has been found that in some situations (i.e., depending on the clothes load and amount of water etc.) there is a tendency for the clothes to become somewhat bunched. This not only impairs the washing action of the machine, but if the clothes remain in their bunched condition at the end of the wash cycle and at which time they are spun to centrifuge the water therefrom, the tub may be greatly unbalanced and in conjunction with the high spin speed, the machine will be subjected to excessive vibration, causing noise, motor overheating, etc., all of which are generally deleterious to the machine.

It is known to equip such centerpost agitator machines with unbalance switches which terminate the spin cycle during such vibrations. However, as this shuts the machine off, the washing cycle is not completed until the clothes are manually redistributed and the machine again turned on by the operator.

It is easily seen that if some method could be devised to maintain the clothes in a uniformly distributed relationship during the oscillatory washing action of the agitator, not only the washing could be improved but the spin-dry cycles would also be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is characterized by a spiral ramp agitator for a centerpost agitator washer which includes a plurality of generally vertical ribs protruding from the outer facing surface of the spiral vanes, generally adjacent the leading edge, which, during the oscillatory washing action of the agitator, alter the circulation pattern in such a fashion as to reduce the tendency of the agitator to bunch the clothes, thereby improving the washing action and decreasing the unbalance due to the non-uniform distribution of the clothes during the spin-dry cycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the inner tubs of a centerpost agitator washer with the tubs cut away to show the agitator situated therein; and,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the agitator of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the attached drawings, a tub assembly 10 is shown comprising an exterior tub l1 and a basket 12 which is mounted concentrically with the tub and during certain cycles is free to rotate or be driven about a vertical axis. Also mounted concentrically about the axis is agitator structure 13 which may be driven in an oscillatory fashion about the axis during washing cycles. For further disclosure of a washer of this type see U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,847.

The agitator is of the spiral ramp configuration, whereby a series of generally vertical vanes 14 emanate at an angle from the central post portion 15 of the agitator and are contoured to spiral downwardly and outwardly to a flared base or bell portion 16 of the agitator, terminating at a vertical leading edge 17, and generally defining an inner surface 18 facing the post portion and an oppositely facing outer surface 19. A ramp portion 20 is shown extending from the bell portion 16 between a pair of adjacent vanes and subsequently terminating between one vane and the post portion 15 of the agitator.

The outer surface of one vane 14, as shown in FIG. 1, illustrates the protuberances thereon which have been found to produce superior washing and spin-drying results. These protuberances preferably take the form of generally vertical ribs 21 which are molded into the vane during manufacture; however, it is not inconceivable that protruberances of other configurations,

such as dimples for example, could be employed, although such would not be practical to mold unitarily with the vanes and therefore could be secured to the vanes as well the vertical ribs might be, in a variety of other ways.

The improved performances provided by the agitator of this invention is believed to result from the altered action of the agitator on the clothes during the backstroke. A conventional oscillating spiral agitator washes clothes by circulating them within gasket 12 in a resultant generally toroidal motion as described in previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,847. However, the leading edge 17 of the agitator produces a jabbing effect on the clothes during its forward stroke, whereas during the backstroke the edge is less aggressive to the clothes with the resultant effect causing the clothes to become bunched as they circulate.

It is during the reverse portion of the stroke that the ribs of the present invention appear to make their presence felt by providing a surface which in this direction of rotation more closely matches the aggressive nature of the edge during the forward portion. Thus, this slightly altered action of the agitator on the clothes during the backstroke tends to maintain the clothes evenly distributed about the agitator and the slightly altered action during the backstroke tends to maintain the clothes evenly distributed about the agitator.

I claim:

1. A spiral ramp agitator for a centerpost agitator washer having a bell portion forming a base and an integral central post portion, a plurality of generally vertical vanes extending from said central post portion and terminating in an upstanding leading edge substantially adjacent the periphery of said bell portion, each of said vanes defining a continuous spiral configuration throughout their length providing an inner vertically oriented surface generally facing said post portion and an oppositely facing outer surface and wherein the improvement comprises:

means in said outer surface generally adjacent said leading edge providing an area having an irregular surface distinct from the generally smooth characteristic of the remainder of the outer surface of said vane to increase the frictional contact between that area of said vane and the clothes contacted thereby when said agitator is oscillated in said washer.

2. A spiral ramp agitator according to claim 1 wherein said irregular surface is defined by a plurality of adjacent rib means projecting from said outer surface.

3. A spiral ramp agitator according to claim 2 wherein said rib means are integrally molded with said vanes and extend generally vertically.

4. A spiral ramp agitator for washing clothes in a centerpost agitator washer said agitator including a central post portion flared outwardly at one end to form a bell portion providing a base, at least one vertically oriented vane extending in a spiral contour throughout its length outwardly and downwardly from said central post to terminate substantially adjacent the periphery of said bell portion at its outermost extremity in a generally vertically extending leading edge joining said spiral contour and said bell portion, said spiral vane further having an inner surface generally facing said centerpost portion and an oppositely facing outer surface and wherein said outer surface further defines an irregular surface generally adjacent said leading edge to increase the frictional characteristics of that area of the spiral vane.

5. Agitator structure according to claim 4 wherein said irregular surface includes rib means protruding outwardly from said outer surface.

6. Agitator structure according to claim 5 wherein said rib means extend substantially vertically on said outer surface.

7. Agitator structure according to claim 6 wherein said central post portion, said bell portion, and said vane including said rib means, are integrally molded and preferably formed from a high impact plastic or a phenolic resin material.

8. An agitator structure according to claim 7 wherein said material comprises polypropylene.

Claims

1. A spiral ramp agitator for a centerpost agitator washer having a bell portion forming a base and an integral central post portion, a plurality of generally vertical vanes extending from said central post portion and terminating in an upstanding leading edGe substantially adjacent the periphery of said bell portion, each of said vanes defining a continuous spiral configuration throughout their length providing an inner vertically oriented surface generally facing said post portion and an oppositely facing outer surface and wherein the improvement comprises: means in said outer surface generally adjacent said leading edge providing an area having an irregular surface distinct from the generally smooth characteristic of the remainder of the outer surface of said vane to increase the frictional contact between that area of said vane and the clothes contacted thereby when said agitator is oscillated in said washer.