US519303A - Washing-machine - Google Patents

Description

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. ERBOR. WASHING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. ERROR.

WASHING MACHINE.' No. 519,303. Patented May 1, 1894.

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ANDREW Eason, or ooPLAY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part lof Letters Patent No. 519,303,'dated May 1, 1894. Application led November 22, 1893. Serial No. 491,653. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, ANDREW Eason, of Coplay,in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in WashihgMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,

My invention relates to an improvementin washing machines, of a type having a rotary clothes agitator operated within a stationary suds box that is provided with stationary rubbers; and has for its objects to provide a novel and superior mechanism for the reversible rotation of the agitator head, a removable rubber frame for the suds box, anda novel folding tub rest for the machine.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the gures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side view on the line 1--1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved machine in the preferred form.

Fig. 2a is a sectional side view of a modilied form of details of construction shown in Figs.

1 and 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the suds box, its lid in part in open adjustment, and other parts loosely secured by the lid.` Fig. t is a transverse sectional view on the line l-4t in Fig. 2. Fig..5 is a longitudinal sectional View, showing a modified form of the actuating gearing; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached view of a portion of the gearing shown in Fig. 5.

The suds box A, is preferably given an elongated rectangular shape, having dimensions suited to `the desired lcapacity for the machine, the parts being secured together water-tight by bolts a, or other means; and legs b are provided to support it. Y

Within the box A a rubber-frame is loosely` iitted, comprising a top boardc and abottom board d, each provided with side strips e. The top and bottom boards are each formed of two pieces secured to the ends of the side strips e and. having their inner edges curved, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. `The rubber strips g, are preferably rounded on their inner surfaces from end to end, and are secured by said ends upon the side strips e, between the inner edges of the parts of the top and bottom boards.V At a proper distance from the incurved edges mentioned, a series of vertical spaced rubber bars h are secured by their ends tothe top and bottom boards c, d, thereby providing transverse rubbing surfaces near each end of the removable frame, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a water space is produced at each side and at the ends of said frame, between it and the inner surface of the suds box A. By making the frame removable the suds box may be readily cleansed.

The lid A of the suds box is hinged by one end to an end wall of the box, as indicated at 'i in Figs. l, 2 and 3, its opposite end extending toward the other end wall of the suds box, so that a dependingledge 7c, that is transversely secured upon the normally lower side of the lid, will rest on the top board and seal the aperture in it when the lid is closed and held in that position' by the turn buttons m, which are oppositely pivoted upon the top edges of the side walls of the box A. The lid A', is perforated at its transverse center, and

a proper distance from each end, to receive and loosely support the agitator head n',

which is centrally apertured in a manner that will adapt it to slide longitudinally of the shaft and be caused to rotate with it, see Fig. 3; a sufficient length being afforded to the shaft portion engaged by the head, to permit the latter to hang near the vertical center of the snds box when free to do so, its removal from the shaft being prevented by shoulders formed on its lower end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. y

\ The preferred form of the mechanism provided to alternately rotate the head shaft n and head n together in opposite directions, comprises a horizontal drive shaft o, that is supported to revolve above the axis of the head shaft by its loose engagement with the upright bracket frames o', that are secured IOO of the suds box for the reception of a crank handle o2, that is attached thereto.

On the shaft o, two disk-like wheels p, are affixed at an equal distance from the center of the shaft fn, and on said wheels there is a curved friction gear segment p', formed on or secured to each one. on its inner face, coincident with the curved edge of the wheel. The friction gear segments p', are semi-circular, and are located at opposite points with regard to the positions of the Wheels on the shaft they are afxed upon. Each gear segment p', is faced with leather, gum fabric, or other suitable material that is firmly secured thereto, and as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4 they are bevel pitched an equal degree.

On the upperportion ofthe shaft n, abevelfaced drive pinion r, is mounted and secured so as to be rotated by the shaft,a key, shown in Fig. l, affording means to connect theY will permit its face to be alternately engaged with the beveled segments p when the pinion is adjusted to effect this. Preferably the friction gear pinion r, is supported on a carrier bar r', which is perforated at its center of length and width to loosely receive the true cylindrical hub of the pinion, the end portions of the carrier bar being engaged on the lower side by the similar rock shafts u, which are bent to project as cranks near their longitudinal centers, the journal ends of the same having a loose engagement with bracket boxes that project from the top surface of the suds box lid A.

Each rock shaft rais furnished with an arm a at one end, which affords means for the` rocking movement of the shafts by their manipulation, and it will be seen that by a rocking adjustment of the shafts u the pinion r may be pressed toward the gear segments p with graduated force, and thus assure the semi-rotation of the shaft n in opposite directions as the drive shaft o, is rotated. The upper end of the shaft n is supported by the perforated arched brace q. The carrier bar fr', may also be supported by the screws r2, that engage their lower ends with the sleeve nuts r3, which are secured in the lid A', a collar r4 on each screw bolt affording a seat for the bar, as shown in Fig. 2*.

On the pinion r, two studs s, are erected, which are placed along the inner edge of the bevel face of said pinion, and separated a proper distance to receive the impinge of two studs t, that are projected one from the inner face of each bevel gear segment p near one terminal of the same, the location of the studs being at opposite ends of the segments.

Between one upright bracket frame o and an adjacent friction gear wheel p, the ratchet cut pinion p3 is secured to the shaft o, or it may be formed integral with said gear wheel, its location permitting the spring pawl p4 to engage the teeth of the pinion, and thus restrict the rotation of theshaft 0 to the direction indicated by an arrow in Figs. 1,2 and 4.

It will be seen that when the drive shaft 0 is revolved by a manipulation of the crank handleo?, and semi-rotary motion is communicated to the vertical shaft 'n alternately in opposite directions, by the successive engagement of the gear segments p with the bevel pinion fr', the studs twill alternately have contact with the studs s, the stud on one segmental gear wheel striking one of the studs on the pinion on its outer side, the stud on the other wheel in a like manner impinging the other vertical stud on the pinion r.

The provision of the isolated studs that have been described, is of great service in effecting a positive reversal of rotary movement, as the momentum of the mass of clothing or other goods, that is being washed in the machine and that is engaged by the proj ecting pins n2, which are parts of the agitator head n', will cause a slip of the gearing at the point of reverse movement, unless aided by the positive action of the stud-like teeth t and s, which serve to transmit motion long enough to insure a complete contact of the friction gearing in each direction of rotary motion.

-In Figs. 5 and 6 the curved bevel gear segments o are toothed, and the pinion r', is also furnished with teeth, so that a meshed engagement of the segment wheels p may be had with the pinion in lieu of africtional contact as is effected by the gears p and r, the studs tand s, being provided for the toothed gearing also, to produce a reliable reversal of -movement of the shaft fn. and agitator head 'n'. The'studs t and s, may be covered with leather or rubber, as shown at f2s in Fig. 6, and thus absorb the shock of sudden contact had between these parts in service. Y

The tub rest B, consists of a light, strong slatted rectangular frame, that is hinged to the end of the suds box toward which the crank handle 02 is revolved, the hinges w being so connected to the frame and box that a portion w of the lower end of the frame will project below the suds box when the latter is horizontally adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1. When so arranged the frame B is adapted to afford a reliable support for a tub or pail, that will thus be sustained in a convenient position to receive washed articles as removed from the suds box.

The tub rest B, may be closely folded against the end wall of the suds box A, and be thereto secured bya hook y, and when so arranged will be out of the Way and afford a handle for the portage of the machine, another handle being fastened to the opposite end of the suds box.

In'use, the introduction of water and a proper detergent material such as soap, along IOO IIO

with the soiled goods that are to be washed, may be readily eected while the lid A', is folded away from over the box A, the replacing of the lid sealing the top of thesuds box and embedding the agitator head n among. the clothing or goods within the box. The rapid reversing rotationof the head n, will communicate a like movement to the clothing or other fibrous material it engages, and cause them to engage with the ribbed sides of the removable rubber frame, andl also with the ribbed bottom of the' suds box around which theframe is placed. The" reversal of movement given to the articles while being washed within the machine, causes the sudswater to forcibly penetrate the goods in different directions, and together with the rubbing ac-A tion of the device on the same, speedily removes dirt and stains from the fabric.

The `soiled suds water may be removed from the box A by removal of a spile z that closes an orifice in one side of the box near the bottom, and if.preferred clean water may beintroduced and the goods be thoroughly rinsed by a rotation of the machine as before explained.

Having thus fully described my invention,`

I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patentl. In a washing machine, the combination with a suds box, and a shaft projecting into the suds box and carrying an agitator, of two wheels on a horizontal shaft mounted on the suds box and having gearsegments on their inner faces, abeveled pinion mounted to slide on the upper end of the shaft carrying the agitator, but to turn therewith, a carrier bar for supporting the said pinion, and means for vertically adjusting said carrier bar, substantially as described. Y

2. In a washing machine, the combination, with the 'suds box, and a shaft projecting into the suds box and carrying an agitator of two spaced segmental driving wheels oppositely fixed on a rotary horizontal shaft, a beveled pinion supported on said shaft between the gear segments and alternately engaged therewith, studs on said pinion, anda stud on each segmental Wheel near opposite terminals, which studs alternately impinge the studs on the beveled pinion, substantially as described.

3. In a washing machine, the combination, with the suds box, two spaced segmental friction gear Wheels mounted on a horizontal rotatable shaft supported on the lid of the suds box, an intermediate upright shaft projecting into the suds box, a slidable head at the lower end of said shaft, and a bevel-faced friction pinion at the upper end of said shaft, of rock arms on the lid, and a carrier bar arranged to press the pinion upwardly when the arms are rocked to lift the bar, substantially as described.

ANDREW ERBoR.

Witnesses: i

H. B. YINGLING, J. O. YINGLIIsrG.

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