US601484A

US601484A - Washing-machine

Info

Publication number: US601484A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1915-03-29

Description

(No Model.)

J. W. SPRUNG. i i WASHING MACHINE.

N0. 601,484. Patented Mar. 29

A'rnNT Prior.-

JOHN W. SPRUN G, OF READING, OHIO.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,484, dated. March 29, 1898. Application filed December 3, 1896. Serial No. 614,341. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. SPRUNG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following -to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The principal feature of my invention comprises a novel combination of devices for simultaneously imparting a reciprocating rotary motion and an up-and-down movement to a rubber-shaft of a washing-machine, the details of said devices being hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure lis a front elevation of a washing-machine embodying my various improvements, portions of the tub and wringer-board being broken away to eX- pose parts that would otherwise be concealed. Fig. 2 is a plan of saidmachine. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the upper part of the tub, said section being taken from thefront ,to the back of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section of a slotted housing mounted upon the tub-lid. Fig. 5 is an axial section of said housing and its attachments, the lid being omitted. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the housing alone. Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan of one of the hinges wherewith the lid is fastened to the tub-cover. Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section showing a bend of a lock-bar engaged vwith a notched shaft of a rubber.

A A' A represent three legs so united near their upper ends by horizontal bars a a a" as to form a triangular frame for supporting the tub or suds-box B, which box is coupled to said frame by hooks and staples b, or other convenient fasteners. Secured upon this tub is a xed cover or top C of the segmental shape seen in Fig. 2, the attachment of these two parts B O of the machine being rendered very durable by a number of clamps c. These clamps engage over the top of the cover and extend down a suitable distance on the outside of the tub, as seen in Fig. 3, screws or nails being used for keeping them in place.

D and E are leaves of a pair of hinges secured upon the fixed cover O, and D E are complementary leaves secured upon a swinging lid F, the pin'tles d e of these devices being fastened to said leaves D E', but being capable of ready withdrawahfrom the other leaves D E.

Projecting vertically from the center of lid F is a tubular housing G, open at bottom, but having at top a cylindrical bore g for the passage of an upriglitshaft, as more clearly seen in Fig. 5. The front wall of this housing is pierced with'a V-shaped slot I'I, and the opposite or rear wall has a similar slot H', these slots being usually traversed by antifrictionrollers I I', journaled upon theend bearings j j' of a cross-head J, the center of the latter l being provided with a Y-shaped slot j", for a purpose that will presently appear. (See Fig. 4.) Furthermore, these cross-head bearings jj have engaged with them curved branches k le of an operating-handle K. L is a wire cord or light chain having one end attached to this handle, while its other end has a hook Z, capable of being engaged over an extension fm. of a lateral bend 'm' at the upper end of a lock-bar M, carried by the cross-head J. This lock-bar is vertical, can be turned around either to the rightor left, and is fastened to the cross-head by means of a collar N and nut N', as seen in Fig. 5.

O is a shaft, Y-shaped in transverse section and adapted to be passed through the slot j of the cross-head, a disk rubber P being attached to the lower end of said shaft. p are cleats or ribs on the under side of this rubber. Again, one of the webs or ribs of this shaft has a series of notches o, with. either one of which is engaged the aforesaid bend m' of the lock-bar M, as seen in Figs. v5 and 8.

R in Fig. 3 is a base-ring'for the housing to rest upon, and r is aneck projecting down from said ring and serving as a guide for shaft O.

Projecting horizontally from the front upper edge of the tub is a shelf S, whose inner edge S is beveled off so as to shed water into said tub, external brackets T being provided to assist in supporting said shelf.

U is a Vvertical board attached to the front of shelf S and adapted to have a wringer applied to it in the usual way. u u' are end braces that connect the shelf S and wringerboard U to the tub. Consequently these parts IOO S, U, and u u form a trough within which is collected the water from the wringing operations. The front edge of lid F is cut away at f to clear this trough attachment, and directly under the edge of said lid is secured to the tub a cleat V, that prevents the escape of suds and steam.

If desired, a bolt W or other fastener may be employed to lock the lid when closed.

X X are handles near the top of the tub, and Y is an outlet-plug near its bottom.

Z in Fig. l is any approved form of ribbed or corrugated tub-bottom, which may be a fixture or it may be detachable from the machine.

The operation of this washing apparatus is as follows: Tub B is rst set upon the triangular frame a a a, and is securely fastened in place by the hooks b, after which act the lid F is opened and said tub is then charged with hot suds. The articles to be washed are next put into the tub, and the lid being again closed rubber Pis adjusted either up or down, according` to the pressure desired. As soon as this adjustment is completed the bar M is so turned around as to cause its bend m' to engage with the proper notch 0 of rubbershaft O, it being understood .that the crosshead J now occupies the eXtreme lower ends or converging points of the V-shaped slots I-I H. Hook l is then engaged over the eXtension m of this bend, thereby raising the free end of handle K about to the angle seen in Fig. l. The operator then grasps this handle, forces it down, and at the same time works it back and forth, the pressure being sufficient to prevent the bar M disengaging itself from the shaft O. Consequently said shaft is securely locked to the cross-head J and must partake of every movement of the latter, and, assuming that the handle K is first swung back, it is evident said head will ride up the left incline of the front slot H and simultaneously ascend the right incline of the rear slot H'. Therefore the shaft is raised a distance about equal to the height of said slots and describes almost a quarter of a circle; but when the handle is pulled completely forward the crosshead first descends one side of the inclined slots and then ascends their opposite side. Hence it is evident that every full sweep of the handle raises and lowers the shaft O and its attached rubber P and causes the latter to have a reciprocating rotary motion within the tub, which combined movements agitato the suds very thoroughly and `renders the washing operation an easy and expeditious one. Again, by mounting a wringer upon a board U at one side of the machine all washed clothes, (itc. can be wrung out quite dry without interfering with the opening of the tub-lid.

The lid can be bodily detached at any time by turning it up to a vertical position and then shifting said lid so far to the left as to cause the hinge-pintles cl e to be drawn out of the fixed leaves D E.

Finally, although I have shown and described the leading feature of my invention as applied to a washing-machine, yet the invention is not limited to such use, butmay be employed wherever it is desired to impart a simultaneous up-and-down and reciprocating rotary motion to any kind of a device or devices.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of a housing having a pair of converging slots; a cross-head traversing them; means for operating said head, and a shaft applied to it, for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a housing having a pair of converging slots; a cross-head traversing them; means for operating said head; and a longitudinally-adj ustable shaft applied to it, for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the housing G, having a pair of V-shaped slots H, H', a slotted cross-head J j", traversing them; a notched shaft O 0, passing through the slot-j,- a rotatable lock-bar M, carried by said cross-head and having a lateral bend m', engaged with one of said notches; and a handle K 7c k', that operates said cross-head, in the manner described.

4. A washing-machine including the tub B, having a bottom Z, fixed top C, and hinged lid F; a housing G mounted upon said lid and pierced with a pair of V-shaped slots Hf H'; a slotted cross-head J j", traversin g them; a notched shaft O o, passing through the slot j, and having a rubber P p attached to it; a rotatable lock-bar M carried by said crosshead, and having a lateral bend fm engaged with one of said notches; and a handle K 7c k', that operates said cross-head, in the manner described, and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SPRUNG. Witnesses:

JAMES I-I. LAYMAN, JOHN C. ROGERS.

IOO