US1787427A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

, I ll in Jan.- 6, 1931. J. EQKHARD 1,737,427

WASHING mourns Original Fi led Sept. 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. ECKHARD WASHING cams Jan. 6; 1931.

ori inal Filed Sept 1, 192sv 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' gwue'ntov Patented Jan. 6,1931

uirso- ATES JOHN EoKHAian, OF'BUFFALO, new YonK, ASSIGNOR T STAR LAUNDRY MACHINE CORPORATION, or BUFFALO, new YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK WASHING MACHINE Application filed September 1, 1926, Serial No. 132,952. Renewed May 27, 1930.

This invention relates to a domestic washing -machine for washing clothes and the like, and more particularly to that type of washing machine in which the articles to be washed are placed in a horizontal drum and the drum rotated alternately in opposite directions so as to tumble the clothes about and cause them tobe rubbed by the inside of the drum. I I

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, strong and inexpensive washing machine of this character in which the velocity of the drum increases until it reaches the middle of its period and then gradually decreases until it reaches the end ofits movement, when its rotation is reversed, the velocity of the reverse rotation being varied in the same manner as the original rotation. A further object is to accomplish this alternating movement of the drumrwith little noise and vibration and with minimum wear upon the driving mechanism and the motor operating the same.

Another object is to provide a simple clutch for throwing the drum into and out of operative relation with the driving mesh anism and which permits the drum to be readily removed from the tub.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure v1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the washing machine. Figure 2 is a perspective View of spring arms which move the drum longitudinally and operate the clutch. Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspectivev view of a portion of the driving mechanism. Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44, Fig. 1. Figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism. Figure 6 is a section taken on line 66, Fig. 4:. Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6 showing the rack removed.

J Similar reference numerals refer to the same parts in each of the several figures.

As shown in the drawings, this washing machine is supported by a rectangular frame made of angle irons. his frame comprises four uprights 8 arranged at the corners and forming legs which are supported by casters 9, upper and lower longitudinal bars 10 and 11, extending between these uprights, upper and lower cross bars 12 and 13 between these uprights, and a cross bar 1 1 secured at its opposite ends to the upper longitudinal bars 10 adjacent one end of the machine. This frame is enclosed in part by rectangular side panels 15 which are bounded by the uprights and longitudinal bars, an end panel 16 extending between the uprights and cross bars 12 and 13 at one end of the machine, and a horizontal rectangular panel 17 extending between the cross bars 14 and 12 and the upper longitudinal bars 10 and forming a table on which the clothes can be placed preparatory to wringing them. The end of the machine adjacent the-table 17 is open and may be covered by any suitable closure such as a door (not shown) thereby rendering the driving mechanism below the table accessible. for cleaning, adjustment, or repairs.

The tub 18 in which the drum is rotated and which contains the washing solution is hung from the frame bars 10, 12 and 1 1 and has a semi-cylindrical bottom, and end walls 19 and 20. This tub is preferably made of copper and is supported from the frame in any well known and approved manner. Within this tub is arranged the drum 21 in which the clothes are placed. This drum is preferably made of sheetmetal and provided with the usual 'door 0r closure (not shown) through which the clothes are introduced, and has anumber of holes or openings 22 which permit the washing solution to circulate through the clothes and thoroughly wash them. Adjacent the wall of the tub the drum is provided with a hub 23 having an extended cylindrical bearing portion 24, an'annular flange 25 at its outer end and an axial square socket 26 which receives the square head 27 of a drive shaft 28. This hub is supported by bracket 29 which, as best shown in Fig. 3, comprises a back plate 30 adapted to be secured to the end wall of the tub and a rim 31 which is spaced from the back plate by webs 32- The bearing portion 24 of the hub rests on this rim, and is of sufficient extent to permit the withdrawal of the hub free from the driving head 27, these 1 gages the annular flange or shoulder provided at the end of the hub and thus limitsparts thereby forming a clutch which is actuated by longitudinal movement of the drum to couple and uncouple the drum with the driving mechanism. The bearing rim 31 on thisbracket projects upwardly from the lowermost web 32 and forms a'shoulde'r which en-' the longitudinal movement of the drum and prevents the hub from sliding ofl the bracket and allowing the drum to drop to thebottom' of the tub, which might otherwise occur. It will be noted that the bearing rim '31 is of U form andfl'ared' outwardly atthe top a j suflicient extent to insure the proper positioning of thehub and regardless of how i arm 35 is in the form of a spring armor operating lever extendingalong one side of the tub and bearing against a bracket 36which bracket has recessed portions in which the springarm is held." Suitably secured to the pivotally secured portion 33 of this arm is a spring arm 37 which extends downwardly and isofV' form, thereby forming a hearing which supports a hub 38' secured to-the adj acent end of the drum. This hub is provided with an annular groove 39 in which the 3 spring arm 'is'arranged as shown in'Fig. 1, so that uponmoving the arm, the drumis moved longitudinally and theclutch operated thereby; To couple the clutch, the arm 35 is raised and caught in the upper part ofthe notched bracket'36. This forces the depend ing spring arm 37 inwardly, and when the head 27 of the clutchcomes into. proper register with-the recess 26, the drum is moved longitudinally and the clutch coupled. To

uncouple the clutch, thearm 35" is moved downwardly, and the drum is thereby withdrawn from engagement with the operating mechanism by the outward movement ofthe arm 37. The drum can thenbe readily removed from the tub in order to thoroughly clean the tub by simply lifting the same. The drum can then be replaced, the hub thereof being automatically engaged bythev arm 37, and the bracket 29, the arm 37' being offset inwardly for this purposeas bestshown in Fig. 1. When the drum is coupled .tothe driving mechanism the spring-arm 37 holds it; yieldingly in engagement with thedriving'head, thereby eliminating noise, wear and vibration. 7 V

The drive shaft 28. is journaled in a bearing 40'which is secured vin any'suitable man secured to the drive shaft.

ner to the end wall 20of the tub and adjacent the outer end of this hearing a pinion 41 is The shaft preferably extends to the end of the machine and is journaled in a bearing 42 mounted on a. cross bar 43. The pinion is driven by a rack 44 which 'meshes with the underside of the pinion and is held in engagement therewithby a casing 45, which surroundsthe pinion and rack and'is rotatablyim'ounted on the drive shaft 28. This casing is made of two sections oined by bolts 46 and has a semicircular porti-on in which vthe pinion is arranged, anda lower portion-which forms a guideway 47 which guideway extends through the casing and receives the rack.

On opposite sides of this'guitEway tongues 48 are provided which are slidingly arranged in longitudinal grooves 49 pro- 'vided in the rack'and serve to positively hold the rack in proper mesh with the pinion. This casing operatesto positively hold the rack and pinion in'p'roper mesh and thereby eliminates the objectionable noise andfriction caused by improper spaced; relation between the teeth of therack'and the pinion.

To guard the rack and preventpossible injury to the operator guards-64 are formed integrally with the casing and extendover the rack. V I Y i 6 Adjacent the lower end of the rack a gear housing 50 is mounted on cross bars 51; In

this housing is journ'aled a shaft 52 carrying a gear wheel 53 -and a crank arm- 54arranged outside of the housing. To the outer end of this crank arm is 'pivotally secured a rod 55 which is secured at its upperend to the lower end'of'therack 44 in any'well known and approved manner. The gear 53 is driven by aworm wheel 56 secured to a vertical shaft 57 which shaft extends upwardly through the table'l'? and drives a'wringer (not shown) through which the clothes are run after they have been washed. At its lower end this shaft carries a gear wheel 58 which is driven by va'horizontal'worm gear 59 mounted on a shaft'60. This worm gear is turned by a pulley 61 which is mounted on'the shaft and is. connected'to the operating motor 62 by a belt drive 63. The motoris preferably arrangedon the opposite side of theframe and supported by hangers 65 from the cross bars 51. 1 1

It is apparent that as thecrank arm 54 is slowly rotated by the reducing' -gearing just described, the rack is reciprocated forwardly and backwardly thereby alternately rotating the pinion 41 and the. dru1n21 in oppositedirections. The throw of the crank arm 54* is preferably calculatedto impart about two revolutions tothe drum on each stroke of the rack. It will be noted that the velocity of the drum is varied, the velocity of the drum being greatest during the middle inasmuch as at this time the crank arm 54 is substantially perpendicular to the rack. As the crank arm approaches the end of its stroke, the rate of travel of the rack is decreased and is stopped completely when the crank arm is in parallelism with the rack, at which time the reverse rotation of the drum is slowly started, the velocity increasing as the crank arm reaches the middle of its stroke. By this means the reversal of the rotation of the drum is eflected quietly and with the minimum wear on the driving mechanism.

As a whole, this invention is extremely simple and reliable in operation, is easily 0perated by one having? little mechanical knowledge or skill, and is not liable to get out of order with severe use.

I claim as my invention: 7

In a washing machine, a housing, a tub mounted in said housing, a horizontal drum mounted in said tub, a shaft'arranged axially of said drum and adapted'to rotate the same, said shaft extending through said tub, a pinion fixed to said shaft and arranged adjacent the outer side of said tub and within said housing, a relatively long straight rack meshing with said pinion, a crank arm operatively v connected with said rack and adapted when turned to reciprocate said rack and turn said pinion a plurality of times, means for rotating said crank arm and a casing rotatably mounted on said shaft and supporting said rack in engagement with said pinion, said casing being composed of a body portion arranged between said pinion and tub and having a tongue on the side adjacent he pinion, a cover arranged on the opposite side of the pinion and having a tongue opposing said first named tongue, said rack being provided with grooves on its opposite sides receiving the tongues on the body portion and the cover plate, and bolts securin said cover plate to said body portion, where y upon removing said cover plate said rack can be moved laterally into and out of engagement with said pinion.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

JOHN ECKHARD.

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