US2974515A - Wobble agitator - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1961 T. R. SMITH EAL 2,974,515

- woBBLE AGITATOR Filed Feb. 4, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l RMU /og /oe A@sa n.8/ /03 mmutot www @.smfrn Gnarles mnd 2% j March 14, 1961 T. R. sMn-H ETAL woBBLE AGITATOR Filed Feb. 4, 1957 f5 sheets-sheet s Thomn March 14, 1961 Filed Feb, 4,v 1957 T. R. SMITH ETAL woBBLE AGITATOR,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,uvenlor Thomas Q. Sm'h :ff @harley WV. @uvm cmd @Rl'l'orngg United States Patent WOBBLE AGITATOR Thomas R. Smith and Charles W. Burkland, Newton, Iowa, assignors to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 4, 1957, Ser. No. 638,126 8 Claims. (Cl, 63l31) This invention rel-ates to an improved wobble type agitator for clothes washing machines.

Unlike the conventional oscillatable or reciprocable type agitators, this agitator requires no complex or expensive motion converting mechanism to convert the rotary movement from 'a power source into the desired agitator movement. While the wobble type agitators have been known for some time, few have been satisfactory for domestic washing machines due to the fact that they produce clothes tangling and insufficient washing action. In the use of the wobble type agitators disclosed hereinafter, a washing action is produced in which a vigorous but controlled agitation of clothes is achieved without the undesirable clothes tangling previously encountered with such agitators.

In the two constructions illustrated in this specification, the agitator assembly is produced by journalling tbe inclined terminal portion of a revoluble bent drive Shaft in a truncated sphere forming the base member for the agitator. A connection between the clothesreceptacle and the agitator allows the latter member to produce a wobbling movement but prevents it from rotating relative to the clothes receptacle during rotation of the drive shaft. A bellows seal formed substantially in a spherical segment is connected between the truncated periphery of the base member Iand the clothes receptacle to prevent clothes from working beneath the agitator and to cooperate with the base member to form a sphere the center of which forms the pivotal point of the agitators wobbling movement. This spherical formation minimizes the tendency of clothes and water to rotate with the revoluble drive shaft and consequently eliminates the clothes tangling problem especially encountered with previous types of wobble agitators incorporating wobbling centerposts. By placing an upstanding n on the top of the truncated base member, a rigorous washing action due solely to Wobbling movement of that lin is achieved. In a second embodiment of my invention a second iin is added to the top of the base member in addition to an upwardly flared skirt which is connected to the base member near its truncated edge. Washing action for this latter embodiment is then produced by the cooperation of the ns and the ared skirt.

ln both agitator constructions disclosed hereinafter the generally spherical agitator base formation permits a washing action to be produced primarily by the agitator means carried on the sphere rather than by movement of the sphere itself. This is an important difference between these disclosed agitators and those of the prior art which produced clothes tangling by reason of their wobbling base construction regardless 'of the presence or absence of any tins or vanescarrried on these agitators.

The spherical formation of the base portions of these respective agitators not only eliminates a major portion of the rotating component caused by the rotating drive shaft but also spaces the clothes away from the wobble plate agitator and thereby prevents them from wrapping around that agitator. The wobble action of the agitator j 2,974,515 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 fin physically scrubs and lifts the clothes through the water and also produces vigorous circulating currents which iiow through the clothes across the top of the agitator in an erratic crisscross action without twisting, tangling or wrapping the clothes -around the agitator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a washing machine incorporating one embodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view, partially broken away, taken on line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view, partially broken away, taken along line '4-4 of Figure 1 showing the combination coverlter for the machine shown in Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the preferred positioning of the combination filtercover during the loading operations of the washing machine shown in Figure l.

Figure 6I is a plan view of an agitator incorporated in a second embodiment of our invention; and

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation, similar to that of Figure 2, showing the connections to the agitator shown in Figure 6. f

In the accompanying drawings thereV is shown a base frame member 10 mounted on adjustable feet 11 and provided with a supporting truncated dome 12 rising out of a centrally located concave depression 13 in 'the base frame 10. Dome 12 serves as a mounting for a drive assembly 14 such as that disclosed in the John D. GoodlaXson application Serial No. 505,231, filed May 2, 1955, and assigned to the same assignee as that of the instant application.

Base frame member 10 also supports the upended reversible motor 15 and water pump 16 which like drive assembly 14 is driven by motor 15 through belt 17 on thev under side of the base frame 10. Numeral 19 designates the groove of pulley 18 which serves fas the input member for drive assembly 14.

Cabinet 21, attached to and enclosing base frame 10 together with the drive and tub assemblies supported thereby, is provided at its upper end with a depending flange 22 defining an access opening to the washing machine apparatus which is normally covered by the door panel 24.

Dome 12 is provided with a number of friction pads 26 on its periphery adjacent the opening 27 formed in the uppermost portion of that dome. An umbrella-like damper member 28 rests on these friction pads 26 and is provided with three equally spaced ears 29 for the three centering springs 31 attached to base frame 10 by brackets 32 on the latter member. support member 28 on dome yl2 and restrains it from rotation.

Threaded into the support member 28 is a. member 34 of substantially frusto-conical configuration which serves as a housing for drive assembly 14 of the previously identified GoodlaXson application Serial No. 505,231. Housing member 34 cooperates with the damper support member 2S by gripping the outer race of a thrust bearing 35 which -is provided with a tapered inner race.v

Mating with and seated in this tapered inner race of theV This arrangement centers` While the details of the Goodlaxson drive assembly forming the basis of the previously identified application Serial No. 505,231 are not essential to the construction of the instant invention, its operation can be briefly explained -for environmental purposes. Upon energization o-f motor 15 in a direction to rotate the pulley 18 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the bottom of Figure l, power shaft 38 is rotated in this same direction while spin shaft 37 is held against rotation by appropriate braking mechanism within housing 34. Upon reversal of motor 15, spin shaft 37 is released for rotation to allow both shafts 37 and 38 to be spun in unison in a clockwise direction.

With the drive and support construction set forth above, it can be seen that shafts 37 and 33 may be selectively rotated as determined by the direction of rotation imparted to pulley 18 while permitting their nutation about a vertical axis at all times. In the modification set forth in the -accompanying drawings, shafts 37 `and 38 nutate on a point determined by the intersection of the axis of rotation with the plane bisecting groove 19 of pulley 18.

Support member 28 is provided with three upstanding lugs 41 of channel-like cross section spaced equally from each other and alternately around member 28 with respect to the spring anchor ears 29. Fastened within the grooved lugs 41 by means of connectors 42 are the three tub base members 43 which extend upwardly and outwardly from umbrella support member 28 to join the nonrotatable tub 44 through tub connectors 45.

Tub 44 is provided with a bottom wall 47 in which is formed a C-shaped gutter 48 having its lowermost portion converging into the drain outlet `49 which in turn communicates with water pump 16 through the exible drain hose 51. Tub 44 is also provided with an imperforate cylindrical side wall 52 which joins and supports a tub crown 53 provided with an 'access opening 54 aligned withthat opening defined by the depending cabinet ange 22.

Referring now to Figures l and 2, it can be seen that spin tube 37 extends upwardly from drive assembly 14 through a porous sintered metal bearing 56 which is supported by a steel sleeve 57 having its outer periphery bonded to a rubber mounting sleeve `58. Rubber sleeve 58 is maintained in an upright position by a squeeze lit in the centrally located opening formed by the upstanding flange `59 formed in the bottom wall 47 of tub 44. Rubber sleeve 58 permits bearing 56 to align itself with spin tube 37 and is provided with grain grooves 61 of L- shaped cross section as shown in Figure 2 to provide for seepage from tub 44 in case of seepage through or around bellows seal 72.

The lower portion of rubber sleeve 58 forms an oil reservoir 62 filled with oil saturated wicking 63 which contiguously encircles the lower end of the porous bearing 56 to constantly lubricate the bearing surfaces between spin tube 37 and bearing 56.

Aixed to the upper end of spin tube 37 by-means of cross pins 65 is the basket carrier member 66 which is provided with a mounting stem 67, a tapered tub supporting flange 68 and a depending annulus 69. The lower end of annulus 69 defines a bearing surface abutted by the carbon nose ring 71 which is sealed to and forms a part of the boot seal 72 clamped to the outer periphery of the tub ange 59. Nose ring 71 is pressed upwardly into sealing engagement with annulus 69 by means of the coil spring 73 which is mounted concentrically within boot seal 72.

Mounting ange 68 provides a support for the clothes receptacle or basket 75 which is provided with a bottom wall 76 having a central reentrant portion formed with a contour mating substantially with that of its supporting flange 68. Bottom wall 76 terminates in an inwardly directed horizontal liange 77 defining an opening to receive the mounting stem 67 of carrier member 66.

Clothes receptacle 75 is wedged against carrier ange 68 by means of the clamp washer 81 which has a contour simil-ar to that of the central reentrant portion of basket 7-5. Clamp washer 81 is provided with an upwardly rolled peripheral edge which facilitates removal of washer 81 from receptacle 75 and prevents its gouging the surface of basket bottom wall 76 once this receptacle mounting structure is assembled. The rolled peripheral portion of clamp Washer 81 also serves as a seal anchoring member as will be more apparent hereinafter. Clamp washer 81 is urged downwardly against the central reentrant portion of bottom wall 76 by means of the large nut 82 threaded'on the mounting stem 67. Since in actual practice the inner tub or basket is porcelain enamelled, a cork gasket (not shown) is used between the mounting ange 68 andthe contacting portion of bottom wall 76 to provide a watertight seal for basket 75 and to assure a more uniform loading between these parts.

Basket bottom wall 76 is provided with holes 83 arranged in a circular pattern at its lowermost portion to provide a means for heavy sediment shaken loose from fabrics during the washing operation to pass into the outer tub 44. Basket 75 is also provided with a perforate cylindrical side wall 85 to facilitate separation of iiuid from fabrics during the centrifuging operation. Side wall 85 is provided at its uppermost end with a concerte inertia ring 86 cast between an inturned terminal portion of side wall 85 and the encompassing hoop 87 attached to that side wall.

lThe upper end of spin tube 37 is provided with a bearing 91 which is maintained in place within tube 37 by means of cross'pins 65. Bearing 91 journals the agitator power shaft 38 and serves as a seat for the thrust collar 92 pinned to shaft 38 by means of the cross pin 93 to thereby prevent any downward axial movement of that power shaft.

lShaft 38 includes an upper terminal portion 39 which bends slightly from the vertical as it protrudes past the upper endv of spin tube 37. In practice, shaft portion 39 has been bent less than 10 from the vertical axis with 71/2 being the preferable angle used. This bent portion 39 of shaft 38 is received within needle bearings 95 retained within the hardened sleeve 96 contained by the cylindrical hub 97 of wobble agitator 100. While not shown in either of the `Figures l or 2, it may be dcsirable to positively limit axial play of agitator 100 relative to shaft portion 39 by placing an additional thrust washer between the end of shaft portion 39 and its mating recess in hub 97.

Wobble agitator 100 includes an inverted truncated sphere 101 which forms the hemispherical base member of the agitator 100 and provides access to the connections to its cylindrical hub 97. To this hemispherical base member 101 is attached a wing-like upstanding fin or vane 102 which serves as the clothes agitating means for this embodiment of our invention. The lower edge of the truncated sphere 101 is aixed to the upper end of a flexible bellows member 103 which, while having a number of convolutions to accommodate wobbling of member 101, is formed substantially as a spherical segment and has its lower end snapped around or wedged beneath the outwardly projecting peripheral edge of clamp washer 81 to prevent clothes from working under agitator 100. With the lower end of the clothes shielding bellows member 103 anchored beneath clamp washer 81, the hemispherical base member 101 cooperates with bellows member 103 to form a substantially roundish,

' spherical or globate base portion for agitator 100.

tively, which cause clamps 105 and 106 to extrude a pontion of sleeve 104, which in practice has been of rubber, into these respective recesses when clamps 105 and 106 are tightened. This arrangement restrains agitator 100 from rotation with center shaft 38 during rotation of the latter member. In addition, sleeve 104 limits axial movement of agitator 100 relative to shaft portion 39 while providing ia watertight seal for the central drive shaft structure. It should be noted that while bellows member 103 functions primarily as a clothes shielding element and sleeve 1014 as a shaft `seal and anchoring element, it is within the spirit of this invention to perform all of these functions through the use of a single member similar to member 103 land having its opposite ends sealed to sphere 101 and basket 75 or its adjoining mounting structure.

This invention further comprehends the modification in which bellows member 103, or its equivalent, is either not anchored to tub wall 76 or is apertured to provide drainage from Within member 101 While still performing the clothes shielding function. l

Mounted above agitator 100 in access opening 54 is the combination cover tand filter generally indicated by the arrow 110. Cover iilter 110 is of two parts, the iirst being a transparent cover portion 111 to which is aixed knob 112, and the second beingl the cooperating iilter 113 provided with numerous small holes 114. Cover 111 and lter 113 are maintained together by snap connections at their adjoining peripheries to provide a simple and easy way to separate these parts for cleaning lilter 113. Filter 113 is provided with a large centrally located opening 11S located directly above agitator 100 to lter out lint and sediment laden water which, depending upon the water level above agitator 100, rises upwardly from agitator 100 during its operation.

In operation, tub 44 is preferably filled with wash water through ll spout 116 (Figure 4) to a level approximately an inch or so above vane 102 to obtain the most satisfactory washing results. Upon the energization of the machine by a control circuit (not shown), the rotation of drive pulley 14 by motor 15 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the bottom of Figure l causes spin shaft 37 rand basket 75, to which it is 1mitarily connected by the `disclosed connections to that basket, to be braked by appropriate braking mechanism within housing 34 while the power shaft 38 rotates in a counterclockwise direction. This produces relative movement between shaft 38 and basket 75 and causes agitator 100 to move in 'accordance with the motions imparted to it by the bent portion 39 of power shaft 38.

Rotation of agitator shaft 38 causes its upper bent portion 39 to describe an inverted cone of revolution with its vertex located at the point at which shaft 38 is bent. Since the hub 97 of Iagitator 100 journals this bent shaft portion 39, its longitudinal axis also generates an inverted cone of revolution but due to its anchorage to basket 75, wobble agitator 100 is restrained from rotation with sha'ft 38 and therefore produces a wobble `action instead.

During Athis wobbling action of agitator 100, various points on the base member 101 generate loci of different shapes and sizes, a study of which aids in the determination of the formation of the precise agitating means to be placed on that base member. It will be seen that any point lying on `the longitudinal axis of shaft portion 39 generates a circle located on a horizontal plane and having a diameter determined by the distance of that given point from the point at which shaft portion 39 bends from shaft 38 as well as a degree of angularity of shaft portion 39 itself. in contrast, Iany point lying in the plane perpendicular to shaft portion 39 at its intersection with shaft 38 (the equator or great circle perpendicular to the axis of shaft portionv 39) will move in a vertical iigure eight pattern hav-ing such slight lateral looped dimensions as to practically forma straight verti- 6 cal line. Points lying on base member -101 between the top and that equator of member 101 form inverted teardrop figures which are rather thin near the equator and which rapproach a circular form near the upper part of that base member.

These various loci are substantially located in the planes perpendicular to a straight line drawn between the bend in shaft 38 (point of nutation or center of wobbling movement) and the point chosen to describe a particular locus of points during thc wobbling movement of agitator 101. These working planes in which the various points move are generally vertical for those points located on the equator of member 101 and horizontal for the point at the top of that base member. The planes for the remaining points between these extremes are located between the vertical and horizontal according to their positioning on the truncated sphere 101.

From this brief description of the movement of the various points on a sphere having its radii intersecting at the point of notation of that sphere, it can be seen that fins, vanes or other working surfaces formed on this sphere and projecting therefrom will tend to produce the greatest water agitation if the points on those vanes or tins move at right angles to their respective Working planes. An agitator not shown but shaped according to this theory would include one in which the sphere carried a spiral vane or vanes which were perpendicular to the top center of the sphere and which remained perpendicular to the sphere but twisted into a horizontal position as the Vanes approached the equator of the sphere.

While the location of the various agitation members on the sphere can be chosen according to this method of analysis of the movement of the various points on the sphere itself, other factors, including the wobbling speed and the tendencies for water rotation Within the tub, water splashing from the tub and clothes tangling on projecting vanes, also affect the agitator construction. For example, to reduce water rotation produced by the undulation of a horizontal blade or iin at the equator of member 101, the size of the blade may be controlled to limit the magnitude of its effect or the blade itself may be shaped o1' canted in different ways to produce forces opposing the rotation of the water.

To reduce water splashing from the tub through the upper access opening, the size of the iin extending above base portion 101 can be decreased to eliminate the wobbling ishtail action causing the splashing of the water from the tub in case some form of cover is not used for that access opening. The amount of water rising from agitator 10d is also controlled by regulating the'amount of water covering vane 102. To reduce clothes tangling, vane 102 may not only be prevented from gyrating in a wide circle by controlling the angularity of portion 39 relative to shaft 33 but may be rounded to further reduce the possibility of clothes catching on that vane or its equivalent.

Since the radius of curvature of the hemispherical base member 101 is equal to the distance from any point on its outer spherical surface to the vertex of the inverted cone of revolution described by the bent portion of the revolving shaft 38, base member 101 turns within its surrounding fluid without `creating any rotational or disturbing forces on that fluid except for those forces produced by the frictional drag on the spherical portion per se as formed by parts 101 and 193.

However, the upstanding wobbling vane 102 which, in lthis embodiment is symmetrically mounted at right angles to the hemispherical base member 101, produces a vigorous churning action around that vane. Clothes iioating across the top of vane 102 rise and fall rapidly as the upper edge of that vane comes into contact with them during the rapid rotation of shaft 3S. In practice, this rotational speed of shaft 38 has been equivalent to the desired fluid extraction speed during the subsequent centrifuging processes which has resulted in this shaft being rotated at speeds exceeding 600 r.p.rn. which have proved to be high enough to produce adequate clothes agitation. While lower rotational speedsv of shaft 3S may be used to produce desirable washing actions, speeds as low as 50 c.p.m. as used in conventional oscillating type agitators have not produced satisfactory results.

In addition to being lifted and scrubbed by their contact with vane 102, the clothes are thoroughly ushed in the churning action which causes liuid currents to rise from agitator 100 to be forced downwardly along the inner periphery of basket 75 before rising again in the central area of that clothes receptacle. Clothes subjected to the action of these strong lluid currents tend to follow these circulating paths within the clothes basket 75 but, due to the wobbling speed of agitator 100, lag sufficiently behind those uid currents to crisscross erratically above the top of agitator 100 to be thoroughly cleaned by this vigorous churning action.

In addition to these actions, wobbling vane 102 produces rapid pulsations corresponding in number to the rotational speed of shaft 38 to be imparted to the fluid retained in tub 44. These short pulsations also aid in the separation of soil and other impurities from fabrics retained within basket 75.

Furthermore, if vane 102 is covered by only an inch or so of water, agitator 100 performs the additional function of providing a pumping means for flowing the washing fluid through the filter 113 mounted in access opening 54. The rapid churning of vane 102 causes a fountainlike geyser of fluid to rise upwardly through the centrally located opening 115 against the transparent cover 111 which deects and dituses the water outwardly over the filter 113 which retains lint and lighter sediment while allowing the washing fluid to pass through the -lter holes 114 and drain back into tub 44. Cover 111 thus allows the operator of the machine to watch the various stages of the washing operation and apprises the operator of the presence of lint and other foreign matter retained by lter 113.

The two-piece filter cover 110 can be easily cleaned by separating the cooperating snap connections at the periphery of parts 111 and 113. Cover 111 may be separated from filter 113 and used alone to cover access opening 54 without the use of lter 113 if so desired due to the identical taper of the peripheral anges of parts 111 and 113. Filter cover 110 may be removed from access opening 54 and supported on lid panel 24 as shown in Figure 5 when clothes are loaded into or removed from basket 75.

During the centrifuging action following the agitation period, motor 15 is reversed causing pulley 18 to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed from the bottom of Figure l, This causes shafts 37 and 38 to rotate in unison in that same direction and thereby eliminate relative movement between agitator 100 and basket 75 to produce a centrifuging action in a conventional manner through the perforate cylindrical side wall 85 of basket 75.

Agitator 100 in this embodiment is formed with a symmetrical iin extending completely across the top f the spherical agitator base 101. This vane may also take the form of a single vane offset from the axis concentric to the cylindrical hub 97 or may be a number of vanes which may or may not intersect each other. The six and one-half inch diameter sphere used within the twenty-one inch diameter clothes receptacle in the actual construction of the illustrative machine spaces the clothes away from the center of the wobbling movement and has proved useful in preventing clothes from wrapping around vane 102 while also reducing the detrimental rotational component previously attributable to wobble type agitators.

While not shown in the accompanying drawings, a modified structure within the spirit of this invention would be that formed by the cooperation of the truncated sphere 101 with a relatively stationary frusta-conical or cylindrical element similar in function to bellows 163 and connected between base member 101 and the basket bottom wall 76 within the confines of holes 83. In that construction base member 101 would not produce clothes rotation and the modified element connected between members 76 and 101 would not materially move the water in a pumping action as is characteristic of some wobble agitators.

A second illustrated embodiment of our invention is shown in Figures 6 and 7. The plan view of this modified agitator 200 in Figure 6 shows the upper surface of the truncated base member 201 as being provided with two intersecting vanes 202 mounted perpendicular to base member 201 in a manner similar to the agitator construction shown in Figures 1 5. In addition to being provided with the additional vane, base member 201 is provided with an upwardly flared skirt 203 which is connected to base member 201 at the equator or region of greatest diametric extent of the hemispherical member 201 (due to the truncation of member 201). Skirt 203 therefore is connected to hemispherical member 201 at the plane passing through the lowest tips of vanes 202 and has its outer surface contoured to follow the lower edges of these vanes as apparent from Figure 7.

Like the embodiment of Figures l-5, the agitator 200 in Figures 6 and 7 is i'ltted with a spherical segmental bellows clothes shielding member 205 which prevents clothes from working beneath the agitator and which cooperates with member 201 to form a substantially globular or spherical base assembly to minimize clothes and water rotation during the wobbling movements of agitator 200. The upper end of bellows member 205 is snapped into the annular groove 207 formed in member 201 while its thickened lower edge is snapped over the upturned edge of clamp washer 81.

While part of the assembly shown in Figure 6 is identical to that of Figure 2 and is accordingly indicated as such by identical reference numerals in Figures 6 and 7, the agitator assembly of Figure 6 provides a different method for restraining hemispherical member 201 from rotating relative to clothes basket 75.

The upper terminal portion of mounting stem 67 is provided with a plurality of holes 211 positioned concentrically to shaft 38 with their axes parallel to each other and to that of the latter shaft. These holes 211 receive the yieldable agitator restraining pins 212 preferably formed of plastic in a one-piece construction with the flat washer-like ring 213 which interconnects all of pins 212. Pins 212 are received in mating holes 214 of the bearing retainer 216 which serves as the agitator mounting stem for base member 201. Holes 214 are deep enough to provide end clearance for pins 212 to accommodate the wobbling movement imparted to bearing retainer 216. The pins 212, which may also of spring steel, etc., are rigid enough to resist the torsion created by the tendency of bearing retainer 216 to rotate relative to mounting stern 67 but are flexible enough to permit a wobbling movement of bearing retainer 216 relative to mounting stern 67. Bearing retainer 216 houses needle bearings which receive the bent portion 39 of shaft 38 in a manner identical to that of the embodiment of Figures 1-5.

A watertight seal between parts 67 and 216 for protection of the central shaft structure is produced by the bulbous seal member 217 which is pressed into grooves 218 and 219 by the encircling clamp members 221 and 222, respectively, in a manner similar to that employed in the tirst embodiment of this invention. However, unlike sealing member 104 in that tirst embodiment, sealing member 217 takes practically no torsional stress due to the use of pins 212 and consequently may be of thinner stock since its primary function is to seal parts 67 and 216 together.

The top central portion of bearing retainer 216 s drilled and counterbored to receive the thrust washer member 225 which receives the shouldered screw 226 navigue which in turn is threaded into the end of shaft portion 39 with its shoulder seated against shaft portion 39 so as to provide a positive clearance between the head of said screw 226 and the shaft 39 for Washer member 225. Washer member 225 is in turn provided with a projecting lug (not shown) which engages a mating slot (not shown) in bearing retainer member 216 so that relative movement occurs only between the top surface of washer member 225 and the lower surface of the head of screw 226 during rotation of shaft 38.

The upper end of bearing retainer member 216 is provided with four equally spaced kerfs 228 cut in the upper end of that member. These kerfs 228 receive four mating male Webs or fillets 229 formed integrally with member 201 at the base of the bore 231 which receives bearing retainer member 216. This construction prevents the hemispherical base member 201 from rotating relative to bearing retainer member 216 during the rotation of shaft 33.

In order to anchor base member 201 on bearing retainer member 216 after member 201 has been slipped over the latter member, an annular recess 233 is provided in member 216. This recess 233 carries an eX- pansable O-ring seal 234 whose periphery presses outwardly into a mating annular groove 235 once base member 201 has been slipped into place over bearing retainer 216. This construction seals members 201 and 216 together while preventing axial displacement of base member 201 relative to bearing retainer 216 during the rotation of shaft 38. It also provides a quick method of disassembling this agitator assembly by allowing ready access to the central shaft structure once the clothes shielding bellows member 205 has been unsnapped from either clamp washer S1 or base member 201 and the latter member removed from bearing retainer 216.

In operation, this second embodiment functions similarly to that of the first embodiment. Rotation of shaft 38 and bent portion 39 causes a nutational movement of the torsionally restrained bearing retainer member 216 to take place relative to the point of intersection of shaft 38 and its bent portion 39. During this movement member 216 is restrained by pins 212 from rotation relative to mounting stem 67 but is free to follow movement of shaft portion 39 by reason of the slight flexing of pins 212 during their movement in holes 214.

This nutational movement of bearing retainer member 216 causes the hemispherical base member 201 to produce the desired wobbling movement of the agitator 200 together with a flexing of sealing member 217 and clothes shielding bellows member 205 in a movement similar to that of the first embodiment. This wobbling movement takes place about the point of intersection of the radi-i of base member 201 which coincides with the point of intersection between shaft portion 39 and shaft 38.

The wobbling movement of base member 201 is also imparted to its peripheral flared skirt 203, which by reason of its structural formation dips downwardly into the washing fluid and imparts an upwardly directed force to the fluid cupped Within its contines. This tends to force the water upwardly toward thepupstanding blades 202 which create a vigorous churning of the washing fluid at the region `around and above the upper portion of agitator 200. If agitator 200 is covered with only an inch or so of water, this wobbling movement of agitator 200 generates a rising jet or -geyser of fluid which passes through filter assembly 110 to filter the washing fluid similar to the yaction produced by the first agitator embodyiment. This fountain eiect is dimished, however, as tub 44 is filledA above this level. This fountain action can therefore be controlled by control of the water level as well -as by the energy input and the construction and elevational positioning of the agitator 200 within the tub.

The churning of the Washing fluid also creates vigorous fluid currents which emanate from vthe upper region of the lagitator 200 and flow outwardly toward and down- Wardly along the side wall into the lower reigons of the clothes receptacle 75 to be subsequently moved upwardly again in the central region around agitator 200. The clothes retained within clothes basket 75 tend to follow these currents to some degree but because of the many cross currents set up by the high speed wobbling movement of agitator 200, they move in erratic paths as they are subjected to the numerous fluid currents passing in, `around and through them. `Fabrics flowing across the top of `agitator 200 are quickly moved to the outer regions of basket 75 by the churning and scrubbing action produced by vanes 202 to produce a constantly moving mass of fabrics within receptacle '75.

While the fabrics retained within basket 75 during the wobbling movement of agitator 200 are subjected to iluid impulses, churning, scrubbing and flushing a manner similar to that produced by the agitator shown in Figures 1-5, the flared skirt 203 not only aids in producing an upwardly directed flow pattern in the center of basket 75 but also facts as a clothes deflector to prevent clothes from tending to wrap or tangle around vanes 202 during their upward movement toward the surface of the fluid retained within tub 44. This clothes deflection action by skirt 203 is made possible by the smooth outer surface of that skirt which yfollows the contour of the edges of vanes 202. The rapidly moving vanes 202 cooperate with skirt 203 to maintain agitator 200 free of fabrics passing through, above and alongside it.

The intersecting vanes 202 also act as a damping means to prevent fluid currents from rotating water or clothing within basket '75. Water tending to flow in the same rotational direction `as shaft 38 is splashed in the opposite direction by vanes 202 and produces additional erratic fluid currents acting on the fabrics moving about agitator 200.

Each of the two embodiments illustrated herein utilizes a generally dome-like hemispherical base member in cooperation with a bellows seal to form a substantially spherical base portion to prevent rotation of the clothes and water surrounding it. This allows the production of a controlled agitation of these fabrics inasmuch as the agitation produced by these two wobble agitators is primarily 'dependent upon the fins and skirt mounted on their respective spherical base portions rather than upon the shape of these base portions themselves. While each of these modifications utilizes a different 4anchoring means to prevent its rotation relative to the clothes receptacle it should be apparent that the shape of the agitator is not dependent upon the specic type anchoring means used land that either of the agitator configurations disclosed may be used with either of the disclosed anchoring devices.

In the first embodiment in which a single vane is used, the shape of the base member is extremely important in preventing water and clothes rotation. yIn the second embodiment which utilizes a pair of vanes and a skirt, the surface area on the base member not devoted to agitation (the nonworking surface areas) is decreased over that of the first embodiment so that slight deviations from the hemispherical form of the base member 20'1 as shown could be tolerated more easily than would be the case in the first embodiment which has `a relatively large exposed nonworking surface area. In addition, the addition of the second vane in the second embodiment also provides an Iadditiona-l damping means to reduce any tendency of water and clothes rotation within basket 75. It therefore should be apparent that while the basic spherical form for the base portion represents the ideal construction upon which various vanes, fins, skirts and other agitator means may be mounted to achieve a controlled agitation, slight deviations from this spherical form, such as corrugations or the use of a plane surface between the intersecting vanes and skirt of Figures 6 and 7, may be.

Iused as the number of vanes mounted on this base portion is increased since the precise surface contours of the nonworking surface areas between these varies, etc., become less critical as to water rotation as the number of vanes increases. In such modification of the base member, the wobbling agitator movement would still take place about a point describing the center of a sphere capable of being circumscribed about the modified base member. In other words, it is our intention that moving portions of the agitator not intended to produce agitation of the fabrics or the uids within the clothes recept-acle shall not contribute to clothes rotation within that receptacle or clothes tangling either on or `apart from the agitator and that deviations from the hemispherical and spherical formations may be made Where such deviations do not materially aifect clothes and Water rotation Within the clothes receptacle. Factors affecting deviation from the true spherical or truncated spherical shapes would include the size of the agitator and the agitator wobbling speed as well as the size, shape, number and location of the various -agitating devices carried on the agitator base portion.

Therefore, While the ideal construction of the base portion is preferably spherical with the wobbling movement taking place about its center, it is within the spirit of this invention to deviate slghtly from that ideal construction so long as his base portion is roundish, globoid or substantially ball-shaped to achieve the objects of this invention in a manner consistent with the teaching of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a washing machine provided with a clothes receptacle, a wobble agitator assembly comprising, a truncated sphere, agitator means mounted on said truncated sphere, a clothes shielding member connected to said truncated sphere adjacent its plane of truncation and substantially continuing the spherical configuration of said sphere to said receptacle, an opening in said clothes receptacle, bearing means in said truncated sphere, means encircling said bearing means to provide a seal and anchoring said truncated sphere against rotation, and revoluble shaft means extending through said opening and including a terminal portion journalled in said bearing means and inclined from the axis 4of rotation of said shaft means for imparting a wobbling movement.to said truncated sphere about the point of intersection of the radii of curvature of said truncated sphere during the rotation of said shaft means.

2. In a washing machine provided with a clothes receptacle, a wobble agitator assembly comprising, a truncated sphere, agitator means mounted on said truncated sphere, a exible clothes shielding element connected between said clothes reeeptacle and the periphery of said truncated sphere to extend the spherical contour of said truncated sphere, an openingin said clothes receptacle.

bearing means in said truncated sphere, means restrainingv4 said truncated sphere from rotation, and revoluble shaft means extending through said opening and including a terminal portion journalled in said bearing means and inclined from the axis of rotation of said shaft means for imparting a wobbling movement to said truncated sphere about the point of intersection of the radii of curvature of said truncated sphere during the rotation of said shaft means.

3. In a washing machine provided with a clothes receptacle, a wobble agitator assembly comprising, a truncated sphere, upstanding vane means carried on and mounted perpendicular to said truncated sphere, clothes shielding means positioned between said truncated sphere and said clothes receptacle and connected to said truncated sphere adjacent its plane of truncation to extend the spherical contour of said truncated sphere to said receptacle, a clothes deliecting element extending circumferentially around said truncated sphere and cooperating with the contour of the edges of said vane means, means connected between said clothes receptacle and said truncated sphere preventing rotation of said truncated sphere,

.12 an opening in said clothes receptacle, bearing means in said truncated sphere, and revoluble shaft means extend ing through said opening and -including a terminal portion journalled in said bearing means and inclined from the axis of rotation of said shaft means for imparting a wobbling movement to said truncated sphere about the point of intersection of the radii of curvature of said truncated sphere during the rotation of said shaft means.

4. In a washing machine provided with a tub, an agitation assembly comprising, a base member mounted Within said tub and having a surface forming a spherical segment, agitator means mounted on said base member, means restraining said base member against rotation relative to said tub, drive means for moving said base member, a sealing element connected between said base member and said tub, and means interconnecting said drive means and said base member for nutating said base member in a wobbling motion about a point coinciding with the intersection of the radii of curvature of said spherical segment.

5. In a washing machine provided with a receptacle, an agitation assembly comprising, a truncated sphericallyshaped base portion, agitator means mounted on said base portion, means restraining said base portion against rotation relative to said receptacle, revoluble drive means for nutating said base portion in a wobbling motion, and means interconnecting said drive means and said base portion for wobbling said base portion about the geometric center of said spherical base portion.

6. In a washing machine provided with a receptacle, an agitation assembly comprising, a truncated sphericallyshaped base portion, agitator means mounted on said base portion, means restraining said base portion against rotation relative to said receptacle, a revoluble drive shaft, and means including a shaft portion connected to said drive shaft and inclined to the axis of rotation of said drive shaft for wobbling said base portion about the geometric center of said spherical base portion.

7. In a washing machine provided with a clothes receptacle, a wobble agitation assembly comprising, a base member provided with a curved surface, agitator means mounted on said base member, a revoluble drive shaft including a terminal portion inclined from the axis of rotation of said shaft and defining an inverted cone of revolution during rotation of said shaft, the vertex of said cone coinciding with the intersection of said axis of rotation with said terminal portion, said curved surface having a radius of curvature equal to the distance between said curved surface and said vertex, a flexible member connected between said base member and said clothes receptacle and substantially extending said curved surface to said receptacle, and drive means for rotating said drive-shaft to produce a wobbling action of said base member about said vertex.

8. In a washing machine provided with a clothes receptacle, a wobble agitation assembly comprising, a truncated sphere base portion, agitator means mounted on said base portion, means restraining said base portion against rotation relative to said clothes receptacle, a ilexible element connected between said base portion and said clothes receptacle, and means for wobbling said base portion about a point defining the center of a sphere capable of being circumscribed about said base portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent p UNITED STATES PATENTS mfr... n-.g-

Images