US2203664A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1940.

B. A. BENSON 2,203,664

same uAcHmB Filed mm. 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. A. BENSON WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19, 1937 June 11, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Patented June l1, 1940 PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE Bernhart A. Benson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Electric Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application November 19, 1937, Serial No. 175,450

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a washing machine and more particularly to a device of the class wherein an agitator is employed to assist in removing dirt from articles to be washed by creating a turbulence in the washing fluid.

It is an important object in the present invention to provide a washing machine of extreme simplicity of construction and having a minimum of parts which occupy a relatively small i space during use as well as during periods of storage or inactivity.

The present invention comprehends the provision of a washing machine which is free from an excess multiplicity or complexity of supports,

5 driving mechanisms, motors and accessories. Many devices heretofore proposed in the present art comprise a relatively intricate as well as heavy assembly of parts which occupy more space than can be frequently spared in modern [i dwellings. -Moreover, the structure often necessitates the use of packing glands and other mechanical elements which may be the cause of leakage and mechanical dimculties.

The present invention, therefore, has for an ii additional object to provide a washing machine wherein all of the driving parts are mounted in a light, compact unit upon the cover portion and are arranged above normal liquid level in the washer, thus being completely protected from ii damage thereby.

, A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine in which the driving mechanism is rigidly formed and attached to the cover of the machine and arg ranged well above the washing zone in normal use, but which, when it is desired to store the device, may be readily disassembled by simple separation of the parts and rearranged so that the driving means is within the confines of the m part which, in use, corresponds to the washing zone in order to protect the parts and occupy a minimum of storage space.

Other objects of the present invention are to 7 ing connection is made from above liquid level;

and to further provide awashing machine having ,a vessel foraccommodating the articles to it be washed which is light and simple in structure and which may be readily filled and/or emptied by the operator during the process of washing.

Numerous other objects and advantages will more fully appear during the course and progress of the following specification; '5

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1.is,a perspective view of a washing machine constructed in accordance with v the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the 10 line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation substantially the same as Figure 2, but showing the parts as rearranged during periods of inactivity.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional elevation taken w on the line 4=i in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken on Y the line 5-5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view taken the same as Figure 5 but with the parts of the drive mechanism in a different operative position.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the oscillating gear sector shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The device, shown for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, comprises a suitable vessel to support and enclose the articles to be washed as well as the washing liquid and having a cylindrical upstanding wall It closed at the lower end by the bottom wall it. The upper open end of the wall H9 is turned over to my form a rounded bead id in order to provide a gently curved seat for the cover.

Centrally of the bottom wall it there is mounted the pivot It which is rigidly secured in place by means of the nut It or by any other 5% suitable fastening means. This pivot serves to support the agitator 29 for pivotal oscillatory movement within the surrounding vessel in order to create proper turbulence to carry out the washing action. The agitator comprises a central cylindrical column 22 bored at the bottom as at it to provide a bearing surface properly fitting the upstanding surface of the pivot flit. The agitator is further provided with a bellshaped lower standard portion 26 and a plurality of radially extending vanes, in the present structure three in number. It will benoted that the agitator, as clearly shown in Figure 2, is supported in spaced relationship from the bottom wall E2 of thesurrounding-vessel by means of the annular flange which may be integrally formed with the pivot.

Attention is directed to the fact that the open upper end of the washing liquid containing vessel may be closed by a cover unit which contains,

1o pear.

not only the driving motor means and the trans mission means, but is also provided-with an automatic, releasable connection for transmitting oscillatory movement to the agitator 20 5 when the cover is in operative position. The

cover proper, indicated by the numeral 32, is preferably slightly concave on its inner surface, being depressed centrally, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, for a purpose which will hereinafter ap- An annular shoulder 34 formed in the cover member 32 confers strength and rigidity and is integral with the further flat, radially extending section 36 terminating in an upwardly and re- 15 versely extending shoulder or flange portion 38. It will be noted that the flange portion is so formed at the lower portions of the cover member 32, when in the operative position shown Figure 2, as to normally reside-below the upper 2g edge of the bead id, thus securely centering the cover in position, while the outwardly extending portion of the flange rests upon the top of the bead. V The cover is permitted to seat uniformly upon 5 the bead H3 and to maintain an even and eficien't seal therewith by means of the annular rim memher at which is desirably of some soft inaterial and, in the preferred embodiment, of an elastic, resilient, substance like rubber. 30 that this rim member comprises'an upper por- 1 tion 42 which extends inwardly to enclose the top oi the flange 38 and a lower, inwardly extending portion 66 whichiis situated between the lower portion of the fiange 38 and the adjacent sun- 35 porting bead It, as shown in Figure 2. Since the rim member, as shown in Figure 2, may be anintegral, one-pieceuni't, it will be obvious that, after being slipped over the flange 38 with the portions 42 and 44 extending on either side thereof, it will remain securely in the position shown in the figures and will provide a resilient, cushioned seal for the.cover.

, The driving and transmission unit ,46 is mounted in a relatively large central aperture in the 45 cover, as will be'apparent from a consideration ofl igures 2 and 4, and comprises a, cylindrical casing 48 closed adjacent the bottom by a wall 5 0,

being of increased width adjacent its upper portions to provide the annular shoulder 52 which 50 rests against the upper surface of the cover member 32 and permits securement of the driving assemblythereto through the agency of the bolts 5|, The" 'bolts 54 also pass through a flange formed on the lower portion of the motor housing 56 as well as through a partition member 58 which serves to separate the motor housing and the transmission nechanism. A pair of washers ill whichare preferably of some resilient ma- 'terial have the function, not only of sealing the unit from the ingress of exterior dirtand ;mois-' ture, but provide a substantially resilient sup-' port which tends to absorb any motor vibration.

'I'hepower delivered by the drive shaft 5210f the motor is first transmitted through a suitable as speed reduction gear train, shown in detail in.

Figures 4 to 6, and comprising a pinion l4, driving.

the gear 66 mounted upon the pivot which is rigidly secured to the supporting partition 58.

. The gear 10 integral with the gear 66 in turn 70 drives the gear I2 which is mounted upon a similar pivot 14 and integral with the gear fli The gear 1!, operating'at a reduced rotational speed meshes th the gearj'lli" I It wil be apparent, after viewing Figures4 to 75.. 6. that the gear I8 is supported upon a pivot 80 It will be. noted rigidly mountedrin the supporting partition 82' which in turn is secured by three machine screws 84 to'suitable embossments 86 circumferentially spaced about the interior of the casing 48. It 'will be noted that the supporting partition 82 is suitably apertured to permit the gear 16 to extend therethrough. The gear 16 thus rotationally mounted upon the pivot- 80 is provided with an embossment 88 spaced radially from the center of rotation to which is secured the link or connecting rod 90 by means of the pivot 92 threadedlymountedtherein. The connecting rod 90, at its other end, is pivotally secured to the sector gear 94, shown in detail in Figures 4 to 'l inclusive. The sector gear is slotted and provided, with an insert 96 secured removably in place bythe machine screw 98, which insert extends radially outwardly beyond the outer surface formed by the teeth of the gear in order to support the bushing It in which is secured the threaded pivot I02 which engages the end of the connecting rod 90. The sector gear 9,4 is in turn mounted the bottom wall 50 of the enclosing casing by means of a nut it, as shown in Figure 4. 5

According to the present embodiment, the gears and links are so formed and arranged that rotational movement of the gear 18 transmits oscillatory' movement to the sector gear 94 through a; predetermined arc of rotation. The oscillatory rotation is directly transmitted to the shaft through a gear it which is rigidly pinned to the drive shaft H0 whereby this drive shaft is caused to continuously reverse its movement after a predetermined arc of rotation. It will be noted that the gear or pinion I08 is arcuately relieved as at H2 in order to permit passage of the radially outwardly extending insert 96 during its normal path of movement.

The drive shaft H0 is mounted in the downwardly projecting embossment integrally formed with the bottom wall of the.casing H4 and providing a stufling box or packing seal therefor. The packing gland H6 surrounding the shaft III] is threaded therein and comprises a suitable mass of packing material so that .any liquid caused to splash about thejend of the drive shaft 0 will be prevented from entering the driving mechanism. J

Accordingto the present invention a simple, readily releasable connection is provided between the upper end of the agitator and the drive shaft.

To this end the lower end of the drive shaft H6 is provided with a polygonal bushing H8 rigidly pinned thereto while the upper end of the cylindrical column 22 of the agitator is bored as at I20 to provide a mating polygonal configuration into which the bushing 8 will automatically engage when the cover is applied in operative positionto the device. -It will be readily apparent 80 I that the bushing and mating aperture may be hexagonal, as shown in the figures, or may possess 'any other suitable configuration to provide a ro- I 'tationalzdriving connection therebetween. j

.11; will be obvious from the abovedisclosure that the present device comprises three freely 'separable units, namely, the cover, the agitator the bushing in will reside in the aperture no in the upper end of the agitator in driving engagement. The electrical conduit I22 which supplies electricity for operating the driving motor is next connected to a suitable source of electric current at which time the'motor shaft 62 commences to rotate, driving the gear 16 through the speed reducing gear train. Rotation of the gear 18 in turn causes transmission of reciprocatory movement to the gear sector Mthrough the agency of the driving link or connecting rod 90. The oscillatory movement so produced is transmitted through the agency of the gear I08 and the drive shaft H to the agitator which thus is caused to rotate through a predetermined are about the pivot l6 and then to continuously reverse its direction of movement after completing this path of travel. It is by this means that agitation of the washing liquid within the vessel is maintained in order to loosen the dirt from the articles to be washed.

Referring more specifically to Figure 3, it will be apparent that the machine constructed in accordance with the present invention may be, dur-- ing periods of disuse, stored with the normally projecting portions of the cover within the cylindrical walls In of the washing vessel. Thus, if the agitator is lifted from its pivot and permittedto reside upon its side, as shown in Figure 3, the cover may be reversed and rested upon be noted that what is normally the upper surface d2 of the rim member 40 coacts with the annular bead M to provide a ion.

The present invention provides a simple and compact washing machine which may be readily lifted or conveyed by the operator and may be stored in a minimum of space. The present structure, in permitting the omission of relatively heavy structural parts, moreover, admits of ready emptying or filling with washing or rinsing fluid and greatly facilitates cleaning thereof after the washing operation is completed.

Opposed handle members ltd may be formed on the outer cylindrical Wall ill of the vessel in order to permit carrying and emptying thereof while a pair of similar handles I26 are preferably attached to the cover to permit its removal 0 situation in operative position.

Attention is further directed to the fact that with all of the driving parts mounted as a unit resilient seat or cushmechanism are necessarily limited to this unit with the result that the remaining portions of,

the structure need not be disturbed. This structure, furthermore, does away with the necessity for. apertures below normal fluid level through With the cover in this position it will' upon the cover, any repairs or adjustments of the being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a washing machine, a container, an agitator in said container, a cover for said container, 5 said cover being symmetrical about a central, vertical axis and having a central, convex-concave portion with the convex side facing upwardly, a motor, an agitator drive shaft, a transmission mechanism between said motor and said drive shaft, a releasable coupling between said drive shaft and said agitator, a housing for said transmission mechanism from which housing said agitator drive shaft depends, the convex-concave portion of the cover having a centrally disposed lit aperture therein, said housing being mounted in said aperture and secured to said cover, said motor beingmounted on said housing on an axis of symmetry of the cover and extending above said cover, and a hood enclosing saidgnotor and 0 secured to said housing.

2. In a washing machine, a cylindrical pot, an agitator on the axis of. the pot, a disk-shaped cover, said cover having a centrally disposed convex-concave portion with'the convex side facing upwardly, said portion having an aperture therethrough centrally thereof, a housing extending through said aperture and having a peripheral flange overlying the edge of the aperture in. the cover, a motor mounted on said housing on the coincident axis of the cover and pot with its shaft extending into the housing,an agitator drive shaft depending from said housing, a releasable coupling between said shaft and said agitator, transmission mechanism in said housing and connecting the motor to the agitator drive shaft, and a hood for the motor, said hood being mounted on the housing, and common means for securing the hood and housing to the cover.

3. In a washing machine, a container, an agitator, a coversymmetrical about a central, vertical axis, said cover having a centrally disposed convex-concave portion with the convex side facing outwardly, said portion of thecover having an aperture extending therethrough centrally 1 thereof, an upwardly opening cup-shaped housing member extending through said aperture and having a peripheral flange overlying the edge of the aperture in the cover, a plate carried by said flange and closing said cup-shaped housing memm ber, a motor mounted on said plate on the vertical axis of symmetry of the cover with the shaft extending through the plate into the housing member, an agitator drive shaft depending from said housing member, a releasable coupling between said shaft and said agitator, a gear train in said housing member connecting the motor shaft to the agitator drive shaft, a hood for the motor mounted on the edge of said plate overlying the peripheral ilange of the housing member, common fastening elements passing through the cover, the peripheral flange of the housing member and the hood, securing the hood, housing member and plate to the cover, and sealing members interposed between the peripheral flange of the housing member and the plate and between the plate and the hood.

4. A washing machine comprising a container symmetrical about a central, vertical axis, anag i- 7o tator operable about said axis, a cover symmetrical about a central, vertical axis co-incident with the axis of symmetry of the container, said cover having an aperture therethrough centrally thereof, a separate-casing let into said aperture 4 t r and rigidly secured to said cover, a'motor mounted on said casing on a vertical axis co-incident with the axes of symmetry of the coverand container, an agitatordrive shaft depending from said casing member, a. releasable coupling be tween said drive shaft and said agitator, transmember.

mission mechanism in said" casing member and connecting the motor to the agitator drive shaft,

and a hood for the motor symmetrical about the axis 'of the motor and secured to said casing BERNH-ART A. BENSON.

Images