US1829988A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1931. QEQGETZ 1,829,988

. WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1931. B. E. GETZ WASHING MACHINE Fild Feb. 4. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INYEH TUE- 'OZZ Iii

Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES;

BENJAMIN E. GETZ, OF MORTON, II ILLINOIS WASHING MACHINE Application filed February 4, 1927. Serial No. 165,814.

This invention has reference to a domestic appliance and in particular a washing machine; such machine being designed especially for household use and wherein, during the washing operation or following such operation, the free water is abstracted from the clothing or other articles by an extractor.

The invention has for one of its objects to mount the washing tub and the extractor in or upon a common support and to operate both the tub actuating parts and the extractor from a common motor, with controlling means whereby both may be'actua-ted simultaneously or separately.

The invention has for a further object to mount and rotate the extractorwithin a housing and to provide a superimposed and surrounding water conducting housing for the extractor, having valved communicating means with the tub; and also a valved communicating means between the tub and extractor housing near the base of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide the extractor with communicating openings in its lower end with its housing and liquid impelling means on the base of said extractor next adjacent its communicating openings, to force water in the base of the housing through such openings into the extractor and then by centrifugal action, as the extractor is rotated, to lift and discharge the water from the upper end of said extractor; water conducting and valved controlled means being provided to discharge the water into the washing tub or to a rinsing tub or drain, as may be'desired; a water shed and guard being provided at the top of the extractor and encircling the same to prevent water discharged from the extractor reentering the extractor housing, at its upper end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hinged drain board and cover for the extractor; such board being hinged to the extractor housing at the side farthest from the washing tub, to assume a draining position between the extractor and a rinse tub, or swung up and over the extractor to provide a cover therefor and to prevent splashing of water from the extractor, during rotation thereof and extraction of water from the clothes or other materials.

A still further object of the invention is to construct the extractor with a surrounding housing and to rotatably support the extractor within such housing on a water-sealed stem extending vertically and axially from the housing within an axially disposed sleeve withinsaid extractor; j ournalling a vertically disposed operating shaft within said stem and providing a means for vertically and axially moving said shaft to clutch and declutch such shaft with actuating means at the base of said shaft; a braking means being provided to retard and stop rotation of the shaft when declutched, and to provide a centering and stabilizing means for said stem and sleeve between the hinged drain board and said shaft lifting means.

That the invention may be more fully unders'tood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved washing machine with extractor, the hinged drain board shown in draining position, in full lines, overlying a rinse tub, and in dotted lines overlying the extractor to serve as a cover therefor;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail, in section, showing the valve communicating means between the upper end of the extractor housing and the washing tub;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the detail construction of the extractor and its housing, operating means therefor and mode of conducting water from the extractor and conducting means for the water from the washing tub to the base of the extractor housing;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the extractor and liquid impelling means on the base thereof; 7 v

Fig. 6 is a face view of the base of said extractor showing the arrangement of the openings therein and liquid impelling means associated therewith, and

Fig. 7 shows a sectional detail and plan known; except that a motor 4, through pul leys 5 and 6 and a belt 7 ,imparts power to a shaft 8 which is a common actuating means for transmitting power through suitable transmission means 9 to the shaft 3 and to means, to be more fully described, for imparting movement to the extractor, also to be described. The means 9 usually includes a means for controlling the operative connection between said shaft 3 and said means, but due to such control being well known and understood, it is not thought necessary to further describe the same.

The extractor, see Fig. 4, includes a housing 10 from which is suspended or depends a gear casing 11 in which is journaled one end of the shaft 8 and on said shaft within said casing is a bevel gear 12 having a meshing relation with a bevel gear 13 loosely carried on a shaft 14 arranged for vertical and axial movement in its bearings and in said gear 13, for purposes to be more fully explained. The housing 10 has connected to its upper end and encircling the same a water conducting housin 15 which, between the tub 1 and said housing 10 has a projecting ledge or shelf portion 16 secured to said tub 1; and forming a communication between the interior of said housing 15 and the interior of the tub 1 is a water conducting pipe 17, see Fig. 3, having the lateral extension 18 and at the juncture of the two there is a manually operated valve 19, which may be operated to direct the flow of water through the pipe 17 from the housing 15 into the tub, or from the housing 15 through the extension 18, and from thence, through a hose, not shown, into a rinse tub or into any suitable and convenient drain, not shown. A drain pipe 20 connects the lower part of the tub 1 with the lower portion of the housing 10 and includes a valve 21, see Figs. 1 and 4. This pipe also serves as a bracing means for the housing 10, in lieu of any other frame support, which, however, may be provided, as engineering design may dictate. v

The frame support for the tub and extractor may be of any suitable or preferred esign. For the present construction and arrangement of parts the tube 1 is shown having the legs or standards 22, and the extractor has a leg or standard 23, preferably reac es of the casing 11 and has a slidable bearing relation therein and also in a spacing sleeve 25 between the gear 13 and the base of said casing. Said shaft extends up into the housing 10 to a point near the top thereof and has a slidable bearing relation in a stem 26 which is threaded through the bottom of the housing 10, see Fig. 4, and connected thereto beneath and next adjacent said bottom, is a brake shoe 27. Said stem has a flan e 28 between which and the bottom wall 0 the housing 10 is a gasket 29. This connection, between said stem 26 and the bottom of said housing 10 provides the necessary waterseal to prevent leakage.

Supported within the housing 10 and adapted to have a detachable, as well as a driving connection with the shaft 14, is an extractor 30. Such extractor, when in normal operative position within said housing 10, is so spaced in relation to the walls of said housing as to provide a water space between the side walls of such housing and extractor and between the bottoms of said housing and extractor, see Fig. 4. A sleeve 31 is formed or provided standing vertically and axially within said extractor and is adapted to have a telescopic bearing relation with said stem 26, being provided, as shown with a shouldered upper end 32 resting on the upper end of said stem 26, with a i threaded end 33 of the shaft 14 protruding thereabove. Said sleeve has a radial notch 34 in its upper end, see Fig. 7. To the upper threaded end of the shaft 14 is connected a hand or finger engaging knob 35 having a depending flange 36 adapted to encircle the upper notched end of the sleeve 31 and formed therewithin or connected thereto is a lug 37, see Fig. 7 adapted to clutch the sleeve 31 to the shaft 14. An attendant, by grasping the knob 35 may lift the shaft 14 and in so doing will raise the lug 37 on the flange of the knob out of the notch 34 in the sleeve 31 declutching the shaft from said sleeve and consequentl the extractor 30 from said shaft 14. T en by slightly turning said knob the lug 37 may be caused to rest on the upper end of the sleeve 31 and the shaft and extractor remain in declutched relation, until the lug 37 is again inserted into the notch r 34 in said sleeve. When the shaft 14 is in raised position, the knob 35 may be removed from the shaft, thereby allowing the extractor to be raised and removed entirely from the housing 10.

' with a similar clutch surface in the gear 13,

when the shaft 14 is in its lowermost osition and the extractor is in normal operative con-- tard and stop said shaft. It is understood.

that in practice, the motor will rotate at a very fast speed, compared with the speed'of the shaft 8 and that the latter rotates-at a speed much slower than the speed of the shaft 14.

The housing 10 and the extractor are preferably inverted cone-shape so that centrifugal action set up during rotation of the extractor will lift any water'in or entering the extractor to the top thereof to be discharged therefrom.

The housing 10 I prefer shall have a cast base 39 with an upstanding annular flange 40; also that the housing 15 shall be of cast material, preferably circular in cross-section with an upper wall having a central opening till til

41, the wall of which is curved downwardly, as at 42. This opening is, of course, large enough in cross-section, to permit the removal of the extractor 30 and its parts. The lower wall of the housing 15 also has an opening 43, smaller in diameter than the opening 41 and the wall forming this opening comprises a depending flange 44 to which and the flange 40 of the base 89, the sheet metal wall, forming the housing 10 is connected. The flange 44 extends slightly above the lower wall of the housing 15, see Fig. 4.

The extractor 30 is preferably of sheet metal, but has a cast base 45 and the upper end of the extractor is provided with an inwardly turned flange 46 acting as a water shed for the extractor, and the wall of the extractor underlying said shed is provided with an annular row of water discharge openings 47. Also to the extractor, at or near its upper end and exteriorly thereof is secured an annular ring 48, preferably a flat sheet metal ring which is inclined downwardly from the body of the extractor and curved at its outer peripheral edge to overlie the short upstanding flange 44 of the lower wall of the housing 15. Such ring functions as a water shed and guard to prevent water discharging from the extractor to enter the housing 10 at its upper end, as will be understood.

The base or bottom of the extractor 30 is provided with a plurality of openings 49, see igs. 4 and 6 which provide communication between the housing 10 and the extractor, and on the base or bottom ofsaid extractor, exteriorly thereof and next adjacenteach of said openings are fins or blades 50, which are preferably curved radially and act as impelling means when the extractor is rotated to lift and force water through the openings 49in the extractor; when, due to centrifugal action the water is lifted and discharged from the extractor throu h the openings 47, at its top. The water thus discharged into the housing 15 will find its wav through the pipe 17, either into the tub 1 or into a rinse tu or drain depending on the position of the valve 19. The base 40 of the housing 10 has a drain coupling 51 provided with a valve 52.

Hinged to the housing 15 at the side farthest from the tub 1 and to ears 53 connected thereto, is a. combined drain board and cover 54, which may be swung away from the top of the housing 15 and inclined downwardly toward a rinse tub, designated A supported on a table B or similar rest; or the board may be swung up and into position over the housing 15 to overlie and cover the opening 41 therein, and prevent any splashing of water, due to the rotation of the extractor 30.

The drain board may be provided with means, as shown at 55, adapted to engage the knob 35 connecting the shaft 14, so as to center and stabilize the sleeve, stem and shaft ofthe extractor when in operation extracting Water from clothes and other materials. It should be obvious from the arrangement of the operating means for both the tub and extractor, that they may be in use at the same time, washing and extracting water from clothes and other articles; or, that they may be used separately and at different times. It should be further obvious that when the valve" 21 in the pipe 20 is open and also when the valve 52 in the coupling 51 is open that water may be drained from the tub, through the pipe 20 and into and from the housing 10 through the coupling 51, and the water thus drained, discharged into a suitable receptacle, not shown, or in the event a hose, not shown, is connected to such coupling 51, the water may be conducted to a drain, not shown.

Preliminary to a washing and extracting operation, the tub 1 is supplied with the necessary amount of water. Should the attendant leave the valve 21, in the pipe 20 open, and the valve 52 be closed water will enter the housing 10 and extractor 30 only to the depth of that which is in the tub. It is not objectionable to have water in the housing 10 and extractor 30, when supplying the tub, but it is better to close the valve 21. The free water in the clothes and other articles "will be extracted, and in any event the centrifugal force set up during the rotation of the extractor will keep the extractor comparatively free of water. The impelling means 50 on the extractor, in conjunction with the openings 49 in the bottom thereof, together with the centrifugal force set up during the rotation of the extractor may be employed as the means for thoroughly draining the housing 10 and extractor 30 and the water discharged from the extractor through the openings 47 into the housin 15 may be directed to the tub 1 through t e pipe 17, or by adjusting the valve 19 direct such water to a rinse tub or drain, as may be desired.

It is apparent from the disclosure of the extractor, see Fig. 4, that the stem 26 and the sleeve 31 normally rise to a point above what would be the normal water line within the revolvable member 30. It is also apparent that there isa proper alignment between the sleeve and the stem due to the bearing relation provided between the sleeve and said stem at the lower and upper ends thereof and that due to the construction shown in the provision of the support for the sleeve at the upper end of the stem that a water seal con nection is made to prevent water entering the stem around the shaft 14, in the event, which is hardly probable, of water rising to this point on the stem in practice.

The extractor 30 is sometimes referred to as a spinner and are here interchangeably used, also the water conducting housing 15 is sometimes referred to as a trough and are here interchangeably used.

What I claim is 1. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto comprising a housing, a water conducting housing supported at the top of said extractor housing, an extractor receptacle rotatably supported in said first housing and arranged to expel water therefrom into said water conducting housing and having water inlet openings in its lower end portion providing communication between said receptacle and said housing, means connecting said last mentioned housing with said washing machine, a valved communicating means between said water conducting housing and said washing machine to enable waterfrom said housing to enter the washing machine, means to direct water from the washer to the drier comprising a valve communicating means between the bottom of said washing machine and the lower end of said first mentioned housing, water impelling means on the base of said extracting member in proximity to the openings therein, and means for rotating said extracting member.

2. The combination of a washing machine, a spinner adjacent thereto, the bottom of said spinner being on a lower level than the bottom of the washing machine, a valve con-' trolled conduit connecting the bottom of the washing machine to the lower end of the spinner and fluid conducting means at the upper end of the spinner and means for diin said trough for directing the fluid into the washing machine, and a second valve controlled port for directing the fluid to a drain.

4. The combination of a washing machine a spinner adjacent thereto, a valve controlled conduit connecting the bottom of the washing machine with the lower end of the spinner, and means communicating with the upper end of the spinner for directing the fluid into the washing machine and second means for directing the fluid to a drain.

5. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto, valved communicating means connecting the lower ends of the washing machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the machine to the extractor, a conduit connecting the upper ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the extractor to the machine, means in said conduit controllable at will for directing the fluid ejected from the extractor away from both the machine and the extractor, and means for actuating the extractor to force fluid therefrom into said conduit.

6. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto, valved communicating means connecting the lower ends of the washing machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the machine to the extractor, a second valved communicating means connecting the upper ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the extractor to the machine, and means for actuating the extractor to force the fluid therefrom through the last named communicating means.

7. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto, including an inverted cone-shapedcasing,an annularhousing carried by the upper end of said casing and having a part connected to said machine, an inverted cone-shaped receptacle rotatably mounted in said casing provided with an inturned water shed at its upper end and having spaced openings underlying said shed, valved communicating means connecting the lower ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the machine to said extractor, a second valved communicating means connecting the housing and machinethrough which fluid passes from the extractor to the machine, and means to actuate the receptacle to force the fluid therefi'lom through the openings and into said mac me.

8. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto, having a casing, a rotatable receptacle mounted in said casing and having a series of spaced openings in thebottom thereof,impelling means formed on the bottom of the receptacle adjacent said openings, valved communicating means connecting the lower ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the machine to the extractor, valved communicating means connecting the upper ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the extractor to the machine, and means to actuate the receptacle thereby to cause the impelling means to force fluid from the extractor and through the last named communicating means.

9. The combination of a washing machine, an extractor adjacent thereto, including a casing, an annular housing carried by the upper end of said casing and having a part connected to said machine, a receptacle rotatably mounted in said casing having its upper edge inturned to provide a water shed, said receptacle having a series of spaced openings underlying said shed, said receptacle further having a series of spaced openings in the bottom thereof, impelling means formed on the bottom of said receptacle adjacent the last named openings, valved communicating means connecting the lower ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the machine to the extractor, valved communicating means connecting the upper ends of the machine and extractor through which fluid passes from the extractor to the machine, and means to actuate the receptacle thereby to cause the impelling means to force fluid from the extractor and through the last named communicating means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand this 1st da of February, 1927.

BENJ IN E. GETZ.

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