US2990707A - Automatic dispenser for a clothes washing machine - Google Patents

Description

' July 4, 1961 runs: AGITAYI o SPIN FILL :nlzR-v F an F 1 l l WASH AGTATE AUTOMATIC DISPENSER FOR A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 4, 1961 A. H. GERHARDT ETAL 2,990,707

AUTOMATIC DISPENSER FOR A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1951 A. H. GERHARDT ETAL 2,990,707

AUTOMATIC DISPENSER FOR A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Paten "The present invention relates to an automaticclothes washing machine and more particularly to an automatic device associated with a Washing machine for dispensing powdered and liquid additives-into the machine at various periods during the operation of the machine.

' During the conventional washing operation of an auto matic clothes washing machine, it isboth desirable and necessaryto add cleansing agents such as soap, detergents, bleaching agents, water softeners, blu-ing, and the like, to the machine. The conventional washing operation of such a machine comprises basically a wash period, a time period, and appropriate extraction periods. For the wash period, materials such as soap, either powdered or liquid, and bleaching agents are added to the wash water, and during the rinse period, materials such as bluing and water softeners are added to the rinse water. In order for the machine to be entirely automatic so that it will go through an entire operation without any attention by the operator, automatic dispensing means must be provided for supplying, the various additives to the machine at the various periods of the washing operation.

It is therefiore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic dispenser for washing operation addi: tives.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic additive dispenser which is associated with the water inlet torthe washing machine whereby theadditive is flushed into the machine by means of at least a portion of the incoming water during the filling periods.

These and other objects are obtained by providing a particular water inlet structure for an automatic washing machine and having associated therewith an additive container and automatic dispensing means therefor. The additive container and dispensing means are located adjacent to and are operatively associated with a water inlet means such as disclosed in Gerhardt application Serial No. 603,385, filed August 10, 1956, now Patent No. 2,884,- 947.

'I'Fhe invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements, and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as willbe apparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentof theinvention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the upper portionof an automatic clothes washing machine embodying the automatic dispenser of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top planview of thedispenser;

IG,- .3, is. a top P a i FIG. 4 is a, sectional view taken online 4- 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a rear plan view;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 2,990,707. Patented July 4, 1961 2 washing'machine with which the-present invention is associated. The washingmachine comprises an outer casing 10*having' disposed therein a tub 11. A basket 12'is disposed within the tub 1-1 and contains an agitator 13. In the normal'operat-ion of anautomatic Washing machine of the type disclosed, theclothes are agitated during the wash cycle within the basket 12 and the basket is rotated at high speed to extract the wash water from the clothes and from the basket. An access door 1'4 is provided in the outer casing 10 immediately above the basket 12- so that clothes may be conveniently placed within the basket. A backguard 15 is attachedto the outer casing 10, extends upwardly therefrom and contains water inlet means 16; Associated with the water inlet means .16 is the dispenser of the present invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 17.

The dispenser 17 comprises a receptacle or container 18 disposed within the backguard 15 and accessible by means of the door 20 pivoted to the backguard at the bottom thereof. The container 18, comprises, in general, a compartmen-t 21 for receiving powdered wash additives, a compartment 22 for receiving powdered rinse additives, a compartment 23 for receiving liquid wash additives and a compartment 24 for receiving liquid rinse additives. The container 18 hasa front wall 25, a rearwall 26, an end Wall 27, an end wall 28, and a bottom wall 30;"which extends the length of the compartments 22, 23 and 24;. An opening 31,.is provided in the container 1 8 at the bottom thereof below the compartment 21. The bottom 30 has an inclined trough portion 32 having its lower end opening into the opening 31.

The water inlet means lfi, as more particularly disclosed in Gerhardtv application Serial No. 603,3 85 comprises a flume member 33 receivingwater from a conduit 34 which is attached to the usual house water main by appropriate connections (notshown). Attached to the fiume 63 and tothe top of the casing 10.by means of'a cap screw 29 is a box 35. The box 35 contains a bottom 36 at one side thereof and the box receives the end of the. container 18 whereby the comp rtment 21 and opening 31 are directly above the bottom 36. The structure thus far described provides a main water inlet from the conduit 34 through of FIG. 4 and showing one of the dispenser. wheels of the automatic dispenser in its loaded position;

FIG. 7 is, a cross sectional view taken on line 77 of. FIG. 4 and showing the dispenser wheel inits dumping position;

FIG, 8v is a cross sectional elevational view taken. on p the leftend of the box as seen in 'FIG. '1 and into the flume 33. Also, it can be seen that there is communication betweenthe compartments 21, 22, 9.3 and 24 and the box .5.

Powdered wash additives when poured into the compartmcnt 21, rest upon the bottom 36 of the. box 35'. Powdered rinse additives, which are to be added to the rinse Water during the washing operation, are placed in a, container 22a which is seated in the compartment 22, Container 22a has a relatively small opening 37 at the side thereof adjacent the compartment 21 and the opening 31, andia relatively large opening 38 above the opening 37,. The container 22 receives the powdered rinse additives, and the means for discharging these additives as well asthe other additives of the container, will be described hereinafter.

The compartment 23, receives a tiltable drum or wheellike container 40. The wheel 41] hasclosed end walls 41v and 42, an annular peripheral wall 43 extending for approximately 225 around the container and terminating in aflange 44 which is adapted to rest upon the top ofthe front. wall 25- toprovide a first or wash liquid additive loading, position stop for the container. The side walls 41; andh42, have attached thereto P1118145 and 46 near the center thereof but slightly off center. The pins 45 and 46 are received by apairof grooves 47 and 48 formed within supports 47 and 48' of the container 18. The wall 43 has at leastv one opening, 50 therein and this opening is spaced approximately 1.30. from the flange 44 as seen in. ThewheelAll is open forapproximately 13,15,

and approximately 90 of this opening, defined by the flange 44 and a wall '52, provides an inlet opening 43a which is utilized for loading liquid additives into the .wheel in the position of the wheel shown in FIGS. 3 and A pocket 51 is provided in the vwall 43 and is defined by the wall 52 and a wall 53. The wall 53 has at least one opening 54 therein of relatively small diameter. A yveight 55 is provided on atleast one of the side walls 41, 42 of the container on the side which contains the access opening. flanges 41 and 42' are formed on the sides of the container and each flange terminates in a shoulder 49 which abuts against the supports48 to provide a stop when the container is in its second or discharging position. 7

The compartment 24 receives a tiltable drum or wheellike container 60 which is of the same structure as the container 40 and having end; walls 61 and 62; annular wall 63; flange 64; support pins 65 and 66 rotatably disposed in grooves 48 and 68; an inlet opening 64a utilized for loading liquid additives into the wheel in the position of the wheel shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6; openings 70; pocket 71 with opening 72; and weight 73. The openings 70, as seen in FIG; 4, are of such a number and size that liquid will drain readily from the container 60.

e The additives which are placed into the various compartments of the container 18 are adapted to be flushed into the box 35 and the flurne 33 by means of a pair of secondary water inlet means. For this purpose, the conduit 34 has a pair of branch conduits 74 and 75 leading respectively to a pair of rotatable spouts 76 and 77. The spouts '76 and 77 are respectively attached to the backguard by means of brackets 76' and 77. The conduit 76 is adapted to be rotated into a position discharging water into the compartment 21 during the wash-fill cycle of the washing machine operation and into a position to discharge water into the compartment 22 during the rinse-fill period. For this purpose, the spout 76 is adapted leaving a clean, empty container.

pocket has a relatively small opening in the bottom thereof, the pocket will fill with ,water in a suflicient amount to overbalance the weight 55 and rotate the container to the position shown in FIG. 7. It is to be noted that the opening 50 is relatively small and that the water from the spout 77 discharges into the container 40 when the container is in its discharging position. Consequently, the liquid wash additives is diluted by the incoming water and is discharged primarily by the overflow of the diluted additive through the opening, defined by the flange 44 and wall 52, and which opening now provides an outlet opening 43b in the position of the container 40 shown in FIG. 7, the diluted additive flowing into the trough 32. The opening 50 is thus primarily a terminal drain for the container serving to empty the container when the water ceases to flow thereinto. A particular advantage of the overflow emptying of the container 40 is that it permits the use of the container for dispensing concentrated bleaches into the washer, the bleach being diluted to a safe concentration before it enters the trough 32. it will be understood that further dilution of the bleach, or for that matter, any of the additives dispensed, occurs in the flume 33, which, simultaneously with the dispensing, receives the main portion of the water supply from the conduit 34. As soon as the wash-fill cycle is terminated, water ceases to flow to the water supply means and the pocket 51 will drain through the openings 54 and 50 The wheel container 60 operates somewhat in the same manner as the wheel container 40 when the solenoid is energized during the last minute of the overflow rinse-fill period to move the spout 77 to the right as seen in FIG. 2. However, since the liquid additive in container 60 must be discharged in to be rotated through an angle of about 45 by means of s a solenoid 78 connected to the spout 76. The solenoid 78 is connected to the spout 76 by means of a clamp 80, fixed to the spout 76, and having an car 81 thereon; and a link 82 connected to the movable plunger of the solenoid. A spring 83 is attached to the link 82 and to the box 35 tending to hold the spout over the compartment 21 when the solenoid is in its de-energized condition. The solenoid is energized during the rinse-fill cycle so that as the basket 12 is filled with rinse water, water from the spout 76 will be discharged into the container 22a. As the water flows into the container 22a it mixes with the powdered rinse additives and the solution of rinse additive and water flows through the openings 37 and 38, the opening 37 being primarily a terminal drain for the container.

The spout 77 is adapted to be rotated into a position discharging water into the compartment 23 during the wash-fill cycle of the washing machine operation and into a position discharging water into the compartment 24 and drum 60 during the last minute only of the rinsefill period. For this purpose, the spout 77 is adapted to be rotated through an angle of about 45 by means of a solenoid 90 connected to the spout 77. The solenoid 90 is connected to the spout by means of a clamp 91, fixed one minute, the openings 70 are sufiicient in size and number to permit the additive to drain therethrough during this one minute period.

g A pair of arcuate slots 96 and 97 are provided in the top of the backguard 15 for respectively receiving the discharge ends of the spouts 76 and 77, and provide stop limits for the spout members. The spout 76 has its discharge end directed onto the bottom 36 so that the water strikes the bottom 36 and washes the powdered wash additives into the flume 3 during the wash-fill cycle.

only of the overflow rinse-fill period, the switch being to the spout 77, and having an ear 92 thereon and a link 93 connected to the movable plunger of the solenoid. A coil spring 94, is attached to the ear 92 at one end thereof and to a bracket 95 on the casing structure 10 at its other end. The spring 94 tends to hold the spout 77 over the compartment 23 during the wash-fill cycle so that water will be discharged into the compartment 23 and the drum 40. When the solenoid is energized during the last minute of the rinse-fill period, the spout is moved to a position discharging water into the compartment 24 and drum 60.

' When the water from the spout 77 discharges into the compartment 23, the water from the spout enters the pocket 51 of the wheel-like container 40, and since this deenergized throughout all other cycles of the washing operation. It is to be understood that the particular timer used is immaterial and the Puerner et a1 timer has been disclosed for convenience only.

In operation, powdered wash additives such as the usual powdered soaps or detergents are placed on the bottom 36 of the box 35 (through the compartment 21); powdered rinse additives such as powdered water softeners are placed in the container 22a of the compartment 22; the container 40 is rotated to its fill position and liquid wash additives such as bleach or liquid detergents are disposed therein and the container is rotated to its fill position and liquid rinse additives are disposed therein. The washing machine timer is set at its Start or Fill position and at this time the spouts 76 and 77 are disposed over the compartments 21 and 23 respectively. As the box 35 and to rotate the wheel 40 to thereby discharge the liquid wash additives from the container 40 in themanner heretofore described. At the start of the rinse-fill period, the solenoid 78 is actuated by the switch to positionthe spent 76 over the-container ZZmcontaining the powdered rinse additives. The water from.thespout 7.6; mixes. with the powder and flushes it through] the openings 37 and 38 into the flume 33. The timerthen proceedsathrough the rinse-fill cycle and into the overflow-.rinse-fill agitate cycle until :the switch 101 is actuated atone minute prior to the overflow rinserfillitermination. Theswitchv :1 energizes the solenoid :90 and rotatesuthe spout 77 to a position discharging water into thepocket 71 of the container 6.0- for overbalancing the weight73 and rotating the container 60. to its second or discharging position at which time water from the spout 77. entersithe containento dilute and displaceythe liquid 'rinseadditive and flushitinto the trough 32 to. the. box 35. at which point. further dilutionoccurs with the water from spout 76 and the main water conduit 34. During both the washfill period, and the rinse-fill period, theprimary source ofwater for fillingthe basket 12. is .throughtheconduit 3.4 while the conduits. 74 and 75, which branchfrqm the conduit 34, are. merely secondary water, inlet means. which are used for dumping: and flushing the, various, additives from the container 18-, into the water flume.v 33. l

The conduits 74 and 75 receive. waterfr'om the main water supply conduit by meansof a cross member 184 which is, placed on the downstreamside of a Water control'annulus 85., The control annulus 85 is ofthe, type shownin Patent No. 2,389,134 and, provides a uniform volume of water regardless of variations in water pressure at the source. For the subject wa hing machine it is preferred to have a control annulus which provides for aflow rateof approximately two andthree-quarter gallons per minute, The cross member 8 4 has a relatively large diameter passageway 86 therein, said. passageway com,- rnunicating with the main water supply conduit 34, and apair of relatively small diameter branch passageways 87 and 88 communicating respectively with the secondary water inlet conduits 74 and 75. A restricted orifice 89 is provided in the passageway 88 to provide a further retardation of water flow to the conduit 75 and spout 77. Theorifice 89 is of such a size as to provide a flow rate of about one-third gallons of water per minute. The particular low flow rate is necessarywhen concentrated bleach is dispensed by the container 40 so that only a small amount of bleach will enter the washing machine when the container 40 is moved'to its discharge position. It canthus be seen that the particular water flowcontrol system for the present dispenser and the particular dispenser structure permits the automatic dispensing of concentrated bleach without any danger of damaging the clothes in the machine. The annulus 85 and theorifice 89 provide a uniform flow rate of approximately onethird gallon of water per minute to the spout 77 regardless of the water pressure atthe' source thus assuring a slow rate of discharge of bleach into the trough 32.

While we have described our invention in connection with one specific embodiment thereof, it isto beaunderstood that this is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and the scope of, our invention is defined solely by the appended claims which should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit. We claim:

1. In combination, a dispenser for liquids comprising a support,,a drum-shaped container rotatablvmounted on said support, said container having a loading position and a dispensing position, means for retaining said container in its loading position, means on said container for rotating the container from its loading position to its dispensing position including a water-receiving receptacle on said container and spaced from the axis ofi rotation of said container, means definingraninlet opening insaid container for receiving the liquid to be dispensed, means defining an outlet opening. in said container and positioned therein whereby. when the container is in its loading position, the outlet opening will be above the liquid level of the container and when the container is in its dispensing 6 position, the inlet openingis in=communication withthe outlet opening and the outlet opening will be'ina liquid dischargingposition, and-meansfor admitting waterinto said receptacle to rotate said container to positionthe inlet opening of said container relative to said water-admitting means for admitting water into the container for mixture of the-water with the liquid and overflow of the mixture through the outlet opening. t I

2. In combination, a dispenserfor liquids comprising a support, a cylindrical drumwshaped container rotatably mounted on said support, said container having a loading position and a dispensing position, means for retaining said container in its loadingposition, means on said con-. tainer for rotating the container to its dispensing position, said rotating means-including a water. receiving pocket within said container. and spaced from-the axis-of rota? tion thereof, means defining an inlet opening in the cylindrical surf-ace of said container for receiving the. liquid to be dispensed, means defining an outlet'opening in the cylindrical surface of said container and positioned thereinwhereby when the container is in its loading position, the outlet opening will be above the liquid levelof the container and when the container is in its dispensing position, the inlet opening is in communication with the outlet opening and the outlet opening will be in a liquid discharging position, means for admitting water into said receptacle to rotate said container to position the inlet opening. of said container relative to saidwater-admitting means for admitting water into the container for mixture of the water with the liquid and overflowofthemixture through the outlet opening, and means defining a-drain hole in the bottom of said receptacle.

3. In a washing machine having a basket for containing washing fluids and materials to be washed during a sequence of operations including a wash cycle and a rinse cycle and wherein liquid cleansing agents are added to the washing fluids during the wash cycle and again during the rinse cycle, water inlet means for said basket, the improvement residing in a dispenser for liquid cleansing agents comprising a receptacle having at least .two'com partments which empty into said water inlet means, means for admitting water to said compartments sequentially during said wash cycle and during said rinse cycle comprising at least two drum-shaped containers each rotatably mounted in said compartments, said containers having a loading position and a dispensingposition, means for retaining said containers in their loading-position, means for rotating said containers to their dispensing position including means defining a water receiving pocket on each of said containers, means defining an inlet opening in said containers for receiving the liquid cleansing agent to be dispensed, means defining an outlet opening in said containers and positioned therein whereby when the containers are in their loading position, the outlet openings will be above the liquid level of the containers and when the containers are in their dispensing position, the inlet openings are respectively in communication with the outlet openings and the outlet openings will be in a, liquid discharging position, and means defining an outlet opening in the bottom of said pockets to permit water, to drain therefrom, and means for admitting water to one of said containers during said wash cycle and to the other of said containers during the rinse cycle.

4. In a clothes washing machine having a basket for containing wash water and the clothes to be washed and having an electrical circuit including a sequential control device to automatically provide a wash-fill cycle, a rinse fill cycle, and an overflow rinse-fill cycle, water inlet means for said basket, the improvement residing in a, dispenser for cleansing agents comprising a receptacle having a first compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said wash-fill cycle, a'second compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said rinse-fill cycle, a third compartment adapted to contain liquid cleansing agents to be added to said basket duringv said wash-fill cycle, a fourth compartment adapted to contain liquid rinse agents to be added during substantially the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said compartments emptying into said water inlet means, a first water admitting conduit for supplying water to said first compartment during said wash-fill cycle and to said second compartment during said rinse-fill cycle, and a second water admitting conduit for supplying water to said third compartment during the wash-fill cycle and to said fourth compartment during substantially the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said water admitting conduits being movably disposed over said receptacle, and solenoids in said electrical circuit for moving said water supply conduits to change their respective discharging positions, said solenoids being controlled by said sequential control device.

5. In a clothes washing machine having a basket for containing wash water and the clothes to be washed and having an electrical circuit including a sequential control device to automatically provide a wash-fill cycle, a rinsefill cycle, and an overflow rinse-fill cycle, water inlet means for said basket, the improvement residing in a dispenser for cleansing agents comprising a receptacle having a first compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing'agents to be added to said basket during said wash-fill cycle, a second compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said rinse-fill cycle, a third compartment adapted to contain liquid cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said wash-fill cycle, a fourth compartment adapted to contain liquid cleansing agents to be added during substantially the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said compartments emptying into said water inlet means, a first water admitting conduit for supplying water to said first compartment during said wash-fill cycle and to said second compartment during said rinse-fill cycle, a second water admitting conduit for supplying water to said third compartment during the wash-fill cycle and to said fourth compartment during the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said conduits being movably disposed over said receptacle, and solenoids in said electrical circuit for moving said conduits to change their respective discharging positions, said solenoids being controlled by said sequential control device, said third and fourth compartments each containing a drum-shaped container rotatably mounted in said compartments, said containers having a loading position and a dispensing position, means for retaining said containers in their loading position, means for rotating said containers to their dispensing position, including means defining a water receiving pocket on said containers which is adapted to receive water from said second conduit, means defining an inlet opening in said containers for receiving the liquid to be dispensed, means defining an outlet opening in said containers and positioned therein whereby when the container is in its loading position, the outlet opening will be above the liquid level of the containers and when the containers are in their dispensing position, the inlet opening will be in communication with the outlet opening and the outlet opening will be in a liquid discharging position, and means defining an outlet opening in the bottom of said pocket to permit water to drain therefrom. a

6. In a clothes washing machine having a basket for containing wash water and the clothes to be washed and having an electrical circuit including a sequential control device to automatically provide a wash-fill cycle, a rinsefill cycle, and an overflow rinse-fill cycle, water inlet means for said basket, the improvement residing in a dispenser for cleansing agents comprising a receptacle having a first compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said wash-fill cycle; a second compartment adapted to contain powdered cleansing agents to be added to said basket during said rinse-fill cycle, a third compartment adapted to contain liquid cleansing agents to be added to said basketduring said wash-fill cycle; a fourth compartment adapted to contain liquid cleansing agents to be added during the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said compartments emptying into said water inlet means, water admitting means for supplying water to said first compartment during said wash-fill cycle and to said second compartment during said rinse-fill cycle, and water admitting means for supplying water to said third compartment during the wash-fill cycle and to said fourth compartment during the last minute of said overflow rinse-fill cycle, each of said water admitting means including a water supply conduit rotatably disposed over said receptacle, and solenoids in said electrical circuit for rotating said water supply conduits to change their respective discharging positions, said solenoids being controlled by said sequential control device.

7. In combination, a dispenser for liquids comprising a support, a drum-shaped container rotatably mounted on said support, said container being adapted to contain a liquid in a first position thereof and having a second liquid dspensing position, means for retaining said container in its first position, means on said container for rotating the container to its dispensing position and including a waterreceiving receptacle on said container and spaced from the axis of rotation thereof, means defining an opening in said container for dispensing a liquid and positioned therein whereby when the container is in its first position, the opening will be above the liquid level of the container and when the container is rotated to dispose the container in its dispensing position, the opening will be in a liquid discharging position; and means for admitting water into said receptacle to rotate said container to position the opening in the container relative to said water-admitting means for admitting water through the opening into the container for mixture with the liquid and overflow of the mixture through the opening outwardly of the container.

8. In combination, a dispenser for liquids comprising a support, a drum-shaped container rotatably mounted on said support, said container being adapted to contain a liquid in a first position thereof and having a liquid dispensing position, means for retaining said container in its first position, means defining an opening in said container for dispensing a liquid and positioned therein whereby when the container is in its first position, the opening will be above the liquid level of the container and when the container is in its dispensing position, the opening will be in a liquid discharging position; water supply means disposed adjacent said container; means for rotating said container to its dispensing position and including a water-receiving receptacle on said container and spaced from the axis of rotation thereof, said receptacle being positioned relative to said water supply means to normally prevent water entering said opening until sufficient water flows into said receptacle to rotate the container to its dispensing position in which the opening in the container is disposed relative to said water supply means for the flow of water into the container for mixture with the liquid and discharge of the mixture through said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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