US3447686A - Washing machine system - Google Patents

Description

June 1969 R. w. HOUSER WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM Sheet 01'2 Original Filed May 15, 1964 IN VEN'TOR. ROY W. HOUSER HIS ATTORNEYS June 3,' 1969 R. w. HOUSER WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM Sheet 2 012 Original Filed May 15, 1964 m R s U W W. ,7, m m M Y B LIE $33043 \w HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,447,686 WASHING MACHINE SYSTEM Roy W. Houser, Orange, Calif., assignor to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No.

1964. This application June 16, 1967, Int. Cl. B01d 21/26; D06f U.S. Cl. 210-144 367,824, May 15, Ser. No. 646,738 35/00 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation application of its copending parent application, Ser. No. 367,824, filed May 15, 1964, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved washing machine having means to vary the speed of the spinning Washing compartment thereof in relation to the unbalanced condition thereof.

This invention also relates to an improved method of operating such a washing machine as well as to improved parts for such a washing mac he or the like.

It is well known that many washing machines or the like have variable speed means for spinning the Washing compartment thereof to centrifuge water out of the clothes in the washing compartment subsequent to a washing or rinsing cycle of operation.

However, it is also well known that during the high speed spinning of the washing compartment, an un balanced condition of the clothes therein causes the spinning washing compartment to move in an eccentric manner whereby if the unbalanced condition exceeds a predetermined value, the same is detrimental to the parts of the washing machine as well as produces an objectionable noise and Walking of the machine.

According to the teachings of this invention, improved means are provided for vary-ing the speed of rotation of the washing compartment in relation to the unbalanced condition thereof so that the unbalanced condition of the spinning washing compartment will not adversely affect the washing machine and the entire Washing cycle of the machine can be completed even though the clothes in the washing compartment are unbalanced.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved washing machine having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved parts for such a washing machine or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view illustrating the improved washing machine system of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top view of the reading sheet of the program member of FIGURE 1.

variable speed drive 17, the belt 15 3,447,686 Patented June 3, 1969 FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates the high speed setting for the spinning washing compartment.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafiter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for controlling the speed of rotation of a wash ing compartment of a washing machine or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide other control means for other devices as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention. 1 Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved washing machine system of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and includes a frame means 11 suitably supporting a rotatable washing compartment or tub 12 therein whereby the washing compartment 12 is adapted to be spun at a relatively high speed in a manner hereinafter described to centrifuge the water from the clothes disposed therein subsequent to a wash or a rinse cycle of the system 10.

In particular, a suitable transmission 13 is interconnected to the washing compartment 12 to rotate the same upon actuation of the transmission 13 by rotational movement of a driven pulley 14.

The driven pulley 14 is driven by a suitable transmission belt 15 looped around the driven pulley 14 and a pulley 16 carried by a suitable motor also being disposed around part of an idler 18 carried on the end of an arm 19 of an L-shaped lever 20 pivotally mounted to the frame means at point 62.

The variable speed drive pulley 16 is conventional in the art and is so constructed and arranged that when the idler wheel 18 is disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, the motor 17 drives the spinning compartment 12 at the lowest speed thereof.

However, when the idler 18 is disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the drive pulley 16 rotates the washing compartment 12 at its highest speed of rotation whereby it can be seen that positioning of the idler 18 in between the positions illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 causes the washing compartment thereof to be spun at a speed intermediate the high and low speeds thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

The lever 20 has the other arm 21 thereof intercom nected to one end 22 of a compression spring 23 having the other end 24 thereof suitably interconnected to the frame means 11 in any suitable manner.

In this manner, the comprssion spring 23 tends to maintain the idler 18 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 whereby actuation of the motor 17 causes the spinning compartment 12 to spin at its lowest speed.

A pneumatic actuator 25 is provided for adjusting the position of the idler 18 between the positions illustrated in FIGURES l and 3 in a manner hereinafter described, the actuator 25 comprising a flexible bellows construction having one end 26 thereof fixed relative to the frame means 11 and having the other end 27 thereof movable relative to the frame means 11 in a manner hereinafter described and interconnected to the end of the arm 21 by suitable means 28.

Thus, it can be seen that when the bellows construction 25 is evacuated in a manner herein-after described, the movable wall 27 thereof moves from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 to cause the motor 17 to rotate the washing compartment 12 at its highest speed.

In order to actuate the actuator 25 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the position illustrated in 3 FIGURE 3, a program member 29 is provided and is adapted to be rotated relative to a reading head 30 by a suitable timer motor or the like, the program member 29 comprising a flexible reading sheet 31, a rigid backing member 32 and a porous resilient material 33 disposed between the backing member 32 and the reading sheet 31 to urge the reading sheet 31 to scaling engagement with the reading surface 34- of the reading head 30.

The reading head 30 has a plurality of passages 35 formed therein and adapted to be interconnected together by blister means 36 formed in a predetermined pattern in the reading sheet 31.

For example, the left hand passage means 35 in the reading head 30 can be interconnected to the inlet side of a vacuum pump 37 by a flexible conduit means 38 while the right hand passage means 35 in FIGURE 1 is adapted to be interconnected to the interior of the bellows construction 25 by a flexible conduit 39.

Thus, when a particular blister 36 of the reading sheet 31 comes into registration with the passages 35 and the reading head 30, the channel '40 defined by the particular blister 36 interconnects the vacuum pump 37 with the bellows construction 25 to cause the idler 18 to move from the low speed position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the high speed position illustrated in FIGURE 3 so that the washing compartment 12 can be spun at its highest speed for centrifuging purposes.

However, when an aperture means 41 in the reading sheet 31 comes into registration with the right hand passage means 35 of the reading head 30 of FIGURE 1, air is adapted to return to the bellows construction 25 through the aperture means 41 to permit the idler 18 to return from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 under force of the tension spring 23.

Therefore, it can be seen that the program member 29 is adapted to operate the various devices of the washing machine system through the predetermined pattern of blisters 36 and aperture means 41 thereof so that when a particular washing or rinsing cycle is terminated, the same interconnects together the vacuum pump 37 with the actuator 25 to cause the variable speed means 16 to rotate the spinning compartment 12 at the highest speed thereof.

However, it has been previously set forth that should the clothes be unbalanced in the washing compartment 12, the same tends to rotate with an eccentric motion as illustrated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1 whereby such unbalanced condition of the rotating washing compartment 12 not only adversely afiects the parts of the washing machine but also causes objectionable noise and tends to move the washing machine relative to its mounting.

According to the teachings of this invention, however, improved means are provided for reducing the speed of the spinning compartment 12 in proportion to the unbalanced condition thereof so that the washing compartment 12 can still be spun by the motor 17 at a lower speed whereby the unbalanced condition does not adversely affect the washing machine and the like.

In particular, it can be seen that a sensing device 42 of this invention is mounted to the frame means 11 of the washing machine in a manner hereinafter described whereby the sensing means 42 senses the unbalanced condition of the spinning washing compartment 12 and modifies the actuator 25 in a manner hereinafter described to reduce the speed of the spinning washing compartment 12 to a speed thereof which will not adversely affect the washing machine even though the clothes in the washing compartment 12 are unbalanced.

In particular, the sensing means 42 comprises a housing 4 3 having a tubular extension 44 threaded into a suitable bore 45 of the frame means 11 whereby the housing 43 will be subject to vibrations created by the unbalanced condition of the spinning compartment 12 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The housing 43 is provided with an inlet 46 and an outlet 47 interconnected together by a resilient valve seat 48 for a purpose hereinafter described, the outlet 47 comprising an internally threaded bore receiving an externally threaded cup-shaped retainer 49.

A valve member 50 is disposed in the outlet 47 of the housing 43 and is normally urged to the closed position by a compression spring 51 having 'one end 52 bearing against the valve member 50 and the other end 53 thereof bearing against the closed end of the retainer 49.

The inlet 46 of the sensing means 42 is interconnected to the interior of the bellows construction 25 by a flexible conduit means 54.

An elongated stem or rod 55 is interconnected to the valve member 50 and projects outwardly through an opening 56 in the closed end of the retainer 49, the rod 55 carrying a suitable weight means 57 on the end 58 thereof.

The weight means 57 can comprise a metallic block or the like and has a set screw 59 received in a threaded bore 60 thereof and interconnecting with a transverse bore 61 which loosely receives the end 58 of the rod 55.

In this manner, by loosening the set screw 59, the position of the weight means 57 on the rod 55 can be readily adjusted and, thereafter, by tightening the set screw 59 against the rod 55, the weight means 57 will be fixed relative to the valve member 50 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Thus, as long as the valve member 50 remains seated against the valve seat 48, it can be seen that when the program means 29 interconnects the vcuum source 37 with the bellows construction 25, the idler 18 is moved from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the position illustrated in FIGURE '3 to cause the motor 17 to rotate the washing compartment 12 at its maximum speed.

However, should the clothes in the washing compartment 12 be unbalanced to cause an eccentric motion of the washing compartment 12, such motion of the washing compartment 12 sets up vibrations in the frame means 11 which causes the weight means 57 to vibrate. Such vibration of the weight means 57 causes the valve member 50 to unseat from the valve seat 48 in opposition to the force of the compression spring 51 in substantially a proportionate manner relative to the vibration sensed by the weight means 57 whereby air is permitted to partially return to the bellows construction 25 by the open valve seat 48.

In this manner the actuator 25 now has the movable wall 27 thereof positioned in a position intermediate that disposed in FIGURES 1 and 3 to cause the idler 18 to assume a position that reduces the speed of rotation of the washing compartment 12.

Thus, it can be seen that the greater the vibrations set up in the frame means 11 by the washing compartment 12, the greater the opening of the valve seat 48 and, the greater the reduction in the speed of rotation of the washing compartment 12.

Therefore, it can be seen that the sensing means 42 of this invention readily reduces the speed of rotation of the washing compartment 12 in proportion to the unbalanced condition sensed by the sensing means 42 so that the washing compartment 12 can be continued to be rotated, even though the same is unbalanced, at a speed which will not adversely affect the washing machine or the like so that the washing machine can complete its particular operation without requiring stopping of the same.

Since different washing machines will have the barmonics thereof different than other washing machines, it can be seen that the sensing means 42 of this invention can be readily adjusted for any particular washing machine by merely varying the position of the retainer 49 relative to the housing 43 to adjust the force of the compression spring 51. In addition or alternately thereto, the weight means 57 can be adjusted on the rod means 55 whereby the particular sensing means 42 of this invention is adapted to control the unbalanced condition of many different types of washing apparatus in the above manner.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides an improved washing machine and method of operating the same, but also this invention provides improved parts for such a washing machine or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a washing machine having a washing compartment and variable speed means for spinning said compartment at a high or a low speed, the improvement comprising a variable position vacuum operated actuator for actuating said variable speed means to a particular speed thereof in relation to the vacuum condition in said actuator, a vacuum source, means for interconnecting said vacuum source to said actuator to position said actuator for setting said variable speed means to spin said compartment at said high speed, and sensing means operatively interconnected to said actuator and being responsive to the unbalanced condition of said spinning washing compartment to vary the vacuum condition of said actuator so that the same is repositioned to reduce and maintain the speed of said speed means to a particular speed thereof intermediate said high and low speeds and in relation to the particular sensed unbalanced condition as long as said particular sensed unbalanced condition exists.

2. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 1, said sensing means including a valve means interconnecting the interior of 'said actuator with the atmosphere, said valve means opening in proportion to said unbalanced condition.

3. In a washing machine having a washing compartment and variable speed means for spinning said compartment, the improvement comprising a variable position vacuum operated actuator for actuating said variable speed means to a particular speed thereof in relation to the vacuum condition in said actuator, and sensing means operatively interconnected to said actuator and being responsive to the unbalanced condition of said spinning washing compartment to vary the vacuum condition of said actuator so that the same is repositioned to reduce the speed of said speed means to a particular speed thereof in relation to the particular sensed unbalanced condition, said sensing means including a valve means interconnecting the interior of said actuator with the atmosphere, said valve means opening in proportion to said unbalanced condition, said valve means including a valve seat means secured to said machine and a valve member biased toward said valve seat means by biasing means to close the same said valve member carrying weight means that is responsive to vibrations of said machine to move said valve member away from said valve seat in opposition to said biasing means.

4. In a washing machine having a washing compartment and variable speed means for spinning said compartment, the improvement comprising a variable position vacuum-operated actuator for actuating said variable speed means to a particular speed thereof in relation to the vacuum condition in said actuator, sensing means operatively interconnected to said actuator and being responsive to the unbalanced condition of said spinning washing compartment to vary the vacuum condition of said actuator so that the same is repositioned to reduce the speed of said speed means to a particular speed thereof in relation to the particular sensed unbalanced condition, a vacuum source, and means to interconnect the vacuum source with said actuator.

5. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 4, said last-named means comprising a program member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,605 4/1955 Rose et a1. 137-38 X 2,920,470 1/1960 Bochan 210-144 X 2,950,009 8/1960 Bochan 210-144 X 2,990,705 7/1961 Bochan 68-12 3,043,328 7/1962 Taylor 68-12 X 3,048,026 8/1962 Bochan et al. 68-23 X 3,088,593 5/1963 Stilwell 68-24 X 3,112,630 12/1963 Anderson et a1 68-12 3,151,066 9/1964 Brenner et al 210-363 X 3,285,419 11/1966 Smith 210-144 REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.- J. L. DE CESARE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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