US1468588A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. ls i923, M6358@ F.- WILSON WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28. 1922 2 Shee'S-Sheei, 1

sept.. 18, 11923.

' F. WILSON WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28. 1922 u o F m E s N Q i o o o v O 0 O 0 O Aww O y R o. O O 0 O Nm R o K. o o o Nm 1 o ww b m\ o, MN -|||-|f||| A kN -lllvmw QN o o o mmm/o o l- K1N Qwl o Il Ill .lul .I o O O 6 O @um N QN Patented Sept. t8, i923.

MNH STT FRANK WILSON, OF SELLERS, LOUISIANA.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application led October 28, 1922. Serial No. 597,524.

To aZZ 'whom it may con/cera.'

Be it known that I, FRANK WILSON, a cit izen of the United States, residing at Selb ers, in the parish of St. Charles and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Washing- Machines, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to washing machines and has for its object to provide a machine of this character wherein clothes may be thoroughly cleansed by an agitating operation. l

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine of this character wherein the means for holding the clothes may be moved in either direction without causing reverse rotation of the fan means.

lt is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this characterwherein means are provided for drying the clothes without stopping the machine or the source of power.

llt is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character wherein the actuating means of the clothes holder also serves as means for transmitting power from the source of power to the drying means.

llt is still a further object of the invention to rovide a device of this character in clu ing means for transmitting power to the clothes holder of the machine, said means being` adjustable to move the clothes holder in either direction and to also actuate the drying means.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of a washing machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryside elevation i showlng the gear mechanism of the machine;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the fan casing and air funnel;

Figure 4r is a perspective view of the operating lever and connection for the actuating gear of the drying mechanism;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view showing the interior construction of the clothes holder; and

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a supporting frame including legs 6, 7, 8 and 9, the legs being connected at the upper portion by an end bar 10 and at their lower` portion by an end bar 1l. The legs are further connected at their vside portion by means of side bars 12. Disposed within the trame between the upper end bars 10 is a semicylindrical tank 13 having a semi-cylindrical top 14 which is hinged to the upper longitudinal bar 16 of the frame and adapted to cooperate with the tank to provide -a substantially circular compartment. This tank is intended to receive the water used in washing the clothes'. An outlet pipe 17 is connected to the bottom of the tank and provided with a faucet 18 by means of which the water may be drawn from the tank after the washing operation in order to permit drying of the clothes. rllhe top 14 is provided with an inlet 19, closed by a cap 20, the inlet being used, if desired, to fill the tank and also to serve as an outlet for the air after the drying operation.

Disposed -within the tank 13 is a clothes holding member, said member being composed of sections 21 and 22, the section 22 serving as a cover and is hinged to the section 21 as at 23. Fastening means 2t are provided for connecting the opposite edge portions of the sections to each other so as to substatially provide a cylindrical member. The wall 25 of the section 22 and wall 26 of the section21 are provided with a series of openings 27 and 27a intended to permit the entrance of water into the clothes holder. The end members 28 of the section 22 and end members 29 of the Section 21 are likewise provided with openings 30 and 30a.

Extending longitudinally ot the section 22 are lifting members 31, while extending longitudinally of the section 21 are lifting members 32. These members are intended to engage the clothes to lift or agitate the same during rotary movement of the clothes holder.

Extending from the outer face of the end members 29 of the section 21 and centrally of the upper edge of said section are socket members 33 .Disposed in each' of the socksection 21 to admit the clothes.

ets 33 are stub shafts 34 and 35, said shafts being adapted to extend through the end members 10 of the frame to rotatably su port the clothes holder. By this means t e clothes holder is pivoted centrally of its ends and at the same time it is possible to swing the upper section 22 away from the The section 22 of the clothes holder is provided with an opening 36 in which a pane of glass 37 is mounted so that the operator may view the movement of the clothes holder and also ascertain the amount of water within the tank.

The end of the shaft 35 extends beyond the end member and through an opening provided in a bracket 38 carried by the end member 10, the ends 39 of said bracket being secured adjacent the ends of the frame. By this means the bracket serves as a journal for the end of the shaft and also for a purpose to be hereinafter described,

Carried by the lower portion of the supporting frame 5 is a source of power A which may be an electric motor or internal combustion engine or in fact any means used to generate power. Projecting from the motor A is a drive shaft 40, on which a drive gear 41 is mounted, the end of the shaft bemg provided with a fly wheel 42 so as to increase the momentum of the drive shaft. A bracket 43 is carried by the lower end bar 11, said bracket being relatively long and serving as a bearing for a portion of the drive shaft 40. In order that the clothes holder may be rotated, there is provided a novel power transmitting mechanism comprising a main lever 44 having an auxiliary lever 45 secured thereto, the end portion 46 of the auxiliary lever 45 being offset to cooperate with the main lever 44 in the formation of a compartment. The lower end portion of the lever 44 is enlarged and provided with an opening 47 which registerswith an opening 48 provided in the g auxiliary lever 45. These registering openings are intended to receive a shaft 49 on which a power gear 50 is rotatably mounted, the vpower gear being adapted to engage the drive gear 41 ot' the motor. The lower end portion 51 of the lever 44 and lower end portion 52 of the auxiliary lever 45 are enlarged and provided with openings adapted to receive the drive shaft 4()` the end portion 51 of the level' 44 being disposed between the bracket 43 and the end member 11, while the end member 52 of the auxiliarylever 45 1s disposed inwardly of the gear 41 as shown in Figure 2. By this means the main lever 44 and auxiliary lever are movably supported by the drive shaft so that the power gear 50 may be adjusted to suit the operator.

The main lever 44 is rovided with'ja latfh mechanism 53 adapte to engage recesses 54 and 55 provided in one end portion of the bracket 38 so as to hold the levers 44 and 45 in various adjusted positions. Carried by the shaft 35 of the clothes holder is a relatively large gear 56, the diameter of which is slightly less than the diameter of the end portion of the clothes holder. The gear 56 is intended at certain times to mesh with the gear 50 so that the power from the motor may be transmitted by the gear 50 to the clothers holder for rotating the clothes holder in one direction. This is possible by swinging the lever 44 to the position shown in Figure 1 which causes the gear 50 to mesh with the gear 56. To stop the rotation of the clothes holder without stopping the engine, or for reversing the clothes holder, the lever 44 is swung outwardly so that the latch mechanism will enter the recess 54 of the bracket 38, thereby disengaging the gear 50 from the gear 56.

In order to reverse the rotation of the clothes holder, a novel reverse mechanism is provided, said reverse mechanism comprising an inner lever 57 having one end provided with an opening for the reception of the shaft 35. The opposite end 58 is offset and extended beneath the gear 56 and outwardly of the frame. Mounted on the outer en portion of the shaft 35, between the bracket 8 and the upper end member 10, is an outer lever 59, the lower end of the lever 59 being disposed closely adjacent the offset end 58 of the inner lever.

A main actuating lever 60 has its lower end 61 pivoted to the central portion of the lower bar 11 between the lower bar and the bracket 43. This lever is also provided with an elongated slot 62 adapted to receive a pin 63, said pin extending through the lower end portions of the levers 57 and 59, to connect said levers to each other and to the lever 60. The levers 57 and 59 cooperate to provide a compartment in which a reverse ear 64 is rotatably mounted. This gear 1s relatively small and is constantly in mesh Withthe large gear 56 of the clothes holder. When the clothes holder is being rotated in a forward direction, the reverse gear 64 isA disposed in the position shown in Figure 1. The upper portion of the lever 60 is movable Within a bracket 65, said bracket having recesses 66 and 67 adapted to receive the bolt of a latch mechanism 68 carried by the lever 60. `When the latch mechanism is disposed in the recess 66, the reverse gear is in its inoperative position. When the lever 60, however, is swung to the opposite end of the bracket and the latch mechanism disposed in the recess 67, the gear is in its operative position to cause reverse rotation `of the clothes holder. I

This is accomplished by swinging the lever` 44 that the latch engages the recess 54 thereby disengaging the power gear from Lacasse 10 .ing a funnel 70 in communication with the casing and tapered upwardly, the upper end of the funnel being provided with a nozzle 71 controlled by a valve 72. The nozzle 71 extends into the tank 13 so as to permit the t5 entrance of air. One end of the casing 69 is provided with an air inlet opening 72a.l `Rotatably mounted in the casing 69 is a fan 73, the shaft 74 of the fan projecting from the end of the casing and through the leg 6 of the supporting frame. This projecting end of the fan shaft is provided with a gear 75. In order to permit rotation of the fan within the casing a lever 76 is provided, the lower portion of said lever having an exa tension 77, the end 78 of said lever being movable between the bracket 43 and the lower bar 11 to substantially guide said 1ever.` In connection with the lever 76, an auxiliary lever 79 is provided, said lever 3o having an offset end portion 8O which is secured to the upper end portion of the lever 76. The lower end portion ofthe lever 79 is provided with an extension 81 which is normally disposed in alignment with the a5 extension 77. The lower end portion 82 of the lever 79 is intended to be disposed inwardly of the bar 11. By this means the levers 76 and 79 cooperate to rovide a, compartment. The extensions 7 and 81 have a registering openings 83 in their outer end,

registering openings 84 being provided in the lever at the junction of the extensions 77 and 81 with said levers. The openings 84 of the levers are intended to receive a shaft e 85 on which a power gear 86 is rotatably mounted, said gear being substantiall the size of the power gear and is inten ed to mesh with the gear 75 of the fan shaft. 'Ihe lever 76, similar to the levers and 44, is

a0 ,provided with a latch mechanism 87 adapted to enter recesses 88 and 89 carried by the rear end portion of the bracket 38.

When the latch mechanism is disposed in the position shown in Figure' 1, and in the 55 recess 89, the drying mechanism is rendered inoperative, as the gear 86 is disengaged from the gear 56. To cause o eration of the drying mechanism, the lever 6 is swung rearwardly so that the latch mechanism en- V`.eoxters the recess 88, thereby causing the gear 86 to ewtlfmgearsG-sastrotate the fan 73 and thereby force air into the tank 13 and into the clothes holder. It is of course necessary to discharge the water from the te tank 13 so as to permit the air to circulate within the tank and the clothes holder.

During the washing operation, the valve 7 2 v is closed so as to prevent water from enterino the fan casing.

rom the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel form of washing machine, wherein the clothes holder v also transmitted to the fan. Vhile the,

clothes are being rotated within the tank and the clothes holder, air is being directed to said clothes and circulated within the tank by the rotary movement of the clothes holder. This rotary movement is likewise used to cause the water remaining in the clothes to be thrown oil' and discharged through the pipe 17.

What is claimed is 1. In a washing machine, a support, a tank carried by the support, a drum rotatable in the tank, a gear carried by the drum and located ex-teriorly of the tank, a source of power carried by the support, a lever on the support, a power gear carried by the lever and movable therewith, said gear being shiftable into engagement with the gear ofthe drum for transmitting power thereto from the source of power, a depending arm pivoted on the support and havlng a reverse gear journaled thereon, a reverse lever pivoted on the support and having a pivotal and sliding connection with the free end of said arm, said reverse lever bein movable to bring the reverse gear into mes with the drum gear and power gear when the first named leveris moved to disengage the power gear from the drum gear.

2. In a washing mac-hine, a support, a tank carried by the support, a drum rotatable in the tank, a gear connected to the drum and disposed exteriorly of the tank, a source of power carried by the support, a lever carried by the support, a power gear carried by the lever and movable therewith, said gear being shiftable into engagement with the gear of the drum for transmitting power from the source of power to the gear of the drum, a reverse lever carried by the support adjacent the first mentioned lever, a reverse gear movably mounted on the support and operatively connected to the reverse lever, said reverse gear being movable into engagement with the power gear of the first mentioned lever and the gear of the drum upon disengagement of the power gear from the gear of the drum.

3. In a machine of the character dea drum rotatably mounted within the tank carrying a gear located exterorly of the tank, means for rotating said gear a fan casing having a valved outlet nozz e leading into the tank and terminating adjacent the drum, a fan within said casin mounted on a shaft carrying a pinion, a ever movsai lever meshin with said pinion, said 10 lever being movab e'to engage said Second named gear with the rstnamed gear to efe i'ect driving ofthe same.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

FRANK WILSON.

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