US2471876A - Clothes-washing and cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1949, G, KUHN 2,471,876

CLOTHES WASHING AND CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 17, 1938 J15- 1'19: fig l 95 i': 1420 1 2] WWW jjjmjinn nn u 112' 1/1/14 LVJ LVJ rldlorn 401 5 Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED 1 STATES PATENT-' OFFICE 2,471,876' 1 I CLOTHES-WASHIN G AND CLEANING George Kuhn, Silver Spring, Md, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton. Ohio, a corporation of Delaware 106,080. Divided and this 1942, Serial No. 442,640

This invention relates to cleaning of fabrics and articles and more particularly to power driven washing and cleaning machines. v

This application. is a division of my copending application Serial No. 106,080, filed October 1'1, 1936, for Washing and cleaning machine, now

Patent 2,282,332, granted May 12, 1942.

The invention provides a washing and cleaning machine of extremely simple construction which provides all essential operations to effect a rapid and thorough cleaning or washing of the articles.

'2 Claims. (cl. 68-131) the washing and application May 11,

The invention in its several aspects will be un-- derstood from the following description con- -sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and inwhich: Fig. 11 is a more or less diagrammatic view in 'vertical section of a preferred form of washing machine;

These operations include circulation of the articles in the washing fluid, scrubbing and shaking of the articles, agitation and flexing of the fabric of the articles and rapidly pulsating the fluid through the fabric.

The machine of the present invention includes a rapidly reciprocating washing element submerged in the washing fluid, provided with one or more circumferential projections or discs serving as scrubbing surfaces and as means providing .a unidirectional flow of circulatory motion of the fluid whereby the articles being cleaned are successively and repeatedly drawn into a scrubbing zone adjacent the washing element wherein they are scrubbed and vigorously shaken. Additionally, the motion of the washing element produces sufliciently vigorous pulsations which spread throughout the, body of the fluid and serve to loosen and removedirt by rapidly flexing and agitating the articles and pulsating the fluid through th fabric. The washing element also functions to untangle any fabric or article which may have become tangled with another or others during the washing action.

The intensity and rapidity of the washing action may be readily varied by varying'the stroke or the speed of movement of the washing element or the rate at which it reciprocates, thereby to produce as gentle or as vigorous a washingaction Fig. 2 is an elevational view of another preferred form of operating mechanism for the washing element; and t t Fig. 3 is a partial view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of referencerefer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the washing machine therein shown operates substantially as disclosed in my said copending patents, particularly 2,282,332, except as herein described.

In the form of washing machine illustrated in Fig. 1, the circulation of the washing or treating fluid in the tub is opposite in direction to the circulation obtained in the machine illustrated in Patent 2,282,332. The washing element is centrally or axially disposed with respect to the tub 80, and includes four discs 8|, 82, 83 and 84 which are mounted in spaced relationship on operating as may be desired to suit the particular type of shaft 85 which extends through a packing gland 86 in the bottom 'of the tub. A diaphragm such as 25 in the referred to patent may be substituted for the gland 86. The discs are arranged and constructed so as to cause the treating fluid and the articles being treated to flow toward the washing element in the upper portion of the fluid, thence downwardly in the scrubbing zone, which is that portion of the tub disposed immediately adjacent the washing element, after which the fluid and articles flow radially outwardly at the bottom of the tub to the wall thereof and thence upwardly along this wall as indicated by the direction arrows in Fig. 1. Morespecifically the discs 8| to 84are formed as disclosed in Fig. 1 to provide a series of inverted cup-shaped members with thickened outer peripheral edges as shown. The cups are of gradually decreasing diameters progressively from the bottom cup 8| to the top cup 84 but these discs may be of diameters other than those disclosed with one or more of the discs of the same diameter, or they maybe of other relative sizes. The discs may be of any suitable material such as metal, hard rubber, Bakelite, etc., but are preferably of elastic or flexible material such as live rubber, or suitable rubber composition reinforced with fabric, metal or other material such as suitable metal reinforcements 81, although fabric or other suitable redirection.

inforcing material may lie-employed. Asshown,

a the stroke may be varied from zero to maximum the bottom of the tub 88 extends outwardly and downwardly in a'smooth curve and connects to and operation of the washing element and its discs is the same, or similar to, the function and voperation of the discs I 8 to I, in the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of Patent 2,282,332, ex-

ceptingthat the circulation of the fluid in the tub is in the reverse direction. The tub may con- ,tain 18 gallons of warm water, 4 ounces of soap, and 12 pounds of soiled dry clothes. The washing element may be reciprocated at the rate of 600 strokes per minute with alV stroke. Discs 8| to 84 may be arranged similarly to the discs l I8 to 1-9 to produce a similar effect on the circula-- the reverse tion of the fluid and articlesbut In The operating mechanism for the 7 element shownin Fig. 1 is arranged to provide an adjustment of the length of the stroke of the washing element. In the form shown, drive shaft 88 is rotated by an electric motor or other suitable -means through a belt drive or suitable gearing. Eccentric 89 is'flxed to shaft 88 and eccentric strap 58 has an arm 8| pivoted to one end of operating lever 92 which is pivotally connected at an intermediate portion 98 thereof to shaft 85 of the washing element. The other end portion 94 of the lever 92 passes in sliding relationship through a block 85 which is pivotally secured in oppositely disposed trunnions to a carriage 88 theadedly mounted on an adjusting screw 81. Washing element shaft 85 extends through spaced bearings 88 and 88. With this arrangement it will beperceived that rotation of the shaft 85 and to the washing element secured thereto. The length of the stroke of the washin element may be varied by adjustment of screw 91 which moves the fulcrum of lever 92 toward or I from the shaft 85. As the fulcrum moves toward washing for the device. .The operating disc I I8 may be rotated by any suitable means at any desired angular velocity.. Pin III on the. disc moves in a slot I I2 in one end of a lever I I3 which is pivotally connected at an intermediate portion I I4 to washing element shaft 28 or 85. The other end II5 of the lever H3 is slidably mounted in a block .Ears I I! are pivoted at II8 to spaced ears II8 on a rack bar I28 slidably mounted on a supporting rod I2I. The'teeth of rack bar I28 are in mesh with the teeth of a pinion I22 flxed to a shaft I23 which may be rotated by hand or by other means. With operating disc II8 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2,the washing element on shaft 85 will be moved upwardly relatively rapidly and will be moved downwardly relatively slowly. With operating disc I I8 rotating in 'a clockwise direction, the washing element will be moved upwardly relatively slowly in the direction ofthe closedends of the cups and will be returned relatively quickly in the direction of the outward flare of the cups. The length of the stroke of; the washing element may be varied from zero to maximum for the device, for

example 2" or thereabouts, by movement of pinion I22 to move the fulcrum- I I8 for the lever II3 between a position in alignment with the pivot Ill and a position removed therefrom the greatest distance possible for the mechanism.

Positions of fulcrum II8 intermediate these extreme positions will provide intermediate lengths of stroke for the washing element.

The washing elements constructed and opercounter different degrees of resistance to their shaft 85 the length of the stroke of the washing element will be diminished, whereas movement ofv the fulcrum away from the shaft 85 will cause the stroke of the washing element to be increased.

- mechanism, the arrangement is such that the length of stroke of the washingelement may not be reduced entirely to zero. However, slight passage through the fluid. When the discs are of flexible or elastic material or construction, the effective diameters alternately decrease and increase duringv operation'on their upward and downward strokes respectively, whereby their fluid'propelling action as previously described is further amplified. This pulsating unidirectional flow of the fluid carries the articles into proximity of the washing element which engages the articles singly and pulls them individually in a series of short, fast jerks past the scrubbing edges which shake, flex and briskly rub the fabrics and propel them through the scrubbing zone and then outwardly, after which they are carchange inthe block 88 and associated parts as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 will permit the positioning of trunnions I88 which function as the fulcrum for lever 92 in alignment with the axis of Shaft 85 so that zero stroke for the washing element may be obtained. It will be understood that disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3 of the patent.

its removal in the scrubbing zone.

the operation is such that the washing element is rapidly reciprocated with relatively short strokes as in the case of the washing element ried by the currents of fluid to points in the tub where they begin a new cycle. Throughout the process of washing, the fluid continuously pulsates back and forth through the meshes of the fabric thereby loosening the dirtpreparatory to Whereas a steady pull would not loosen an article entangled in a mass, a series of fast, short jerks such as prov duced by the machine of my invention, readily does so. 7 o Inasmuch as the rate and direction of circulation-of the fluid, the intensity of the washing action, and other factors depend upon the shape,

fl-Jbe .readilyjperceived that any or all of these size, number and relative position and inclination of, the surfaces of the discs as well as upon the operatingspeed of the washing element, it will factors may be modified as desired to meet any particular requirements.

It will be understood that the direction of fluid circulation obtained during operation of the washing elements shown may be reversed merely by inverting the surfaces of the discs of the washing elements.

In the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, the washing element is operated in a substantially cylindrical tub, but the washing ele-- ment may be shaped to suit any other shape of tub, such as rectangular, in which case the washing element may consist of rigid or elastic strips of a configuration to conform to the shape of the tub to produce uniform circulation of fluid throughout the tub. For example, a long, rectangular tub may be used with a washing element positioned longitudinally in the latter and consisting of elongated strips supported by a vertically disposed plate which is vertically reciprocated rapidly with short strokes.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the form, location, relative arrangement and the materials of the several parts of the machine disclosed without departing from the principles of the invention. Accordingly nointention is en- Ytertained to limit the invention except by the means having provisions for imparting faster strokes in the direction of the outward flare of said element than in the other. i

2. Apparatus for treating articles with fluid comprising a tub, a substantially vertically reciprocating outwardly flared washing elementin said tub producing toroidal circulation, power means to impart oppositely directed, rapid; rectilinear, short strokes to said element, said power means including an eccentric rotatable member, and connections between said eccentric member and said reciprocating element imparting faster operation during the portion of the stroke in the direction of the flare than during the corresponding opposite portion of the stroke.

GEORGE KUHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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