US2957331A - Tub support - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1960 w. c. BRUCKMAN TUB SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR WILLIAM C. BRUCKNHN ATTORNEY Oc 25, 9 w. c. BRUCKMAN 2,957,331

I TUB SUPPORT Filed June 14, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG-4 INVENTOR. ILL/HM c. BRU /WAN Oct. 25, E960 w. c. BRUCKMAN TUB SUPPORT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR. WILL/RM c. BRUCKMHN Oct. 25, 1960 w. c. BRUCKMAN 2,957,331

TUB SUPPORT Filed June 14. 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG-7 FIG9 1' INVENTOR.

WILLIAM c. BRUCKMAN A WW 6w 9 5 2 United States Patent TUB SUPPORT William C. Bruckman, Newton, Iowa, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Easy Washing Machine Company, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation Filed June 14, 1954, Ser. No. 436,505

8 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) This invention relates to washing machines and particularly to automatic washing machines of the type wherein a complete operating cycle includes a spin dry cycle during which the clothes receiving tub is rotated at fairly high speeds, thereby to centrifuge water from the tub and the clothes. In particular, this invention is concerned with a supporting arrangement for the tub in a washer of the nature referred to which will permit tilting of the tub to accomplish the counterbalancing thereof during a spin drying operation.

In Washing machines which have a spin dry cycle, it is well-known that the clothes will very seldom, if ever, be uniformly distributed within the tub during the spinning operation, whereby the tub is more or less severely unbalanced. This condition of unbalance of the tub while it is spinning at high speed must be counterbalanced, or else extreme vibration of the washing machine will occur, or if the machine is firmly secured to a solid platform, excessive bearing loads will be developed in restraining the tub.

It has been proposed to provide means for retaining a ring of water about the spinning tub to counterbalance the weight of the clothes being spun dry therein. In order for such water to be distributed properly to balance the clothes, the tub must be mounted for eccentric vibration.

Various types of spring suspensions have been proposed wherein the entire weight of the tub is supported by stressed springs to allow eccentric vibration of a tub and to lessen or eliminate the transfer of shock loads from the tub to the frame of the machine. Such spring suspensions generally have proved unsatisfactory in that the weight of clothes and water in a tub supported by this means has caused sagging of the tub a substantial distance beneath its empty position. Furthemore, the distance a tub so supported will sag will vary from time to time in accordance with the weight of water in the tub. Such sagging leads to many diificulties in providing water inlet and outlet connections, and more particularly in the drive mechanism. Furthermore, the outside of such a Washing machine must be of substantial height to accommodate the tub in its various vertical positions.

Attempts have been made to mount a tub on an axis which can tip or pivot about a fixed point at the base of the axis, and to support the tub laterally by spring or other resilient means whereby the tub can rotate eccentrically by tipping of the axis. Such structures have eliminated sagging under load, but have been beset by further difficulties.

When clothes are spun dry in a tub, they will be distributed vertically as well as circumferentially in the tub. Sometimes the clothes will be distributed vertically more-or-less uniformly, whereas at other times substantially all of the clothes will be very low in the tub, and at still other times substantially all of the clothes will be high in the tub. This erratic distribution of mass of the rotating system including the tub and clothes with the natural center about which the rotating system tends to rotate. Accordingly, such a suspension often forces the rotating system to tend to rotate about a center other than its natural center. This causes the tub to vibrate during rotation and further imposes radial shock loads on the fixed pivot point, all of which tend to shake the machine, and will either vibrate the supporting floor if the machine is anchored to the floor or cause the machine to tend to walk across the floor if it is not anchored.

It is an object of this invention to support the tub of an automatic washer so that the vibration forces arising from spinning the tub with an unbalanced load therein regardless of the vertical position of the load will not result in forces tending to shake the supporting frame or cause walking of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to support a tub in an automatic washing machine about a tiltable axis and requiring a minimum of lateral restraining forces.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a support for a tub in an automatic washing machine for causing the tub with an unbalanced load to spin or rotate about its own natural center of vibratory oscillation without any substantial downward sag when the tub is loaded.

A more specific object of this invention is to support the base of the tub axis of an automatic washing machine for rotary and lateral movement in a limited area without generating lateral reaction forces in the frame from direct reaction on the base of the axis.

Still more specifically, it is an object of this invention to support the tub of an automatic washer on an axis member having at its bottom end a ball-and-plate connection to a supporting frame allowing lateral and rotative movement of the axis member for tilting and rotation of the tub about its natural center of oscillation without imparting lateral forces to the supporting frame.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a reasonably simple supporting structure for a tiltable and rotatable tub of an automatic washer, such structure including improved damping means, and more specifically including snubbers of substantially constant operational characteristics.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a washing machine according to this invention, partly broken away to show the arrangement and construction thereof;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, indicated by cutting plane 222 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale showing more in detail the construction and arrangement of the drive for the tub and agitator;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the support at the bottom of the machine for the tub and agitator;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the base of the frame of the washing machine, a platform connected with the transmission housing of the drive, and snubber means arranged between corners of the platform and the corners of the base;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, indicated by line 66 on Fig. 5, showing in detail the construction and arrangement of one of the snubber units arranged between the platform of Fig. 5 and the base of the machine frame;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing one condition of operation with an unbalanced load high in the tub;

8 is a view like Fig. 7, but with a load low in the tub;"

Fig. 9 is a view showing the trace of the upper end of the agitator shaft as it is accelerated up to spin speed a load as in Fig. 7; I

- Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 9, but'showingthe trace of the lower end of theagitator shaft at the support of the machine;

Figs. '11 and 12 are views like'Figs. 9 and 10, but showing traces taken under load conditions as shown in Fig.8; and V Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view showing a modified arrangement for supporting and restraining the support ball at the bottom of the machine.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, and in particular to Figure 1, themachine shown therein comprises a base 10, consisting of side rails 12 and diagonally extending channel members 14 which are connected adjacent the center of the base by a ring 16.

Upstanding from side rails 12 intermediate the ends thereof are angle members 18 which support on their upper ends a splash shield and sump 20.

Carried by side rails 12 of base 10 and extending upwardly around splash shield 20 is a cabinet 22 having a top portion 24 which, as will be seen in Figure 2, is centrally apertured, as at 26, such aperture being adapted for closure by a lid 28.

The upper end of splash shield 20 has a grommet or gasket 30 of rubber or the like that engages the underneath surface of the top portion 24 of the cabinet, thus effectively sealing the space inside the cabinet from the space inside the splash shield.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, taken together, it Will be observed that located within splash shield 20 is a tub structure 32 which comprises an inner clothes receiving tub 34, an annular balancing ring 36 surrounding the tub intermediate the top and bottom thereof, and a crown ring 38 resting on the upper edge of the tub and having a dependent skirt portion surrounding the upper portion 'of the tub and rigidly connected with the balancing ring at the upper end of the latter as by welding or the like. The crown ring 38 extends inwardly and upwardly about the tub and has an opening 40 therein beneath the opening 26 in the top portion28 of the cabinet. Clothes are introduced into and removed from the tub 34 through the openings 26 and 40. j

As will be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the crown ring 38 engages the top peripheral portion of tub 34 at spaced points thereabout, thereby providing openings or slits 42 between the crown ring and the tub through which water from the tub will pass to the balancing ring 36 during rotation of the tub. These slits 42 are of a predetermined size to control the rate at which water passes from the tub to the balancing ring. e 7

As will be seen in Figure 3, there is mounted within the tub structure and coaxially therewith, an agitator 44 which, as will be seen hereinafter, oscillates within the tub during a wash cycle and rotates with the tub during a spin dry cycle.

The agitator 44 surrounds a hollow column 46 upstanding on the axis of tub 3-4. The lower end of this column is threaded to the upper end of a sleeve-like hub 48 welded in an aperture to the bottom wail of tub 34 at its upper end and having its lower end welded to the bottom end of the inverted frusto-conical bracing member 50 carried on the bottom of the tub.

A shaft 52 extends upwardly throughcolumn 46 and has a splined connection 54 with the agitator adjacent the top thereof.

. downwardly. into a transmission housing, generally indicated at 60, and has its lower end supported by the spaced anti-friction bearings 62 disposed within a generally cylindrical part 64 of the transmission housing. Snap rings carried by the sleeve above the uppermost ends of bearings 62 and below the lowermost ends locate the sleeve relative to the bearings, while a spacing collar 66 is located between the outer races of the bearings and is retained in position with-in part 64 bya dog point set screw 68. The arrangement provides for an axial locating of the tub and rotatable support thereof.

The transmission housing referred to above comprises an upper part 70 and a lower cover part and sump 72, these parts being bolted togetherin a suitable manner. The bottom of lower part 72 of the transmission housing has a boss 74 coaxial with shaft 52, and a screw 76 is threaded therein and carries an inverted shallow downwardly concave element 78 at its lower end. A'jam nut 73 is threaded on the screw 76 and forces a washer '75 up against the under side of the boss 74, trapping sealing material -77 of a plastic nature between the screw 76 and boss 74 to prevent axial leakage. When the nut 73 is turned up tight, edge portions 79 of the Washer are turned Hub 48 surrounds the upper end of a sleeve 56 exdown against one of the flat sides of the nut and up against a diagonally opposite hat on the boss 74. Element 78 rests on a large metal ball 30 disposed within a rubber-like ball retainer 82 on a metal plate d4 within the ball retainer. The ball retainer 82 is clamped to a recessed plate 86 by screws 83 and a clamp ring 91 having a cylindrical flange spaced outwardly from the upstanding wall 83 of the retainer 82. The ball is free for rolling on the plate 84, and such rolling movement is damped by the flexible wall 83, and is positively limited by the flange 91. Plate 86 has a peripheral marginal portion 92 displaced upwardly and secured to the lower surfaces of the diagonally extending channels 14 which are connected at their upper sides by the ring 16, as mentioned previously.

Resting on the upper end of screw '76 within boss 74 is a ball 94 and on top of ball 94 is a disk 96 that engages the bottom end of shaft 52. A sleeve bearing 98 in boss 74 journals the lower end of shaft 52 against radial movement within the boss.

For driving the agitator and tub there is provided a reversible electric motor 100 having a pulley 102 driving a V-belt 104. The motor is carried on a bracket 106 pivotally mounted on a supporting part 108 (Fig. 3) rigid with the top part 70 of the transmission housing. On the opposite side of the axis of the tub structure from motor 100, there is a pulley 110 over which belt 104 passes, and this pulley drives a pinion that meshes with a gear 112 rotatable on pivot post 1&4 carried on top part 70 of the transmission housing. Gear 112 has connected therewith a drag link 116 that is connected to a gear sector 118, so that as gear 112 rotates, sector 118 will oscillate. Sector v118 meshes with a pinion 120 carried on shaft 52 between spaced snap rings 122, as will best be seen in Figure 4. Pinion 120 has clutch teeth 124 formed on the upper surface thereof, and positioned above pinion 120 and slidably keyed to shaft 52 is a clutch member 126 having recesses for receiving the teeth 124.

The top surface of clutch member 126, likewise, has recesses adapted for receiving teeth 128 formed on the lower end of sleeve 56. It will be apparent that when clutch member 126 is moved upwardly, agitator shaft 52 will be drivingly connected with sleeve 56 of the tub, so that the tub and agitator will be locked together, whereas, when the clutch member 126 is moved downwardly, it will connect pinion 120 with the agitator shaft, so that the agitator will be driven in oscillation by oscillating pinion 120.

The shifting of clutch member 126 is accomplished by a shifter fork 130 pivotally mounted within the transmission housing and havingarr independent finger 132 engaged by a diagonal slot in the end of a shifter arm 134 that extends across the face of gear 112 and has frictional engagement with the periphery thereof by means of the friction pad and spring 136. By this arrangement, in one direction of rotation of gear 112 clutch member 126 is shifted upwardly, whereas in the opposite direction of rotation of gear 112, clutch member 126 is shifted downwardly.

The drive arrangement described above provides an oscillating drive for the agitator or for connecting the agitator with the tub, while disconnecting the oscillator drive to the agitator. For driving the tub when the agitator is connected therewith, there is fixedly connected with the upper end of portion 64 of the transmission housing a sheet metal housing member 140 (Figs. 2, 3, and 5) within which is disposed a drive ring 142 that is engaged by belt 104 through an aperture 144 in the side wall of housing member 140. Drive ring 142 carries a cam ring 146 having cam rises engaged by rollers 148 on a clutch member 150. Clutch member 150 is adapted upon upward movement thereof frictionally to engage a drive plate 152 keyed to sleeve 56 by key 58 and resiliently urged downwardly by a spring 154. Drive plate 152 has a peripheral part 156 adapted for frictionally engaging a peripheral flange on housing member 140 for braking the tub against rotation. Both drive ring 142 and clutch member 150 are free to rotate about shaft 52 and sleeve 56 by being mounted on bushing 158, and when motor 100 is running in a direction such that rollers 148 ride down the inclines of cam ring 146, clutch member 150 will remain in its lower (Figure 3) position, and brake plate 152 will remain in braking engagement with housing member 140.

However, upon reversal of the direction of rotation of motor 100, rollers 148 will ride up the inclines, bringing clutch member 150 into frictional engagement with drive plate 152, lifting the drive plate away from braking engagement with housing member 140, and instead drivingly connecting the brake plate with the clutch member. Abutments at appropriate ends of the inclines on cam ring 146 effect positive engagement with rollers 148 at the bottom of the inclines to limit the relative rotation of clutch member 150 and the said cam ring.

The direction of rotation of motor 100 which will bring about driving engagement between clutch member 150 and drive plate 152 is that direction of rotation of the motor which will bring about movement of agitator clutch member 126 into engagement with the teeth 128 of sleeve 56. It will thus be seen that in one direction of rotation of motor 100, the tub will be braked against rotation and the agitator will be driven in oscillation, while for the other direction of rotation of motor 100, the oscillating drive to the agitator will be disconnected, the agitator will be clutched to the tub, and the tub will be driven in rotation.

The previously mentioned spring 154 that urges drive plate 152 downwardly engages beneath a ring 160 secured to sleeve 56, and clamped between the upper face of ring 160 and the bottom end of hub 48 of the tub is a seal ring and slinger 162 of rubber-like material.

The bottom wall of sump 20 is apertured at 164 to permit the tub structure to tilt within the sump and also to provide means for extending the tub and agitator support through the bottom wall of the sump. This aperure is sealed by an accordion-pleated rubber-like seal member 166 having its lower end clamped to the sump about the periphery of aperture 164 and having its upper end carrying a flat washer-like ring 168 engaging a tenon on the upper side of ring 160. This arrangement provides an adequate seal for preventing any water from the sump from getting into the drive mechanism of the washing machine.

As will be observed in Figures 1, 2, and 5, there is a platform 180 extending transversely of the frame of the machine and secured rigidly to the housing member 140 that is rigidly mounted on top of the transmission housing. 'Platform 180 is thus rigid with the transmission housing and is supported thereby. Platform 180 has channels 182 at its opposite ends extending from front to back of the machine and between the ends of channels 182 and the corners of the base 10 of the machine are damper and spring structures 184. In Figure 6, one of the damper structures is shown in section, and it will be seen to comprise a lower U-shaped part 186 having an anchor bolt 188 extending through a supporting clip 1% in the base and retained therein as by cotter pins 192 with a rubber-like washer 194 between a metallic washer 193 engaging one of the cotter pins and the clip 190. The damper structure also includes an upper U-shaped part 196 having its legs disposed between the legs of U-shaped part 186 and sprung outwardly toward the legs of part 186 and with friction pads 198 therebetween. This provides a snubbing arrangement that frictionally resists movement of the tub structure relative to the frame of the machine.

Leg portion 196 also has a supporting bolt 200 passing through the adjacent channel 182 and retained therein, as by cotter pins, with one or more rubber washers provided to prevent noise, while between the inner ends of bolts 188 and 200 there is provided a tension spring 202, which spring serves resiliently to urge platform 180 and the connected tub structure and transmission housing downwardly on top of supporting ball 80. Springs 202 also serve as restoring forces when the tub exerts a tendency to tilt or shift laterally, and in this sense serve as dampers in addition to the snubbers comprising the legs 186 and 196 and friction material 198.

In operation, the clothes to be Washed are placed in tub 34, and then the wash water is run into the tub. When the tub has been filled to the proper level, the wash water is cut off and motor is energized to run in a direction to cause agitator 44 to oscillate, while simultaneously the tub is braked against rotation. During this part of the cycle of the machine, the tub remains stationary, with the brake formed by drive plate 152 and housing member retaining the tub against rotation, with the snubber arrangements 184 preventing tilting of the tub.

After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, as determined by the timer of the control system of the machine, the motor 100 is reversed, and this brings about interruption of the oscillating drive to the agitator, connection of the agitator to the tub, releasing of the brake for the tub, and the establishing of a driving connection between the tub and the motor. At this time, the tub commences to rotate and will gradually come up to its full speed of rotation, from 1000 to 1200 r.p.m.

During the time that the tub is rotating below its critical speed, such critical speed for the structure being quite low and on the order of from 125 to r.p.m., the tub remains substantially filled with water, and any condition of unbalance thereof as caused by irregular distribution of the clothes circumferentially thereof is minimized, and the snubber means thus are able to prevent any excessive tilting movements of the tub structure about support ball 80.

At this time some Water has been centrifuged from the tub into the balancing ring 36, the water passing up the tapering wall of the tub and out through the slits 42, and the tub is tending to rotate heavy side out, with the water that is in the balancing ring adding to the unbalance of the rotating system. Most of the water that has been delivered to the balancing ring, however, will pass out the opening 204 in the bottom thereof, so that the total effect up to the critical speed of the tub is at most one of mild unbalance, With the snubber means preventing any extreme gyratory movement of the tub within the washer frame.

As the tub commences to pass through its critical speed, it will tend to change from a condition where it rotates 7 7 heavy side out to a. condition where it rotates heavy side in, and the tendency for the tub to vibrate will become erratic. At this time, the snubber means are extremely important for preventing excessive lateral movement of the tub structure. The snubber means are designed to be adequate for this purpose,particularly in view of the fact that at this time the tub still contains a great deal of water, tending tominimize the unbalance, and that there is also a minimum amount of water within the balancing ring.

As the tub increases in speed beyond the critical speed and more water is centrifuged from the tub, the unbalance of the tub becomes more pronounced, due not only to its increased speed, but also due to the fact that the wet clothes within the tub are no longer buoyed up by fluid in the tub. Due to the increased unbalance of the tub, suificient force acts upon the tub to tilt it laterally within the machine frame against the frictional resistance of the snubber means. Since the tub is now rotating heavy side in, in a tilted position, the water in the balancing ring moves to the light side of the tub and counterbalances the unbalanced load within the tub. Further, with the ,tub rotating at increased speed, the inner surface of the water within the balancing ring is much steeper than when the tub is rotating at lower speeds, and thus there is more water within the balancing ring to effect a proper balancing of the load within the tub.

The spinning of the tub continues until it reaches its maximum speed, which is generally about 750 rpm. but may be as high as about 1200 r.p.m., and this continues for a sulficient length of time to centrifuge substantially all of the water from the clothes within the tub. As the water is thrown out from the clothes and the unbalance of the tub decreases, the concave element 78 will auto matically roll along the supporting ball 80 to bring the rotating system to a new position of balance, whereby the entire spinning cycle of the tub is carried out with substantially no vibratory forces being transmitted to the frame of the machine.

During the initial period of the spin cycle, the agitator 44 acts as a pump to bring the water and clothes within the tub up to tub speed, thus improving the efiiciency of the spin cycle. There is also provided within the balancing ring radially inwardly extending vanes 206 (Fig. 3) having metering slits 208 adjacent the balancing ring, such vanes providing means for bringing the water in the balancing ring up to speed and maintaining it at the proper speed, while preventing lateral surging of the water in the balancing ring should the tub move laterally or the speed thereof change.

After the spin cycle has been completed, motor 100 is de-energized, and this permits the tub and agitator to come to a halt, with any Water remaining in the balancing ring draining through opening 204, into sump 2i whence it is pumped to discard as by pump 210 and hose 212 illustrated in Figure l. I

In further reference to the counterbalancing action which takes place during the spin cycle of the machine and the manner in which the tub structure behaves as it goes through critical speed, reference may be had to Figures 7 through 12. In Figure 7, a load is indicated at 2.50. This load represents a concentrated load of about two pounds, positioned nine inches up from the bottom of the tub. When the tub is operating at speeds above. critical speed, the fluid in the counterbalancing ring will be situated so as to exert an approximate counterbalancing force along the arrow marked 252, at a different elevation from arrow 254, representing the line of centrifugal force of the unbalanced load. The net resultant of these two forces, considering location in plan view, as well as relative elevation, acts on the tub structure thus causing vibratory movement in accordance with well known dynamic principles (refer to any text on relation of centers of instantaneous rotation with centers of percussion). Thedistance of thisresultant force from the 8 V 7 center of gravity 258 of the rotating system, taken together with the mass distribution of the moving structure, determines the point about which the vibratory movement of the tub structure naturally tends to center. With the unbalanced load located as shown in Figure 7 and with the mass distribution of an exemplary washing machine, vibration tends to center about point 256 spaced a substantial distance above the ball 80.

The ball at the bottom of the machine will thus roll to the left a distance D, Since the ball rolls freely against no resistance except the very resilient lip of cup 82, this movement tends thus only very slightly to transmit vibratory forces into the base structure. Similarly, in permitting the oscillating tub structure to vibrate about its own natural center, no restraining forces are introduced such as those which would be required to cause vibration about a fixed pivot point and thus no reactive forces are thrown into the frame.

Referring next to Figure 8 the unbalanced load 250 and its corresponding centrifugal force 254 are shown near the bottom of the tub, close to the center of gravity 258 of the vibrating system. Due to action of the same dynamic forces referred to above this causes the tub structure naturally to tend to pivot about point 260 spaced well below the ball 80 causing the ball 80 to move to the right a distance D, that is in opposite direction to the movement under conditions of Figure 7. It is thus seen that the structure shown is capable of accommodation to any vertical locations of the unbalanced load within the tub without causing vibratory forces to be thrown into the supporting base structure. It should be noted that the same accommodation would take place even though the counterbalancing apparatus 204, etc. were not present, but that in this case the vibration resulting from a given amount of unbalance would be substantially greater.

The action of the movable mechanism, so far as the tilting of the axis thereof is concerned, is illustrated more 'or less diagrammatically in Figures 9 through 12. Figure 9 is a trace of the top of the agitator as it is accelerated from rest through critical speed up to about the peak spinning speed thereof, and Figure 10 is a trace of the tower part of the mechanism in the region of supporting all 80.

In each of Figures 9 and 10 it will be observed that somewhat erratic movement of the axis of the machine takes place as the tub structure is accelerated up to critical speed, and that above this speed the rotating mechanism settles down with the axis gyrating about a substantially fixed pattern. In both Figures 9 and 10, reference numeral 262 indicates the trace during acceleration through critical speed, and reference numeral 264 indicates the trace after the tub structure has been accelerated through critical speed and is approaching maximum speed.

Figures 11 and 12 are similar traces with the machine loaded as illustrated in Figure 8, and in these figures also numeral 262 indicates the trace while the machine is being accelerated through critical speed, and numeral 264 indicates the trace after the machine has been acceleratedto above critical speed and is operating under substantially stable conditions.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the rolling ball support which permits lateral movement of the mechanism at the bottom is important in permitting free tilting movement of the mechanism within the frame of the machine, while at the same time greatly reducing or completely preventing the transmitting of lateral forces to the frame of the machine. Specifically, this is efiected by causing the rotating system to rotate about its own natural center. The ball 80 is somewhat restrained in its lateral movement by the rubber-like ball retainer 82 and the portion of the rubber-like ball retainer extending transversely beneath the support ball' 84 contributes materially to absorbing vertical vibrations in the machine that would otherwise be transmitted to'the frame of the machine.

The flange 91 positively precludesunseating of the-ball by abnormal lateral forces.

Y Modified structure for cooperation with the supporting ball is shown in Figure 13. In this modification, similar numerals are used to identify similar parts with the addition of the suifix a. The ball is indicated at 80a and rests on a plate 84a of steel or the like, carried in a ball retainer 82a of rubber or the like material. The ball retainer 82a has a substantially cylindrical wall 83a which is spaced outwardly from the ball, the ball thus being left free for rolling movement unrestrained even by the rubber lip of the previously disclosed form. The wall 83a may be made sufficiently strong to prevent the ball from becoming unseated if abnormal lateral forces are encountered.

A flat plate 78a replaces the inverted cup-shaped element 78 at the bottom of the screw 76a, and an annular ring 270 of rubber or the like material is bonded to the lower surface of this plate to prevent movement of the plate off of the ball.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine of the type comprising a base, a rotatable tub structure, a ball, means on said base carrying said ball for movement in a predetermined area, means associated with said tub structure and bearing on top of said ball for movement on the ball as said ball moves on said ball carrying means, and means yieldably urging said tub structure to an upright position relative to said base, the combination wherein the ball carrying means and the ball bearing means comprises generally flat plates disposed parallel to one another, and cup means having a bottom fixedly mounted on said base and carrying one of said plates and having an integral upstanding defiectable side wall engaging the ball and deflectable thereby relative to the bottom for yieldably limiting rolling of the ball to said predetermined area, said tub structure thereby moving laterally and tilting as the tub structure rotates.

2. In a washing machine of the type comprising a base, a rotatable tub structure, a housing beneath said tub structure and supporting said tub structure, said housing containing driving means for said tub structure, a ball, means on said base carrying said ball for movement in a predetermined area, means associated with said housing and bearing on top of said ball for movement on the ball as said ball moves on said ball carrying means, and means yieldably urging said tub structure and housing to an upright position relative to said base, the combination wherein the ball carrying means and the ball bearing means comprise generally fiat plates disposed parallel to one another, and cup means having a bottom fixedly mounted on said base and carrying one of said plates and having an integral upstanding deflectable side wall engaging the ball and deflectable thereby relative to the bottom for yieldably limiting rolling of the ball to said predetermined area, said tub structure thereby moving laterally and tilting as the tub structure rotates.

3. In a washing machine of the type comprising a base, a rotatable tub structure, a housing beneath said tub structure and rotatably supporting the same, said housing containing drive mechanism for said tub structure, a ball, means on said base carrying said ball for movement in a predetermined area, means associated with said housing and bearing on top of said ball for movement on the ball as said ball moves on said ball carrying means, and means yieldably urging said tub structure and housing to an upright position relative to said base, said last named means including spring means, and frictional damping means, the combination wherein the ball carrying means and theball bearing means comprise generally flat plates disposed parallel to one another, and cup means having a bottom fixedly mounted on said base and carrying one of said plates and having an integral upstanding deflectable side wall engaging the ball and deflectable thereby relative to the bottom for yieldably limiting rollingof the ball to said predetermined area, said tub structure thereby moving laterally and tilting as the tub structure rotates.

4. In a washing machine of the type comprising a base, a rotatable tub having an agitator therein, and a transmission housing beneath the tub rotatably supporting said t-ub, the combination comprising means on the bottom of the housing on the axis of rotation of said tub including upper and lower opposed cup-like members facing each other; a flat plate carried in the lower cup-like member; a ball of lesser diameter than said member rollingly supported on the upper fiat plate and rollingly engaging the under side of said cup-like member; the lower cup-like member having a bottom fixed on said base and having an integral resilient defiectable side wall resiliently engaging the ball to limit its movement on said flat plate; spring means acting from said base on said tub, agitator, and transmission housing to urge the same toward an upright position; said ball and spring means permitting lateral and tilting movement of said tub, agitator, and transmission housing for effecting rotation of said tub about an instantaneous center of rotation on the axis of rotation of said tub; and damping means acting on said t-ub, agitator, and transmission housing from said base to limit the amplitude of vibratory motion as said tub reaches a critical speed of rotation.

5. A washing machine comprising a frame, a rotatable upright tub, drive means including a driving motor for said tub disposed beneath said tub, rigid support means supporting said tub and drive means from said frame, said support means comprising an axial extension depending from said tub and having a constant extent between said tub and a fixed bearing point on said frame on which said support means bears, said support means supporting said tub and drive means at a substantially fixed height above said bearing point for both tilting and lateral movement in unison, means yieldably urging said drive means and tub toward an upright position, and means at the point of bearing of said support means to restrict lateral excursion of said support means without restricting tilting movement of said support means and comprising a cup of elastic material fixedly mounted on said frame and having a deflectable upstanding circumferential side wall defleetable upon engagement with said support means to limit lateral excursion thereof, and a horizontally disposed hard bearing plate mounted in the base of said fixed cup and within the said deflectable wall.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support means further includes a ball rolling on said plate and wherein there is provided a backing flange to limit deflection of said upstanding wall.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support means further includes a shaft provided with a bearing member having a bearing surface of substantial extent which is relatively flat with respect to the curvature of the ball on which it rolls.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 5, in which said means yieldably urging said drive means and tub toward said upright position act in a direction to force said constant extent support means downwardly against its said point of bearing on said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,409 Gates Sept. 4, 1894 931,069 Larrabee Aug. 17, 1909 1,604,609 Grauer Oct. 26, 1926 (Other references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Dunham Aug. 12, 1930 Krauss Jam 25, 1938 Timmons .Sept. 6, 1938 Harper Sept. 26, 1944 Woodson Nov. 16, 1948 Emmert et a1. ,Dec. 12, 1950 Saurer Jan. 16,1951

Douglas May 5, 1953 Young Aug. 4, 1953 Kirby Nov. 10; 1953 Hallander Jan. 5, 1954 Reitz et a1. 2 J an. 26, 1954 Altorfer et a1. June 7, 1955 Castner May 22, 1956

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