US1770383A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1930. I A. w. ALTORFER Y 1,770,383

WASHING MACHINE Filed'June 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 1 EVEN-11:52.- H mun i HTTfE July 15, 1930. w ALTQRFER 1,770,383

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jul s, '1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v ALPHEUS w. ALTOBFEB, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS v .WASHING MACHINE Application filed June 15,

This invention has reference to washing machines, especially of that type intended for home or domestic use, and it has for its vating and discharging means for the waste water, preferably comprising a pump and centrifugal discharge and associated with the latter a manually and circumferentlally ad- 'ustable water conductin means adapted to e selectively positionc whereby to discharge the waste water into the washing element, or into other tubs or. receptacles, or to a drain.

Other-and-various objects will more fully appear from the description of the machine. I That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying' drawings forming part of thls description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which p Fig. 1 is a. plan view of a washing machine embodying my invention;

Fig.2 is a side elevatlon of Fig. 1, with certain frame parts omitted;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view as the same would appear if taken on the, hue 3-3 Fi 1' Figf4 is a vertical sectional view as the same would appear if taken on the line 44,

ig. 5 is a detail 1n plan, partly in sectlon, of the pump, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectlonal view of the lower portion of pump.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

A machlne constructed in accordance with my invention would include a washing element, comprising a tub 1 and a suitable ag1- tator or impeller 2; also a dryer 3, preferably of the centrifugal type, and water elevatlng and discharging means, referred to as a. whole, as 4. 1

The dryer and water elevatmg and discharging means are preferably located or arranged alongside each other and 1n s aced relation in a common housing 5. Bot the tub 1 and housing 5 are supported wlthina 1927. Serial No. 198,908.

head frame or casting 6 mounted on legs or standards 7, only one of which is shown.

The tub 1 and agitator or impeller 2 are not unlike such elements now in common use. The shaft 8 for oscillating the agitator or impeller 2 passes up through the bottom of the tub and to its lower end is secured a gear pinion 9 with which meshes a gear segment 10, and said segment is adapted to be oscillated by a pit-man 11 connected to a crank 12 which is in operative connection with a short vertically disposed shaft 13 journaled in a housing 14. The shaft 13 has loosely carried thereon, a worm gear 15, meshing with a worm 16 carried on a driving shaft. 17 arranged for connection with a motor 18, or other suitable power means. Splined to the shaft 13 is a clutch member 19 adapted for clutching and declutching the worm gear 15 with said shaft '13. Means for sliding the clutch member 19 is not shown.

The dryer3, at its lower end, is arranged for detachable operative connection with a short vertically disposed shaft 20 journaled in the housing 14. This shaft is driven from the shaft 17 through a bevel gear 21 connected with said shaft 17 and a bevel gear 22 cbnnected with the shaft 20. Loosely connected with said shaft 20 is a sprocket wheel 23 and adapted to have aclutch connection therewith, whereby said sprocket wheel may be clutched to and declutched from said shaft 20 with a clutch member 24 splined on the shaft 20. The means for sliding the member 24 is not shown. The sprocket wheel 23 operates a sprocket chain 24 which in turn operates a sprocket wheel 25 loosely carried on a short vertically disposed shaft 26 journaled in the housing 14, and splined to said shaft 26 is a clutch member 27 adapted for clutching and declutching the sprocket wheel 25 with said shaft 26. The means for sliding the clutch member 27 on the shaft 26 is not shown. The shaft 26 passes up through a bearin part 28 of the housing 14 and preferably has a square end 29 whereby a pump member 30 may have a detachable driving connection therewith.

The tub 1 and the housing 5 are connected through a drain pipe 31 which is intercepted by a valve 32 for shutting ofi communication between said tube and housing.

The head frame 6 has an opening 33 through which articles to be washed may be passed into and removed from the tub 1 and also to permit the removal and placement of the agitator or impeller 2, and the head frame 6 about-the opening 33 is tapered downwardly and inwardly to the opening 33 to sergeas a drain to catch drippings from articles taken out of the tub and to drain the same back into said tub. Said head frame 33 is further provided with an opening 34 through which the dryer 3 may be inserted for placement in the housin 5 and for operative connection with the s aft 20, and removed from said housing, and said head frame 6 is further rovided with an opening .35 to permit the p acement and removal of the water discharging means 4.

The bottom wall 36 of the housing 5 is provided with an opening 37 in axial alignment with the opening 34 in the head frame 6, and said opening is formed or provided b an upturned annular flanged wall 38, whic is'disposed vertically within said housin 5 and extending upwardly for a suitable istance from said bottom wall 36, within which is adapted to be disposed and rotated the dryer 3. Said bottom wall 36 is further provided at a point axially below the opening 35 in the head frame 6 with a dependlng well portion 39 which rests on and is secured to the bearing portion 28-of the housing 14. The well portion is of inverted cone-like shape and it is into such well portion that the upper end of the aforementioned shaft 26 projects. I have shown the washing element preferably near one end of the head frame and spaced equidistant from its sides. The dryer is pref- .erably located at the opposite'end of the head frame and closest to one side for convenience of-an attendantworking on that side of the machine, whereas the pump and distributing means is located at .the same end of the machine, as the dryer but on the opposite side for the convenience of an attendant in loca't ing the discharge means',-.whereby water may lie ilischarged into the tub 1 or other recepac es.

The dryer 3, when in operative position in,

the housing 5, is

en reed by and connected with the shaft 20. gpo

uch dryer has an inverted cone-like lower part and an upper cone-like part open at its upper, end with an outwardly and downwardly turned flange 40; The two such bod rtions' of the dryer merge into a bulging y portion" 41, the wall of which is provided with arr-annular row of water e ss openings 42'. Articles" to be dried are p aced in the dryer and due' to the cone-like body of-the u per. part, are pressed into the-lower part an then due to centrifugal action the free waterextracted from such-articles finds 1 its way out of the dryer into thelower por-i,

overlies the upper end of the wall 38 to insure water discharged from the dryer going to the lower level of the housing 5 and preventing water finding outlet through the opening 37 in the bottom of said housing.

A cover .or closure 44 is provided for the upper open end of the dryer 3 and has an under curved peripheral portion 45, adapted when in closed position to restore and engage the flange 40 of said dryer. Said cover is supported by a member, preferably a bar 46 with which'it has a ball bearing connection, as at 47, to ermit said closure, while supported by sai bar and when in closed osition, to rotate freely with said dryer. his bar is hinged at one end, as at 4 8, to the head frame 6 and base locking means at its opposite end to lock it in closed position. The head frame 6 is recessed, as at 49, to the underside of which, a locking member 50 may be caused to engage for locking the bar 46 in closed position. Such member is carried'by a stem 51 journaledth'rough the free end of the bar 46 and to its upper end is secured a lever 52 ,for moving said member 50 to locking and with an outwardly and downwardly turned rtion 54. To the lower end of said flanged receptace .53 is connected the pump member 30 which comprises a basin 55 having a central upstanding hub 56 adapted for detachable operative connection with the shaft 26. Said hub extending up into the lower end of the receptacle 53 and connected thereto through the series of radially arranged pumping members or blades 57. The basin I 55 is sha ed to conform to the well-portion 39 in-the ttom wall 36 of the housing 5 and is adapted to receive water discharged from the dryer 3, or water conducted into said housing throu h the pipe 31 from-the tub 1 and through t e action of the pump impels the same into the receptacle 53 and by centrifugal action discharged from said receptacle at the upper end thereof. The direction of movement of water from the dryer to and through the receptacle being shown by arrows. v

The length of the receptacle 53 is such that when in operative position, its upper end projects' above. the head-frame 6 and is rotatably tatably carried by a member,

carried within a removably supported casing 58. This casing comprises a tubular portion 54 of the receptacle 53 overlies the upper end of said tubular portion of the casing within an enlarged head 60 of said casing, into which Water expelled from the receptacle 53 is discharged, to be conducted therefrom through a radially arranged spout 61. It will be understood that an attendant may swing the spout and casing 'circ'umferentially about the upper end of the receptacle-and position such spout so as to direct water expelled by the receptacle 53 to the tub 1, the dryer 3 or into a tub or other receptacle positioned alongside the machine. In other 'words, soapy water from the tub 1, on the extraction of water from articles taken from the tub 1 maybe returned thereto; or bluing or rinse water extracted from the articles may be returned to the tub or other receptacle or receptacles containing such a liquid, and while I have shown the tub 1 and the casing 5 provided with drain-cocks 62 and 63 respectively, for

draining both these elements, it will be understood that the pump and water discharging means may be utilized for conducting waste water from either or both to a properly positioned drain, by simply turning the spout 61 to a suitable position or positions. The

head 60 is preferably of greater diameter than the tubular portion of the casing 58,

with its bottom wall encircling the tubular portion below the upper open'end of such tubular portion. The direction water will take when expelled from the upper end of the receptacle 53 is shown by arrows. The casing 58 and the receptacle 53 are removable together, both for shipping purposes and to permit of the placing of a table top 64, see dotted lines in Fig. 2, across the top ofthe machine, whereby the machine, with the table-top may have use for other purposes than just a washing machlne. As constructed, the removal of the casing 58 with 1ts spout 61 leaves the top of the machine free and unobstructed so as to permit of the use of the top 64. Alsoythe head 60 of the casing 58 has an open upper end to permit of the removal of the receptacle 53v without the removal of the casing 58.

A closure or cover 66 is provided for closing the upper end of the receptacle 53, being adapted to rest on and against the flange 54 of said receptacle, and said cover is formed or provided with passageways 67 to direct water radially from the receptacle 53 1nto the head portion 60 of the casing 58 to be discharged at selected points about the receptacle, through the spout 61. This cover 64 1s ropreferably a bar 68 hinged at 69 to one side 0 the head 60 and by means of a locking lever 70, at the opposite side of said head, may be secured in closed position holding the closure or cover 66 in closed position on and to rotate with the receptacle 53.

From the foregoing description it should be obvious that I have provided in a washing machine, a washin element, a centrifugal drying element an a centrifugal pumping element having an adjustable water discharging means, which are so arranged and positioned in relation to each other that articles cleansed by the washing element may be removed therefrom to the dryin element and the free water extracted by sai dryer pumped back to the washing element; or after the extraction of the free water from such articles they may be placed in rinsing or bluing water and again placed in the dryer and the free water extracted therefrom pumped back to the receptacle or receptacles containing such rinsing or bluing water, and when it-is desired to carry off waste water from the washing element or the drying element to a suitable drain, instead of draining each and carrying such waste water to a drain, the pump may be utilized for this purpose. Also, after a washing and drying operation the water distributing means of the pump may be removed and a table-top placed across-the top of the machine to permit of using the machine for purposes other than a washing machine.

What I claim is z-- 1. In a washing machine, in combination a centrifugal extractor, a pump including a liquid discharging spout manually adjustable to selectively position such spout in relation to said extractor or other receptacle, means to conduct liquid expelled by said extractor to said pump, and clutch controlled driving means for said extractor and said pump.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, a centrifugal extractor, a centrifugal pump including a rotatable rece tacle and a dischar e spout manually an circumferentially a justable about said receptacle, a casing common to both said extractor and pump and from which both are removable, said casing arranged to conduct liquid expelled by said a centrifugal extractor, a pump includin a rotatable receptacle arranged for the charge of liquid by centrifugal action therefrom, a head-frame common to said element, extractor and pump and having openings for the placement and removal of the same,

a liquid receiving and discharging casing removably supported at the head of said receptacle and circumferentially adjustable thereabout, a liquid conducting s out connected with said casing and adjusta le therewith, and means for conductin liquid expelled from said extractor to said ump.

5. In a washing machine, in com ination, a centrifugal extractor, a pump includin a rotatable receptacle arranged for the ischarge of li 1d by centrifugal action therefrom, a head-frame common to said extractor and pump and havin openings for the placement and removal 0 the same, a liquid receiving and discharge casing removably supported at the head of said receptacle and circumferentially adjustable thereabout, a liquid conducting spout connected with said casing and adjustable therewith, means for conducting liquid expelled from said extractor to said pump, and a driving element for said extractor and pump and with which the same are arranged for detachable connection.

6. In a washing machine, in combination, a centrifugal drier, a conductor separate from the drier for conveying liquid from the drier including means to im 1 and to elevate hy centrifugalaction sai liquid, anda manually and circumferentially adjustable means to receive and discharge such liquid from said last mentioned means.

7. In a washing machine, means to conduct liquid from receiving to discharging positions, comprisin a rotatable receptacle arran ed to have t e liquid inducted therein at its ower end and by centrifugal action elevate such liquid to its upper and dischar 6 end, means to impel suc liquid into t 0 lower end of said 'rece tacle, and a manually and circumferentially adjustable liquid receiving'and discharging means at the upper end of said receptacle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my hand this 4th dav of J title, 1927's v ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER,

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