US2051860A - Timing mechanism, particularly for washing or dry cleaning machines - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1936. w. JEPSON 2,051,860

TIMING MECHANISM, PARTICULARLY FOR WASHING OR DRY CLEANING MACHINES Filed NOV. 28, 1931 'IIIIIIIIIIII;

filvenlvr: )1! Jepson Jl'lorneys Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES TIMING MECHANISM, PARTICULARLY FOR WASHING OR DRY CLEANING MACHINES William Jepson, London, England Application November 28, 1931, Serial No. 577,812

In Great Britain December 1, 1930 2 Claims.

This invention relates to timing mechanisms for machines, particularly for washing or dry cleaning machines, of the type in which a series of operations is carried out in a predetermined order according to the setting of the machine.

In the timing mechanism according to the present invention, a supplementary control, hereafter referred to as the position-control, is combined with the timing mechanism proper, hereafter referred to as the time-control, so as to ensure that if, for some reason, the satisfactory performance or completion of any particular operation of the sequence is delayed the operation of the time control device will be temporarily suspended, until the said operation is completely performed, when the time-control is allowed to come into action again, the timing being automatically rendered subservient to the accurate performance of the several operations of the sequence.

The mechanism, object of this invention, is particularly adapted to the control of washing or dry cleaning and like machinery, the successful working of which depends on the successive operation of supply valves and drain valves, so as to accurately control the admission and draining of the various liquids (cold water, hot water; detergents and other washing reagents) in predetermined sequence and quantity, according to the laundering or other operation-sequence formula, in accordance with which it is desired that the machine should operate. It will be, however, readily understood that the mechanism can be used. for controlling any predetermined sequence of operations of similar kind to that just described, namely, having for its object the displacement of any liquid or liquids, for any purpose to which the method of position-control herein described may be applied. Although the timing mechanism, object of the invention, is hereafter described in connection with the operation of a washing or dry-cleaning machine, its use is therefore not limited to the operation of such a machine, as will be made clear hereafter.

The principle and operation will be understood by reference to the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In Figure 1, A is the time-control device proper, and B is the position-control. Reference character I is the record, here a perforated band, wound on the drum 2 pivoted at a and gradually fed on the drum 3, pivoted at b, by the action of the ratchet 4 and ratchet teeth 5 actuated by the linkwork 6, I, 8 pivoted at b and c. The element 8 carries a roller 9 which is normally depressed by a cam ||l integral with the rocking lever actuated by the driving shaft of the machine the operation of which is to be controlled. The levers 5 6, and 8 are returned to their normal position by gravity or by any other suitable means (not shown). At each reciprocation of the rocking lever, the cam Ill depresses the roller l2, thereby actuating levers 53, i l, |5which are pivoted at d and e which lowers the lever |5 carrying sleeve l6 inside of which slides the feeler H, which is pressed against the record by the spring l8. Whenever the feeler ll engages an unperforated portion of the record it merely slides in sleeve l5 l6 against the pressure of the spring l8, which is adjustable by means of the screw |9. However when a perforation of the record advances beneath the feeler, the latter passes through the perforation in the record and strikes a projection 20 on a pawl 2| pivoted at 22 to the operating lever 23, thereby depressing the pawl 2| and causing the end ||a of the arm II to engage a notch 2 la provided on the pawl 2|. This pawl is provided with a two-position stop 2 lb pressed by 5 a spring 2|c against a two-face abutting piece 23a carried by the operating lever 23, so that it remains indifierently in either the raised or the lowered position. On being engaged by the rocking lever ll, the pawl 2| moves forward, and 30 causes the lever 23 to rock forward, actuating the particular part of the machine desired to be operated by means of the rod or Bowden wire 25, secured to it at 26, and, at the same time, pushing the roller 9 by means of its cam-like prcjection 21, causing the ratchet to advance by several teeth, thereby feeding the record forward so as to bring the perforation beyond the line of action of the feeler I1. As it reaches its forward position, the pawl 2| first depresses the roller 28 of the catch 29 pivoted at f, against the action of a spring 29' by means of an incline 2| d provided at the end of the pawl, the roller 28 being lifted by the spring as soon as, it is released by this incline and engaging the notch 2|e in the pawl, thereby looking it, and with its lever 23,

, which therefore remains in the operative position, at the same time maintaining the roller 9 out of the range of action of cam IU of the rocking lever I, so that the feed of the record ceases. The catch 29 is capable of being depressed by a feeler ||b carried by the rocking arm H, which feeler, at each forward movement of the arm strikes against thesurface of a hollow drum 30, pivoted at g, and, normally, is caused to slide back me its" housing in the as n "time.

line of action, the feeler lib penetrates in the aperture of the drum and reaches a projection 32 carried by the catch 23, depressing the latter and causing it to release the pawl 2|, thereby allowing the operating lever 23 to return to the inoperative position under the action of a return spring 25'. The drum III is mounted on a sheave 33 actuated by a float by means of the cord 34 After the termination of the sequence of operation, the record-is re-wound on the drum 2 by means of the handle 2a. In the operation, for example, of a water tap, the rocking of the arm ll feeds the record forward until the first perforation passes under the feeler I1, when the lever 23 is pushed forward, as described, and the tap is opened by the rod or wire 25, and maintained in the open position owing to the fact that the lever 23 is locked in its forward position, so that water is entering the container the level of liquid in which it is required to control. As the water rises in the container, the float rises and the drum 33 revolves, and with it the drum 30. While this takes place, the feeler lib inoperatively strikes the surface of the drum 30, but as soon as the aperture 3| comes in the proper position, which is to the right of the position shown in the drawing and substantially over the projection 32, and which position is adjusted to correspond to the correct level of the water in the container, the feeler penetrates into the drum 30 and releases the lever 23, which, rocking back, either positively closes the tap or allows it to close under the action of a weight or suitable mechanism, at the same time allowing the feeding ratchet 4 to resume its feed action.

It will be understood that the means described herein to actuate the portion of the mechanism concerned with the position-control (namely, a float, the position of which is governed by the level of the liquid the displacement of which is required) is by no means a characteristic of the timing mechanism according to this invention, and that it may be replaced by any other means depending on the movement or position of any member of the actuated mechanism, so that the timing mechanism, object of this invention, can be applied generally to the control of a predetermined sequence of operations of any description capable of supplementary position-control by means actuated by a material element variable in position, without departing from the spirit of the invention as described above. It is, for example, particularly suitable for automatically stopping and restarting machines, for operating a dumping apparatus and like applications.

Having now particularly described my invention what I' claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A timing mechanism for controlling a series of predetermined operations to be performed by a machine comprising, a perforated member, a drive shaft, a rocking lever actuated by said shaft, an operating lever, means actuated by said rocking lever to advance said perforated member, a

pawl pivotally connected to said operating lever, means controlled by said perforated member adapted to actuate said pawl into locking engagement with said rocking lever and means carried by said operating lever to affect operation of a particular part of the machine desired.

2. A-device according to claim 1 including means adapted to return said operating lever to its original position.

WILLIAM JEPSON.

Images