US2677260A - Clothes-washing machine - Google Patents

Description

y 4, 1954 e. P. CASTNER 2,677,260

CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I 650K415 I? CAsT/YER 59g) BY 6 T A ORNEYS y 4, 1954 G. P. CASTNER 2,677,260

CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Geo/e05. R 'nsn/ek ATTORNEYS INVENTOR: h

4, 1954 G. P. CASTNER 2,677,260

CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIE 4 I E NTOR Geo/we P 639s TNER ATTORNEYS atented May 4, 1954 CLOTHES -WASHIN G MACHINE George P. Castner, Webster City, Iowa, assignor to Speed-Flex, Inc., Webster City, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application December 18, 1950, Serial No. 201,355

5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in clothes washing machines, particularly of the small and compact type now becoming so popular for use in apartment houses or other locations where storage and space are problems The machine according to my invention comprises an outer rectangular casing of the wraparound type, supported by small wheels at its lower end so it may be readily moved about as required, and with a tub located in the upper portion of the casing for containing the clothes and the washing liquid. This tub also is comparatively small and comprises spaced end walls joined by side walls and a curved bottom wall, with the top of the tub opening at the top of the casing and usually provided with a suitable hinged cover. The washing operation is carried out by a unidirectionally rotating agitator, positioned upright adjacent one end of the tub and rotated on a horizontal axis by an electric motor which is suspended from the tub bottom. This motor suspension from the tub is disclosed and claimed in my prior co-pending application, Serial No. 110,570, for Clothes Washing Machine filed August 16, 1949 (now abandoned), and in many respects the present construction is quite similar to that disclosed in the prior application.

In accordance, however, with my present invention and as a primary object thereof, I provide a new agitator having a number of desirable characteristics, as compared to the corresponding elements as used in previous machines to my knowledge, and as will be enumerated in detail in the following specification. My improved agitator is comparatively large so that it occupies substantially the whole area of the end wall of the tub adjacent which it is mounted, and the agitator is characterized in that it operates only partially submerged in the washing liquid with an upper segment projecting above the level of the liquid, but with its axis of rotation well below such level. Furthermore, the agitator is rotated at a comparatively slow speed and it is provided with non-radial vanes upon its working face projecting into the tub so as to agitate and move the cloth and washing liquid about in such fashion as to obtain a very desirable washing action.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved vane arrangement, shape and location, wherein the vanes themselves are positioned other than on radii with respect to the axis of rotation of the agitator, are curved or arcuate from end to end, are located substantially tangent to a circle smaller than the outside diameter of the agitator, and have blunt leading ends or noses 2 which are located inwardly toward the axis of rotation with relation to the trailing ends of the vanes. The vanes so shaped are found to operate admirably where the level of the clothes washing liquid is asdescribed above, to impart a somewhat circular motion to the clothes around the inside of the tub with a periodic or intermittent engagement of the blunt noses with the clothes to tumble and plow them under the level.

of the washing liquid, thus to effect a re-arrangement of the clothes such as to ensure their thorough washing and reduce tangling.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved agitator construction wherein the agitator is circular and somewhat saucer-shaped with a central, circular offset portion and a sur rounding fiat annular area thereabout whereon the vanes as described above are located.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide improvements in the construction of the tub and casing and the supporting connecting therebetween whereby the necessity for an expensive die-cast cover frame is eliminated, such as disclosed in the machine of my prior application above identified, and thus to materially reduce the cost of manufacture as well as facilitate the fabrication and assembly of the machine.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the machine according to my present invention with a portion of the casing broken away to disclose details of the agitator drive, and for convenience in this description this side of the machine will be hereinafter referred to as the rear thereon Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the machine to the same scale as Fig. 1 and looking toward the rear portion of the machine and the working face of the agitator.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in. Fig. 2.

Fig. 3A is a detail ofa modification of the tub mounting.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the machine in the position and to the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section looking upward at the bottom of the tub along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 and particularly showing the motor mount on the bottom of the tub.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawing, the clothes washing machine as shown therein comprises an outer wrap-around casing designated generally at In which is of upright tubular formation and rectangular in shape, as clearly shown. This casing comprises a rear wall II, a forward wall l2 and opposed side walls l3 and i4, and at the lower end of the casing these walls are turned inwardly and rested upon brackets IE5 at the corners wherein are journaled small rollers l-B to facilitate moving the machine about. Supported within the open top of the casing is an open topped tub designated generally at I! having a front to rear dimension considerably less than the casing itself, but substantially the full inside width of the casing. This tub also c'omprises a rear wall l8 and forward wall 19 connected by opposed side wa1ls 20-2I and a bottom wall 22. The tub end walls l8--l9 are semicircular around their lower edges,while the side walls 2ll2l are integral with'the bottom wall 22 and the latter is curved to correspond to this curvature of the end walls, as clearly shown in the drawing. The end walls It and 1,9 are marginally flanged at 23 and these flanges are line welded to the adjacent edges of the wrap-around piece forming the sides and bottom of the tub so that it will be water tight.

In my previous construction disclosed in the application hereinbeforeidentifled, the top of the outside casing wasprovided. with a die-cast cover frame from which the tub itself was suspended, with said cover frame having a top opening coinciding with the open top of the tub. This construction is, however, expensive and in accordance with my present invention the die-cast cover frame is omitted entirely so that the cost of fabrication and assembly is materially reduced. For this purpose the ,end walls I8 and IQ of the tub are formed across their upper edges with oppositely, horizontally turnedtop flanges 24 and 25 respectively which overlie the corresponding upper edges of the walls l ll 2 of the casing It and project beyond the ,plane of these walls, as indicated at 25 in Fig. 3. Added support and a firm connection .is made atthese points by inverted L-shapedbrackets 2'! which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the inside of the casing walls i! and [2, andhave inwardly turned webs 28 to upwardly, supportably engage the flanges 2df25. Following the final assembly and checking of the tub, and the elements carried thereby, the tub is lowered into the casing l and the flanges ,2425 are flrmly secured to the brackets 21 by self-tapping screws 29. This assembly is then completed by stretching a rubber trim strip 30 around the upper edge of the machine, and this strip or ring 30 will be held in place by its engagement over the projecting edges 28 of the flanges ,2425, as will be clearly apparent in Fig. 3. As heretofore noted, the width of the tub ii is such that it will flt quite tightly within the walls i3-l4 of the casing l0 and support will not be necessary for the tub except at its ends as just described.

In Fig. 3A I show, in lieu of the separate brackets 21, ears or lugs 2'! turned down from the flanges 2 l-25 and secured inside the casing walls ll-,l2. This construction may be preferable since material would be reduced to a mini: mum.

The flange 24 is considerably wider than the flange 25 so that a substantial vertical space 3N is formed between the rear of the tub and the adjacent rear wall of the casing to accommodate agitator drive parts, now to be described.

The agitator is designated generally at 31 and before its construction (and yane arrangement) is described, the drive mechanism will first be pointed out in detail. The agitator is located immediately adjacent the rear wall 18 of the tub and at its center is firmly secured to a shaft 32 which projects rearwardly from the tub out through a bearing 33 in a bearing casting 34 which is bolted to a circular inset portion 35 of the tub wall IS. The bolts are designated at 3B and a sealing gasket 31 is interposed between the casting 34 and this inset wall portion 35 to preclude leakage around the shaft 32. This shaft extends rearwardly from the bearing 33 and carries a spur-gear 38 which meshes with a much smaller pinion 39 secured to a countershaft 40 carried in another bearing 4| forming part of the casting 34. This countershaft 40 also carries a large pulley 42 over which is trained a V-belt 43 running over a much smaller pulley 44 upon the shaft 45 of an electric motor 46. The motor is located below the tub IT and is secured by brackets 41 upon a mounting plateAB, to which is secured a pair of spaced hanger bars 49. At one end these hanger bars 49 are hooked at 59 to engage over .the flanged lower rear edge of the tub i1, while at their opposite ends these bars are turned downwardly and. apertured to accommodate threaded take-up screws 5|. A similar pair of hanger bars 52 is provided at the front part of the tub andhave hooks 53 to hook over the front flanges thereof while the rear ends of these latterbars are turned downwardly and apertured to also receive the screws 5|. The arrangement is thus obviously such that by turning up nuts 54 upon the screws 5| these hanger bars 49 and 5.2 may be drawn together to tightly engage their hooks 501-53 with the tub flanges and thus firmly suspend the motor 45 at the bottom and rear of the tub. The drive elements, including the gears and belt pulleys and connecting belt, are all located in the space 31 at the rear of the machine, and the reduction afforded by the belt pulleys and the gears is such as to rotate theagitator at a comparatively slow speed and in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The motor shaft 45 also extends forward from the motor and carries a fan 56 for cooling purposes.

The agitator 3! is circular in shape and takes the form of a Shallow saucer or disk around the machine of which is an annular rim 5'! on .the forward or working face of the agitator. Inwardly of this rim 5'! is an annular flat area 58 and the disk is oifset at .59 to form a central circular portion ,60 projecting forwardly beyond the plane of the area 58. At the center of this circular portion 60 the disk has ,a dome-shaped enlargement ,Gj to provide a longer bearing on the shaft 32. As best shown in Fig. 3 the offset 59, corresponds with the offset forming the annular portion 3,5 of the rear tub wall [8 previously referred to, so that the agitator may operate close to this rear wall of the tub, out out of rubbing contact therewith.

In accordance with my invention the agitator 3| is much larger in diameter than the corresponding elements of previous washing machines of this general type, the agitator in fact being of a diameter only slightly less than the inside width and depth of the tub ll. Therefore, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, theagitator occupies substantially the whole area of the rear wall is of the tub and. this large size, in conjunction with th act that the a tator is operated ,very slowly, distinguishes the present invention from nrcyious machines. wh le at the same time enabling me to obtain a very effective washing action. Furthermore, the fact that the agitator occupies substantially the full depth or vertical dimension of the tub ensures that the normal filling of the tub with clothes and washing liquid will bring the resulting liquid level, as designated by the broken line A in Fig. 3, up to a point considerably below the upper margin of the agitator but well above the axis upon which it rotates. This also is a distinguishing feature of the present invention and one contributing to the washing action as will presently appear.

The agitator 3| is provided with a pair of identical vanes, indicated generally at 62, upon its forward working face which project inwardly or forwardly at opposite sides of the axis of rotation. In contrast with the ordinary agitator, however, these vanes 52 are not located upon radii on the agitator, but are instead angularly located with respect to such radii and are substantially tangent to the inner circle defining the central forward portion 5i! of the agitator. ihe vanes 62 have leading ends 63 and trailing ends 54 between which the vanes are smoothly curved or arcuate and for the majority of their arcuate length the vanes are located on the annular area 53 of the agitator. The leading ends 63 are located at the perimeter of the center portion 69 of the agitator, while the trailing ends 64 terminate at the rim 57, and therefore these leading ends are closer to the axis of rotation. The vanes are further characterized by the fact that their leading ends 63 are cut oif quite sharply or bluntly, as seen in Fig. 4 to best advantage, while their trailing ends 64 taper off more gradually to meet the rim portion of the agitator. The vanes, of course, project forwardly from the rubbing or working face of the agitator and preferably are formed integrally therewith, as indicated in the drawings and as is common practice in the fabrication of such elements in the washing machine industry.

In the operation of the machine the tub I! is filled with clothes and the washing liquid to bring the level of the latter up to the line A, and the motor 46 is then started up to set the agitator in motion, turning it continuously in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. As stated, the agitater is operated at a slow speed as compared to most unidirectional agitators on the market today and as a basis for comparison, it might be said that my agitator is rotated at approximately 100 R. P. M., while the agitators of these other machines are driven at the 400 up to 800 R. P. M. or higher. This comparatively slow rotation of the agitator is found, however, to set the clothes and washing liquid in motion in a path, as viewed from above, such that the clothes travel in a somewhat circular fashion, as indicated by the broken line B in Fig. 4, away from the agitator and along the walls 2|--i9 and 2!, in succession, and back to the agitator. As viewed from the end, the clothes travel in a slightly inclined plane such as indicated by the broken line 0-1) in Fig. 3. That pattern of travel as described above might vary slightly depending upon the water level and the amount of the clothes load.

The blunt nose or leading ends 63 of the vanes 62 assist the travel in that manner by pushing the clothes under the water and carrying them around through the water and ordinarily they slide off of that blunt nose but at intervals they will completely travel around so that the load is broken up from following the standard path of travel as previously described and the load will intermittently be broken up and turn over" in more or less of a vertical path of travel parallel to the vane. This gives a very desirable periodical rearrangement of the clothes so as to assure thorough washing of each individual piece and also tends to counteract any tendency of the clothes to become bundled up or tangled.

Furthermore, this action of the vanes breaks.

the surface of the washing liquid periodically so that no continuous suction can be set up by the operation of the agitator and thus it will be seen that the washing action is carried out by causing the clothes to periodically ride the agitator and be tumbled about thereby and the large slow moving agitator is thus a distinctive advantage in this type of washing action.

The angular location of the vanes 62 and the somewhat tangent relationship thereof with reference to a circle centered on the axis of rotation causes these vanes to ride the clothes up higher than would be the case were the vanes them-.

selves located upon radii of the agitator. Thus I am enabled to operate with the water level a considerable distance above the axis of rotation so that for a tub of given size a larger load of clothes and greater quantity of washing liquid may be accommodated.

As an example of dimensions which are prac-, tical in a machine of this character, the tub I! may have a width of about 14 inches and a depth of about 13% inches and will accommodate an agitator having an outside diameter of 13 inches. Operating then with a water level about 3 inches or slightly less from the top of the tub, it will be apparent that this water level is a matter of several inches above the axis of rotation of the agitator so that the tangential relationship or position of the vanes 62 becomes extremely important in properly manipulating and turning over the clothes. It will further be apparent that each time a vane breaks above the water surface or level A, it will act to interrupt any tendency to create a suction, such as would be undesirable in this type of washing action. In an agitator of the above-mentioned diameter the center forwardly offset area 63 would preferably be about 6 inches in diameter, this being about the proportions as illustrated in the drawing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a washing machine having a number of advantages over its predecessors in the art, among which is the extreme simplicity provided by the suspension of all elements from the tub itself so that these may be set up and bench-tested before final assembly into the machine. Additionally then, the present invention provides an inexpensive manner of suspending a tub within the outside wrap-around casing and one which is, at the same time, very attractive in appearance as is desirable in such machines. Lastly, and most important, I have provided a novel type, shape and size of agitator and vanes, all of which contribute to the production of a simple, straight-forward and effective type of washing action without the necessity for high speeds and consequent acceleration of wear upon the parts.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A clothes washing machine comprising an upstanding tub adapted to ;contain clothes and a washing liquid up to a level adjacent the top of the tub, a disk-likeagitator positioned upright in the tub for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis therein and adapted to have its upper portion project above said washing liquid level but with its axis of rotation below said level, means for rotating the agitator unidirectionally and at a low speed approximating 100 R. P. M., and at least one vane carried on the faceof the agitator, the said vane being angularly disposed to the axis of rotation and substantially tangent to a circle concentric to said axis and having leading and trailing ends, the leading end of the vane being located substantially half way between the center and perimeter. of the agitator and the vane leading end being blunt and adapted to move the clothes about in the washing liquid, periodically tumbling the clothes at the surface of said liquid and plunging the clothes back down into the liquid While breaking and interrupting any suction tending to be created by rotation of the agitator.

2. A clothes washing machine comprising an upstanding tub adapted to contain clothes and a washing liquid up to a level adjacent the top of the tub, a large disk-like agitator positioned upright in the tub for rotation about a horizontal axis therein with its upper portion adapted to project above said washing liquid level but with its axis of rotation below said level, means for rotating the agitator unidirectionally, and at least one arcuate vane carried on the face of the agitator, the said vane being angularly disposed to the axis of rotation and substantially tangent to a circle concentric to said axis and having leading and trailing ends, the vane being adapted to move the clothes about in the washing liquid periodically tumbling the clothes at the surface of said liquid and plunging the clothes back down into the liquid, the said leading end of the vane being closer to the axis of rotation of the agitator than the trailing end of the vane and said leading end projecting further from the agitator than the trailing end and being blunt to plunge and plow the clothes down into the washing liquid.

3. A clothes washing machine of the character described comprising an upright tub adapted to contain clothes for washing and a cleaning liquid up to a level adjacent the top of the tub, the said tub having upright connected walls, a substantially disk-shaped agitator mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis adjacent one of the tub walls, means for rotating the agitator unidirectionally, the agitator having an outside diameter only slightly less than the width and depth of the tub whereby the agitator will cover substantially the full area of the tub wall adjacent which it rotates, an upper segmentof the agitator being adapted to project above the liquid level with the axis of rotation being below said level, and arcuately shaped vanes on the agitator for washing engagement with th clothes, the said-vanes being substantially tangent to a circle smaller than the diameter of the agitator.

4. A clothes washing. machine of the character described comprising an upright tub adaptedto contain clothes for washing and a cleaning liquid up to a leveladjacent the top of the tub, the said tub having four upright connected walls, a substantially disk-shaped agitator positioned upright adjacent one of the tub walls, means for rotating the agitator unidirectionally on a horizontal axis, the agitator having an outside diameter only slightly less than the width and depth of the tub whereby the agitator will cover substantially the-full area of the tub wall adjacent which it rotates with an upper segment of the agitator projecting above the liquid level and with the axis of rotation of the agitator below such level, 'angularly positioned arcuated vanes on the face of theagitator substantially tangent to a circle smaller'than the outer diameter of the agitator, andthe vanes having blunt nosed leading ends located substantially midway between the axis of rotation and the perimeter of the agitator and trailing ends terminating immediately adjacent said perimeter.

5. A clothes washing machine of the character described comprising an upright tub adapted to contain clothes for washing and a cleaning liquid up to a level adjacent the top of the tub, the said tub having four upright connected walls, a substantially disk-shaped agitator positioned ad acent one of the tub walls, means for rotating he agitator unidirectionally on a substantially horizontal axis, the agitator having an outside diameter little less than the width and depth or" the tub whereby the agitator will cover substantially the full area of the tub .wall adjacent which it rotates, an upper segment of th agitator being adapted to project above the liquid level with the axis of rotation of the agitator lying below such level, the agitator having a center ofiset portion substantially one-half the overall size of the agitator and annular-fiat surrounding area and vanes located angularly on the latter area with blunt nosed leading ends at the margin of said center portion and trailing ends at the outer perimeter of the agitator whereby the blunt noses of the vanes will lift and then plunge the clothes downward while rubbing and circulating the clothes about the tub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 488,094 Schuster Dec. 13, 1892 636,556 Randleman Nov. '7, 1899 769,818 Cunneen Sept. 13, 1904 2,083,503 Nelson June 8, 1937 2,088,706 Hume Aug. 3, 1937 2,176,446 Pickerell Oct. 17, 1939 2,182,661 Dunham Dec. 5, 1939 2,212,373 Little Aug. 20, 1940 2,220,476 Conterman Nov. 5, 1940 2,491,081 Halldin Dec. 13, 1949 2,516,656 Smith July 25, 1950 2,516,658 Smith July 25, 1950 2,540,884 Horvath Feb. 6, 1951 2,596,980 Castner May 20, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 274,113 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1928

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