US1358168A - Washing-machine - Google Patents

Description

B. S. McCUTCHEN.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-8,1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Jim/era 50/.

Q Ilium 3mm MAMM- B. S. McCUTCHEN.

WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATlON FILED SEPT-8,1919.

1,358,168. Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' BBUNSON S. MGCUTCHEN, F PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

WASHING-MACHINE.

' To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, BRUNSON S;

Gtrr'cnnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Somerset-and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to washing machines and it may besaid to be the printransmitting and control means for permitting of rotat1on of the drum in a given direction for variable predetermined periods of time and then causing reversal of said drum in its direction of rotation whereby to produce oscillation of the same.

Another and equally important object of the invention. resides in the provision of a machine of the character mentioned with a view t0 compactness and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simale tiexlcy and operation high.

"Other objects will be in part'obvious in part pointed out hereinafterl In order that the invention and its manher of application may be readily understood by those' skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the following detailed description based thereon, set out a preferred embodiment of and ' the same.

In these'drawings Figure 1 is a vertical transverse secti th ough my lmproved machin Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section tion;

, Specification of Letters Patent.

thecost of production small, and eifi- Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filed September 8,1519. Serial No. 322,275.

- ;-,Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation of the control valve;

F1g. 6 is a side elevation of one of the pick-up rings;

Fig. 7 is an end-elevation of the same, and

Fig. is a fragmentary enlarged detail in section illustrating the forming of the buckets or abutments on the periphery of the drum.

' Having more particular reference to the drawings and in which like reference characters will designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the circular housing of my improved washing machine which may be supported by a suit able frame 2, having an opening in one portion of its periphery normally closed by a door 3, hinged to the housing at 4 and car- "rying'a knot or handle 5 on the free portion thereof for an obvious purpose.

Arranged on the inner sides of the opposite side walls of the housing concentrically thereof are bearings 6 receiving the opposite ends of stub shafts 7 therein, said shafts being concentrically upon a circular rotatable drum 8 adapted to receive andagitate the clothes or other matter to be washed. This drum 8 is formed with an opening in one portion of its peripheral surface having a hinged dpor or closure 9 normally arranged therein. Spaced peripherally disposed series of openings 10 are also formed in the drum 8 and receive thereover bands 11 and 12, preferably of metal, from which buckets or abutments 13, arcuate in cross section, are struck, the openings formed by the striking of the buckets or abutments, alining with the several series of openings and thereby providing for the entrance of the washing fluid into and through said drum 8. In this connection, however, it

should be noted that the buckets on the metal band 11 are arranged reversely to the buckets on the metal band 12, thus, permitting of engagement of fluid therewith for causing reverse rotation of the drum 8.

As means for efiecting circulation of the I washing fluid through the machine and cansmg its discharge onto the bucketed peripheral surface of the drum 8 with sufficient force to impart rotary motion thereto, a rotary or other suitable design of pump 13 is secured to the underside of the bottom of the housing 1 by a bracket 14 and has the inlet conduit 15 thereof leading into the lower portion of said housing as shown in sired, the washing termined directions, course placed under 'tipl'e way valve 22 at loosely mounted the Fig. 1 while the outlet or discharge conduit 16 thereof having a suitable valve 16 interposed therein is extended upwardly therefrom through an opening in said housing bottom and upwardly along one side wall thereof to a point in proximity to the adjacent bearing 6, whercat it is connected to tie casing 17 of a multiple way valve hereinafter more fully described. This pump 13 may receive power from a motor (not shown) through the medium of belt gearing engaged with the pulley wheel 18 mounted on the rotor shaft of said pump. A drain hose 18 is also tapped into the conduit 16 and is provided with a valve 18 preferably arranged in proximity to its connection with said conduit whereby when defluid can be drained from the machine.

To carry the washing fluid from the con duit 16 for discharge onto the bucketed periphery of the drum, I provide branch conduits l9 and 20 engaging nozzles 21 with the free ends thereof which nozzles are disposed in opposite directions so as to effect delivery of washing fluid into engagement with the buckets or abutments 13 for imparting rotary motion to the drum in predesuch fluid being, of sufiicient pressure by the force pump 13. Passage of the washing fluid first into one branch, conduit and then into the other is controlled by means of an oscillatable two way valve 22 mounted in the casing 17 carrying an actuating trip 23 thereon provided with oppositely disposed fingers 23 and 23*, movement of'said trip being aided under influence of a coiled spring 24 connected at one end to the casing 17 and at its other end to the trip at a point beyond the mounting of the same in order that said trip will be pulled or rather snapped from one position to another when moved beyond center. To limit movement of the trip, stops 25 are engaged with the casing 17 shown in Fig. 5.

Having described means for imparting motion to the drum of my improved washing machine, it now becomes necessary to provide means for controlling the motion of the drum through operation of the mulpredetermined intervals. To this end, there is fixedly mounted on that stub shaft 7 in valve a pick up or collector ring 26 having transverse finger 27 on its peripheral portion. Other pick-up or collector rings 28 are on the shaft adja'cent the ring 26, and carry fingers 29 on their peripheral portions, each of said fingers 27 and 29 being adapted to engage in sequential order the adjacent portion of the finger on the following ring, so that when the shaft has rotated for a predetermined number of revolutions connection between the same and proximity to said one finger on the trip 23 will be effected, the finger on the last ring having direct engagement with the fingers 23 or 23 of the trip.

Operation of my washing machine may be reviewed as follows: lVashing fluid, such as soapy water or the like is poured into the housing 1 whereupon the pump 13 is started, causing said fluid to be drawn from the bottom of the housing and discharged under pressure into the conduit 16. The valve 22 is now in position shown in Fig. 5 and thus,

the washing fluid will be discharged into the conduit 19 and then onto the buckets 13 on the band 11 through the discharge nozzle 21, causing rotation of the drum in a counter-clockwise direction. During rotation of the drum, the pick-up rings will be rotated and connected in sequential order until the finger 29 on the last pickup ring engages and moves the finger 23 thereby shifting the trip 23 with the aid of the spring 24 to a position whereat communication between the conduits 16 and 20 is established; the flow of fluid to the conduit 19 being discontinued. By discharging fluid into the conduit 20, and thence onto the buckets 13 on the band 12, the drum will be reversed in and caused to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. Operation of the pick-up rings, hereinbefore described is continued thus, effecting reversal of the valve 22 through the trip 23 and in consequence, reversing the rotation of the drum 8. At the completion of a washing operation, the Washing fluid may be removed from the housing 1, by closing the valve 16 and opening the valve 18 in the hose 18, thereby causing functioning of the pump to remove said fluid.

Since'the pump 13 velocity (1725 R. P. M.) it will be appreciated that the soap suds will be thoroughly agitatedand will thus, improve the washing qualities of the machine. Furthermore, due to the elimination of all forms of gearing in the means for reversing motion of the drum 8, the imparting of all shock or stress to the various parts of the-machine will be prevented, since the action of the washing fluid on the bucketed periphery of the drum is such as will cause gradual but positive change in the motion of the drum;

If desired, the washing fluid discharged from the pump 13 can be carried through a suitable heater (not shown) interposed in the conduits .19 and 20, and in this manner, maintain said fluid at a temperature which will facilitate washing.

Also by varying the number of pick-up rings 26 on the shaft 7, the drum Scan be caused to rotate for variable periods of time before being reversed, such as conditions or preference may dictate.

its rotary motion is operated at a high claims, I consider Within the spirit of my invention. I

What I claim is:

1. A Washing machine comprising a casing having bearings therein, a drum having stub shafts freely mounted in said bearings, said drum having a bucketed periphery, means for circulating fluid in the machine and discharging the same'onto said drum, a multiple Way valve interposed in said discharging means for effecting delivery of fluid onto the bucketed periphery in opposite directions, and means on one of said stub shafts engaging said valve for operating the same.

2. An apparatus for Washing clothes comprising a horizontally pivoted drum for receiving said clothes, means for circulating Water through said drum, inlets for said Water in nozzle form, peripheral buckets on said drum in the path of said nozzles to effeet the rotation of said drum by said circulation, and means for reversing the direction of flow of said Water relative to the axis of said drum,

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BBUNSON S. MCCUTCHEN. Witnesses HAROLD McCoon, VIOLA V. CRE UI').

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