Document 6575658

' ‘Oct. 8, .1963
v
_
Filed July 20, 1962
L, G. H. MITCHELL -
3,106,081
TUB FILL CONTROL
'
2 Sheets-Sheet 1
74
INVENTOR.
Attorn e y
Oct. 8, 1963
1.. a. H. MITCHELL
'
3,106,081
TUB FILL CONTROL
Filed July 20, 1962
2 Sheets-Sheet 2
CONTROL
CIRCUIT
TIMER
INVENTOR.
27
PRESSURE
5 WI TCH
BY
Attorn ey
3196,08!
United States Patent O? ice
Patented Oct. 8, 1963
1
2
3,106,081
sive to delivery of liquid through the flow passage to
shut off liquid delivery into the tub and to initiate the
TUB FHJL CGNTROL
subsequent machine cycle operation.
Leonard George Henry Mitchell, Toronto, Ontario, Can
More particularly, according to the preferred form of
ada, assignor to General Steel Wares Limited, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada
the invention, the means ‘for shutting off liquid flow into
the tub and initiating the next machine function com
prises a pressure-sensitive switch mechanism located in a
‘
Filed July 20, 1%2, Ser. No. 211,323
Claims priority, application Canada May 15, 1962
6 Claims. (CI. 68-12)
‘liquid collecting receptacle receiving liquid from the flow
passage and responding to a predetermined liquid level
This invention relates to improvements in washing ma
chines and more particularly to a simple and reliable 10 in the receptacle.
Again, according to the preferred ‘form of the inven
means of effecting the ?lling of the clothes receiving tub
tion, means are provided to purge the receptacle upon
tub rotation in the normal machine operation to reset the
switch mechanism for the next subsequent tub ?ll
of an automatic washing machine at all times to a pre
determined desired level when the machine programming
calls for tub ?ll even though the pressure of the water
operation.
supply may vary over the widest range.
15
In this connection, the receptacle or collector may con
conventionally, automatic washing machines are con
veniently be arranged to surround the spin axis of the tub
trolled by an automatic cycling or timing device which
and the means to purge the receptacle may comprise a
provides the desired timed sequential machine functions
paddle ‘arranged to operate in the receptacle and con
including a tub ?lling period prior to washing, a washing
period which may involve an agitator or other washing 20 nected to move with the tub as the tub is spun about its
axis.
action, one or more drying periods in which the tub is
spun to centrifugally extract the water from the clothing,
According to the preferred form of the in ention, the
?ow passage comprises a tube open at the desired liquid
level and ‘located beneath the machine agitator and lead
ing through to the bottom of the tub into the liquid
and one or more rinsing periods.
While many of the machine operations can be effec
tively related to the distinct period of time allotted to 25
collector.
such operation by the timing device, there is one notable
Further, the agitator preferably is provided
with openings therein substantially registering with the
exception and that is the tub ?lling operation. Since the
time taken to ?ll the tub is dependent upon the water
tubebpening to ensure free liquid access to the tube
pressure available, the time required to bring the tub
opening.
liquid level up to a specific point will vary from com
30
munity to community, and from installation to installa
tion. Even the location of the machine in la speci?c
building or the time of the day at which the machine is
operated may alter the time-?ll factor.
It is therefore the object of this invention to eliminate
the time factor in the ?lling of the tub to the desired
liquid level and to ensure that the tub is ?lled to the
desired level before the subsequent timed machine func
‘
Again, ‘according to the invention, the tube is con
str-ucted and arranged so that it can be easily cleaned or
rodded out to preclude any problem from plugging.
These and other objects and features will become ap
parent from the following ‘detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a part elevational, part vertical sectional
broken away view of a washing machine embodying-the
invention;
FIGURE 2 is a broken away perspective view of the
tion or functions can take place.
paddle and collector pan shown in FIGURE 1;
Further in this connection it is the object to enable
the desired liquid level to be attained in an extremely
FIGURE 3 is va broken away perspective view of a
slightly modi?ed form of paddle and collector pan show
simple and positive manner which will also preclude
ing the mountingof the paddle on the bottom of the
over?lling.
clothes receiving tub;
Another important object is to enable the time inde
pendent ?ll control to be automatically reset for subse
FIGURE 4 is a fragmented vertical sectional view of
the collector pan of FIGURE 3 and illustrating the man
quent ‘operation by the subsequent machine operations
nor in‘ which the paddle dips into the collector pan; and
even though such latter operations are time controlled.
One particularly effective type of automatic washer
‘FIGURE 5 is a part diagrammatic, part schematic
view diagrammatically illustrating the elimination of the
currently being marketed employs a portion of the wash
ing or rinsing liquid to balance the tub during its 'high 50 time factor in the ?lling of the tub.
gWith reference ?rst to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated
speed spinning operation in the drying of the clothing and
a washing machine of the type disclosed in Canadian
in such a machine a portion of the liquid centrifugally
Patent No. 621,983 which comprises a clothes receiving
extracted from the clothing in the spinning operation is
tub I ?xed to a torque tube 2 which is adapted to be
delivered to and returned in an open balancing ring con
centrically surrounding the tub and as the tub comes to 55 driven in rotation by ‘an electric motor 3 driving a clutch
mechanism 4 through a belt drive 5.
rest following the spinning portion of the cycle, such
‘balancing liquid drops out into a collecting casing and
Extending through the torque tube 2 is ‘a shaft 6 carry
ing an agitator generally designated at 7 which has a
central conical sleeve portion 8 from which extend spiral
may remain in the machine at the end of the machine
cycle until a new machine cycle is initiated.
'
It is another particular object of this invention to en
able such a machine to be ?lled to the desired level irre
spective of any balancing liquid which may remain in
the machine prior to the initiation of the new machine
cycle.
60
vanes 9.
.
The agitator is adapted to be driven in oscillation
through the shaft 6 for washing clothing received in the
tub I land-the tub is adapted to be driven in‘ rotation to
centrifugally dry clothing in the tub through the torque
Another important object is to provide a time factor 65 tube 2. In the machine illustrated, liquid centrifuged out
eliminating tub?ll control which will not in any ‘way
of the tub I is ‘adapted to be collected in an annular bal
interfere with the clothing in the tub or any of the sub
ancing ring 10 which concentrically surrounds the tub
sequent machine operations.
‘and is provided with bla?les 11 to prevent surging of the
The principal feature of the invention resides in pro‘
viding ‘a flow passage opening into the tub at a level 70 liquid in the balancing ring. ' During tub rotation, excess
liquid is adapted to be dropped out of the open bottom
corresponding to the level to which it is desired that the
of the ring indicated at 12 ‘and when rotation of the tub
liquid reach for a full tub, and providing means respon
3,106,081
4
ceases, any remaining liquid in the balancing ring will
To ensure that the liquid has free access to the upper
drop out through the open bottom 12.
The clothes receiving tub 1 is mounted within a col
lector tub 13 and :is provided with a suitable outer casing
14 having a top closure 15. Liquid is adapted to ‘be in
troduced into the tub through an inlet 16.
end of the tube 24, the agitator 7 is preferably provided
Such a washing machine is presently on the market
with a series of openings 32 therethrough ‘adjacent to the
level of the upper end of tube 23.
While the tube is protected beneath the agitator '7
against interference with the clothing and against plug
ging the tube is preferably made of sufficient diameter
and relatively straight so that it may be easily rodded or
and its operation is well known.
cleaned out ‘for instance by the use of a coat hanger upon
Such present machines, however, are subject to the
removal of the agitator should lint or other particles
problem that if the water pressure varies, the tub will not
work up underneath the agitator.
be ?lled to the requisite level as all of the functions of
While FIGURES 1 and 2 show the paddle carried by
the machine including ?lling, agitator oscillation, and tub
spinning, are predicated on distinct periods of time
the lower end of the tube 23, the paddle may of course
through the operation of a timer mechanism.
be equally as well secured directly to the tub as shown in
According to the present invention, this problem is 15 FIGURES 3 and 4. Thus, in the views illustrated in
overcome by introducing :a pressure-sensitive switch 17,
FIGURES 3 and 4, the slightly modi?ed form of paddle
designated at 28' is secured to the bottom of the tub I
FIGURES 1 and 5, into the control circuit indicated at
13 in FiGURE 5 so that the pressure switch is interposed
and sweeps out an annular path in the collector pan 26'
between the control circuit and the usual timer mech
corresponding to the collector pan 26. Again a suitable
gasket seal 29 is provided between the central annular
anism 19 which controls the machine functions in se
boss 30’of the pan 26’ ‘and the bottom of the tub 1.
quence at distinct periods of time. The pressure switch
17 is arranged to perform two functions after, and only
It, will, of course, be understood that with the col
lector pan 26 lying wholly within the balancing ring it},
after, the tub has been ?lled to the predetermined level,
the liquid dropped out of the open lower end of the
the ?rst function being to shut off the inlet valve desig
balancing ring will drop clear of and will not ?ll the pan
nated at 2b in FIGURE 5, and the second and preferably
after it has been purged by the paddle.
simultaneous function of initiating the timer mechanism
19 to put the machine through the timed portions of its
It will be understood that various modi?cations in the
cycle. The pressure switch 17' is arranged to control the
details of the structure and arrangement of parts may
be made without departing from the spirit of the inven
inlet valve 2%} through a suitable solenoid 21 which has
previously been actuated by a suitable control button 22 30 tion or scope of the appended claims.
I claim:
in the control circuit 18, the control button opening the
1. In a washing machine, a rotatable clothes receiving
valve 20 and leaving it open until shut by a signal from
tub, means for rotating said tub, means for effecting ?ll
the pressure switch 17.
ing of the clothes receiving tub to a predetermined de
To actuate the pressure switch 17, there is provided a
tube 23 disposed within the central conical portion 3‘ of 35 sired level comprising an inlet valve, means for opening
said inlet valve, a flow passage opening into the tub at
the agitator and open at its upper end as at 24 at a level
a level corresponding to said predetermined desired level,
corresponding to the ‘desired level to-which the tub is to
be ?lled. This tube extends downwardly and through
said'?ow passage emptying into a collector, means respon
sive to delivery of liquid from the tub by said ?ow passage
the bottom of the tub 1 through a suitable gland ?tting 2S
and empties into a collector pan 26 which surrounds the 40 to close said inlet valve, comprising a pressure-sensitive
device actuated by accumulation of liquid in said col
torque tube 2 and agitator shaft 6 and lies wholly within
lector, and rotary means for purging said collector con
the perimeter of the annular balancing ring 10.
nected to said tub and responsive to the rotation thereof.
Thus, when the control button 22 of the control circuit
2. In an automatic washing machine a rotatable clothes
is pressed to open the inlet valve 20, water will be intro
receiving tub, means for rotating said tub, means for con
duced through the inlet 16 into the tub 1 at a rate de
trolling said tub rotating means comprising a timer
pending upon the water pressure. When the liquid level
mechanism, an inlet valve for introducing liquid into said
in the tub reaches a point so that it over?ows into the
tub, means for effecting ?lling of said tub to a predeter
open end 24- of the tube 3, the tube will ‘deliver such over
mined desired level comprising means for opening said
flow into the collector pan 26 and when a sufficient head
of water has been collected in the pan 26 it will actuate
inlet valve, a ?ow passage opening into said tub at a
the pressure-sensitive element 27 of the pressure-sensitive
switch 17 closing the switch which will then actuate the
inlet valve 29 through the solenoid 21 to close the valve.
said ?ow passage emptying into a collector, means re
At the same time, a signal will be ‘delivered to the timer
19 to initiate the next portion of the machine cycle which
normally would be agitation‘ of the agitator 7.
it will be understood that to prepare the machine for
the next ?lling operation, the collector pan 26 must be
purged :of the liquid contained therein so that the pres
sure-sensitive element 27 of the switch 19 will reset.
To eifect such purging, there is provided a paddle 28
which, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, may be mounted
on the lower end of the tube 23 and this paddle is ar
ranged to sweep an annular path within the collector pan
level corresponding to said predetermined desired level,
sponsive to delivery of said liquid by said ?ow passage,
comprising a pressure-sensitive switch mechanism actuated
by accumulation of liquid in said collector to close said
inlet valve and actuate said timer mechanism and rotary
purging means connected to the tub responsive to the
rotation thereof to purge said collector.
3. A device’ as claimed in claim 1 in which said rotary
means to purge said collector comprises a paddle member
actuated to sweep at least a portion of said collector fol
lowing actuation of said pressure-sensitive device.
4. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the means
rotating with said tub to purge said collector comprises a
26 upon rotation of the tub 1 during the spinning portion 65 paddle member carried by said tub and arranged to move
of the machine cycle. Thus, once the pressure switch 17
through at least a portion of said collector upon tub rota
has actuated the timer mechanism to perform the subse
tion.
quent functions of the machine cycle, the function of tub
5. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said means
spinning will automatically purge the collector pan.
To protect the working parts of the machine from
iquid scooped from the collector pan 26 by the paddle
28, a ?exible sealing gasket 29 is provided between the
tub 1 1and a central ‘annular boss 3d of the collector pan
which is open as ‘at 31 to receive the torque tube 2 and
agitator shaft 6 th'erethrough.
rotating with said tubs for purging said liquid collecting
means comprises a paddle member connected to spin with
said tub and disposed to move through at least a part of
said collector means.
6. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said means
75 rotating with said tub for purging said collector pan com
3,106,081
5
prises a paddle member ?xed to move With said tub
through at least a portion of said collector pan.
References Cited in the ?le of this patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,554,229
Woodson _____________ _. May 22, 1951
2,619,823
2,665,576
6
.
Palmer _______________ __ Dec. 2, 1952
Thiele ______ __v _______ __ Jan. 12, 1954
2,955,446
2,969,172
OIthuis _______________ -l Oct. 11, 1960
Hutt __________________ __ Ian. 24, 1961
1,187,176
1' France _______________ __ Mar. 2, 1959
FOREIGN PATENTS