Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
5~5~734
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of automatic washing
; machines employing vertical axis agitators which oscillate to
provide a tumbling or generally toroidal motion to the clothes
in washing the clothes contained within the machine and pro-
vides an agitator construction which is particularly useful
with large or heavy clothes loads to improve the movement
1~9~73a,
of the clothes within the machine and thereby the washing
action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
It has long been appreciated that the most effi-
cient clothes movement pattern for washing clothes within
an automatic washing machine having a vertical axis agitator
is a pattern which provides a rollover of the clothes which
involves moving the clothes down the agitator barrel, then
radially outward from the oscillating agitator vanes, upward
along the wall of the tub, and inward to the barrel. Conven-
tional washing machines are reasonably proficient in achiev-
ing this type of rollover pattern when light loads are being
washed, but not with heavy loads. When the washing basket
is tightly packed with clothes, the load crowds the agitator
and the basket area. A conventional oscillating agitator has
difficulty in attaining any kind of a rollover to the clothes ~-
; load under these conditions. The conventional-type agitator
then scrubs merely the bottom portion of a tightly-packed
heavy load, resulting in a very poor uneven cleaning action.
There are a few examples in prior patents of agita-
tors which move in separate paths during a washing operation.
For example, the Bryant U.S. Patent No. 1,834,936 suggests
dual agitator members which are reciprocated in opposite di~
rections wi-thin the tub, the ob~ect being to create a violent
water action.
The Krolzick U.S. Patent No. 3,678,714 assigned to
the same assignee as the present invention describes a wash-
ing machine assembly including a pair of agitators, the two
agitators being coupled together for mutual oscillation,
but having cam means or the like provided between the two
5734
agitators to effect a vertical reciprocation of one with
respect to the other during such oscillation.
Prior art patents disclose agitators with spiral
vane elements. For example, Dyer U.S. Patent No. 2,331,897
discloses a washing machine having an agitator provided with
a spiral vane on an upper portion, the agitator rotating at
motor speed during washing.
Krolzick U.S. Patent Des. 196,194 assigned to the
same assignee as the present invention shows an agitator for
a laundry machine wherein the ornamental design for the ayi-
tator includes a spiral vane arrangement.
Geldhof U.S. Patent No. 2,734,367, assigned to a
predecessor of the assignee of the present invention, shows
an agitator for a laundry machine wherein the agitator in-
cludes spiral vanes which extend in the form of radial vanes
on their lower edges with radial projections or vanes extend-
ing intermediate the spiral vanes.
Fle:~ible agitator vanes have been used in combina-
tion with an agitator skirt portion as in U.S. Patent No.
20 3,307,383 to Cobb et al assigned to the assignee of the
present invention. That patent shows flexible vanes at-
tached to the center agitator post and spaced above a skirt
to reduce tangling of fabrics on the agitator vanes.
Walton U.S. Patent No. 3,112,532 discloses an agi-
tator having a ribbed and grooved agitator barrel and flexible
vanes for reducing tangling of clothing on such vanes during
oscillation of the agitator.
U.S. Patent No. 3,381,504 to Smith shows flexible
vanes attached to the cen-ter agitator post and spaced above
a skirt with the spacing increasing toward the outer peri-
phery of the skirt.
95734
U.S. Patent No. 3,608,110 to llubbard et al shows
an agitator assembly having small upper vanes connected to
lower vanes by helical vane ~ections, the lower vanes bein~
substantially flexible. The entire agitator having the
three classes of vanes oscillates back and forth together
with the skirt lying beneath but unattached to the lower
vanes, in an attempt to achieve a toroidal movement of
clothing and washing fluid in the washing tub.
The following additional references are part of
the prior art for consideration in connection with the
present invention.
Altorfer 1,704,9323/1929
~laus 2,021,09711/1935
Skinner 2,253,9898/1941
Castner 2,502,70~4/1950
Byrd et al. 3,117,4341/1964
Bochan 3,285,04011/1966
In general, the prior art has provided agitators
having only oscillatory motions, attempting to achieve good
rollover of clothing in the washing tub by increasing the
vigor of the agitation.
In contrast, Canadian Patent 1,045~401 issued January 2, 1979
to Platt, the present applicant and assigned to the assignee of the
present application, discloses a dual action auger agitator c~mprising
a combination oscillating and unidrectional agitator for an automatic
washer, having a unidirectional auger provided with a helical vane and
one set of oscillating lower or scrubbing vanes.
Dual action auger agitators of the type generally disclosed
in the above-mentioned Platt Canadian patent include a vaned lower
agitator element mounted for oscillating motion about an axis o~ a washer
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and an upper agitator element mounted for unidrectional rotation about
the same axis, the upper auger agitator element having helical vane
means associated therewith for forcing or deflecting clothes in the
washer adjacent the upper agitator element downward toward the oscillating
vanes on the lower portion of the agitator. The described operation of
the dual action auger agitator is effective to promote the desired con-
tinuous rollover movement of the clothes and fabrics undergoing washing,
resulting in improved and more uniform wa.shabili~y of the clothes load.
Additionally, U.S. Patent 3,987~652 issued October 26, 1976 to
Ruble and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a
dual action auger agitator comprising an oscillating vertical-axis
agitator in combination with an agitator accessory having a sleeve for
mounting on the agitator and a helical vane projecting from the sleeve
in the form of an auger. The auger agitator accessory is rotated in one
direction via a one-way clutch during one-half cycles of the oscillating
agitator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVE~ITION
; The present invention provides in an agitator assembly for a
clothes washing machine of the type co~lprising first and second agitator
elements respectively driven in oscillatory and unidirectional rotary
motions to circulate the contents of the machine in a toroidal rollover
pattern within the washing machine and wherein the second agitator element
has means for forcing articles adjacent thereto into the oscillatory
path of the first agitator element and into the rollover pattern, the
improvement wherein said first agitator element has formed thereon
flexible vanes which are free to flex in response to oscillatory motions
of the first agitator element, thereby to yieldingly engage fabrics de-
flected downwardly and lessen high impact loading of the first agitator
element.
In the preferred embodiment the second agitator element is
coupled to the drive shaft by means of a one-way clutch for unidirectional
-- 5 --
'~ -
~95~34
rotation about the axîs of the agitator. This second, upper agitator
element is provided wi~h auger-like vane means for urging clothes within
the receptacle downwardly toward the first lower agitator element where
they are contacted by the flexible vanes which form a set of generally
vertically-extending vanes disposed about a skirt portion of the lower
agitator element. In effect, therefore, the upper agitator element acts
to continuously feed clothes downwardly along the barrel of the agita~or
where they come under the influence of the oscillating vertically
positioned vanes of.the lower agitator element which direct the clothes
radially outwardly toward the periphery of the basket, and eventually
upwardly and back to the barrel of the upper agitator element, completing
a repeating rollover cycle which is extremely efficient for securing a
uniform scrubbing contact of the clothes with the wash liquid.
~ dditionally, there is shown a modification of the invention pro-
viding a continuous rotary motion for one of the agitator elements and
an oscillatory motion for the other of the agitator elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of embodiments of the invention
will be readily apparent from the following description of certain pre-
ferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without
departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the
disclosure, and in which:
Figure 1 is a view partly broken away, of a conventional
automatic washing machine assembly provided with an improved agitator
means according to the present invention;
~ ~,
1~`9573~
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the agitator means
of the Canadian patent referred to above during a washing cycle showing
the manner in which the clothes are ro].led over to ensure efficient
contact with the wash liquid;
Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the upper agitator element
shown in the assembly of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an elevational view of a modified form of upper
agitator element;
. Figure S is a view in elevation of a preferred form of agitator
assembly of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the agitator assembly of Figure 5
mounted in a perforated basket positioned within an imperforate fluid
retaining tub with an arrow adjacent the agitator axis indicating the
direction of rotation of the auger agitator, and arrows indicating the
movement of clothes about the axis of rotation of the auger agitator
of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through the vertical axis
of the washing machine tub and agitator assembly, on line VII-VII of
~igure 6, and indicating movement of the clothes, fabrics and washing
ZO fluid within the tub;
5734
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the structure
of Figure 7 with a wall portion of the basket being removed
to better illustrate the movement of clothes about the axis
of rotation of the auger agitator; and
Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical cross-~ectional
view of a modified form of the invention providing a contin- -~
uous rotary motion for the auger element of the agitator and
an oscillatory motion for a skirt portion of the agitator
having scrubbing vanes attached thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In Figure 1, reference numeral 10 indicates gen-
erally a washing machine of the automatic type including a
frame 11 carrying vertical panels 12 forming the sides,
front and back of the cabinet for the washing machine 10.
A hinged lid 13 is provided in the usual manner to provide
access to the interior of the washing machine. The wash-
ing machine 10 has the usual console 14 including a timer
dial 15 and a program selector 16.
Internally of the machine 10 there is disclosed
an imperforate fluid retaining tub 17 which is supported
within the washing machine cabinet by means of a base sup-
port plate 18. A plu~ality of suspension rods 19 having
resilient spherical end portions 20 and 21 are positioned
about the tub 17 in the usual manner to suspend the tub 17
freely within the interior of the cabinet for the washing
machine.
A perforate washing receptacle or basket 22 is
positioned concentrically within the tub 17. Centrally of
~ the perforate washing basket 22 is an improved agitator
means which has been designated generally in the drawings
by the reference numeral 23.
~q~9~73~a
Liquid is introduced into the washing machine by
means of a solenoid controlled inlet valve 24 which direets
the liquid through a conduit 25 and through an anti-siphon
device 20a into the washing machine~ A filter 27 is positioned
along a tub ring 28a disposed between the tub 17 which
receives the washing fluid and the basket 22 whieh receives
the elothing or other fabrics to be cleaned therein. A
eonduit 28b eonnects the outlet port of a pump 29 to the
filter 27, and a second eonduit 28c provides fluid communi
cation between the inlet port of pump 29 and the clothes
washing zone within basket 22 of the washing machine. During
the agitate portion of the wash cycle wash water is circulated
- by the pump 29 through eonduit 28b to filter 27, from the
filter into the washing zone, and from the washing zone through
a seeond eonduit 28e baek to the pump 29. A filtering of the
wash water is thus accomplished.
The pump 29 as well as the other movable parts of
the assembly are driven by means of a motor 30 whieh oper-
ates through a transmission 31. A cluteh and brake assembly
generally indieated by the reference numeral 32 is provided
for energizing the agitator means 23 during washing, and
for disengaging the a~itator and engaging a basket spin
tube, subsequently to be deseribed, for spinning the basket
22 during the liquid extraeting portion of the washing
phase. All of the drive elements and hydraulic units des-
cribed thus far are eonventional in vertieal-axis automatie
washing maehines, and the improvements of the present in-
vention are eentered in the agitator means 23, which is
described specifically below.
As seen in Figure 2, the agitator means 23 has
a lower agitator element 33 with a skirt portion 34 which
~?9~'734
carries a plurality of spaced, generally vertical agitator
vanes 35. An agitator drive shaft 36 extends through the
lower agitator element 33 and an upper agitator element 33a
and is threadedly received within an agitator cap 37. The
shaft 36 has a splined portion 38 which is rigidly connected
to an agitator drive coupler 39 for oscillating the lower
agitator element 33 in the usual manner.
A spin tube 40 surrounds the shaft 36 over a por-
tion of its length and is received between spaced bearings
41 and 42. A pulley 43 is provided about the spin tube 40
for mechanical connection to a drive motor and transmission
in the usual manner. The upper end of the spin tube is
received within a basket drive block 44 and its associated
nut 45 to drive the basket 22 at high speed during the
extraction cycle when wash liquid is removed from the clothes
by centrifugal force.
The upper agitator element 33a is composed of a
synthetic resin or the like and, as illustrated in Figures
2 and 3 is hollow and has a larger-diameter end portion 46a
in the area adjacent to the lower agitator element 33, and
a smaller-diameter upper portion 46b at the upper end thereof.
As best illustrated in Figure 2, the lower end of the upper
agitator element 33a is received in overlapping relationship
with the upper portion of the lower agitator element 33.
The agitator drive shaft 36 extends up through the upper
agitator element 33a and is mechanically coupled thereto
through a one-way drive mechanism such as a one-way clutch
47 (which may be for example, a Torrington positive grip
one-way roller clutch model RCB-101416) located at the
upper end of the shaft 36. A sleeve bearing 48 provides
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l~P9573~
for relative movement between the lower agitator element 33
and the upper agitator element 33a.
The outer periphery of the upper agitator element 33a
is provided with vane means 49 for urging clothes downwardly.
A continuous helical vane 49 is shown extending outwardly from
the conical wall of the upper agitator element 33a down the
length of the upper agitator element 33a and terminating short
of the vertical agitator vanes 35 for urging or deflecting
clothes downwardly. With the arrangement shown, the upper agi-
tator element 33a is positively driven through one-way clutch 47
only when the ayitator drive shaft 36 is moved ln a counter-
clockwise direction. Under very light loads, which may tend
to be submerged adjacent the lower agitator element 33 and not in
sufficient contact with the upper element 33a, the upper agi-
tator element 33a will tend to oscillate with the lower agitator
element 33. Elowever, as basket 22 is loaded with increasingly
larger fabric loads, these larger bulk loads consistently come
into greater contact with agitator vanes 49 so that when the
agitator drive shaft 3~ moves in a clockwise direction, the
one-way clutch 47 allows the upper agitator element to remain
relatively stationary due to the frictional drag placed thereon
by the water and clothes within the basket. Thus there is sub-
stantially automatic sensing of the magnitude of the clothes
load to provide incremental rotation under clothes load condi-
tions. This incremental or intermittent rotation of the upper
agitator element 33a with a clothes load provides a double
action agitator and causes the helical vane 49 to act as
an auger and thus auger or urge the clothes identified at
reference numeral C downwardly along the upper agitator ele-
ment 33a into the oscillating vertical agitator vanes 35which move the clothes out radially toward the periphery of
the basket 22, thence upwardly and inwardly toward the
~q~95734 -
upper agitator element 33a, all as indicated by the arrows
shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. This creates a highly
desirable generally toroidal rollover movement or action
which subjects the clothes to intimate con-tact with the
washing liquid and to effective scrubbing action from the
lower agitator element 33. (In Figure 2, the washing liquid
has been omitted, and only a partial clothes load has been
illustrated for purposes of clarity.~
A modified form of upper agitator element 50 for
use in the present invention is illustrated in Figure 4 of
the drawings. This figure illustrates an upper agitator
element 50 having two helical vanes 51 and 52 each having a
pitch differing somewhat from the pltch of the helical vane
49 shown in detail in Figure 3 which advantageously may have
one and one-quarter (1-1/4) turns over the length of upper
agitator element 33a. The pitch of these helical vanes
affects the rate at which clothes are moved downwardly along
the upper agitator element 33a into the oscillatory path of
the lower agitator element 33. A greater pitch of these
helical vanes increases the rate at which fabrics are fed
into the path of the lower agitator element.
In the development and evaluation of dual action
agitators which, as disclosed herein, employ an upper uni-
directional auger element in mutual cooperation with a lower
oscillating agitator element it has been determined that the
operational efficiency of, and uniformity of washability by,
such agitators are substantially directly related to the
magnitude of the rollover of the fabrics in a generally
toroidal path during an average washing operation as produced
by the cooperation of these upper and lower agitator elements.
The cooperative relationship between these upper and lower
agitator elements is important since the upper auger or helical
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9573~
portion continually forces or deflects the fabrics in a
downwardly direction into -the oscillatory path of the lower
agitator element which is thereby enabled to better clean
and scrub such fabrics. However, since there are other fab-
rics which have already been previously gravitationally
positioned adjacent this same lower agitator elementr the
continual forcing of fabrics toward the bottom portion of
the agitator assembly tends to produce a concentrated mass
or bulk of fabrics in the lower central portion of the wash-
ing receptacle and ultimately in and around the entireoscillatory lower vaned agitator element 33.
Since the torque loads sensed by the osci].latory
agitator drive shaft 36 are dependent upon the nature and
mass of the fabrics engaged by the lower agitator element
33, a compacted fabric mass engaging that agitator may tend
to increase the tor~ue loads sensed by drive shaft 36 and
ultimately by the motor 30 powering that drive
shaft. In addition, the creation of the relatively immobile,
or at least slowly moving, fabric mass tends to retard or
interfere with a continually progressing fabric rollover
pattern which is desirable for the more uniform scrubbing of
all fabrics placed wi,thin the clothes basket 22.
It is therefore important that the fabrics fed by
the helical vane means ~9 downwardly toward the lower agi-
tator element 33 during a first portion of the toroidal roll-
over pat.tern for such fabrics also be moved radially outwardly
from said agitator and upwardly along the inner sidewalls of
the basket 22 in the second half portion of that desired tor-
oidal cycle or rollover pattern within -that basket. The heli-
cal pitch design and dimensions of the upper agitator element
73~
are therefore important in determining the downward feedrate of the upper agitator element.
The type, configuration and size characteristic
of the lower vaned agitator element 33 are also significant
in promoting an optimum movement of fabrics away from the
lower central washing zone within basket 22. ~hereas the
embodiments shown in Figures 1-4 herein illustrate the use
of a rigid agitator vaned element, the embodiments shown in
Figures 5-9 utilize agitator vanes of the flexible type or
of a combination of flexible and rigid vanes.
The use of flexible agitator vanes on the lower
agitator element allows such flexible vanes to yieldingly
engage the fabrics deflected downwardly and thereby lessens
the imposition of soMewhat instantaneous high impact load~
ing of the agitator, the agitator drive shaft and ultimately
the motor driving it. These vanes also flex upon engagement
with fabrics so as to unload fabrics which might otherwise
catch on and be carried by the upper helically vaned auger
element itself. This unloading of the vanes tends to avoid
tangling of fabrics on the agitator which might otherwise
lead to increased agitator shaft torque, increased motor
wattage, reduced rollover as well as unbalanced spin loads
and generally tangled clothes loads.
U.S. Patent No. 4,04S,820 issued September 20, 1977 to
John W. Pielemeier and assigned to the assignee of the present invention,
discloses an alternative solution to the promotion of improved rollover
and consistent washability in an auger type agitator.
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5~39L
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OY THE INVENTION
In accordance with the principles of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, a dual action agitator
comprising an upstanding center post and a lower curved trans-
ition base portion area blending into an outwardly and down-
wardly inclined or flared skirt is provided at circumferentially
spaced points with a plurali-ty of vertically-extending flexible
vanes integrally connected with the center post along an
axial length of the center post as well as through the curved
transition area and a portion of the skirt area. The
vertically-extending flexible vanes are provided with a de-
sired degree of flexibility to promote the desired degree of
clothes and fabric movement away from the base of the agita-
tor in cooperation with the upper auger portion as generally
described above for better fabric rollover. Each of the
flexible vanes terminates inwardlv of the flange of the flared
skirt. Alternately spaced between the flexible vanes are
smaller rigid vanes integral with and upstanding relative to
the skirt. The flexible and rigid vanes and the skirt all
oscillate together rotationally about the center post.
In combination with the flexible and rigid vanes on
the lower part of the agitator, an auger element characterized
by a cylindrical tube having a radially outwardly projecting
helical vane telescopes over the upright portion of the agi-
tator center post. During agitation the auger element rotates
to move wash fluid and clothing downwardly adjacent the
central agitator post.
It is a main object of the present invention to
provide positive and rapid generally toroidal rollover or
turnover movement of clothing, fabrics and washing fluid in
734
the washing receptacle or tub, moving the clothes or fabrics
downwardly adjacent the agitator post, outwardly at the
bottom of the washing tub, upwardly along the sides of the
tub, and inwardly at the surface of the washing fluid, all
without undue tangling of the clothes load, thereby avoiding
excessive agitator shaft torque, high motor wattage and the
like. It is also an object of the invention to provide
improved, more uniform scrubbing action to the clothing
being washed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In accordance with the principles of the present
invention, four flexible vanes 35a are attached integrally
to the oscillatory skirt portion 34a and centerpost 70 of
the agitator assembly 23a along the transition area 60 and a
portion 61 of the skirt 34a. Further, each flexible vane
35a has an upper edge 135 extending generally radially out-
wardly and inclined slightly from the horizontal. An outer
or vertical edge 235 extends generally vertically and
terminates in a lower edge 62 which extends generally
radially inwardly and which is separated from a skirt 34b
for a substantial portion of the length of the vane so that
the free end of each vane 35a is free to flex when subjected
to oscillatory forces.
It will be noted that the skirt 34b extends under
each of the flexible vanes 35a and is disposed generally in
a subjacent relation thereto. Moreover, each of the vanes
35a is separated from the skirt 34b along a greater portion
of its length by a space between the skirt 34b and the lower
edge 62 of the vane 35a, thereby to allow flexlng of the
vane during a washing action. By virtue of the free or
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1~95734
detached upper, outer and lower edges 135, 235, and 62, free
flexing of the vanes 35a is facilitated. Therefore, under
heavy wash load conditions the flexible vanes 35a yieldingly
engage fabrics deflected downwardly thereby lessening high
impact loading of the skirt portion 34a of the agitator
assembly.
A generally cylindrical bead 80 which is greater
in diameter than the thickness of the flexible vane 35a
is provided on the edges 135, 235 and 62 and provides some
resistance to formation of nicks and gouges in the vane
which could tend to snag or catch the fabrics being washed.
Four small rigid vanes 63 are provided on the
upper surface of the skirt 34b of the agitator assembly 23a.
The rigid vanes 63 are spaced equidistantly about the cir-
cumference of the skirt 34b, approximately 45 offset from
the four flexible vanes 35a. Each rigid vane 63 has a
generally horizontal upper edge 64, and a generally vertical
edge 65 which is spaced radially outwardly from the axis of
the agitator assembly 23a at a slightly smaller distance
than the outer part of the skirt flange 66. The vanes 63
may be hollow with cavities opening from the lower surface
of the skirt 34b.
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~9~i73~
Each rigid vane 63 is integrally attached along its lower
edge porti~ns to the skirt 34b. The edges 64 and 65 of the
rigid vanes 63 are rounded, as shown. The flexible vanes
35a and the rigid vanes 63 extend radially with respect to
center post 70 of the skirt and constitute the main scrubbing
vanes of agitator assembly 23a.
Coaxial with the center post 70 of the skirt and
vane portion of the agitator assembly 23a is an auger tube
33b of the auger portion of the agitator assembly 23a. The
dual action agitator assembly 23a is closed at the top of
the auger barrel portion or tube 33b by a cap 135a. The auger
tube 33b is driven about the axis of the washing machine tub
17a through a type of clutch 75 (Figure 7) at the top of the
center post 70 of the skirt portion 34a, which, in turn, is
driven by the oscillating drive shaft 36a. Associated with
the clutch 75 are a machine screw 43a to clamp the stem 73 of
the center post 70 of agitator skirt portion 34a to the upper
end of the drive shaft 36a. The clutch 75 includes a coil
spring 64a which bears between an upper surface of clutch
member 75a of the clutch 75 and an under surface of a plate
44a which is clamped atop the stem 73 by the machine screw 43a.
One form of clutch drive which may be used in connection
with the present invention is more fully described in U.S. Patent
No. 4,155,228 issued May 22, 1979 to Frank R. Burgener, Jr. et al and
assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In the preferred embodiment of Figures 5-8, the drive shaft
36a rotates the center post 70 in either direction through shaft spline
71 and a cooperatively splined interior surface on center post stem
portion 73. A ratchet
B
1~R~ ~7 34
surface (not shown) of the clutch member 75a mounted at the
top of the center post 70 engages a corresponding ratchet
surface on an internal cylinder of the auger tube 33b. When
the drive shaft 36a rotates to the left as shown in Figure 7,
teeth (not shown) of the ratchet surface of the clutch 75
engage the valleys of the ratchet surface (not shown) in the
auger tube 33b, forcing the auger tube 33b also to rotate to
the left. On the return stroke of the oscillatory drive shaft
36a and center post 70, to the right, the ratchet surface on
the auger tube 33b will rise vertically and slip from tooth
to tooth of the ratchet rather than rotate in the reverse
direction against its own momentum and the resistance of the
washing fluid and articles undergoing washing about its
exterior.
The outer portion of the auger tube 33b has a single
helical vane 49a beginning above the normal maximum water line
39a in the tub 17a and progressing downwardly in a counter-
clockwise direction in the orientation of Figure 5, so that
when the auge:r tube 33b is rotated to the left in the orienta-
tion of Figure 6, washing liquid and fabric articles C in theclothes basket 22a will be forced downwardly adjacent the
agitator assembly 23a
In operation, articles undergoing washing such as
clothes and fabrics C will be placed within the clothes basket
22a within the imperforate tub 17a and the tub 17a is filled
with water to the level 39a as indicated. In a washing cycle,
the drive shaft 36a will rotate back and forth, in clockwise
and counterclockwise directions, alternately, oscillating
the skirt and vane portion 34a of the agitator assembly 23a
through the driving connection formed by the engagement of
19
5734
the splined segment 71 of the drive shaft 36a with the
splined interior surface on center post stem portion 73, onto
which the center post 70 of the skirt and vane portion 34a is
non-rotatably keyed or attached. Thus, the skirt and vane
portion 34a oscillates within the clothes basket 22a, estab-
lishing a generally radial flow pattern at the bottom of the
clothes basket 22a and providing scrubbing and flexing action
to the clothing C passing adjacent the skirt 34a. Simultan-
eously with oscillation of the skirt portion 34a, assuming a
relatively large clothes load and a proper water level for
such load, the auger portion 33b of the agitator assembly 23a
is moyed in step-wise rotations generally in a single direc-
tion under the action of the clutch. Helical vane 49a on the
exterior of the auger tube 33b forces washing liquid and
clothing and the like C adjacent the upper part of the agita-
tor assembly 23a in a downward direction and into the area of
radially outward flow induced by the vanes 35a and 63. The
clothes and fabrics C and washing fluid associated therewith
therefore will flow in a generally toroidal pattern about the
interior of the clothes basket 12 as indicated in Figures 6-8.
In Figure 6 th~ arrow shown on the upper surface
of agitator assembly 23a indicates the clockwise direction
of rota-tion of auger portion 33b. In the operation of the
washing machine structure of the present invention, during
washing the clothes and fabrics C undergoing washing move, or
precess, in a clockwise direction around the axis of the agi-
tator assembly with rollover occurring in a generally spiral
toroidal pattern 23a as indicated by the arrows 80 in
Figures 6 and 8. This spiral toroidal rollover pattern
precessing around the vertical axis of the agitator assembly
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is produced by the rotary action (whether unidirectionally
intermittent rotary action or continuously rotary action) of
the upper agitator element and the simultaneously occurring
oscillatory action of the lower vaned agitator element on the
clothing and fabrics being washed within basket 22a. The
flexible vanes will flex, yield, and give way under rotational
loading when engaging fabrics, which action promotes the
separation of such fabrics from the outer ends of those
flexible vanes during their oscillatory movement. This
unloading, freeing up, or unfettering of the ends of these
vanes lessens the tendency for clothing to become tangled
on them and ultimately on the rest of the agitator assembly.
This in turn minimizes undue concentration of immobile fabrics
near these vanes at the bottom of the agitator assembly and
thereby allows the relatively unfettered flexible vanes to
continue to generate the desired rollover patterns within
basket 22a by their propulsion action without creating high
agitator shaft torque loads in doing so.
In soil removal tests of the preferred embodiment
of the present invention shown in Figures 5-8, the disclosed
structure demonstrated outstanding rollover of the clothes and
fabrics undergoing washing as compared to conventional clothes
washing machines. The entire clothes load was uniformly
washed with only very narrow differences between soil removal
results for various parts of the load. The test results
showed less clothes tangling than would normally be expected,
with no objectionable high agitator shaft torque or high
motor wattage. Thus the present invention provides an im-
proved dual action auger agitator which is substantially free
of any clothes tangling or related problems.
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l~P~73~
Figure 9 illustrates an alternative ernbodiment of
my invention in which the upper helical auger agitator ele-
ment is rotated continuously in one direction rather than
being driven in an interrr.ittent unidirectional rotary motion
such as illustrated in the embodiments of Figures 1-8. The
embodiment of Figure 9 represents a modified auger mechanism
over those of the prior embodiments for feeding clothing and
fabrics downwardly into the path of the lower oscillatable
agitator element which is oscillated in a manner and rate
similarly to that for the lower agitator elements of the
prior embodiments shown in Figure 1-8.
In Figure 9, the washing machine 110 (only partially
shown) includes a basket or receptacle 111 provided with per-
forations (not shown) and positioned within an imperforate
fluid retaining tub 112. A transmission housing 113 located
beneath tub 112 encloses a transmission generally identified
by numeral 114. The transmission housing 113 is connected
at its upper end to receptacle 111 by tubul.ar shaft 115 and
is connected at its lower end to a hollow transmission input
drive shaft 116.
Journalled for oscillation within the hollow shaft
115 is a tubular shaf,t 117 which is directly connec-ted to
the lower vaned oscillatable agitator element 120b which i.s
similar in size, function and configuration to the lower
agitator element 34a shown in the embodiment of Figure 5.
Lower agitator element 120b includes four flexible vanes 118
attached to the central hub and skirt portion of agitator
element 120b. One or more rigid vanes, not shown but similar
to the embodiment of Figure 5 herein, may also be carried on
30 element 120b between vanes 118.
~}`~734
Journalled for rotation within tubular shaft 117
is the rotatable agitator input drive shaft 119 which extends
upwardly to the top of the agitator assembly positioned within
receptacle 111 and generally designated by numeral 120.
The agitator assembly 120 includes an upper agitator
auger agitator element 120a, a lower agitator vaned agitator
element 120b, and an agitator cap 120c threaded on the upper
end of agitator shaft 119. As in the prior embodiments,
the lower vaned agitator element 120b is intended for oscil-
lation about its vertical axis at an optimum rate within arange of approximately 50 to 200 oscillations per minute
depending upon the characteristics of the drive system
desired. As in the embodiment of Figure 5 the lower agi-ta-
tor element 120b includes flexible vanes 118 and a skirt
118a spaced beneath those vanes.
The upper auger agitator element 12Oa, which
includes a helical vane 120d, is intended to rotate contin-
uously in one direction so as to urge or force lts adjacent
clothing and fabrics downwardly into the path of the lower
agitator element 120b. The rotational rate of the upper auger
agitator element 120a is dependent upon the size, shape,
and helical pitch of the auger agitator element 120a itself
but may be in the range of approximately 60 r.p.m. or less.
The function of transmission 114 is to provide a
continuous rotary motion to the agitator drive shaft 119
while simultaneously providing an oscillatory motion to the
tubular agitator drive shaft 117 during the agitation portion
of the washing cycle of washing machine 110 in addition to
providing a rotary motion to the clothes basket spin tube 115
during the fluid extraction portions of -that washing cycle.
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1~95~3~
The mechanical power for producing the desired move-
ments of agitator elements 120a and 120b is supplied to the
rotary transmission input drive shaft 122 which is journalled
within the tubular transmission input drive shaft 116 and
coaxially aligned with shaft 119. Input drive shaft 122 is
keyed to pinion gear 123 which drives spur gear 124 keyed
to the jack shaft 125 suitably mounted for rotation on the
bottom wall of transmission housing 113. Jack shaft 125
is keyed to gear 12b which provides two power paths to
agitator 120. The first power path is provided through
gear 127 which meshes with gear 126 and which, in turn, is
keyed to the agitator drive shaft 119. The second power
path is provided through the crank pin 128 which is carried
by gear 126 and which journals one end of the toothed rack
129 which meshes with and drives the gear 130 which in turn
is keyed to the tubular agitator drive shaft 117.
In operation during the agitation portion of the
washing cycle when tubular shaft 116 and transmission housing
113 are stationary, rotation of transmission input shaft 122
in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the bottom of
Figure 9, causes gears 123, 124, 126 and 129 to rotate in a
direction so as to ca~se the upper auger agitator element 120a
to force its surrounding fabrics and clothing downwardly
toward and into the path of agita-tor element 120b.
Rotation of shaft 122 and gears 123, 125, and 126
also causes crank pin 128 to reciprocate rack 129 back and
forth so as to produce an oscillatory motion of pinion gear
130 and the tubular shaft 117 to which gear 130 is keyed.
Oscillation of shaft 117 produces a similar oscillatory
motion of the lower vaned agitator element 120b.
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95734
During the extrac-tion portions of the washing cycle,
the rotation of shaft 116 causes transmission housing 113,
shaft 115 and ultimately receptacle 111 to rotate to effect
the desired centrifuging operation.
While transmission 114 has been shown and described
herein for illustrative purposes in driving agitator 120,
it should be understood that other continuous driving mecha-
nism can be utilized. It can be seen from this embodiment
of Figure 9 that an auger agitator assembly has been provided
wherein the upper auger agitator element is continuously
rather than intermittently rotated as shown and described in
the prior embodiments of my invention.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present
invention provides an agitator means having a lower agitator
element provided with flexible vanes mounted Eor oscillatory
motion about an axis and an upper agitator element mounted
for unidirectional rotation about the same axis, the upper
agitator element havlng means associated therewith for
urging clothes adjacent the upper portion down to the lower
portion of the agitator means. This type of double action
or dual action agitator e'speclally improves the washing
action of heavy loads of clothes because the unidirectional
upper portion urges the clothes down to the oscillating lower
portion for positive rollover and washing action. Thus the
present invention provides improved means for effectively
washing a relatively large clothes load with a given amount
of washing liquid thereby permitting economies in water usage,
detergent usage, and power usage for heating and washing
liquid. The agitator means provides good washing action for
both light and heavy loads, with the oscillating lower portion
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1~395734
providing most of the action on the light loads. In addition,
the agitator means is simple and easy to construct and can be
accommodate~ on conventional drive systems. Furthermore, the
pitch of vanes associated with the agitator means can be
varied to change the downward movement of the clothes during
agitation, thereby making the agitator means more readily
adaptable to various sizes and shapes of baskets. Additionally,
the drive for the auger element may be in the form of a clutch
to provide intermittent stepwise rotation, or a direct dri.ve
to provide continuous rotation of the auger element.
Although various other modifications might be sug-
gested by those versed in the art, it should be understood
that I wish to ernbody within the scope of the patent warranted
hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come
within the scope of my contribution to the art.