GB1216082A - Improvements in and relating to washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,216,082. Ratchet clutches; friction clutches. BRITISH DOMESTIC APPLIANCES Ltd. 9 Aug., 1968 [16 Aug., 1967], No. 37733/67. Heading F2C. [Also in Division D1] A reversible electric motor 13 rotatable in both directions at low speed and in one direction at high speed is connected through gearing and a V-belt 8 to the rotatable drum 2 of a washing machine, the high speed drive being transmitted through a centrifugal clutch disengaged at low speed when the drive in both directions is transmitted through pawl-and-ratchet arrangements controlled by a control member 26 such that, when the motor rotates at low or high speed in the spin-drying direction, the pawl or pawls for low speed drive in the opposite direction are lifted and during spin-drying the pawl or pawls for low-speed drive in that direction are lifted and remain lifted until the drive motor is re-energized for rotation in the direction opposite to spin drying. The drum 2, which is rotatable about a horizontal axis in a tub 1 carried on springs and dampers is carried on a spider 3 secured to a shaft 4 on which is keyed a pulley 6 driven by V-belt 8 from the output member 10 of gear-box 11 which is mounted on motor 13. Motor 13 is suspended from tub 1 by rubber suspension units ar d has a shaft 15 with an extension 15a on which member 10 is freely rotatable. A pinion 16 on shaft 15a engages one element 17a of a compound gear 17 rotatable on a shaft 18 and secured to motor end-plate 12 whose other element 17b engages a gear 21 freely rotatable about bush 22 on shaft 15a. Two pairs of spring-biased pawls 23, 24 are pivoted on member 21 and are operated by the cam 26 frictionally engaged by rubber band 27 with shaft 15a to engage member 10, the movement of pawls 23, 24 in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions being limited by pins 28. The centrifugal clutch comprises a driving member 37 rotatable with shaft 15a to which are pivoted clutch shoes 39 biased inwards by spring 34 and having friction surfaces 10a. In operation, Fig. 2, when shaft 15a is rotating anti-clockwise at low speed cam 26 is urged anti-clockwise by band 27 and pawls 23 engage indent 35 in output member 10 and drive the drum at low speed. Pawls 24 prevent over-running of member 10 by projecting into indents 35. During clockwise rotation of shaft 15a, pawls 23 are held clear and pawls 24 transmit the drive. During spindrying clutch shoes 39 swing out and engage member 10 and the centrifugal force on the pawls swings them out of engagement with indents 35 where they are held by cam 26 and are not released until the drive is reversed.