US1632943A - Resilient mounting for washing-machine plungers - Google Patents

Description

June 21; 1927. 1,632,943

E. F. BEEBE RESILIENT MOUNTING,FOR WASHING MACHINE PLUNGERS Filed Sept. 14. 1925 I N VEN 7M'OR fZ/GE/VE 5555:

Br MM XTToR/VE ms Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES EUGENE ii. .IBEEBE, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

RESILIEN'J. MOUNTING E133 WASHING-MACHINE PLUNGERS.

Application filed September 14, 1925. Serial No. 56,241.

This invention relates to an improved resilient mounting for a plunger or similar member, and more particularly relates to such a device adapted for use on washmg machines of the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,135,565, to yieldably support the usual vacuum'cups or clothes pounders operatively mounted withln the machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting for plungers constructed in such a manner that the relative movement of the plunger within its supporting means may be considerably increased without increasing'the length of the supporting means and Without danger of weakening the spring elements mounted therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting for p-lungers comprising a plurality oftelescoping members having spring elements interposed therebetween tending normally to retain the members in closed normal position.

A further and more specific object is to provide such a mounting having a plurality of different sized spring elements mounted therein and one of said elements being of a relatively larger diameter and arranged to encircle the other elements.

A further object is to provide such a structure of simple and inexpensive construction, comprising fewfpa'rts, and all of such parts being readily interchangeable.

The particular object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved resilient' mounting for 'plungers' whereby he resilient longitudinal movement of the plungers within their mountings may be relatively increased without' adding to the length ofthe supporting means, and also without danger of impairing the operation of the spring elements mounted therein, thereby providing such a device particularly well adapted for use in washing machines of the above 'me'ntionedtype to resiliently support the plungers therein.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will bep ointed out in the annexed claims. I 1

In the drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carryout the various objects of the invention but, it is to be understood that the inventionis not confined to the exact features shown as various having a cover 13 arrangedto provide a closure for the tub. The usual mechanism changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a washing machine showing my invention apdrawlngs forming plied to the plungers thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the general construction of one of the resilient mountings;

Figure 3 1s a detail view, partially 1n section, showing the plunger partlally compressed;

Flgure 4 1s a plan vlew of Figure 2, partially in section, showing the spring retaining nut mounted in the device;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the nut removed from the device; and j Figure 6 is a detail sectional view of the upper portion of the spring supporting barrel or cylinder showing the bayonet slots provided therein for demountably locking the spring-retaining ring thereto.

. In the selected embodiment ofthe invention here shown for purposes of disclosure, there is illustrated a Washingmachine. of

the type above mentioned. comprising atub 11 mounted upon a suitable frame 12 and 14 for, rotating the tub 11 is shown mounted upon the frame 12 beneath theftub.

The type of machine here shown comprises a pair of vacuum cups 15 securedto the lower ends of a pair of plungers 16 which are yieldably supported upon a pair of parallel arms as shown in Figure 1. The upper link 18 is pivotally mounted upon a standard 19 by means ofa pin 21 while the lower link 18 is terminally mounted upon a rock shaft 22- having its opposite end operatively connected to a suitable driving mechanism, not shown. Elongated openings or slots 23 are provided in. the cover 13 to permit the resilient plunger mountings and the lower arm 18 to operate through the cover as shown. I

An important feature of this invention-resides in the novel construction of the plunger mountings and the means provided therein for relatively increasing the resilient movement of the plungers 16 with relation to their supporting means, which. resilient movement is usually provided to prevent damaging the machine when one of the vacuum cups engages a quantity of clothes in the bottom of the tllllyWlllCll is of sufficient depth or size to preventfthecup from being moved to the bottom of its nor- 1nal stroke, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. lVashing machines of this type are therefore usuallyprovided withspring supported plungers to thus permit the downward movement ofthe cups to be interrupted before their supporting means have completed their downward ncrement.

Heretofore, difliculty has also been experi- 'th'is invention is particularly adapted for use to overcome the above difficulties, and

comprises a tubular or cylindrical inember 2 1 having itslower end bored to receive the plunger 16 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A sleeve 251s reciprocally mounted within the cylinder 24 and has an 'annular outwardly extending flange 26 provided on the lower end thereof which functions to provide a seat for a compression spring 27, and also to provide a guide forfth'e lowerend of the sleeve. "The upper end of the sleeve 25 is tion' 28f0f the plunger 16. A look ring or nut 29, having opposed'lugs 31 formed thereon, is demountably mounted in then per open end of the cylinder 24 to 'provic e a seat for the upper endofthe spring 27 and also toretain itin position therein. The lugs 31 are adapted to be seated in bayonet slots provided in the inner wall ofthe cylinder 24: adjacent the upper end-portion thereof as shown in Figure 6. g

The bore 33 of the sleeve 25is of a relatively larger diameter than the diameter "of the plunger 16 so asto receive a relatively small compression spring 34 coiled about the upper endportion 28 of the plunger 16 and having its upper end seated against a shoulder 35 and itslowerend a ain'sta suq'wort ing pin 36, fixedly mounted in theplunger 16 as shown in Figure 2; A cushion spring 37 is also coiled about the plunger 16 and is interposed between the supporting 36 and the lower face 38 of. the cylinder 24.

Suitable apertured'lugs89 are formed on ,the cylinder. 24 to provide means for connecting the cylinder to the 'forlred ends fll 1 of the parallel arms 18;

In the operation of this novel lunger mounting, the parts willfbe assem led asshown in Figure '2 wherein the darts are shown in normal position and-a l of the I lifted from the clothes. v bored as at 25 to receive the upper end-poi 1 for repairs or forotherreasons; y

a I claim as newand springs arepreferably under tension. This will readily be seen as a: result of the relatively larger spring-27 tending to force the a sleeve 25 downwardly against the tension of thespring 34,. .whichiobviously acts against the tension of the cushion spring 37 seated uponthe fare 3B ofthecyl-inder 34. When the plunger isdownwardlymoved as shown on the left hand side of Figure 1, and the vacuum cup engages a quantrty of clothes and is prevented from further downward movement,the cylinder 24 willcontinue its downwardmovelnent asa result of itspivotal connection with the arms 18. uch continued downward movement of the cylinder 24 will cause the upper end-portion 28 of the plunger 16 to be projected out of the upper end of the sleeve 25, which sleeve likewise will be projected from-the end of the cylin- 'der24, as particularly shown in Figures 1 initting the cylinder to 'comple tefitsjstroke without danger or damaging the operating fmechanism ofth'e machine. As soon as the cylinder 24: starts its u ward movement" the sleeve 25 and the en -portionf"28 of the plunger 16 will recede to their normal positions, shown on the right side of Figure 1 and in Figure 2, before the cup 1'5 will be Thus it will readily be mounting the compression spring, 34fwithin the relativelylarger compre'ss'ionsprin l I I r 27 that the travel orf'relative movement og'theplunger 16 with rela tion tofthe cylinder 24i may be considerably increased without ldanget of overloading the springs. Upon the upward stroke pr movement of the. plunger the cushion' spring 37 may befsufbjectedto'a slight load asa result of thesuction or' vacm uum created in the cups in lifting them out" of the water, git-will also be noted that the plunger "will ,be' su ported entirely u' Ion springs so that it wil be free 'to move wit in 29' provides means'iwherelg v a "thekm u n may readily be disassemble In the drawings I have shown tion as applied toa Washing machine, but it is to be understood thatits' use may be extended for other purposes without departijn from the invention;

aving thus descrihed my invention'whati de ire to secure by. Let- 1 ters Patent ist; 1. A device or the class scrib d including a cylinder having ;.a plurality, of telescoping members mounted th'ereimf one [ofthemembers twinge" vacuum cup,- and the cylinder when en a'glin the clothes as shown in Figure 1. eloc ut ori'ring means for yieldably retaining said members in normal retracted position.

2. A device of the class described including a cylinder, a plurality of telescoping members mounted therein one of said members carrying a cup, and spring elements interposed between said members to normally retain them in retracted position.

8. A resilient mounting for plungers, comprising in combination a cylinder, a sleeve reciprocally mounted therein, a plunger arranged in the sleeve said plunger having a washer element connected therewith, bearings in said cylinder and said sleeve for supporting the plunger, and spring elements interposed between the cylinder and the sleeve and also between the sleeve and the plunger to normally retain said sleeve and said plunger in normal retracted position within the cylinder.

4. The combination with a cylinder, a sleeve slidable therein, of a plunger slidable in the sleeve and having a Washer element, a spring adapted to be compressed by movement of said plunger in one direction, and a second spring adapted to be compressed simultaneously with said first named spring to permit additional movement of said plunger.

5. In a washing machine, a cylinder mounted for vertical oscillation, a sleeve mounted to slide vertically in said cylinder, a compression spring normally resisting upward movement of said sleeve, a vacuum cup having a plunger slidable within said sleeve, and compression springs on said plunger between the cylinder and sleeve adapted to resist relative longitudinal movement of said sleeve and plunger.

6. A device of the class described, including a cylinder, a sleeve slidable in said cylinder, a spring arranged to urge the sleeve toward one end of the cylinder, a plunger slidable through and guided in said cylinder and sleeve, a pair of compression springs, each having one end abuttingly engaging the plunger, and having their 0pposite ends respectively engaging the sleeve and cylinder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of September 1925.

EUGENE F. BEEBE.

Images