US2086497A - Control mechanism for wringer rolls of a washing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF CONTROL MEGHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 27, 1933 Wi TN Ess July 6, 1937. P. E. GELDHOF 2,086,497

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l 'W7 Z259 WITNESS 92 I' z B MM d ATT RNEYS July 6, 1937. P, E, GELDHOF 2,086,497

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGER-ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1933 5 sheets-sheet s r will *sr*- INVENTUR WITNESS ATH: NEYE Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A WASHING MACHINE Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,937

9 Claims.

This `invention relates to new and useful improvements in the drive mechanism for roll type wrngers for clothes washing machines, and pertains more particularly to the means for controlling the operation of the rolls.

The main object of this invention is to provide a power-operated roll wringer for clothes washing machines or the like, with power-operated means which may becontroll'ed by a very slight manual effort for disconnecting the rolls with the drive mechanism.

4Another object of the invention-is to provide a roll wringer with means controlled by the conventional safety roll release device for disconnecting the wringer rolls with the drive mechanism whereby the rolls will cease to rotate the instant the pressure on the rolls is released.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drive mechanism for a roll wringer of the above-- mentioned class which is compact, sturdy and economical in construction and that is positive and simple in operation.

In carrying out the above-mentioned objects, I have provided the conventional drive mechanism fora. roll wringer comprising a drive shaft, two drive pinions arranged in opposed relation and a reversing member or clutch driven by the drive shaft'and manually movable into engagement with the pinions for determining the direction of rotation of the rolls, with a neutralizing member which is operably connected with the reversing member. The neutralizing member is, in turn, operated for returning the reverse mechanism to a neutral position for disconnecting the rolls with the drive means by a power-operated device comprising a clutch member which is brought into operative connection with the drive shaft to be driven thereby by manually controlledmeans adapted to be operated by a very slight touch of the finger-tip and which is so positioned as to be readily accessible to one operating the washing machine. Further, the clutch control means is so connected with the conventional safety means for quickly releasing the spring tension on the rolls that the reversing member will be automatically moved to the neutral position and the rotation of the rolls thereby stopped whenthe safety means is operated.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the details of the structure and the form and relation of the parts thereof, will more readily appear from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a roll wringer embodying the various features of this invention and a portion of the upper end of a washing machine vat with parts thereof broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of the line 2--2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3, Figure 5, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrow.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the manner of connecting one end of the wrnger head with the side of the frame.

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the gear case and the adjacent end of the wringer.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 66, Figure 5. Y

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 1 1, Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8 8, Figure 5.

Figures 9 and 10 are detail sectional views taken respectively on lines 9-9 and Ill-I0, Figure 8.

The device, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a roll Wringer I secured at one side to a transmission case 2 and a washer vat or tub 3. The case 2 contains substantially allthe mechanism comprising my invention and is mounted upon the upper end of a tubular drive shaft housing 4 adapted to contain the usual drive shafts 5. The housing 4 may be connected at its lower end to the frame, not shown,-of the washing machine in any well-known manner, and as illustrated more particularly in Figure 1, has the upper end thereof secured to the washing machine vat 3 by a bracket 6.

The wringer I consists of a pair of rollers I and 8 mounted in the conventional manner one upon the other in a frame composed, in this instance, of sheet metal stampings. The frame, as shown, comprises two vertically disposed end members 9 and I0 substantially U-shaped in cross section and which are tied together at their lower ends by a suitable cross member II. An upper cross member or head I2, also of substantially U-shaped formation, is mounted upon the upper ends of the side members 9 and I0 and is detachably connected at one end with one of the side members as 9 by a catch arrangement indicated at I3 formed by pressing adjacent portions of the head and side member outwardly, in the manner shown more clearly in Figure 4. The other end of the head I2 is pivotally connected by a bolt I4 to the upper end of a U-shaped lock bar I5 positioned in the end member I0 and which is designed to releasably secure the head in place, in a manner hereinafter more fully explained.

The rollers 1 and 8 are mounted in suitable bearings provided in the frame sides iland I0, and as shown in Figure 5, the bearing as I1 for the lower roll is mounted in a swinging U-shaped bracket I8 which is supported on a transverse rod I9 mounted in the frame end IIJ above the roll shaft 20. The upper roll is guided in the frame by bearing members 2| which engage the upper surface of the shaft 22 of the roll. The upper roll is yieldingly pressedinto engagement with the lower roll 1 with greater or less pressure as determined by a pressure spring 24 extending longitudinally through the head I2, with the ends thereof resting upon the upper face of the upper roll bearings 2I and a tension screw 25 screwthreaded in the head I2 intermediate the ends thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and .5.

The wringer I is secured to the case 2 bya pair of screws 21 which pass through registering holes formed in the side walls lof the case 2 and a pair of outwardly bent flanges 28 formed on the frame end I 0. The case 2 is a substantially rectangular box-like member formed with the side thereof opposite the wrlnger open, while a cover member 30 is secured to the case 2 for closing said open side. The-case 2 has a pendent boss 3I provided with a shaft opening 32 which rotatably receives the upper end of the tubular housing 4 therein. The lower end of the boss 3I engages anoutwardlyl extending annular ange 4 formed on the housing- 4 a short distance below the upper. end thereof for limiting the downward movement of the case 2 on the housing 4.

It will thus be seen that the case 2 and wringer I are rotatably supported by the housing 4 in a predetermined plane above the washer vat 3 in such a manner that the wringer may be readily Y spaced holes 35 provided in the upper end of the housing 4.

'Ihe hereinbefore-mentioned 'drive shaft 5 may be driven in the conventional manner from the t motor, not shown, usually mounted beneath the washer vat 3 for operating the'washing mechanism, while the upper end of the shaft has a pin and slot connection, as indicated at 36, with the lower end of a vertically disposed stub shaft 31 `which extends upwardly into the case 2, as shown in Figure 5, so'that the wringer and case may be readily removed from the housing 4 by a vertical movement thereof after the lockpin 34 has been withdrawn from holding engagement with the housing 4.

'I'he stub shaft 31 is journaled at its upper end in a pendent hollow boss 38 formed integral with the upper wall of the case 2 and lintermediate its ends in a bronze bearing member 39 secured by a press t or otherwise in the shaft opening 32 In the lower wall of the case. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 is a pair of opposed beveled pinions 40 arranged in longitudinal spaced relation and which are in constant mesh with a beveled gear 4I journaled in the case 2. The manner of mounting the gear `4I in the case consists, in this instance, in providing the gear with an extended hollow hub 42 and rotatably mounting the same in a hollow boss 43 provided in a vertical wall or partition 44 formed in the case 2.-

The gear 4I is operably connected withl the lower roll 1 for driving the same by means of a flexible drive coupling 45 positioned in the gear hub 42 and which has a pin and slot connection as at 46 and 41 with the lower roll shaft 20 and gear 4I respectively. It will be noted that this particular connection between the gear 4I and the roll 1 not only permits a limited amount of lateral movement of the roll relative to the gear, but provides for the ready removal of the wringer from the housing 2.

Each of the pinions 40 is provided on the inner face thereof with inwardly extending clutch elements 40' adapted to be engaged by similar clutch elements 48 provided on opposite ends of a clutch member 48 which is slidablyv mounted upon the shaft 31 intermediate the pinions 40 for the purpose of transmitting motion from the-shaft 31 to said pinions, -said clutch being keyed to the shaft 31 as at 49 so that the clutch will be positively driven by the shaft 31.

In order that the clutch member 48 may be moved into and out of engagement with the clutch elements on the pinions 48, I have provided said clutch member with a peripheral annular groove 50 adapted to receive therein a roller stud 5I which is mounted eccentrically on. a shaft 52 journaled in the cover 30, 'as shown more clearly in Figures 1,'5, and 7. In order that the shaft 52 and clutch 48 may be manually operated, one end of the shaft 52 is extended through the cover 30 and has secured thereto a lever 53.

It will here be observed that the mechanism thus far described is constructed and operates in the conventional manner to rotate the wringer rolls 1 and 8; that is,' the clutch 48 is positively driven by the shaft 31 which, in turn, is rotated by the constantly rotating drive shaft 5 and the wringer rolls may be rotated in one direction or the other, as desired, by moving the handle 53 to bring the clutch into operative engagement with one or the other of the pinions 48 depending upon the desired direction of rotation of the rolls.

In order that the power for driving the wringer rolls 1 and 8 may be utilized for moving the clutch 48 out of clutching engagement with either of the pinions 4U into a neutral position intermediate said pinions, I have provided a neutralizing member or plate 55 which is mounted in a horizontal plane beneath the lower pinion 40, as shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6, near the lower end of the case 2. 'This plate 55 extends from near the outer wall of the case to within a short distance of the wringer frame and is piv- -otally connected at its inner end to the case 2 by means of a shouldered stud 51 mounted in a bracket 58 which, in turn, is secured by screws 59 to the lower end of the wall 44.

'Ihe plate is provided with an opening 56 therethrough adapted to receive the shaft 31. This opening, as shown in Figure 6, "is substantially' larger than that of' the shaft 31 to permit the necessary rocking movement of the plate about the pivot 51. The outer end of the plate is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending rack teeth 60 arranged concentrically with the pivot 51 and which are in meshing engagement with similar gear teeth 6I provided on the lower end of a segmental gear member 62 which is pivotally mounted in a vertical plane. upon a stud 63 secured in the cover 38. This segmental gear member is also provided with a plurality of gear teeth 64 arranged in the edge thereofA above the stud 63 and which are in meshing engagement with the teeth of a-gear member 65 secured to or made integral with the clutch control shaft 52 so that any swinging movement of the plate about the stud 51 will produce a corresponding axial movement of the clutch 48 along the shaft 31 through the medium of the segmental gear member 62, gear and roller 5|.

In order that the neutralizing plate 55 may be swung about the stud 51 as a pivot by power means, I have provided a clutch member as 61 mounted upon the shaft 31 intermediate the plate 55 and the bearing member 39. This clutch member is comprised of a ratchet collar 69 which is keyed to the shaft 31 as at 18, Figure 8, to be driven by the shaft. The ratchet collar is mounted adjacent the upper end of the bearing member 39 and a clutch plate 1| is loosely mounted on the shaft 31 intermediate the ratchet collar 69 and the neutralizing plate 55.

The plate 1|, in this instance, is circular in plan view and has the peripheral edge thereof provided with a groove 12 which receives one end portion of a spring member 13 which has the other end secured to the case 2 by means of a screw 14. The spring 13 is tensioned inwardly toward the clutch plate 1| for yieldingly engaging said plate and frictionally maintaining the same against rotary movement.

In order that the plate 1| may be driven by the ratchet 69, I have provided a pawl 16 which is slidably mounted in a radially extending slot 11 provided in theundersurface of the plate 1| for movement into and out of engagement with a plurality of, in this instance four, circumferentially spaced slots 69' provided in the periphery of the ratchet collar 69. In order that the pawl "6 may be moved into and out of engagement with the collar 69, I have provided an actuating arm 19 which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends as at 88 to the clutch plate 1| in spaced relation to the slot 11 so that said arm will extend across the pawl 16. 'Ihe actuating arm 19 in this instance, is an arcuate member having the ends thereof terminating at substantially dianzetrically opposite sides of the plate 1| and said ends are provided with lateral projections or stops 8| and 82 respectively which extend downwardly below the clutch plate 1|.

In order that the control arm may engage the pawl 16 for actuating the same, I have provided said pawl with a longitudinally extending slot as 16 in the lower face thereof adapted to receive the adjacent portion of the control arm 19. This slot 16' is of somewhat greater length than the Width of the arm 19 contained therein to permit a limited amount of lost motion of the arm in said slot for a purpose about to be explained.

The end of the arm 19 mounted in the slot 11' is yieldingly urged inwardly toward the collar 69 by means of a tension spring 84 which has one end hooked into the flange 82 and the other end secured to the plate 1|.

It is now obvious that the spring 94 acting upon the arm 19 to rock the arm inwardly about the pivot 88, normally causes said arm to maintain the pawl 16 in clutching engagement with the ratchet collar 69. In order to cause the pawl to be moved out of clutching engagement with the ratchet collar, I have provided a detent 86 positioned in a slot 2 provided in the bottom of the case 2 and pivotally mount-ed on a pin or rod 81 for movement into and out of the path of movement of the end anges or abutments 8| and 82 on the actuating arm 19. The detent 86 is yieldingly urged upwardly into the path of the abutments 8| and 82 by a compression spring 88 seated in a bore 89 provided in the case 2, with the lower end of the spring resting upon a stop pin 90. The upward movement of the detent is limited by a horizontally disposed control rod 92 which extends transversely through the case 2, with the ends thereof terminating outside the case.

The control rod 92 is mounted for sliding movement in guide openings formed in the side walls of the case and in a pair of spaced inwardly extending lugs 93 formed integral with the bottom wall of the case and arranged one at either side of the slot 2', (see Figures 5 and 8). The control rod 92 is provided with a cam section substantially midway between its ends consisting of a pair of opposed axially spaced outwardly tapered or conical cam surfaces 95 which are connected by an intermediate flat or cylindrical surface 96. The rod is yieldingly maintained in the normal position with the intermediate surface 96 in alignment with the detent 86 by a pair of relatively light compression springs 91 mounted on the'rod, one at either side of the lugs 93 between a respective lug and a washer 98 which abuts against a shoulder 99 formed on the rod at a corresponding end portion thereof. The intermediate surface 96 is so proportioned that when the control rod is in the normal position, said surface will be engaged by the detent 86 and coact with the spring 88 for maintaining the detent in the path of movement of the end flanges or abutment members 8| and 82 of the clutch actuating arm 19,

and obviously, when the control rod is moved axially in either direction from the normal position, the detent will be rocked against the action of the spring 88 out of the path of movement of the arm 19 by the corresponding cam surface 95.

As shown more clearly in Figure 8, each end of the rod 92 is provided with an enlarged head portion 92' which forms convenient finger pieces by which the rod may be pushed inwardly and are so axially spaced as to form stops adapted to engage adjacent sides of the case 2 for limiting the inward movement of the rod.

It will now be readily understood that when l in Figure 8 and the clutch control arm 19 is positioned as illustrated by full lines in said figure, and the actuating arm 19 is released by the movement of the detent 86 out of engagement with one of the abutment members as 8|, the pawl engaging end of said arm will then be drawn inwardly by the spring 84 and the pawl 16 will be moved thereby into holding engagement with the ratchet collar by the entrance of the pawl into the rst slot 69' which is aligned with the pawl, after which the arm 19 and clutch plate 1| will be driven by the ratchet collar. This movement of the clutch elements in unison will continue until an object, as the detent 86, appears in the path of one or the other of the abutment members 8| or 82 to interrupt the rotation of the actuating arm.

As the end of the arm is thus held by the detent, the continued rotation of the clutch plate 1| and pivot 88 will cause the pawl engaging end of the arm to swing outwardly against the action of spring 84 and withdraw the pawl from engagement with the clutch collar. The instant the driving connection is broken between the pawl and ratchet, the clutch plate will stop rotation and be maintained against any rearward movement which might otherwise be produced by the action of the spring 84 by the drag produced by spring member 13.

In order that the pawl 16 will be moved out of the path of movement of the teeth as 69"' of the ratchet collar 69 after the driving connection between the pawl and said collar is broken, the inner end as 16 of the pawl is at and arranged normal to the longitudinal axis of the pawl so that inasmuch as the rotary'movement of the pawl and plate 1I is discontinued the instant the rear side or edge of the pawl is out of contact with the driving side Wall of the ratchet slot 16', the ratchet tooth 69" at the rear of the pawl will, during the continued rotation thereof, engage the center of the end 16 of the pawl and cause said pawl to move radially outwardly a slight distance independently of the lactuating arm 19, which action is permitted due to the fact that the pawl slot 16 is of greater length than the width of the adjacent portion of the arm 19 as previously described.

The manner of transmitting motion from the clutch plate 1| to the neutralizing plate 55 consists in providing a cam structure which in this instance comprises a pair of diametrically opposed pins secured to the clutch plate and which extend upwardly through the opening 56 in the neutralizing plate 55, said pins and opening being covered by a washer I0| which separates said members from the lower pinion 40. The end Walls as 56' of the opening 56 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit the free rotary movement of the pins |00 withoutsaid pins coming into engagement-With said walls, while the side walls as 56 of the opening 56 are spaced apart suiliciently to permit the required Yswinging movement of the plate 55 to bring the clutch 48 into clutching engagement with either of the pinions 40.

In other words, the pins |00 are arranged so as to be in the vertical plane passing through the axis of shaft 31 and pivot 51 when the clutch plate 1| is in the stationary position to permit the ready required swinging movement of the neutralizing plate 55, and at the' same time, these pins are so diametrically spaced that when the plate is'rotated one-half revolution, the pins during the rotation thereof will engage the side or cam walls 56" of the opening 56 and restore the neutralizing plate 55 to its norrnal neutral position, with the longitudinal centerline thereof extending through the axis of the shaft 31.

The hereinbefore-mentioned means for automatically controlling the rotation of the wringer rolls as the pressure on the rolls is released, may consist of any. suitable means for operatively connecting clutch mechanism 61 with the pressure release mechanism-'incorporated in the wringer mechanism, and for this purpose, I have illustrated a well-known type of safety control mechanism for the wringer rolls which is readily adapted to control the operation of the clutch 61 and which is more clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Briey, this safety mechanism consists of the hereinbefore-mentioned U-shaped lock bar I which has the upper end of the side arms as |04 pivotally connected to the head I2 at I4 and extends downwardly from said pivot through the frame end I0 between rod I9 and a similarly disposed rod |05, with the lower ends thereof terminating near the bottom of the frame end and connected by a transverse portion |06. Each arm has a longitudinal notch |01 in a verti- 'cal edge thereof for receiving the pin I9 therein. and a cam surface |08 in the opposite edge adapted to engage the rod |05 as the lock bar I5 is being moved downwardly to the lowermost position to produce a swinging movement of the bar toward the rod I9 -so that when the head I2 and lock bar I5 are in the lowermost position, the lower end of the lock bar will be in the outermost position, with the rod |9 registering in the notch |01 adjacent the lower end thereof.

A substantially horizontally disposed catch plate ||0 is pivotally mounted at one end as at to the cross member I| in spaced 'felation to the lock bar I5. The other or free end of the catch plate extends beneath the transverse portion |06'of the lock bar and is yieldingly maintained in contact therewith by means of a compression spring ||2 mounted on a guide rod ||3 which is connected with the catch plate and cross member ||V for also limiting the upward movement of the catch plate. The catch plate I|0 is provided with upwardly extending flanges II4 adjacent each longitudinal side thereof adapted, when the plate is in its uppermost position in contact with the transverse portion |706 of the lock bar I5, to abut against .the linner side of said transverse portion and prevent inward swinging movement of the lock bar.

The catch plate is moved downwardly against the action of the spring I2 by a trip plate ||6 which is pivotally mounted at ||1 to the wringer frame. This trip plate is disposed in nearly a vertical plane, with the lower end thereof in engagement with the side flanges or abutment members ||4 of the catch plate ||0, while the upper end extends some distance above the pivot ||1 and is in the path of movement of the lower end of a pair of rock arms II8 which extend upwardly through the frame end I0 and are pivotally mounted intermediate their ends upon the hereinbefore-mentioned rod |05. These arms ||8 may, as shown, be connected by across member I|9 which causes said arms to rock in unison.

The upper ends of the arms |8 terminate a short distance below the upper end of the frame end I0, and each is connected with a pin |20 which extends outwardly through an elongated slot |2| in the respective sides of the frame end I0 and connected at their outer ends to a slide plate |22 which is pivotally connected as at |23 to one end of a link |24. The other end of each of these links |24 is pivotally connected as at |25 to one end of a horizontally disposed safety release bar |26. These safety release bars |26 extend across respective sides of the wringer frame and are pivotally connected as at |21 to one end of a respective arm |28 which, in turn, is pivotally connected as at |29 to the corresponding side of the frame end 9.

'I'he arms ||8, trip plate ||6 and the catch plate III) are s o related and mounted, that when the catch plate is in its uppermost position against the transverse portion |06 of the lock bar I5, the upper end of the rock arms |.I8 will be maintained in their innermost position, with the result that the safety release bars |26 will be maintained in their outermost position, as indicated by f ull lines in Figure 2 so that by pressing either oneof the bars |26 inwardly, the upper ends of tne rock arms .I I8 will be moved outwardly, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 2, which will cause the lower endsof these rock arms to move inwardly to rock the -trip plate about the rod II1 75 as a pivot and thereby press the catch plate ||0 downwardly sufciently to bring the abutment members I4 out of holding engagement with the look bar I5.

As the catch plate ||0 releases the lower endJ of the lock bar, said lbar will then be caused to swing inwardly out of holding relation with the rod |9 due to the action of the pressure spring 24 and thereby permit the upward movement of the lock bar and head I2 and release the tension of said spring upon the upper roll 8.

The downward movement of the catch plate ||0 to release the lock bar I5 is utilized for actuating the detent 88 to bring the same out of holding engagement with the abutment members end thereof upon a rod |33 secured to the case 2. Y

This lever has the rear end thereof contacting with the lower face of the catch plate III), while the other end of the lever is provided with a tongue portion |34 which is in engagement with a similarly constructed groove |35 in the rear l.end of the detent 88,so that when the inner end of the lever |32 is moved downwardly by the catch plate I I8, the detent 88 will be rocked about the pivot 81 against the action of the spring 88 out of holding engagement with the clutch actuating arm 19.

It will now be readily understood that when the lock bar |5 is maintained in its lowermost holding position by the catch plate Il, as illustrated in Figure 5, and when the desired pressure is maintained upon the upper roll 8 through the medium of the tension screw 25 and spring 24, the rolls 1 and 8 may be -rotated in either of two directions by the drive shaft 5 through the medium of the shaft 31' by manually manipulating the vlever 53 to bring the clutch 48 into clutching engagement with one or the other of the pinions 40 depending upon the desired direction of rotation of the wringer rolls.

When it is desired to again stop the rotation of the rolls, this may be manually accomplished by manipulating the handle 53 to return the lclutch 48 to the neutral position intermediate the pinions 40, but as this is a more or less laborious operation due to the friction between the clutch elements of the clutch member 48 and of the engaged pinion 40, the movement of the clutch to the neutral position may be accomplished by slight physical-effort by merely pressing the control rod 92 inwardly against the action of a spring 91 which may be eiected from either side of the case to move the detent 86 downwardly against the action of the spring 88 out of holding engagement with one or the other of the abutting members of the clutch actuating arm 18. As the detent releases said arm, the clutch will be engaged by the action of the spring 84 in the manner hereinbefore described so that the clutch plate 1| will be driven by the shaft 31.

As the clutch plate 1| rotates, the rotation of the pins |00 will return to a neutral position the neutralizing plate 55 which has previously been swung to one side or the other of the normal position by the action of the gear 65 and segmental gear member 62 when the clutch 48 has moved from the clutching position to its normal position. As the plate 55 is thus swung inwardly, the clutch member 48 will be returned to its neutral position through the medium of the roller 5|, gear $5, segmental gear member 62 and the teeth 69. As the clutch actuating arm 19 is provided with abutment members at each end thereof, it is obvious that the clutch plate 1| will make but one-half of a revolution, when said plate will come to an atrest position due to the detent 86 engaging one or the other of the abutment members 8| or 82 so that the pins |00 will normally lie in the longitudinal center line of the neutralizing plate 55 and thereby permit the free rocking movement of the plate when it is again desired to move the clutch member 48 into clutching engagement with one or the other of the pinions.

It is also obvious that the clutch 48 will be as readily returned from the clutching engagement with one or the other of the pinions 40 to the neutral position by pressure upon one or the other of the safety release bars 26 in the manner hereinbefore described, and although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown as various changes in the form, size and relation of the parts thereof may readily be made, without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes Wringer, a safety device comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in pressure engagement, means for driving the rolls comprising a driving clutch element and a driven clutch element, manually operated means for normally controlling the engagement and disengagement of said clutch elements, and means actuated upon release of said releasable means for disengaging said clutch elements, said manually operated means being constructed and arranged substantially independently of said safety device so that when the pressure on the rolls is released by the safety device and the manually operated means is in its clutch disengaging position, the latter may be operated to drive at least one roll without rst restoring the safety device to its roll pressure position,

2. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a safety device comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in pressure engagement, means for driving the rolls comprising a driving clutch element and a driven clutch element, manually operated means for normally controlling the engagement and disengagement of said clutch elements, said manually operated means having a neutral position in which the clutch elements are out of engagement and an operative position in which the clutch elements are in engagement, and means actuated by said releasable means for controlling the operation of said clutch elements, said manually operated means being constructed and arranged substantially independently of said safety device so that when the pressure on the rolls is released by the safety device and the manually operated means is in neutral position, the latter may be operated to drive at least one roll without first restoring the safety device to its roll pressure position.

3. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes Wringer, driving mechanism for the rolls comprising a fixed clutch element and a movable clutch element, manually operated means for moving said movable clutch element into and out of engagement with said fixed clutch element, a safety device comprisingmeans for holding the rolls in pressure engagement, means including a release element for releasing the pressure between the rolls, and means including a pivoted lever interconnecting said safety device and said movable clutch element for moving said movable clutch element out of engagement with said xed clutch element when the release element is tripped, said manually operated means being restored to a neutral position as an incident to the disengagement of said clutch elements and being normally operable independently of the safety device to control the rotation of the rolls.

4. In a control mechanism for the'rolls; of a clothes wringer, driving mechanism including a drive shaft for the rolls, means comprising manually operated means for engaging and disengaging said drive mechanism, said manually operated means having a neutral and an operative position, a safety device comprising releasable means for holding the rolls in pressure engagement, control means for applying the power of the drive shaft to effect the disengagement of said driving mechanism, said manually operated means being restored to a neutral position as an incident to the disengagement of said driving mechanism, and means actuated upon release of said' releasable means for setting said control means into operation.

5. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, driving mechanism including a drive shaft for the rolls, means comprising manually operated means for vengaging and dlisengaging the driving mechanism, said manually operated means having a neutral and an operative position, a safety device comprising releasable means for holding the rolls in pressure engagement, power operated means for effecting the disengagement of said driving mechanism, and means* interconnecting said releasable means and said power operated means for setting the power operated means into `operation when the safety device is operated, said manually operated means being restored to the neutral position when the driving mechanism is disengaged upon operation of the safety device.

6. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a unitary driving and reversing mechanism including a drive shaft for rotating the rolls, means comprising manually operated means for controlling the starting, stopping and reversing of the rolls, control means for applying the power of the drive shaft to disengage the driving mechanism, a second manually operated means for controlling the operation of said control means, said rst manually operated means being restored to a neutral position when said second manuallyloperated means is operated to set the control means into operation and eifect the disengagement of the driving mechanism.

7. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, driving mechanism for the rolls comprising a drive shaft, a pair of driven clutch elements and a driving clutch element shiftable into engagement with either of said driven clutch elements, manually operated means for engaging and disengaging said driving clutch e elements A from said driven clutch elements, control means for applying the power of the drive shaft to disengage the driving clutch element from either of the driven clutch elements, and a' second manually operated means operable from either side of the wringer for setting said control means into operation, said first manually operated means being restored to a neutral position as an incident to the disengagement of said driving clutch element from either of said driven clutch elements.

8. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes'wringer, a driving and reversing mechanism for said rolls, means comprising manually operated means for controlling the starting, stopping and reversing of said rolls, a safety device comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in pressure engagement, power operated means for eiecting the disengagement of said driving mechanism, a second manually operated means, and means for setting said power operated means into operation either upon release of said safety device or upon operation of said second manually operated means.

9. In a control mechanism for the rolls of a clothes wringer, a driving mechanism for the rolls, means comprising manually operatedv ,means for controlling the starting, stopping and reversing of the rolls, a safety device comprising releasable means for maintaining the rolls in .pressure engagement, power operated means for eiecting the disengagement of said driving mechanism and restoring said manually operatedmeans to a neutral position as an incident thereto, a lever interconnecting said releasable means and said power operated means for setting into operation said power operated means when said safety device is released, and separate manually operated means for setting into operation said power operated means.

PETER 'EDUARD GELDHOF.

DISCLAIMER 2,086,497.-Peter Edad/fd Geldhof, Syracuse, N. Y. CONTROL MEOHANISM FOR WRINGER ROLLS OF A. WASHING MACHINE. Patent dated July 6, 1937. Disclaimer filed March 25, 1941, by the assignee, Easy Washing Machine Corporation. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 8 in said Letters Patent.

[Official Gazette April 15, 1941.]

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