US2316570A - Washing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1843. G. w. DUNHAM WASHING APPARATUS Filed July 3, 1942 Inventor George W. Duh ham, :5 $241 761 J l.

His Attorney.

Patented Apr. 13, 1943 WASHING APPARATUS George W. Dunham, Westport, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 3, 1942, Serial No. 449,541

6 Claims.

chamber or'vat by a,motor-driven impeller to clean dishes or other articles supported within the vat.

In washing machines of this type it is customary to supply a washing fluid, such as water, through a conduit connected to the vat. The conduit is provided with a control valve, and to initiate operation of the machine, the motordriven impeller is started and the valve is opened to admit washing'fiuid to the vat. When the proper amount of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat to give the most eflicient washing action, the control valve is closed and thereafter the impeller continues to circulate the predetermined quantity of washing fluid over the articles to be cleaned which are supported within the vat.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for automatically closing the control valve when apredetermined quantity of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for automatically controlling the washing fluid inlet valve of a dishwashing machine which is reliable in operation,

'simple in construction and inexpensive to manu facture.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularityin the claims annexed to and forming apart of the specification.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, the impeller driving motor is mounted so that the stator is permitted to rotate when the reaction torque exerted thereon reaches a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined quantity oi'washing fluid in the vat that is circulated by the impeller. The movement of the stator trips a latching mechanism causing the inlet valve to close whereby the flow of washing fluid is stopped when the desired quantity has been supplied to the washing vat.

For a more complete understanding or my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view of a dishwashing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top view of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed view 01' the automatic valve controlling 66 with an opening apparatus and Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 except that the control apparatus is shown in a different operating position.

Referring to the drawing I have shown a dishwashing machine comprising a cabinet having front and rear walls Wand ll, side walls l2 and the top wall l3. -To provide access to the interior of the cabinet, the top wall is provided which is closed by a suitable hinged cover H.

Mounted within the cabinet is a washing vat i5 which is open at the top to permit insertion and removal of dishes or other articles to be washed through the top opening in the cabinet. Suitable racks, not shown, are mounted within the vat to support article to be washed.

For the purpose of circulating or hurling washing fluid over the articles to be washed, there isprovided a suitable impeller IB which rotates about a vertical axis adjacent the tapered bottom portion of the vat. The impeller is connected to be driven by the rotor of a suitable electric motor I! which is suspended beneath the bottom of the vat.

A suitable washing fluid, such as water, is supplied to the bottom of the vat through a conduit i8 and a control valve I9 is provided for controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit. It will be understood that when it is desired to wash dishes or other articles placed in the vat 15, the motor-driven impeller is started and the control valve I3 is opened to permit washing fluid to enter the vat. After the desired amount of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat, the valve I9 is closed and thereafter the impeller is continues to c'rculat w fluid over the articles to be was ed and thereby effect a cleansing action.

According to the present invention I provide a novel arrangement for automatically closing the valve l9 after the desired quantity of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat. This is accomplished by a mechanism which will now be described.

The control valve l9 has an axially movable operating member or shaft 20 which is biased by any suitable means, such as a spring (not shown) so that it normally assumes an extended position in which the valve is closed. Pivotally mounted on-any suitable stationary support II, is a lever 22 which is so arranged that when it is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.

. 3, it engages the free end of the valve operating member II and moves it to a This action can be accomplishedmanually by rotating 9. control knob 23 mounted on the front wall ID of the The control knob 23 is connected by means of a flexible shaft 24 to a rotatable cam Therefore, the sprin with dishes or other the motor and the impeller,

' pointed out before, causes to the leftso that the cabinet.

member 25 which is pivotally mounted on the support 2| adjacent the lever 22. A rotation of the control knob 23 causes a corresponding rotation of the cam 25 which engages the lever 22 and causes it to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.

In order to provide means for latching the control valve in-the open position once it has been manually opened by the operator, there is provided a latching lever 26 which cooperates the free end of a latching pin 21 extending upwardly from the lever 22. The latching pin 21 is mounted in telescoping relation witha hollow end portion of the lever 22 and is biased to the extended position by means of a spring 28. The spring 28 bears against an enlarged end portion 29 of the latching pin which also serves, by engaging a restricted end portion of the lever 22, to limit the outward movement of the pin.

The stator of the motor I1 is mounted on suitable anti-friction bearings 30 so that it is free to, rotate in response to reaction torque exerted thereon when the impeller I6 is operating to circulate washing fluid in the vat. The latching lever 26 is mounted on the outer casing or stator of the motor H in any suitable manner, such as by a strap connection, so that it is movable with the stator. i

lever 22 and maintains the valve |3 in the closed position so that the manually operated member 23 can be released. The washing fluidthen flows into the vat l5 through the conduit l8 and the amount of fluid circulated or hurled by the 1mpeller l6 gradually increases and this causes a corresponding increase in the reaction torque exerted upon the stator of the motor |1. When the amount of fluid in the vat, and consequently the reaction torque exerted upon the motor stator, reaches a valueat which the'reaction torque exceeds the opposing torque exerted on the stator by the spring 3|, the motor stator rotates in a clockwise direction causing the latching lever 26 to move upwardly toward the position shown in dotted lines. When the outer end of the latch-1 ing lever clears the end of the latching pin 21, the operating member 2|| is freed and moves to its extended, valve-closing position and in so moving carries with it the lever 22 which is returned to its initial position, The flow of washing fluid into the vat |5is therefore stopped and the impeller thereafter circulates the measured quantityof washing fluid in the vat in the normal manner. When the re-' action torque ceases to be exerted on the motor stator, as when'the washing fluid is drained from the vat and the motor is .deenergized at the A compression spring 3| extends between a flxed support 32' and the latching lever 26, the spring being held in place by a suitable fastening bolt 33. The spring 3| biases the rotatable motor stator by applying a torque thereto which is opposite to the reaction torque. Referring to Figs.

3 and 4 of the drawing, it is assumed that "the impeller pitch and the direction of rotation of the motor is such that the reaction torque tends I to rotate the stator in a 3| is arranged so that it opposes the reaction torque and tends to rotate the stator in a counterclockwise direction. Normally the spring 3| forces the lever 26 into contact with a head 33a. of the bolt 33- which acts as a stop. v

Theoperation of the dishwashing apparatus is as follows. After the Vet l5 has been loaded articles to be washed, the cover I4. is closedand the impeller drive motor I1 is energized by closing a suitable control switch which may, for example, be controlled by a knob 34 extending from the front wall of the cabinet. During the initialmotor starting period the valve control mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Because of the inertia of causes the motor stator to move so that the latch lever 23 moves upwardly toward the dotted line position. However, after the motor comes up to speed, the spring 3| forces the latch lever 26 back into engagement with the head 33a of the bolt 33 which acts as a stop means. The washing fluid inlet valve I8 is then opened by a rotary movement of the control knob 23 which, as the lever 22 to pivot operating member 20 is moved inwardly and the valve Isis opened. When the free end of the latching pin 21 clears the end of the latching lever 26, wardly under the influence of the spring 23 past the end of the lever, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The latching lever 23 then locks the clockwise direction.

. those skilled in the art that various appended claims end of the washing operation, the spring. 3| returns the stator to the initial position and the latching lever 26 depresses the latching pin 21 in its socket compressing spring 28. All parts of the control mechanism are therefore returned to the initial' position shown in Fig. 3 so that the operating sequence described above can be repeated. It will be obvious that by adjusting the biasing force exerted by the spring 3|, the valve can be made to close when any desired quantity of washing fluid has been admitted to the vat.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and reliable mechanism for automatically closing the washing. fluid inlet valve of a washing machine when the desired predetermined been admitted plicity, it can be easily incorporated into dishwashing machines of standardfdesign. v

While I haveshown and described particular embodiments of my invention, it will occur to changes and departin aimin the to the vat. In addition to simmodiflcations, may be made without from my invention, and I, therefore,

to cover all modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of. my invention. 1

What I claim as new and desire to secure by 1. Washing apparatus comprising a vat, :a

fluid circulating impeller in.said vat, a motorcomprising a rotor anda stator, said rotor being connected to apply torque to said impeller to cause'operation thereof whereby a corresponding it spri s ups reaction torque is exerted on said stator, a conduit for supplying washing fluid to said vat, a

valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, and means responsive to said reaction torque for controlling said valveto shut off the flow of fluid into said vat when said torque attains a predetermined high value.

2. Washing apparatus comprising a vat, a conduit for supplying washing fluid to said vat. a valve for'cont'rolling the flow of fluid through said conduit, an impeller forcirculating washing fluid in said vat, a motor comprisinga rotor and shown in Fig. 3;

quantity of washing fluid hasthe mechanism has the advantage that such changesand a stator, said rotor being connected to drive said impeller, means for supporting said stator to per- -mit movement thereof in response to reaction torque exerted thereon, said reaction torque being i a measure of the amount ofwashing fluid in said vat that is circulated by said impeller, and means responsive to movement of said stator caused by said reaction torque for controlling said valve.

3. Washing apparatus'comprising a vat, a conduit for supplying washing fluid to said vat, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, said valve being biased to the closed position, means for. latching said valve in the open DOSition', an impeller for circulating washing fluid in said vat, a motor comprising a rotor and a stator, said rotor'being connected to drive said impeller, means for supporting said stator to permit movement thereof in response to reaction torque exertedthereon when said impeller is circulating washing fluid in said vat and means responsive to movement of said stator caused by said reaction torque for releasing said latching means.

4. A dishwashing machine comprising a vat, an impeller adapted to engage and circulate washing fluid in said vat, a conduit for supplying fluid to said vat, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid in said conduit, a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, said impeller being connected to be driven by said rotor, means for supporting said stator to permit movement thereof when thelreaction' torque exerted thereon exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined quantity of washing fluid in said vat, and means responsive to movement of said stator for controlling said valve.

.5. In a dishwashing machine a vat, a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, means for rotatively supporting said stator, an impeller connected to be driven by said rotor and arranged to circulate washing fluid in said vat, said stator tending to rotate due to the reaction torque exerted thereon, said reaction torque being a function of the amount of fluid in said vat that is circulated by said impeller, biasing means arranged to yieldingly oppose the rotation of said stator, a conduit for supplying washing fluid to said vat, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, said valve being biased to the closed position, means comprising a latching member for latching said valve in an open position, and means actuated by a rotary movement of said stator when the reaction torque exerted thereon exceeds the force of said biasing means for releasing said latching member to permit said valve to close whereby the amount of washing fluid supplied to said vat is limited to a predetermined quantity.

6. Washing apparatus comprising a vat, an impeller for circulating liquid in said vat, a motor having a rotor and a stator, said rotor being connected to said impeller to cause operation thereof whereby a corresponding reaction torque

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