US2645110A - Drive mechanism for clothes washing machines and the like - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1953 c. s. DAYTON 2,645,110

. DRIVE macmmsu CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1951 i 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor: --C ar-\ S. Dagbdn,

His Abbe neg.

July 14, 1953 c. s. DAYTON 2,645,110

DRIVE uzcmuxsu FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Car) S. Dayton, b3 film/W His Attorney.

Patented July 14, 1953 DRIVE MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WASH- ING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Carl S. Dayton, Bridgeport, 001111., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,801

- Claims. (01. ss-23 The present invention relates to clothes ing and drying machines of the type comprising a spin basket in which clothes are washed by a Washing agitator, and which basket may be rotated at high speed for extracting the li uid from the clothes by centrifugal force, and particularly to such machines wherein a driving motor is connected to the agitator and basket through the intermediary of fluid actuated friction clutches.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved motor driven mechanism in machines of the above type for eifecting washing and extraction and particularly an improved arrangement of fluid actuated friction clutches for selectively connecting the motor for driving the Washing agitator and the spin basket.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved clothes washing machine drive mechanism with continuous overload protection during both washing and extraction.

. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved clothes washing machine drive mechanism including a brake for restraining rotation of the spin basket during washing and automatic means which completely release the brake before the spin basket shaft can be coupled to the drive motor.

In carrying out my invention I provide an oil pressure generating system operated by the motor drive shaft and effective to supply oil under pressure both for actuation of the friction clutchesand also for lubrication of the moving parts ,of the drive mechanism. The oil under pressure is so used as to cause, selectively, engagement of a main drive clutch for agitation and at a predetermined time to release momentarily the main drive'clutch, to release the spin basket brake, and then to cause engagement of a spin clutch and re-engagement of the main drive clutch for extraction. As part of my fluid generating system I provide suitable pressure relief and control valves and a centrifugally operated motor overload protection valve. oil under pressure to passages leading to a pressure chamber to cause engagement of the main drive clutch and at the proper time in a washing cycle to a second pressure chamber to release the spin basket brake and cause engagement of the spin clutch and to insure that during the extraction period the main drive clutch will be engaged only when there is sumcient pressure available in the second chamber for releasing the brake. Furthermore, my motor overload protection valve prevents motor stalling caused by an overload condition whether occurring during the period or the extraction period.

Fora consideration of further objects and adwash- The control valves are effective to admit' washing vantages of my invention attention is directed to the accompanying specification and drawings in which Fig. l is a representation, partly in section, of a washing machine embodyin my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the drive mechanism including the agitator gearing and the spin basket mounting, showing all parts in their inoperative positions with the driveing in enlarged detail my main drive clutch con-' trol valve; Fig. 5 is a section taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 2 and showing in enlarged detail my motor overload protection valve; Fig. 6 isa section taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 2 and having a portion of the main drive clutch pressure chamber cut away to reveal a split sealing ring used in the brake releasing pressure chamber.

Referring now to the drawings there is illustrated in Fig. l a clothes washer of the general type shown and described in Patent 2,485,621- McNairy for a Washing Machine, which issued on October 25, 1949 and is owned by the General Electric Company, assignee of my present application.- Only such structure is shown as is necessary to understand my invention. The washer comprises an outer casing I provided with a bottom wall 2 in which is formed a central opening 3. Within the casing is a spin basket 4 having liquid discharge openings at its upper edge, an agitator 5 within the spin basket, and a casing B enclosing a drive mechanism and positioned within the central opening 3. The casing 6 may be formed of two sections, an upper half I and a lower half 8, suitably bolted together at their peripheral flanges 9 and II]. It will be understood, of course, that suitable means for resiliently'supporting the casing 6 from the tub I are provided. For example the arrangement of Patent 2,454,112 Woodson for a Support for Spin Basket for Clothes-Washing Machines andthelike, which issued on November 16, 1948, and also owned by the General Electric Company, could be used. Moreover any suitable means for supplying wash water and soap to the basket 4 may be employed, such as that described in Patent 2,523,801, Woodson for a Water Supply Valve and Soap Dispenser arrangement for Automatic Clothes-Washing Machines, which issued on September 26', 1950, and is owned by the General Electric Company. I

As shown in Fig. 2 I provide a relatively large frame ll positioned substantially within the lower half 8 of the casing. The frame ll carries a peripheral flange l2 of substantial thickness and of a diameter approximately equal that of the flanges 9 and 10, between which it is supported. A pair of circular gaskets l3 and M are pressed respectively between the flange 9 and the upper side of the flange l2 and the flange l and the lower side of the flange [2 to form an oil tight seal between the two halves of the casing 6. As will be further explained the frame H forms both the supporting member for the drive motor and the brake surface for the spin basket restraining brake.

My improved drive mechanism is contained within the casing 8 and comprises a motor l5 supported on the underside of the frame l l by a plurality of bolts IS. The motor has a rotor 11' fixed to a shaft l8. At its lower end the shaft [8 drives an eccentric pump in housing [9 (Fig. 3) which is effective to supply oil under pressure for the fluid pressure clutch actuating system as more fully described hereinafter. The shaft 18 is provided with an integral guide collar rotatably positioned within a cylindrical bearing recess 2| in the motor supporting frame ll. On the upper end of shaft [8 is formed a pinion 22 which engages with an internal gear 23 out within the lower end of a cylindrical member 24 journaled in th frame I l. Formed on the upper end of the cylindrical member 24, as a peripheral flange thereof, is the main clutch drive plate 25. This drive plate is provided with a clutch facing material 26 at its periphery and on its underside, which may be of any suitable friction material with proper wearing qualities. It is now apparent that upon energization of th motor I5 the shaft I8 rotates at full motor speed and drives the main clutch drive plate 25 through the medium of gears 22 and 23. By choosing gears of proper relative size the rotational speed of the clutch drive plate may be chosen according to th rotational speed desired for water extraction during the spin cycle. As shown in Fig. 2 the gear 23 is about twice the size of the pinion 22 and consequently a speed reduction of approximately one-half is provided. It will be noted that the main clutch drive plat 25 is driven at all times when the motor I5 is operating.

For selectively oscillating the agitator 5 during washing and rotating the spin basket 4 during extraction I provide a rotatable structure including an agitator gear casing 21 supported on a frame 28 and attached thereto by a plurality of bolts 29. The frame 28 has a peripheral flange 30 on the underside of which is provided a brake facing 3| of any suitable friction material. The entire rotatable structure is supported by the flange 30 which is normally seated on a flat upper surface 32 of the peripheral flange I2 of the main supporting frame ll. Thus the surface 32 constitutes a brake surface for the facing or shoe 3 l.

Non-rotatably mounted on the upper end of the gear casing 21 is a sleeve 33 drivingly connected by suitable key or splines to a web 34' to which the spin basket 4 is secured. Consequently the spin basket will rotate as a unit with the gear casing 21 and the frame 28.

To provide proper alignment of the sleeve 33 I fix thereon a collar 35. The collar 35 is journaled in a bearing 36 mounted in a sleeve 31 extending upwardly from the upper half 1 of the casing 6. The sleeve 31 provides the opening in the casing through which the sleeve 33 passes, which opening may be suitably sealed, as by a spring-backed rubber diaphragm 38.

A gear train 39 is provided for transmitting oscillatory motion to the washing agitator and may be as shown and described in Patent 2,527,238-Woodson issued on October'24, 1950- for a control for automatic washing machine and also owned by the General Electric Company. The gear train is completely enclosed within the casing 21, which casing includes a substantially imperforate bottom wall 40. I further provide shaft 4| journaled near its upper end in a substantially concentric opening 42 in the bottom wall 40 of the gear casing and at its lower end in a bearing 43 positioned within the upper end of the cylindrical member 24. At its upper end the shaft 4| carries a pinion 44 which sets in motion the gear train 39. Oscillatably driven by the gear train 39 in the well known manner as described by the last mentioned Woodson patent is a shaft 45 extending upwardly through the sleeve 33 and suitably connected to the agitator 5. Consequently when the shaft 4| is rotated, the agitator shaft 45 and th agitator 5 are oscillated to flex the clothes during the washing and rinsing steps.

In order to rotatably drive the agitator gear train actuating shaft 4| and the gear casing 21 in the selective manner hereinafter described I provide a clutch arrangement comprising a hollow piston 46 non-rotatably carried below the gear casing 21 on the shaft 4|. To simplify the assembly of the hollow piston 48 it may be constructed in two parts, including a lower cupshaped potrion 41 with its open end covered by a plate 49 attached by bolts 49 to an upstanding rim 50 formed integrally with the cup member. This cup member is provided with a central opening 5| accommodating the cylindrical member 24 which slidably and rotatably extends through it, so that the drive clutch plate 25 is contained within the piston cavity. The underside of the lower portion 41 of the piston is supported on the frame I l at a substantially horizontal upper surface 52 formed thereon, which surface serves as a thrust bearing for the piston and prevents downward movement of the piston and the shaft 4|.

While the cover plate 48 may be attached to the shaft 4| by any suitable means, I have shown a structure comprising a deformable washer 53 pressed between a metal washer 54 and the plate 48 by a snap ring 55 carried on the shaft. The plate 48 is positioned against a shoulder 58 formed above it on the shaft 4|. This particular means of attaching the piston to the shaft has thev advantage of permitting a slight tilting of the piston relative to the shaft under clutch engaging pressure so that good contact between the faces, as explained hereinafter, will be maintained.

The rim 50 of the cup 41, forming the lower half of the piston 46 is recessed at its periphery to accommodate the split ring rotating seal shown in detail in Fig. 6. This rotating seal is of the type described and claimed in the application of Carl S. Dayton and Joseph E. Voytek for a Split Ring Rotating Seal, Serial No.

197,376, filed November 24', 1950 and owned by the General Electric Company, assignee of my present application. It includes a pair of split:

ring segments 51 which are driven by a pair of pins 58 on the rim 50 so that during rotation of the piston the split rings are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force. Outward movement of the rings 51 is limited by contact with the inner cylindrical wall 59 of the gear casing supporting frame 28, within which the piston 46 is positioned. Consequently, the split rings 51 form an effective seal against the wall 59 during piston rotation.

A spin chamber 60 is defined by the bottom wall 40 of the gear casing, the upper piston plate 48 and the split rings 51, and the wall 59 of the frame 28. The split rings are sufficiently effective as a seal that oil pressure can be built up in the spin cavity when oil under pressure in suf-' ficient quantity is supplied to this cavity as presently explained.

Near the periphery of the underside of the cup 41 I provide a clutch facing 6I made of suitable friction material. The clutch facing 6I engages a flat horizontal facing 62, formed on the frame 28, when the frame 28 is elevated in a manner presently explained. Consequently, the rotatable piston 46 constitutes both the driven member of the main drive clutch and the drive member of the spin clutch. Since in the inoperative position of the drive mechanism, as seen in Fig. 2, the piston 46 is supported and held against downward movement by the bearing face 52 formed on the motor supporting frame II, engagement of the clutch members 6| and 62 can take place only when the gear frame 28 is elevated.

To provide a means for selectively actuating the clutches just described 'I have developed a fluid pressure generating system includingthe eccentric pump I9 driven by the main drive shaft I8. Of course, it will be understood that my invention is not limited to the case where the pressure generating means is driven by the main drive motor but obviously includes any suitable type of fluid pressure generator. The eccentric pump I9 is preferably submerged in oil. contained in the bottom of the lower half 8 of the casing 6-, the normal level of which is indicated in Fig. 2,

but, of course, may be supplied with oil in any suitable conventional manner. A passage 63 is provided in the pump casing as an oil inlet to the pump which discharges it into a passage 64 leading to the chamber 60 by way of a tube 65 which connects with a passage 66 formed in the frame I l. The discharge passage 64 also connect with a passage 6'! (Figs. 2 and 4) extending upwardly through the pump casing and connecting with a passage 68 formed in the center of the shaft I8 and extending upwardly along its longitudinal axis. The passage 68 communicates with a passage 69 in the frame I I which leads to a passage I in the rotatable member 24 which communicates with the interior of the hollow piston 46. As clearly shown in Fig. 4 the passage 61 communciates with the passage 68 formed in the shaft I8 by means of a groove H formed in the periphery of the shaft and a hole I2 leading through the shaft to the passage 68. Referring again to Fig. 2 the passage 68 communicates with the passage 69 by means of a similar hole I3 in the shaft and a peripheral cavity I4 formed above the shaft shoulder 28 between the periphery of the shaft I8 and the bearing 2|. The passage 69 communicates with the passage ID by means of a peripheral groove I formed in the rotatable member 24 and communicating directly with the passage I0.

As best seen in Fig. 4 the oil passage to the piston 46 is blocked by a spherical valve I6 resiliently biased to its closed position by a spring 11 so that no oil will be supplied to the piston until a predetermined pressure has been built up. This is advisable so that the drive motor can come up to speed before any load is placed upon it. Since the pressure producing pump I6 is tounseat the 'valve I6 is the time interval during which the motor I5 is unloaded. Immediately after the valve I6 is unseated the piston cavity is pressurized, the main clutch drive plate 25 is thereby pressed downwardly so that the clutch facing 26 firmly engages with the upper side of the cup portion 41 of the piston, thereby driving theeshaft 4| and causing oscillation of the agitator 5. In addition the valve "I6 has a further function in the selective actuation of the clutches as will be described in connection with the valve controlling the supply of pressure to the spin chamber 66. Y

In order selectively to drive the spin basket at the proper time in the washing cycle, I provide a valve I8 (shown in detail in Fig. 3) comprising a hexagonal plunger IS with a conical valve seat BO'biased by aspring BI into its closed position in which position the" passage to the tube 65 is blocked. The valve I8 is opened by a solenoid coil 82 energized in response to the dictates of a j quickly builds up in the spin chamber 60 and 1 since the frame 28 is slidably mounted with respect to the frame I I, the gear casing 21 and the frame 28 .are moved upwardly under the influence of the fluid pressure, the piston plate 48, as already explained, being held against downward movement by the bearing surface 52 supporting the cup portion 41. Consequently at this point the weight of the entire rotatable structure is carried by the piston 46 through the medium of the fluid pressure in the chamber 60. A small upward movement of the frame 28, for example about es of an inch, will release the brake 3I from the brake surface 32 so that the entire rotatable structure carried by the frame 28 will be free to rotate. Further upward movement of the frame 28 will cause engagement of the clutch faces 6| and 62 so that when pressure is again built up in thepiston cavity and the clutch plate 25 is forced downwardly into driving engagement with the upper side of the cup portion 41 of the piston, the frame 28, the gear case and the basket will be rotated as a unit. The pressure required to disengage the brake and engage the spin clutch depends upon the weight of the rotating structure carried by the frame 28 and by experience has been found to be in the nature of about 30 pounds per square inch. Consequently the spring 11 biasing the valve I6 in its closed position is chosen of suitable size so that the valve I6 will be unseated when a pressure in excess of 30 pounds per square inch has been reached. When the valve I6 opens the chamber 46 is again pressurized causing reengagement of the clutch face 26 with the cup portion 41 of the piston so that the drive plate 25 drives as a unit the piston 46, the shaft 4|, the frame 28, the gear casing 21, the sleeve 33, and the agitator shaft 45. It is now apparent that during the spin or extraction operation there is no relative movement between the shaft II and the gear casing 21 and consequently no relative movement between aura-11o.

been that the spin basket restraining brakeisnot. completely released. at the time the spin. clutch.

is engaged so that the motor ismomentarily overloadedat-the beginning: of the spinoperation. The structure just-described inherently protects.

against -mt0r overload caused by failure of. the spin basket brake to releaseprior to engagement of the spin clutch because the upper brakemember 3| must be raised to its brake releasing position, since it is carried on the frame 28, before spin clutch engagement is possible.

Nevertheless, I provide additional motor overload protection in the form of a centrifugally operated pressure reducing valve 83 effective to reduce the pressure in the pistoncavity to a point permitting slippage of the drive plate 25 to unload the motor. As best seen in Fig. 5 this overload protection device is centrifugally operated and depends upon the fact that the drive motor when subjected to an overload condition rapidly decelerates. The resulting decreased velocity reduces the centrifugal forces acting to close the valve 83 and as a result the valve takes its open position as shown in Fig. 2. I provide a collar 84 fixed on the drive shaft l8 by a set screw 85, which collar carries the valve 83 and has formed in it a valve seat 86. Formed in the shaft I8 is a passage 81 communicating with the central opening 68 of the shaft 18 and with a passage 88 in the collar 84 communicating between it and the valve seat 86. When the valve 83 is open the passages 81 and 88 are unblocked so that oil under pressure in the central opening 88 in the shaft [8 is bled through these passages to the atmosphere within the casing 6. The passage 88 is sufficiently large that when the valve 83 is fully open it is impossible for the pump to maintain sufiicient pressure in the piston cavity to cause engagement of the main. drive clutch with sufficient force to drive the piston. 46 at the same rotational speed as the clutch plate 25. Consequently, the clutch plate 25 begins to run ahead of the piston, that is, the clutch begins to slip, and the motor consequently is partially relieved of its load. When this occurs the speed of the motor returns to its normal operating speed and in the manner presently described the resulting increase in centrifugal force causes closing of the valve 83 which permits pressure to build up again in the piston cavity suflicient to cause normal driving engagement of the clutch. This, of course, reimposes the load on the motor.

Ordinarily overload occurs only during the extraction cycle and the primary cause of the overload condition during initial starting of the spin cycle is the great Weight of the mass to be rotated and the resulting large inertia forces to be overcome. By alternate engagement and disengagement of the main drive clutch it is readily apparent that without encountering sufficient overload to stall the motor the rotatable structure will be given repeated short applications of the motor torque and will gradually be brought up to speed as the inertia forces are overcome. Of course, in the case of an abnormal overload caused by some condition not usually present in the clotheswashing machine the motor will be prevented. from protection device of Fig. 5.

As. asmeans; of operating. the. overload protection device of Fig. 5 I provide a. centrifugal force operated mechanism comprising a flat plate rigidly mounted onthe collar 84 and provided with anarm extending outwardly from the center of the collar 88 and carrying near its extremity apivot pin 9|. The plate 89 also car-- ries a pintle 92 which serves as an anchor for a spring93 as presently described. Pivotally mounted on the arm.- 90 of the plate 89 at pivot 9| is a second plate 94 which carries the valve 83 011 an extended arniportion 95 on one side of the: pivot an and. carries a pintle 95- at its other extremity on the other side of the pivot 91.. The spring.93 is anchored: on pintles S2 and Q8respcctively'andconsequently biases the plates 89. and 84 into close fitting. engagement with the collar 84. In this normalposition, as seen in Fig. 2, the valve 831is heldopen. by the bias of the spring 93 and no pressure can be built up for causing engagement of themain clutch drive plate. Carried on the plate 94 on the same side of the pivot 3| as is thepintle 95., is. a weight 9! attached. to

theplate 94 by means. of suitable screws 88.. When: the'main drive motor I5 is fully energized.

under normal loadconditions the collar 84 carriedon the drive shaft [8 is rotated at such a speed/that the centrifugalforees acting. onthe Weight 81 cause the plate 94 to be thrown out wardly against the bias of the spring 93, swinging' around its pivot 9!. The valve 33, carried by the arm 95 of the plate 94 on the opposite side of the pivot 94 from the weight 91, is consequently thrown inwardly into engagement with the valve seat 88 to block the passage 28 and pre vent bleeding, off of the oil in the pressure generating system. Upon a. reduction in the centrifugal force acting onweight 91', in response to a reduction in the speed of the main drive motor,, the spring 93 will again be effective to pull the plate 94 into close fitting engagement with the collar 84,.thereby unseating the valve 83. To provide a balanced rotating body I provide a weight 89 attached to'theplate 89 by meansof suitable screws l 00, although it will be understood that the plate 99 cannot cause movement of the plate 89 regardlessof thecentrifugal forces which may act upon it becauseithe plate 89 to which it is attached is directly fixed to the collar 84.

To prevent oil pressure building up underneath the main clutoh'drive plate 25 which would oppose engagement-of the clutch, I provide a passage Illl communicating between the respective spaces beneath the plate 25 andrthe piston 28. In addition I provide a passage I82 communicating between the-space below the piston 46 and the at mosphere, so that in effect the space below the plate 25 isopen to the atmosphere at all times, because the. split ring 51 and the passage m2 together prevent the build-up of pressure below the piston; The spin chamber 60 moreover may haveits pressure relieved after an extraction period has been completed by the gaps in the-split sealing ring and by an opening 103 in the bottom wall of the gear casing.

As shown in Fig. 3, I provide relief against excessive pressure in the fluid generating system by means of. a: valve I84 positioned to close a passage I05 leading 011 of the main discharge passage 84' for the-eccentric pump !9. The valve I04 is biased. into closing position against the seat lll5 bya coil spring me, which is of suitable size toset the desired maximum pressure within the system at any predetermined amount within the operatingrpressure-ranges of the. pump [9. When the valve ||l4 is unseated the passage N35 is opened to the atmosphere within the casing 6.

Suitable passages are provided for lubricating the main bearing surfaces of the mechanism from the same oil pressure generating system which is used to actuate the friction clutches. For example, the passage 13 not only leads to the passage 69 and the piston cavity but also-serves to supply lubricant for the bearing surface 2 I Similarly I provide a small passage 6? leading off the passage 66 and communicating with the underside of the piston 46 to provide lubricant between it and the surface 52 of the frame I! Although the passage 66 is not supplied with oil except during the extraction operation, there is sufiicient lubricant available beneath the piston 45 to lubricate this surface during the other operations, since only during spin is the weight of the entire rotatable structure carried by the piston.

Bearing surface 42 between the shaft 4| and the bottom wall 40 of the gear casingis one of the important surfaces requiring lubrication. Consequently, I provide av central bore I08 within the shaft 4| and a passage I09 leading to a peripheral groove H in the outer surface of the shaft 4|. The central bore I08 communicates by means of a passage with the piston cavity, which cavity is supplied with oil under pressure at all times when there is relative movement between the shaft 4| and the bottom wall member 40. The rotatable member 24 and the frame within which it is journaled receive lubricant by means of the peripheral groove 15 which serves the double purpose of providing lubricant to this surface as well as being a means of communication with the passage Ill leading to the piston quantity of oil for lubrication purposes can be supplied to the moving parts of the mechanism' The main drive motor i is energized by anelectrical system including conventional leads ||3 passing to the lower half 8 of the casing 6 through an opening 4. The opening in the casing is suitably sealed by a sealing cap ||5 through which the electrical terminals ||3 extend.

of my invention it will be understood of course that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made; and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket, the improvement in means for eifecting rotation of said basket comprising a drive motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a piston rotatably driven by said shaft, a frame forming a hollow cylinder enclosing said piston and defining between an upper wall of said cylinder and said piston a substantially closed chamber, means connecting said clothes While I have shown a particular embodiment basket to said frame which supports to the basket on the frame, clutch means for releasably connecting said frame to said piston comprising a clutch facing on said piston engageable with a portion of said frame, and a fluid pressure gen erating system operative to introduce fluid under pressure to said chamber/thereby to move said frame and basket as a unit relative to said piston to effect engagement of said clutch means.

2. In aclothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket, the improvement in meansfor effecting rotation of said basket comprising a drive motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a piston rotatably driven by said shaft, a frame forming a hollow cylinder enclosing said piston and defining between an. upper wall of said cylinder and said piston a substantially closed chamber, means connecting said clothes basket to said frame which supports the basket on the frame, clutch means for releasably con-- necting said'frame to said piston comprising a clutch facing on the underside of said piston engageable witha portion of said frame, and a fluid pressure generating system operative to introduce fluid'under pressure to said chamber thereby to move said frame and basket as a unit upwardly relative to said piston to effect engagement of said clutch means.

3. In a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket, 'the improvement in means for effecting rotation of said basket comprising a drive motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a first frame supporting said motor, a piston rotatably drivenby said shaft, a second frame'supporting said clothes basket, said second frame forming a hollow cylinder enclosing said 7 piston and defining between an upper wall of said cylinder and said piston a substantially closed chamber, a peripheral flange on said sec- 0nd frame having its underside normally engaging and supported on said first frame, clutch means for releasably connecting said second frame to said piston comprising a clutch facing on said piston engageable with a portion of said second frame, and a fluid pressure generating system operative to introduce fluid underpres sure to said chamber thereby to move said second frame relative to said piston and said first frame to effect engagement of said clutch means and disengagement of said frames.

4. In a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket, the improvement in means for effecting rotation of said basket comprising a drive motor, a first frame supporting said motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a piston rotatably driven by said shaft, a second frame support ing said clothes basket, said second frame forming a hollow cylinder enclosing said piston and defining between an upper wallof said cylinder and said piston a substantially closed chamber, a peripheral flange on said second frame having its underside supported on and normally engaging said first frame, a brake surface on the underside of said flange, clutch means for releasably connecting said second frame to said piston comprising a clutch facing on said piston engageable with a portion of said second frame, and a fluid pressure generating system operative to introduce fluid- 5. A mechanical drive mechanism for a clothes" washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket and an oscillatable clothes agitator within the basket, comprising a hollow supporting frame for said basket, said frame forming a substantially closed cylinder, an actuating shaft for said agitator, a hollow cylindrical piston carried on the lower end of said actuating shaft and positioned within said cylinder, a main drive clutchwithin said piston comprising a drive disk engageable with an interior surface of said piston, a main drive shaft drivingly connected to said disk, a drive motor for said main drive shaft, a motor frame supporting said motor, a spin clutch for connecting said basket supporting frame to said main drive shaftcomprising a clutch facing on the underside of said piston engageable with the lower wall of said cylinder, and fluid pressure generating means operative to supply fluid under pressure to the interior of said piston thereby to effect engagement of said main drive clutch and at predetermined intervals to additionally supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder thereby to move said cylinder upwardly relative to said piston to effect engagement of said spin clutch.

6. A mechanical drive mechanism for a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket and an oscillatable clothes agitator within the basket, comprising a spin shaft connected to and supporting said basket, an agitator shaft connected to said agitator, a gear case carrying said spin shaft, a supporting frame for said gear case, said frame being centrally recessed to form together with said gear case a substantially closed cylinder, a gear train in said case for driving said agitator shaft, an actuating shaft for said gear train, a hollow cylindrical piston carried on the lower end of said gear train actuating shaft and positioned within said cylinder, a main drive clutch within said piston comprising adrive dsk engageable with an interior surface of said piston, a main drive shaft drivingly connected to said disk, a drive motor for said main drive shaft, a motor frame supporting said motor, a'brake for restraining rotation of said clothes basket comprising a brake surface near the periphery of said motor frame and a brake surface on'said gear case supporting frame engageable therewith, a clutch for connecting said spin shaft to said main driving shaft comprising a clutch facing on the underside of said piston engageable with the lower wall of said cylinder, and fluid pressure generating means operative to supply fluid under pressure to the interior of said piston thereby to effect engagement of said main drive clutch and at predetermined intervals to additionally supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder thereby to move said cylinder upwardly relative to said piston first to effect disengagement of said brake and then to effect engagement of said spin clutch.

'7, A mechanical drive mechanism for a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket and an oscillatable clothes agitator within the basket, comprising a hollow supporting frame for said clothes basket, said frame forming a substantially closed cylinder, an actuating shaft for said agitator, a hollow cylindrical piston carried on the lower end of said actuating shaft and positioned within said cylinder, a main drive clutch within said piston comprising a drive disk engageable with an interior surface of said piston, a main drive shaft drivingly connected to said disk, a drive motor for said main drive shaft, a motor frame supporting said motor, a gravit biased brake for restraining rotation of said clothes basket comprising a brake surface near the'periphery of said motor frame and a brake surface on said basket supporting frame engageable therewith, a spin clutch for connectingsaid clothes basket to said main drive shaft for rotation therewith comprising a clutch facing on the underside of said piston engageable with the bottom wall of said cylinder, and fluid pressure generating means operative to supply fluid under pressure to the interior of said piston thereby to effect engagement of said main drive clutch and at predetermined intervals to additionally supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder thereby to move said cylinder upwardly relative to said piston first to effect disengagement of said brake and then to effect engagement of said spin clutch.

8. A mechanical drive mechanism for a clothes Washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket and an oscillatable clothes agitator within the basket, comprising a hollow supporting frame for said clothes basket, said frame forming a substantially'closed cylinder, an agitator shaft connected to saidagitator, a gear train for oscillatingsaid agitator shaft, an actuating shaft for said gear train, a hollow cylindrical piston carried on the lower end of said gear train actuating shaft and positioned within said cylinder, the ul per portion of said cylinder and the upper surface of said piston together forming a fluid receiving chamber, a main drive clutch within said pistoncomprising a drive disk engageable with an interior surface of said piston, a main drive shaft drivingly connected tosaid disk, a drive motor for said main drive shaft, a motor frame supporting said motor, a gravity biased brake for restraining rotation of said clothes basket comprising a brake surface near the periphery of said motorframe and a brake surface on said basket supporting frame engageable therewith, a spin clutch for connecting said clothes basket to said main drive shaft for rotation therewith compris ing a clutch facing on the underside of said Diston engageable with the bottom Wall of said cylinder, a fluid pressure generating means, a passageway from said pressure generating means to the interior of said piston, means in said passageway resisting the flow of fluid therein, a second passageway from said pressure generating means to said chamber, control means for said pressure generating means selectively directing said fluid to the piston passageway to overcome said resistance means and pressurize the interior of said piston to move said main drive clutch into engagement, and at predetermined times directing the fluid additionally to said second passageway thereby momentarily reducing the pressure in said piston passageway below that required to overcome said resistance means to permit slippage of said main drive clutch and simultaneously pressurizing said chamber to move said basket supporting frame upwardly first effecting disengagement of said brake and then engagement of said spin clutch and upon continued supply of fluid to said passageways to build up suflicient pressure to overcome said resistance means to again pressurize the interior of said piston to effect re-engagement of said main drive clutch.

9. A mechanical drive mechanism for a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket and an oscillatable clothes agitator within the basket, comprising a hollow supporting frame for said basket, said frame forming a substantially closed cylinder, an actuating shaft for said agitator, a hollow cylindrical piston carried on the lower end of said actuating shaft and positioned within said cylinder, a main drive clutch within said piston comprising a drive disk engageable with an interior surface of said piston,

a main drive shaft drivingly connected to said 7 underside of said piston engageable with the lower wall of said cylinder, fluid pressure generating means operative to supply fluid under pressure to the interior of said piston thereby to effect engagement of said main drive clutch and at predetermined intervals to additionally supply fluid under pressure to said cylinder thereby to move said cylinder upwardly relative to said piston to effect engagement of said spin clutch, and motor overload protection means operative in response to a reduction in motor speed to reduce the fluid pressure in the interior of said piston to permit slippage in said main drive clutch.

10. In a clothes washing machine having a rotatable clothes basket, the improvement in means for effecting rotation of said basket comprising a drive motor, a shaft driven by said motor, a piston rotatably driven by said shaft through a 14' first fluid actuated clutch, a frame forming a hollow cylinder enclosing said piston and defining between anupper Wall of said cylinder and said piston a substantially closed chambe ,means connecting said clothes basket to said frame, a second clutch for releasably connectin said frame to said piston comprising a clutch facing on said piston engageable with a portion of said frame, fluid pressure generating means operative to supply fluid under pressure to said chamber to move said frame relative to said piston to effect engagement of said second clutch, and motor overload protection means responsive to any substantial reduction in motor speed to reduce the fiuid pressure actuating said first clutch to interrupt the driving connection between said piston and said motor shaft.

CARL S. DAYTON.

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