US2865189A - Laundry apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1958 A w 2,865,189

LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllllllllllllllllllll L- i, I, l" I8 Ifnufmll IN V EN TOR. Q43 em" 11/0/45 ATTORNEYS A. F. WIDIGEN LAUNDRY APPARATUS Dec. 23, 1958 Filed Aug. 22, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IFHEIUE INVENTOR. 91 as F Mama/V BY yww 0% w f4??? ATTORNEYS.

United States 2,865,189 LAUNDRY APPARATUS Albert F. Widigen, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to American Machine and Metals, Inc.', New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 22, 1956, Serial No. 605,583 9 Claims. (Cl. 63 210) open top of the casing for disposition in front of the latter with unloading doors of the drum facing downwardly so that, upon opening of such doors, the contents of the drum can drop or be dumped into underlying containers thereby to avoid the necessity of individually lifting the work or contents from the drum. In such washing machines, an arrangement is usually provided for lifting the hinged cover of the casing as the drum is moved to its work dumping position and for permitting the return of the hinged cover to its closed position after the drum has again been disposed within the casing. However, 'in the existing arangements, the hinged cover is not tightly held in its closed position to seal the top of, the casing during the washing operation and considerable leakage of washing fiuid occurs under the edges of the hinged cover. I

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for the automatic opening of the hinged cover as the drumfof a dump unloading washing machine is moved to its dumping or unloading position and for automatically closing the hinged cover and holding the latter in sealed re'lationto-the top of the casing when the drum is returned to the latter for a washing operation.

Another. object is to provide, mechanically simple meansfor tightlyholding the hinged cover in its closed position during the washing operation and which is operated jointly with the usual arrangement for opening the hinged cover so that the addition of the means for tightly holding the cover in its closed position does not materially add to the cost or complexity of the dump unloading washing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gasket or sealing means between the halves of the shell.

More specifically, the present invention is applicable to dump unloading washing machines of the described character wherein the work agitating drum isjournalled, at its opposite ends, in elevating arms which are pivotally mounted adjacent thefront of the casing for swinging movement between rearwardly directed and upstanding positions thereby to dispose the work agitating drum in the casing and above and in front of the casing, respectively, the swinging movement of the elevating arms is effected by the controlled rotation of a crank-wheel and a connecting rod or elevating link pivotally coupled, at one end, to a related one of the elevatingarms and, atits other end, to an eccentric pin on the crank-wheel, ahd lifting of the hinged cover to open the top of the atent O 2,865,189 l atented Pee. 23, 1958 casing is effected by a cover lift link pivotally connected, at its upper end, to the cover and having a cam follower pin or roller, at its lower end, bearing downwardly on the radially outward facing cam surface of a radial cam rotatable with the crank-wheel so that the cover is raised, when the follower pin or roller engages a radially large portion of the cam, and is gravitationallylowered, when the foliower pin or roller engages a radially small portion of the cam. In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the hinged cover is tightly held in its closed position during a washing operation merely by providing' a radially inward facing cam surface also rotatable with the crank-wheel and engageable with the follower pin or roller from above at least during the engagement of the pin or roller by the radially. small portion of the radial earn corresponding to the closed position of the cover, thereby to urge the cover lift link downwardly and tightly hold the cover in its closed position.

The above, and .other objects, features'and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a dump unloading Washing, machine of the kind adapted to have the present invention embodied therein, and showing the machine in its unloading condition;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of a dump unloading washing machine embodying the present invention,'arid shown in condition for the performace of a washing operation, but with a protective end housing or shield removed to expose working parts of the machine;

Fig. 3 isa view similar to Fig. 2, but with the machine being shown in its unloading condition;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary'sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the sealing means along the rear of the machine when the top half of the shell is raised;

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 with the shell closed; Fig. 8 is a view of the seal along the front of the machine;

Fig.9 is an enlarged view of one of the left-hand trunnions;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the 7 line 10-10 of Fig, 2; and

Fig. 11 is an enlargedsectional view of the side sealing stripof Fig. 10 when the cover is in open position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Fig. 1 thereof, a dump unloadingwashing machine of the'typ'e to which the present invention relates is there generally identified by the reference numeral 10. The machine 10 includes a casing 11 which is open at the top to receive a work agitating cylinder or drum 12. The drum 12 has a perforated or foraminous cylindrical wall 13 which is provided with one or more doors 14 that can be opened to permit the loading and unloading of the clothes or other work.

In dump unloading washing machines, the work agitating drum 12 is rotated within the casing 11 during the washing operation and is displaced upwardly and forwardly out of the open top of the casing for movement. to the unloading position of Fig. 1 so that, when the drum is rotationally positioned with the doors 14- facing downwardly, as shown, and the doors are opened,'the washed clothes will be dumped from the drum 12 into underlying hampers or other containers, thereby toavoid the necessity of physically lifting the washed clothes or work from the drum. When the drum is to be reloaded, the drum is returned to the casing 11 and the opened doors 14 then appear at the upper front quadrant of the drum to conveniently receive the clothes or other work to be washed.

In order to permit the bodily movement or displacement of the drum 12 between its operative or washing position within the casing 11 and its elevated and forwardly projected dump unloading position, trunnions or stub shafts 15 extending from the opposite ends of the drum are rotatably journalled in suitable bearings carried by elevating arms 16 which, at their ends remote from the trunnions 15, are pivotally mounted on support blocks 17 disposed adjacent the top edge of the front wall 18 of casing 11. The elevating arms 16 are swingable through approximately 90 degrees between rearwardly directed positions (Fig. 2), corresponding to the disposition of the drum 12 for the washing operation, and upstanding positions (Figs. 1 and 3) corresponding to the dump unloading position of the drum 12.

In order to rotate the work agitating drum 12 during a washing operation, a spur gear 19 is fixed to the trunnion or stub shaft 15 at one end of the drum, said gear continuously meshing with a pinion 20 which is carried by a shaft 21 journalled in one of the blocks 17 coaxially with the pivoting axis of the adjacent elevating arm 16. In fact, the shaft 21 may extend rotatably through the adjacent elevating arm to provide the pivotal mounting for the latter. Since the pinion 20 is coaxial with the pivoting axes of the elevating arms 16, it is apparent that the latter can swing between their rearwardly directed and upstanding positions without affecting the meshing engagement of the gear 19 with the pinion 20. A pulley 22 is fixed to the shaft 21 and an endless belt 23 runs around the pulley 22 and around a pulley 24 on the shaft of a drive motor 25 (Figs. 2 and 3 Conventional automatic or manual controls (not shown) are associated with the motor 25 to determine the period of energization of the motor during the washing operation, and a positioning or door spotting device (not shown) may be associated with the cylinder or drum 12 to stop the rotation of the latter with the doors 14 in the upper front quadrant of the drum at the conclusion of the washing operation. Since the elevating arms 16 travel through angles of approximately 90 degrees in moving the drum 12 to the dump unloading position of the latter and the meshing of the large gear 19 with the small pinion 20 can cause only a relatively small angular displacement of the drum with respect to the arms 16 during such angular travel of the latter, it is apparent that the doors 14 will appear at the lower front quadrant of the drum in the unloading position, as desired.

In order to effect the desired movements of the drum 12 between its position within the casing for the washing operation and its dump unloading position, a crank-Wheel 26 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4), preferably in the form of a gear wheel, is fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft 27 at least at one end of the casing 11, and an elevating arm link 28 is pivotally connected, at one end, to the adjacent elevating arm 16 at a location along the latter spaced substantially from the pivoting axis of the latter, as at 29, while the opposite end of the link 28 is connected to a crank-pin 30 carried by the wheel 26 at a location spaced radially from the axis of rotation of the crank-wheel. The length of the link 28 and the radial distance of the crank-pin 30 from the center of the crank-wheel are determined so that, when the pin 30 is disposed close to the bottom dead center position (Fig. 2), the link 28 will extend diametrically across the crank-wheel and pull the related elevating arm 16 rearwardly and downwardly to dispose the drum or cylinder 12 within the casing 11 and, when the crank-wheel 26 is turned through 180 degrees, the link 28 will push the related elevating arm 16 upwardly and forwardly to dispose the drum 12 in the dump unloading position (Fig. 3).

The crank-Wheel 26, when in the preferred illustrated form of a gear wheel, is driven by a meshing pinion 31 which may, in turn, be driven by an electric motor (not shown), or by a manually turned crank. The motor for driving the pinion 31 may be controlled by manually actuated switches or by automatically actuated switches forming a part of the usual cycling controls for the washing machine so that, during a washing operation, the crankwheel 26 is in the position of Fig. 2, and, upon the conclusion of the washing operation, the crank-Wheel is turned to the position of Fig. 3 to position the drum 12 for the dump unloading of the washed clothes or contents thereof.

The washing machine 10 further includes a cover 32 for the top opening of the casing 11. The cover 32 is hingedly connected to the casing 11 along the upper edge of the back wall of the latter, as at 33 (Figs. 2 and 3), for swinging movement between a raised, open position (Figs. 1 and 3) and a lowered, closed position (Fig. 2)- It is apparent that, following the return of the drum 12 from its dump unloading position to its position within the casing 11, the cover 32 must be moved to its closed position to keep the water or other cleaning fluid within the casing during a washing operation, and that, at the conclusion of a washing operation, the cover 32 must be raised to its open position before the drum can be displaced out of the casing to its dump unloading position.

In order to effect the opening and closing movements of the cover 32 and to synchronize such movements of the drum 12 into and out of the casing 11, a radial cam 34 is keyed, as at 35 (Figs. 4 and 5), or otherwise secured to the shaft 27 for rotation with the crank-wheel 26, and a cover lift link 36 is pivotally connected, at its upper end, to the side of cover 32, as at 37, while the lower end of the link 36 carries a pin 38 projecting from the opposite sides of the link 36 to slidably engage in the groove of a guide 39 and to bear downwardly on the peripheral, radially outward facing cam surface of the cam 34 and thus act as a cam follower.

As seen particularly in Fig. 5, the cam 34 is of generally heart-shaped or cordate configuration and has a major portion 40 of the edge thereof with a uniform, relatively large radius, while the remaining symmetrical arcuate portions 41 and 42 of the edge or cam surface decrease in radius from the ends of edge portion 40 to a central notch 43 which is disposed a relatively small radial distance from the axis of rotation of the cam. The cam 34 is angularly related to the crank-wheel 26, and the cam 34 and link 36 are dimensioned so that, when the crank-wheel 26 is disposed to position the drum 12 within the casing 11, the follower pin 38 will engage the notch 43 of the cam to permit gravity to move the cover 32 to its closed position (Fig. 2), and so that, as the crank-wheel 26 is turned from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3, the pin 38 will initially be engaged by the edge portion 41 or 42 of the cam, depending upon the direction of rotation of the crank-wheel, to move the cover 32 toward its open position more rapidly than the simultaneously occurring movement of the drum 12 out of the casing and, when the pin 38 is engaged by the major edge portion 40 of large radius, the cover is held in its open position as the drum completes its movement toward the dump unloading position. Further, when the drum 12 is being returned into the casing 11, the pin 38 will continue to be engaged by the large radius edge portion 40 of the cam to hold the cover 32 in its open position during the initial portion of the return movement of the drum, and closing of the cover will occur only upon engagement of the pin 38 by the edge portion 41 or 42 during the final increment of the movement of the drum to its operative position within the casing. Thus, interference between the cover 32 and drum 12 is avoided.

It is apparent that, with the structure described above, the cover 32 is held in its closed position only by the weight thereof acting as a downward for e ab ut the axis of the hinge 33. However it has been found that such force,whichis yieldab'le,'is insufficient to'ensure a complete seal at the edges of the cover 32 and casing 11, particularly whenthe machine is subjected to vibration during the' washing operation, so that substantial quantities of water or other cleaning fluid can leak from the machine between the edges of the cover and casing to create a hazardous and unsightly condition around the washing machine. Further, since the pin 38 merely rests upon the periphery of cam 34 when the cover is in its closed position, it is apparent that the cover can be manually raised during a washing operation, that is, while the drum 12 is being rotated,'to permit the escape of large quantities of water and also to expose the person, who might have inadvertently raised the cover, to the danger of physical contact with the rotating drum.

However, in accordance with the present invention, a mechanically simple arrangement is provided for tightly holding the cover 32 in its'closed position and for locking the cover against movementfrom' its closed position during the positioningjpfthe drum 1 2.within'the.casing 11 for the washing operation. In order to perform the above functions,the cam 34 isprovided with a radially inward facing cam surface 45 (Fig. 5) spaced radially from the peripheral edge or'radially outward facing cam surface of the cam 34 at least at'the edge portion of the latter of smallest radius, thatis, at the notch or node 43,

to engage the pin 38 of the cover lift link 36 from above when the cam 34 is in the rotational position corresponding to the fully closed'position ofthe cover 32 (Figs. 2, 4 and'5). Thus, when the cover is in its closed position, the cam surface 45 acts downwardly on the pin 38 to exert a downwardpull on the link 36 tightly sealing the edgesof the cover 32 against the edges of the casing Ill and also lockingthe cover to prevent, inadvertent opening of the cover while thecarn surface 45 is positioned to engage the pin 38, as during a washing operation.

Preferably, as seen in Fig, 5, the cam surface 45 has two oppositely inclined, converging portions coming together at an apex 46 which is radially aligned with the notch 43, so that the apex 46 contacts the pin 38 when the cam 34 and crank-wheel 26are in the rotational position corresponding to the fully closed position of the cover, and the cam surface 45 and the link 36 are arranged so that the edges of the cover 32 will contact the edges of the casing 11 immediately after contact of an inclined portion of cam surface 45 with the pin 38' and the inclined portion of cam surface 45 will exert a downward wedging actionon the pin 38 to take-up any play in the pivotal connections of the link 36 andto increase the effectiveness of the seal between the contacting edges of the cover and casing during the final increment of the angular movement of the cam 34' to'the position where the apex 46 engages the follower pin 38.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the cam surface 45 is provided on an auxiliary cam member which is generally identified by the reference numeral 47 and, includes an attachment portion 48 secured to the cam 34 at the side ofthe latter facing away from link 36; and extending radially beyond the periphery of cam 34, and a cam portion 49 at the radially outer end of portion 48 and ofiset laterally with respect to the latter (Fig. 4) to lie in the plane of rotation of cam 34, the cam surface 45 being defined by the radially inner edge of the offset cam portion 49 (Fig. 5).

The auxiliary cam member 47 may be fixedly attached to the cam 34, as by rivets 50 passing through the latter and through the attachment portion 48, or the rivets 5% may be replaced by nuts and bolts received in generally radially extending slots (not shown) in the cam 34 to permit radial adjustment of the cam surface 45 toward and away from the axis of rotation of the cam 34, thereby to vary the downward clamping or wedging action exerted on the cover in its closedposition.

It will be apparent that, when the crank-wheel 26 and pin 38 and the latter is thereafter acted upon by the cam 34, in the previously described manner, to cause opening of the cover 32 so that the drum can be moved through the open top of the casing 11 to its dump un- Since the auxiliary cam member 47 is loading position. mounted directly upon the cam 34 which controls the opening and closing of the cover 32, it is obvious that the cover sealing and locking functions will be automatically synchronized with the operation of the cam 34, and that no additional actuating or control mechanism is required for operation of the auxiliary cam member.

Although the drawings show a crank-wheel 26, link 28, cam 34, link 36 and auxiliary cam member 47 at only one end of the machinelO it is apparent that such structure maybe duplicated at the other end of the washing machine, particularly when the drum 12 and cover 32 are of considerable length so that actuation at only one end might give rise to excessive torsional stresses in the cover and in the supporting structure for the drum; I i

In order to provide an adequate seal, the front edge 55 (Fig. 8) of the lower part 11 of the shell may have aresilient gasket or seal 56 clamped thereto by a strip 57 fastened to the front edge by screws 58. The rear edge of the casing andthecover 32 may have a gasket 01' seal strip, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, adjacent hinge pin or means 59 joining the cover and lower shell.

The side members 6 00f the cover may cooperate with seal strip 61 as seen in Figs. 10 and 11, the lower part of the side shell 11 being seen at 11a.

The trunnion at eachend of the drum may have a shaft 15 supportedin seal housing 62 having the lifting arms 16 fastened thereto, Seal gasket or strip 63 may have a wire'64 therein, the gasket being located in groove 65' so as to properly cooperate with flanges 66 and 67 of the sides of the shell andcasing. The flange 68 can be suitably fastened to the drum.

Further, although an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, merely by way of example, it is to be noted that the invention is not limited to that particular embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected in the latter without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1 In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at thetop, a hinged cover for the top of said casing movable between open and closed positions and a work agitating drum moyable through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and a dump unloading position projecting forwardly of the casing; the eombination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, cover actuating means synchronized with said drum actuating means and operative to move the cover to the open position of the latter during movement of the drum toward itsdump unloading position and to permit movement of the cover to its closed position up'on movement of the drum to the operative position of the latter, and cover locking means operated by said cover actuating means to tightly hold the cover in its closed position on the casing and to prevent removal of the cover from its closed position so long as said drum actuating means is conditioned to hold the drum in the operative position of the latter.

2. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open positicn to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, cam actuated means operating in synchronism with said drum actuating means to move the cover to the open position of the latter as the drum is moved toward its dump unloading position and to permit the return movement, by gravity, of the cover to its closed position upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and cover locking means operated with said cam actuated means to pull the cover downwardly on the casing and to there hold the cover so long as said drum actuating means is conditioned to dispose the drum in the operative position of the latter within the casing.

3. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing,

and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, a radial cam rotated in synchronism with the operation of said drum actuating means, a link pivoted at one end to the cover and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cam being shaped to push said link upwardly for moving the cover to its open position as said drum actuating means moves the drum to the dump unloading position of the latter and to permit downward movement of said link under the weight of the cover for closing the latter upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and means rotating with said cam and engaging said follower from above, when said cam is in a rotational position corresponding to the closed position of the cover, thereby to pull downwardly on said link for tightly sealing the cover on the casing and for preventing movement of the cover toward its open position so long as said cam remains in said rotational position corresponding to the closed position of the cover and the operative position of the drum.

4. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between operative and dump unloading positions, a radial cam rotated in synchronism with the operation of said drum actuating means, a link pivoted at one end to the cover and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cam being shaped to push said link upwardly for moving the cover to its open position as said drum actuating means moves the drum to the dump unloading position of the latter and to permit downward movement of said link under the weight of the cover for closing the latter upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and means rotating with said radial cam and defining a radially inward facing cam surface spaced radially from the periphery of said cam along at least the portion of the latter engaging said follower when the cover is permitted to move to its closed position so that said radially inward facing cam surface then bears downwardly on said follower to exert a downward force tightly seating the cover on the casing and preventing opening of the cover 50 long as said cam is in a rotational position corresponding to the operative position of the drum.

5. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, a radial cam rotated in synchronism with the operation of said drum actuating means, a link pivoted at one end to the cover and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cam being shaped to push said link upwardly for moving the cover to its open position as said drum actuating means moves the drum to the dump unloading position of the latter and to permit downward movement of said link under the weight of the cover for closing the latter upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and an auxiliary cam member mounted on said radial cam for rotation with the latter and defining a radially inward facing cam surface spaced radially from the periphery of said cam along the portion of the latter engaging the follower when the drum is moved to its operative position so that said radially inward facing cam surface then bears downwardly on said follower to exert a downward force tightly seating the cover on the casing and preventing opening of the cover so long as said cam is in the rotational position corresponding to the operative position of the drum.

6. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of actuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, a radial cam rotated in synchronism with the operation of said drum actuating means, a link pivoted at one end to the cover and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cam being shaped to push said link upwardly for moving the cover to its open position as said drum actuating means moves the drum to the dump unloading position of the latter and to permit downward movement of said link under the weight of the cover for closing the latter upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and an auxiliary cam member mounted on said radial cam for rotation with the latter and defining a radially inward facing cam surface spaced radially from the periphery of said cam along the portion of the latter engaging said follower during the final increment of the movement of the cover toward its closed position so that said radially inward facing cam surface then engages said follower from above, the distance from said radially inward facing cam surface to the axis of rotation of said cam decreasing progressively from the ends of said cam surface to the point on the latter engaging said follower when said cam is in a rotational position exactly corresponding to the closed position of the cover so that, during the final increment of rotational movement of said cam to said position of the latter, said cam surface exerts an increasing downward force on said link to tightly seat the cover on the casing and to prevent opening of the cover so long as said cam is in said rotational position.

7. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum moved bodily through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the casing and an elevated, forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of means applying an upward force to the cover to raise the latter to its open position, in response to the movement of the drum toward its dump unloading position, and permitting downward swinging of the hinged cover, by gravity, to its closed position upon movement of the drum to its operative position within the casing, and means applying a downward force to the cover when the latter is disposed in its closed position for tightly seating the closed cover on the top of the casing.

8. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of the casing movable, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position on the top of the casing, and a work agitating drum mounted for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of ac tuating means for the drum operative to move the latter between its operative and dump unloading positions, a cordate radial cam rotated in synchronism with the operation of said drum actuating means, a link pivoted at one end to the cover and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cordate radial cam having a major portion of its periphery disposed a uniform, relatively large radial distance from the axis of rotation of the cam and the remainder of its periphery divided into two arcuate portions meeting at a peripheral notch and disposed decreasing radial distances from said axis in the'directions toward said notch, said cam being rotationally disposed in relation to said drum actuating means so that said follower engages said notch, when the drum is in its operative position, to permit movement of the cover, by gravity, to its closed position and so that, when the drum is in its dump unloading position, said follower engages said major portion of the periphery of said cam at a location on the latter diametrically opposed to said notch to push said follower and link upwardly and thereby raise the cover to its open position, and an auxiliary cam member mounted on said radial cam for rotation with the latter and defining a radially inward facing cam surface spaced radially from the periphery of said radial cam in the region of said notch for engagement, from above,

with said follower when the latter engages in said notch, said radially inward facing cam surface having converging portions meeting at an apex registering radially with said notch and decreasingly distanced from the axis of said cam in the directions toward said apex so that, as said cam turns to receive said follower in said notch, one of said converging portions of said cam surface exerts an increasing downward force on said follower to tightly seat the cover on the top of the casing and to prevent opening of the casing so long as said cam is rotationally positioned to receive said follower in said notch.

9. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a cover hingedly connected to the top of the casing for swinging movement, by gravity, from a raised open position to a lowered closed position across the top of the casing, a work agitating drum, and means mounting the drum for bodily movement through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the casing and an elevated forwardly projecting dump unloading position; the combination of a rotatable crank-wheel, an elevating link connected, at one end, to an eccentric location on said crank-wheel and, at its other end, to the mounting means of the drum so that the latter is moved :between its operative and unloading positions in response to rotation of said crank-wheel, a radial cam fixed to rotate with said crank-wheel, a cover lift link pivoted, at one end to the cover, and having a cam follower at its other end bearing downwardly on the periphery of said radial cam, said cam being shaped and rotationally disposed relative to said crank-wheel to push said cover lift link upwardly for moving the cover to its open position as said crank-wheel moves the drum to its unloading position and to permit downward movement of the cover lift link under the weight of the cover for closing the latter upon movement of the drum to its operative position, and means rotating with said cam and engaging said follower from above to act downwardly on the latter when said crank-wheel is in the rotational position corresponding to the operative position of the drum for then tightly seating the cover on the top of the casing and preventing opening of the cover so long as said crank-wheel is in said rotational position corresponding to the operative position of the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,549,027 Perry Aug. 11, 1925

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