US3213651A - Clothes washing machine - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet l J. C. WORST CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Oct. 26, 1965 Filed Nov. 22, '196s Oct. 26, 1965 J. c. woRs'r CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 22, 1963 T ms U ma w EO R V.W O mc. T W m uw w H T.

Oct. 26, 1965 J. c. woRs'r CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 22, 1963 FIG.7

INVENTOR JOSEPH C. WORST Ww f-Jfls ATTORNEY United States Patent Oce 3,213,651 Patented Get. 2S, 1965 3,213,651 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Joseph C. Worst, Iieusviile, Ky., assigner to General Eiectric Company, a corporation ot New York Filed Nov. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 325,640 9 Ciaims. (Cl. 153-133) This invention relates to automatic clothes Washing machines, and more particularly to an improved structure in such machines for selectively varying the energy used in the washing of the clothes.

A major portion of the clothes washers presently vbeing sold for domestic use incorporate a member, generally called an agitator, which extends into the liquid in which the clothes are washed, and which moves within that liquid so as to provide a washing action. What is happening, basically, is that mechanical energy is being provided in order to efrect washing of the clothes.

It is well established that, in most machines, the more vigorous the action the more thoroughly 'clothes can be washed, but the sturdier the clothes must be to withstand the relatively vigorous action Without damage. In `other words, for clothes which are relatively delicate `and tend to become only slightly soiled, such as ladies nylon garments, for instance, substantially less energy input is needed in order to get the clothes clean; also this lower energy is desirable in order to prevent the possibility of damage to such clothes.

Thus, for different types `of loads 4of clothes to be washed, different energy input levels are desirable. Various approaches have been taken to obtain diierent energy input rates. For instance, many machines on the market are operated through a multiple speed transmission. In such machines, an agitator which goes through a predetermined stroke, or oscillation, will be caused to operate at different rates for different types of clothes loads. Of course, at a slower rate there is a smaller energy input, and at a higher rate there is a larger energy input. I prefer, however, to achieve the variation in the rate of energy input to eiect the washing of clothes by varying the length of the stroke that the agitator goes through each time. This eliminates the need for a multi-speed transmission, although my invention may `be used in conjunction with .such a transmission if it is desired for other reasons, such as to obtain different spin speeds in automatic washers.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an improved adjustable energy input arrangement for a clothes washing machine wherein the amount of energy is varied lby varying the magnitude of the stroke `or oscillation of the agitator.

It is a further more specic object of my invention to achieve this desired goal by providing a lost motion connection between the means driving the agitator and the agitator itself.

In one aspect of my invention, my selective arrangement is rovided in a clothes washing machine which, in the usual way, has liquid and clothes containing means, together with an agitator positioned therein and movable so as to provide washing energy to the liquid and clothes. The drive means is secured to the agitator by coupling means. This coupling means causes the agitator to 'be disconnected from the drive means for a predetermined part of each stroke, or oscillating motion, of the drive means. This is controlled by manually operable means associated with the agitator, so that the period of disconnection may be predetermined and thereby the length ofthe stroke may be selected.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specication. The invention itself, however, both yas to its organization and method of operation, may best `be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a :side elevational view of a clothes washing machine including my invention, the View being partially broken away and partially in section to illus-trate `details of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in cross section, of the top of the agitator of the machine shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a View along 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in cross section, of the top of an agitator showing a second embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 5 is a view along 5--5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view along line 6-6 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a developed view of the surface of `a cam provided in the `structure of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, I have `shown my invention incorporated in la vertical axis automatic Washing machine, :since this represents the primary intended use of my invention. Machine 1 has `a conventional basket, or clothes receiving receptacle, 2 provided over its side and bottom walls with perforations 3 and disposed within an outer imperforate tub or casing 4. Tub 4 serves as a liquid Ireceptacle, the 'basket and tub together serving in effect as container means for clothes and the liquid in which Ithey are to be washed and rinsed. Basket 2 may be provided with a -suitable clothes retaining member 5 for preventing clothes from being floated over the top of the basket, and with a balance ring 6 to help steady the basket when it is rotated at high speed.

Tub 4 is rigidly mounted within an appearance cabinet 7 which includes a cover 8 lhingedly mounted on the top portion -9 of the cabinet for providing access through an `opening 10 to basket 2. A gasket 11 may be provided so as to form a -seal between the top of the tub 4 and portion 9 of the cabinet thereby to prevent escape of moisture and moist air into the cabinet around the tub. The rigid mounting of tub 4 within cabinet 7 may `be eifec-ted by any suitable means. As a particular Iexample of one such means, I have provided a plurality of rigid `strap members 12, each of which is secured at one end to an inturned flange 13 Iof the cabinet and at its other end to the outside of tub 4. i

At the center of basket 2 there is positioned a vertical axis agitator 14 which includes a center post 15 and a plurality of curved water lcirculating vanes y joined at their lower ends by an outwardly flared skirt 17. It can readily be seen that the top 18 of the lagitator extends lup above the maximum water level which will be reached in tub 4 and basket 2. Agitator 14, as will be fully explained `herebelow, is arranged to `oscillate back and forth about a vertical axis along a stroke of predetermined `magnitude .so as to effect circulation of the water, `and washing and rinsing of the clothes therein.

Both basket 2 and agitator 14 are rotatably mounted. The basket is mounted on a flange 19 of a rotatable hub 20. Agitator 14 `is mounted on a shaft 2.1 which extends upwardly through hub 19 and through the center post 1S, and is secured to the agitator so as to drive it. The particular means of securing agitator 14 to agitator drive shaft 21 is a significant lfea-ture of my invention, and will be fully explained herebelow subsequent to then gener-al explanation of washing machine 1,

During a .typical cycle of operation of machine 1, water is introduced into tub 4 and basket 2, and agitator 14 is then oscillated back and forth `on its axis, that is, in a horizontal plane within the basket. This causes washing of the clothes by the use of mechanical energy provided 3 by the agitator movement. Then, after a predetermined period of this washing action, basket 2 is rotated at high speed to extract centrifugally the washing liquid from the from the clothes and discharge it to drain. Following this extraction operation clean water is introduced into the basket 2 for rising the clothes and the agitator is again oscillated. Finally, the basket is once more rotated at high speed to extract the rine water.

Basket 2 and agitator 14 are driven through a suitable -means which, by way of example, is shown as comprising a reversing motor 22 having a clutch 23 mounted on the motor shaft. A suitable belt 24 transmits power from clutch 23 to a transmission assembly 25 through a pulley 26. Thus, depending upon the direction of rotation of motor 22, pulley 26 of transmission 25 is driven in ,opposite directions.

The transmission 25 is so arranged that it supports and drives both the agitator drive shaft 21 and basket mounting hub 20. When motor 22 is rotated in one direction, the transmission causes the agitator drive shaft 21 to oscillate in a substantially horizontal plane, that is, to rotate a predetermined number of degrees alternately in opposite directions, in order to effect a proper movement of the liquid in tub 4 and the desired degree of flexing of clothes in =the liquid. Conversely, when motor 22 is driven in the opposite direction, the transmission rotates wash basket 2 and agitator 14 together at high speed for centrifugal liquid extraction. It will be recognized that there are many well-known mechanisms for effecting the type of motion described hereabove.

In addition to operating transmission 25 as described, motor 22 also provides a direct drive through a llexible coupling 27 to a pump structure. Pump 28 has an inlet which is connected by a conduit 31 to an opening 32 formed at the lowermost point of tub 24. Pump 28 is formed so that in the spin direction of motor rotation it will draw in liquid from opening 32 and discharge it through opening 33 to drain. In the other direction of rotation, pump 28 is substantially inoperative.

Motor 22, clutch 23, transmission 25, basket 2 and agitator 14 form a suspended washing and centrifuging system which is supported by the stationary structure of the machine so as to permit isolation of vibrations from that stationary structure. Such vibrations occur primarily as a result of high speed spinning of basket 2 with a load of clothes therein as mentioned above. While any suitable suspension structure may be used, one suitable structure includes a bracket member 34, with transmission 25 mounted thereon and motor 22 mounted to the underside thereof. The bracket member in turn is secured to upwardly extending rigid members 35, and each of the two upwardly extending members 35 is connected to a cable 36 supported from the top of the machine. While only a portion of the suspension system is shown in FIGURE 1, such a vibration isolating system is fully described and claimed in Patent 2,987,190 issued on June 6, 1961 to John Bochan and assigned to General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention.

In order to accommodate the movement which occurs between basket 2 and tub 4 without any danger of leakage between them, stationary tub 4 is joined to the upper part of transmission 25 by a flexible boot member 37. Boot 37 may be of any suitable configuration, many of which are known in the art, to permit relative motion of .the parts to which it is joined without leakage therebetween.

Hot and cold water may be supplied to the machine through conduits 38 and 39 which are adapted to be connected respectively to sources of hot and cold water (not shown). Conduits 38 and 39 extend into a conventional mixing valve structure 40 having solenoids 41 and 42. Energization of solenoid 41 permits passage of hot water through the valve to a hose 43, energization of solenoid 42 permits passage of cold water through the valve, and energization of both solenoids permits mixing of hot and cold water in the valve and passage of warm water to hose 43. Hose 43 has an outlet 44 positioned to discharge into basket 2. Thus, whenever one or both of solenoids 41 or 42 are energized, water passes into the basket 2 and tub 4.

The level to which water rises in the basket and tub may be controlled by any suitable liquid level sensing means. In one typical arrangement for doing this, an opening 45 is provided in the side of tub 4 adjacent the bottom thereof. Opening 45 is connected through a conduit 46 and a tube 47 to a conventional pressure sensitive switch (not shown which may be positioned in .the control panel 48 of machine 1. As the water rises in basket 2 and tub 4 it exerts increasing pressure on the column of air trapped in tube 47, and at a predetermined pressure level the column of air then operates the pressure sensitive switch to shut olf whichever of solenoids 41 and 42 may be energized. It will be understood that this occurs when the water is at a level within tub 4 which, at a maximum, is substantially below the clothes retainer member 5.

Control panel 48 may have suitable manually operated members, such as that shown at 49, extending therefrom to permit setting of the machine `for operation.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown a rst embodiment of my invention. As shown in FIGURE 2, agitator 14 has at its top a cap member 50, internally threaded as shown at 51. Internally threaded opening 51 receives an externally threaded member 52 secured to the top 53 of agitator drive shaft 21. Drive shaft 21 may be secured near its upper end in a suitable bearing 54 positioned at the top of a sleeve 55 extending up from hub 19, and thus secured to the basket.

Shaft 21 has a flange-like enlargement 56 provided thereon above bearing 54. A spring 57 has its lower end seated against flange 56 and its upper end bearing against a nut member 58. Nut 58 has internal threads engaging an external thread 59 formed for a portion of the length of shaft 21 above flange 56. Above the nut, there is a second helical spring 60 which has its lower end bearing against the top of the nut and its upper end engaged by an annular downwardly extending projection 61 formed on the under side of cap 50. A suitable sealing member 62 may be seated in a recess 63 near the top of agitator 14, with its outer part engaging portion 64 of cap 50 so as to effect a substantially water-tight seal without impairing the relative rotation which may occur between agitator 14 and cap 5t).

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the outer surface of nut 58 engages the inner surface of agitator 14; to do this, nut 58 has a plurality of spaced projections 65 which tit into a plurality of similarly formed recesses 66, the recesses 66 being formed on the inner surface of center post 15 of the agitator 14. Thus, it can be seen that nut 58 is in driving, or coupling, relation with the center post 15 of agitator 14. When it is free to do so, nut 58 will move up and down without rotating as a result of the rotation of agitator drive shaft 21; the nut will rotate with shaft 21, and thereby drive agitator 14, only when it cannot move laxially on the threaded portion 59 of the shaft. Thus, the structure provides a lost-motion type coupling means between agitator 14 and shaft 21.

To provide a washing operation, the agitator drive shaft 21 is rotated, or oscillated, back `and forth through its normal stroke which, for instance, may be `on the order of in each direction. With cap Stb positioned as shown in FIGURE 2, this rotation in a first direction will make nut 58 ride axially up on threads 59 until it has compressed spring 60 so that the coils are completely together. At this point, there will be a positive bar to further upward travel of nut 58. Consequently, the nut will rotate with shaft 21, and carry with it agitator 14 because of its engagement therewith.

When the end of the stroke is reached, and the agitator drive shaft 21 starts to rotate in the reverse direction, nut 58 will then travel down threads 59 until it has completely compressed spring 57. At this point, the nut will again be precluded from further rotation relative to drive shaft 21 and will rotate with the drive shaft to cause movement of the agitator 14. In this way, a substantial amount of lost movement is provided by causing the nut to travel from the position where it compresses one of the two coil springs to the position where it compresses the other, and with actual coupling of the agitator to drive shaft 21 occurring only when the nut has completed its axial travel.

The extent of this lost motion may be controlled by rotation of cap 5t) 'on threaded member 52. When the cap is caused to move up by appropriate rotation thereof, a greater amount of lost motion will be provided since nut 5S will have to travel farther each time in order to provide complete compression of each coil spring. By the same token, when cap 56 is moved down by appropriate rotation thereof, the amount of vertical, or axial, travel of nut 58 is decreased and therefore the amount of lost motion is decreased. This can be carried to the point where both springs 57 and 60 are completely compressed, thereby allowing nut 58 no axial freedom on threaded portion 59. At this point, the lost motion will have been decreased to zero, and the agitator will have the same arcuate strokes as drive shaft 21, in this case, 160.

It will be seen from the foregoing that, by appropriate positioning of cap 50, any desired amount of lost motion may be obtained and as a result of this variation of the lost motion any desired length stroke, from whatever minimum is selected (including zero) up to the full stroke, may be obtained. By this means, with a constant transmission speed, that is, with a single speed operation of drive shaft 21, selectively variable amounts of energy may be used for mechanical agitation of the water and clothes. This selectivity permits the washing of sturdy fabrics which need vigorous action in order to become clean, and equally well the washing of delicate articles which do not become so soiled and which cannot withstand such vigorous action. All of this can be achieved with a single speed transmission and a single stroke rate by shaft 21.

Referring now to FGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7, there is shown a second embodiment of my invention, in which like numerals will be used for parts already described and numbered.

As before, ythe agitator drive shaft 21 extends up through the agitator 14. In this case, the top 70 of shaft 21 has agitator cap 71 journaled thereon. A member 73 is keyed, or splined, on shaft 21 so as to be rotatable therewith, but movable up and down axially thereon. A second member 74 is also mounted on shaft 21; -member 74, however, is mounted both for axial movement relative to the shaft and also in rotatable relationship thereto. A third member 75 is lalso mounted on shaft 21. Member 75 is rigidly secured to agitator 14, and is mounted in rotatable relation on shaft 21, but not in axially movable relation to the shaft as are members 73 and 74. Between members 75 and 74 around shaft 21 there is a leaf spring 76 which, because member 75 does not move axially, serves to bias member 74 toward its uppermost axial position. For a similar purpose, a coil spring 77 is positioned between members 74 and 73 in order to bias member 73 upwardly.

Member 75 has three circumferentially extending slots formed therein, denoted by the numerals 7S, 79 and 80. It can readily be seen that slot 78 is a very wide one extending over a substantial number of degrees, slot 79 is somewhat smaller, and slot 80 is smallest of all. These slots may all be formed in the same angular portion of member 75, one below the other, with the largest slot at the .top as shown. In the embodiment shown, slot 78 is 150 degrees, slot 79 is 90 degrees and slot St? is quite small, and the number of degrees is not particularly important as will appear herebelow.

Member 73 has its top S1 formed as a cam surface, and this cam surface is shown in developed form in FIG- URE 7. It can be seen that the cam has a low point 82, an intermediate point 83 and a high point 84, each point occurring twice around the circumference of the cam. At each of these points there is a small projection which is engageable by a mating recess (not shown) formed in each of a pair of diametrically oppositely positioned cam followers 85 formed on the bottom surface of cap 71. The engagement of different parts of the cam by the cam followers 85 may be effected by rotation of cap 71 relative to the cam member. When the agitator Cap 71 is positioned so that followers 85 engage portions S2 of the cap, spring 77 is then free to push member 73 up to the position shown. When followers S5 engage portions 83 of the cam, member 73 is pushed down against the action of spring 77. Once this engagement of intermediate portions 33 and cam followers 85 has been achieved, the cam may then be rotated relative to member 74 until eventually projection 86 snaps into recess S7 formed in member 74. When this engagement occurs, members 73 and 74 are locked so that they will rotate together.

Engagement of followers S5 with the third, or high portions 85 of the cam, causes member 73 to be pushed down even farther so that not only does projection 86 engage within recess 87, but in addition the bottom 88 of a projection 89 is pushed down into recess or slot Si) in member 75. This then locks all three members 73, 74 and 75 for rotation together, without any freedom of rotation movement between them.

With the parts in the position shown in FIGURE 4, that is, with member 73 disengaged from member 74 by virtue of the position of the cam surface 31, the movement from shaft 21 to agitator 14 has to be imparted by the engagement of a projecting member 91 With the sides of slot 78. In other words, when member 91 engages slot 78 at one side thereof, it will carry member 75 with it, and since member 75 is secured to the agitator the agitator will move. Then, however, before the agitator moves in the opposite direction upon reversal of drive shaft 21, projection 91 will have to travel the full circumferential span of slot 78 to the other side thereof before it engages member 75 again to cause reverse movement of the agitator. There is thus a considerable amount of lost motion as projection 91 moves back and forth within the slot 78 a substantial ditsance before engaging the sides of the slot as the shaft 21 ocsillates. Thus, for an oscillation of 160 of .the shaft 21, the fact that projection 91 spans only 30 degrees compared to the 150 degrees of slot 73 will cause the projection to engage the side of the slot and move the agitator 14 for oniy 40 degrees for each stroke of the agitator shaft, i.e., 4the angular difference between the slot and the projection provides the lost motion. Thus, a very small gentle oscillation is obtained.

However, for the next position of cam 81 where the engagement of member 86 is recess 87 locks member 73 and 74 together, the movement of the agitator by shaft 21 will be determined by the engagement of projection against vthe edges of slot 79. Since the angular difference between slot 79 and projecti-on gt) is much smaller there will be a much smaller amount of lost motion and there will be a larger stroke of the agitator for each 160 oscillation of the shaft 21. With the structure shown, the stroke of the agitator as a result of the engagement of projection 99 against the edges of slot 79 will be on the order of 100 degrees. Thus, a more vigorous although still gentle washing action will be provided by agitator 14.

When the highest position of cam surface S1 is selected, that is, members 85 engage projections 34, members 73 and 74 will be locked to member 75 because of the engagement of bottom 88 of projection 9G within slot St?. There is no freedom at all of the portion 88 within slot Sil (except for normal tolerances) and therefore the 7 agitator will be moved the full oscillation of shaft 21, that is, for the 160 oscillation of shaft 21 the agitator 14 will also rotate 160. Thus, three specific levels of energy may be provided for the washing operation.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a highly effective means of selectively varying the energy input used for the washing of clothes may be provided with a single speed transmission by use of my structure. Of course, while a particular type of oscillating movement has been shown, the term oscillating motion is to be interpreted to cover all back-and-forth motions of predetermined magnitude.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present are considered to be the preferred embodiments of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and I therefore aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

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

1. ln a clothes washing machine having liquid and clothes containing means, and an agitator positioned in said containing means and movable therein to provide washing energy to liquid and clothes therein: means for providing an adjustable energy output rate from said agitator comprising (a) drive means for said agitator having an oscillating motion of predetermined magnitude;

(b) coupling means securing said agitator to said drive means, and including lost motion means for disconnecting said agitator from said drive means for a predetermined portion of each stroke of oscillating motion of said drive means;

(c) and manually operable means oscillated with said agitator for varying said predetermined portion of disconnection.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said agitator extends upwardly into said containing means along a substantially vertical axis.

3. The apparatus defined in claim l wherein said agitator extends substantially vertically upwardly into said containing means, and the oscillating movement of said drive means is rotational in a substantially horizontal plane.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said lost motion means is formed so that `the initial part of each stroke of oscillating movement of said drive means is lost.

5. In a clothes washing machine having liquid and clothes containing means, and an agitator positioned in said-containing means and movable therein to provide Iwashing energy to liquid and clothes therein: means for providing an adjustable energy output rate from said agitator comprising (a) drive means for said agitator including a shaft having a rotary oscillating motion of predetermined magnitude;

(b) coupling means securing said agitator to said drive means, and including lost motion means for disconnecting said agitator from said drive means for a predetermined portion of each stroke of oscillating motion of said drive means, said lost motion means comprising a threaded portion formed on said shaft, a nut having an internally threaded portion engaged about said shaft threaded portion, said agitator and the outer surface of said nut having inter-engaging surfaces permitting movement of said nut and said agitator axially relative to each other but locking them together for said oscillating motion of said shaft;

(c) and means for selectively varying the distance said nut may travel along said threaded portion before it 8 locks on said shaft and transmits driving force from said shaft to said agitator.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said agitator and said nut are connected together by a spline formation.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said agitator has a cap portion screwed onto the end of said driving shaft, rotation of said agitator cap causing it to travel up and down on the end of said shaft, said agitator cap determining by its position one end of the travel of said nut thereby to provide for the selective variation of the length of travel for said nut.

3. In a clothes washing machine having liquid and clothes containing means, and an agitator positioned in said containing means and movable therein to providewashing energy yto liquid and clothes therein: means for providing an adjustable energy output rate from said agitator comprising.

(a) drive means for said agitator including a shaft having a rotary oscillating motion of predetermined magnitude;

(b) coupling means securing said agitator to said drive means, and including lost motion means for disconnecting said agitator from said drive means for a predetermined portion of each stroke of oscillating motion of said drive means, said coupling means comprising a member secured on said agitator and having at least two circumferentially extending slots each Iof a predetermined magnitude, a first member secured to said shaft in axially movable relation thereon and rotatable therewith, said first member having a portion extending into a first one of said slots, said portion being angularly smaller than said first slot so that upon oscillation of said shaft said portion will engage alternately the ends of said first slot to effect driving of said agitator with lost motion, a second member secured on said shaft in rotatable relation therewith and having a portion formed to extend into said second slot, the angular difference between said second member portion and said second slot being less than the angular difference between said first member portion and said first slot;

(c) and manually operable means associated with said agitator for selectively separating said first and second members or locking them together, said first member providing the driving connection from said shaft to said agitator when said first and second members are separated, said second member providing the driving connection from said shaft to said agitator when said first and second members are locked together.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said manually operable means comprises a cap rotatably mounted on said agitator and secured to said shaft, said cap having a cam follower formed thereon, and a cam surface formed on said first member so as to be engageable by said cam follower, said cam follower moving said first member toward or away from said second member through its engagement with said cam surface, said first and second members being locked together for rotation when they are moved together and separating for independent rotation when they are apart.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,618 3/16 Dewey 68-136 2,219,680 10/40 Caldwell 68-133 FOREIGN PATENTS 195,882 2/58 Austria.

760,842 12/ 3 3 France. 644,707 5/37 Germany.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3,213,651 October Z6, 1965 Joseph (2 Worst It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 7, llne '56, for "oscllated" read associated Signed and sealed this 5th day of July 1966P (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD I. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. IN A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE HAVING LIQUID AND CLOTHES CONTAINING MEANS, AND AN AGITATOR POSITIONED IN SAID CONTAINING MEANS AND MOVABLE THEREIN TO PROVIDE WASHING ENERGY TO LIQUID AND CLOTHES THEREIN: MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN ADJUSTABLE ENERGY OUTPUT RATE FROM SAID AGITATOR COMPRISING (A) DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID AGITATOR HAVING AN OSCILATING MOTION OF PREDETERMINED MAGNITUDE; (B) COUPLING MEANS SECURING SAID AGITATOR TO SAID DRIVE MEANS, AND INCLUDING LOST MOTION MEANS FOR DISCONNECTING SAID AGITATOR FROM SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF EACH STROKE OF OSCILLATING MOTION OF SAID DRIVE MEANS; (C) AND MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS OSCIALLATED WITH SAID AGITATOR FOR VARYING SAID PREDETERMINED PORTION OF DISCONNECTION.

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