US3494154A - Suds saver control - Google Patents

Description

. Feb. '10, 1970 T 'Z'SON ETAL 1 3,494,154

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sums SAVER CONTROL Feb. 10,1970

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1968 INVENTORS wmem 4m! 0 v RM! ATTORNEY United States Patcnt O 3,494,154 SUDS SAVER CONTROL John Tuzson, Evanston, and Herbert N. Underwood, Chicago, Ill., and Yunus E. Moochhala, Bombay, India, assignors to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 3, 1968, Ser. No. 733,902 Int. Cl. D06f 29/02, 33/02 U.S. Cl. 6823.4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for liquid treatment of materials which includes a hydraulic transmission utilizing a reversible electric motor to drive a hydraulic pump for supplying fluid under pressure to operate either an agitation operation, or a fluid extraction operation depending upon the direction of rotation of the electric motor. Also driven by the electric motor is a reversible fluid pump used, in one direction of rotation, to drain fluid from the machine either to a reservoir, if the treating fluid is to be saved and reused, or to drain. When the pump is operated in the other direction of rotation it is used to supply fluid to the machine from the reservoir. Declutching means are included to inactivate the agitation operation when fluid is being returned to the machine from the reservoir.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to automatic washing machines and more particularly to Washing machines utilizing a hydraulic transmission and a wash water storage and reuse system for storing the wash water after the washing operation and then returning it to the machine for use in a subsequent wash cycle.

It has been found beneficial in laundry machines such as, for example, in automatic household laundry machines to incorporate a Wash Water storage and reuse system commonly called a suds-saver system in which the sudsy Wash water used in the washing step of the machine cycle, may be passed into a suitable storage reservoir after the washing step is completed rather than being discharged to the drain. Normally, the washing step is followed by a fluid extraction or spin step, one or more rinsing steps and a second fluid extraction or spin-dry step. When the load of clothes has completed the cycle it will be removed from the machine and replaced by another load of dirty clothes.

At this point, the sudsy water is returned from the reservoir to the machine for washing the second load of clothes. This cycle can be repeated as many times as is desired but the extent of the reuse will generally be dependent upon the condition of the clothes being laundered.

It can readily be seen that by utilizing a system such as this an appreciable savings in both hot water and detergent may be realized. Care must be taken to insure that the agitator is inoperative until the sudsy water has been returned to the machine. If the agitator is operating with an insufficient amount of water present, it will have a tendency to tear and abrade the clothes, and overload the electric motor.

In conventional washing machines utilizing the suds saver system, the drain pump of the washing machine is used to pass the Wash water to the reservoir for storage. Suitable conduits and valve means are connected to the drain pump so that the pump will selectively communicate the Washing fluid either to the reservoir or to the drain.

Normally, the drain pump cannot be used to return the water from the reservoir to the machine and, therefore, a separate return pump is provided for that purpose with a. separate electric motor for driving the return pump.

3,494,154 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 The return pump is arranged with an inlet connected to the storage reservoir and with an outlet connected to the washing container of the machine and upon its operation is effective to withdraw the stored water from the reservoir and pass it back into the washing container.

The present invention eliminates the use of an extra pump and electric motor using instead a single pump to drain the clothes basket and later to convey the stored washing fluid from the reservoir to the clothes basket. The present invention further provides means to declutch the agitator from the agitator motor so that the agitator is temporarily deactivated when the washing fluid is being returned from the reservoir although the agitator motor continues to operate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a schematitic view of a clothes washer embodying the principles of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section view of the rotary actuator taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGURE 1, a fabric-treating machine is illustrated in the form of an automatic washing machine comprising a tub 10 adapted to hold a laundering fluid, a clothes container 11 and an oscillatory agitator 12. A hydraulic transmission 13 is provided for independently driving the clothes container 11, for effecting a centrifugal drying operation, herein referred to as the spin operation, or the oscillatory agitator 12. A reversible electric motor 16 is provided having a hydraulic pump 17 driven thereby and a power input 18 is illustrated for operating the motor 16. A control panel 19 consisting of six buttons appropriately labeled according to the function which they are intended to accomplish is schematically illustrated. In a washer installation this function would be performed by a timer switch mechanism of known construction. A sump 22 is provided for hydraulic fluid and is schematically illustrated for convenience at various places, although in the actual construction, one fluid sump is provided into which all the exhaust connections for various elements of the transmission exhaust hydraulic fluid.

Electric conductors 23 and 24 interconnect the power input 18 with the motor 16, the line 24 being a ground line. Conductor 25 connects the power input 18 to control panel 19. Control panel 19 is connected to the motor 16 by a conductor 26 in the agitate circuit and by a conductor 26a in the spin circuit.

A hydraulic spin motor 29 is provided to rotate the clothes container 11 When the hydraulic pump 17 is rotated in one direction of rotation. The spin motor illustrated is of the gerotor type but any other suitable hydraulic motor may be used. The spin motor 29 includes an outer rotor 30 and an inner rotor 31. The outer rotor has recesses 32 therein adapted to receive teeth 33 of the inner rotor 31. The inner rotor 31 is drivingly connected to a hollow shaft 36 which is connected to the clothes container 11 and thus, as the inner rotor 31 rotates, the clothes container 11 will rotate at the same speed as the inner rotor 31.

An oscillatory hydraulic agitator motor 37 is provided to oscillate the agita or 12 when the hydraulic pump 17 is operated in the other direction of rotation. The agitator motor 37 as illustrated in FIG. 2 is of the rotary actuator type and receives fluid from a reversing valve 38. The agitator motor 37 includes a rotary actuator 39 connected to a clutch member 40. The agitator 12 is connected to a clutch member 41 by means of a shaft 42 and splined connection 43 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Any combination of commonly used vane fluid motors and reversing valves may be used, for eirample, the type whose operation is described in copending application Ser. No. 538,436, now Patent No. 3,383,856 of common assignee.

Valve means 44 is provided to disconnect agitator motor 37 from the agitator 12, when the suds-saver feature is energized and when the hydraulic pump is operating in the agitate direction of rotation. The declutching means may be solenoid controlled and is electrically connected to the control panel 19 by conductor 45. Conductor 46 connects the valve means 44 with the power source 18.

A suds-saver selector switch 47 is provided in the circuit to enable the operator to energize the suds-saver feature when sudsy water is to be saved or to operate in a conventional manner when such water is to be drained and not reused. A conductor 48 electrically connects the selector switch 47 with power source 18.

A pair of contacts designated as yes 49 and no 50 cooperate with selector switch 47 to respectively establish a suds-saver circuit or a non-suds-saver circuit. Conductor 51 connects contact 49 to a solenoid 52. A conductor 53 connects contact 50 to control panel 19 as will be more fully described later.

A fluid conduit 54 connects the hydraulic pump 17 to valve means 44 and a fluid conduit 55 connects valve means 44 and the reversing valve 38, a conduit 56 connects valve means 44 to a clutch actuator 57. Conduit 54 is connected to the fluid sump 22 through a check valve 58, which allows fluid flow only in the direction from the sump 22 into fluid pump 17 and then to conduit 54. The reversing valve 38 communicate the fluid to the vane motor 37 alternately through fluid passages 59 or 60. Fluid is exhausted from the reversing valve 38 to sump 22 by means of fluid connections 61 or 62.

A fluid conduit 63 connects the hydraulic pump 17 to an inlet 64 of the spin motor 29. Conduit 63 is connected to the fluid sump 22 through a check valve 65 which allows fluid flow only in the direction from the sump 22 into pump 17 and then to conduit 63. Fluid under pressure is admitted to the spin motor 29 during the spin cycle through inlet 64 and in a known manner will act in the fluid chambers between the teeth 33 of the inner rotor 31 and the recesses 32 of the outer rotor 30 to spin the outer and inner rotors as fluid pressure is received. A conduit 66 is provided to exhaust fluid from the spin motor 29 to sump 22.

Valve means 44 includes a valve member 67, a spring 68 associated with said valve member, a poppet 69, and a spring 70 associated with said poppet.

A reversible liquid pump 71 is drivably connected to the electric motor 16 and operates to transfer the treating fluid between the tub 10, a fluid drain, and a fluid reservoir 72 provided for the purpose of storing the treating liquid during the spin operation.

Many types of fluid reservoirs are shown in the prior art including those which are an integral part of the washing machine housing and those which perform additional conditioning processes to the treating liquid while the liquid i stored in the reservoir. The most common reservoir employed, however, is the conventional laundry tub which is usually found in homes where automatic washing machines are used.

Fluid conduit 73 connects the liquid pump 71 and a diverter valve 74 controlled by the solenoid 52 and provided to selectively communicate the liquid pump 71 with either fluid reservoir 72 through conduit 75 or the fluid drain through a conduit 76. Fluid conduit 77 connects the water pump 71 and the tub 10.

The control panel 19 is shown as consisting of a series of pump buttons each button adapted to energize a circuit to perform a particular phase of the washing machine cycle. The machine cycle generally includes the following phases in this order: FILL, AGITATE, SPIN, FILL, RINSE, SPIN DRY.

Button 80 is abeled FILL and is operative to intro- 4 duce water into the tub 10. Button 90 is labeled AGI- TATE and is operative to oscillate the agitator 12. Button 100 is labeled SPIN and i operative to induce a r tation of clothes container 11. Button 110 is labeled FILL and is operative to introduce water into the tub 10. Button 120 is labeled RINSE and is operative to oscillate agitator 12. Button 130 is labeled SPIN DRY and is operative to rotate clothes container 11.

Button '80 is connected to the power source 18 by a conductor 81 and by conductor 25. Conductor 82 connects button and electric motor agitate conductor 26. Conductor 45 connects the button 80 and solenoid controlled valve means '44. Conductor 83 connects the button 80 and a pressure switch 84, the function of which will be described later. Pressure switch '84 is in communication with treating fluid contained in reservoir '72 through a conduit 85 extending from the pressure switch into the lower portion of the reservoir. A conductor 86 connects conductor 53 to a solenoid controlled valve 88 adapted to selectively admit fresh water from a supply source to tub 10. Conductor 89 connects pressure switch 84 and conductor 86.

Conductor 91 connects solenoid controlled valve 88 and FILL button 110. Conductor 92 connects FILL button 80 and conductor 91.

AGITATE button is connected to the power source 18 by a conductor 94 and conductor 25. Conductor 95 connects AGITATE button 90 and conductor 82 which is in turn connected to the electric motor 16 through conductor 26. Conductor 96 connects AGITATE button 90 to the solenoid 52 which is operative to control the diverter valve 74. Conductor 97 connects the conductor 96 with the FILL button 80.

SPIN button 100 is connected to conductor 25 'by a conductor 101, conductor 25 in turn being connected to power source 18. Conductor 102 connects SPIN button 100- and conductor 26a which in turn is connected to the electric motor 16. Conductor 103 connects SPIN button 100 and conductor 96.

FILL button is connected to the power source 18 through a conductor 111 and conductor 25. FILL button 110 is further connected to power source 18 through a conductor 112 and conductor 81. Conductor 53 connects FILL buton 110' to contact 50 and conductor 91 connects FILL button 110 with solenoid controlled valve 88.

RINSE button is connected to the power source 18 through a conductor 121 and conductor 25. RINSE button 120 is connected to conductor 26 and thereby electric motor 16 by a conductor 122.

SPIN DRY button is connected to the power source 18 through a conductor 131 and conductor 25. SPIN DRY button 130 is connected to conductor 26a and thereby electric motor 16 by a conductor 132.

The operation of the present invention in summary is as follows: when the first of a series of clothing loads is to be washed the soiled clothes are placed in clothes container 11. The suds-saver selector switch 47 is placed in its YES position cooperating with contact 49 if sudsy water is to be saved for subsequent reuse. If such water is not to be reused the selector switch 47 is placed in its NO position cooperating with contact 50.

FILL button 80 is then activated Through previously described electric circuitry and in a manner well known in the art, electric motor 16 and valve means 44 are thereby activated. Electric motor 16 rotates in a direction to cause hydraulic pump 17 to supply pressurized fluid to conduit 54. Valve means 44 is activated drawing valve member 67 upward against the force applied by spring 68. Poppet 69 will be forced to rise by spring 70 and will allow no fluid pressure to be communicated through conduit 56 to clutch actuator 57.

Fluid pressure will be communicated from pump 17 through conduits 54 and 55 to reversing valve 38 which will alternately supply conduits 59 and 60 causing oscilt lation of the rotary actuator 39. Since clutch members 40 and 41 remain biased apart no driving force will be transmitted to clutch member 41 or agitator 12.

The pressure switch 84 through its conduit 85 senses a lack of washing fluid in reservoir 72 and completes a circuit energizing solenoid controlled valve 88 permitting water to be communicated to tub until a predetermined amount has been delivered. At that point a water level switch (not shown) will close valve 88.

AGITATE button 90 will now be actuated which effects an opening of valve means 44. Valve 67 will be released through deenergization of the solenoid circuit and will contact poppet 69 through the force of spring 68 and cause poppet 69 to move downward allowing fluid communication between conduit 54, conduit 56 and clutch actuator 57. Clutch actuator 57 will act in a manner well known in the art forcing engagement of clutch members 40 and 41. The oscillations of rotary actuator 39 will now be transmitted to the agitator 12 through clutch member 41, splined connection 43 and shaft.42.

When the agitate cycle has been completed, the SPIN button 100 will be actuated. If the selector switch has been positioned in the YES position the diverter valve 74 will be oriented to connect conduit 73 and reservoir 72 through conduit 75 during the present operation and the two operations previously described. This is a result of energization of solenoid 52 through the appropriate circuitry.

Upon actuation of SPIN button 100, the electric motor 16 will reverse its direction of rotation with respect to agitation and the hydraulic pump 17 will supply fluid under pressure to conduit 63. The pressure fluid will be admitted to spin motor 29 causing rotation of the inner rotor 31 and the clothes container 11 connected thereto.

The water pump 71 would now be rotating in a direction operative to remove water from the tub 10- through conduit 77. If the suds-saver circuit is not energized as when selector switch 47 is in the NO position, the diverter valve 74 would connect conduit 73 to thefluid drain through conduit 76 and the fluid removed from the tub would be pumped to drain since there is no desire to reuse it.

If the suds-saver circuit were energized, the diverter valve would be oriented to connect conduit 73 and conduit 75 and the fluid removed from the tube 10 would be transferred to the reservoir 72 for subsequent reuse.

Upon completion of the spin cycle, the operator will actuate FILL button 110. The electric motor 16 will cease rotation and diverter valve 74 will be oriented to connect conduit 73 and drain irrespective of the position of selector switch 47. Solenoid controlled valve 88 will open admitting water to tub 10 until a predetermined amount has been admitted at which time valve 88 will close.

RINSE button 120 will be depressed next eflecting rotation of electric motor 16 in a direction such that hydraulic pump 17 will supply fluid under pressure to conduits 54, 55 and 56 eflecting oscillation of agitator 12 as previously described.

When the rinse operation has been completed, the operator will activate SPIN DRY button 130. Electric motor 16 will reverse directions with respect to agitation and rotate hydraulic pump 17 to supply fluid under pressure to conduit 63 operative to rotate clothes container 11 for centrifugal extraction. When this operation has been completed the electric motor will be shutoff.

When the clothes have been removed from the container 11 and replaced by a new load of clothes FILL button 80 will again be activated to start a new cycle.

Pressure switch 84 through its conduit 85 will sense whether or not washing fluid has been stored in reservoir 72. If such fluid has been stored solenoid controlled switch 88 will remain closed. Diverter valve 74 will be oriented to connect conduit 75 and 73. Electric motor 16 will be rotating in a direction to effect agitation and liquid pump 71 will draw washing fluid from reservoir 72 and supply same to tub 10 through conduit 77 for reuse resulting in a substantial savings in washing fluid and additives. Valve means 44 is closed as previously described allowing no fluid to flow from pump 17 through conduit 56, to clutch actuator 57, thereby preventing oscillation of agitator 12. This declutching of the agitator allows the washing fluid stored in the reservoir to be returned to the container without permitting agitation of the clothes in an insufficient amount of water and the consequent damage resulting therefrom. Subsequent steps in the washing cycle will be repeated in the same order.

Thus, it has been shown that the present invention advantageously provides a machine for liquid treatment of materials utilizing a hydraulic transmission and including a wash liquid storage and. reuse system for storing the washing liquid during the fluid extraction operation and then returning it to the machine for use in a subsequent operation resulting in substantial savings in washing liquid and necessary additives.

It has also been shown that the present invention advantageously provides a machine for liquid treatment of materials utilizing a hydraulic transmission and including a washing liquid storage and reuse system in which means are provided to deactivate the agitator of the machine while the stored washing fluid is being returned to the clothes container preventing the clothes being damaged by agitation in an insuflicient amount of washing liquid.

It has further been shown that the present invention advantageously provides a machine for liquid treatment of material including a washing liquid storage and reuse system in which a single pump is used for draining the washing fluid from the clothes container and later for re turning the fluid from a reservoir to the container, which pump is driven by the electric motor of the hydraulic transmission eliminating a separate return pump and a motor therefor.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically disclosed in the form of an automatic clothes washing machine using water as the washing fluid, it is to be understood that the principles of the invention could be as easily applied to other liquid treatment machines as is apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is to be given its broadest interpretation within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing apparatus including means for performing a washing operation and a liquid extraction operation, comprising a tub, agitation means within said tub, liquid extraction means within said tub, a reversible hydraulic pump in fluid communication with said agitation means and said extraction means, said pump being rotatable in a first direction to effect, through said agitation means, a washing operation and rotatable in a second direction to effect, through said extraction means an extraction operation, a reversible motor driving said hydraulic pump, conduit means connected to said tub for conducting washing liquid from said tub to an external drain, pump means communicating with said conduit means and operated by said reversible motor for pumping washing liquid toward said tub when said motor is rotated in said first direction during said washing operation and for pumping washing liquid from said tub when said motor is rotated in said second direction during said extraction operation, and clutch means operatively associated with said agitation means actuable to render said agitation means inactive when liquid is pumped toward said tub.

2. A washing apparatus as in claim 1 in which said clutch means is in fluid communication with said reversible hydraulic pump and is hydraulically actuated.

3. A washing apparatus as in claim 2 including valve means associated with said reversible hydraulic pump, said agitation means and said clutch means, said valve means eflective to interrupt fluid communication between said reversible hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means thereby rendering said agitation means inactive when washing liquid is pumped toward said tub.

4. A washing apparatus as in claim 3 in which said valve means includes electrical means adapted to shift said valve means into its communication interrupting position.

5. A washing apparatus as in claim 4 in which said valve means are normally biased open to allow fluid communication between said hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means but are adapted to be closed by said electrical means in response to a signal thereby rendering said agitation means inactive when washing liquid is pumped toward said tub.

6. A machine for liquid treatment of materials in a plurality of operations wherein treating liquid is stored from one treating operation for re-use during a subsequent treating operation including a container, a drain for said container, means for manipulation of said materials in said container, means for extracting liquid from said materials, a fluid drive system operably associated with said manipulating means and said extraction means for operation thereof, said fluid drive system including: a reversible electric motor; a reversible hydraulic pump, having an inlet and an outlet, said hydraulic pump being connected to said electric motor and adapted to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure for operation of said manipulating means in one direction of rotation of said motor and for operation of said extracting means in the other direction of rotation of said motor; a reservoir for storing treating liquid, a reversible fluid pump connected to said electric motor and adapted to transfer liquid from said reservoir to said container or from said container depending on the direction of rotation of said electric motor, first valve means adapted to communicate liquid between said reservoir and said container or between said container and said drain, clutch means operatively associated with said manipulating means actuable to inactivate said manipulating means during the transfer of treating liquid from said reservoir to said container.

7. A machine for liquid treatment of materials as in claim 6 wherein said clutch means is in fluid communication with said reversible hydraulic pump and is hydraulically actuated.

8. A machine for liquid treatment of materials as in claim 7 including second valve means associated with said reversible hydraulic pump, said manipulating means and said clutch means, said second valve means efiective to interrupt fluid communication between said reversible hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means thereby rendering said manipulating means inactive when treating liquid is pumped toward said container.

9. A machine for liquid treatment of materials as in claim 8 wherein said second valve means includes electrical means adapted to shift said second valve means into its communication interrupting position.

10. A machine for liquid treatment of materials as in claim 9 in which said second valve means are normally biased open to allow fluid communication between said hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means, but are adapted to be closed by said electrical means in response to a signal thereby rendering said agitation means inactive during the transfer of liquid from said reservoir to said container.

11. A washing apparatus for performing at least one washing operation and one fluid extraction operation and capable of cooperating with a fluid reservoir for storing washing fluid from one operation for re-use during a subsequent operation, including a fluid reservoir, means for performing said Washing and extraction operations, including a tub, agitation means and extraction means within said tub, a reversible hydraulic pump in fluid communication with said agitation means and said extraction means, said pump rotatable in a first direction to effect through said agitation means a washing operation and rotatable in a second direction to eflect through said extraction means an extraction operation, conduit means connected to said tub for interconnecting said tub and said reservoir, a reversible fluid pump communicating with said conduit means for pumping Washing fluid from said reservoir toward said tub when said fluid pump is rotated in said first direction of rotation during said washing operation and for pumping washing fluid from said tub when said fluid pump is rotated in said second direction during said extraction operation, a reversible motor driving said hydraulic pump and said fluid pump, and clutch means operatively associated with said agitation means actuable to render said agitation means inactive when washing fluid is being pumped from said fluid reservoir to said tub.

12. A Washing apparatus as in claim 11 in which said clutch means is in fluid communication with said hydraulic pump and is hydraulically actuated.

13. A Washing apparatus as in claim 12 including valve means associated with said reversible hydraulic pump, said agitation means and said clutch means, said valve means effective to interrupt fluid communication between said reversible hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means, thereby rendering said agitation means inactive when fluid is being pumped from said fluid reservoir to said tub.

14. A washing apparatus as in claim 13 in which said valve means includes electrical means adapted to shift said valve means into its communication interrupting position.

15. A washing apparatus as in claim 14 in which said valve means are normally biased open to allow fluid communication between said hydraulic pump and said hydraulically actuated clutch means, but are adapted to be closed by said electrical means in response to a signal, thereby rendering said agitation means inactive when fluid is being pumped from said fluid reservoir to said tub.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 6823.7

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