US3570272A - Water saver and suds lock elimination system for washing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A WASHING MACHINE IS PROVIDED WITH AN OUTER FLUID CONTAINING TUB, AN INNER CONCENTRIC SPINNER TUB FOR RECEIVING CLOTHES TO BE WASHED ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN THE OUTER TUB, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AND REMOVING WATER FROM THE OUTER TUB, A NOZZLE FOR SPRAYING WATER INTO THE SPINNER TUB AND

CONTROL MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY ACTING ON A MEANS FOR ROTATING THE INNER TUB AND A MEANS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO THE NOZZLE TO SEQUENTIALLY ROTATE THE INNER TUB AND SPRAY WATER THEREIN TO REMOVE SUDS AND RINSE THE CLOTHES.

Description

INVENTOR Peyton W. Douglas P. W. DOUGLAS FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Oct. 10, 1968 March 16, 1971 United States Patent 3,570,272 WATER SAVER AND SUDS LOCK ELIMINATION SYSTEM FOR WASHING MACHINES Peyton W. Douglas, Bemus Point, N.Y., assignor to Blackstone Corporation Filed Oct. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 766,390 Int. Cl. D0615 23/04, 33/02 US. CI. 68-12 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A washing machine is provided with an outer fluid containing tub, an inner concentric spinner tub for receiving clothes to be washed rotatably mounted in the outer tub, means for introducing and removing water from the outer tub, a nozzle for spraying water into the spinner tub and control means simultaneously acting on a means for rotating the inner tub and a means for supplying water to the nozzle to sequentially rotate the inner tub and spray water therein to remove suds and rinse the clothes.

This invention relates to a water saver and suds lock elimination system for washing machines and particularly to a washing machine which eliminates the problem of suds lock while providing a more eflicient rinsing system for washed clothes.

A very significant problem with automatic washers, both vertical type and horizontal type, is suds locking in the spin and drain cycle to a point where the soap or detergent suds never leave the outside collector tank and as a result are returned to the basket and to the clothes during the deep rinse cycle following the wash cycle. Clothes which have been subject to suds locking leave the washer with a significant amount of washing agent left in the clothes. This is a most undesirable condition because clothes which carry over washing agent from the washing machine are discolored in a clothes dryer. This condition of suds lock occurs as a result of the fact that suds remain in the outside tank as the water drains out first leaving a. head of suds between the tank and the inner tub or basket. When the inner tub or basket is rotated at high speed in the extraction step it churns and aerates the suds increasing the suds volume like whipping cream in a blender. This not only slows down the inner tub but increases the suds volume to an overflow state which is impossible to remove during the rinsing cycle. These suds are then distributed into the colthes during the subsequent deep rinse.

I have invented a water saver and suds lock elimination system for washing machines which overcomes this problem. This is accomplished by spraying both the clothes and the suds with water at properly spaced intervals immediately following the washing operation in conjunction with properly spaced spin or extraction cycles.

Preferably I provide a washing machine having a substantially stationary fluid containing tub, a perforate spinner basket for receiving clothes to be washed and centrifugally dried rotatably mounted within said tub, a washing agitator within said basket, means for selectively operating said washing agitator and said spinner basket to successively wash clothes in said basket and thereafter centrifugally dry the same, means for removing water from said tub during the operation of said spinner basket, nozzle means for spraying water into said basket, means for supplying water to said nozzle means and control means simultaneously acting on said means for operating the spinner basket and means for supplying water to said nozzle to sequentially spin the basket, stop the basket, spin the basket and introduce water into the basket through said nozzle to provide a spin rinse, stop the basket and water supply, spin the basket and again introduce water 3,570,272. Patented Mar. 16, 1971 into the basket through said nozzle to provide a deep rinse, stop the basket and water supply and finally spin the basket without adding water until the clothes are centrifugally dried. Alternatively, the control means may be such as to omit all stops following the wash stop and to omit the deep rinse and final spin to provide a short cycle using less water and time. The control means may provide for both with a manual switch to permit the operator to select one or the other. Preferably the nozzle means produces a spray onto the clothes in the basket and the suds accumulated or remaining in the basket and tub. Preferably the control means acting simultaneously on the means for operating the spinner basket and the means for supplying water to said nozzle is a sequential timer acting on an electric motor driving the spinner basket and a solenoid valve in the means for supplying water to said nozzle means. The control means is preferably set, in the water saver cycle, sequentially to cause the spinner basket first to spin for about one minute, spin and spray for about one and one-half minutes, spin without spray for one-half minute, spin and spray for about one-half minute and finally spin alone for about five and one-half minutes. In the regular cycle a deep rinse is inserted after the spray rinse and prior to the final spin. By centrifugally dry as used herein I do not mean absolutely dry but to the level of dryness ordinarily attained in extraction or spin dry washers.

By the system of my invention I am able to reduce both the amount of water and the total time of a washing operation by /3 or more while at the same time completely eliminating the carry-over of washing agent on the clothes from the washing machine to the dryer and this eliminates the discoloration which has heretofore created problems in washing.

In the foregoing general description I have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of my invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages Will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a washing machine embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a control system for the machine of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a second control system for the machine of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a washing machine having an outer housing 10 supporting an outer tub 11. An inner perforate concentric spinner basket 12 is mounted within tub 11 on sleeve 13 extending through bearing seal 14 in tub 11. A shaft 15 extends through sleeve 13 and carries an agitator 16 within basket 12. Through suitable mechanism contained within casing 17 the shaft 15 is oscillated to oscillate agitator 16 to perform the washing operation and the sleeve 13 is rotated to rotate the spinner basket 12 for centrifugal drying. A suitable mechanism for performing this is shown in my Pat. 3,215,232 issued Nov. 2, 1965 and will not be described in detail here. The mechanism in casing 17 is driven by an electric motor 18 as described in said Pat. 3,215,232.

Water is supplied to the machine through a conduit 19 and is recirculated within the machine or discharged from the machine by pump 20 operated by motor 18 all as described in my Patent 3,136,254.

When the washing operation is concluded, timer 21 reverses the direction of motor 18 causing sleeve 13 to rotate which in turn rotates basket 12. At the same time pump 20 is reversed to pump the water from tub 11. When the water has been pumped out (about one minute) and before the suds are beaten up to an excessive degree the motor 18 is stopped by timer 21 to permit the suds to settle and deaerate (about one-half minute). At this point motor 18 is again started in the centrifugal drying drying direction to rotate sleeve 13 and basket 12 and at the same time valve 22 in line 23 leading to nozzle 24 is energized to open the valve, both by timer 25. Basket 12 is rotated by motor 18 and at the same time motor 18 drives pump 20 to discharge water from the tub. At the same time water is sprayed from nozzle 24 into basket 12 onto the clothes contained therein until the suds disappear and the washing solution is rinsed from the clothes and both have been discharged from the machine by pump 20 (about one to two minutes). Timer 25 then closes valve 22 while continuing to hold the motor 18 in operation to centrifugally dry the clothes by continued rotation of basket 12.

In FIG. 3 I have shown a second control sequence in which I break up the spray of water into two operations for most effecting rinsing. In this embodiment the operation is exactly as described above to the point where water is sprayed into basket 12 through nozzle 24 until the suds and washing fluid are removed, and like numerals are used with a prime sign to identify like parts. However, at this point, the timer 25' stops both the basket rotation and the flow of water by de-energizing motor 18' and valve 22 to permit the clothes to drain for a short period (half-minute) rather than stopping only the water spray. A timer 26' then re-energizes both the valve 22' and motor 18 causing the basket to spin and water to spray from nozzle 24 through the clothes for a second short period (about one-half minute) whereupon the valve 22' is deenergized and motor 18' continues to spin basket 12 to centrifugally damp dry the clothes (about 5 minutes).

Alternatively I may provide a parallel normal spray rinse and deep rinse cycle with a manual switch 30 between the controls for such normal cycle and the controls for either of the cycles disclosed in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 or FIG. 3. This alternating system is shown inchain line in FIG. 2. In this regular cycle a timer 31 operates valve 22 and motor 18 to spray water onto the clothes during a spin cycle. The tub is stopped and water is sprayed in to provide a deep rinse, the motor 18 is then operated to drive agitator 16 for a short period, then reversed to pump out the water and spin dry the clothes.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A washing machine having a substantially stationary 4 fluid containing tub, a spinner basket for receiving clothes to be washed and centrifugally dried rotatably mounted in said tub, a washing agitator within said basket, means for selectively operating said washing agitator and said spin ner basket to successively wash clothes in said basket and thereafter centrifugally dry the same, means for removing water from said tub during the operation of said spinner basket, nozzle means for spraying water into said basket, means for supplying water to said nozzle means, a pair of separate control means, one simultaneously acting on said means for operating the spinner basket and means for supplying water to said nozzle to sequentially spin the basket and operate the means for removing water, spin the basket and introduce water into the basket through -said nozzle while operating the means for removing water until substantially all wash fluid is removed from clothes in said basket, then stop the introduction of water through the nozzle means while continuing the basket spin and water removal and finally stopping the basket spin and water removal when the clothes are damp dry, the other control means simultaneosuly acting on said means for operating the spinner basket and means for supplying water to the nozzle to sequentially spin the basket and operate the means for removing water, spin the basket and introduce water into the basket through said nozzle while operating the means for removing water, then fill the tub for a deep rinse, remove the deep rinse water and then spin the basket and operate the means for removing water until the clothes are damp dry and means for selectively energizing one of said pair of separate controls.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for selectively operating said washing agitator and spinner basket is a reversing electric motor and bi-directional clutch drive.

3. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control means is a sequential electric timer circuit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM I. PRICE,

U.S. Cl. X.R.

Primary Examiner

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