ROTARY-RADIAL ACTION WASHING MACHINE

• US 3,740,975 A
• Filed: 09/30/1970
• Issued: 06/26/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tina V. , Eureka, Cornelius
• Original Assignee: George W. Cornelius
• Inventors: Cornelius, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US05/076,880
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 68/18F,148,23.1,23.2,23.3,24 210/144,363,380
• US Class Current: 68/18.00F
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/065 ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/145 ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/22 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/24 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rotary washing machine which produces a radial flow washing action and includes a frame having a stationary tank mounted therein. A rotary inner basket is mounted within the stationary tank and is formed with a plurality of radially projecting passages for passage of washing fluid. Fluid directing means is interposed between the stationary tub and rotary inner basket for intercepting fluid propelled outwardly through such passages by centrifugal force to direct it back to the interior of the rotary tub for circulation back outwardly through the clothes and out through the passages to again be recirculated.

Claims

1. A rotary-radial action washing machine comprising:

a frame;

stationary tub means mounted on said frame for receiving a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid;

first mounting means for mounting said stationary tub means from said frame;

rotary inner basket means disposed in said stationary tub means for rotation at a selected speed and formed with an inlet and a washing chamber having a transverse cross-section that is substantially symmetrical about the rotary axis of said basket means and formed with an end wall having a washing itemretaining wall projecting therefrom and formed with through fluid circulation perforations for passage of said cleaning fluid, said retaining wall projecting at an angle with respect to said end wall which will cause said items to be retained thereagainst and submerged in said cleaning fluid when said basket is rotated at said selected speed;

radially projecting fluid accelerating means mounted on said retaining wall;

second mounting means mounting said rotary inner basket on said frame for full continuous rotation with respect to said stationary tub means;

said tub and basket means cooperating to form a return fluid passage leading from the radially outward end of said perforations past the exterior of said basket means to said inlet;

fluid directing means in said return fluid passage for intercepting fluid after it exits said perforations and directing it toward said inlet;

drive means coupled with said rotary inner basket means to rotate said rotary inner basket means continuously in onE direction for a predetermined period of time at said selected speed whereby said predetermined amount of cleaning fluid may be introduced in said tub means, said items to be washed placed therein, said drive means energized to rotate said rotary inner basket means at said selected speed to cause said items to be thrown centrifugally outwardly from said axis to be retained against said retaining wall and to cause said fluid accelerating means to accelerate said fluid to rotate with said basket means to be thrown centrifugally outwardly to flow through and around said items through said perforations and back through said return passage to be received by said fluid directing means and be directed back to said inlet for recirculation back through and around said items and through said perforations.

2. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said first mounting means includes suspension means for mounting said stationary tub means from said frame for radial movement relative thereto;

decelerating means coupled with said drive means for decelerating of said rotary inner basket; and

sensing means for sensing a predetermined amount of radial movement of said stationary tub means relative to said frame to actuate said decelerating means.

3. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said fluid directing means includes a stationary liner mounted between said stationary tub means and said rotary inner basket means and surrounding said rotary inner basket means, said stationary liner tub being formed with perforations for receiving fluid pumped outwardly by the rotating inner basket, said openings accepting said fluids and directing said fluids toward the inlet of said rotating inner basket.

4. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said second mounting means mounts said rotary inner basket means for rotation about a horizontally extending axis; and

said machine includes recirculation conduit means leading from the lower portion of said stationary tank means to the upper portion thereof and terminating in a discharge, pump means in said conduit means for pumping said fluid from the lower portion of said stationary tank means to said discharge.

5. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said second mounting means mounts said rotary inner basket means for rotation about a horizontally extending axis; and

said rotary inner basket means includes a plurality of radially projecting fins on the back wall thereof for directing said cleaning fluid radially outwardly toward said stationary tub means.

6. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a suction pump;

a conduit for connecting the intake of said suction pump with said tank; and

control means for actuating said suction pump to actuate said pump to draw soap suds from said basket.

7. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

reversing means connected with said drive means for intermittently reversing the direction of rotation of said basket to cause said items to tumble away from the walls of said basket and change the speed and direction of rotation of said basket relative to the speed and direction of rotation of said fluid to produce vigorously turbulent flow in said fluid to reposition said items in said basket.

8. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

means coupled with said drive means for intermittently changing the speed of rotation of said basket to alter the relative speed of rotation between said fluid and items and said basket to re-distribute said items in said basket.

9. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

conduit means connected with said tank and including valve means for draining fluid from said tank;

drain control means for opening said valve means to drain said tank for a spin cycle; and

means coupled with said driven means for intermittently changing the speed of said basket during said spin cycle to cause said items to tumble away from the wall of said basket to be redistributed and fluffed up.

10. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein;

said fluid accelerating means include fin means extending in the direction of said axis and projecting substantially the full length of said inner basket.

11. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said fluid directing means includes radially extending fluid intercepting means mounted in said stationary tub means for intercepting fluid flowing circularly outwardly through said perforations and extending toward said inlet and bending radially inwardly to direct such fluid substantially radially inwardly toward said inlet.

12. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

conduit means connected with the bottom of said stationary tub means and formed with return line means terminating in an inlet opening into said tank means;

filtering means in said conduit means;

pump means for circulating said fluid through said conduit means to filter said fluid.

13. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 12 wherein:

said conduit means includes a fluid directing valve shiftable to a first position to direct said fluid in one direction through said filter to circulate said fluid therethrough and to a second position to drain said fluid from said tank means and to direct said fluid through said filter in a direction opposite said one direction to wash the lint therefrom.

14. A rotary-radial action washing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said second mounting means mounts said basket means for rotation about a horizontally extending axis and said machine includes;

fluid directing means mounted from said stationary tank in confronting relationship with said inlet to project into said fluid return path to direct returning fluid into said inlet.