BULKHEAD MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR TUB SEAL AND DRIVE MECHANISM

• US 3,793,854 A
• Filed: 11/13/1972
• Issued: 02/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Byron L. Brucken
• Original Assignee: Byron L. Brucken
• Inventors: Brucken, Byron L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William I.
• Application Number:
  US05/305,946
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 68/23,23.2,23.3,23.4,23.5,23.6,23.7
• US Class Current: 68/23.7
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 13/00 Washing machines having receptacles, stationary for washing purposes, with agitators therein contacting the articles being washed plungers or the like adapted for removable mounting on receptacles D06F5/04

Abstract

A domestic clothes washer has an agitator in a nested pair of tubs. The inner tub is rotatable and the outer tub is generally fixed against rotation and adapted to contain water. The outer tub includes a bottom bulkhead having brackets thereon for supporting an agitating and spinning drive mechanism therebelow. The bulkhead also has a central boss forming a pocket for directly mounting a water seal and a guide surface for centering the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is substantially preassembled and properly oriented with respect to the clothes washer when it is attached to the brackets on the bulkhead. The portion of the mechanism for driving the inner tub and the agitator extends through the bulkhead in water-sealed relationship with the central boss by virtue of the water seal in the pocket.

Claims

1. In a domestic clothes washer, an outer tub having a bottom bulkhead adapted to contain washing fluid, an inner tub nested within said outer tub in spaced relation thereto and adapted for rotation within said outer tub, said inner tub having a central inner tub opening in the bottom thereof, an agitator adapted for movement within said inner tub and having a socket in line with said central opening in the inner tub, an agitating and spinning mechanism including spin drive shaft means for rotating said inner tub and agitate drive shaft means concentric with said spin drive shaft means for moving said agitator, both of said drive shaft means extending through said bulkhead into said outer tub, and a drive motor for driving said mechanism, the invention comprising an arrangement for mounting and sealing the agitating and spinning mechanism in substantially preassembled form beneath said outer tub, said arrangement comprising brackets welded to the outside of said bulkhead in relation thereto and a boss projecting from said bulkhead in the center thereof, said boss forming an outer tub opening in axial alignment with the central opening in said inner tub and the socket in said agitator, said boss having one portion forming a pocket around said outer tub opening and another portion forming a guide surface for said mechanism, said mechanism having a mechanism support including extended attachment arms fastened to said brackets in one manner only due to said relation of the brackets to orient said mechanism with respect to said drive motor, said mechanism support including a housing portion enclosing both of said drive shaft means where said drive shaft means extend through said bulkhead into said outer tub, said housing portion including locating means engaging the guide surface of said boss for centering the agitate drive shaft means with respect to the agitator socket and the spin drive shaft means with respect to the inner tub opening thereby to facilitate the attachment of said inner tub at said central opening to said spin drive shaft means and the attachment of said agitator to said agitate drive shaft means, and fluid seal means mounted directly to said bulkhead within said pocket, said fluid seal means circling the housing portion of said mechanism support and said outer tub opening where said drive shaft means extend through said bulkhead into said outer tub to form a fluid-tight jointure circumscribing said outer tub opening to contain washing fluid in the outer tub.

2. The mounting and sealing arrangement of claim 1 wherein the portion of said boss forming the guide surface for said mechanism is on the outside of said boss.

3. In a domestic clothes washer, an outer tub having a bottom bulkhead adapted to contain washing fluid, an inner tub nested within said outer tub in spaced relation thereto and adapted for rotation within said outer tub, said inner tub having a central inner tub opening in the bottom thereof, an agitator adapted for movement within said inner tub and having a socket in line with said central opening in the inner tub, said socket being smaller on a horizontal plane than mechanism central opening, an agitating and spinning mechanism including within said outer tub a spin shaft and inner tub support for rotating said inner tub and an agitate shaft concentric with said spin shaft for moving said agitator, and a drive motor for driving said mechanism, the invention comprising an arrangement for mounting and sealing the agitating and spinning mechanism in substantially preassembled form beneath said outer tub, said arrangement comprising three brackets welded to the outside of said bulkhead in relation thereto and a boss projecting from said bulkhead in the center thereof, said boss forming an outer tub opening in axial alignment with the central opening in said inner tub and the socket in said agitator, said boss having one portion forming a pocket around said outer tub opening and another portion forming a guide surface for said mechanism, said mechanism having a mechanism support including three extended attachment arms fastened to said brackets in one manner only due to said relation to orient said mechanism with respect to said drive motor, said mechanism support including a housing portion enclosing said spin and agitate shafts where said shafts extend through said bulkhead into said outer tub, said housing portion including locating means extending therefrom into engagement with the guide surface of said boss for centering the agitate shaft with respect to the agitator socket and the spin shaft with respect to the inner tub support and the inner tub opening thereby to facilitate the attachment of said inner tub support to said spin shaft, the attachment of said inner tub at said central opening to said inner tub support and the attachment of said agitator to mechanism agitate shaft, and fluid seal means mounted directly to said outer tub within said pocket, said fluid seal means circling the housing portion of said mechanism support where said mechansim support joins with said outer tub opening to form a fluidtight jointure between said housing portion and said outer tub opening to contain washing fluid in the outer tub.