Shipping mount and suspension system for appliance

• US 3,912,207 A
• Filed: 07/30/1974
• Issued: 10/14/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph August Gauer
• Original Assignee: Joseph August Gauer
• Inventors: Gauer, Joseph August
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Application Number:
  US05/493,028
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 248/25,24,20,119R,188.4 206/320
• US Class Current: 248/561
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/067 using only wound springs

Abstract

A combination shipping mount and spring suspension system for an appliance comprising at least one suspension assembly which includes a compression spring connected between upper and lower spring mounts. The lower spring mount extends through and is connected to the base of the appliance and the upper mount is connected to the suspended mechanism. The upper mount carries a clip means for releasably gripping a rod which extends through the center of the spring and lower mount such that upon compression of the spring the suspension is placed in a locked, hold-down state. The rod is carried by a member threadedly engaged into the lower mount and is released from engagement with the clip means upon rotation of the threaded member so that the suspension assembly is released to a free state. The threaded member carries a foot portion which is adapted for contacting a supporting surface and may be utilized as a leveling device for the appliance.

Claims

1. A combined suspension and hold-down element for an appliance having a suspended tub assembly and a base, and designed to stand on a supporting surface, said suspension and hold-down element comprising:

a suspension member having opposite first and second end portions and a free state and a fully compressed state, said suspension member connected between said suspended portion and said base of the appliance;

rod means restrained relative to said first end portion and extending toward said second end portion of said suspension member;

clip means associated with said second end portion of said suspension member for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means to release said rod means; and

a foot member for supporting the appliance on a supporting surface, including means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively causing relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage the rod means when the suspension member is forced to its compressed state, said suspension member being thereby locked in its compressed state until relative rotation occurs between said rod means and said clip means to release said rod means.

2. A combined suspension and hold-down element for an appliance designed to stand on a supporting surface, comprising:

a suspension member with opposite end portions and having a free state and a fully compressed state, one of said end portions being adapted for attachment to the appliance and the other of said end portions adapted for contacting said supporting surface;

rod means restrained relative to one of said end portions and extending toward the other of said end portions of said suspension element;

clip means for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means to release said rod means; and

rotatable means carried by one of said end portions for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively causing a relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage the rod means when the suspension member is forced to its compressed state, said suspension member being thereby locked in its compressed state until relative rotation occurs between said rod means and said clip means to release said rod means.

3. A combined suspension and hold-down element for connection between two parts of an appliance which are movable relative to each other, comprising:

a spring member with opposite end portions and having a free and a fully compressed state; and

fastening means for locking said spring member in the compressed state, said fastening means including a first mounting member having a first end portion for attachment to one of the parts of the appliance and a second end portion attached to one end portion of the spring member, a second mounting member having a first end portion attAched to the other end portion of the spring and a second end portion for attachment to the other part of the appliance, rod means extending between the first and second mounting members and restrained against axial and rotary movement relative to said first mounting member, clip means mounted at the second of said mounting members for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to rotation of said rod means relative to said clip means to release said rod means, and means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively rotating said rod means relative to said clip means to cause the releasing of said rod means, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage and grip the rod means when the spring member is forced to its compressed state, said spring member being thereby locked in its fully compressed state until said rod means is rotated relative to said clip means to release said rod means.

4. The combined suspension and hold-down element as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively causing a relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means to cause the releasing of said rod means includes a foot member for supporting the appliance;

said first mounting member has a hollow center portion extending axially along its length including a threaded lower portion for threadedly receiving said foot member;

said rod means includes a shaft portion extending from said foot member and also includes means for preventing the relative rotation between said shaft member and said foot member; and

said clip means includes an apertured clip retained adjacent the second mounting member with said aperture facing said shaft portion of said rod means, the perimeter of said aperture including a lip portion defining a thread, whereby the rod member penetrates the aperture when the spring member is fully compressed and the foot member is fully threaded into the first mounting member, said lip portion gripping said rod member to lock said spring member in its fully compressed state, and the partial unthreading of said foot member from said first mounting member causes relative rotation between said rod member and said clip and the consequent unthreading and releasing of said rod member by said clip to release said spring member to its free state.

5. The combined suspension and hold-down element as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second mounting members each include a threaded portion and wherein said spring member includes a coil spring having its opposite end portions threadedly engaged with respective ones of said threaded portions of said first and second mounting members.

6. The combined suspension and hold-down element as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rod means comprises a shaft portion and said clip means includes an aperture for receiving said shaft portion in one direction along its longitudinal axis and lip means disposed in an interference relationship with said shaft portion to prevent non-rotating movement of said shaft in the opposite direction.

7. A combined suspension and hold-down element for connection between two parts of an appliance which are movable relative to each other, comprising:

a spring member with opposite end portions and having a free state and a fully compressed state; and

fastening means for locking said spring member in the compressed state, said fastening means including a first mounting member having a first end portion for attachment to one of the parts of the appliance and a second end portion attached to one end portion of the spring member, a second mounting member having a first end portion attached to the other end portion of the spring and a second end portion for attachment to the other part of the appliance, rod means extending between the first and second mounting members and restrained relative to said first mounTing member, clip means mounted at the second of said mounting members for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to rotation of said rod means relative to said clip means to release said rod means, and means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively rotating said rod means relative to said clip means to cause the releasing of said rod means, said rod means including a non-circular head, the means for selectively permitting engagement of said rod means including an appliance supporting foot having a contact surface including means defining a non-circular recess in said supporting surface for receiving said head and means covering said recess to retain said head within said recess, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage and grip the rod means when the spring member is forced to its compressed state, said spring member being thereby locked in its fully compressed state until said rod means is rotated relative to said clip means to release said rod means.

8. A combined suspension and hold-down element for connection between two parts of an appliance which are movable relative to each other, comprising:

a spring member with opposite end portions and having a free state and a fully compressed state; and

fastening means for locking said spring member in the compressed state, said fastening means including a first mounting member having a first end portion for attachment to one of the parts of the appliance and a second end portion attached to one end portion of the spring member, a second mounting member having a first end portion attached to the other end portion of the spring and the second end portion for attachment to the other part of the appliance, rod means extending between the first and second mounting members and restrained relative to said first mounting member, clip means mounted at the second of said mounting members for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to rotation of said rod means relative to said clip means to release said rod means, and means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means and for selectively rotating said rod means relative to said clip means to cause the releasing of said rod means, the means for selectively permitting engagement of said rod means including means defining a non-circular recess therein and said rod means including a non-circular head disposed in said non-circular recess, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage and grip the rod means when the spring member is forced to its compressed state, said spring member being thereby locked in its fully compressed state until said rod means is rotated relative to said clip means to release said rod means.

9. The combined suspension and hold-down element as claimed in claim 8, comprising means covering said non-circular recess to retain said rod means therein.

10. A combined suspension and hold-down element for an appliance including:

a spring member with opposite end portions and having a free and a fully compressed state; and

fastening means for locking the spring member in the compressed state, said fastening means comprising;

a first mounting member having an upper end portion for attachment to the appliance and a lower end portion attached to one end portion of the spring member, a second mounting member having an upper end portion attached to the other end portion of the spring and a lower end portion, rod means extending between the first and second mounting members, clip means associated with said first mounting member for releasably gripping said rod means and responsive to relative rotation between said rod means and said clip means to release said rod means, and means for selectively permitting the engagement of said rod means by said clip means, for restraining said rod means against rotation and axial movement relative to said second mounting member, and for selectively rotating said rod means with respect to said clip means to cause the releasing of said rod means, whereby the clip means is selectively caused to engage and grip the rod means when the spring member is forced to its compressed state, said spring member being thereby locked in its fully compressed state until said rod means is rotated with respect to said clip means to release said rod means.

11. In an appliance of the type wherein a spring is connected between the frame of the appliance and a suspended part of the appliance to support the suspended part, and a hold-down device is provided to lock the spring in a compressed state for transport of the appliance, the improvement wherein the holddown device comprises:

rod means;

rotatable means connected to the frame and holding said rod means against movement toward the suspended part and against rotation relative said rotatable means; and

clip means connected to the suspended part and including holding means for receiving said rod means and gripping said rod means against non-rotational movement away from the suspended part upon the application of a force on the suspended part to compress the spring, said holding means defining a helical path of movement of said rod means away from the suspended part upon rotation of said rotatable means.