Method and tool for pulling clutch from washing-machine motor

• US 5,349,736 A
• Filed: 02/26/1993
• Issued: 09/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensible Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sensible Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Hart, John, Rubino, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, PETER DUNG BA
• Application Number:
  US08/024,200
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 29/244, 29/245, 29/256, 29/258-261, 29/263-266, 29/274, 29/426.5, 29/898.08, 81/3.29, 81/3.36, 81/3.37
• US Class Current: 29/426.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/023 using screws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49822 by applying force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53861 Work-engager arms along or parallel to screw
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5387 Pivotal arms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53874 Pivotal grippers on screw

Abstract

A tool for pulling off the clutch mechanism of one specific make of washing machine. The tool has main mounting plate from each end off which passes therethrough an elongated screw. The mounting plate has an enlarged central hole for passing therethrough a large tubular member which is threaded on its outer circumferential surface, and which is hollow in it interior. The tubular member receives in its hollow interior the tubular sleeve of the clutch mechanism when the tool of the invention is used for pulling the clutch mechanism off from the drive shaft. At the bottom of tubular member, there is provided a larger-diameter head, having a pivotal latch. After placing the tubular member over the tubular sleeve, the pivotal latch is closed over cutout portion at the lower portion of the tubular sleeve, whereby the latch is thus in locked engagement with the tubular sleeve but free of contact with the inner drive shaft. The tool is then used by rotating a nut mounted on the upper end of the tubular member and above the mounting plate. Since the bottom heads of the two screws at the ends of the mounting plate are in contact against the motor housing, rotation of the nut causes the tubular member to be lifted up thereby, bringing along with the enlarged bottom head and tubular sleeve, and, therefore, the entire clutch mechanism along with it.

Claims

1. A tool for removing a clutch from a washing machine, comprising:

a mounting plate having a first end-portion and a second end-portion;

said mounting plate having an opening;

a bolt passing through said opening, said bolt having a threaded shank portion and a lower, enlarged end-portion, said bolt being movable in said opening, and having a hollow interior, and an open lower end for allowing entry into said hollow interior;

means operatively connected to said enlarged end-portion for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism;

said means for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism comprising a pivotal latch having a first end pivotally mounted to a first portion of said enlarged end-portion, and a second end, and means for selectively locking said second end of said latch to a second portion of said enlarged end-portion after said bolt has been telescopingly mounted over a tubular sleeve of a washing-machine clutch mechanism, whereby, when said enlarged end-portion is moved away from the clutch-mechanism, it pulls off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft.

3. The tool according to claim 1, wherein each of said end-portions has a hole formed therethrough;

and a pair of elongated screws, one said screw passing through one said hole, and the other said screw passing through the other said hole, each said screw having a lower end;

said lower ends of said screws and said bolt being positioned on the same side of said mounting plate;

a nut for said threaded shank portion of said bolt, said nut being positioned on the opposite side of said mounting plate as said lower ends of said screws and said bolt;

whereby, when said nut is rotated, said enlarged end-portion and said bolt are moved close to said mounting plate to thereby pull off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft, with said screws providing the reaction force.

2. The tool for removing a clutch from a washing machine according to claim 2, wherein said means for selectively locking said second end of said latch to a second portion of said enlarged end-portion comprises a first through-hole formed in said second end of said latch, and a retaining pin;

said second portion of said enlarged end-portion comprising a second through-hole for alignment with said first through-hole when said latch is moved to its closed, locking position;

said retaining pin passing through said first and second through-holes.

4. A tool for removing a clutch from a drive-mechanism for rotating the tumbler of a washing machine, said drive-mechanism comprising a drive-motor, a drive-shaft extending through a plate of said drive-motor and driven by said drive-motor, and a clutch-mechanism driven by said drive-motor by means of said drive-shaft, said clutch mechanism comprising a clutch-plate, and a tubular sleeve connected to said clutch plate, said tubular sleeve having a hollow interior for being telescopingly mounted over said drive-shaft for conjoint rotation therewith;

said tubular sleeve having a lower cutout-section having an upper step by which said drive-shaft is exposed, said tool comprising;

a tool operatively associated with said lower cutout-section and said upper step thereof for removing said clutch-mechanism from said washing machine;

said tool comprising a gripping section received in said lower cutout-section and in contact against said upper step, whereby said tool removes said clutch mechanism by pulling said clutch mechanism via said contact between said upper step and said gripping section, said gripping section comprising latch means, said latch means being selectively engaging and gripping said lower cutout-section of said tubular sleeve.

5. The tool according to claim 4, wherein said tool comprises:

a mounting plate having a first end-portion and a second end-portion;

said mounting plate having an opening;

a bolt passing through said opening, said bolt having a threaded shank portion and a lower, enlarged end-portion, said bolt being movable in said opening, and having a hollow interior, and an open lower end for allowing entry into said hollow interior;

means operatively connected to said enlarged end-portion for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism, whereby, when said enlarged end-portion is moved away from the clutch-mechanism, it pulls off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft;

said means for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism comprising a pivotal latch having a first end pivotally mounted to a first portion of said enlarged end-portion, and a second end, and means for selectively locking said second end of said latch to a second portion of said enlarged end-portion, after said bolt has been telescopingly mounted over a tubular sleeve of a washing-machine clutch mechanism, whereby, when said enlarged end-portion is moved away from the clutch-mechanism, it pulls off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft.

6. The tool according to claim 4, wherein said tool, comprises:

a mounting plate having a first end-portion and a second end-portion;

each of said end-portions having a hole formed therethrough;

a pair of elongated screws, one said screw passing through one said hole, and the other said screw passing through the other said hole, each said screw having a lower end;

said mounting plate also having a central opening;

a bolt passing through said central opening, said bolt having a threaded shank portion and a lower, enlarged end-portion, said lower ends of said screws and said bolt being positioned on the same side of said mounting plate, said bolt having a hollow interior, and an open lower end for allowing entry into said hollow interior;

a nut for said threaded shank portion of said bolt, said nut being positioned on the opposite side of said mounting plate as said lower ends of said screws and said bolt;

said gripping section comprising means for temporarily attaching said bolt to said tubular sleeve of said washing machine clutch-mechanism operatively connected to said enlarged end-portion, whereby when said nut is rotated, said enlarged end-portion and said bolt are moved close to said mounting plate to thereby pull off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft, with said screws providing the reaction force.

7. The tool according to claim 6, wherein said means for temporarily attaching said bolt to said tubular sleeve of said washing machine clutch-mechanism comprises a pivotal latch having a first end pivotally mounted to a first portion of said enlarged end-portion, and a second end, and means for selectively locking said second end of said latch to a second portion of said enlarged end-portion, after said bolt has been telescopingly mounted over said tubular sleeve of said washing-machine clutch mechanism.

8. The tool according to claim 7, wherein said means for selectively locking said second end of said latch to a second portion of said enlarged end-portion comprises a first through-hole formed in said second end of said latch, and a retaining pin;

said second portion of said enlarged end-portion comprising a second through-hole for alignment with said first through-hole when said latch is moved to its closed, locking position;

said retaining pin passing through said first and second through-holes.

9. The tool according to claim 6, wherein said means for temporarily attaching said bolt to said tubular sleeve of said washing machine clutch-mechanism comprises a locking plate having a first through-hole and a second through-hole;

and a pair of retaining screws, one said retaining screw for one said through-hole;

said enlarged end-portion of said bolt having a third through-hole for alignment with said first through-hole, and a fourth through-hole for alignment with said second through-hole;

one said retaining screw passing through said first and third through-holes, and the other said retaining screw passing through said second and fourth through-holes;

whereby, after said bolt has been telescopingly mounted over said tubular sleeve of said washing-machine clutch mechanism, said retaining screws are rotated to draw said locking plate toward said enlarged end-portion in order to locate said locking plate in a lower cutout-section of the tubular sleeve.

10. A method of removing a clutch-mechanism from a drive-shaft of a drive-mechanism for rotating the tumbler of a washing machine, said drive-mechanism comprising a drive-motor, a drive-shaft extending through a portion of the housing of said drive-motor and driven by said drive-motor, and a clutch-mechanism driven by said drive-motor by means of said drive-shaft, said clutch mechanism comprising a clutch-plate, and a tubular sleeve connected to said clutch plate, said tubular sleeve having a hollow interior for being telescopingly mounted over said drive-shaft for conjoint rotation therewith;

said tubular sleeve having a lower cutout-section having an upper step by which said drive-shaft is exposed, and a tool for removing said clutch-mechanism from said drive-shaft, said method comprising;

(a) telescopingly mounting a hollow member of said tool over the tubular sleeve;

(b) removably securing the hollow member to the tubular sleeve via the cutout-section of the tubular sleeve; and

(c) pulling up on the hollow member to pull off the tubular sleeve and the clutch plate attached thereto;

said step (b) comprising placing a latch-member underneath the upper step of the cutout-section, said step (c) comprising contacting an upper surface of the latch-member against the lower surface of said upper step.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said step (c) comprises pushing the tool against the motor housing to provide a reaction force, and then causing the hollow sleeve up.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the hollow member is a bolt, and the tool comprises an exteriorly-threaded bolt passing through a hole of a mounting plate, said step of causing the hollow sleeve up comprising rotating a nut on the end of the bolt projecting through the opening.

13. A tool for removing a clutch from a washing machine, comprising:

a mounting plate having a first end-portion and a second end-portion;

said mounting plate having an opening;

a bolt passing through said opening, said bolt having a threaded shank portion and a lower, enlarged end-portion, said bolt being movable in said opening, and having a hollow interior, and an open lower end for allowing entry into said hollow interior;

means operatively connected to said enlarged end-portion for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism, whereby, when said enlarged end-portion is moved away from the clutch-mechanism, it pulls off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft;

said means for temporarily attaching said bolt to a tubular sleeve of a washing machine clutch-mechanism comprising a locking plate having a first through-hole and a second through-hole; and

a pair of retaining screws, one said retaining screw for one said through-hole;

said enlarged end-portion of said bolt having a third through-hole for alignment with said first through-hole, and a fourth through-hole for alignment with said second through-hole;

one said retaining screw passing through said first and third through-holes, and the other said retaining screw passing through said second and fourth through-holes;

whereby, after said bolt has been telescopingly mounted over a tubular sleeve of a washing-machine clutch mechanism, said retaining screws are rotated to draw said locking plate toward said enlarged end-portion in order to locate said locking plate in a lower cutout-section of the tubular sleeve.

14. The tool according to claim 13, wherein each of said end-portions has a hole formed therethrough;

and a pair of elongated screws, one said screw passing through one said hole, and the other said screw passing through the other said hole, each said screw having a lower end;

said lower ends of said screws and said bolt being positioned on the same side of said mounting plate;

a nut for said threaded shank portion of said bolt, said nut being positioned on the opposite side of said mounting plate as said lower ends of said screws and said bolt;

whereby, when said nut is rotated, said enlarged end-portion and said bolt are moved close to said mounting plate to thereby pull off the tubular sleeve of the clutch-mechanism from engagement with the motor drive-shaft, with said screws providing the reaction force.