Manual washer

A manually operated washing machine, comprising:

• a tub;
• a basket movably associated with the tub;
• an independent, detachable handle with an independent internal drive mechanism;
• a single elongated power transfer drive shaft that includes a first end mechanically fixed to a power transfer portion a rotatable intermediate power transfer member;
• the power transfer drive shaft includes a second end directly mechanically fixed to a drive hub of the basket;
• the handle detachably couples with the power transfer drive shaft via a power receiver portion of the rotatable intermediate power transfer member;
• wherein:
• during a wash and rinse cycle laundry is agitated in part by an agitator assembly, comprising:
• an outer agitator member positioned over an inner agitator member;
• a clutch mechanically connected to a first distal end of the inner agitator member and operatively engaging and disengaging the outer agitator member;
• a drive-shim link mechanically connected to a second distal end of the inner agitator member and the drive hub of the basket;
• wherein:
• bidirectional rotations of the basket by the power transfer drive shaft generate a first agitating force that bidirectionally moves laundry floating within water;
• rotation of the basket in a first direction of the bidirectional rotation causes a one-way rotation of the outer agitator member due to the operative engagement of the clutch with the outer agitator member;
• the one-way rotation of the outer agitator member generates an additional second agitating force that moves laundry through a full revolution around a first axis, while further generating an additional third agitating force, which rotates laundry at a second axis, perpendicular the first axis;
• rotation of the basket in a second direction, opposite the first direction disengages the clutch from the outer agitator member allowing the outer agitator member to free-float while laundry is moved bidirectionally due to continued application of the first agitating force;
• wherein:
• the laundry is moved bidirectionally while moving through a full revolution around the first axis and the second axis due to first, second, and third agitating forces;
• and
• a spin cycle that generally extracts excess water from laundry;
• wherein:
• the basket is unidirectionally rotated by the actuations of the handle drive mechanism of the handle coupled with the power transfer drive shaft.

A manually operated washing machine, comprising:

• a tub;
• a basket movably associated with the tub;
• an agitator assembly associated with the basket;
• an independent, detachable handle with an independent internal drive mechanism;
• a single elongated power transfer drive shaft with polygonal profile that includes a first end mechanically fixed to a commensurately configured power transfer portion of a rotatable intermediate power transfer member;
• the power transfer drive shaft includes a second end directly mechanically fixed to a drive hub of the basket;
• the handle detachably couples with the power transfer drive shaft via a power receiver portion of the rotatable intermediate power transfer member;
• in a first mode of operations for wash and rinse cycles for washing and rinsing, laundry the power transfer drive shaft is driven by:
• an in-plane motion of the handle rotated, back-and forth between a first and second angles to actuate the basket in the first mode of operation;
• wherein:
• the basket in the first mode of operation is rotated bidirectionally in a back-and-forth motion while the power transfer drive shaft is pivoted bidirectionally in back-and-forth by the motion of the handle;
• and
• in a second mode of operations for spin cycle for spinning for generally extracting excess water from laundry the power transfer drive shaft is driven by:
• an axial motion of the handle along a longitudinal axis of the handle, which actuates the handle internal drive mechanism to actuate the basket in a second mode of operation;
• wherein:
• the basket in the second mode of operation is unidirectionally rotated by the actuations of the handle drive mechanism;
• the laundry is further agitated by the agitator assembly, comprising:
• an outer agitator member positioned over an inner agitator member;
• a clutch mechanically connected to a first distal end of the inner agitator member, with the clutch including a set of clutch-dogs that operatively engage and disengage the outer agitator member;
• a drive-shim link mechanically connected to a second distal end of the inner agitator member and a drive hub of the basket:
• wherein:
• bidirectional rotations of the basket by the power transfer drive shaft generate a first agitating force that bidirectionally moves laundry floating, within water;
• the rotation of the basket in a first direction of the bidirectional rotation causes a one-way rotation of the outer agitator member due to the operative engagement of the clutch-dogs with the outer engagement member;
• the one-way rotation of the outer agitator member generates an additional second agitating force that moves laundry through a full revolution around a first axis, while further generating an additional third agitating force, which rotates laundry at a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis;
• rotation of the basket in a second direction, opposite the first direction disengages the clutch dogs from the outer agitator member allowing the outer agitator member to free-float while laundry is moved bidirectionally due to continued application of the first agitating force;
• wherein:
• the laundry is moved bidirectionally while moving through a full revolution around the first axis and the second axis due to first, second, and third agitating forces.