US 3,939,674 AGranted

Suspension mounting assembly for automatic washers

AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation

InventorsJames I. Czech, Roy C. Oakley, Jr.

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A vertical axis washing machine characterized by a washing receptacle and drive means supported by three or more suspension element assemblies which each comprise a coil spring and an upper and lower mounting member each having a projection telescopically received in the respective end of the spring. During a washing cycle, the addition of washing liquid to the receptacle causes vertical displacement of the springs so that the projections on the upper and lower mounting members engage each other to provide a substantially solid support for the receptacle. With removal of the washing liquid from the receptacle, the spring forces raise the upper projection from the lower projection to eliminate the aforementioned support but the assemblies will to some extent, snub horizontal movement and dampen any simultaneous vertical movement, especially during excursion of the receptacle as the rotational frequency of the receptacle during an extraction cycle passes through the "critical" or natural frequency of the suspended system. A vertical attitude of the washing receptacle is attained despite the fact that its center of gravity is not located at its geometric center by providing the suspension element assemblies with differing spring rates by varying the number of free coils of a spring in each of the suspension element assemblies.

Claims8

Dependent claims

In an automatic wash machine having a cabinet, a cabinet base, and a rotatable receptacle assembly within said cabinet for spin drying laundry therein,

a suspension means for suspending said receptacle assembly within said cabinet and above said base,
said suspension means being formed by a plurality of vertically oriented spring assemblies each extending between a pair of machine members composed of said receptacle assembly and said cabinet base,
each of said spring assemblies comprising,
a helical spring having a pair of opposed end regions,
an end member attached to each of said end regions,
each of said end members further being connected to a different one of said machine members,
said receptacle assembly suspended by the springs constituting a displaceable system subject to horizontal excursion during unbalanced rotatable spin drying,
one of said end members having a projection with a free end thereof extending into the coils longitudinally
within a portion of said helical spring, the outer side surface portions of said projection normally being spaced from the inner surface portions of said helical spring in the absence of any substantial horizontal displacement of said receptacle assembly and affording no vertical dampening when so spaced,
said outer side surface portions of said projection being engageable with said inner surface portions of said helical spring for sliding frictional contact therebetween beginning adjacent said free end of said projection in response to substantial horizontal displacement of said receptacle assembly to oppose and dampen vertical forces acting on the receptacle assembly, and
the degree to which vertical forces are opposed and dampened increasing proportionately as a function of the magnitude of such horizontal movement.
thereby to contribute to preventing the receptacle assembly from contacting the cabinet.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/419,128Filed 26 Nov 1973 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Jan 1973
Granted: 24 Feb 1976
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

F16F 3/12
Combined with springs made of steel or other material having low internal friction: the steel spring being in contact with the rubber spring
D06F 37/24
Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations: in machines with a…
F16F
Springs
D06F
Laundering, drying, ironing, pressing or folding textile articles