Wobble washing machine

Abstract

An automatic washing machine of the fresh water flow through, vertical axis, wobble type has a dynamic system which includes a single imperforate wash basket arranged for rotation and oscillation about its vertical axis and a diametrically opposed set of masses arranged for rotation about the same vertical axis. A hollow vertical shaft couples the rotatable wash basket and the rotatable mass system to a shifting nodal point, damped gyratory suspension system mounted upon the cabinet base. During the washing operation, the basket is prevented from rotation and oscillatory motion is transferred thereto as a result of the rotation of the system of masses. The system of masses is only slightly statically unbalanced but the members are vertically offset with respect to each other such that they form a dynamically unbalanced couple, the effect of vibration of which is to cause turnover and simultaneous circumverential tumbling of clothes placed within the wash basket. During the centrifugal water extraction process, the mass system is prevented from rotation and the wash basket is rotated at high speed. Water removed from the clothing travels to an annular chamber formed along the bottom portion of the wash basket so as to counter any unbalance formed as a result of the clothing being off-center. The system of masses during this process serves to further counter any unbalance resulting from the rotation of the basket. A reversible electric motor is vibrationally isolated from the dynamic system and is coupled through a centrifugal clutch such that rotational motion is transferred to the basket and the mass system respectively through a flexible coupling and a spring clutch system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.