Friction damper, in particular for washing machines with spin cycle

A friction damper, for a washing machine with a spin cycle, consisting of a housing (1, 1') having a substantially circular cylindrical inner wall (24) with a diameter D, and tappet (2) having a hole extending therethrough, said tappet being insertable coaxially into and extending with one end out of the housing (1, 1') and provided on its other end with a friction piston (14), wherein the friction piston (14) is provided with a friction element of elastic foamed material with closed pores pressed elastically against the inner wall (24) of the housing (1, 1'), said friction piston being made in one piece with at least one pair of bracing flanges, a circular seating surface being located between the at least one pair of bracing flanges, said seating surface receiving and holding said friction element, and wherein securing elements are formed on the respective free ends of the tappet and housing, characterized in that

• the housing (1, 1') is molded in one piece of plastic and has a wall thickness of 2.0-3.0 mm, said plastic being a homopolymer or a polyacetal having a heat expansion coefficient on the order of magnitude of 1.1.times.10.sup.-4 /.degree.C.,
• said plastic housing constituting friction reducing means for reducing friction between said friction element and said inner wall when the washing machine reaches a spin rpm by generating substantial heat from vibration due to friction during passage from a wash rpm to the spin rpm, the heat so generated causing a significant increase in the diameter D of said housing,
• the hole extending through said tappet comprising cooling means for cooling said friction piston by the flow of cooling air through said tappet so as to prevent heating of said friction piston and significant enlargement of the diameter of said friction piston.