Clothes washing machine and the like

A clothes washer of the type that is reciprocated vertically toward and away from the bottom of a container of washing water,

• said washer having, for action during its downwardly stroke,
• an array of tucking points about the washer for tucking downwardly articles of clothes that lie about the washer,
• and a water displacement device for creating an outward flow of washing water against the clothes at the lower part of the washer,
• said tucking points and water displacement device cooperating to cause a turning movement of the articles of clothes,
• wherein said water displacement device comprises:
• a peripherally unconfined washing water-propelling diaphragm means positioned near the bottom of said washer, mounted to have an extended orientation during downward stroke for displacing washing water and a relatively collapsed orientation during upward stroke for enabling relatively free passage of said washer up through the water,
• said diaphragm means mounted to permit its close approach to the bottom of said container during the final portion of its downward stroke,
• and a volume-outlining, clothes-restraining open upper structure extending upwardly from said diaphragm means so that at least a part of said open structure lies above the normal liquid level when said washer is in its lowest position,
• during said downward stroke, said open structure, in following behind said diaphragm means, being effective to restrain articles of clothes from moving inwardly over said diaphragm means while allowing washing water to move inwardly through the clothes and through said open structure to fill in behind the downwardly moving diaphragm means, said volume-outlining, clothes restraining open structure having large flow openings that have an arcuate extent of over 30.degree. in the direction about the washer,
• said unconfined diaphragm means, as it closely approaches the bottom of said container during downward stroke of said washer, being capable of applying an effective outward clothes-washing jet of liquid from between the diaphragm means and the bottom surface of said container to prevent tangle of the downwardly tucked clothes,
• and said open structure and diaphragm means being free to move in upward stroke with relatively low resistance,
• whereby an effective washing action is achieved with a simple washer construction.

A clothes washer of the type that is reciprocated vertically toward and away from the bottom of a container of washing water,

• said washer having, for action during its downwardly stroke,
• an array of tucking points about the washer for tucking downwardly articles of clothes that lie about the washer,
• and a water displacement device for creating an outward flow of washing water against the clothes at the lower part of the washer,
• said tucking points and water displacement device cooperating to cause a turning movement of the articles of clothes,
• wherein said water displacement device comprises:
• a peripherally unconfined washing water-propelling diaphragm means positioned near the bottom of said washer, mounted to have an extended orientation during downward stroke for displacing washing water and a relatively collapsed orientation during upward stroke for enabling relatively free passage of said washer up through the water,
• said diaphragm means mounted to permit its close approach to the bottom of said container during the final portion of its downward stroke,
• and a volume-outlining, clothes-restraining open upper structure extending upwardly from said diaphragm means so that at least a part of said open structure lies above the normal liquid level when said washer is in its lowest position,
• during said downward stroke, said open structure, in following behind said diaphragm means, being effective to restrain articles of clothes from moving inwardly over said diaphragm means while allowing washing water to move inwardly through the clothes and through said open structure to fill in behind the downwardly moving diaphragm means, said volume-outlining, clothes restraining open structure comprising a nest of vertically arranged, peripherally spaced apart elements, the outer surfaces of which combine to outline said defined volume,
• said unconfined diaphragm means, as it closely approaches the bottom of said container during downward stroke of said washer, being capable of applying an effective outward clothes-washing jet of liquid from between the diaphragm means and the bottom surface of said container to prevent tangle of the downwardly tucked clothes,
• and said open structure and diaphragm means being free to move in upward stroke with relatively low resistance,
• whereby an effective washing action is achieved with a simple washer construction.

The clothes washer of the type that is reciprocated vertically toward and away from the bottom of a container of washing water,

• said washer having, for action during its downward stroke,
• an array of tucking points about the washer for tucking downwardly articles of clothes that lie about the washer,
• and a water displacement device for creating an outward flow of washing water against the clothes at the lower part of the washer,
• said tucking points and water displacement device cooperating to cause a turning movement of the articles of clothes,
• wherein said water displacement device comprises:
• a diaphragm means mounted to have an extended orientation during downward stroke for displacing washing water and a relatively collapsed orientation during upward stroke for enabling relatively free passage of said washer up through the water,
• said diaphragm means mounted to permit its close approach portion to the bottom of said container during the final of its downward stroke,
• and a volume-outlining, clothes-restraining open upper structure extending upwardly from said diaphragm means so that at least a part of it lies above the normal liquid level when said washer is in its lowest position,
• said volume-outlining structure comprising vertically extending, peripherally spaced apart fin elements, the outer surfaces of which combine to outline said defined volume, and lower, outer portions of which provide said tucking points,
• at least the lowest set of said tucking points being disposed radially outwardly of the periphery of said diaphragm means, at a level that enables said diaphragm means to closely approach the bottom of said container during its downward stroke and to cause water jetted by said diaphragm means to impinge directly on clothes that have been tucked downwardly by said lowest set of tucking points,
• said open structure, as said diaphragm means displaces liquid downwardly during said downward stroke, being effective in following behind said diaphragm means to restrain articles of clothes from moving inwardly over said diaphragm means while allowing liquid to move inwardly through the clothes and through said open structure to fill in behind the downwardly moving diaphragm means,
• and said open structure and diaphragm means being free to move in upward stroke with relatively low resistance, whereby an effective washing action is achieved with a simple washer construction.

A clothes washer of the type that is reciprocated vertically toward and away from the bottom of a container of washing liquid,

• said washer having, for action during its downward stroke,
• an array of tucking points about the washer for tucking downwardly articles of clothes that lie about the washer,
• and a water displacement device for creating an outward flow of liquid against the clothes at the lower part of the washer,
• said tucking points and water displacement device cooperating to cause a turning movement of the articles of clothes,
• wherein said water displacement device comprises:
• a peripherally unconfined diaphragm means mounted to have an extended orientation during downward stroke for displacing washing water and a relatively collapsed orientation during upward stroke for enabling relatively free passage of said washer up through the water,
• and a volume-outlining, clothes-restraining upper structure extending upwardly from said diaphragm means so that at least a part of it lies above the normal liquid level when said washer is in its lowest position,
• during said downward stroke, said volume-defining structure, in following behind said diaphragm means, being effective to restrain articles of clothes from moving inwardly over said diaphragm means,
• said unconfined diaphragm means, as it closely approaches the bottom of said container during downward stroke of said washer, being capable of applying an effective outward clothes-washing jet of liquid from between the diaphragm means and the bottom surface of said container to prevent tangle of the downwardly tucked clothes,
• said tucking points being disposed radially outwardly of the periphery of said diaphragm means, at a nonobstructing level that enables said diaphragm means to closely approach the bottom of said container during its downward stroke and to cause water jetted by said diaphragm means to impinge directly on clothes that have been tucked downwardly by said lowest set of tucking points,
• and said open structure and diaphragm means being free to move in upward stroke with relatively low resistance,
• whereby an effective washing action is achieved with a simple washer construction.

A clothes washer of the type that is reciprocated vertically toward and away from the bottom of a container of washing liquid,

• said washer having, for action during its downward stroke, an array of tucking points about the washer for tucking downwardly articles of clothes that lie about the washer,
• and a water displacement device for creating an outward flow of washing water against the clothes at the lower part of the washer,
• said tucking points and water displacement device cooperating to cause a turning movement of the articles of clothes,
• wherein said water displacement device comprises:
• a diaphragm means mounted to have an extended orientation during downward stroke for displacing liquid and a relatively collapsed orientation during upward stroke for enabling relatively free passage of said washer up through the water,
• and a volume-outlining, clothes-restraining upper structure extending upwardly from said diaphragm means so that at least a part of it lies above the normal liquid level when said washer is in its lowest position,
• during said downward stroke, said volume-defining structure, in following behind said diaphragm means, being effective to restrain articles of clothes moving inwardly over said diaphragm means,
• said diaphragm means, as it closely approaches the bottom of said container during downward stroke of said washer, being capable of applying an effective outward clothes-washing jet of liquid from between the diaphragm means and the bottom surface of said container to prevent tangle of the downwardly tucked clothes,
• at least the lowest set of said tucking points being disposed radially outwardly of the periphery of said diaphragm means, at a nonobstructing level that enables said diaphragm means to closely approach the bottom of said container during its downward stroke and to cause water jetted by said diaphragm means to impinge directly on clothes that have been tucked downwardly by said lowest set of tucking points,
• and said open structure and diaphragm means being free to move in upward stroke with relatively low resistance,
• the outer surface of said volume-outlining structure being smooth in the upward direction, and inclined at no more than an acute angle to the vertical, capable of sliding freely past articles of clothes without substantial drag, rubbing, or lifting effect during said upward stroke,
• whereby an effective washing action is achieved with a simple washer construction.