Brake band retainer mechanism
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorBrenner M. Sharp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake band retainer mechanism for an automatic washer is provided which ensures that the brake band will be held away from the brake drum when the brake is in the relaxed position, yet will be held close to the drum for ready engagement. A support frame for the brake assembly has four legs, one of the legs pivotally carrying a bracket to which the band is attached, two opposite legs have a flange thereon providing radial and vertical support for the band in its relaxed position, and a fourth, intermediate leg carrying a resilient member which presses against an outer surface of the band to bias the band against the support flange surfaces when the band is relaxed. The resilient member is held on the fourth leg without additional fasteners.
Claims21
A retainer mechanism for a brake band engageable and disengageable with a brake drum, comprising:
- at least one support wall positioned to support said brake band in two perpendicular directions when said brake band is in a disengaged position;
- and
- at least one resilient member positioned to directly engage an outer surface of said brake band when said brake band is in a disengaged position, and
- a support frame having at lest two integral legs, one of said legs being formed to provide said support wall and the other of said legs supporting said resilient member.
A retainer mechanism for a brake band engageable and disengageable with a brake drum, comprising:
- at least one rigid, non-moving support wall positioned to support said brake band when said brake band is in a disengaged position;
- and
- at least one single-piece resilient member positioned to directly engage an outer surface of said brake band when said band is in a disengaged position and to urge said brake band into engagement with said support wall.
An automatic washer having a rotatable wash basket, a brake mechanism for selectively retarding rotation of said wash basket and a retainer mechanism for said mechanism brake comprising:
- a support frame having at least three integral legs;
- a brake band bracket pivotally carried on one of said legs;
- a brake band having two ends held on said bracket;
- said support frame having a central open area for receiving a rotatable brake drum;
- said brake band encircling said brake drum;
- an integral support flange extending radially inwardly from at least one of said legs, said flange shaped so as to form a rigid ledge to support said brake band in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said brake drum and a rigid wall to support said brake band in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said brake drum;
- and
- a one-piece resilient member carried on at least one of said legs to directly engage an outer surface of said brake bad when it is a disengaged position.
A retainer mechanism for a brake band engageable and disengageable with a brake drum, comprising:
- a support frame having at least two integral legs;
- an integral support flange extending inwardly from at least one of said legs, said flange being shaped to form an engaging surface and ledge to support said brake band in two perpendicular directions when said brake band is in a disengaged position;
- and
- a one-piece resilient member carried on at least one of said legs to directly engage an outer surface of said brake band when said band is in a disengaged position.
A retainer mechanism for a brake band engageable and disengageable with a brake drum, comprising:
- at least two fixed support walls positioned to support said brake band in two perpendicular directions when said brake band is in a disengaged position, and at least a one=-piece resilient member positioned to directly engage an outer surface of said brake band when said band is in a disengaged position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.