Dishwashing machine

A dishwashing machine for use in cleaning soiled dishes with washing water, comprising:

• a housing including a first washing compartment and a second washing compartment separated from each other by a partition wall;
• first spray means for spraying the washing water onto the dishes within the first compartment;
• second spray means for spraying the washing water onto the dishes within the second compartment, the first and the second spray means operable independently of one another to permit selective washing of the dishes accomodated in the first and the second compartments;
• a water holding tank underlying the first and the second compartments for receiving the washing water sprayed by the first and the second spray means;
• a drainpipe for allowing the washing water to be drained therethrough at the termination of a washing operation;
• a fluid pump communicating with the water holding tank for drawing the washing water out of the tank to pressurize the washing water;
• and
• a multi-way valve, responsive to a particular mode of operation of the dishwashing machine for selectively coupling the pressurized water to the first spray means, the second spray means and the drainpipe, wherein the multi-way valve includes an upper casing having an inlet port connected to the pump;
• a lower casing combined with the upper casing to form a fluid chamber therebetween, the lower casing including first to third outlet ports, the first outlet port connected to the first spray means, the second outlet port connected to the second spray means, the third outlet port connected to the drainpipe;
• a lower valve body fixedly mounted on the bottom of the lower casing, the lower valve body having a plurality of passage holes which coincide with the corresponding outlet ports of the lower casing;
• an upper valve body coming into frictional contact with the lower valve body for rotational movement with respect thereto, the upper valve body having an arcuate slot which is selectively registered with one or more of the passage holes of the lower valve body to establish a flow path for the pressurized washing water;
• and means responsive to the operation mode of the dishwashing machine for causing the upper valve body to rotate to a predetermined angular position.