Washing machine with improved drive structure for rotatable tub and agitator

A washing machine comprising:

• a hollow tub shaft mounted on a first stationary portion of the machine for rotation;
• a rotatable tub rotatably mounted on an upper end of the tub shaft;
• an agitator shaft concentrically inserted in the tub shaft for rotation and having upper and lower ends projecting out of the tub shaft;
• an agitator mounted on the upper end of the agitator shaft to be located in the rotatable tub;
• a stator fixed to a second stationary portion of the machine to be concentric with the agitator shaft;
• a rotor mounted on the lower end of the agitator shaft to constitute an electric motor together with the stator;
• and
• a clutch including a holder provided on the tub shaft for rotation with the latter, a first engagement portion formed in a third stationary portion of the machine, a second engagement portion formed in the rotor, a lever provided on the holder to be selectively engaged with one of the first and second engagement portions, the lever operatively coupling the rotor to the agitator shaft when engaged with the first engagement portion, the lever operatively coupling the rotor to both of the agitator and tub shafts when engaged with the second engagement portion, and toggle type springs holding the lever in engagement with the first and second engagement portions respectively, the clutch being actuated so that the rotor of the motor is operatively coupled to the agitator shaft to thereby drive the agitator for execution of a wash step of a washing operation and so that the rotor of the motor is operatively coupled to both of the agitator and tub shafts to drive the agitator and the rotatable tub for execution of a dehydration step of the washing operation.