US2074867A - Combined washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1937. A, c, HME Z 2,074,867

COMBINED WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIE-1 March 23, 1937. A. c. SCHMELZER COMBINED WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE 7 Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll INVENTOR HNTON C. ECHNELZER ATTORNEY atenteci Mar. 212%, M37

COMBINED WASHING AND DRYIN MACHINE Anton C. Schmelzer, Cleveland, Ohio Application January 18, 1935, SerialNo. 2,368

7 Claims.

This invention relates to combined clothes washing and drying machines utilizing centrifugal force for removing the excess liquid from the clothes after washing. In combined machines vats of unequal diameters are mounted side by side upon a single suitable supporting frame, which frame carries the washing mechanism and the drier mechanism. .The described construction causes transfer of vibrations of the washing mechanism to the drier mechanism and vice versa and effects periodical oscillatory movements of the frame.

This tendency of the combination machines to oscillate shake and move on the floor, which naturally increases with wear of the mechanisms, causes noise noticeable throughout the house and often destroys the covering of the floor upon which the machine rests.

Among the objects of my invention, which I have in View, is the provision of a combination machine which avoids oscillations, noise and damage to the floor by embodying individual,

independent and self supporting washing and dry-"- ing units, connected to each other by convenient readily applicable and removable means which hold the units in proper position with respect to each other and combine same to asingle structure, adapted to be readily handled and moved as a single unit. Such machine prohibits transmission of the vibrations of one self supporting unit to the other unit and vice versa or reduces the transfer of the oscillation to an unnoticeable minimum.

Another object of the invention is the provision of connecting means between individual self supporting washing and drying units so constructed as to absorb the greater part of vibrations of the units to avoid these vibrations to be transferred between the units.

. A further object of the invention is the provision of connecting means between individual self supporting washing and drying units so constructed as to permit of a rigid connection of the vats of the self supporting units with each other and permitting individual support of each unit on the floor for insuring proper self support of each unit.

With these and further objects and advantages in view, the nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will more readily be understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings .forming a part hereof, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of a self supporting washing machine and self supporting drier, the drier and washing machine being connected by steel bands rigidly connecting the two units and permitting operation of the combined units as a combination washing and drying machine;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the pivotal joints of the bands;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through one of thebands and its shock absorbing backing member; r

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified combined washing machine and drier showing a unitary top plate for the two self supporting units and steel band means for rigidly connecting the two self supporting units to each otherso as to form a combined washing and drying machine.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the modified combined washing and drying machine shown in Fig. 5, the unitary top plate and the top portions of the vats of the two units being shown in section;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view through the top plate portion between the vats of the two units;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the legs of the self supporting drier unit,

and v Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 7 with a somewhat modified form of a cover plate.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, A represents a washing machine comprising a circular base housing or hollow support 2, mounted upon brackets 3 and-casters 4 which are secured to the base housing in any of the common methods. Base housing 2 supports at its top a circular tub or vat 5, in which a suitable washing mechanism 6 is operated and carries an upright sleeve 1, en closing the customary wringer drive shaft (not shown). The sleeve 1 mounts at its top a wringer gear housing 8 of approved form, which supports andcarries a wringer device 9, all as commonly practiced in the art.

The washing machine A is connected to a centrifugal drier unit B, embodying a circular base housing or support In, mounted on legs ll having casters l2, the legs being secured to the base in any common manner. The self supporting drier unit B, as shown, is driven by the drive mechanism Id of the washing machine, shaft l5 being used for this purpose, however, it is obvious that the drier unit may include a motor drive or other means for actuating the unit.

The base housing Ill of the drier imit mounts a circular tub or vat l6 which carries rotatably mounted therein a container l1 adapted to be rotated at high speed for extracting the excess liquid from the clothes after washing, all as commonly practiced in the art and therefore not-shown in detail.

The tub 5 of the washing machine A and the tub I6 of the drier unit B are connected with each other by means of steelband means [8. Preferably, as shown, two horizontally spaced steel band means I8 are used for the connection of the tubs, one close to the top of the tubs and one close to the bottom of the tubs, so as to insure a rigid connection between the two tubs. Each of the steel band means l8 comprises two yielding, metal split rings l9 and 20. The ring I9 encircles the tub 5 of the washing machine A and the ring encircles the tub l6 of the drier unit B. Split rings l9 and 20 have their opposite ends angularly offset to form straight parallel lateral extensions I9, 28', and these extensions are slotted as at 2| so as to permit a bolt 22 to be inserted through the extensions l9 and 28 when the rings are aligned and about to be contracted upon their respective tubs. The slots 2| and bolt 22 permit of proper securing of the split rings with each other when a nut 23 is screwed home and also permit a pivotal movement between the units, thus avoiding undesired stresses on the bands when moving the machine on an uneven floor. A yielding spacing element 24, preferably a rubber block, spaces the extensions i9, 20 and permits of proper tensioning of the rings on their tubs. Protective circular rubber bands 25, provided with ribs 26 at their parallel edges prohibit direct contact of the rings l8 and 28 with their tubs 5 and I6. These rubber bands serve as shock absorbing and vibration deadening means and help to avoid transfer of the vibrations of the washing machine to the centrifugal drier and vice versa; it is obvious that the rubber spacing block 24 serves a similar purpose.

The described connection of the individually supported units, the washing machine and the centrifugal drier, permits of simple and ready exchange of either unit in the thus formed combination machine by merely loosening and unscrewing the nuts 23 from their bolts 22. It also permits of the attachment of an individually supported drying unit to a standard washing machine of the wringer type for changing this type of washing machine to a combination machine which embodies a centrifugal drier.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 8 shows a somewhat different coupling or connection between an individually supported washing machine and a centrifugal drier unit. In this form the bottom portions of the tubs 5 and I6 are connected by yielding clamping means of the type disclosed in Figs. 1 through 4, whereas the upper portions of the tubs are more rigidly connected to each other by a unitary plate 26. This plate, which is rigidly secured to the top portion of the tub l6 of the self supporting drier unit B, and clamped to the tub 5 of the washing machine A, comprises an oblong shaped horizontal portion 21 provided with flanged openings 28 and 29 of different diameter. The flange 30 of opening 28 is tightly seated in the top of the tub i6 of the drier unit B and rigidly secured thereto by means of screws 3i threadedly engaging the flange 30 of opening 28 and the wall of tub IS. The flange 32 of the opening 29 extends into the tub 5 of the washing machine A in axial alignment with respect thereto. The

opening 29 is of smaller diameter than the opening of the washing machine so as to permit the use of a single cover plate for connecting a standard drier unit with differently sized washing machines. tub 5 of the washing machine by means of clamping screws 33, three of which are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. These clamping screws are threadedly engaged with angular brackets 34 on the bottom of plate 26 and spaced with respect to flanged opening 29, so as to permit a three point clamping of the plate 26 to the tub 5 when the clamping screws are screwed home. Clamping blocks 35, swiveled to the ends 01' the screws 33, permit of proper frictional clamping engagement of the screws with the tub 5. The plate 26 is circumferentially provided with an upstanding flange 36 and carries at one end a foldable drip board 31, pivotally secured to the flange 36 by rivets 31. This drainboard, when in working position, extends laterally beyond the flange 36 so as to permit of drippings of clothes taken from a wash tub 38 to be drained back into said wash tub.

The legs ll of the drier unit B are adjustable in height and permit of horizontal alignment of the tops of the washing machine A and the drier unit for securing proper rest of top plate 26 upon the edge of the tub 5. Thus each leg I l slidably supports in its bottom plate 39 a threaded standard 40 which standard carries the roller l2 and is held in adjusted position by nuts 4| and 4|. The openings 28 and 29 in the top plate 26 are closed by cover members 42, 43 in any suitable manner.

When it is desired to build a drier unit with legs, which mount the casters rigidly, not adjust ably, then I provide the top plate 26 with a flanged opening 28, thefiange 30 of which is of substantial length in order toextend into the tub l6 of the drier unit B, even though the top plate 26 does not rest upon the tub I6. This construction which is shown in Figure 9 permits of horizontal alignment of the bottom face of the top plate with the upper edge of the washing machine A, and therewith proper support of said plate upon the washing machine. The plate 26 is rigidly clamped to the tub l6 by means of screw bolts 44 having nuts 45. These bolts extend through vertical slots 46 in the flange 30 of the plate, which slots permit of vertical adjustment of the plate 26 with respect to the drier unit and thus insure horizontal alignment between the plate 26 and the washing machine A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a washing machine having a tub open at its top and an independently supported centrifuge unit having a tub open at its top; of means for rigidly and detachably connecting the upper portions of said washing machine tub and said centrifuge unit tub, said means comprising an elongated unitary top plate having an opening, a downwardly extending flange on said top plate encircling said opening and extended into the open top of said centrifuge unit tub in circumferential contact with the side wall thereof, means rigidly securing said flange on said top plate to said side wall, said top plate having a second opening, a downwardly extending flange on said top plate encircling said second opening and extended into the tub of said washing ma- Cover plate 26 is secured to the chine, and clamping means on said top plate radially arranged with respect to said second opening for rigidly clamping said top plate to the top portion or the tub of said washing machine in axial alignment therewith.

2. The combination with a washing machine embodying a tub and an independently supported centrifuge unit of vertically spaced means for connecting the top and the bottom portions respectively of the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit, each of said connecting means comprising split members adapted to extend around the washing machine tub and the centrifuge unit tub, and means for tensioning said split members around the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit and spacing them with respect to each other.

3. The combination with a washing machine and an independently supported centrifuge unit, of means for separately connecting the top and bottom portions of the bodies of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit comprising an elongated top plate secured to said centrifuge unit and resting on and clamped to said washing machine, and connecting and spacing means extending around and joining the bottom por-- tions of the washing machine and the drier unit including means for tensioning said last named connecting means, around said washing machine and centrifuge unit.

4. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; a separate independently supported centrifuge unit embodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; yielding split bands connected to each other and arranged substantially circumferentially of the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge; a singlemeans connecting the ends of said split bands and tensioning the grip of the bands on said tubs; and yielding means arranged between the ends of said split bands for stiffening the connection of said bands.

ii. In combination a washing machine cmhnaziy ing a frame and a tub supported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unit embodying a frame and a tub supported thereby;

and means for rigidly connecting the tops oi the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge, said connecting means comprising an elongated unitary top plate rigidly secured to the top of the centrifuge tub, and means on said plate for clamping same at spaced points to the side wall of the washing machine tub.

6. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unit embodying a vertically adjustable frame and a tub supported thereby; and means for rigidly connecting the tops of the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit, said means comprising an elongated unitary top plate seated upon the aligned top edges of the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit and provided with a flanged opening, the flange of which extends into the tub of the washing machine, and clamping means on said plate for clamping said plate to the side wall of the tub of said washing machine.

'7. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unit em- 5 bodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; and means for rigidly connecting the tops of the tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge unit, said means comprising an elongated unitary top plate vertically adjustably secured to said centrifuge unit, and means on said plate for clamping same to the side wall of the tub of said washing machine.

ANTON C. SCHMELZER.

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