US3053417A - Accessories for automatic washing machines - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1962 D. T. BOX 3,053,417

ACCESSORIES FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed March 21, 1960 INVENTOR. Dub/.EY 7. Box

M 8, WM

ArraR/v EY Patented Sept. 11, 1962 nic . 3,053,417 ACCESSORIES FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Dudley T. Box, 115 W. 4th St., Corning, NY. Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,229 3 Claims. (Cl. 22276) The present invention relates to automatic clothes Washing machines and particularly to apparatus cooperative therewith for introducing additives to wash water or to the water therein preferably while the feeding of the wash water thereinto is taking place. Ordinarily such additives will comprise a soap or a detergent and a bleach, although the particular additive or additives used is entirely a matter of choice.

In an automatic washing machine, a washing cycle is initiated by the operation of a valve to supply wash water thereto and which valve is closed when a predetermined quantity of water has been fed to the machine, usually as accomplished by maintaining such valve open for a predetermined lapsed time. It is the most common practice to actuate such a valve magnetically, as by a suitable solenoid associated therewith.

It is well known that the use of excessive amounts of certain soaps and detergents in washing machines produce excessive suds which may not only force their way into the operating mechanism and thereby do great damage thereto, but may also flood the area exterior of the machine thus creating untidiness and possible floor damage.

With the adoption of unattended laundries for use by the public it becomes extremely important that all possible be done to assure proper operation of such machines.

According to one form of the invention one or more containers for additives are associated with a machine, and upon the discontinuance of the supply of wash water to the machine, receive predetermined measured quantities of additives from suitable supply sources. When the machine operating cycle is again initiated by the introduction of wash water thereinto the contents of such containers may be automatically discharged into the machine or, alternatively, their discharge may be placed under the cotrol of the person using the machine. In the latter instance also discharge of the containers must be effected while water is being supplied to the machine.

According to an alternative form of the invention concurrently with the opening of the wash water supply valve of the machine an additive supply valve under control of a timing device, whose operation may be manually initiated, is made available for operation to feed an additive to the machine from a suitable supply source for a predetermined period, after which it is automatically disabled.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a preferred form of apparatus embodying the invention and contacts of an automatic washing machine that are closed to initiate its operation, and FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates an alternative fonn of the invention and washing machine contacts that control the same.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing in detail, contacts 21 are those of a typical automatic washing machine that close the circuit of a water supply valve magnet to open its valve. Such magnet usually completes a locking circuit for itself through break contacts of a switch that is operated to the open position when Water has been introduced into the machine for a set time period.

Associated with the machine and arranged at a convenient level to feed additives thereinto by gravity is a container such as 15 conveniently in the form of a funnel. Container 15 is supported at one end of a lever 16 pivoted at 17 and having its other end provided with a weight 18 adjustable lengthwise of the lever to determine the weight of additive to be accumulated in the container. Lever 16 in the region between container 15 and the pivot 17 is provided with a vertically disposed arm 20 having a horizontal extension 20 for a purpose to be described later. Pivoted to arm 20 is one end of a valve plug operating link 22 and whose other end carries a plug 23 cooperative with the end of an additive supply pipe 24 so that a valve is thus formed for controlling the supply of an additive from pipe 24 to the container 15 as permitted by weight 18.

The bottom of container .15 is normally closed by a plug 25 arranged on the lower end of a stem 26 which freely passes through a bar 27 and at its top end has an enlarged lifting element 29. The bar 27 is normally held in the position shown by a spring 31 connecting it with the core of a solenoid 30. The rightward depending end 32 of lever 27 overlays extension 20' of lever 16 so that when the bar is turned about its pivot 28, as occurs through the energization of solenoid 30, lever 16 is held in the position shown irrespective of any effect the weight 18 might otherwise have on lever 16. .With contacts 21 closed an operating circuit is prepared for solenoid 30 that may be completed by operation of a push button 14. Such circuit extends from an X terminal of a suitable current source through solenoid 30 and contacts 35 of a push button .14. As will also be observed with the bar 27 turned about its pivot by solenoid 30, a bushing 33 is adapted to close a pair of contacts to close a locking circuit for solenoid 30 independent of the circuit established through contacts 35. As will be further observed the container 15, as shown, has the necessary quantity of additive therein (liquid soap, for example) to over come the effect of weight 18 and to maintain the plug 23 sealed against the end of pipe 24.

In the operation of the form of apparatus shown in FIG. 1, following the closure of contacts 21 of the machine, an attendant may empty the contents of container 15 into the machine by momentarily pressing button 14 to, at contacts 35, close the traced circuit through magnet 30.

Magnet 30 upon becoming energized, through its spring 31 tilts bar 27 clockwise about its pivot 28. Bushing 33 thereupon closes contacts 60 to complete the traced locking circuit for magnet 30.

At the same time bar 27 engages the valve stem head 29 thereby lifting plug 25 free of the bottom outlet of container 15 to empty the contents of such container into the machine, as for example via a funnel 39 and conduit 40.

Also the bar 27 in its tilted position has its depending portion 32 lowered into engagement with extension 20' of lever 16, thereby preventing the weight 18 from tilting such lever clockwise and thus withdrawing plug 23 from seating relation with pipe 24 while the additive issues from container .15.

At the termination of the washing machine filling cycle, at which time contacts 21 again open, magnet 30 becomes de-energized thereby permitting the bar 27 to restore t its initial position. As this occurs the plug 25 is permitted to again seat itself over the bottom opening of container 15. Also the depending portion 32 of bar 27 again moves clear of extension 20' of lever 16 thereby permitting it to rotate clockwise about its pivot 17 under the influence of weight 18. At the same time, stem 22 withdraws the plug 23 from seating relation with pipe 24, thus permitting fluid to 'be fed therethrough to container 15 until its weight becomes sufiicient to overcome the effect of weight 18 and thus restores the plug 23 to the position shown.

'In the alternative arrangement, shown in FIG. 2, a

conduit 224 extends directly from an additive supply source to the machine and contains a normally closed valve 223 having an operating winding 225 included in a circuit closeable by contacts 235 of a push button 214', or contacts 236 of a magnet 230 of an associated timing mechanism T. Mechanism T is under the joint control of machine contacts 211 and contacts 235 of a push button 214 corresponding to contacts 21 and 35 of FIG. 1 and times the period of opening of valve 223. The timer T specifically comprises contacts 227 adapted to be moved to their open position by a motor M after the lapse of an adjustable predetermined time period and to be instantly restored upon de-energization of the associated electromagnet 230.

After contacts 211 of the machine have closed, the operation of the timer T may be initiated 'by momentarily depressing push button 214-, thus completing a circuit from a terminal X of a suitable current source through contacts 211 and magnet 230 to a conductor 231, also through contacts 227 and motor M to such conductor and through winding 225 of valve 223 to conductor 231 and thence through contacts 235 to a Y terminal of such current source, thereby effecting the operation of magnet 230, motor M and valve 223. Valve 223 thus opens to supply additive to the machine during the operation of the timer T for the predetermined time for which it has been set. Magnet 230 at contacts 236 completes a locl ing circuit for itself independent of push button contacts 235, thus assuring continued operation of the timer through its cycle independent of manual control. At such time that contacts 211 open, the circuits through the timer motor M and magnet 230 are interrupted and contacts 236 and 227 restore to their initial positions, but this ordinarly will occur after the timer has completed its cycle.

Obviously in an unattended laundry, where operation of the machines is initiated by depositing a coin, the person using the machine is given access only to the buttons such as 14, or 214.

As will be further understood, various adaptations of the apparatus other than shown are contemplated by the invention. For example, although the illustrative embodiments show apparatus most suitable for use of liquid additives, obviously the same may be readily modified for use of powdered materials. Also if it is desired to introduce an additive automatically by apparatus such as illustrated in FIG. 1 the parts such as 30, 33, 6-9 and 35 may be omitted and the spring 31 directly placed under tension by the magnetic valve of the machine when operated to open such valve. Under such circumstances filling of a container such as 15 will also occur at the termination of the filling portion of a cycle of the machine as in the instant illustration, but release of its contents into the machine will occur upon the commencement of a filling cycle. Similar results can be obtained by use of the apparatus of 'FIG. 2 omitting button 214, its contacts 235 and the contacts 236, and directly connecting a Y terminal of the current source to lead 231, thus effecting energization of magnet 230 at the commencement of a fill cycle and its de-energization at the end of such cycle.

As will be understood for each additive to be made available to a machine a separate apparatus such as shown in either FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 must be used.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for use in combination with an automatic washing machine wherein a valve is opened to supply washing water thereto and closed when a predetermined level of water has been attained therein, a container having a bottom opening, a plug closing said opening, a hinged lever at one end of which said container is supported, a weight carried by the other end of said lever, an additive supply line available to said container including a valve, a linkage between the container supported portion of said end of said lever operable to close the additive supply line valve when a pre-determined weight of material has been accumulated into said container, means operated concurrently with the opening of the washing machine water supply valve to lift the plug from the container opening to release its contents into the machine, and means for preventing the weight from returning the container to its empty position and the reopening of the valve in the additive supply line until the washing machine valve is closed.

2. In an assembly useful in combination with an automatic washing machine wherein a device is operated to open a wash water supply valve and to close said valve when a desired amount of water has been introduced into such machine to discontinue the supply of wash water thereto, means for supplying a predetermined charge of an additive to the wash water being introduced into such machine, said means including a magnet having an operating circuit partly completed when the device is operated to introduce water into the machine, manually operable means for thereafter completing the circuit of said magnet, a locking circuit for said magnet closed by said magnet and opened when the valve is closed to discontinue the introduction of water into the machine, and means activated by said magnet when the introduction of water into the machine is discontinued to prepare said second specified means to supply a subsequent predetermined charge of additive to the machine.

3. In an apparatus for use in combination with an automatic washing machine wherein a valve is opened to supply water thereto and closed when a predetermined level of water has been attained therein, a container having a discharge opening, a plug seated over said opening, a line for supplying an additive to said container including a valve, a magnet having linkages to said plug and valve for lifting said plug from its seat when the machine valve is open and for at such time holding the valve of such linkage positively closed, means for opening the valve in said additive supply line when the machine valve becomes closed and for reclosing such valve when the container has been recharged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,954,261 Pierce Apr. 10, 1934 2,116,778 Brayer May 10, 1938 2,682,984 Melikian July 6, 1954 2.948,437 Nielsen Aug. 9, 1960

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