AU649637B2 - Improvements to washing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

PT AUSTISLAT1 PATENTS ACT 1952 64S 67 oo Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: A, plication Number: Lodged: 0900 44 4 ,CQmplete Specification-Lodged: 4 Accepted: 4 411 Lapsed: Published: Priority: *Alhted Art: Name of Applicant: 44 4 Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT J. R. HAYES BROS. PTY. LTD.

Production Avenue, ERNEST Q 4214 Address for Service: JOHN R.G. GARDNER Registered Patent Attorney PO Box 443 MUDGEERABA Q 4213 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS TO WASHING APPARATU.3 The following stitement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:-* Note: The description is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

14599/78-L Printed by C. J. TiIOMPSON, Commcnwealth Government Printer, Canberra 2 THIS INVENTION relates to improvements to washing apparatus and in particular to clothes washing apparatus for use in commercial or larger scale operations.

A number of different forms of washing apparatus are presently available for the washing of clothes in commercial or other large scale operations such as in laundries, hospitals or other establishment. Generally such forms of washing apparatus include a rotatable drum or tub which is adapted to contain the clothes to be washed and a number of separate motors which are adapted to be coupled to the drum through gearboxes and clutches which may be selectively actuated to drive the drum at a desired speed and direction of rotation. The use of a number of separate motors and transmissions causes a number of difficulties adding to the size ot the overall washing apparatus and resulting in high maintenance costs.

Furthermore, breakdowns tend to be a common occurrence.

i The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages by providing improved washing apparatus which eliminates the ieed for a number of separate driving motors and which therefore reduces initial capital costs, maintenance costs, and improves reliability and efficiency of operation. Other objects and advantages A of the invention will become apparent from the follewing description.

4 With the above and other objects in view, the present invention provides washing apparatus for washing articles of clothing or other laundry articles, said apparatus including a rotatable washing tub for carrying f 30 articles to be washed, a AC drive motor, means coupling said drive motor to said tub whereby drive may be transmitted from said drive motor to said tub to cause rotation thereof, and programmable control means for controlling operation of said washing apparatus, said programmable control means being selectively programmable to control cycles of operation of said washing apparatus, said programmable control means including frequency control R means for coni-rollinq the frequency of alternating current

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RA~/, 7Z -o La1 2A supply to said motor to thereby control the rotational speed of said motor and thus said tub, said programmable control means further including means for varying the direction of rotation of said motor to thereby control the direction of rotation of said tub.

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i ^to^ further including means for varying the direction of rotation of said motor to thereby control the direction of rotation of said tub.

Suitably said rotatable tub is supported for rotation in an outer tub, the latter being supported within a fixed frame.

Preferably said outer tub is resiliently suspended within said frame. Suitably said resilient suspension comprises springs. Preferably also shock absorber means are provided between said outer tub and frame.

Preferably said drive motor is coupled to said rotatable tub via a belt/pulley transmission.

Most preferably, support bracket means are mounted to said outer tub and support said drive motor.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:- Fig. 1 is a front view of the washing apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the washing apparatus; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the washing apparatus.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated washing apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprising a rectangular frame 11 in which is supported a tub assembly 12 including a fixed outer cylindrical tub 13 and a rotatable inner tub 14 shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 4. Secured to the outer tub 13 on opposite sides thereof are a pair of angle sectioned members which serve as mounts for the ends of front and rearwardly located springs 16 (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4) which are 35 secured at their opposite ends to the frame 11 so that the tub assembly 12 is resiliently suspended from the frame 11.

So as to control motion of the tub assembly 12, respective shock absorbers 17 extend between and are secured at EL wwlkopposite ends to the lower side of the outer tub 13 and the lower portion of the frame c,.A T 0i1 -I Secured to the outer tub 13 and extending rearwardly thereof is a support bracket assembly 18 which serves as a mount :i for a bearing 19, the latter supporting the main drive shaft 20 for the inner tub 14. Fixed to the main drive shaft 20 for example by keying is a drive wheel 21 which includes in its outer periphery a V-groove or groove 22 of a profile to suit a V- or other section driving belt or belts 23.

Further angle sectioned members 24 are secured to the lower side of the outer tub 13 with one of the members 24 pivotally 0 supporting at 25 a mounting plate or member 26 whilst an adjustment mechanism 27 extends between the other member 24 and mounting member 26 so that the angular position of the member 26 may be S 0 0o o varied. Suitably the adjustment mechanism 27 includes a bolt or it stud 28 and a pair of nuts 29 which are located on opposite sides of the member 26.

As shown the member 24 supports an electric drive motor which suitably comprises AC motor and has its drive shaft 31 connected to drive a pulley 32 whilst the belt or belts 23 extend about the pulley 32 and drive wheel 21. It will be apparent the i adjustment mechanism 27 will permit the tension in the belt or ~i belts 25 to be adjusted as desired by permitting adjustment of the j angular position of the member 26.

A front face plate or other planar member 33 is secured S 25 to the frame 11 and tub assembly 12, the member 33 carrying K respective lugs 34 for pivotally supporting a door assembly 35, the latter being adapted to be latched in a closed position closing Saccess to the inner tub 14 when the apparatus is operating.

The washing apparatun 10 may also include a detergent 30 dispenser 36 which may be operated to dispense detergent into the inner tub 14 in the washing mcdes of the apparatus.

For controlling operation of the apparatus 10, the frame 11 carries a control box 37 which includes control circuitry for controlling operation of the drive motor 30 and ancillary equipment such as the detergent dispenser 36 and inlet and outlet valves for the supply of water to, and drainage of water, from the inner tub 14.

The control circuitry includes for the control of the drive motor 26 a frequency controller which may be operated to vary the frequency of the AC supply to the motor 30 to control its speed and therefore the speed of rotation of the tub 14.

Control of frequency enables the speed of the motor to be ramped up or ramped down at different rates so that the speed 1i°" of rotation of the tub 14 can be increased or decreased smoothly o°°o as desired. The controller is also cperative to control the direction of rotation of the motor thereby permitting forward or 0o0coo reverse rotation in different washing cycles.

o Operation of the controller in one form is by means of o cc an apertured timer card which is simply inserted into the controller and which is automatically passed through the controller and functions to control operation of the apparatus in accordance with the particular aperture pattern in the timer card.

0000 QCOO Alternatively the controller may be controlled by a microcomputer, programmed to execute required cycles of operation of the washing apparatus.

°o o Use of a controller of the above type in combination with a- .0 a single drive motor eliminates the need for switching between respective motors and engaging or disengaging clutches as occurs c 0o in the prior art apparatus. Furthermore, the controller permits o the speed of the motor to be continuously varied, say for washing cycles and spinning cycles and changes of direction of rotation can be simply accomplished by using the ramp down/ramp up facility of the controller.

sO Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such modifications or variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appended claims.

Claims (7)

1. Washing apparatus for washing articles of clothing or other laundry articles, said apparatus including a rotatable washing tub for carrying articles to be washed, a AC drive motor, means coupling said drive motor to said tub whereby drive may be transmitted from said drive motor to said tub to cause rotation thereof, and programmable control means for controlling operation of said washing apparatus, said programmable control means being selectJely programmable to control cycles of operation of said washing apparatus, said programmable control means including frequency control means for controlling the frequency of alternating current supply to said motor to thereby control the rotational speed of said motor and thus said tub, said programmable control means further including means for varying the direction of rotation of said motor to thereby control the direction of rotation of said tub.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said rotatable tub is supported for rotation within an outer tub and wherein said outer tub is supported within a fixed frame.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said outer tub is resiliently suspended within said frame.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said resilient suspension comprises springs. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 and including shock absorber means extending between said outer tub and frame.

5. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to and including support bracket means mounted to said outer a tub and supporting said drive motor.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said drive motor is coupled to said rotatable tub via a belt/pulley transmission. k RAI e, 9Ar I ~P_

8. Washing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this ninth day of September 1993 J R HAYES BROS PTY. LTD. By Our Patent Attorney JOHN R.G. GARDNER 1 a t a a o 4 0 41s rio )L I 11