Improvements in tubs for laundry machines and in laundry machines incorporating such tubs

摘要

657,046. Washing- machines. APPLIANCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA. March 31, 1947, No. 8713. Convention date, April 8, 1946. [Class 138 (ii)] An access opening 25 is formed in the spherically-curved wall of the tub of a washing-machine and is fitted with a cover 29 which is formed of a curvature corresponding to that of the adjacent wall of the tub and is mounted so as to be at all times disposed within the tub and slidable over the inside face of the said wall when moving to and from its closed position. The tub 12, Figs. 1 and 2, which is disposed in the upper compartment 11 of a casing 10, is of hollow spherical shape, being formed of upper and lower halves 16, 17, clamped together by a ring 18. The opening 25 is formed in the upper section 17 and surrounded by an upstanding perforated lip 26. The cover 29, which is provided with perforations 30 and a handle 31 is slidable on a pair of curved plates 28 which are connected to the inner face of the tub by bolts 33 passing through slots 32 in the cover. The handle 31 serves as a stop to limit the opening movement of the cover, and a spring-pressed finger 35 latches the cover in closed position. A door 15 is provided in the casing 10 immediately above the opening 25. The tub, which is adapted to be oscillated about a vertical axis during the washing operation, is provided with ribs 19, 20 inside the lower section 16, and ribs 21, 22, preferably of rubber, inside the upper section. A flexible diaphragm 23 is clamped at its edges between the two sections 16, 17 and normally lies against the inner surface of the section 16. The operation of the machine, including the lifting of the diaphragm 23 to squeeze the washed articles against the perforated cover 29, is carried out as described in Specification 654,832 which is referred to in this Specification. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the cover 4 is circular in plan and rotatably mounted on a pivot 43 which is preferably provided with a spring to urge the door against the tub. The cover, in this case, may be provided with a fixed operating handle 45 and spring latch 46, or a hollow handle 119, Fig. 6, of elongated form with a curved end 120 may be hinged on a bracket 123 on the cover. When provided with a hinged handle 119, the cover is opened by lifting the handle to the dotted position and pulling it and the cover to one side until the rubber underside 121 of the handle contacts the edge of the casing ; from this position the cover may be closed by pushing on the handle, after which the latter is swung down into folded position. The tub shown in Fig. 6 is mounted in a casing having in its top wall a central opening sur- . rounded by a square depression over which a hinged lid 111 is adapted to fit. Unless the cover 116 of the tub is completely closed, the handle 119 will not lie in properly folded position and will then upstand sufficiently to prevent the effective closure of the lid 111. A safety switch 124, which is provided on the casing, is adapted to close the circuit of the power means for operating the machine only when the lid 111 is completely closed.