US3648487A - Washer load sensor control - Google Patents

Abstract

A domestic clothes washer having a pair of nested tubs one of which is imperforate to retain the washing fluid, the other of which is perforated and rotatable to centrifuge the washing fluid from the clothes being washed thereon. A agitator in the perforate tub is adapted to reciprocate to provide pulsating toroidal circulation of washing fluid. Conventional sequential operating timer means are provided to selectively admit water to the tub to spin the tub and to vertically reciprocate the agitator at normal and slow speeds. A water level pressure switch is provided incorporating an auxiliary switch actuated by a separate cam located on the pressure switch cam shaft whereby the auxiliary switch will automatically override the agitate speed control switch to reciprocate the agitator at a slow speed when the water level within the outer tub is below a predetermined level.

Description

United States Eatent Hoffman 5] Mar. M, W72

[54] WASHER LOAD SENSOR CONTROL Primary Examiner--Wlliam I. Price [72] Invent Damn Ohm Attorney-William s. Pettrigrew, Fredrick M. Ritchie and Ed- [73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Ward R Barthel Mich. [22] Filed: Nov. 13, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT A domestic clothes washer having a pair of nested tubs one of [2H APPL 89,350 which is imperforate to retain the washing fluid, the other of which is perforated and rotatable to centrifuge the washing [521 us. let. ..68/l2 R, 68/235, 68/236, fluid fwm the clothes being washed A agimor the 137/387 perforate tub is adapted to reciprocate to provide pulsating to [511 lm C 0 13/04 0 23 04 33 02 I'Oidfli circulation of washing fluid. Conventional sequential 581 Field of Search ..68/12 R, 23.5, 23.6, 23.7, Wanting time means are Pwvided selective? admit Water 68/207; 137/387 to the tub to spin the tub and to vertically reciprocate the agitator at normal and slow speeds. A water level pressure [56] References Cited switch is provided incorporating an auxiliary switch actuated by a separate cam located on the pressure switch cam shaft UNITED T S PATENTS whereby the auxiliary switch will automatically override the agitate speed control switch to reciprocate the agitator at a gi pci "68/231 slow speed when the water level within the outer tub is below a exan er C: a r lev 3,049,655 8/1962 Long et al. p edetermmed e 3,214,665 10/1965 Billings et al ..68/ 12 R X 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented March 14, 197 3,648,487

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented March 14, 1972 3,648,487

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A T TURN/5 Y Patented March I, 172

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 TIMER CYCLE CHART ONE COMPLETE ROTATIONAL CYCLE OF SIXTY CONTACT -PULL IMPULSES LINE R Tl USED I AGITATE SPIN SPIN SPIN SOAK RINSE RI SE TATE SPI FILL I I SOAK WASH CYCLE CYCLE CYCLE III II CONTACTS CLOSED Wily/UR- IZ] CONTACTS OPEN OR CLOSED $622 6. fia/ mazz BY ATTORIIL( WASHER LOAD SENSOR CONTROL This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an arrangement to cause the clothes washer agitator mechanism to pulsate at slow speeds when the water level within the outer tub is below a predetermined level.

Prior art clothes washers have included agitator control systems wherein the movement or spin of the agitator is accomplished in a two step operation providing a high speed spin preceded by a low speed spin. Still other prior art clothes washers provide a control mechanism which is responsive to excessive vibrations during the centrifuging cycle and changes the rate of rotation from high speed to low speed with a time delay between the speeds such that when the machine is rebalanced the high speed rotation is resumed. In the prior art, however, no means have been provided in clothes washers having pressure switches for preselecting the water level which incorporate an auxiliary switch in association therewith such that the auxiliary switch will override any other machine control and is used to cause the washer mechanism to vertically reciprocate or pulse at low speeds when the water level within the tub is below a predetermined level.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention manually provide a washer load sensor control in combination with a water level pressure switch for a domestic clothes washer which decreases the speed of the agitator when an inadequate amount of water is present in the tub thus preventing the abrasion of clothes against the side of the washer.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of an auxiliary cam follower switch operative in combination with a water level pressure switch and a manual speed selector switch such that the auxiliary cam follower switch will be automatically actuated at or below a predetermined water level by cam means located on the cam shaft of the pressure switch, thereby bypassing any other control and causes the agitator mechanism to pulsate at slow speeds.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective side elevational view of a domestic clothes washer with parts broken away to show a tub assembly and a portion of the machine compartment;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the combined water level pressure switch and load sensor switch of the present inventron;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of a portion of the load sensor switch and actuating cam taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram for controlling an automatic washing machine in accordance with the concepts of this invention;

FIG. 4A is a detailed schematic of the pressure sensitive water level switch of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the control panel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a timer cycle chart showing the operative phases of the washer of the present invention.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIG. 1, a domestic clothes washer is shown generally at 22. The washer includes a boxlike sheet metal casing 23 having a top wall 24. The top wall has a recessed portion 25 including an access opening which is exposed when the access door 26 is opened.

The casing of cabinet 23 is shown to enclose a nested tub assembly 27. The assembly includes a nonrotatable open top imperforate wall water container 28 and a rotatable, perforate wall spin basket 29. An annular plastic subtop 30 is sealingly clamped to the open top of the application container 28 in a manner illustrated in copending US. Pat. APPLICATION Ser. No. 55,814 filed July 17, 1970, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. The subtop circumscribes the open top of the water container and extends over a rim 31 forming the top opening of the spin basket 29 to define an access collar 32 between the access opening of the cabinet and the top opening of the spin basket. Water is drained from the tub assembly through a sump 33 connected to the bottom wall 34 of the water container 28. A pump, not shown, pumps the wash and rinse water to a drain by means of a conduit 35 connected to the sump 33. The sump 33 may also include a pressure trap 36 which through a remote control switch located on a control panel 38 to be described can regulate the level of water in the tub assembly.

The water container 28 and thus the tub assembly 27 is mounted on a suspension system shown generally at 40 and more fully taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,118, granted Feb. 3, 1970. The tub assembly includes an agitator 44 which with the spin basket 29 is connected to a drive mechanism or power means shown generally at 50. The power means includes a motor 56 and may be of a roller-drive type taught more fully in US. Pat. Nos. 3,087,321 granted Apr. 30, 1963 and 3,252,310 granted May 24, 1966. In general, power means 50 may be operated by suitable clutch means in one manner to vertically reciprocate or pulsate the agitator 44 for washing clothes in the tub assembly at a normal agitate speed of, for example, 330 lid-inch strokes per minute and at a slow agitate speed of 220 strokes per minute. When the mechanism is operated in another manner, spin basket 29 is rotated with respect to the water container 28 for centrifuging washing fluid from the clothes to the spin basket 29.

Suitable fill means such as a peripheral fill system (not shown) is carried and supported on the annular plastic sub top 30 may be used. For details of one type of the peripheral fill system suitable for use in the combination of this invention, reference may be had to copending application (a-l3,445) and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

As shown in the wiring diagram of FIG. 4 the drive motor 56 includes a four-pole start phase winding 102, a high speed, four-pole main run winding 104, and a low speed, six-pole main winding 106. In the illustrated arrangement the phase winding 102 has the opposite ends thereof connected to movable switch blades 108, of a timer motor operated phase control switch 111. The blade 108 is selectively movable between contacts 7, 8 and the blade 110 is selectively movable into engagement with contacts 9, 10 to reverse the polarity across the phase winding 102 so as to determine the direction of the output shaft 58 of the motor 51.

More particularly, the energization circuit of the phase winding 102 runs from wire L through a conductor to a double pole double throw switch blade 121 having contacts 122, 123, and thence through conductors 124 and 125 to one side of the phase switch 111; the opposite side of the phase switch is electrically connected to a conductor 126 which in turn is electrically connected to a centrifugal start switch 127 that maintains the phase windings 102 in series with the fourpole main winding 104 until the output of the motor 56 reaches a predetermined percentage of its running speed at which time the phase winding 102 is dropped from the motor circuit.

The running windings of the motor 56 are energized through a circuit from wire L through conductors 120 and 130, a lid switch including a blade 131, through conductor 132 to a push pull switch having a blade 133, thence through conductors 134, 135 to a line switch whose blade 136 is electrically connected via conductor 137 to the blade 138 of timer operated spin speed selector switch. The speed selector switch blade 138 is selectively movable into engagement with a high spin speed contact 12 and a low spin speed contact 11. The high speed contact 12 is electrically connected by a conductor 143 to the movable switch blade 144 of a manually operable speed selector switch shown enclosed by dashed line 145. The switch blade 144 has a high speed contact 146 and a low speed contact 147 with the high speed contact 146 electrically connected by conductor 148 to one side of the four-pole run winding 104 which has an opposite side thereof connected through the overload protector 150 by a conductor 149 to wire N.

The washer 22 has a sequence controller including a presettable cycle selector knob 174 on the control panel 38 (FIG. 5) which positions an indicator with respect to suitable indicia on the control panel plate indicating the selection of a predetermined cycle of operation of the washer 22. In the illustrated arrangement, where the dial 176 is located in the region A, the sequence controller is conditioned in a particular phase of a wash cycle as set forth in a timer cycle chart of FIG. 6. When the dial 176 is located in a region B, the sequence controller is operative in an extra rinse cycle of operation; when the dial 176 is in a region C, the sequence controller is operative to condition the machine for a soak cycle as set forth in FIG. 6.

The washer includes an agitate speed control knob 170 and a spin speed control knob 172 on the control panel 38 for presetting these operations by control of speed selector switch 145 as described in US. Pat. No. 3,403,538 issued Oct. 8, 1968 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

Additionally, the illustrated sequence controller can be modified for different types of fabrics by positioning option control buttons on the control panel 38 including a normal wash cycle button 178, a wash and wear fabric selector button 180, a soak and extra rinse option button 182 and an extra rinse button 184. Additionally, the control panel 38 includes a water temperature selector knob 186 and a water level selector knob 188. In the case of each of the control knobs 170, 172, 186, 188 and indicator is associated therewith movable with respect to suitable indicia on the cycle selector control knob 174 to indicate the selection of a given machine operating condition.

The option control buttons are associated with an option selector switch assembly 190 seen in FIG. 4 as including movable switch blades 192 and 194. The cold water temperature selector knob 186 is associated with a water temperature selector switch 198 that includes movable switch blades 199 and 200 while the full wash and full rinse switch 201 includes movable switch blades 202, 203. The water level selector knob 186 is associated with a multiple position water level pressure control switch assembly 204 including a movable switch blade 206.

In the illustrated arrangement, the sequence controller as seen in the circuit diagram of FIG. 4 includes contacts 1-21 operatively located with respect to a plurality of cam operated movable switch blades to be opened and closed in accordance with the timer cycle chart of FIG. 6 to produce a wash cycle of operation including a wash phase wherein the agitator 44 is reciprocated vertically within the spin basket 29, a dwell period for reversal of the phase switches to produce reverse operation of the motor 56; a subsequent spin phase of operation wherein the motor 56 is conditioned to cause the spin shaft 58 to drive the spin basket 29 so as to extract fluid therefrom, a subsequent full period followed by a rinse and final spin phase of operation. The sequence controller is also operative as noted in FIG. 6 to produce an extra rinse cycle of operation wherein additional fill water is directed into the spin basket and the agitator 44 is reciprocated therein following which there is a dwell period for motor reversal followed by a centrifugal extraction spin phase of operation. The controller further includes a soak cycle as noted wherein the spin basket is filled with water and articles are allowed to soak in the water without operating the agitator 44 immediately following which time the machine is operated through a centrifugal extraction or spin phase of operation.

To better explain certain aspects of the present invention, a brief summary of the operation of the washing machine under the control of the circuit in FIG. 4 is desirable. Assuming that the sequence control knob 174 has been located to position the indicator dial 176 in the wash cycle region A and more specifically at the beginning of the wash cycle and that the clothes have been loaded in the spin basket 29, the lid 26 is closed and the control knob 174 pushed inwardly. A fill energization circuit thereby is completed from wire L, through the closed lid switch 131 thence through the push pull switch 133 operated by the knob 174, the blade 26 of the adjustable water level pressure switch 204 thence through a conductor 212 to a movable switch blade 214 which when in electrical engagement with the contact 13 is electrically connected to a conductor 216 that is electrically connected to contacts 218, 220

on the water selector switch 198. If it is desired to obtain a hot water fill, the movable switch blades 200, 202 are positioned as shown in FIG. 4. This completes a circuit through conduc tor 222 to one side of a hot water solenoid coil 224 which has the opposite side thereof connected by conductors 226, 227 to motor 56 thence through conductor 149 to a wire N of the 1l5-volt power source. With selector valve 198 conditioned for a hot water fill, a cold water solenoid 228 is maintained deenergized. If desired, a cold water fill can be obtained merely by moving the switch blade 200 out of electrical contact with an overflow fill contact 231 of the water temperature selector switch 198 into electrical contact with the cold water wash fill contact 218.

Following the fill cycle of operation, the pressure responsive fill switch 204 has switch blade 206 thereof moved back to a back contact 240 to complete a timer motor energization circuit from wire I. through push-pull switch 133, conductor 209 and the pressure responsive switch 204 to a conductor 242 connected to the timer control contact 3 to one side of a timer motor 247 of the controller which has the opposite side thereof connected to a conductor 248 that is in turn electrically connected to conductor 124 and 125 back to wire N. With the sequence control knob 174 located at the beginning of the wash cycle of operation, the controller has movable switch blades 108, 110, of the phase switch 111 positioned in electrical contact with the contacts 7 and 9, whereby the motor 56 is conditioned for rotation in a direction to cause the agitator shaft 58 to reciprocate the agitator 44 within the spin basket 28. More particularly, following the fill period, the circuit includes a motor energization circuit from wire L, through the push-pull switch 133, through the conductor 209, thence to the switch blade 206 of the fill switch 204 that engages contact 240, through the conductor 137 and the movable switch blade 138 of the controller that energizes a motor energization contact 12.

As seen in FIG. 2, the water level pressure sensitive control switch assembly 204 is shown which in the disclosed form is of the conventional type, having a diaphragm enclosed by casing 260, used in commercially available appliances and disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,292,645 assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. The level to which water rises in the container 28 is controlled by the pressure switch assembly 204. In the instant arrangement for doing this, the pressure tap 36 is provided in the sump 33 which is connected through tube 262 to the stem 264 of the pressure switch assembly 204. Pressure switch 204, shown schematically in FIGS. 4 and 4A, includes the movable contact blade 206 connected via terminal 207 to conductor 136 and by means of a series of switches to L,, a fixed contact blade 208 electrically connected via terminal 209 in circuit with conductor 212 to water selector switches 198 and 201, and a fixed contact blade 210 and terminal 240 through which timer switch 247 is energized. Pressure switch 204 is shown in FIG. 4A in its zero pressure position, in which movable blade contact 206 is in engagement with fixed blade contact 208 and terminal 209 so that water inlet solenoid valves will be energized upon closure of the master switch 121, lead switch blade 131 and push pull switch 133. During the washing operations movable blade contact 206 is in engagement with fixed contact blade 210 and terminal 240 inasmuch as pressure switch 204 is actuated to that position by inflation pressure within tube 262.

In this type of pressure switch 204 the movable contact blade 206 is linked to diaphragm 211 and the switch is operated in response to an increase of the air pressure within conduit 262, the increase in the air pressure coming as a result of compression of the air by a rise in the level of the water in the container 28. A further conventional and commercially available embodiment of the water level pressure switch 204 is the provision of means for varying the point at which the internal contact blade 206 is closed by the air pressure so that any one of several different air pressures may be selected for closing of the movable contact blade 206. In this manner different levels within the container 28 may be selected by movement of knob 18% to different positions which rotates first cam means 2511 having a serrated cam face fixed on shaft 259, which cam means 251i controls the air pressure selected by suitable means such as a pivoting am 233 and compression spring arrangement 23d of switch 204i. As seen in FIG. 5 the knob 18!} can be manually rotated in a clockwise direction from a full load position indicated by line 251, substantially filling the container 28, through an angle of about 270, to a stop or small load position with a minimum water level indicated by line 282. A field adjustment bolt 235 is provided for calibrating the compression of spring 23d.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is the load sensor switch 250, which in the preferred form is an overcenter type conventional microswitch fixedly located adjacent the shaft 259 by means of bracket member 252 positioned transverse to the shaft 259 allowing carn follower means in the form of actuating button 254 to depend to a location adjacent second generally circular cam means 255 fixedly mounted on shaft 259 and movable therewith adjacent the knob mounting stem 256. As seen in FIG. 3 the cam means 255 is divided into an enlarged segment having a raised annular cam surface 257 with an arcuate extent of approximately 240 and a reduced segment having a lower annular cam surface 258 with an arcuate extent of approximately 120.

Prior to the start of the operative cycle, the user selects the quantity of fill required by manual rotation of knob 188. For large clothes loads, it is desirable to have the liquid level substantially higher than is required for small clothes loads. Accordingly, the knob may be rotated in a clockwise rotation past the reset stop reference line 280 through an arch of approximately 270 to a plurality of positions between full load" and small load" designated by lines 251 and 282. By means of first cam means 251 changing the pressure on spring 234 and movable contact blade 206 causes different amounts of air pressure to be required to trip the movable contact blade 2011i. The arrangement is such that the second cam means 255 is rotated in unison with first cam means 251. If the knob 158 is rotated to any place within the first 150 of are or up to the line 283, representing the auxiliary switch 250 operating point, the cam follower button 25d of the auxiliary switch 250 will be depressed by raised surface 257 of second cam means 255 to close its contact 265. This permits current to pass through conductor 270, blade 272, contact 265, and conductor 2711, to the speed selector switch M5 and thence to either conductor M8 or 151, depending upon the position of the switch blades 290, 291, 292 and l of the speed selector switch M5 to provide either slow agitate or normal agitate speed of the agitator 44.

If the control knob 188 is further rotated in a clockwise direction past the line 283 in the last 120 of are between lines 282 and 283, the second cam means 255 is rotated such that the cam follower button 25d will be extended into engagement with the lower cam surface 258 and this engagement will cause closing of contact 269 of the auxiliary switch 250. C10- sure of contact 269 completes a bypass path from conductor 270, contact 269 and conductor 273 directly to the six pole main winding 106 portion of the motor 56, thereby permitting only slow speed agitation of the agitator M regardless of the position of the speed selector switch M5. This insures that if the container 28 is filled to a low level which in the instant case is about one-third full or less, the auxiliary switch will override the speed selector switch to prevent excess agitation of the water whenever the water level within the container 28 of the machine is below the predetermined low level.

Having described above a novel bypass or override mechanism for a variable speed agitator, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that I have devised an efficient mechanism for incorporating a cam means on a shaft of a water level pressure control switch used in washing machines that is effective in response to low fill conditions during the agitation cycle to establish low speed drive to the agitator. This enables the washing cycle of operation to be carried out with low speed agitation during periods where insufficient water is present in the tub for normal speed agitation.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is:

ll. in combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a container adapted to receive articles and contain cleansing water at various levels therein, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor for effecting predetermined series of washing phases of operation including an agitation motion of said agitator, and agitator speed switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agita tion rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a water level fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which water flow from said inlet means is terminated and an agitation motion of said agitator is started, said water level fill switch including manually operable means, first and second means simultaneously moved by said manually operable means, said first means operating said water level fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitation motion of said agitator is started, said second means operating automatic bypass switch means to one circuit condition including said agitator speed switch and another circuit condition bypassing said agitator speed switch, said manually operable means simultaneously moving said second means to initiate said another circuit condition of said bypass switch means when a water level at or below a predetermined amount is selected by said first means whereby said bypass switch means overrides said agitator speed switch to limit the agitation rate of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed switch.

2. in combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a rotatable container adapted to receive articles and contain cleansing water at various levels therein, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor for effecting predetermined series of washing and rinse phases of operation including an agitation motion of said agitator, an agitator speed selector switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agitation rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a water level fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which flow from said inlet means is terminated and an agitation motion of said agitator is started, said water level fill switch including a manually revolvable shaft, first and second cam means fixed in said shaft for simultaneous movement by said shaft, said first carn means operating said water level fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitator is started, said second cam means operating automatic bypass switch means to one circuit condition including said agitator speed selector switch and another circuit condition bypassing said agitator speed selector switch, said manually revolvable shaft simultaneously rotating said second cam means to initiate said another circuit condition of said bypass switch means when a water level at or below a predetennined amount is selected by said first cam means whereby said bypass switch means overrides said agitator speed selector switch to limit the agitation rate of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed switch.

3. In combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a rotatable container adapted to receive articles, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for vertically agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, means including said container for extracting water from the articles, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means and said fluid extraction means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor means for effecting predetermined series of washing and spin phases of operation including a washing motion of said agitator, an agitator speed selector switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agitation rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a pressure responsive fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which flow from said inlet means is terminated and a pulsating washing motion of said agitator is started, said pressure responsive fill switch including a manually revolvable shaft, first and second cam means on said shaft, said first cam means affixed directly to said shaft operating said pressure responsive fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitator motion is started, said second cam means affixed directly to said shaft operating an automatic single pole-double throw bypass microswitch having a first contact to energize one circuit condition including said agitator speed switch means and a second contact to energize another circuit condition around said agitator speed selector switch, said second cam means comprising a generally circular cam having an enlarged radius section for said one circuit condition and a reduced radius section for said another circuit condition, a cam follower button extending from said bypass microswitch adapted to ride on said sections for operating said bypass from said first contact to said second contact, said manually revolvable shaft simultaneously rotating said second cam means to close said second contact of said bypass microswitch means when a water level at or below a predetermined amount is selected by said first cam means whereby said bypass microswitch means override said speed selector switch to limit the speed of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed selector switch.

Claims (3)

1. In combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a container adapted to receive articles and contain cleansing water at various levels therein, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor for effecting predeteRmined series of washing phases of operation including an agitation motion of said agitator, and agitator speed switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agitation rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a water level fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which water flow from said inlet means is terminated and an agitation motion of said agitator is started, said water level fill switch including manually operable means, first and second means simultaneously moved by said manually operable means, said first means operating said water level fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitation motion of said agitator is started, said second means operating automatic bypass switch means to one circuit condition including said agitator speed switch and another circuit condition bypassing said agitator speed switch, said manually operable means simultaneously moving said second means to initiate said another circuit condition of said bypass switch means when a water level at or below a predetermined amount is selected by said first means whereby said bypass switch means overrides said agitator speed switch to limit the agitation rate of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed switch.

2. In combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a rotatable container adapted to receive articles and contain cleansing water at various levels therein, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor for effecting predetermined series of washing and rinse phases of operation including an agitation motion of said agitator, an agitator speed selector switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agitation rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a water level fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which flow from said inlet means is terminated and an agitation motion of said agitator is started, said water level fill switch including a manually revolvable shaft, first and second cam means fixed in said shaft for simultaneous movement by said shaft, said first cam means operating said water level fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitator is started, said second cam means operating automatic bypass switch means to one circuit condition including said agitator speed selector switch and another circuit condition bypassing said agitator speed selector switch, said manually revolvable shaft simultaneously rotating said second cam means to initiate said another circuit condition of said bypass switch means when a water level at or below a predetermined amount is selected by said first cam means whereby said bypass switch means overrides said agitator speed selector switch to limit the agitation rate of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed switch.

3. In combination a control device for a clothes washing machine, the combination of a rotatable container adapted to receive articles, water inlet means for providing fresh water to said container, agitator means for vertIcally agitating the articles in the presence of the cleaning water, means including said container for extracting water from the articles, an electric motor, power transmission means, coupling means for coupling said electric motor in driving relationship with said power transmission means, said power transmission means being operated by said coupling means to transfer a predetermined amount of the output energy of said electric motor to said agitator means and said fluid extraction means, presettable sequence control means for conditioning said electric motor means for effecting predetermined series of washing and spin phases of operation including a washing motion of said agitator, an agitator speed selector switch presettable independently of said sequence control means connected to said electric motor to change the agitation rate of said agitator between a normal rate and a gentle rate of operation thereof; a pressure responsive fill switch for manually adjusting said preselecting sequence control means to provide a plurality of different water levels at which flow from said inlet means is terminated and a pulsating washing motion of said agitator is started, said pressure responsive fill switch including a manually revolvable shaft, first and second cam means on said shaft, said first cam means affixed directly to said shaft operating said pressure responsive fill switch for selecting one of said water levels at which said flow is terminated and said agitator motion is started, said second cam means affixed directly to said shaft operating an automatic single pole-double throw bypass microswitch having a first contact to energize one circuit condition including said agitator speed switch means and a second contact to energize another circuit condition around said agitator speed selector switch, said second cam means comprising a generally circular cam having an enlarged radius section for said one circuit condition and a reduced radius section for said another circuit condition, a cam follower button extending from said bypass microswitch adapted to ride on said sections for operating said bypass from said first contact to said second contact, said manually revolvable shaft simultaneously rotating said second cam means to close said second contact of said bypass microswitch means when a water level at or below a predetermined amount is selected by said first cam means whereby said bypass microswitch means override said speed selector switch to limit the speed of said agitator to a gentle rate of operation irrespective of the setting of said agitator speed selector switch.

Images