US3772925A

US3772925A - Cable arrangement for clothes washer roller drive mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3772925A
Application number: US00305948A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Sisson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-13
Filing date: 1972-11-13
Publication date: 1973-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-20
Also published as: AU6179973A; BR7308673D0; AU473296B2; AR196561A1

Abstract

A dry-type roller drive mechanism for the agitator and spin tub of a clothes washing machine has a reversible motor utilized to rotate a driven spin roller through a friction drive including a self-energizing roller and to oscillate a slider crank drum through a slider crank drive including an improved cable assembly on the slider crank arm. The cable assembly is balanced by the use of a large diameter cable wrapped in one direction about the slider crank drum and a small diameter cable wrapped in the other direction about the slider crank drum and doubled on itself to straddle the large diameter cable. An improved cable tensioner in the cable assembly includes a rotatable cam connected at the bight of the small diameter cable and spring biased in a direction to take up cable stretch at one end of the slider crank arm. The large diameter cable has a threaded portion at the other end of the slider crank arm and a nut for initial adjustment of cable tension.

Description

United StateS Patent [191 Sisson [54] CABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR CLOTHES WASHER ROLLER DRIVE MECHANISM Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examinir--Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr.

Attorney-William S. 'Pettigrew et a1.

[451 Nov. 2o, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A dry-type roller drive mechanism for the agitator and spin tub of a clothes washing machine has a reversible motor utilized to rotate a driven spin roller through a friction drive including a self-energizing roller and to oscillate a slider crank drum through a slider crank drive including an improved cable assembly on the slider crank arm. The cable assembly is balanced by the use of a large diameter cable wrapped in one direction about the slider crank drum and a small diameter cable wrapped in the other direction about the slider crank drum and doubled on itself to straddle the large diameter cable. An improved cable tensioner in the cable assembly includes a rotatable cam connected at the bight of the small diameter cable and spring biased in a direction to take up cable stretch at one end of the slider crank arm. The large diameter cable has a threaded portion at the other end of the slider crank arm and a nut for initial adjustment of cable tension.

A 4 Claims, 9 Drawmg Fggres I? Il? zz 'I f l a 1 0o o) o l oo w o o O Z9 i no ou o o O l i oo o o o o o I 'I oo o ou o o E oo o o O 'I l oo o /4 li i i 30 E ln l Jli: l u w d' a' 'ww e 15 l l l J l wv lll] lg; A i I L :'.f w a i H6 --13' l lllllllll Vg i 1 4? 4" M fw l I .as ze w g l w JlI i I l l I l PATENlEDNuv'm |973 SHEET l Il? 3 awww@ o www0@ o 'ioowwoo o ooomoo oom@ PATENTED NHV 2 0 M5 SHEET 3E? 3 nms s CABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR CLOTHES WASHER ROLLER DRIVE MECI-IANISM This invention relates to a domestic appliance and, more particularly, to an improved agitating and spinning drive mechanism for a clothes washer.

An improved agitating and spinning mechanism is taught in my copending application Ser. No. 232,175, led Mar. 6, 1972, wherein single cable and double cable arrangements are disclosed for use in the slider crank drive thereof. This invention is directed to an improved cable arrangement for such slider crank drives.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide in a roller drive mechanism of thel dry running type a slider crank drive with an improved cable assembly.

A more specific object of this invention in the mechanism of the foregoing object is the provision of a balanced cable assembly having a relatively short, large diameter cable and a relatively long, small diameter cable, each wrapped in opposite directions about a slider crank drum for oscillating the drum and wherein the small diameter cable is doubled on itself and straddles the large diameter cable on the drum to balance stresses on the drum during oscillation thereof, thereby to achieve a more compact, less expensive mechanism.

A still further object of this invention is the provision in the cable assembly of the foregoing objects of an improved cable tensioner of longer life operating through a rotatable cam on the slider crank arm to bias the small diameter cable atthe bight thereof `to take up slack due to cable stretch.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side sectional view of aclothes'washing machine, partly in elevation and with parts broken away to show in a roller drive mechanism the improved cable arrangement of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the roller drive mechanism from the underside thereof; i

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 in FIG. l to show the drive mechanism from the topside thereof; FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the drive mechanism, partly in elevation, taken generally along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, of the slider crank arm with the improved cable assembly of this invention;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the relatively long, small diameter cable;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the relatively short, large diameter cable;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the slider crankarm and cable tensioner cam from thetop thereof; and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the slider crank arm and cable tensioner cam from the end thereof.

As the environment for this invention and with reference to FIG. l, a domestic clothes washer is shown generally at l0. The washer includes a box-like sheet metal casing 12 having a top'wall 14. The top wall has an access opening (not shown) through which clothes are loaded and unloaded.

The casing l2 is shown to enclose a nested tub assembly 24. The assembly includes an open top imperforate wall water container or outer tub 26 and a perforate wall spin basket or inner tub 28. Perforations are coextensive with the cylindrical sidewall of the spin basket. An annular plastic subtop 30 is sealingly clamped to the open top of the water container 26. The subtop circumscribes the open top of the water container and extends over a rim 33 forming the top opening of the spin basket 28 to define an access collar 36 between the access opening of the cabinet and top opening of the spin basket.

The water container 26 and, thus, the tub assembly 24 is mounted on a suspension system shown generally at 40 and more fully taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,l 18, granted Feb. 3, 1970. The tub assembly includes an agitator 44 which with the spin basket 28 is connected to a drive mechanism shown generally at 50. The drive mechanism 50 is an improved horizontal oscillation or agitation-type roller drive mechanism taught in copending application Ser. No. 232,175, filed Mar. 6, 1972, and commonly assigned with this application. In general, mechanism 50 may be operated by a reversible motor 52 in one manner to oscillate the agitator 44 for washing clothes in the tub assembly. When the mechanism is operated in another manner (motor 52 reversed), the spin basket 28 is rotated with respect to the-water container 26 for centrifuging washing fluid from the clothes in the spin basket.

Drive mechanism S0 is best shown as a completely preassembled unit in FIGS. 2 and 3. It includes a mechanism support 60 of die cast aluminum which provides the base to which the remaining components of the mechanism are assembled.

Attachment arms

62, 64 and 66 extend laterally from the base for attaching the mechanism to the underside of the outer tub 26.

More particularly, and with reference to FIG. 4, drive mechanism 50 includes an oscillatable drive or agitate shaft 70 and a rotatable spin drive shaft 72 concentric with the agitate drive shaft; Both shafts 70, 72 extend from, and are enclosed by, a housing portion 74 of the mechanism support. Housing portion 74 includes an attached mechanism guide and seal support 75 which is made of polypropylene to resist the corrosive action of washing agents. The extensions of these shafts are adapted for connection, respectively, with agitator 44 and spin basket 28. In this regard, agitator shaft 70 has attached on its upper end and keyed thereto a splined agitator driver 76 as a portion of the agitate drive shaft means. This driver interfits with a complementary socket or bottom opening 78 in the underside of agitator 44 and transmits the oscillations of agitator shaft 70 to the agitator.

The spin basket is adapted for connection with drive mechanism S0 by means of a spin basket support 80. Support 80 extends through a central opening 81 in the spin basket and is fastened against relative rotation to the spin shaft by key 83. The tub support is then held on the upper end of spin shaft 72 by a nut 82 and thus becomes a portion of the spin drive shaft means. Spin basket 28 is then fastened to support 80 as by bolts 84 or other suitable fastening means. Thus, support 80 transmits the rotations of spin shaft 72 to spin basket 28.

Conventional water seal assemblies 88 and 90 are provided between relatively rotating parts in the mechanism 50 to make the mechanism watertight. Seal assembly 88 is between spin basket support 80 and agitator driver 76. Water seal assembly 90 is between spin basket support 80 and housing portion 74 of the mechanism. For additional details of the seal assemblies, reference may be had to my copending application (A- 16,796).

A mechanism seal 96 in the form of a large O-ring of neoprene is carried on a peripheral flange 98 of seal support 75. The O-ring is formed from a hollow extruded tube approximately one-half inch in diameter. The open ends of the tube are cemented and the tube wrapped in a circle to form a ring.

From the foregoing, the preassembled drive mechanism 50 includes mechanism support 60 and its

integral attachment arms

62, 64 and 66, agitate shaft 70 (including agitator driver 76), spin shaft 72 (including spin basket support 80), together with running seals 89 and 90 and static seal 96. Of course, drive mechanism 50 includes rollers, wheels and motion converting elements to selectively provide oscillation at agitator driver 76 and spinning at spin basket support 80. These will now be described.

SPIN DRIVE The rotating drive train during spin, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, includes a spin and agitate drive pulley 100 laterally displaced from a drive pulley 102 on the power shaft of motor 52.

Pulleys

100 and 102 are connected by a multiple-V drive belt 104. Shaft housing 74 is part of a casting which includes the mechanism support 60 and a journal box 108 for the shaft 110 of spin and agitate drive pulley 100. At the other end of shaft 110 is a spin drive roller 112. Spaced laterally from the spin drive roller is a spin and brake assembly or spin driven drum 1 14 below the shaft housing 74 and in axial alignment with agitate shaft 70 and spin shaft 72. Interposed between the spin drive roller 112 and the spin driven drum 114 is a self-energizing spin idler roller 118 of a type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,942 (Brackman et al.) granted Nov. 29, 1966. For the purposes of this description, the spin and brake assembly 114 is of a type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,257 (Fosler et al.), granted Apr. 18, 1967.

In operation with the mechanism as shown in FIG. 4, motor 52 will drive drive pulley 100 through belt 104 which, in turn, drives spin drive roller 1 12. The rotation of spin drive roller 112 clockwise (FIG. 3) causes the spin idler roller 118 to self-energizingly wedge into a counterclockwise driving connection between the spin drive roller 112 and spin driven drum 114 thereby rotating the spin drum clockwise. Thus, spin drum 114 which is drivingly connected to spin shaft 72 at spline 115 operates to rotate spin tub 28. At the same time, agitate shaft 70 is caused to rotate along with the spin shaft. Rotation of the spin driven drum 114 is transmitted to the agitate shaft as follows. A shifter clutch member 139 is comprised of an upper collar 141 and lower collar 142, both press-fit on a sleeve bearing 143 so that the three-piece unit shifts up (as shown) for spin and down for agitate. In the up position, teeth 145 enmesh to connect the spin drum 114 to clutch member 139. Splines 146 and 147 interconnect the clutch member 139 with agitate shaft 70.

OSCILLATION DRIVE The oscillating drive train is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Drive pulley 100 includes an upper integral sheave portion 120 to accommodate` a power takeoff belt (not shown) for driving a recirculatng pump (not shown). A driven agitate drum 122 is formed as an annular die-cast wheel or roller mounted for rotation on shaft 124 which is journaled in support 60. The sidewall 126 of driven agitate drum 122 engages a selfenergizing agitate idler roller 128 of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,942. Drive shaft has a depending extension forming an agitate drive roller 130 adjacent the surface of agitate idler roller 128.

The slider crank portion 129 of drive mechanism 50 includes a slider crank arm 134 connected to shaft 136 which is journaled in agitate drum 122 and offset from the axis of rotation of the agitate drum.

An agitate clutch is provided at the lower end of agitate shaft 70. The clutch includes the shifter clutch member 139 axially shiftable relative to the agitate shaft and oscillatingly drivingly keyed thereto through a guide hub 144 having the aforementioned splines 146 and 147. Shifter clutch portion 142 includes from six to twelve teeth 148 adapted to engage and disengage complementary teeth or sockets 150 on guide hub 144 as clutch member 139 is raised and lowered by a solenoid actuated linkage 152 pivotally supported at 154 in a bracket 156 on support 60. A slider crank drum 160 has an outside diameter of three inches and a vertical height of 0.756 inch. The drum is relatively rotatably mounted on the lower end of the agitate shaft 70 by bolt 162 and steel washer 164. Sliding friction between the steel washer 164 and the zinc slider crank drum 160 is prevented by a thin steel washer 166 keyed to drum and a teflon washer 168. Steel to zinc sliding friction at the top of drum 160 is prevented by a free floating teflon washer 170. A bronze sleeve 172 is pressed into the slider crank drum 160 as a bearing surface between the drum 160 and its guide hub 144 whenever the drum oscillates relative to the hub.

Teeth or sockets 176 in the slider crank drum align with teeth 148 on clutch portion 142. When solenoid 180 is energized, linkage 152 will be moved in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 4) so that teeth 148 are moved into interlocking engagement with teeth 176 in the slider crank drum and with teeth 150 in the guide hub 144. Teeth 145 are disengaged to free clutch member 139 from the spin and brake assembly 1 14. The agitate shaft, keyed to hub 144 at 147, is thus interlocked for oscillation with slider crank drum 160. Solenoid 180 will be energized during oscillate and deenergized during spin. FIG. 4 shows the solenoid deenergized.

Completing the slider crank mechanism is the improved flexible continuous bond of this invention comprising cable assembly 182 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The cable assembly 182 has one end 184 thereof connected to one end 186 of the slider crank arm 134 and the other end 188 thereof connected to the other end 190 of the slider crank arm. A constantly shifting intermediate portion of the cable assembly is wrapped in a driving connection about the slider crank drum 160, whereby rotation of agitate drum 122 by the agitate drive roller portion 130 of the power shaft causes the slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap the intermediate portion of the flexible cable assembly on the slider crank drum for oscillation of agitator 44.

The flexible cable assembly comprises first and second cable portions 194, 196. The first cable 194 (FIG. 6) is a relatively long cable (22.48 inches) of relatively small diameter (0.093 inch) doubled on itself with its two

ends

198, 200 partially forming the intermediate -portion of the cable assembly and the bight thereof forming the end 184 of the cable assembly which connects to the slider crank arm. Cable 194 is formed of 7 X 19 wire rope adapted to support 650 pounds and has a polyamide covering 201 about 0.016 inch thick. The second cable 196 (FIG. 7) is a relatively short cable (8.96 inches) of relatively large diameter (0.125 inch) having one cable end forming the other end 188 of the cable assembly and the other cable end 204 completing the intermediate portion of said cable assembly wrapped about the slider crank drum. Cable 196 is formed of 7 19 wire rope adapted to support 1300 pounds and has a polyamide covering 205 about 0.031 inch thick.

The individual wires and strands comprising the flexible carbon steel are preformed into the exact helical position they will have in the finished cable so that if the cable is cut or severed, there is no tendency for the normal diameter of the cable at the unseized ends to increase by more than 0.010 inch in the case of cable 194 and 0.011 inch in the case of cable 196. The wire used in the construction of the cables is cylindrical and smooth and of uniformly high quality. It is free from splits, cold shuts, and other defects. The cable is impregnated with a suitable friction preventive compound. The friction preventive compound possesses corrosion resistant properties. All details of workmanship are in accordance with the best practice for high quality aircraft cable. The cable is securely laid and free from kinks, loose wires, loose strands, or other defects.

Note that the ends 198, 200 of the small diameter cable 194 straddle the end 204 on the large diameter cable. This arrangement balances the stresses on the slider crank drum so that a bending torque will not be applied to the bottom of agitate shaft 70 during oscillation thereof. Moreover, the cable assembly of this invention is less expensive and more compact in its vertical stack-up on the slider crank drum.

The intermediate portion of the cable assembly is retained on the slide crank drum 160 by a U-shaped bracket 208 fastened thereto by screw means 210 (FIG. 5). One side 212 of the bracket is slotted twice to receive and retain cable terminals forming the two ends 198, 200 of cable 194. The other side 214 of bracket 208 is slotted once equidistant between theA slots on the opposite side of the bracket to receive and retain the terminal forming end 204 of cable 196.

The slider crank drum 160 is eccentrically oset with respect to the agitate shaft 70. Such eccentricity in a slider crank mechanism gives a smoother, more uniform agitate action by approximately harmonic motion of the slider crank drum. The equal velocity or acceleration thus produced at both ends of the stroke smooths out the distorted velocity curve which would otherwise resultfrom rotation of the slider crank arm at offset shaft 136 by agitate drum 122.

The cable assembly of this invention also includes an improved cable tensioner 220 (FIG. 5). For this purpose, slider crank arm 134 has lateral extensions 222, 224, (FIG. 9) pivotally supporting a sintered iron cable take-up cam 226 (FIG. 8). A zinc base, die cast cable take-up block 228 is slidably supported on the slider crank arm 134 and includes a 1 to 3.67 ramp 230 adjacent a peripheral cam surface 232 on take-up cam 226. Spring 234, when connected and loaded at five pounds between cam 226 and slider crank arm 134, tends to rotate cam 226 with the result that block 228 is shifted along the slider crank arm in a direction away from the opposite end 190 of the arm. Since the bight 184 of cable 194 is carried in a groove of block 228, the cable assembly 182 is always kept in tension. Such tension takes up any slack due to cable stretch.

Initial adjustment of the cable assembly is made at the other end 188 of the assembly after it is installed on the slider crank arm 134 and drum 160. End 188 is a threaded terminal on cable 196 which extends through a channel 240 in the slider crank arm. Washer 242 and nuts 244 provide t2 means for threaded adjustment.

In operation, motor 52 will rotate drive pulley 100 through belt 104 which, in turn, rotates agitate drive roller 130. The rotation of agitate drive roller clockwise (FIG. 2) causes the agitate idler roller 128 to self-energizingly wedge into a counterclockwise driving or power transmitting connection between the agitate drive roller 130 and the sidewall 126 of the driven agitate drum 122 thereby rotating the driven agitate drum clockwise. As agitate drum 122 rotates, slider crank arm 134 reciprocates back and forth to.wrap and unwrap the intermediate cable portion on the slider crank drum 160. During agitate, teeth 148 are engaged with teeth 176 in the slider crank drum and teeth 150 in the guide hub 144. This locks the guide hub and slider crank drum together. Thus, the wrapping and unwrapping of the cable will oscillate drum 160, teeth 148, 150 engaged therewith and, through the guide hub 144, the atitate shaft 70 splined thereto. The oscillating motion of the agitate shaft extends through the spin tub to the agitator 44 therein for oscillation thereof.

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.

I claim:

l. In an agitating mechanism having shaft means, support means for said shaft means, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to said shaft means for oscillating said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum means rotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, power shaft means, and means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said agitate drum means for producing agitating, the invention comprising in said slider crank means a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted on said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum and a t1exible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof connected to the other end of said slider crank arm and having an intermediate portion wrapped in a driving connection about said slider crank drum,'whereby rotation of said agitate drum means by said power shaft means causes said slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap said flexible cable assembly on said slider crank drum for oscillation thereof,

said flexible cable assembly comprising first and second cable portions, said first cable portion being a relatively long cable of relatively small diameter doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable of relatively large diameter having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same to balance stresses on said slider crank drum during oscillation thereof.

2. An agitating and spinning mechanism for a domestic clothes washer comprising two shaft means concentrically arranged, support means for said shaft means, spin drum means drivably connected to one of said shaft means for rotating said one of said means to produce spinning, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to the other of said shaft means for oscillating said other of said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum means rotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, reversible power shaft means, and self-energizing roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said spin drum means, agitate drurn means and power shaft means `for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said spin drum means or said agitate drum means in response to the direction of said power shaft means for producing agitating or spinning, said slider crank means including a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted ori said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum and a flexible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof long cable doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same to balance stresses on said slider crank drum during oscillation thereof.

3. The agitating and spinning mechanism of claim 2 wherein said first cable portion has a relatively small 8. diameter and said second'cable portion has a relatively large diameter.

4. ln an agitating mechanism having shaft means, support means for said shaft means, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to said shaft means for oscillating said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum meansrotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, power shaft means, and means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said agitate drum means for producing agitating, the invention comprising in said slider crank means a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted on said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum, a flexible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof connected to the other end of said slider crank arm and having an intermediate portion wrapped in a driving connection about said slider crank drum, whereby rotation of said agitate drum means by said power shaft means causes said slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap said flexible cable assembly on said slider crank drum for oscillation thereof, and means for taking up slack in said cable assembly throughout the life of said agitating mechanism, said flexible cable assembly comprising first and second cable portions, said first cable portion being a relatively long cable doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same, said means for taking up slack in said cable assembly comprising a cable take-up block relatively slidably mounted on said slider crank arm and supporting said bight on one side thereof, a rotatable cam on said slider crank arm adjacent said take-up block on the other side thereof and adapted by the rotation of said cam to move said block and the bight of said first cable carried therein in a direction to tighten said cable assembly, and spring means on said slider crank arm connected to said cam and tending to rotate said cam throughout the life of said agitating mechanism.

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Claims

1. In an agitating mechanism having shaft means, support means for said shaft means, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to said shaft means for oscillating said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum means rotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, power shaft means, and means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said agitate drum means for producing agitating, the invention comprising in said slider crank means a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted on said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum and a flexible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof connected to the other end of said slider crank arm and having an intermediate portion wrapped in a driving connection about said slider crank drum, whereby rotation of said agitate drum means by said power shaft means causes said slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap said flexible cable assembly on said slider crank drum for oscillation thereof, said flexible cable assembly comprising first and second cable portions, said first cable portion being a relatively long cable of relatively small diameter doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable of relatively large diameter having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same to balance stresses on said slider crank drum during oscillation thereof.

2. An agitating and spinning mechanism for a domestic clothes washer comprising two shaft means concentrically arranged, support means for said shaft means, spin drum means drivably connected to one of said shaft means for rotating said one of said means to produce spinning, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to the other of said shaft means for oscillating said other of said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum means rotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, reversible power shaft means, and self-energizing roller drive means laterally movable with respect to said spin drum means, agitate drum means and power shaft means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said spin drum means or said agitate drum means in response to the direction of said power shaft means for producing agitating or spinning, said slider crank means including a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted on said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum and a flexible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof connected to the other end of said slider crank arm and having an intermediate portion wrapped in a driving connection about said slider crank drum, whereby rotation of said agiTate drum means by said power shaft means causes said slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap said flexible cable assembly on said slider crank drum for oscillation thereof, said flexible cable assembly comprising first and second cable portions, said first cable portion being a relatively long cable doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same to balance stresses on said slider crank drum during oscillation thereof.

3. The agitating and spinning mechanism of claim 2 wherein said first cable portion has a relatively small diameter and said second cable portion has a relatively large diameter.

4. In an agitating mechanism having shaft means, support means for said shaft means, slider crank means including a slider crank drum selectively drivably connected to said shaft means for oscillating said shaft means to produce agitating, agitate drum means rotatably carried by said support means for driving said slider crank drum, power shaft means, and means for selectively motion transmittingly connecting said power shaft means with said agitate drum means for producing agitating, the invention comprising in said slider crank means a slider crank arm having one end rotatably mounted on said agitate drum means remote from the axis of rotation thereof and extending tangentially to said slider crank drum, a flexible cable assembly having one end thereof connected to said one end of said slider crank arm and the other end thereof connected to the other end of said slider crank arm and having an intermediate portion wrapped in a driving connection about said slider crank drum, whereby rotation of said agitate drum means by said power shaft means causes said slider crank arm to reciprocate back and forth to wrap and unwrap said flexible cable assembly on said slider crank drum for oscillation thereof, and means for taking up slack in said cable assembly throughout the life of said agitating mechanism, said flexible cable assembly comprising first and second cable portions, said first cable portion being a relatively long cable doubled on itself with the two ends thereof partially forming said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and the bight thereof forming said one end of said cable assembly, said second cable portion being a relatively short cable having one cable end thereof forming said other end of said cable assembly and the other cable end thereof completing said intermediate portion of said cable assembly and connecting to said slider crank drum between the ends of said first cable portion which straddles same, said means for taking up slack in said cable assembly comprising a cable take-up block relatively slidably mounted on said slider crank arm and supporting said bight on one side thereof, a rotatable cam on said slider crank arm adjacent said take-up block on the other side thereof and adapted by the rotation of said cam to move said block and the bight of said first cable carried therein in a direction to tighten said cable assembly, and spring means on said slider crank arm connected to said cam and tending to rotate said cam throughout the life of said agitating mechanism.