Whirlpool Corporation

John W Pielemeier

Dale E Mueller

James R Mulder

Gerald L Kretchman

James I Czech

Jeffrey L Burk

Joel M Snider

Reinhold Alvin Drews

Richard G Sickert

Frank Robert Burgener, Jr

Irene M Herman-Latack

Michael J Bottas

Joy A Schrage

Harry J Rasmussen

A wash additive dispensing system for an automatic washer wherein the wash additive dispenser system includes a cup for receiving the additive, a tray pivotally supporting the cup for movement between an upright orientation for retaining the wash additive in the cup and a dumping orientation in which the additive in the cup is dispensed. The tray is disposed along the rear portion of an access opening provided in the cabinet enclosure and is slidable supported by a housing between a first position for adding wash additive to the cup and a second position for dispensing wash additive from the cup. When disposed in the second position, a handle portion of the tray forms part of the rear surface of the washer access opening. Further, when the tray is in the second position, the cup is supported above a portion of the wash tub which includes a chute having an opening into the interior of the tub such that wash additives dispensed from the cup fall into the chute and flow into the interior of the wash tub for subsequent application onto the clothes load. An actuation system is provided for selectively rotating the cup between the upright orientation to the dumping orientation for selectively dispensing the wash additive. A water inlet hose connected to a water supply valve is supported adjacent the cup for flushing the wash additive from the cup when dispensing is desired. The wash additive system preferably consists of a plurality of cup and tray assemblies for dispensing a plurality of wash additives.

Additive dispenser for an automatic washer

A water inlet for use in an automatic washing machine includes an inlet housing mounted to direct water downwardly between a washtub and a rotatable perforate basket during fill operations. A plurality of louvers project outwardly from a sidewall of the perforate basket so that, as the perforate basket is rotated, the louvers pass through the incoming stream of water to capture a portion thereof, and sling it inwardly to form a spray directed inwardly of the perforate basket during a spray rinse operation.

Means for inletting water into an automatic washer including a water

A dual action agitator for use in a washing machine utilizes a one-way dog clutch having a plurality of dogs made of elastomeric material and pivotally mounted in a cam. The dogs pivot outward to engage an inner surface of an upper agitator barrel to drive the agitator barrel in a first direction during a first oscillatory stroke of a lower agitator skirt, and the dogs pivot away from the inner surface as the lower agitator skirt oscillates in a second opposite direction resulting in unidirectional movement of the agitator barrel to impart additional mechanical motion to a wash load and promote rollover.

One way clutch for dual action agitator

In a dual action agitator for use in an automatic clothes washer, a barrel-shaped upper agitator includes a plurality of fins of different lengths and each having curved blade portions at the lower end thereof. The blade portions of adjacent fins form an interrupted screw thread to enhance vertical movement of a clothes lead adjacent the agitator for improved clothes rollover.

Clothes mover agitator for automatic washer

A foreign objects trap for an automatic washer is provided in the wash liquid flow path just upstream of the pump which has a settling chamber and a separator plate to trap foreign objects. The separator plate has irregularly shaped tubes therethrough which, in conjunction with a closely spaced wall of the trap housing, prevent passage of lighter than water objects. A lower portion of the housing is removable for cleaning and is transparent for visual inspection.

Foreign objects trap for automatic washer

A laundry additive dispenser for use with laundry appliances has a tiltable bin pivotally mounted for user access on a panel of the laundry appliance. The bin is divided into three sections which are exposed when the bin is tilted forward to a receiving position and may be filled with liquid or granular laundry additives. The bin is then tilted back to a dispensing position. The sections of the bin for dispensing liquid laundry additives each have a siphon therein. Solenoid operated valves selectively communicate each section with a water distribution path. When an appropriate valve is opened water flows in the proper section of the bin and when the water-additive solution reaches an appropriate level, siphoning action begins and the entire contents of the section is dispensed to a clothes treatment zone in the appliance. Each section is provided with an overflow tube to insure that the liquid level in the section does not reach a level so as to prevent the siphoning action.

Pivotal siphon bleach dispenser for automatic washer

A vertical-axis, automatic washing machine has a central drive shaft for oscillatably driving a first agitator portion with a clutch member splined thereto. The clutch has downwardly-facing teeth having drive surfaces and slip surfaces. An auger or second agitator portion coaxial with the first agitator portion has cooperating upwardly-facing teeth. Upon a drive or forward oscillation of the drive shaft and first agitator portion, the drive surfaces engage one another to drive the auger portion in a stepwise rotation. During an opposite rotation of the first agitator portion, the slip surfaces engage one another and, where the contents of the washer basket retards a reverse movement of the auger, the teeth will slip past one another, with the clutch member reciprocating vertically upon its splined connection. An annular cushioning member placed between the clutch and the agitator parts cushions impacts between the teeth during such reciprocations by controlling the depth of tooth engagement. Thus, noise otherwise normally produced during ratcheting of the clutch is substantially reduced.

One-way clutch for auger agitator

A washer agitator with an oscillating skirt portion below an upper, unidirectionally-rotating auger agitator portion has scrubbing vanes on the skirt ramped on one side so that the fabric such as clothing being washed is driven by the scrubbing vanes in a direction opposite to the direction of orbital fabric movement induced by the rotating auger, thereby minimizing tangling of the fabric during the washing cycle while optimizing roll-over.

Ramped scrubbing vanes for auger agitator

A method for minimizing setting of wrinkles in fabrics, particularly permanent press fabrics, during a liquid extraction cycle by adding moisture to the fabrics while they are being centrifuged to maintain their level of moisture content above a predetermined value.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

John W Pielemeier