Washing machine with oversuds detection and correction capability

Abstract

An automatic clothes washing appliance of the type incorporating a stationary tub, a clothes receiving basket movably supported in the tub, a spray system for distributing fill water over the articles received in the basket, and a drive motor which selectively drives the basket for wash and spin cycle operation. The control system for the appliance includes an arrangement for detecting the existence of an oversuds condition in the tub and basket which is operative upon detection of an oversuds condition to interrupt appliance operation and initiate a corrective cycle which includes actuation of the spray system to spray water over the clothes in the basket. Upon completion of the corrective cycle, normal appliance operation is resumed from the point of interruption. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the detection arrangement monitors motor speed to detect a change indicative of an increased load on the motor. The corrective cycle is initiated upon detection of a decrease in motor speed of a predetermined magnitude relative to an automatically adjusted reference speed.