Centrifugal extraction machines

Claim 2

A centrifugal extraction machine comprising a resiliently mounted assembly including a container for liquid and a clothes drum mounted within said container for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, upper connection sections associated with said resiliently mounted assembly, a base frame, lower connection sections associated with said base frame, and support means extending between said upper and lower sections so as to support said resiliently mounted assembly from below, said support means comprising a. a plurality of springs, each generally extending between said base and said resiliently mounted assembly, b. a damper unit associated with at least one of said springs, said damper unit comprising a strut which extends between one lower and one upper section, a first end connection for said strut associated with one of said sections being of non-rigid nature so as to permit tilting of said strut with respect to its said one section, a second end connection associated with the other of said sections comprising a split annular damping member surrounding a portion of said strut and having a partspherical surface engaging a part-spherical seat associated with said other section so as to permit substantially unrestrained tilting of said strut with respect to said other section, and said associated spring of said damper unit surrounding said strut and generally between said upper and lower sections.

Claim 3

A centrifugal extraction machine comprising a resiliently mounted assembly including a container for liquid and a clothes drum mounted within said container for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, upper connection sections associated with said resiliently mounted assembly, a base frame, lower connection sections associated with said base frame, and support means extending between said upper and lower sections so as to support said resiliently mounted assembly from below, said support means comprising a. a plurality of springs, each generally extending between said base and said resiliently mounted assembly, b. a damper unit associated with at least one of said springs, said damper unit comprising a strut which extends between one lower and one upper section, a first end connection for said strut associated with one of said sections being of non-rigid nature so as to permit tilting of said strut with respect to its said one section, a second end connection associated with the other of said sections comprising a split annular damping member surrounding a portion of said strut and having a part-spherical surface engaging a part-spherical seat associated with said other section so as to permit substantially unrestrained tilting of said strut with respect to said other section, and said associated spring of said damper unit surrounding said strut and generally between said upper and lower sections.

Claim 4

A centrifugal extraction machine comprising a resiliently mounted assembly including a container for liquid and a clothes drum mounted within said container for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, upper connection sections associated with said resiliently mounted assembly, a base frame, lower connection sections associated with said base frame, and support means extending between said upper and lower sections so as to support said resiliently mounted assembly from below, said support means comprising a. a plurality of springs, each generally extending between said base and said resiliently mounted assembly, b. a damper unit associated with at least one of said springs, said damper unit comprising a strut which extends between one lower and one upper section, a first end connection for said strut associated with one of said sections being of non-rigid nature so as to permit tilting of said strut with respect to its said one section, a second end connection associated with the other of said sections comprising a split annular damping member surrounding a portion of said strut and having a part-spherical surface engaging a part-spherical seat associated with said other section so as to permit substantially unrestrained tilting of said strut with respect to said other section, and said associated spring of said damper unit surrounding said strut and generally between said upper and lower sections.

Claim 5

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first end connection comprises a mounting having at least one block of resilient material which permits restrained tilting of said strut with respect to said one section.

Claim 6

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second end connection is associated with said lower section.

Claim 7

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second end connection is associated with said upper section.

Claim 8

A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said block of resilient material is compressed between a plate and said one section, said plate providing a seat for said associated spring of said damper unit.

Claim 9

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lengths of said associated spring and said strut are such that said damping member is disposed on said strut in such a position that said strut remains within a bore of said damping member when said associated spring is extended to its unloaded free length.

Claim 10

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said damping member has a sleeve portion associated therewith which extends away from said part-spherical surface of said damping member to provide location for said damping member with respect to said other section in the event of said part-spherical surface of said damping member moving away from said other section.

Claim 11

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said other section has an aperture through which said strut passes and said part-spherical seat is formed by an integral margin of the aperture.

Claim 12

A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said other section has an aperture through which said strut passes and said part-spherical seat is formed by an annular member separable from said aperture.

Claim 13

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said damping member has at least two longitudinal splits to divide it into at least two portions.

Claim 14

A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resiliently mounted assembly is supported by three springs, two of said springs having a damper unit associated therewith and extending between said base frame and said assembly below and to one side of the horizontal axis of said assembly, and a third spring extending between a lower end connection on said base frame and an upper end connection on said assembly below and to the other side of the horizontal axis, said end connections of said third spring providing negligible damping.

Claim 15

A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said assembly is supported by two springs each extending between said base frame and said assembly, one of said springs on each side of the horizontal axis of said assembly, one of said springs having a damper unit associated therewith and the other of said springs having no damper unit associated therewith.

Claim 16

A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said assembly is supported by two springs, each of said springs having a damper unit associated therewith, said springs extending between said base frame and said assembly with one spring on each side of the horizontal axis of said assembly.

Claim 17

A centrifugal extraction machine comprising a resiliently mounted assembly including a container for liquid and a clothes drum mounted within said container for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, upper connection sections associated with said resiliently mounted assembly, a base frame, lower connection sections associated with said base frame, and support means extending between said upper and lower sections so as to support said resiliently mounted assembly from below, said support means comprising a. a plurality of springs, each generally extending between said base and said resiliently mounted assembly, b. a strut unit associated with at least one of said springs, said strut unit comprising a strut which extends between one lower and one upper section, a first end connection associated with one of said sections comprising a sleeve surrounding said strut, seat means for said sleeve associated with said one section, said seat means permitting free movement of said sleeve relative to said seat means in a first plane and restraining movement of said sleeve relative to said seat means in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane, a second end connection for said strut associated with the other of said sections, and said associated spring of said strut unit surrounding said strut and biasing said sleeve into contact with said seat.

Claim 18

A centrifugal extraction machine comprising a resiliently mounted assembly including a container for liquid and a clothes drum mounted within said container for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, upper connection sections associated with said resiliently mounted assembly, a base frame, lower connection sections associated with said base frame, and support means extending between said upper and lower sections so as to support said resiliently mounted assembly from below, said support means comprising a. a plurality of springs, each generally extending between said base and said resiliently mounted assembly, b. a strut unit associated with at least one of said springs, said strut unit comprising a strut which extends between one lower and one upper section, a first end connection associated with one of said sections comprising a sleeve surrounding said strut, seat means for said sleeve associated with said one section, said seat means permitting free movement of said sleeve relative to said seat means in a first plane and restraining movement of said sleeve relative to said seat means in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane, a second end connection for said strut associated with the other of said sections, and said associated spring of said strut unit surrounding said strut and biasing said sleeve into contact with said seat.

Claim 19

A machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said seat means has at least one downwardly facing curved seat having an axis perpendicular to said first plane, said sleeve means having at least one pivot member having an axis perpendicular to said strut surrounded by said sleeve means, wherein said downwardly facing curved seat of said means receives said pivot of said sleeve.

Claim 20

The machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said seat means has a rectangular opening formed of two identical channel members, the major axis of said rectangle being in said first plane, and the minor axis of said rectangle being in said second plane.