Lid latch and interlock mechanism for clothes washing machines

Claim 2

In a clothes washing machine of the type including a cabinet having a lid pivotally mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions and having a rotatable tub therein for washing clothes and spin extracting water therefrom, an electrical control circuit, an automatic timer in said circuit advancing an operational cycle including washing and spinning the clothes, the improvement comprising; a keeper secured to said lid, means actuated into latching engagement with said keeper by closure of said lid, means slidably movable between a normally biased retracted position and an extended position, said last means being slidably extended by closure of said lid, a locking member being moved into engagement with said means in response to the extended movement thereof, movement of said locking member closing a switch in said control circuit conditioning the circuit for the water extracting cycle, and a switch actuator attached to said last means responding to out-of-balance conditions of said tub during the spin cycle opening the switch whereby said locking member disengages said last means thereby unlatching the lid for opening thereof and redistribution of the clothes in said tub.

Claim 3

In a clothes washing machine including a cabinet having a rotatable clothes washing tub therein, a lid pivotally mOunted on said cabinet for movement between open and closed positions providing access to said tub, means in said cabinet agitating the clothes in said tub during a washing cycle and spinning said tub during a centrifugal water extraction cycle, an electrical control circuit including a timer automatically controlling the washing and spin cycles, a keeper secured to said cabinet lid, latch means secured to said cabinet and movable between a keeper engaged latched position and a disengaged unlatched position, means actuated by closure of said lid moving said latch means into the keeper engaged latched position, a slide member, said slide member also being moved from a normally biased retracted position to an extended position by said actuating means while said keeper is being latched, a locking member movable into and out of locking engagement with said slide in its extended position, a solenoid in said electrical control circuit, a first switch in said control circuit being closed by the extended movement of said slide energizing said solenoid, said locking member being moved into engagement with said slide locking it in its extended position, a second switch in said control circuit, said locking member closing said second switch when moved by said solenoid conditioning the water extraction circuit so that the tub spinning cycle can occur when demanded by the automatic timer, and a switch actuator attached to said slide responsive to out-of-balance conditions occurring during the spin water extraction cycle whereby sufficient orbital movement of said tub moves the actuator opening said first switch deenergizing said solenoid and unlocking said slide allowing unlatching the cabinet lid for rearranging the clothes in said tub.

Claim 4

In a clothes washing machine including a cabinet having a rotatable clothes washing tub therein, a lid pivotally mOunted on said cabinet for movement between open and closed positions providing access to said tub, means in said cabinet agitating the clothes in said tub during a washing cycle and spinning said tub during a centrifugal water extraction cycle, an electrical control circuit including a timer automatically controlling the washing and spin cycles, a keeper secured to said cabinet lid, latch means secured to said cabinet and movable between a keeper engaged latched position and a disengaged unlatched position, means actuated by closure of said lid moving said latch means into the keeper engaged latched position, a slide member, said slide member also being moved from a normally biased retracted position to an extended position by said actuating means while said keeper is being latched, a locking member movable into and out of locking engagement with said slide in its extended position, a solenoid in said electrical control circuit, a first switch in said control circuit being closed by the extended movement of said slide energizing said solenoid, said locking member being moved into engagement with said slide locking it in its extended position, a second switch in said control circuit, said locking member closing said second switch when moved by said solenoid conditioning the water extraction circuit so that the tub spinning cycle can occur when demanded by the automatic timer, and a switch actuator attached to said slide responsive to out-of-balance conditions occurring during the spin water extraction cycle whereby sufficient orbital movement of said tub moves the actuator opening said first switch deenergizing said solenoid and unlocking said slide allowing unlatching the cabinet lid for rearranging the clothes in said tub.

Claim 5

In a clothes washing machine including a cabinet having a rotatable clothes washing tub therein, a lid pivotally mounted on said cabinet for movement between open and closed positions providing access to said tub, means in said cabinet agitating the clothes in said tub during a washing cycle and spinning said tub during a centrifugal water extraction cycle, an electrical control circuit including a timer automatically controlling the washing and spin cycles, a keeper secured to said cabinet lid, a latch and switch housing secured to said cabinet, a door latch pivotally mounted on said housing, said housing containing an axially extending slot, a primary slide movable in said housing slot between a normally biased retracted and extended positions, said primary slide containing an axially extending slot, a secondary switch actuating slide movable in said primary slide slot and carried therewith when said primary slide moves to its extended position, a bell crank lock pivotally mounted on said housing, a solenoid having an armature connected to one arm of said lock, a first switch attached to said housing in circuit with said solenoid, a second switch attached to said housing in circuit with the spin cycle portion of said control circuit, a latch and slide actuator mounted for slidable movement vertically in said housing, closure of said lid moving said latch and slide actuator vertically downwardly rotating said latch into a position blocking movement of said keeper open and simultaneously moving said primary slide to an extended position in said housing slot whereupon said secondary switch actuating slide closes said first switch energizing said solenoid, said solenoid rotating the other arm of said bell crank lock into engagement with said primary slide retaining it in the extended position, the rotating movement of said lock also closing said second switch in the spin circuit whereby the control timer is effective to spin the tub as prescribed during a washing cycle, and a leaf spring switch actuator secured to said housing and positioned to respond to excessive out-of-balance conditions of said tub during a spin cycle, said leaf spring being movable by said tub to open said first switch deenergizing said solenoid unlocking said slide which retracTs upon opening the cabinet lid.

Claim 6

In a clothes washing machine including a cabinet having a rotatable clothes washing tub therein, a lid pivotally mounted on said cabinet for movement between open and closed positions providing access to said tub, means in said cabinet agitating the clothes in said tub during a washing cycle and spinning said tub during a centrifugal water extraction cycle, an electrical control circuit including a timer automatically controlling the washing and spin cycles, a keeper secured to said cabinet lid, a latch and switch housing secured to said cabinet, a door latch pivotally mounted on said housing, said housing containing an axially extending slot, a primary slide movable in said housing slot between a normally biased retracted and extended positions, said primary slide containing an axially extending slot, a secondary switch actuating slide movable in said primary slide slot and carried therewith when said primary slide moves to its extended position, a bell crank lock pivotally mounted on said housing, a solenoid having an armature connected to one arm of said lock, a first switch attached to said housing in circuit with said solenoid, a second switch attached to said housing in circuit with the spin cycle portion of said control circuit, a latch and slide actuator mounted for slidable movement vertically in said housing, closure of said lid moving said latch and slide actuator vertically downwardly rotating said latch into a position blocking movement of said keeper open and simultaneously moving said primary slide to an extended position in said housing slot whereupon said secondary switch actuating slide closes said first switch energizing said solenoid, said solenoid rotating the other arm of said bell crank lock into engagement with said primary slide retaining it in the extended position, the rotating movement of said lock also closing said second switch in the spin circuit whereby the control timer is effective to spin the tub as prescribed during a washing cycle, and a leaf spring switch actuator secured to said housing and positioned to respond to excessive out-of-balance conditions of said tub during a spin cycle, said leaf spring being movable by said tub to open said first switch deenergizing said solenoid unlocking said slide which retracTs upon opening the cabinet lid.

Claim 7

The device as described in claim 3 wherein said door latch is in the form of a pivotally mounted bell crank one arm of which is engaged by said latch and slide actuator while the other arm is rotated into a keeper locking position upon downward movement of said latch and slide actuator, said latch and slide actuator comprising a bifurcated member having respective sides thereof movable in guide slots in said housing, and said leaf spring switch actuator being pivotally mounted to said housing whereby engagement thereof by the tub during an out-of-balance condition pivots the leaf spring actuator raising said switch actuator second slide in said first slot upwardly to move the latter out of engagement with said first switch thereby opening the circuit to said solenoid and unlocking said first slide which retracts upon opening of said lid.