Clothes washer having a siphon-actuated flood control arrangement

Claim 2

In a washing machine having an automatically controlled cycle including washing and rinsing operations, an open-top container for retaining water therein for articles to be washed, said container having a bottom sump, first pump means connected to said open-top and said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for recirculating liquid to said container, second pump means connected to said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for removing liquid from said container to a drain, prime mover means underneath said container for effecting the washing of articles in said container and for operating selectively said first and second pump means, water supply means including a conduit extending to an overlying position within an upper portion of said container below the open top thereof, said water supply means adapted by said automatically controlled cycle to supply water to said container at a predetermined fill level below the overlying position of said water supply means, a flood control system for said washing machine to prevent the overflow of water from said container during said washing and rinsing operations and thus the contamination of said water supply means and said prime mover means by said overflow of water, said flood control system comprising a tube member separate from said first and second pump means and formed into a siphon having a suction leg in communication with a lower portion of said container at said predetermined fill level and a drain leg adapted for communication with a remote drain at a position below the level of communication of said suction leg with said container, said tube member having a bight portion with its highest point positioned at a flood level above said predetermined fill level and below the overlying position of said water supply means, thereby to drain said container by siphoning to lower the level of water therein to said predetermined fill level whenever a malfunction of said automatically controlled cycle effects a supply of water to said container at said flood level, said drain leg including flow restrictor means to prevent the tube member from cavitating and breaking the siphon when said container is draining by siphoning.

Claim 3

In a washing machine having an automatically controlled cycle including washing and rinsing operations, an open-top container for retaining water therein for articles to be washed, said container having a bottom sump, first pump means connected to said open-top and said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for recirculating liquid to said container, second pump means connected to said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for removing liquid from said container to a drain, prime mover means underneath said container for effecting the washing of articles in said container and for operating selectively said first and second pump means, water supply means incuding a conduit extending to an overlying position within an upper portion of said container below the open top thereof, said water supply means adapted by said automatically controlled cycle to supply water to said container at a predetermined fill level below the overlying position of said water supply means, a flood control system for said washing machine to prevent the overflow of water from the open top of said container during said washing and rinsing operations and, thus, the contamination of said water supply means and said prime mover means by said overflow of water, said flood control system comprisng an imperforate tube member separate from said first and second pump means and formed into a siphon having a suction leg in communication with said container along the side thereof at a level both below the overlying position of said water supply means and the open top of said container and a drain leg adapted for communication with a remote drain at a position below the level of communication of said suction leg with said container, said tube memBer having a bight portion with its highest point positioned at a flood level above said predetermined fill level and both below the overlying position of said water supply means and the open top of said container, thereby to drain said container to the level of communication of said suction leg with said container whenever a malfunction of said automatically controlled cycle effects a supply of water to said container at said flood level and before the supply of water effected by said malfunction overflows from the open-top of said container.

Claim 4

In a washing machine having an automatically controlled cycle including washing and rinsing operations, an open-top container for retaining water therein for articles to be washed, said container having a bottom sump, first pump means connected to said open-top and said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for recirculating liquid to said container, second pump means connected to said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for removing liquid from said container to a drain, prime mover means underneath said container for effecting the washing of articles in said container and for operating selectively said first and second pump means, water supply means incuding a conduit extending to an overlying position within an upper portion of said container below the open top thereof, said water supply means adapted by said automatically controlled cycle to supply water to said container at a predetermined fill level below the overlying position of said water supply means, a flood control system for said washing machine to prevent the overflow of water from the open top of said container during said washing and rinsing operations and, thus, the contamination of said water supply means and said prime mover means by said overflow of water, said flood control system comprisng an imperforate tube member separate from said first and second pump means and formed into a siphon having a suction leg in communication with said container along the side thereof at a level both below the overlying position of said water supply means and the open top of said container and a drain leg adapted for communication with a remote drain at a position below the level of communication of said suction leg with said container, said tube memBer having a bight portion with its highest point positioned at a flood level above said predetermined fill level and both below the overlying position of said water supply means and the open top of said container, thereby to drain said container to the level of communication of said suction leg with said container whenever a malfunction of said automatically controlled cycle effects a supply of water to said container at said flood level and before the supply of water effected by said malfunction overflows from the open-top of said container.

Claim 5

In a washing machine having an automatically controlled cycle including washing and rinsing operations, an open-top container for retaining water therein for articles to be washed, said container having a bottom sump, first pump means connected to said open-top and said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for recirculating liquid to said container, second pump means connected to said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for removing liquid from said container to a drain, prime mover means underneath said container for effecting the washing of articles in said container and for operating selectively said first and second pump means, water supply means including a conduit extending to an overlying position within an upper portion of said container below the open top thereof, said water supply means adapted by said automatically controlled cycle to supply water to said container at a predetermined fill level below the overlying position of said water supply means, a flood control system for said washing machine to prevent the overflow of water from said container during said washing and rinsing operations and, thus, the contamination of said water supply means and said prime mover means by said overflow of water, said flood control system comprising an imperforate tube member separate from said first and second pump means and formed into a siphon having a suction leg in communication with said container at a level below the over-lying position of said water supply means and a drain leg adapted for communication with a remote drain at a position below the level of communication of said suction leg with said container, said tube member having a bight portion with its highest point positioned at a flood level above said predetermined fill level and below the overlying position of said water supply means, thereby to drain said container to the level of communication of said suction leg with said container whenever a malfunction of said automatically controlled cyle effects a supply of water to said container at said flood level, said drain leg of said imperforate tube member including a flow restrictor therein to prevent the tube member from cavitating and breaking the siphon.

Claim 6

In a washing machine having an automatically controlled cycle including washing and rinsing operations, an open-top container for retaining water therein for articles to be washed, said container having a bottom sump, first pump means connected to said open-top and said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for recirculating liquid to said container, second pump means connected to said bottom sump and operable in accordance with said automatically controlled cycle for removing liquid from said container to a drain, prime mover means underneath said container for effecting the washing of articles in said container and for operating selectively said first and second pump means, water supply means including a conduit extending to an overlying position within an upper portion of said container below the open top thereof, said water supply means adapted by said automatically controlled cycle to supply water to said container at a predetermined fill level below the overlying position of said water supply means, a flood control system for said washing machine to prevent the overflow of water from said container during said washing and rinsing operations and, thus, the contamination of said water supply means and said prime mover means by said overflow of water, said flood control system comprising an imperforate tube member separate from said first and second pump means and formed into a siphon having a suction leg in communication with said container at a level below the over-lying position of said water supply means and a drain leg adapted for communication with a remote drain at a position below the level of communication of said suction leg with said container, said tube member having a bight portion with its highest point positioned at a flood level above said predetermined fill level and below the overlying position of said water supply means, thereby to drain said container to the level of communication of said suction leg with said container whenever a malfunction of said automatically controlled cyle effects a supply of water to said container at said flood level, said drain leg of said imperforate tube member including a flow restrictor therein to prevent the tube member from cavitating and breaking the siphon.