Broken belt power-disconnect system for dryers

Claim 2

A clothes drying machine comprising: a rotatable drum; a drive motor; a power lead for delivering power from a power source and electrically connected to said drive motor; flexible drive means coupling said drive motor and said drum for rotating said drum when said drive motor is energized via said power lead; and power-disconnect apparatus including a separable connector in said power lead, idler means in mechanical contact with and tensioning said flexible drive means, and separating means mechanically interacting together with said idler means for separating said connector in response to loss of tension from said flexible drive means.

Claim 3

A clothes drying machine comprising: a base; a housing and a drive motor mounted on said base, a power lead for delivering power from a power source and electrically connected to the motor; a drum rotatably mounted within said housing; flexible drive means driven by said drive motor and coupled to said drum for rotating said drum; and a power-disconnect system including an idler means mounted on said base and having a first position tensioning said flexible drive means and a second position wherein said idler means is in a free attitude, and means responsive to the tension of the flexible drive means for moving the idler means from its first to its second position, a separable connector, located in said power lead at some point along its length, said power lead being rigidly attached to said base at a first point on one side of said separable connector and to said idler means at a second point on the other side of said separable connector, said connector being separated in response to movement of said idler means from said first position toward said second position.

Claim 4

A clothes drying machine comprising: a base; a housing and a drive motor mounted on said base, a power lead for delivering power from a power source and electrically connected to the motor; a drum rotatably mounted within said housing; flexible drive means driven by said drive motor and coupled to said drum for rotating said drum; and a power-disconnect system including an idler means mounted on said base and having a first position tensioning said flexible drive means and a second position wherein said idler means is in a free attitude, and means responsive to the tension of the flexible drive means for moving the idler means from its first to its second position, a separable connector, located in said power lead at some point along its length, said power lead being rigidly attached to said base at a first point on one side of said separable connector and to said idler means at a second point on the other side of said separable connector, said connector being separated in response to movement of said idler means from said first position toward said second position.

Claim 5

A clothes drying machine according to claim 2, wherein said means for moving the idler means includes a resilient member urged by said flexible drive means toward said first position.

Claim 6

A clothes drying machine according to claim 2, wherein said idler means includes a resilient idler bracket pivotally mounted on said base and connected to said second point of the power lead.

Claim 7

A clothes drying machine according to claim 2, wherein said flexible drive means includes an endless drive belt.

Claim 8

A clothes drying machine according to claim 2, having heater means for affecting the temperature in the drum and controlled by a heater circuit connected to the power source, said heater circuit including a centrifugal switch for controlling power to said heater means in response to operation of said drive motor, said centrifugal switch operating to terminate power to said heater means in response to a rotational speed of said drive motor below a predetermined level.

Claim 9

A clothes drying machine according to claim 6, wherein said flexible drive means includes an endless drive belt, and said idler means includes a resilient idler bracket pivotally mounted on said base and held in said first position biased toward said second position by said belt, said second point of connection of said power lead being near the distal end of said bracket with respect to its pivot on said base.

Claim 10

A clothes drying machine comprising: a base; a housing and a drive motor mounted on said base; a power lead for receiving power from a power source and electrically connected to the motor; a drum rotatably mounted within said housing; flexible drive means driven by said drive motor and coupled to said drum for rotating said drum; and a power-disconnect system including an idler means mounted on said base and having a First position tensioning said flexible drive means and a second position wherein said idler means is in a free attitude, means responsive to the tension of the flexible drive means for moving the idler device from its first to its second position, and a separable connector, located in said power lead at some point along its length, said separable connector including first and second parts, said first part being fixedly mounted in proximity to said idler means and said second part including means for contacting said idler means as said idler means moves toward its second position, whereby said parts are separated by said contact from said idler means whenever tension is removed from said flexible drive means.

Claim 11

A clothes drying machine comprising: a base; a housing and a drive motor mounted on said base; a power lead for receiving power from a power source and electrically connected to the motor; a drum rotatably mounted within said housing; flexible drive means driven by said drive motor and coupled to said drum for rotating said drum; and a power-disconnect system including an idler means mounted on said base and having a First position tensioning said flexible drive means and a second position wherein said idler means is in a free attitude, means responsive to the tension of the flexible drive means for moving the idler device from its first to its second position, and a separable connector, located in said power lead at some point along its length, said separable connector including first and second parts, said first part being fixedly mounted in proximity to said idler means and said second part including means for contacting said idler means as said idler means moves toward its second position, whereby said parts are separated by said contact from said idler means whenever tension is removed from said flexible drive means.

Claim 12

A clothes drying machine according to claim 8, wherein said flexible drive means includes an endless drive belt, and said idler means includes a resilient idler bracket pivotally mounted on said base and held in said first position biased toward said second position by said belt.

Claim 13

A clothes drying machine according to claim 8, comprising a bracket mounted on said base adjacent said idler means and carrying said first connector part, and said second connector part includes an arm portion extending into the path of travel of said idler means in moving from the first position to the second position for being struck by said idler means to effect separation of said connector parts.

Claim 14

A clothes drying machine according to claim 8 having heater means for affecting the temperature in the drum and controlled by a heater circuit connected to the power source, said heater circuit including a centrifugal switch for controlling power to said heater means in response to operation of said drive motor, said centrifugal switch operating to terminate power to said heater means in response to sensing of a rotational speed of said drive motor below a predetermined level.