US3901385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Washing machine packing braces
Assignee: NEW HAVEN MOVING EQUIPMENT CORPORTION A CORP OF TEXAS
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Filing: 1974-01-24
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1994-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A single-piece packing brace having a hub formation with an aperture to be passed over the agitator in a washing machine, and a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the hub formation and to be wedged between the latter and the rim of the load opening in the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward R Rosen
- 👤 J Paul Levine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:42
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06F; D06F39/00; D06F39/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A packing brace for locking a pivotally yielding agitator and tub unit to the load opening in a washing machine, comprising a single piece of resilient material in the form of a collar with a center axis and an endless wall extending about said axis and defining a center aperture, and more than two angularly spaced arms extending outwardly from said collar wall and being integral therewith, said collar and arms being, for brace application, forced over the top of the agitator and into wedged interposition between the collar and load opening, respectively, with the cross-sectional area of said center aperture being larger than that of the agitator top and the thickness of said collar wall being less than the thickness of said arms so that said arms are longitudinally compressible and less flexible than said collar wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A packing brace for locking a pivotally yielding agitator and tub unit to the load opening in a washing machine, comprising a single piece of resilient material in the form of a collar with a center axis and an endless wall extending about said axis and defining a center aperture, and more than two angularly spaced arms extending outwardly from said collar wall and being integral therewith, said collar and arms being, for brace application, forced over the top of the agitator and into wedged interposition between the collar and load opening, respectively, with the cross-sectional area of said center aperture being larger than that of the agitator top and the thickness of said collar wall being less than the thickness of said arms so that said arms are longitudinally compressible and less flexible than said collar wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A packing brace as in claim 1, in which said single piece lies in a plane normal to said axis and is of uniform height in the direction of said axis, and said collar wall and arms are of rectangular cross-sections of which the longer sides define said uniform height and the shorter sides define said thickness of said collar wall and arms, rsspectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A packing brace as in claim 2, in which the thickness of each arm is twice that of said collar wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
A packing brace as in claim 2, in which said piece has opposite faces parallel to said plane, and said arms are at least three in number, and have square outer ends with narrow slits therein near one of said faces, with said slits having opposite surfaces parallel to each other and to said one face, and being adapted for snap-interlock with said load opening in applying the brace with said one face uppermost.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A packing brace as in claim 4, in which the height of said piece between said slits and the other of said faces is sufficient for extension of the applied brace into the tub.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A packing brace as in claim 4, in which said slits constitute first slits, and said outer arm ends are provided with second slits identical with said first slits and extending near and parallel to the other of said faces for their snap interlock with said load opening in applying the brace with said other face uppermost.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A packing brace as in claim 2, in which said collar wall is formed of curved wall sections of a number equal to the number of arms, with each curved section having an apex, and each section extending snap-like between, and merging tangentially with, the inner ends of two adjacent arms and being with its apex nearest said center axis, and two curved wall sections leading from each arm having a combined thickness equal to the thickness of the arm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A packing brace as in claim 7, in which said piece is formed wholly of flat strips of resilient material having opposite sides of said uniform height and being equal in number to the number of arms, with each strip having opposite endlengths and an intermediate length, of which each of the opposite endlengths of each strip is permanently joined side-by-side with one endlength of one other strip for the formation of the arms by said joined strip lengths, and said intermediate strip lengths being at said angular spacing of the arms flexed into curved extension between the arms and constitute said sections of the hub wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A packing brace as in claim 8, in which said strips are identical dimensionwise.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A packing brace as in claim 9, in which said strips have square ends which are flush in the joined strip lengths to leave the arms with outer square ends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
A packing brace as in claim 10, in which said piece has opposite faces parallel to said plane, and said outer arm ends are provided near and at the same spacing from one of said faces with narrow slits having opposite surfaces parallel to eAch other and to said one face and adapted for snap-interlock with said load opening in applying the brace with said one face uppermost.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
A packing brace as in claim 11, in which said slits constitute first slits, and said outer arm ends are provided with second slits identical with said first slits and extending parallel to the other of said faces at a distance therefrom equal to the distance between said first slits and said one face, with said second slits being adapted for snap-interlock with said load opening in applying the brace with said other face uppermost.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A packing brace as in claim 8, in which said strips are of plastic foam, and said strip endlengths are permanently joined by fusion at their interfaces.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
A packing brace as in claim 8, in which said arms are four in number which are arranged in two pairs on opposite sides, respectively, of said axis, with the arms of each of said pairs being, in non-use of the brace spaced at an acute angle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |