Wash basket for a washing machine

Claim 1

In a vertical axis washing machine, a combination tub-wash basket for receiving both items to be washed and a washing medium, and means for alternatively providing oscillatory motion and rotatable motion of the basket continuously in one direction for successive revolutions about its vertical axis, said basket comprising: a generally circular, imperforate, concave base having a drain opening at the center thereof; a generally annular, upturned edge extending upwardly from said base; a generally cylindrical, imperforate side wall portion located above said base and said edge; a perforate divider member secured within the basket above the base and below said side wall to provide an upper, item-retaining area and a lower, washing medium retaining and draining area; an annular chamber formed by said base, said edge, and said perforate divider member, said annular chamber being radially outward of the side wall portion and providing a passageway for the washing medium therearound whereby the washing liquid will position itself postcritically in the annular chamber opposite any unbalance weight caused by the items being washed; and a plurality of vanes within said upper itemretaining area for effecting washing action upon the items being washed during oscillatory motion of the basket.