Balancing device for a rotatable drum which may be eccentrically loaded

Claim 2

In a balancing device for balancing an eccentrically loaded rotatable drum of the type comprising a drum, a plurality of containers carried on said drum for receiving and holding balancing material, each container having inlet and outlet openings, means for supplying balancing material to at least one of said containers, means for mounting said drum to permit rotation of said drum with respect to the mounting means and to permit eccentric movement of the drum, said mounting means undergoing similar eccentric movement in response to eccentric movement of the drum, and a control mechanism for controlling the amount and timing of balancing material supplied to said containers in response to eccentric movement of said mounting means, the improvement wherein said supplying means comprises means for intermittently supplying a flow of balancing material along a path to an inlet region, said means for intermittently supplying comprising a first movable member, and means for conducting said flow of material from said inlet region to successive ones of said inlet openings in sequence as said drum rotates, said control mechanism comprises means for coupling said first movable member to said mounting means for freely oscillatory movement in response to said eccentric movement and for developing a restoring force biasing said movable member toward a central position when said movable member is displaced from the central position, said restoring force being approximately proportional to the instantaneous distance by which said movable member is displaced from said central position along one rectangular coordinate direction, said central position being fixed in position with respect to said mounting means, said first movable member being so arranged with respect to said inlet region as to divert all of said flow from said path to the inlet region while in said central position, and permit substantially all of said flow to pass to the region while in a given position, over a range of movement from the central toward the given positions an increasing proportion of said flow passing to said inlet region.

Claim 3

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a portion of a strip of flexible material one end of which is freely movable for oscillating movement, the other end of which is clamped.

Claim 4

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a portion of a rod one end of which is pivotally fastened.

Claim 5

A balancing device according to claim 2 wherein said strip of flexible material has a passage therethrough for passing balancing material.

Claim 6

A balancing device according to claim 4 wherein said passage extends from the clamped end to the free end, and first member further comprises an orifice at its free end communicating with the passage for directing the flow of balancing material.

Claim 7

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member is a roller and said coupling means comprises a curved track for said roller so disposed that said roller obstructs said path in said central position.

Claim 8

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member is a ball and said coupling means comprises a curved track for said ball so disposed that said ball obstructs said path in said central position.

Claim 9

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a part of a mass spring system.

Claim 10

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said first member is made of resilient material.

Claim 11

A balancing device according to claim 8 wherein said resilient material is rubber.

Claim 12

A balancing device according to claim 1 wherein said drum is rotatably mounted about a substantially horizontal axis, and wherein said first member is located above said axis of rotation.

Claim 13

In a textile washing and spin drying machine having a frame, a tub mounted in said frame, a drum mounted for rotation within said tub, said drum arranged for receiving a load capable of causing eccentric imbalance of said drum upon rotation thereof, means within said frame for causing rotation of said drum, means for balancing said eccentrically loaded drum comprising a plurality of containers carried on said drum for receiving balancing material and having inlet and outlet openings, and means mounted on a wall of said tub for supplying said balancing material to at least one of said containers in response to movement of said drum caused by imbalance, an improved mechanism for controlling the flow of said balancing materials to said containers wherein said supplying means comprises means for intermittently supplying a flow of balancing material along a path to an inlet region, said means for intermittently supplying comprising a first movable member, and means for conducting said flow of material from said inlet region to successive ones of said inlet openings in sequence as said drum rotates, said mechanism comprises means for coupling said first movable member to said mounting means for freely oscillatory movement in a plane in response to said eccentric movement and for developing a restoring force biasing said movable member toward a central position when said movable member is displaced from the central position, said restoring force being approximately proportional to the instantaneous distance by which said movable member is displaced from said central position along one rectangular coordinate direction, said central position being fixed in position with respect to said mounting means, said first movable member being so arranged with respect to said inlet region as to divert all of said flow from said path to the inlet region while in said central position, and permit substantially all of said flow to pass to the region while in a given position, over a range of movement from the central toward the given positions an increasing proportion of said flow passing to said inlet region.

Claim 14

In a textile washing and spin drying machine having a frame, a tub mounted in said frame, a drum mounted for rotation within said tub, said drum arranged for receiving a load capable of causing eccentric imbalance of said drum upon rotation thereof, means within said frame for causing rotation of said drum, means for balancing said eccentrically loaded drum comprising a plurality of containers carried on said drum for receiving balancing material and having inlet and outlet openings, and means mounted on a wall of said tub for supplying said balancing material to at least one of said containers in response to movement of said drum caused by imbalance, an improved mechanism for controlling the flow of said balancing materials to said containers wherein said supplying means comprises means for intermittently supplying a flow of balancing material along a path to an inlet region, said means for intermittently supplying comprising a first movable member, and means for conducting said flow of material from said inlet region to successive ones of said inlet openings in sequence as said drum rotates, said mechanism comprises means for coupling said first movable member to said mounting means for freely oscillatory movement in a plane in response to said eccentric movement and for developing a restoring force biasing said movable member toward a central position when said movable member is displaced from the central position, said restoring force being approximately proportional to the instantaneous distance by which said movable member is displaced from said central position along one rectangular coordinate direction, said central position being fixed in position with respect to said mounting means, said first movable member being so arranged with respect to said inlet region as to divert all of said flow from said path to the inlet region while in said central position, and permit substantially all of said flow to pass to the region while in a given position, over a range of movement from the central toward the given positions an increasing proportion of said flow passing to said inlet region.

Claim 15

In the machine according to claim 12, said tub being mounted on said frame so as to be capable of oscillating motion relative to said frame.