Washer auger with flexible ratchet drive
Patent 5590550 Issued on January 7, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date: 
August 7, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
August 7, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesMotorcycle safety hub One way clutch for dual action agitator Agitator thrust spacer for automatic washer One-way clutch Pawl and ratchet clutch with shifting pawl Patent #: 5257685 InventorsApplicationNo. 511941 filed on 08/07/1995US Classes:68/133, Bottom drive192/46PositiveExaminersPrimary: Coe, Philip R.Attorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassD06F 017/08AbstractA drive mechanism for converting rotary oscillation of a washing machine clothes agitator to unidirectional rotation of an adjoining clothes auger includes a one-piece ratchet wheel, and a cooperating one-piece pawl wheel. The pawl wheel includes integral pawls, with each pawl having an elastically flexible arm supporting a bulbous distal end. The pawl wheel is fixedly joined to the agitator for rotary oscillation therewith, and the ratchet wheel is fixedly joined to the auger. Rotary oscillation of the agitator correspondingly rotates the pawl wheel for intermittently engaging the pawls with the ratchet teeth which drive the ratchet wheel in a single direction for correspondingly rotating the auger joined thereto. | |
