Abstract: A method of washing clothes in an automatic washer having an imperforate wash tub, a perforate wash basket disposed within the tub and rotatable about a vertical axis and a bottom plate disposed within the lower portion of the wash basket and mounted for wobbling motion. The method of operation of the washer includes loading the clothes into the wash basket, adding water and detergent into the tub for forming wash liquid, recirculating the wash liquid over the clothes while driving the bottom plate in a nutating movement. Nutating movement describes the movement of the bottom plate wherein the bottom plate is slowly rotated within the wash basket while being driven in a rapid wobbling motion. In this fashion, the clothes are repeatedly moved under a spray pattern of wash liquid while being jostled and flexed for achieving he desired excellent soil removal.

Abstract: A method of rinsing in an automatic washer having an imperforate wash tub, a perforate wash basket disposed within the tub and rotatable about a vertical axis and a bottom plate disposed within the lower portion of the wash basket and mounted for wobbling motion. The method of rinsing includes adding rinse liquid into the wash basket and recirculating the rinse liquid over the clothes items while driving the bottom plate in a nutating movement. Nutating movement describes the movement of the bottom plate wherein the bottom plate is slowly rotated within the wash basket while being driven in a rapid wobbling motion. In this fashion, the clothes are repeatedly moved under a spray pattern of rinse liquid while being jostled and flexed for achieving the desired excellent detergent and soil removal during rinse.

Abstract: An automatic washer having an imperforate wash tub, a perforate wash basket disposed within the tub and rotatable about a vertical axis and a bottom plate disposed within the lower portion of the wash basket and mounted for wobbling motion. A motor is selectively interconnected with the basket and bottom plate for rotating the basket and the bottom plate together and for wobbling the bottom plate relative to the wash basket while the basket is held stationary such that the clothes items are agitated within the wash basket. A controlled rotation device is provided for driving the bottom plate in a wobbling motion while rotating the bottom plate, at a reduced rate, within the bottom of the wash basket. In a second embodiment, the wobble plate is supported and constrained to be driven in a wobbling motion while experiencing no rotation within the basket.

Abstract: A thrust spacer having resilient, upwardly angled tabs is provided to act as a variable spacer within a two-piece agitator, between an upper agitator portion and a lower agitator portion to prevent relative vertical movement between the two portions while permitting relative rotational movement therebetween. Each of the tabs is positioned adjacent to an opening larger than the tab to permit the tab to be compressed into the opening to provide a large degree of variability in the height of the tabs. The spacer also includes angled arms which engage with slots in the lower agitator portion to cause the spacer to rotate with the lower agitator portion.

Abstract: A water inlet for use in an automatic washing machine includes an inlet housing mounted to direct water downwardly between a washtub and a rotatable perforate basket during fill operations. A plurality of louvers project outwardly from a sidewall of the perforate basket so that, as the perforate basket is rotated, the louvers pass through the incoming stream of water to capture a portion thereof, and sling it inwardly to form a spray directed inwardly of the perforate basket during a spray rinse operation.

Abstract: A dual action agitator for use in a washing machine utilizes a one-way dog clutch having a plurality of dogs made of elastomeric material and pivotally mounted in a cam. The dogs pivot outward to engage an inner surface of an upper agitator barrel to drive the agitator barrel in a first direction during a first oscillatory stroke of a lower agitator skirt, and the dogs pivot away from the inner surface as the lower agitator skirt oscillates in a second opposite direction resulting in unidirectional movement of the agitator barrel to impart additional mechanical motion to a wash load and promote rollover.

Abstract: In a dual action agitator for use in an automatic clothes washer, a barrel-shaped upper agitator includes a plurality of fins of different lengths and each having curved blade portions at the lower end thereof. The blade portions of adjacent fins form an interrupted screw thread to enhance vertical movement of a clothes lead adjacent the agitator for improved clothes rollover.

Abstract: A three piece snubber is provided with two frictional surfaces, a low frictional surface and a high frictional surface and said snubber is held between a frame of an automatic washer and a suspended mass such that small movements between the frame and the mass causes movement between the parts of the snubber at the low friction area and large movement between the frame and the mass results in movement of the snubber as a whole with the high friction area contacting a support pad and resulting in the desired snubbing action.