Abstract: An automatic washer for washing garments comprises a wash basket with an open top defining a wash chamber, and a clothes mover mounted in the washer for reciprocal movement about an axis of rotation within the wash chamber. The clothes mover comprises an apron, and at least one vane extending from the apron and defining a working surface having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge and the lower edge extending from an outer end to an inner end. At least one line lying along the working surface and extending between the outer end and the inner end defines a constant angle of attack relative to the direction of movement of the clothes mover. The working surface is configured to move the garments along the working surface at a substantially instantaneously uniform speed. The configurations of the upper surface and the working surface are optimized to move the garments between the perimeter and the axis of rotation while minimizing force acting on the working surface.

Abstract: An agitator assembly for an automatic washing machine comprises an agitator and an auger mounted to the agitator. The auger comprises a tubular body defining a peripheral surface and having a central longitudinal axis. A vane spirals around the tubular body and extends from the peripheral surface from a root having a thickness T to a tip. The vane has a width W measured from the peripheral surface along a line perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis to the tip. The vane is formed by a plurality of ledges, with adjacent ledges joined by steps. With this configuration, the vane can have a relatively small root thickness T and a relatively large width W.

Abstract: A clothes mover in a washing machine comprises a body mounted for reciprocal rotational movement about a generally vertical axis and at least one vane, which comprises a base mounted to the body and a tail extending from the base and having an upper edge that transitions into a tip. The tail can be free of the body for side-to-side flexing and can be configured such that a portion of the tail extending between the upper edge and the tip can flex from a generally vertical position toward the body. The body can be made of a first material, and the vane can be made of a second material different from the first material.