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Title: Method of washing clothes
Claims: The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. The method of washing clothes by subjecting them to a substantially continuous rollover movement pattern in a clothes washer comprising: placing the clothes in a receptacle in the washer containing a washing liquid, agitating the clothes in the lower portion of the receptacle by applying oscillatory agitation forces to the clothes, scrubbing them and forcing them outwardly from the center of the receptacle, forcing the clothes upwardly towards the top of the receptacle and then inwardly toward its center, and forcing the clothes downwardly towards the lower portion of the receptacle by unidirectionally rotating helically disposed surfaces against said clothes to direct said clothes downwardly in said receptacle, whereby the clothes are subjected to a positive and continuous rollover movement pattern within the receptacle. 2. The method of washing clothes which comprises: placing said clothes in a receptacle and immersing them in a washing liquid, subjecting said clothes in a lower portion of said receptacle to oscillatory agitation to thereby force said clothes radially outwardly toward the perimeter of said receptacle, upwardly toward the top of said liquid, and then radially inwardly, and thereafter intermittently forcing the clothes downwardly with a single direction pulsating movement to direct the clothes to said oscillatory agitation. 3. The method of claim 2 in which said clothes are scrubbed during said oscillatory agitation. 4. The method of claim 2 in which said pulsating movement is commenced after a predetermined frictional drag is exceeded. 5. The method of claim 2 in which said pulsating movement provides an augering action on the clothes. 6. The method of operating a washing machine which comprises: placing a load of clothes to be washed in a receptacle in the machine, immersing the load of clothes in a washing liquid contained in the receptacle, oscillating a first vaned agitator element near the base of said receptacle to scrub the clothes and propel them radially outwardly toward the perimeter of said receptacle, upwardly toward the surface of said liquid and radially inwardly toward the center of said receptacle, and augering the clothes centrally of said receptacle by unidirectionally rotating a second vaned agitator element to force the clothes downwardly toward said first vaned agitator element. 7. The method of claim 6 in which the augering is commenced after a sufficiently large load of clothes is present in said receptacle. 8. A method of washing clothes comprising the steps of: placing the clothes in a receptacle, adding washing liquid to the receptacle, and continuously feeding clothes from the upper center region of the receptacle downwardly by use of a unidirectionally rotating auger to the lower center region of the receptacle while continuously scrubbing clothes in the lower region of the receptacle and moving them outwardly through said lower region by use of an oscillating agitator element, said feeding of said clothes downwardly and said moving of said clothes outwardly creating a circulation pattern of clothes movement within said receptacle which continuously carries clothes from the lower outer region to the upper center region of said receptacle. 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the step of feeding the clothes downwardly by unidirectionally rotating an auger utilizes at least one helical vane which is rotated in the center region of the receptacle to drive clothes adjacent said vane downwardly by contacting them with said vane. 10. A method of washing fabric in an automatic washer having a receptacle containing an agitator including a vaned upper barrel portion and a lower skirt portion, said method comprising the steps of: placing the clothes in said receptacle, adding washing liquid to said receptacle, treating the fabric by unidirectionally rotating said barrel portion of said agitator to feed fabric from the upper center region of said receptacle downwardly by contacting the fabric with the vanes of said barrel portion to the lower center region of saiad receptacle, and oscillating said skirt portion of said agitator to scrub fabric in said lower region of said receptacle and move the fabric outwardly through said lower region, said feeding of said fabric downwardly and said moving of said fabric outwardly creating a substantially continuous rollover pattern of fabric movement within said receptacle which carries fabric from the lower outer region to said upper center region of said receptacle. 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the step of unidirectionally rotating said barrel portion of said agitator includes rotating said barrel portion in distinct increments corresponding to the oscillations of said skirt portion. 12. A method of washing clothes in an automatic washer having a receptacle and an agitator centrally located within said receptacle including a distinct upper agitator element, said method comprising the steps of: placing clothes in said receptacle, adding washing liquid to said receptacle, oscillating said agitator to scrub clothes in the lower region of said receptacle and move them outwardly through said region, and limiting movement of said upper agitator element to unidirectional rotation in response to substantial contact between said upper agitator element and clothes adjacent thereto, and augering clothes adjacent said upper agitator element downwardly along said element to said lower region of said receptacle in response to said unidirectional rotation. Other info: Inventors: Platt, Clark I. (Benton Harbor, MI, US) Application Number: 577884 Filing Date: 1975-05-15 Publication_date: 1976-10-26 Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI) Primary Class(es): 8/159 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Coe, Philip R. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: |
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