[0001] The invention relates to a laundry washing machine equipped with a conventional laundering
tub mounted in the housing of the machine in a novel manner.
[0002] Conventional laundry washing machines for domestic use are equipped with a metal
laundering tub provided with suitable ballast weights and adapted to contain a rotatable
drum. The tub is mounted in the housing of the machine by upper suspension springs
and lower vibration dampeners adapted to engage suitable metal brackets secured to
the outer periphery of the tub and to the interior of the housing, respectively.
[0003] The conventional laundering tub is additionally provided with further brackets or
lugs secured to its outer periphery for mounting a motor assembly required for rotating
the drum, and a pressure-sensing outlet for the connection thereto of a pressure switch.
[0004] Although a laundering tub of this construction is highly efficient and reliable in
operation, there is the disadvantage that it has to assume the function of the carying
structure for the above described elements, by reason of which it has to be made with
a considerable wall thickness for enabling it to sustain the relatively high mechanical
stresses during the laundering and spin- drying operations.
[0005] Consequently these laundering tubs require a considerable amount of material for
their manufacture.
[0006] In addition, the various lugs, brackets and the like have to be prepared separately
and to be subsequently secured to the tub in a time-consuming and cumbersome operation,
resulting in a complicated structure.
[0007] It is an object of the invention to overcome the above described deficiencies by
providign a laundry washing machine provided with novel means for mounting the laundering
tub within the housing of the machine, thus permitting the wall thickness of the tub
to be reduced, and the application of the described brackets, lugs and the like to
the outer periphery of the tub to be avoided.
[0008] These and other objects are attained according to the invention by a laundry washing
machine comprising a laundering tub adapted to contain a drum mounted therein for
rotation by means of at least one electric motor of conventional type supported by
associated lugs, said tub being mounted in the housing of the machine by means of
suspension elements from above and vibration dampener elements of conventional type
from below, said elements being adapted to be engaged with associated brackets, said
machine being additionally provided with a pressure-sensing dome for the connection
thereto of a pressure switch of conventional type, and being characterized by comprising
at least one circular hoop of a plastic material adapted tc be removably secured to
the outer periphery of the tub in intimate engagement therewith, said hoop being integrally
provided with said lugs, said brackets and said bressure-sensing dome, and being additionally
formed with two backwards folded end portions adapted to be connected to one another
by resilient means.
[0009] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more clearly evident
from the following description, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
fig. 1 shows a partially sectioned diagrammatic rear view of a laundry washing machine
as a preferred embodiment of the invention, and
fig. 2 shows a diagrammatical sideview of a structural particular of the machine of
fig. 1.
[0010] With reference to the drawings, there is diagrammatically shown a domestic laundry
washing machine 3 of the front- loading type, provided with a metal laundering tub
4 adapted to contain a rotatable drum 5 and mounted within the housing 7 of the machine
by means of upper suspension springs 8 and lower vibration dampeners 9 or similar
elements of conventional type.
[0011] In particular, the mounting of tub 4 is accomplished by means of a circular hoop
10 made of a plastic material and being of a smaller width than said tub, said hoop
10 being adapted to be removably secured to tub 4 in intimate engagement with the
outer periphery thereof.
[0012] Hoop 10 is formed with two backwarts bent end portions 11 and 12 adapted to be connected
to one another by at least one tension spring 13 or the like for clamping hoop 10
in position on tub 4.
[0013] Integrally formed with hoop 10 are two pairs of brackets 14 and 15, two parallel
lugs 16 and 17, and at least one pressure-sensing dome 18 for the connection thereto
of a conventional pressure switch (not shown).
[0014] The pair of brackets 14 is adapted to be engaged by respective ends of suspension
springs 8, the other ends of which are engaged with respective metal brackets 19 secured
to upper portions of housing 7 of the machine.
[0015] The pair of brackets 15 on its part is adapted to have respective ends of vibration
dampeners 9 hinged thereto, the other ends of vibration dampeners 9 being hinged to
respective bearing brackets 20 secured to lower portions of housing 7.
[0016] Lugs 16 and 17 finally serve for supporting a conventional electric motor 21 required
for rotating drum 5 by means of a belt transmission 22 in a per se known manner.
[0017] Thanks to the provision of hoop 10 functioning as the carrying structure for the
tub and drum assembly and for motor 21 and including pressure-sensing dome 18, it
is thus possible to make the tub itself with a reduced wall thickness, resulting in
a saving of material for its manufacture.
[0018] The hoop, on the other hand, is a separately foremd unit adapted to be applied to
the tub by an automatized process by means of a robot or a similar machine.
[0019] Thanks to the fact, finally, that the hoop is provided with the brackets, lugs and
the like, these elements do not have to be secured to the tub, resulting in a greatly
simplified construction thereof.
1. A laundry washing machine comprising a laundering tub adapted to contain a drum
mounted therein for rotation by means of at least one electric motor of conventional
type supported by associated lugs, said tub being mounted in the housing of the machine
by means of suspension elements above and by means of vibration dampener elements
of conventional type from below, said elements being adapted to be engaged with associated
brackets, said machine being additionally provided with a pressure-sensing dome for
the connection thereto of a pressure switch of conventional type, and being characterized
by comprising at least one circular hoop (10) of a plastic material adapted to be
removably secured to the outer periphery of said tub (4) in intimate engagement therewith,
said hoop (10) being integrally provided with said lugs (16, 17), said brackets (14,
15) and said pressure-sensing dome (18), and being additionally forced with two backwards
folded end portions (11, 12) adapted to be connected to one another by resilient means
(13).
2. A laundry washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said resilient
means comprises at least one tension spring (13).
3. A laundry washing machine according to the preceeding claims, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the specified purposes.