How a Washing Machine Works

LapWoon Keung

2005

What is a Washing Machine

• A washing machine is an machine that washes clothes, linen

• Was made to help wash clothes easier

Steps to Cleaning Clothes

• Decide on: Load size (small, medium, large, x-large)– Temp– How machine should

agitate– Time

Steps to Cleaning Clothes

• Fill tub with clothes; Fills with water; Agitator starts to spin;

• After agitating– Drains water– Spins clothes– Refills;

agitates more – Drains – Spins more.

History of the Machine that Washes

• Before washing machines people cleaned clothes in the stream

• Then it’s beat with rocks or they scrubs clothes clean on a washboard.

History of the Machine that Washes

• First electronic: American - Alva J. Fisher - 1901– Had Electronic

vertical-tube machine with built-in turbo washers or Vertical axle fitted with blade.

Alva J. Fisher - “Thor”

History of Washing Machine

• Replaced steam boiler and the washtub; wooden bins that was filled with soap hot water

• First mechanical washing machine used heavy blades

History of Washing Machine• Principle of tossing

clothes inside in a rotating cylinder– Used in 1850 in a

English laundry.– Used in 1840 by the

French: Industrial model, double sheathing, 4 compartments, driven by a crank.

1915 Crank to turn agitator

Inside of a Washing Machine

• Two Steel Tubs– Outer = Seals

water. Mounted so that inner can move without banging.

– Inner = Holds clothes and with the agitator in the middle with holes around the side of the tub. Attached to gearbox

Inside a Washing Machine

• There are 3 pulley

– One side of frame moves up

– Other side frame goes down

• Has Damping System

– Uses friction to absorb force of the dangling pulleys

Inside a Washing Machine

• Each four corner has mechanism that:– Works like disc brake– Attached to spring– Squeeze two pads

against metal plate– Attached to black

frame

Plumbing• Jobs

– Fills washing machine with correct temperature of water

– Re-circulate water from bottom of the wash tub back to the top, during wash cycle

Plumbing• Hook for two water lines on back– Cold – Hot– Hooked to the body of

the solenoid valve• Solenoid valve

– Feed into a single hose– Hot valve, cold valve or

both valve will open

Plumbing • Before hose release water into tub, it is send through anti-siphon device– Prevent water from being

sucked back into the water line

– White plastic device has big opening that allows air in

– Suction would only get air, not water

Plumbing

• Water Inlet– Water enters that way

– Nozzle to the right: Overflow port

• Connected to pipes that dump water onto floor

• Goes to floor instead of the tub and motor

Pump

• Re-circulates water and drains it

• Has 2 separate pump in one– Bottom half: Hooked

to drain line– Top half: Re-

circulates wash water

Pump

• Vanes of the bottom layer of the pump: Push water around

• The pump can reverse direction– Spins different way

while doing different jobs.

Pump• Clutch is hooked up to pump

• Drain hose loops all the way to the top of machine

• One end is hooked to bottom of tub

• Open to atmosphere

Drive Mechanism • A piece of rubber seals the outer tub to the gearbox

• Has 2 jobs– Agitate clothes:

Moving them back and forth inside tub

– Spin Tub to force water out

Inside the Gearbox

• Pulley• Pie-shaped gears

has link on it• Washer goes to spin

cycle - locks up, everything spins at same speed

• Gears - angled teeth

Control

• Cycle switch• Speed and temp.

control switch• Water level control

switch plumbing• Designed before

micro-controllers were being used in appliances

About Me• I love music, especially

hardcore metal rock. Some bands are: Ill Nino, Dragpipe, Bush, Boiler Room, Brand New, Motograter, Project 86, Powerman 5000, Drowning Pool, Full Devil Jacket, Puya, Adema, Clutch, Coal Chamber, The F-Ups, The Kittie, Korn, SOAD, The Union Underground, Sworn Enemy and Mushroom Head, plus more.

The Union Underground

Brand New

Dragpipe

Ill Nino

Boiler RoomMotograter

Project 86

Powerman 5000

KORN

Bibliography

• “Washing Machine.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 2003ed.

• Walerie-Anne Giscard d’Estaing. The Second World Almanac Book of Invention. New York; Pharos Book, 1986.

• Karim Nice. “How Washing Machine Work.” How Stuff Works. 1998-2005. How Stuff Works. May 3, 2005 <home.howstuffworks.com/washer.html>