US3064662A - Dishwasher with controls in door - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1962 B. GIVEN ETAL 3,064,662 DISHWASHER WITH CONTROLS IN DOOR Original Filed Nov. 30, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 10 11; j .E ra. 3.

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ML 751% PEGLOM Nov. 20, 1962 B. GIVEN ETAL DISHWASHER WITH CONTROLS IN DOOR Original Filed Nov. 30, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 s w w 6 a J a? 3 g 6 6 e a w L: HL w 1:1 mm w fl u W H 6.6. m Mm w H F W 7 m w M 2 H# "W fi z. wfi w w 5 WI J 2 H E 6 Nov. 20, 1962 B. GIVEN ETAL DISHWASHER WITH coNTRoLs m noon Original Filed Nov. so, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W E M M .||||ll.||.lJ 0 a r. 2 w 2 m mw w w 2 a w a f. 6 6 M $3 E H 6 g g a K 1 M1 5 A, 5 0 NW a w w a T 6, a M, 1 7 M M y M M,

INVENTORS 8ETEAM GVEN;

7V4; Tee .PEQLOM ,.y 725/2 Aways. Hinze/s, Meal, jfiasree 515159915,

Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,662 DISHWASI ER WITH GNTRLS IN D0812 Bertram Given, Los Angeles, and Walter Pegiow, Santa Barbara, Caiih, assignors to Waste King Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 625,398,

Nov. 30, 1956. This application June 7, 1961, Ser- No. 136,117

6 Claims. (Cl. B P-$) (Filed under Rule 47(a) and 35 USA). 116) The present application is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 625,398, now abandoned, filed November 30, 1956 by Walter Peglow and me.

The present invention relates in general to dish-washers and, more particularly, to a dishwasher having an operating cycle which is controlled by a timer so that the operating cycle is carried out completely automatically.

In general, the present invention contemplates a dishwasher which includes a structure providing a dish chamber within which articles may be washed, rinsed and dried, such structure preferably including an outer housing, such as a cabinet, which encloses the dish chamber. The structure mentioned is provided with a doorway through the cabinet and the dish chamber into the interior of the dish chamber so that articles to be washed, rinsed and dried may be placed in and removed from the dish chamber. Preferably, this doorway is located in the front side of the dishwasher and is adapted to be closed by a door pivotally mounted adjacent its lower edge for movement between open and closed positions, the closed position of the door being generally vertical and the open position thereof being at least approximately horizontal. The dishwasher is provided with an operating means for automatically washing, rinsing and drying articles in the dish chamber, this operating means including various electrical or mechanical operating elements, i.e., electrically or mechanically actuable operating elements, and including a timer electrically or mechanically connected to such elements for controlling the operation thereof. The operating elements mentioned may include some or all of such elements as means for introducing water into the dish chamber, means for introducing water conditioning agents, such as detergents, drying agents, and the like, into the dish chamber, means for heating water and/or air in the dish chamber, means for circulating water in the dish chamber over articles therein so as to wash or rinse such articles, means for preventing overflow of the dish chamber, means for draining water from the dish chamber, means for circulating air through the dishwasher to dry the dishes, and the like. The invention further contemplates a dishwasher wherein the aforementioned operating means includes a plurality of electrical circuits in which some or all of the various operating elements are connected and in which are connected electrical indicators, such as lights, for indicating operation of the operating elements. The operating elements which are controlled by the timer and with which the electrical indicators mentioned are associated may be carried by the dishwasher structure at points on, within, or spaced from the door of the dishwasher, some of these operating elements being mounted on the dishwasher structure within the dish chamber and others being mounted on the dishwasher structure externally of the dish chamber in a space between it and the outer cabinet or housing.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an automatic dishwasher of the foregoing nature wherein the timer is carried by the door of the dishwasher, a related object being to provide a dishwasher wherein the electrical indicators mentioned are also carried by the door. A further object in this connection is to provide a dishwasher wherein such controls as the timer and indicators are carried by the door in a controls compartmenttherewithin, this compartment also being adapted to contain one or more of the operating elements, such as a water-conditioning-agent dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher having at the front thereof a door which is hinged adjacent its lower edge for pivotal movement between an upright, closed position and an approximately horizontal, open position, and which includes at the top thereof spaced inner and outer walls providing therebetween a controls compartment which is separated from the interior of the dish chamber by such inner wall, at least the timer, and preferably the timer and the electrical indicators, being located in such compartment, along with one or more of the operating elements in certain instances.

A further object is to provide a dishwasher having at the front thereof a door hinged adjacent its lower edge and provided across the top thereof with spaced inner and outer walls forming a compartment which extends across the top of the door, the timer being located in such compartrnent at one end thereof, i.e., at one side of the door, and the electrical indicators mentioned being located at the other end thereof, i.e., at the other side of the door. One or more of the operating elements may also be located at suitable points in the controls compartment, e.g., adjacent the timer, or in an extension of the controls compartment.

A further object is to provide a dishwasher wherein the timer and electrical indicators are located in the controls compartment substantially in horizontal alignment.

Still another object is to provide a timer having a shaft which projects forwardly through the outer wall of the controls compartment and which is provided with a control knob thereon externally of, i.e., forwardly of such outer wall.

Still another object is to provide a dishwasher wherein the outer wall of the controls compartment is provided at one end of such compartment with a series of apertures substantially in horizontal alignment, the electrical indicators including electric lights positioned in such end of the compartment behind the respective apertures. A related object is to provide a dishwasher wherein the horizontally aligned apertures in the outer wall of the controls compartment contain lenses through which the respective electrical indicator lights within the compartment are visible and which bear indicia, visible when the corresponding electric lights are energized, for indicating the operation being performed by the dishwasher, i.e., for indicating which of the operating elements are activated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher of the foregoing nature wherein the electrical indicators and/ or the timer in the door are connected to any of the various operating elements which are spaced from the door by electrical conductors extending into the door approximately at the hinge line thereof and extending upwardly within the door to the electrical indicators and/ or the timer.

Another object is to provide a dishwasher wherein the outer wall of the compartment for the electrical indicators and/ or the timer includes an outer panel and an escutcheon through which the timer shaft extends and through which the electrical indicator lights are visible.

A further object is to provide a dishwasher having a handle for the door which extends across the top of the door above the timer and the electrical indicators.

An extremely important advantage of locating at least the electrical indicators and/or the timer in a compartment in the door is that it materially reduces the lateral or vertical dimensions of the dishwasher for given dish chamber dimensions. For example, for a dish chamber of a given lateral dimension or width, locating the electrical indicators and the timer in the door results in a reduced cabinet width as compared to a dishwasher wherein the controls, i.e., the timer and the electrical indicators, are located in a compartment at one side of the dishwasher between a side wall of the dish chamber and the corresponding side wall of the cabinet. Similarly, locating elements of the foregoing nature in the door results in a reduced overall height for the same dish chamber height as compared to a dishwasher wherein the controls are located in a compartment at the top of the dishwasher housing structure, i.e., in a compartment between the top Wall of the dish chamber and the top wall of the cabinet. Thus, in short, the present invention provides a dish chamber of maximum volume, and therefore maximum capacity, for given over-all dimensions, or, expressed in another way, the present invention results in a dishwasher having minimum over-all dimensions for a given dish chamber volume. Thus, the present invention ,achieves maximum dish chamber capacity with minimum over-all size, which is an extremely important feature.

Another important feature is that locating the controls, including the timer and electrical indicators, in a compartment across the top of the door in substantially horizontal alignment makes all of the controls readily accessible at a convenient height and at the front of the dishwasher. Also, locating the handle for the door and the controls for the dishwasher in the same general area at the top of thedoor minimizes the number and magnitude of the motions which the operator of the dishwasher must go through in using same so that maximum ease of operation results, which is another feature.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the dishwasher art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic dishwasher which embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view of the dishwasher;

FIGS. 3, 4 and are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 3-3, 4-4 and 55 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 6-6, 77 and 8-8 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a diagramatic view illustrating the electrical circuitry of the dishwash of the invention.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the dishwasher of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and includes an inner dish chamber or tub 12 enclosed by an outer housing or cabinet 16 the walls of which are spaced outwardly from the walls of the dish chamber to provide a space 20 completely surrounding the dish chamber. A doorway 22 extends through the front walls of the cabinet 16 and the dish chamber 12 and provides access to the interior of the dish chamber. The doorway 22 is closed by a door 24 when the dishwasher 10 is in operation, the door being hinged adjacent its lower edge, in a manner not specifically shown, for pivotal movement between an upright, generally vertical position wherein it closes the doorway and an open position wherein the door is at least approximately horizontal. In the particular construction illustrated, the door 24 is shownas pivotally connected to the cabinet 16 for pivotal movement about a hinge axis 26, FIG. 1, at the lower edge of the door.

The lower regions of the dish chamber 12 provide a sump within which is an impeller or impelling means 36 for circulating water from the sump over dishes, not

shown, in the dish chamber. The impeller 36 is utilized to circulate water from the sump 30 over the dishes during a main washing operation and during one or more rinsing operations, water also being circulated over the dishes during a preliminary rinsing operation which pra cedes the main washing operation if desired. As will be understood, various additives, such as detergents, water softeners, drying agents and the like may be introduced into the water by a suitable dispenser, not shown, for the purposes of some or all of these operations, such a dispenser being shown as located within a door corresponding to the door 24 in the co-pending application of Robert M. Getchell and Walter Peglow, Serial No. 618,966, filed October 29, 1956, now Patent No. 3,013,568, and assigned to the same assignee as this application, and being shown therein as controlled by a timer corresponding to the timer 58 hereinafter described. The resulting solutions are circulated over the dishes by the impeller 36 during the corresponding operations. In the particular construction illustrated, the impeller 36 takes the form of 'a rotary spraying device of the reaction type although it may take the form of a positively driven spraying device, if desired, the Water discharged by the impeller being sprayed upwardly throughout the interior of the dish chamber and over any dishes therein to be washed and/orrinsed. The dishes may be supported in the chamber 12 in any suitable manner, as on racks 37.

In the construction shown, the impeller 36 is supplied with water from the sump 30 by a pump '38 the inlet, not shown, of which communicates with the sump, the pump being driven by an electric motor 40 which constitutes one of the operating elements hereinbefore mentioned and which is mounted below the dish chamber 12 in a portion of the space 20 between this chamber and the cabinet 16. Water may be introduced into the chamber 12 in any suitable manner, not shown, under the control of a fill valve 41 mounted in the space 20 below the dish chamber and operated by a solenoid 42 which forms another of the operating elements mentioned. The water may be drained from the sump 3! through a drain outlet 43 under the control of a drain valve, not shown, operated by a solenoid 44 mounted below the dish chamber 12 and forming one of the operating elements mentioned. A float switch 45 serves to limit the water level in the sump 30 in a manner to be described.

Centrally located at the bottom of the dish chamber 12, within the sump 30, is a heating means 46 which forms one of the operating elements mentioned and which is shown as comprising a resistance heating element 47 carried by the sump and controlled by a thermostat or thermostat means 48 carried by the sump at the bottom of the dish chamber. performs a heating function in connection with the washing and rinsing water and the airused to dry the dishes after washing and rinsing, and further serves as a means for circulating the drying air within the dish chamber 12.

by convection. The air heated by the heating means 46 rises centrally of the dish chamber 12 and then flows outwardly and downwardly along the inner surfaces of the walls of the dish chamber, to be again heated by the heating means and again caused to rise centrally of the chamber in a continuous flow pattern. As more fully discussed in the co-pending application of Horace E. Karig, Serial No. 482,239, filed January 17, 1955, now Patent No. 2,918,068, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, the air circulated in the dish chamber 12 during the drying operation is relieved of moisture carried thereby by condensation of such moisture on the inner surfaces of the walls of the dish chamber. In order to produce such condensation, the walls of the dish chamber 12 are maintained at a temperature below that of the ,air circulating in the dish chamber. In the construction illustrated, the Walls of the dish chamber 12 are cooled with ambient air by forced air circulation throughout the space 20 between the walls of the dish chamber and the walls of the cabinet 16. To this end atmospheric air is circulated through the space 20 by an air propelling means shown as including a fan 52 driven by an electric motor 54 forming another of the The heating means 46' operating elements hereinbefore referred to. Preferably, the fan 52 draws ambient air into the space through an inlet located at the front and bottom of the cabinet 16 at the point designated by the arrow 49, and discharges such air through an air outlet 59 at the top of the door 24, after having circulated such air throughout the space 20. A portion of this space is preferably defined by spaced inner and outer Walls 51 and 53, respectively, of the door. The air circulated directly through the door 24 by the fan 52 is discharged directly through the air outlet 50, which is formed in the outer wall 53 of the door. The air circulated throughout the remainder of the space 20 between the dish chamber 12 and the cabinet 16 reaches the air outlet 50 through apertures 55 at the top of the inner wall 51 of the door 24. The precise manner in which the dishes within the dish chamber 12 are dried by circulating ambient air throughout the space 20 to condense moisture from the convectively circulating air within the dish chamber 12 on the inner surfaces of the walls of the dish chamber is set forth in considerably more detail in the aforementioned co-pending application of Horace E. Karig so that a further description of the drying operation herein is thought to be unnecessary.

The dishwasher 10 includes a timer which is designated generally by the numeral 58 and which is located in a compartment 59 extending across the top of the door 24 and defined by the inner and outer walls 51 and 53 thereof, electrical indicators 61, 62, 63, 65 and 66 also being carried by the door within the compartment 59. The specific structure of the compartment 59 and the manner in which the timer 58 and the indicators 61, 62, 63, 65 and 66 are mounted therein will be considered in detail hereinafter subsequent to a consideration of the 7 control circuit of the dishwasher.

Referring to FIG. 9 of the drawings, the control circuit of the dishwasher 10 includes main power supply leads 102 and 193, a switch 56 carried by and controlled by the door 24 being inserted in the lead 102 and being closed only when the door is closed. As shown in FIG. 4, the door switch 56, which may be regarded as one of the operating elements discussed earlier herein, is located within the compartment 59 at one end thereof and is mounted on a bracket 67 which, in turn, is mounted on an angle-shaped supporting member 68 disposed within the compartment 59 and extending across the door from one end of this compartment to the other. The door switch 56 is normally held open by a spring arm 69 mounted on the bracket 67 at one end and carrying an adjustable pin 76 at its other end. The pin 70 projects through an aperture 78 in the inner wall 51 of the door 24 and is engageable with a wall 79 connecting the adjacent side walls of the dish chamber 12 and the cabinet 16. As will be apparent, when the door 24 is closed, the pin 70 engages the wall 79 to permit the door switch 56 to close. However, when the door 24 is not in its closed position, the spring arm 69 opens the door switch 56 to de-energize the control circuit, with one exception to be discussed hereinafter.

Turning again to FIG. 9 of the drawings, the control circuit of the dishwasher 16 includes a drain valve and fan motor circuit 71, a heater circuit 72, a timer or timer-motor circuit 73, a bypass circuit 74-, a pump or pump-motor circuit 75, a fill valve circuit 76 and an overflow circuit 77, these circuits, generally speaking, being connected in parallel relative to each other across the main power supply leads 1G2 and 103. With the exception of a portion of the overflow circuit 77 which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter, the circuits 71 to 7'7 are in series with and controlled by the door switch 56 so that they cannot be energized if the door 24 is open.

The circuit 71 includes the drain valve solenoid 44 and the fan motor 54 in parallel, the electrical indicator 61 including an indicator light 131 connected in parallel with the drain valve solenoid and the fan motor to show that these elements are energized. The circuit 71 also includes a switch 81 in series with the door switch 56 and in series with the parallel-connected drain valve solenoid 44, fan motor 54 and indicator light 131.

The circuit 72 includes the heating element 47 and the electrical indicator 62 includes an indicator light 132 in parallel with the heating element, these elements being connected in series with the door switch 56 through a switch 82 and through the thermostat 48. The latter includes a thermostat switch 88 engageable with a lowtemperature contact 89 in a low-temperature position thereof and with a high-temperature contact 90 in a high-temperature position thereof, the thermostat switch 88 closing the circuit 72 between the switch 82 and the heating element 47 and the indicator light 132 when in its low-temperature position.

The circuit 73 includes a switch 83 which is connected in series with atimer motor 87 forming part of the timer 58 and an indicator light 133 forming part of the indicator 63, the timer motor and the indicator light be ing connected in parallel. The switch 83 is also in series with the door switch 56. As will be apparent, when the thermostat switch 88 is in its high-temperature position, it permits energization of the timer motor 87 and the indicator light 133 through the switch 82 for a purpose which will be discussed hereinafter.

The bypass circuit 74 includes a bypass switch 84 which is connected in series with the door switch 56 and which is connected in series with the switches 81, 82 and 83 and in series with switches 85 and 86 to be described. The bypass switch 8 is connected in parallel with a main switch 99 which is also connected in series with the switches 81, 32, 83, 85 and 36 so that the circuit controlled by the latter switches may be energized through either the bypass switch 84, or the main switch 99.

The circuit includes the pump motor 46 and an indicaror light 135, forming part of the electrical indicator 65, in parallel, these elements being in series with the switch 85. As will be apparent, the indicator light 135 is energized whenever the pump motor 4% is operating, so as to indicate this fact.

The circuit 76 includes the fill valve solenoid 42 and an indicator light 136, forming part of the electrical indicator 66, in parallel, the switch 86 being connected in series with these elements. The indicator light 136, of course, indicates that the switch 86 controlling the fill valve solenoid 42 is closed.

Considering the overflow circuit 77, it includes the float switch 45, which comprises a float 8'0 responsive to the Water level in the sump 3t) and actuating a switch element 91, this switch element engaging a contact 92 in series with the till valve solenoid 42 when the water level in the sump 39 is below a predetermined maximum. Thus, the till valve solenoid 42 can be energized to open the fill valve 41 only when the water level in the sump does not exceed this predetermined maximum. When the sump water level does exceed this maximum, the switch element 91 engages a contact 93 in series with a solenoid 94 of a relay 95, the latter including an armature 96 which closes switches 97 and 93 when the solenoid 94 is energized. The switches 97 and 98 are engageable with contacts which are connected to a lead 101, the latter being connected into the main power supply lead 102 ahead of the door switch 56. The relay solenoid 94 and the contact 93 of the float switch 45 are also connected to the lead 161 so that, when the float switch element 91 is in engagement with the contact 93, the relay 95 is energized to close the switches 97 and 98 through the main power supply lead 162-, the lead 101 and the main power supply lead 163. The switch 97 is connected in series with the pump motor 40 between it and the switch so that, when the switch 97 is closed, the pump circuit 75 is energized from the main power supply lead 1%12 to the main power supply lead 163 through the lead 191 and the switch 97. Similarly, the switch 98 is connected in series with the drain valve solenoid 44 and the fan motor 54 between these elements and the switch 81. Consequently, when the switch 98 is closed, the fan motor 54 and, more important, the drain valve solenoid 44 are connected across the main power supply leads 182 and 1133 through the lead 161 and the switch 98. With this arrangement, whenever the float switch element 91 engages the contact 93 in response to a sump water level in excess of the predetermined maximum, the pump motor 48 is energized to pump water from the sump 3i and the drain valve solenoid 44 is energized to open the drain valve and permit the pump to discharge water from the sump through the drain outlet 43. Thus, water is discharged from the sump 35 into the drain outlet 43 whenever the water level in the sump is above the predetermined maximum, this taking place even in the event that the door 24 is open due to the connection of the lead 161 to the main power supply lead 1 52 ahead of the door switch 56.

The timer 58 includes a shaft 164 which is driven by the timer motor 87 and which drives cams 111, 112, 113, 1-14, 115 and 16 for opening and closing the switches 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86, respectively, at the proper points in the operating cycle of the dishwasher 10. The timer shaft 104- carries a timer control knob 129 externally of the outer wall 53 of the door 24 and is axially movable between an outer, extended position and an inner, retracted position. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the timer shaft 184 is so connected to the main switch 99 that this switch is closed when the control knob is in its retracted position, and is open when the control knob is in its extended position. The control knob 129 is moved to its extended position to open the main switch 99 at a predetermined point in the operating cycle of the dishwasher 10 near the end of such cycle, this being accomplished by engagement of a cam element 122, FIG. 9, on the shaft 104 with a stationary cam element 124. The angular extent of the cam element 124 is such that it extends the control knob 120 to open the main switch 99 near the end of the operating cycle, and does not permit closure of the main switch until substantially the end of the operating cycle has been reached.

The operation of the control circuit illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings is described in complete detail in the co-pending application of Horace E. Karig, Serial No. 625,685, now abandoned, filed December 3, 1956, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, the disclosure of this co-pending application being incoporated herein by reference. Consequently, the operation of V the control circuit needs be described only briefly herein.

Prior to operating the dishwasher 10, the dishes to be washed are placed in or on the racks 37 in thedish chamber 12 and the door 24 is closed, thereby closing the door switch 56. Under such conditions, the dishwasher is ready for initiation of an operating cycle. To start the operating cycle, the timer control knob 120 is pushed inwardly manually to close the main switch 99, the relative positions of the cam elements 122 and 124 being such as to permit this at the beginning of the operating cycle. Upon closure of the main switch 99, the timer 58 is energized to produce the operating cycle for which 'the cams 111 to 116 are designed, the cams operating the corresponding switches 81 to 86 at the proper points in the operating cycle to introduce water into the dish chamber 12 at the-beginning of each washing and rinsing operation, to heat the water to the temperature determined by the thermostat 48, to circulate the water over the dishes in the racks 37 to drain the water from the dish chamber 12 at the end of each washing and rinsing operation; and to dry the dishes at the end of the final rinsingoperation. As explained in detail in said copending application Serial No. 625,685, control of the circuit of the dishwater 10 is taken away from the timer 58 by the thermostat 48 at the beginning of the final rinsing operation to insure a predetermined minimum water temperature for the final rinsing operation, thereby achieving sterilization of the dishes during the final rinsing operation and achieving thorough preheating of the dishes for rapid drying during the subsequent drying operation. As also explained in detail in said co-pending application Serial No. 625,685, control of the circuit of the dishwasher 1! is taken away from the main switch 99 by the bypass switch 84 during the latter portion of the operating cycle and the timer control knob 124i is moved to its extended position, this feature permitting full 360 rotation of the control knob 129 throughout one operating cycle. The foregoing and various other features of the operation of the control circuit or the dishwasher 16 per se form no part of the present invention, and since they are fully described in said co-pending application Serial No. 625,685, no further explanation thereof herein is required.

As previously indicated, the present invention locates the controls for the dishwasher 18 in the compartment 59 at the top of the door 24 for maximum accessibility and to minimize the over-all dimensions of the dishwasher for a given dish chamber capacity, the compartment 59 being primarily a controls compartment for such controls as the timer 5S and the indicators 61, 62, 63, 65 and 66, although operating elements of the dishwasher, such as the door switch 56, may also be located therein. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the inner wall 51 of the door is offset or dished inwardly, as indicated by the numeral 141, all the way across the top of the door to make the compmtment 59 relatively deep. The inwardly dished portion 141 of the inner wall 51 of the door 24 thus occupies a corner zone of the dish chamber at the front thereof. This corner zone of the dish chamber represents a space which cannot readily be designed to be occupied by dishes so that locating the controls compartment 59 in the door and arranging it to occupy such corner zone in no way curtails the effective capacity of the dish chamber.

The outer wall 53 of the door 24 is defined by an outer panel 142 which extends upwardly from the lower edge of the door to a level below the upper edge thereof, the

remainder of the outerwall being formed by an escutcheon 143 which extends across the top of the door. The escutcheon 143 is seated against the upper end of the panel 142 and is suitably secured to the inner wall 51 of the door, as by means of bolts 144 connected to brackets 146 which, in turn, are suitably secured to the inner wall. A handle 148 extends across the top of the door at the upper extremity thereof, and is bolted, or otherwise secured, to the brackets 146. The handle 148 is of angleshaped cross section and has a downwardly and forwardly extending flange 150, behind which the operators fingers are designed to be inserted.

As previously discussed, the door switch 56 is located in the controls compartment 59, being located at the extreme right end thereof, as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The timer 58 is located in the same end of the controls compartment 59 and, as best shown in FIG. 3, includes a housing 152 having thereon bosses 154 by means of which the timer housing is mounted on a bracket 156, screws 158 extending through the bracket 156 into the bosses 154. One end of the bracket 156 is secured to the brackets 146 by bolts 160 and the other end of the bracket 156 is secured to the supporting member 68 described previously by bolts 162. This mounting for the timer housing 152 supports such housing within the right end of the controls compartment 59, as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawings, with the timer housing positioned toward the rear of such compartment.

The timer housing 152 contains the various cams 111 to 116 and the various switches 81 to 86 and 99 which form a part of the timer 58, and also contains the timer motor 87. The timer shaft 104 projects forwardly through an aperture 164 in the escutcheon 143, the control knob being fixed on the shaft 104 externally of the escutcheon. It will be noted that the escutcheon 143 9 slopes downwardly and forwardly so that it faces upwardly to some extent, the timer axis being oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the escutcheon so that the control knob 120 also faces upwardly to a degree for maximum accessibility. It will be noted that the control knob 12!) is positioned just below the door handle 148 so that both are accessible with minimum movement of the operators hands. Thus, the operator may manipulate the door handle 148 and the control knob 12% almost in one motion. For example, this permits the operator to close the door 24 and to depress the knob 129 to start an operating cycle in virtually one motion, which is an important feature.

As best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the indicator lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and 136 are located in the opposite end of the controls compartment 5? from the door switch 56 and the timer 58, these lights being located substantially in horizontal alignment and being located substantially in horizontal alignment with the timer. As shown in FIG. 5, the indicator lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and 136 are mounted on a support 166 which is attached to the supporting member 68 by bolts 163. A transformer 170, not shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, in circuit with the lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and 136 is also mounted on the support 165, as by bolts 172.

Registering with the lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and 136 are apertures 181, 182, 183, 185 and 186, respectively, in the escutcheon 143. Seated in the apertures 181, 182, 183, 185 and 186 are lenses 191, 192, 193, 195 and 196, respectively, through which the lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and :136, respectively are visible. It will be noted that the axes of the lenses 191, 192, 193, 195 and 196, as best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, extend upwardly and forwardly and are substantially parallel to the axes of the timer shaft 134, this making for easy viewing of the exterior surfaces of the lenses. On these surfaces may be placed suitable indicia, not shown, indicating the oper ations being performed by the various electrical elements of the dishwasher at any instant, only those indicia behind which energized lights are located being visible at any instant.

As indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the lenses 191, 192, 193, 195 and 196 may be formed from a single lens member 1% of transparent or translucent material, the lens member being divided longitudinally into the individual lenses by means of transverse ribs 256 integral therewith. The lens member 198 is held in place, with the individual lenses 191, 132, 193, 195 and 1&6 in the respective apertures 181, 182, 183, 185 and 186, by generally U-shaped, arcuate clips 202. As shown in FIG. 5, these clips span the width of the escutcheon 143 and are anchored thereto at their ends, the clips being seated against the lens member 1% intermediate their ends to hold the lens member in place as described. The closed ends of the clips 292. are inserted in recesses 264 in a flange 2% which defines the lower edge of the escutcheon 143, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. 'ihe open ends of the clips 202 are inserted in apertures 21% in a flange 212 which defines the lower edge of the air outlet 59, this air outlet being formed in the escutcheon 143 along the upper edge thereof.

The door switch 56, the timer 58 and the electric lights 131, 132, 133, 135 and 136 are connected in the control circuit in the manner hereinbefore discussed in connection with FIG. 9 of the drawings. In order to connect the various electrical elements in the controls compartment 59 to the electrical elements within the dish chamber 12 and within the space 2% below the dish chamber, electrical conductors, designated generally by the numeral 214, extend from the electrical elements in the dish chamber and in the space 26 into the door 24- substantially at the hinge axis 26 thereof, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. From this point, the electrical conductors 214 extend upwardly in the door, between the inner and outer walls 51 and 53 thereof, to the various electrical elements within the controls compartment 29.

As previously indicated, the air circulated throughout the space 20 by the fan 52 to promote condensation or moisture on the inner surfaces of the walls of the dish chamber 12 during the drying operation, is also circulated upwardly through the door 24 between the inner and outer walls 51 and 53 thereof, the manner in which such air enters the door at the bottom thereof being disclosed in detail in the co-pending application of Horace E. Karig, Serial No. 631,930, filed December 31, 1956, now Patent No. 2,871,082 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The flow of air upwardly through the door is designated by the arrows 216 in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, such air thus flowing through the controls compartment 59 and being discharged through the m'r outlet 50 at the top of the door. Since the air circulated through the door 24 in this manner, as well as the air circulated throughout the remainder of the space between the dish chamber 12 and the cabinet 16, is derived from the ambient air surrounding the dishwasher 10 through the inlet 49, it serves to keep the electrical elemen'ls within the controls compartment 59 dry and free from any moisture which may tend to condense in such compartment for any reason, which is an important feature.

When the door 24 is closed, the apertures 55 in the inner Wall 5' 1 of the door register 'with the portion of the space 213 which is between the top walls of the dish chamber 12 and the cabinet 16, with the result that the air which is circulated throughout the portion of the space 20 between the dish chamber and cabinet walls is discharged through the air outlet 56 by way of the apertures 55, all of the air which is circulated throughout the space 29, including that portion thereof which is within the door 24, thus being discharged through the air outlet 50. The arrows 218 indicate the flow of air from that portion of the space 29 which is located between the dish chamber and cabinet walls.

In the light of all of the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a dishwasher 10 the controls of which are readily accessible due to their unique locations and orientations at the top of the door 24, and

provides a compact unit having minimum over-all dimen sions for a given usable dishchamber volume. Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims hereinafter appearing.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an automatic dishwasher, the combination of: a structure providing a dish chamber and having a front provided with a doorway therethrough for access to the interior of said dish chamber, said structure including a door mounted for movement between open and closed positions relative to said doorway; and operating means, including operating elements carried by said structure, for washing, rinsing and drying dishes in said dish chamber, said operating means including a timer mounted in the top portion of said door and connected to said operating elements for controlling the operation thereof.

2. In an automatic dishwasher, the combination of: a structure providing a dish chamber and having a front provided with a doorway therethrough for access to the interior of said dish chamber, said structure including a door mounted for movement between open and closed positions relative to said doorway; and operating means, including operating elements carried by said structure, for washing, rinsing and drying dishes in said dish chamber, said operating means including a timer mounted in the top portion of said door and connected to said operating elements for controlling the operation thereof, said operating means further including a plurality of circuits in which at least some of said operating elements are connected and in at least one of which is connected 11 an electrical indicator, said indicator being mounted in the top of said door and being visible from the exterior of said door.

3. In an automatic dishwasher, the combination of: a structure providing a dish chamber having a front provided with a doorway therethrough for access to the interior of said dish chamber, said structure including a door pivotally mounted adjacent the bottom thereof for movement between open and closed positions relative to said doorway, said door extending horizontally across substantially the entire front of said structure when said door is in its closed position and having at the top thereof spaced inner and outer walls providing therebetween a compartment which is separated from the interior of said dish chamber by said inner wall; and operating means, including operating elements carried by said structure, for washing, rinsing and drying dishes in said dish chamber, said operating means including a timer located in said compartment and connected to said operating elements for controlling the operation thereof.

4. In an automatic dishwasher, the combination of: a structure including a dish chamber having a front provided with a doorway therethrough for access to the interior of said dish chamber, and including a door pivotally mounted on said structure adjacent the bottom thereof for movement between open and closed positions relative to said doorway, said door having at the top thereof spacedinner and outer walls providing therebetween a compartment which is separated from the interior of said dish chamber -by said inner wall; and operating means, including operating elements carried by said structure, for washing, rinsing and drying dishes in said dish chamber, said operating means including a timer located in said compartment and connected to said operating elements for controlling the operation thereof, said timer having a shaft which projects forwardly through said outer wall, said shaft having a control knob thereon forwardly of said outer wall.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of: a structure providing a tub and having a front provided with a doorway therethrough for access to the interior of said tub, said structure including a door mounted on said structure for movement between open and closed positions relative to said doorway, said door extending horizontally across substantially the entire front of said structure when said door is in its closed position; and operating means, including operating elements carried by said structure, for washing and rinsing articles in said tub, said operating means including a timer mounted in the top portion of said door and connected to said operating elements for controlling the operation thereof. I

6. An automatic dishwasher as defined in claim 3 wherein said outer wall is provided with an air outlet therein, said dishwasher including means for circulating air out said air outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,155,273 Jones Apr. 18, 1939 2,278,268 Kempton -n Mar. 31, 1942 2,552,749 Tabet May 15, 1951 2,634,739 Walker Apr. 14, 1953 2,645,235 Wheeler July 14, 1953 2,678,051 Stoddard May 11, 1954 2,707,961 Geiger et a1. May 10,1955 2,905,092 Abresch Sept. 22, 1959

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