Clothes washing machine

954,070. Fluid actuation of switches. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Feb. 24, 1961 [Feb. 29, 1960], No. 6833/61. Heading H2B. [Also in Divisions D1 and F4] A pressure-responsive single-pole doublethrow switch 30 (Fig. 5) in a washing and spin drying machine is operated by liquid pressure acting on a flexible rubber diaphragm 32 which is coupled to a switch actuator 37 by a disc 35, a plunger 34 and a lever 36. The switch actuator operates a switch blade 38 between fixed contacts 39, 40, the blade being biased by a leaf-spring 38.1 The plunger 34 is biased by an adjustable spring 41. As an alternative to the switch 30, a mercury-switch 113 is mounted on a tilting water-box 110 (Fig. 4) which moves about a pivot 111 to a position shown by broken lines when liquid enters it from a washing tub 12 through holes 17 at a rate greater than that of liquid escaping through a drain hole 119. An angled lid 118 serves as a deflector for incoming liquid, and a spring 112 is provided to restore the box to its horizontal position.