摘要 |
A transmission shift mechanism for use in a vertical axis automatic washing machine having reversible rotary drive means has a drive gear on which is mounted an eccentric for translating rotary motion into oscillatory motion in a plane perpendicular to the washing machine axis. The oscillatory motion is transmitted to the agitator shaft of a washing machine by a rack and pinion. The pinion is rotatably mounted on the agitator shaft and has teeth on a lower surface thereof which engage teeth on an upper surface of a sleeve co-rotatable with the agitator shaft to form a jaw clutch for driving the agitator shaft from the rack and pinion. A shifter fork also connected to the eccentric operates cams to raise the pinion out of engagement with the sleeve to disengage the jaw clutch when the eccentric is rotating in a first direction, and returns the clutch teeth to engagement when the eccentric rotates in an opposite direction. |