Recollections of an older Westinghouse machine

Here's something I have always wanted to know more about: In the 7th grade it was mandatory for everyone in my class to take Home Economics. We had a nice set-up with seven "kitchens", a wall of refrigerators, and even a washer and dryer. First day of class comes, which in my case was the last period of the day, and the teacher asked "For extra credit, who wants to volunteer to wash and dry the day's dish towels?". You know I volunteered....

The washer and dryer were a matched set of Westinghouses, though very much no frills. I don't remember anything significant about the dryer, but the washer had three things about it that I found fascinating since all I had been exposed to regularly was my mother's Kenmores and both my Grandmother's Whirlpools, which were ironically the same model.

The washer had a toggle switch next to the timer to run it in fast or slow speed (I about wore that switch out).

It also had a lid lock during spin, which buzzed if you pulled on the lid, and it buzzed louder and louder as I found out, the harder you pulled on it.

Finally, and what I found so strange...the agitator did not make the same sweep in both directions. It would churn a bit to the left, then about two times that to the right. That would cause everything in the tub to rotate, and if I remember right, in a counter-clockwise direction.

What was up with that? Did all the Westinghouses do that in those days? That was 1977 when I used that machine and it wasn't near new.

I'm curious - I am sure someone here knows the deal.


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Post# 264996 2/14/2008 at 16:47 (5,909 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes Here's something I have always wanted to know more about: In the 7th grade it was mandatory for everyone in my class to take Home Economics. We had a nice set-up with seven "kitchens", a wall of refrigerators, and even a washer and dryer. First day of class comes, which in my case was the last period of the day, and the teacher asked "For extra credit, who wants to volunteer to wash and dry the day's dish towels?". You know I volunteered.... The washer and dryer were a matched set of Westinghouses, though very much no frills. I don't remember anything significant about the dryer, but the washer had three things about it that I found fascinating since all I had been exposed to regularly was my mother's Kenmores and both my Grandmother's Whirlpools, which were ironically the same model. The washer had a toggle switch next to the timer to run it in fast or slow speed (I about wore that switch out). It also had a lid lock during spin, which buzzed if you pulled on the lid, and it buzzed louder and louder as I found out, the harder you pulled on it. Finally, and what I found so strange...the agitator did not make the same sweep in both directions. It would churn a bit to the left, then about two times that to the right. That would cause everything in the tub to rotate, and if I remember right, in a counter-clockwise direction. What was up with that? Did all the Westinghouses do that in those days? That was 1977 when I used that machine and it wasn't near new. I'm curious - I am sure someone here knows the deal.

Post# 265000 , Reply# 1 2/14/2008 at 17:13 (5,909 days old) by gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)
Checkrate/Likes Ah yes, the infamous "indexing" tub. Funny about that damned lid-buzzer----my '97 FriGEMore has one of those on the door. As the machine has aged it has started to make a faint (and annoying) buzzing noise. I've got to figure out how to make that go away.

Post# 265042 , Reply# 2 2/14/2008 at 21:42 (5,909 days old) by brent-aucoin ()
Checkrate/Likes Steve, I forgot you had that FriGEMore. A FriGEMore that I have did that for awhile. Then one day I noticed that the door itself was hanging to the right a little. I then started to tighten the bolts for the door to the left, and noticed they had become loose. It actually raised the door, and the buzzing stopped. Try that, it might be what is up with the buzzing. Brent

Post# 265065 , Reply# 3 2/15/2008 at 06:16 (5,908 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)
Checkrate/Likes The Westinghouse top loaders had a "Lock n Spin" safety lid because just like the newer Frigidaire,Kelvinator,Gibson,Hamilton,Franklin,and Middle of the line Montgomery Ward Signature washers from the late 70s to present,they had no tub brake!Because of that,the tubs also "indexed"meaning that as the agitator osolates to the left,the force in the water and clothes inside cause the tub to rotate counter clockwise.

Post# 265066 , Reply# 4 2/15/2008 at 06:33 (5,908 days old) by gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks Brent-----* I'll give it a try.

Post# 265094 , Reply# 5 2/15/2008 at 11:05 (5,908 days old) by tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes Our Home Ec department had the Westinghouse front loading washer. The slant front pair were changed out for the flat front pair with the side swing door in 1964, I think. One lab had three WH ranges and the other one had 3 Frigidaire ranges.

Post# 265095 , Reply# 6 2/15/2008 at 11:12 (5,908 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)
Checkrate/Likes There is still some confusion regarding the indexing tub/Franklin transmission: The movement of the tub isn't random, or caused by the movement of the clothing in the water. I don't know exactly how it works, but here's what I've found: If you set the water level at low, and the agitation speed on slow, you can grab an agitator fin and add resistance to the movement of the agitator. When you do that, the power seems to shift from the agitator to the tub, which then spins. The more resistance against the agitator, the shorter the clockwise stroke and the more the tub indexes. This is why the tub indexes more on a full load than with a very small load. Exactly how this transfer of power occurs, I cannot say.

Post# 265103 , Reply# 7 2/15/2008 at 11:32 (5,908 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA)
Checkrate/Likes I thought it was simply caused by the absense of the tub brake or something like that. I'm sure there's more to it than that but I just always understood there to be two characteristics of the Franklin Transmissions: no brake and indexing tub. Anyways...I love my Westinghouse machines. Indexing or not, they work great!

Post# 265134 , Reply# 8 2/15/2008 at 15:36 (5,908 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)
Checkrate/Likes I had one as well as the front loading sister from the same era back in 1975.The top loader outlasted the front loader.The hippies I lived with abused them both even though I tried to be the chief laundry maid.The reason I had to get rid of the front loading one was the door (weigh to save)was sat on by one of the girls and it leacked like a sive causing the front panel to rust completely through.The top loader which also had a weigh to save door lasted another 4 years and I left it there when I left the "comunity".The DWCIP convertible dishwasher I had got infested with roaches within the first year I bought it!They'd start to poor out of it once the water began getting hot during the sani cycle.Those little bastards ruined that machine.There was also an old Kenmore 40 inch gas range there which I had to continue replacing the control knobs on because the "Acid Heads" I lived with always tried to turn them on backwards breaking them.

Post# 265140 , Reply# 9 2/15/2008 at 16:17 (5,908 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)
Checkrate/Likes Jon--No, the tub doesn't just move because there is no tub brake. I can see why that would seem logical, but I assure you, that's not how it works. If you touch the rim of the tub during agitation, you can feel it start and stop in exact proportion to the clockwise stroke of the agitator. In fact, each index stops so suddenly that it bounces back just a bit.