Cracking open an early GE AW6 Drive Unit/Transmission

[Unimatic1140]

Now that I've taken the learning unit apart I have a bit more confidence to tackle the one in the '48 washer. It seems to sound like like the bellows is sort of stuck half way between the wash and spin position. Not sure exactly how I'm going to diagnoise all that once the unit is opened, but what choice do we have than to experiment. Wish me luck! More to come.

 

[a440]

Robert this is incredible!
Thanks for sharing this.
Excuse my inexperience but is the entire motor submerged in oil? Kind of like a refrigerant compressor?
I find this all so amazing!
The copper bellows blew my mind.
The gears look factory new!
I can see why GE did not make much on profit on this washer.
Will be interesting to hear what you think was the cause of the failure.
Thanks so much for posting these pictures.
This machine is a work of art!
Brent

 

[gansky1]

That is awesome, I would never have guessed those bellows were copper! Can you tell how far they have to move up to engage the spin clutch & drum?

Very cool indeed!

 

[mickeyd]

Been sitting here with my mouth wide open

could not imagine what the oil pump and tiny impeller would do.

And what a bellows would doing be here. Then came the explanations which are so easy to follow.

What an amazing mechanism: the way the oil shifts from one chamber to the the other; how the bellows lifts the cup up to spin, and the brake holds the rotor down to engage the activator gears. This is fabulous stuff Robert. Are you starting to think, "Cooler than a Frigidaire?" Pic # 10 is a killer. Bright Orange, still glowing after 60 years.

Loved the "exam gloves." ;-> Good night Wizard of Aworg.

Mike

 

[rogera608s]

Robert,
This is absolutely fascinating to see the inside of the drive mechanism. Copper bellows.........never expected that. Thank you for all the pictures.
Roger

 

[cfz2882]

Wow,that is one cool mechanism!good luck getting that running
robert!

 

[volvoguy87]

Totally speechless.

How much machining did it take to build one of these?
Dave

 

[eddy1210]

A question about the bellows

This is just fascinating. When the oil is filling the bellows, is it compressing air that's inside the bellows? Or is there very little air inside it and oil fills up the entire bellows?

 

[alr2903]

Robert, Simply fascinating, you could rule the world. You have great patience, to take the time to photograph and label, so we could follow along. One question with the bellows being copper, could this bellows possibly energize at some point, to either push or pull, in addition to the oil pressure exerting force? Thank you Robert. alr2903

 

[bajaespuma]

And this is what they mean when they say "Built to last&

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for doing this photo essay. How did you learn how to work on washer transmissions? Was it trial and error, did you work with/for someone or did you get this from a family member? Sorry, but I'm curious.

 

[toploader55]

The Amazing Robert Seger

How facinating.

Look at that engineering. Who would have thought. Copper Bellows !!! Wow.

Thanks Robert. Always an education. Eddie

 

[turquoisedude]

Absolutely amazing...

Robert, thank you for taking the time to photograph and document the 'surgery'! This is a unique insight into the GE design that I am sure very few people have ever seen, let alone worked with.
Can't wait to see more!!

 

[polkanut]

I have a suspicion that the sorcerer's apprentice (Fred) was assisting with photos etc. Great photos and step by step explanations for future reference.

 

[joelippard]

Wow

Now that's exciting and incredible. I feel like I've been a part of history. I can't wait to get more time and study those pictures better. A copper bellows!!!

 

[combo52]

GE UNITZED TRANSMISSION

Robert thanks for sharing the inner workings of this incredible transmission I had always wanted to see the insides of this trans ever since I found your original machine around 1972 but I never had a reason to open it up. The trans in your 1948 was a GE factory rebuilt unit around the mid 1960s. Overall the trans is simpler and more rugged than I would have imagined, I would love to know why GE abandoned this design so early after putting so much work into it. I guess thier were many reasons and just having to have a separate drain pump motor probably made the machine very costly to build, motors used to be one of the most costly parts of an appliance to build other than that it doesn't look like it would cost that much more than what came after this. This design could have been very durable as it wouldn't have been very prone to oil leaks like many other washers of the time and with the motor windings protected from moisture and dirt and cooled by oil it should have been very durable.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Thanks, Robert! Now that you have that mechanism apart, would it be feasible to have the motor windings repaired or are you planning on using it as a parts donor?

Those magic hydraulics call to mind old Citroens where everything was hydraulic. The principle also makes me think of the water powered clutch in the Apex and (possibly) Savage washers.

 

[Unimatic1140]

is the entire motor submerged in oil? Kind of like a refrigerant compressor?
Well its not submerged, the oil level comes right just slightly lower than the bottom of the rotor. I would think if it was completely submerged it would cause too much of drag.

Can you tell how far they have to move up to engage the spin clutch & drum?
It appears to be between 1/4 and 1/3 inch that the bellows rises and falls, probably closer to 1/4".

When the oil is filling the bellows, is it compressing air that's inside the bellows? Or is there very little air inside it and oil fills up the entire bellows?
No air in the Eddy, because it there is a little relief hole at the top of the bellows to bleed out excess oil pressure. I just can't imagine how that much pressure could be built up, but obviously it is.

One question with the bellows being copper, could this bellows possibly energize at some point
I don't believe so, I would think that would transmit electricity all over the cabinet then as well.

How did you learn how to work on washer transmissions? Was it trial and error
Yup all trial and error as well as reading repair manuals for years. Unfortunately I don't have anything service related for this transmission. :-(

Overall the trans is simpler and more rugged than I would have imagined,
Me too John! I'm hoping this simpleness will help in fixing the other transmission. It might just be sort of stuck from sitting for all those years and needs to be taken apart, cleaned and the bellows flexed manually a bit. Here's hoping!

would it be feasible to have the motor windings repaired or are you planning on using it as a parts donor?
This one will be a parts donor Tom as the other motors all seem to work.

 

[austinado16]

Now that is some cool engineering!

It's sort of like an automatic transmission in a car...using oil pressure to change gears/modes. Very cool, and great job getting it apart without destroying it.

I've seen copper bellows used in other "pump" type assemblies as they last a long time and do a good job of sealing.

2 suggestions:
-PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench will help stuff like this come apart. Start spraying/soaking the item asap in order to get good penetration by either product.

-Blue nitrile mechanics gloves from places like NAPA auto parts. You'll like them a whole lot better than the exam gloves, and they'll last longer.

 

[mickeyd]

Now we'll know, Robert,

when we plan the Unimatic factory of the future, to use soft copper bellows instead of rubber for the water and the oil; they won't tear. Though the machines are rare, I wonder if there is any data about the GE bellows ever tearing?

 

[norgeway]

If That Does Not !!!!

Convince everyone just how much better things were built in the old days, I don't know what would,I bet to build that today would be 5000.00!