the spring moves the member 103 downwardly so that the prongs or dogs 108 engage in the spaces between the castellations and thus the spin tub will move with the agitator and be rotated with that agitator continuously for the purpose of spinning however when the container 3 has water in it to a predetermined level the hydrostatic water pressure on the undersurface of the member 103 causes that member to rise against the pressure of the spring air venting through the air holes above mentioned and the prongs or dogs 108 are then raised out of contact with the spin tub and the agitator may now move independently of the spin tub and thus may be oscillated back and forth to give washing action in a further alternative arrangement of the spin tub to agitator interconnecting means shown in fig7 the agitator 7 is combined with a hub 110 fixed by a bolt 111 to a solid splined shaft 112 an air chamber in the form of a bell member 115 is a slidable fit on the shaft 112 and has air entrapment spaces 116 in which air is trapped by rising water in the container 3 when the latter is being filled preparatory to agitation occurring the bell 115 then acts as a float raising detents or dogs 113 from engagement with castellations 107 as shown on the right hand side of fig7 to a disengaged position as shown on the left hand side of fig7 1 the electric motor assembly and construction is integrated with the drive system in that a simple shaft and pair of bearing supports the rotor.