Why pull the washer knob but push the dryer knob?

I guess the subject pretty much sums it up. Every washer and dryer I’ve seen with a knob, you pull it to start things on the washer, but push the one on the dryer to start it.

Why not make them the same?

The dryer has just an electrical push button to start it and then the blowing of the air activates a switch which keeps it going. That is a safety design so that if the fan stops the whole thing is shut down. Once the dryer has started, that switch does nothing. Most momentary switches are of the push type. Like your computer keyboard.

The washer is an entirely different thing as it is the main knob which also activates the switch as long as the device is working. In such circumstances you generally have the push position be OFF so that in an emergency you can push which is easier rather than pull. Emergency buttons to stop machinery are of the push type if the designer wanted to make the stopping easier (Ok to stop it by mistake, better than not being able to stop it) but are of the pull type if stopping it by mistake is undesirable (like emergency brakes on trains).

[Butthead]
Dude. You’re pulling your knob. huh-huh. huh-huh.
[/Butthead]

Not exactly the push button kicks in more brushes in the electric motor needed to start it - when you release it the # of brushes drops down to what the dryer needs to continue turning.

It’s to keep you on your toes. Same reason half the world’s publishers have the name running up the spine and half have them running down.

does the ‘out knob’ have to be out in order for the dryer cylcle to be activated
and will the out knob when pushed in cut out the dryer
the wash cycle programmer will cut the washer on finish

Nope. I have worked on dryers and can tell you they have plain electric motors like any other motors. You start the motor with the push button which hjust bypasses the air blower safety switch. If the blower fails the heating element and motor are stopped because otherwise you have a fire in short order. Dryers do not require any kind of special motor.

I too have worked on dryers and know of no such wind switch. I have only worked on gas dryers and for that matter kenmore. I have actually traced the wires from that switch to the motor brushes. Perhaps it’s different for electric or different brands but I am 100% sure that’s how that switch works.

Also this is not any special motor - A lot of high load motors have different sets of brushes for starting and running.

Also my experence on dryers are on fairly old models going back 20 yrs, perhaps the design has changed.