Patent GB-190411759-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Laundry Machines.
Inventor: JOHNSON FRANK
Filed: 1904-05-21
Granted: 1905-04-20
Abstract: 11,759. Lake, H. H., [Johnson, F.]. May 21. Washing, mangling, and ironing machines.-Relates to a combined washing, rinsing, and mangling machine, which may or may not be combined with an ironing-machine. The articles are fed in singly at one end, and carried automatically through the whole apparatus by travelling aprons. The invention also includes a device for keeping these aprons in a central position on their guiding and driving rollers and a means for supplying soap in a liquid or powdered form to the machine. The articles are delivered by a feeding-device c, consisting of moving belt and a pressure roller, on to an apron d, so that they pass between this apron and a drum a' which rotates in a washing-tub a. The tab is provided with a discharge outlet a<3>, through which the washing-liquid may be forced by a pump to a settling or purifying tank. The surface of the drum is covered with cloth or other pervious material ; the apron is also made of cloth. The washing is effected by a series of pressure rollers e which also serve as guide-rollers for the apron d, and to which a reciprocating motion is given by mounting them in a spider e<4> which is oscillated by means of an eccentric e<5>. The washing-medium is fed on to the drum from a trough a<6>, one side of which is hinged and provided with adjusting - screws a<8> to regulate the aperture between the two sides. The cleansing-material thus comes into contact with the articles treated before they enter the water in the tub. After passing through the tub a, the articles are directed by a doffer roll, so that they follow the apron between squeezing-rolls g, g', whence they are fed on to a second apron k, which carries them through a second tub b. Each of these aprons is fitted with a tension roll h which is also adapted to act as a centering-device. The tension rolls are mounted in bearings in swivel arms h<3>, shown in plan in Fig. 5, and in elevation in Fig. 4 on a larger scale, which are formed with projections h<5> to engage the edge of the apron. The swivel arms at the ends of the roller are arranged at an angle to each other, so that, should the apron move laterally, it will push against the projections h<5>, and cause one end of the roller h to move towards the drum, and the other away from it. The difference of tension between the two sides of the apron which results will bring it straight again. The apron k in the rinsing-tub b is pressed against the drum b<2> by a similar arrangement of rollers m mounted on a spider m<3>, such as is employed in the washing-tub. These rollers may, however, be fewer in number, and need not reciprocate. The articles are then passed under mangling-rollers k<30>, k<40>, which may deliver them to the conveyer band o<3> of an ironing-machine. The form of ironing- machine which may be employed in connection with the above washing-machine consists of a cylinder p, conveniently steam-heated and almost completely surrounded by an ironing-apron r. The articles are fed beneath the apron by a roll o' which has a circumferential velocity somewhat greater than that of the band o<3>. The apron r is passed over guide-rollers t, and an adjustable roller r', the bearing-block of which is fitted with a screwed projection working in a nut. This nut is made in the form of a bevel-wheel r'‹, and is turned by motion of the handle r<15> communicated through the chain r<13> to a second bevel-wheel r<12>. The articles are finally discharged washed, rinsed, and ironed on to a table s' by a band attached to the chain s<5>. The driving-gear is shown in Fig. 1. The drums a', b<2> are driven directly from the main shaft A by worm gearing, and the doffer rolls f, n by chain gearing from sprockets on the drum spindles a<20>, b<20>. The feeding-roll c<2>, thr rolls d<2>, g, which drive the apron d, the eccentric e<5>, and the discharge pump a' are driven by chain gearing from sprockets on a countershaft a<14>, which is driven from the drum spindle by the gearing a", a<23>. Similar means are employed for driving the apron k, save that, in this case, the rolls k<3>, k' are driven by a single chain k<5>, which passes over sprockets on both rolls. The doffer roll o, the ironing-machine feed-roller o<4>, and the discharge-band. driving-roller s<3> are driven by separate chains from sprockets on the axis of the roll k<3>. A chain B2 connects the main shaft with a lower shaft B<3>, which drives a worm-wheel B<5>. A pinion on this axis drives the cylinder p of the ironing-machine, and a sprocket and chain connects the same spindle with a countershaft B<8>, from which the rolls o<7>, r', and r<3> are similarly driven.