The washing takes place in the inner tub, which is called the basket. After the laundry has been washed and rinsed, the basket begins to spin rapidly. The spinning removes most of the water from the various items and throws it into the outer tub. The water is then pumped out of the machine through a drain hose. There are two types of automatic washers, agitator machines and tumbler machines.
Most automatic washers are agitator machines.
The operator of an agitator machine puts in laundry by lifting the lid. Inside the machine, a cone-shaped device called an agitator is mounted in the center of the basket. Most agitators have several projections called fins. As the agitator rotates, it continually reverses direction. This action moves the laundry through the water and forces water through the items.