IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING, WRINGING, MANGLING, AND DRYING DOMESTIC CLOTHES OR OTHER FABRICS AND FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Fearnley, of Halifax, in the County of York,
Mechanician, and Christopher Smith, of Batley, in the same County,
Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
WASHING, WRINGING, MANGLING, AND DRYING DOMESTIC CLOTHES OR OTHER
FABRICS AND FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 9th January 1866, and dated the 10th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Fearnley and
Christopher Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 10th July 1865.
We, HENRY FEARNLEY, of Halifax, in the County of York, Mechanician,
and CHRISTOPHER SMITH, of Batley, in the same County, Mechanic, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR WASHING, WRINGING, MANGLING, AND DRYING DOMESTIC CLOTHES OR OTHER
FABRICS AND FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to means of washing such articles or sub-
stances, and the improvement consists in the employment of a vessel of any
suitable size and form to contain the clothes, fabrics, or fibrous substances,

page_text: and the water with soap or other sapopoematters required, and having a
suitably fitting lid or cover thereto. This vessel we either suspend or support
on arms, so as to render it capable of oscillation, or we mount it on wheels
to run on rails 'to-and-fro, or we construct it so as to be capable of sliding
backward and forward, or reciprocating on a frame by means of crank,
eccentric, or tappet, and connecting rod, motion being communicated thereto
by hand or power. This vessel may also be mounted on axes so as to be
capable of rotating thereon, either intermittently by means of a catch or
ratchet, or continuously by means of suitable gearing acting-in concert and
combination with the reciprocatory movement thereof.
Secondly, the Invention relates to the wringing and mangling, and the im-
provement consists in applying the driving gear to the top roller instead of the
bottom one, and having the bottom roller larger, in diameter, so that it will be
more easily driven by friction from the top one.
Thirdly, the Invention relates to the drying of such articles or substances,
and consists of a winch or reel mounted on suitable framing, the wings or
rails being provided with spring clips, so that clothes, fabrics, or fibrous
substances may be attached and held on the said wings or rails whilst rotary
.motion is given to the winch or reel, which winch may or may not be placed
in a hot room...
_ SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Fearnley and Christopher Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
FEARNLEY, of Halifax, in the County of York, Mechanician, and CHRISTOPHER
SMITH, of Batley, in the same 'County, Mechanic, send greeting.
US,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
the said Henry Fearnley and Christopher Smith, Her special licence that
we, the said Henry Fearnley and Christopher Smith, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Fearnley and
Christopher Smith, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of. Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS: IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING,., WRINGING,., MANGLING,, AND DRYING
DOMESTIC CLOTHES OR OTHER FABRICS AND FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,." upon the con-
5.dition (amongst others). that we, the said Henry. Fearnley. and. Christopher
Smith, our executors or administrators,. by an. instrument in. writing under
our, or their;, or, one of our or their hands and seals,.,should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same, to be filed in the Great
*Seal Patent Office within six calendar.months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Fearnley. and Christopher
Smith, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner, the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
5 ascertained in and by the following. statement. and accompanying Sheet of
Drawings (that is to say):
:-
This Invention relates,. firstly,.. to- means of. washing. such articles..or
substances, and the improvement consists in the employment of a vessel of
any suitable size and form to contain the clothes, fabrics, or other fibrous
bisubstances, and the water with soap or other saponaceous matters, required,
and having a suitably fitting lid or cover thereto.. This. vessel we either
suspend or support on arms, so as to render. it capable of oscillation, or we
mount it on wheels to run on rails to and fro, or we construct it so as to te-
capable of. sliding backward and forward, .or.. reciprocating on a frame, by
5 means of a crank, .eccentric, or tappet,. and connecting rod, motion being
communicated thereto by hand or power. This vessel. may also be mounted
on axes, so as to be capable of rotating thereon, either intermittently by.
means of a catch or ratchet, or continuously by means of suitable gearing
acting in concert and combination with the reciprocating movement thereof..
Secondly, the Invention relates to the wringing: and mangling, and. the
improvement consists in applying the driving gear to the top roller instead of
the bottom one, and having the bottom roller larger in diameter, so that it
,will be more easily driven by friction from the top.one..
Thirdly, this Invention relates to the drying of such: articles or substances,
and consists of a winch or reel mounted on suitable framing, the wings or
rails being provided with- spring clips, so that clothes, fabrics, or fibrous
substances may be attached and held on the said wings or rails whilst rotating.
motion is given to the winch or reel, which. winch may or may not be placed

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine; and Fig. 2 is an end elevation
of the same, constructed according to this Invention, and adapted to be
worked by power. A is the vessel, which in this case is of square form (but
"may be of any other form), which is suspended by two arms B, attached.to a
rocking bar C, supported on stands D, affixed to the main framing. of the
machine E. A double crank shaft G is supported' on brackets E' fixed to
the frame, and two rods I connect the same with the vessel by studs J, fixed
'one on each side thereof. On the crank shaft is a fly wheel K, and a pair of
driving pulleys L, which may be driven by a strap from any source of power.
'It will readily be understood that when rotary motion is given to the crank
shaft oscillatory motion will be communicated to the vessel, and thereby
produce agitation of the clothes or fabrics, and the water, or soap, or other
saponaceous matters placed therein. The vessel is provided with an ordinary
close fitting lid or cover to prevent the water flushing out. M are a pair of
ordinary wringing and mangling rollers, supported in stands N, fixed to the
frame E, having gearing and driving pulleys thereto adapted to be driven by
power.
.
Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end views of another machine, constructed
"according to this Invention, adapted to be worked by hand. The vessel A
in this case is, for compactness, placed under the wringing rollers, and
suspended on four arms B, hinged to the framing. A shaft C is mounted in
bearings of the frame, and on which are fixed two levers D, connected by
rods E to the vessel, one on each side. A hand lever G is also fixed on one
end of this shaft, by the working of which reciprocating motion will be given
'to the vessel. The rollers E are driven by a hand wheel I, and gearing J,.in
the usual manner. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a similar machine, shewing how
the vessel may be mounted on wheels K to run on rails L, instead of being
'suspended on arms, motion being given to the vessel as in the former example,
and it will be easily seen that instead of running on wheels this vessel may be
made to slide on the rails.
.
Fig. 6 is a portion of the side elevation of the first-described machine,
shewing how intermittent rotary motion may be given to the vessel in
'conjunction with the oscillatory motion. In this case the vessel A is octa-
gonal in form (but may be cylindrical or of other form), which is mounted
on pivots B, in bearings of the suspended arms C, and a ratchet wheel D is
fixed on one of the pivots, which is acted upon at each revolution of the crank,
and consequent oscillation of the vessel by a catch E, which is hinged to. the

page_text: frame, so that partial rotary motion is given to the vessel at each stroke of
the crank. Fig. 7 is another side view, shewing how a continuous rotary
motion may be given to the vessel at the same time that it is caused to
oscillate. A crank arm G is fixed on the end of one of the pivots instead of
the ratchet wheel, which arm is connected by a rod H to a stud I, fixed in
the frame. It will be seen that as the crank shaft gives oscillatory motion to
the suspending arms C the rod H will act upon the crank G and turn the
vessel or cause it to rotate once at each revolution of the crank shaft. In
some cases we make the bottom roller of wringing and mangling machines
much larger than the top roller, and we then apply the driving gear to the
top roller, whereby the bottom one is easily driven by the friction or contact
thereof.
For drying clothes or fabrics we employ a winch or reel, as shewn at
Fig. 8, to the wings A of which are applied spring clips B, which nip against
the wings. Clothes or fabrics to be dried are placed with one end or part
betwixt the clip and the wing, which thereby holds them whilst the winch is
turned or caused to rotate rapidly, the clothes being carried around with it,
and by the centrifugal force fly off at a tangent, by which means they are
dried.
To facilitate the drying by this apparatus it may be placed in a hot
room, with one axis passing through the wall for the purpose of turning or
driving it.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Fearnley, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Christopher Smith, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eighth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
HENRY FEARNLEY. (L.S.)