IMPROVE- MENTS IN WRINGING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Bryant Childs, of 481, New Oxford Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WRINGING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by
Francis Adams Cushman, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, United
States.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Augustus Bryant Childs
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition and'
Declaration, on the 22nd May 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTUS
BRYANT CHILDS, of, 481, New Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WRINGING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors; administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that the said Invention has
been communicated to me from abroad by Francis Adams Cushman, of
Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States of America..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Augustus Bryant Childs, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully.
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the application of rollers composed

page_text: wholly or in part of india-rubber or other material, of which india-rubber is a
principal component, to the purpose of "wringing clothes" or pressing water
from fabrics, and also in a novel and simple construction and arrangement of
the different parts of a wringing machine to accomplish the desired object in a
convenient and perfect manner.
While my form of construction renders wooden rollers practicable, those
made of india-rubber or other similar material present several and decided
advantages.
The frame, which is entirely of metal, is constituted in part of levers, which
perform all the offices of screws and springs without possessing any of their
objectionable features. By simply placing this "wringer" upon the side of
the vessel in which or on the side of the machine by means of which the
washing is done, without any adjustment or fastenings, it is ready for operation
and remains firmly in its position. It may also be removed with the greatest
facility.
I now proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed, which,, together
with the letters of reference thereon, forms part of this Specification. On both
Figures of this Drawing the same letters are used to indicate like parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 of the Drawing represents the entire machine, and shows it
attached to a vessel ready for operation; Figure 11 is a detached view of the
lower roller and other parts of the machine on an enlarged scale.
The roller B, Figures 1 and 11 is fixed immovably upon the rotating
shaft C. This shaft rotates on bearings made in the lever plates. D, D,
Figure 11. Besides the use of these plates to support the shaft C, the upper
arms thereof, c, c, answer the purpose of a guide to the clothes or fabrics as
they pass through the machine, and through the perforations in the arms d, d,
the rod e passes to the levers I, I, connecting the same, and forming a common
hinge or fulcrum. With the lower arms of the levers I, I, the levers h, h,
form clamps for securing the machine on the side of the washing vessels A, as
shewn in Figure 1. The levers I, I, are fixed loosely on the rod e. They
are kept in position by means of the arms d, d, the inside of which rest against
shoulders, forming the journals on the rod e, and by means of pins driven
through the rod e, outside the levers I, I, Figure 1. On the lower arms of
the levers I, I, are fixed india-rubber bearings n, n, which are confined to the
levers I, I, by means of rivets 0, 0, Figure I. These rivets, which pass
entirely through the india-rubber and the lower arms of the levers have.
Alattened heads at both ends, and are made to move in the arms when the

page_text: rubber bearings yield to any pressure applied to the end next the vessel A.
The arms h, h, and the lower part of the levers I, I, form clamps for holding
the machine while operating as before mentioned.
OPERATION OF THE MACHINE.
The lever plates D, D, and the levers I, I, being loosely hinged upon the
rode, act independently, that is, either may be rotated without rotating the
one upon the opposite end of the same rod. By this arrangement the levers
adjust themselves to any inequality in the vessel to which the machine is
attached. The india-rubber bearings n, n, hold the rollers firmly together,
each yielding, when pressed down upon a thicker part of the vessel, or when
the bulk of clothes or fabrics passing between the rollers at one end is
greater than that passing between the rollers at the other end. This extra
bulk makes an increased pressure upon the arm of the lever I situated on
the same side as the said extra bulk, and compresses the india-rubber n on
the said arm, thereby opening one end without decreasing the pressure at the
other. The clothes are drawn through the machine by means of the rollers
H, B, which are rotated by the crank N. The clamps formed by the
plates D, D, and the lever I, I, increase their grasp proportionately to the
power applied to the crank N, so that the machine is always firm whatever
may be the power required to draw the clothes or fabrics through the
rollers.
I may here remark that this machine is in itself, without any alteration, an
excellent washing machine. By soaking the clothes or fabrics to be washed and
passing them two or three times between the rollers the dirt will be extracted
as effectually as by hand or by machines designed especially for washing.
Having fully described and ascertained the nature of my improvements, I
claim the said Invention substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Bryant Childs, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witnesses,
JOHN H. REDSTONE,
GEORGE HASELTINE.
AUGUSTUS BRYANT CHILDS. (L.S.)