IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING, CHURNING, WRINGING, AND MANGLING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: Machine Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING,
CHURNING, WRINGING, AND MANGLING MACHINES."
Sealed the 24th January 1862, and dated the 30th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bradford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
July 1861.
I, THOMAS BRADFORD, of the Cathedral Steps, Manchester. in the County
of Lancaster, and Fleet Street, London. Washing Machine Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WASHING, CHURNING, WRINGING, AND MANGLING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Firstly, use a moveable spring dash or dolly in stationary, pendulous,
rotating, or semi-rotating washing tubs, whether worked vertically or horizon-
tally; the said spring dash or dolly to be secured either permanently or tem-
porarily to the framework of a combined washing. wringing, and mangling
machine, or of a washing or churning machine, only so that when adopted in
connection with a pendulous washing vessel, it can be used or removed at the
discretion of the user.

page_text: Secondly, I use a square, oblong, or rectangular-shaped vessel to contain the
suds and articles to be washed, which vessel I cause to swing upon two centres;
I also place longitudinally on the bottom of the tub wooden bars of any suitable
depth, and at such distances asunder as may be found desirable. I lay the
clothes or materials to be washed upon the said bars transversely, and between
them the dolly pegs or guide rods of the spring dash suspend, so that when
motion is given to the vessel, they traverse and carry before them the clothes
or material to each extremity of the washing compartment, the rubbing pres-
sure of the spring dash upon the clothes or materials being in proportion to the
momentum of the tub; I also fix on the edges of the longitudinal bars, when
required, small knobs or projections to aid and assist the washing process.
In the combined washing, wringing, and mangling machine T employ the
weight of the washing vessel and its contents as the minimum pressure upon
the rollers for expressing the water, and obtain any additional pressure that
may be required by the usual mode of a weighted lever, by suspending the
vessel upon each end of the shafts of the uppermost roller.
When it is desirable to dispense with the spring dash, I use a circular brush
placed loosely in the washing tub, and give motion to it simultaneously with
the liquid and materials, by the oscillation of the tub The spring dash, the
oscillating washing compartment, and circular brush may be used in combi-
nation or separately.
I also use, in addition to the ordinary squeezing rollers, one or more other
rollers, to revolve at an increased speed, but in the same direction as the
bottom roller, for the purpose of cleaning off and carrying away articles that
frequently adhere to and wrap themselves round the squeezing rollers.
For churning I use a similar pendulous vessel suspended from the same
frame as the washing machine, but with a different construction of dash.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Bradford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, THOMAS
BRADFORD, of the Cathedral Steps. Manchester. in the County of Lancaster,
and Fleet Street, London, Washing Machine Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria. by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Bradford, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Bradford,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1. the said Thomas
Bradford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others. from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed. should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WASH-
ING, CHURNING. WRINGING. AND MANGLING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that 1. the said Thomas Bradford, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 I, the said Thomas Bradford, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings are side and front elevations with parts in
section of a washing, churning, wringing, and mangling machine. having part
of my improvements attached.
Firstly, use a moveable spring dash or dolly, to be applied to pendulous,
sliding, rotating. or semi-rotating washing tubs, whether worked vertically
or horizontally. The said spring dash or dolly is shown at a. and the
springs consisting of slabs or bars of wood at b; they are secured either per-
manently or temporarily to the framework of a combined washing, wringing.
and mangling machine, or of a washing or churning machine only. so that
when adopted in a pendulous vessel, as hereafter proposed, it can be used or
removed at the discretion of the user.
Secondly. I use a square. oblong, or rectangular-shaped vessel to contain
the suds and articles to be washed, which vessel is shewn at c: it is caused to
swing upon the two studs or bearings d, e, of the upper roller by means of con-
necting rods f. y. the length of which must be determined by the radial stroke
the vessel is required to make. I also place longitudinally or diagonally on
the bottom of the tub wooden bars h. of any suitable depih. and at such
distances asunder as may be found necessary. I lay the clothes or materials
to be washed upon the said bars transversely, and between them the dolly pegs

page_text: or guide rods i of the spring dash a work, so that when motion is given to the
vessel c, the said bars h. i, traverse between the dolly pegs, which dolly pegs
carrying before them the materials to be washed to each extremity. of the
washing compartment, the elastic pressure of the spring dash rubs the clothes
according to the momentum given to the tub. I also fix on the edges of the
longitudinal bars h. and also upon the edges of the dolly pegs i. button-shaped
or rivet-head knobs k, of suitable size, to assist the washing process.
In the combined washing machine I employ for wringing and also for
mangling the weight of the washing vessel and its contents as the minimum
pressure upon the rollers for expressing the water, or mangling, and obtain by
leverage or springs any additional pressure that may be required.
When it is desirable to dispense with the spring dash, I use a circular or any
other suitably shaped brush. to be placed loosely in the washing tub amongst
the articles to be washed, and to which motion is given simultaneously with the
tub the spring dash, oscillating tub, and brush to be used simultaneously, in
combination or separately.
I also use in common with the spring dash a cord net, for the purpose of
containing and assisting to wash all such articles of loose or delicate texture
that would be liable to injury, or that might interfere with the free working of
the spring dash, thereby overcoming an objection that has always been fatal to
the washing of any such loose and delicate articles, in machines hitherto in use,
having a fixed dash, or rather a dash without spring.
I also use, in addition to the ordinary squeezing rollers. one or more other
rollers to revolve at an increased speed, but in the same direction as the bottom
roller, for the purpose of clearing off and carrying away articles that are either
liable to adhere to the squeezing rollers, or carrying off and conveniently depo-
siting the articles after the water is expressed.
For churning I use a similar pendulous vessel and dash, the only alteration
being a closer arrangement of the dash pegs: the spring dash yielding to any
excess of momentum that might be given to the vessel, acts as a break and
lessens the concussion against the ends of the vessel.
Having now described the nature of my improvements. I desire it to be
understood that I claim,-
First, the use and application of a spring or yielding dash, secured in a suit-
able framework, by which means a simultaneous squeezing and rubbing action
upon the clothes is obtained in any description or shape of washing vessel.
Secondly, the application of wooden bars or ribs with knobs upon their sur
face, or any imitation thereof. by which the water conduit of the bars and the
rubbing action of the knobs is simultaneously obtained.

page_text: Thirdly, the application of the washing vessel and its contents as a means of
btaining pressure upon the squeezing rollers.
Fourthly, the speeded clearance roller.
And, fifthly, the combination and arrangement of the several paris, as herein
escribed and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness, whereof. I, the said Thomas Bradford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Bradford.
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
MAS BRADFORD, (I..S.)