Year: 1888

page_text: We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
Our invention relates to washing-machines and is designed to increase the efficiency
of the apparatus described in the Specification of former Letters Patent dated 21st
October A.D. 1885, No. 12,607.
In the said apparatus there is a washing-chamber which has conical or pyramidal
ends and which can be tightly closed. This chamber is mounted on trunnions so that
it can be rocked or oscillated to force the air contained therein from one to the other
end thereof through the clothes and water placed therein.
These washers as hitherto constructed have had no provision either for releasing the
compressed air from the washing-chamber or for permitting the discharge of the
water therefrom, except by taking off the cover or lid. It has been found in
pratice that, by the operation of washing, the mass of clothes becomes enlarged in
volume so as to fill, or nearly fill the washing-chamber and expand into the space
above the joint thereof. Therefore, when the machine is opened by removing the
cover or lid, the internal pressure blows out the water at the joint with great force,
wetting the attendant and the floor around the machine.
Now the objects of our present invention are to obviate this defect or inconvenience
and to facilitate the process of washing by this machine and enable it to be carried on
in a more advantageous manner than heretofore.
So
For this purpose we provide a cock or valve of any approved form or construc-
tion in the bottom of the machine, preferably at the end or lowest part of the cone,
that this cock or valve, when opened after washing, will discharge the
water and thereby bring down the level thereof below the joint of the washing-
chamber. Moreover by opening the said cock and letting out the water, the
.

page_text: clothes will be caused to descend in the said chamber by gravity, aided it may
be by the expansion of air compressed and imprisoned in the conical lid or
The lid or cover can then be removed without liability to blowing out of the
cover.
water.
In some instances, we also provide a cock or valve on the lid or. cover; this cock
will be useful, more especially for destroying any vacuum that may be formed
within the conical lid or cover or other part of the chamber.
We apply these cocks or valves without altering the construction of the machine
or interfering with the existing arrangement of the wringer used in combination
therewith.
Dabad thin 10th tree of Am 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Washing-machines.
We, JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the firm of
J. Hopkinson & Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our invention relates to washing-machines and is designed to increase the efficiency
of the apparatus described in the specification of former Letters Patent dated 21st
October A.D. 1885, No. 12,607.
In the said apparatus, there is a washing-chamber which has conical or pyramidal
ends and which can be tightly closed. This chamber is mounted on trunnions so
that it can be rocked or oscillated to force the air contained therein from one to the
other end thereof through the clothes and water placed therein.
These washers, as hitherto constructed, have had no provision either for diminishing
the pressure in the washing-chamber or for permitting the discharge of the water there-
from, except by taking off the cover or lid; and, in order to empty the washing-
chamber, it has been necessary either to tilt the said chamber or to withdraw the water
therefrom by means of a ladle or the like. It has been found in practice that, by the
operation of washing, the mass of clothes becomes enlarged in volume and expands
into the space above the joint between the body of the washing-chamber and the
cover or lid, so as to fill, or nearly fill the washing-chamber and compress the air in
the said chamber, which air is, moreover, under pressure due to the heating thereof.
Therefore, when the machine is opened by removing the cover or lid, the internal
pressure blows out the water at the joint with great force, and the water also overflows,
thus wetting the attendant and the floor around the machine.
Moreover, it is found that, when the apparatus is allowed to cool before the lid or
cover is removed, a vacuum, or partial vacuum is formed in the washing-chamber, so
that great difficulty is experienced in removing the lid or cover.
Now the objects of our present invention are to obviate these defects or incon-
veniences and to facilitate the process of washing by this machine and enable it to be
carried on in a more advantageous manner than heretofore.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of our improved washing-machine.
A is the frame of the machine, B is the cylindrical part or body of the washing-
chamber, which has formed therewith the lower conical end B', and to which are
attached the trunnions B. C is the lid or cover, which is held in place by means of
thumb-screws D passed through nuts E hinged or pivoted at E to the body B,
projections or lugs C being, formed on the lid or cover C for the screws to bear
against when the said nuts are in the position shown in the drawings.

page_text: .
We provide a cock or valve F of any approved form or construction in the bottoni
of the machine, preferably at the end or lowest part of the cone B¹ as shown. This
cock or valve, when opened after washing, will permit the discharge of the water and
thereby bring down the level thereof below the joint of the washing-chamber and
diminish the pressure in the said chamber. Moreover, by opening the said cock
and letting out the water, the clothes will be caused to descend in the said chamber
by gravity, aided it may be by the expansion of air imprisoned under pressure in the
conical lid or cover. The lid or cover can then be removed without liability to
blowing out or overflow of the water.
We also provide a cock or valve G on the lid or cover; this cock will be useful
more especially for destroying any vacuum that may be formed within the conical lid
or cover or other part of the chamber, so as to permit the ready removal of the said
lid or cover, or for admitting air to facilitate the discharge of the water through the
cock F. Or the said cock or valve G may be used to permit the escape of air and
thus diminish the pressure in the washing chamber, or to ascertain if any pressure
exists therein.
We apply the aforesaid cocks or valves without interfering with the oxisting
arrangement of the wringer used in combination with the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood
that we claim :-
The washing-machine herein described having provision for the discharge of air and
water and for the admission of air, previously to the removal of the lid or cover, for
the purposes specified.