Improvements in and relating to Washing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Washing Machines.
I ALEXANDER DOUGLAS DUNN of Argyle Steam Sanitary Laundry,
Springvale, West Kensington, London, W., Laundryman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements in and relating to washing machines have for objects, to
ensure the production of such machines so that they shall possess the following
amongst other important advantages not possessed by washing machines as hitherto
devised: namely, the detergent liquid is forced through the revolving cage or
clothes receptacle during the whole of the time the contents remain within the
cage the capacity of this latter is, by the mode of construction which I adopt,
very largely increased relatively to other machines of the same external dimensions;
also, by an arrangement which I provide for admitting steam, the cleansing will be
effected in a greatly reduced time than has hitherto been attainable; and, the
requisite supply of liquid soap (or of blue, in the case of blueing machines) is
measured off by the: machine itself..
"
In washing machines according to my invention, I employ an outer stationary
enclosing casing and an interior revolving cage, or drum of cylindrical formation.
The periphery and ends of this latter consist of machine woven wire netting the
meshes of which are so interlocked as, to prevent displacement of the "strands
and consequent entangling of and damage. to, the linen, or other contents of the
cage. This latter is fixed to the rotating shaft upon which it is mounted, for its
full length. The cage has two or more compartments, and the "doors" to these
are interchangeable. The construction of the cage is also such, that when required,
any part thereof can be removed at very slight outlay and without dismembering
or interfering with the main, body of the cage. The ends and periphery of this
latter are brought towards each, end, of the enclosing, casing (which is also of
cylindrical formation) so as to leave, but a very slight clearance between the cage
and the surrounding exterior, casing. This, latter is formed in sections: so as to
allow of the removal, of a, part, without interfering with the whole body of the
casing.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1805.
and to washing machines.
I, ALEXANDER. DOUGLAS DUNN; of the Argyle Sanitary Steam Laundry;
Springvale, West Kensington, London, W., Laundryman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same-is to be performed' to he
ascertained in and by the following statement:—.
My invention relates to steam-washing machines of that class generally known.
ав rotary steam-washers" and to parts connected therewith, and 'the object is to
render such machines by their improved construction and in conjunction with
additional parts, capable of doing the washing, boiling, rinsing, blueing and
starching more thoroughly and in less time than has been possible hitherto.
Price 81

page_text: To enable my invention to be clearly understood, I will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a complete washing machine constructed according
to the present invention.
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively the right and left hand end views of the same.
Fig. 4 is a face view of the rotary drum and Fig. 5 is an end view and Fig. 6 a
vertical cross-section of the same.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section, on a larger scale, of the shaft of the drum.
Fig. 8 is a detail view, on a larger scale, of some additional part of the machine.
Figs. 9 and 10-are two detail views, on a larger scale illustrating the method of
securing the door of the outer casing.
Fig. 11 is a detail of the latter arrangement but taken at right angles thereto.
Similar reference letters are used for similar parts in all the figures.
In practice I adopt an outer casing a of the same shape as used in similar
machines, made in two parts, preferably of soft steel, cylindrical in shape and
provided with suitable legs, charging door, the usual driving gear, stuffing boxes
steam connection and outlet or emptying cock. In addition to the aforesaid known
parts I provide a tank 6 mounted at one end at the top of the outer casing, adapted
to be filled either with soap liquor or with blueing liquid to the extent required.
This tank is provided with a gauge glass and division scale at the front for
measuring purposes, and with a cock and conduit pipe 63, the latter connected to
the outer casing a of the washer in such a manner as to enable the contents of the
tank to be discharged through a number of perforations into the interior of the said
-casing a. At the lower half of the casing a is fitted a gauge glass a¹ to ascertain
the quantity of water contained therein. In connection with the usual safety
valve c at the top of the casing I employ a spring catch engaging the end of a
lever d', in, the interior of the box d, of the cock d. The latter is provided with
a suitable handle on the outside to enable the attendant to turn on steam when
desired, which then passes through the steam pipe ₫ to the bottom of the casing
and through a nozzle in the interior of it and thus causes the water contained
therein to boil more rapidly. After the steam pressure has risen to a pre-determined
point, it is automatically cut off by the release of the cock which is closed
forthwith through the action of a spring or weight, as will be more fully explained
hereafter.
The rotary drume which is charged with the clothes for washing is constructed
in a manner to enable the detergent liquid in the casing a to force its way more
readily through the linen or other articles contained in the drum, thereby rendering
the cleansing process more efficient and rapid than has been possible hitherto.
08
Said drum is made in preferably four equal and interchangeable sections, which
are formed of angle iron or mild steel quadrants el, e, e³, e, at ench end, supported
at their extremities each by two radial arms
e, e e², e 8. The ends,
periphery and one side of these sections are made of strong machine woven
interlocked wire-netting secured, by means of rivets or the like, to the arms and
rings aforsaid. The shaft of the rotary drum is of a cross-shaped section and
provided with longitudinal grooves f¹ as shown at Figure 7, having working
journals at the ends and keyed to it, near each end, a disc f to which the inner
ends of the radial arms are firmly secured after having previously inserted the
sides e¹*, *, *, **, of the sections in their respective grooves f₁ in the shaft.
This mode of construction euables any one of the sections of the drum to be taken
off without disturbing the remaining sections and even without having to remove
the drum from the machine.
Thus the four sectious will when mounted together on the shaft, form a cylindrical
drum with four divisions or compartments, to each of which access can be had
through a door g ordinarily secured in place on the periphery of the drum by any
suitable locking or wedging device. These doors are made to fit into frames g¹
of section, which are secured to the drum by connecting or stay bars reaching
longitudinally across and bolted to the ends of the drum.

page_text: The shaft of the drum rests in bearings provided in the outer casing, which
are fitted with glands and packing in the usual manner so as to form steam-tight
joints at the parts where the shaft passes through the casing. At one end of the
shaft foutside the casing is mounted a toothed wheel adapted to gear with the
ordinary driving and reversing mechanism as is well known in connection with this
class of steam washers. A slight distance below the toothed wheel h is fixed a
bracket i, and on this bracket is movably mounted a worm or endless screw j in
such a manner as to enable the latter to be brought into gear with the wheel h
when required for the purpose of holding and turning the drum in position for
charging and relieving. This may be accomplished, as shown at Figure 2, by
mounting the worm j with capability of rotation in a movable support k which is
guided in slottes in the bracket i. The support is ordinarily allowed to drop
down on the bracket i, as shown in full lines in the drawings, when the worm j will
be out of gear with the wheel / but can, when required, be lifted into the position
shown by dotted lines and secured there by the insertion, into a hole, of a pin k¹.
On the spindle of the worm j is fitted a hand wheel so as to enable the drum e
to be turned and held in the desired position for loading or unloading.
The
The automatic "cut off" for the steam is constructed as follows: The end of
the weighted lever of the usual safety valve is provided with an eye to which
is attached a chain or wire rope 13, the other extremity of which is fastened to the
eye of a catch m normally kept in its forward position by a helical spring m³.
This catch m is adapted to move in a guide groove n¹ provided in the bracket or
support n. The spring m¹ bears against the shoulder n' on the bracket n.
wire rope or chain passes from the catch m through the coils of the spring m¹
around a roller. The steam cock is provided on the outside with an ordinary
handle for turning on steam. The end of the plug of the cock passes through
the rear and enters into the interior of the box d, where it has a short lever d¹
which is held in the open position by the spring catch m but on the catch being
withdrawn is forced down by the spring and closes the steam cock.
The improvements shown at Figures 9, 10 and 11 relate to the charging door in
the outer casing a. This door is made of a rectangular plate o of mild steel bent
to suit the cylindrical form of the casing and is somewhat larger than the opening
in said casing. Around three sides of the opening I fix a cast iron or brass
frame p of the section shown in Figures 9 and 10, two of such sides extend a
certain distance beyond the opening and serve as guides for the sliding door o.
The fourth side consists of a flat bar of the same material as the frame p and
forms a connecting link between the two extended arms of said frame. The inner
or bottom flange of the frame p is provided at a suitable distance from the
opening with a groove p¹ all the way round for the reception of a suitable steam
packing p² on to which the door, when closed, is pressed down to form a tight
joint round the opening in the casing. Lengthwise across the door o is a presser
bar o' provided with two bosses of at a convenient distance from one another,
which are screw threaded to receive the screws o with hand wheel o'; the lower
end of the screws is provided with neck and collar to enable them to work in
and be secured to the back of the door o as shown at Figures 9 and 10. It will be
readily understood that on turning the screws o' by means of the hand wheel o* in
one direction, the door o and the presser bar o' are moved apart from one another,
and on the presser bar o¹ coming against the stop p³ on the frame p the door must
necessarily be pressed down on to the packing p2 and make a steam tight joint as
shown at Figure 9, while in turning said screws in the other direction the presser
bar o' moves away from the stop p until its under face is in contact with the top
facing of the frame p, when by a further turn of the screws the door o will be
clear of the packing as shown at Figure 10, and can the be readily slidden
upwards so as to uncover the opening in the outer casing. The door is provided
with a spring catch q adapted to enter, with the hook at the front end thereof a
suitable recess provided near the top part of the casing, or any other suitable
spring or hand fastening may be adopted to hold the door in its open position.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination, in steam washing machines with an outer steam tight casing
containing the boiling water and soap liquor or the like, of a rotary cylindrical
drum constructed of a number of interchangeable sections or compartments, the
sides of which form the internal divisions of said drum, substantially as shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
2. A rotary drum for steam washers composed of a number. of compartments
formed by interchangeable section of machine woven interlocked wire netting
connected together by rings at the ends, in a manner to form a cylinder
mounted on a shaft and provided with charging doors substantially as shown and
described.
3. The combination with the steam washing machine, claimed in Claims 1
and 2, of a measuring tank fitted to the outer casing of the machine and
provided with gauge glass and the necessary connections for measuring off the
exact quantity required of soap liquor or blueing and starching liquid, substantially
as herein before described.
4. The combination with a $6
steam-washer" having a rotary drum, a safety
valve, steam inlet cock and pipe, of mechanism for automatically cutting off steam
as soon as the latter reaches a pre-determined pressure in the in the interior of the
washer, substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
5. The combination with a steam washing machine having an outer casing of a
sliding door mounted in a frame on the casing and provided with hand screws and
cross-bar arranged in a manner that, when turning said hand-screws in the one
direction, the door is pressed onto a packing to form a steam tight joint, while
when turning such hand-screws in the opposite direction the door is lifted away
from the opening in the outer casing,. substantially as herein before shown and
described.
6. The combination of the parts forming my improved washing machine,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated the 25th dox of Santamber 1905