Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Boiling, Rinsing, and Blueing Wearing Apparel or other Fabrics.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Boiling, Rinsing, and
Blueing Wearing Apparel or other Fabrics.
I, ALFRED STAPLEY of 17 Sugar House Lane Stratford, London, E., Steam
Boiler Maker, and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to a rotary washing machine working in conjunction with
another similar machine or machines, or series of troughs or containers for the
purpose of and in the manner hereinafter described.
In a rotary washing machine consisting of an inner cage or container-which
container revolving in an outer casing is constructed so that the washing liquor bas
access to the interior-provision made so that the driving gear may be disengaged
and that the inner cage or container-can be raised clear of the outer casing.
An overhead tramway-with traveller or crane, such tramway being carried by
supports independent of, or attached to the apparatus, or by existing columns,
beams or other supports.
A pulley, pulley blocks or winch to raise inner cage with or without contents,
from the outer casing by attaching to a frame or sling engaging in end spindles or
journals of the inner cage or to attachments at other convenient positions such as
out of the centre of inner cage so that the inner cage can be raised and transfered
by the said tramway and traveller to another similar outer casing, boiling, rinsing,
or blueing troughs or other troughs, vehicle, wagon or table, where it can be
deposited bodily, or by means of a screw, worm, or toothed pinion attached to the
suspending frame or sling and engaging in a toothed wheel fixed to or part of the
inner cage-or vice-versa-and operated by a key, handle, or wheel be partially or
completely revolved that the contents may be discharged into either of the
receptacles mentioned above. Or if the suspending frame is attached to the inner
cage out of the centre as described above, be partially revolved by gravitation, for
the purposes above mentioned.
The machine or machines proper may be fitted with steam boiling arrangement
and hot and cold water supply apparatus so that the processes of washing, boiling,
rinsing, and blueing, may be carried out without removal of contents, until
completed.
The inner cages and outer casings may be fitted with either moveable, or
removeable, access doors.
One or more duplicate inner cages may be provided and used interchangeably
with the outer casings and gear.
Dated this 5th day of December 1895.

page_text: '
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Boiling, Rinsing, and
Blueing Wearing Apparel or other Fabrics.
I ALFRED STAPLEY of 17 Sugar House Lane, Stratford, London, E., Steam
Boiler Maker and Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
.described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
An improved rotary washing machine, working in conjunction with another
similar machine or machines, or series of troughs or containers, for the purpose of,
and in the manner hereinafter described.
Proceeding first to describe the accompanying drawings, Sheets 1 and 2 are side
and end elevations respectively (part being in section) of the improved rotary
washing machine above mentioned. Sheet 3 consists of various details mentioned
and referred to hereinafter.
Now, referring to Sheets 1, and 2, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through x. x. of
Fig. 3. the outer casing or trough, is shewn at A. A. and the inner cage or container,
is shewn at B.
The inner cage may be of any of the well known forms suitable for this purpose,
two suggested forms of construction being shewn at the broken corners C, and D,
C being of perforated material and D of bars or rods.
The bearings E. E. in which the end spindles or journals carrying the inner
cage, revolve, are constructed with open or moveable tops, and the driving or
rotating gear which is transmitted by the shaft carrying the driving pulleys F. FI. F.
and the toothed pinion G is so constructed that the said toothed pinion G. may be
disengaged from gear with the toothed driving wheel H fixed to the inner cage.
I do not propose that the pulleys, shall move in a lateral direction with the shaft,
when in the act of withdrawal from gear, or throwing into gear, but, that the fast
or driving pulley F1 shall have a feather key, working in a corresponding keyway
in the shaft, of such a size, and in such a position that when withdrawn or vice-versa
there shall be no side play.
Fig. 2 shews the inner cage B raised after the driving gear is disengaged.
When the driving gear is disengaged I employ an overhead crane or traveller,
moving along an overhead tramway, a suitable form of which is shewn at I Figs. 2
and 4 furnished with a hoisting tackle or pulley blocks preference being given to
a differential or self sustaining tackle, which is attached to a suspending frame, or
sling K. K. passing down each end of the inner cage and engaging in the end
spindles, or other attachments thereto, which attachments, may be out of the
centre, (or eccentrically) with the inner cage.
The frame or sling, also carries, at one, or both ends, a worm, screw, or
toothed pinion L for the purpose of revolving, or partly revolving, the inner cage
"when raised.
The said worm, or pinion, is intended to gear, (when raised), with the worm
wheel, or rack, M, fastened to the inner cage, and be clear of the said wheel or
rack, when in the outer casing so that the inner cage may revolve without
obstruction.
.
The suspending frame or sling K is shewn in detail at Figs. 5 and 6 on
Sheet 3. Fig. 5 being side, and Fig. 6 being end, elevations.
When the inner cage
in position in the outer casing, the weight of the frame
or sling, K ensures its resting on the journals R. R, thus allowing the worm to
drop out of gear; again, when hoisted, the frame or sling, rests on the bottom of
the long slot bearings N. N bringing the worm into gear with the wheel or rack.
Having now raised the inner cage, with or without the contents, I can, by means
of the traveller, or trolley, before mentioned, transfer the same, to another similar

page_text: outer casing, O Figs. 7 and 8, ordinary boiling, rinsing, blueing, or other
troughs, P. P. vehicle, wagon, or table, where the same can be deposited bodily,.
or by means of the worm, or pinion aforesaid, operated by a key, handle or
wheel Q. Q. Figs. 5 and 6 be partially or completely revolved, (and the door
or doors being open) the contents can be discharged into either of the receptacles
mentioned above; or, if the suspending frame or sling is attached to the inner
cage eccentrically, be partially revolved by gravitation, for the same purpose.
The machine, or machines proper may be fitted with steam boiling arrange-
ment, and hot and cold water supply apparatus, so that the processes of washing,
boiling, rinsing, and blueing may be carried out without removal of contents
until completed, they may also be fitted with the usual draw off tap, liquor
guage glass, and automatic reversing gear, for automatically reversing the
direction of rotation of the inner cage.
The inner cages, and outer casings, may be fitted with either moveable, or
removeable doors.
One or more duplicate inner cages may be provided, and used interchangeably
with the outer casings and gear.
The overhead tramway may be carried by supports either independent, or
attached to, or part of, the apparatus, or by existing columns, beams, or other
supports.
The ends of the outer casings may be continued upwards, so that if doors.
are provided, when the same are closed, the inner cages will be completely
enveloped.
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. An improved rotary washing machine, in which the driving or rotating gear
can be disengaged from the toothed driving wheel of the inner cage, so that the
latter can be raised clear of the outer casing or trough for the purpose of transport.
as described and set forth.
2. A driving gear for the improved rotary washing machine which can be
disengaged as described and set forth.
3. A suspending frame or sling for carrying the inner cage and provided with
a revolving or rotating gear as described and set forth.
4. An improved rotary washing machine, which can be used in the manner
described for washing, boiling rinsing, and blueing, or any one or more process
only, in conjunction with another similar rotary washing machine, or machines,
troughs or containers, as described and set forth.
5. The combination of washing, boiling, rinsing, and blueing, machines, troughs,
containers, and apparatus, as described and set forth.
6. An improved rotary washing machine in which any number of duplicate inner
cages can be readily used, interchangeably as described and set forth.
Dated this 12th day of May 1896.
ALFRED STAPLEY.