Improvements in Washboards.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washboards.
I, WILLIAM MURPHY, citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at 18 Waterloo
Street, St. John's, in the Province of New Brunswick, in the Dominion of Canada
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and, aseertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to washboards, and the object thereof, is to provide an
improvement for this class of devices, which consists of a rubber which is hinged to,
or otherwise pivotally connected with one of the sides of the washboard, and which is
adapted to slide or swing thereover, and which is provided on its under surface with
corrugations similar to those on the body of the washboard, said block or plate being
adapted to be operated by hand, whereby the operation of washing a garment or
other article may be accomplished without applying the hand or hands directly to the
board.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a front view of my improved washboard ;
Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof;
Fig. 3, a side view thereof; and,
Fig. 4, a transverse section.
In the practice of my invention, 1 provide a washboard of the usual form, said
board being composed of a back 5, side bars 6, a cross head 7, at the upper end
thereof, and a back plate 8, and the back 5, of the board is provided with transverse
corrugations 9, as shown in Fig. 2, or transverse parallel rods as shown in Fig. 1, may
be employed.
I also provide a rubber consisting of a plate or block 10, which is of the form shown in
Figs. 1 and 2 and which is pivotally connected at 11, with a triangular hinge 12, the
sides of which are bent angularly and connected with one of the side bars 6, as shown
at 13, said connection being made by means of loops or staples 14, which are driven
into the side bar.
The device by which the rubber is hinged to the side bar may be of any desired
form, and composed of any desired material, the only object in this connection being
to provide a binge therefor which may be folded outwardly as shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 4, and to which said rubber is pivoted.
The plate or board 10, of which the rubber is composed is preferably wider at the
outer end thereof, than at the pivoted end, and is also of such length as to extend
almost across the washboard, and said plate or board is provided at its free end with a
handle 15, by means of which it may be swung transversely of the back of the
washboard, as indicated by the curved dotted line 16, in Fig. 1."
The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the following statement
thereof.
The garment or other article to be washed is placed over the corrugated back
of the board in the usual manner, and the rubber is swung downwardly thereon, and
then operated thereover by means of the handle 15, said rubber being swung back and
forth over the garment or other article of the handle 15, and at the same time pressure
is applied thereto.

page_text: The inner surface of the rubber is provided with longitudinal corrugations 17,
which are similar to those on the back of the washboard, and when operated in the
manner described, the result will be similar to that produced by rubbing the garment
on the washboard by the process heretofore employed.
This device is simple in construction, and operation and comparatively inexpensive,
while being well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended; and it is
evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages.
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. A washboard, provided with a rubber having corrugations on its under side, and
which is pivotally connected with a hinged attachment at one side of said board said
hinged attachment being hinged to, or pivotally connected with the side of the
washboard, substantially as shown and described.
2. A washboard provided with the usual transverse corrugations, and a rubber
consisting of a plate or board which is provided with similar corrugations, and which
is pivotally connected with an attachment which is hinged to the side of the washboard,
said rubber being free to swing back and forth, or up and down over the corrugated
surface of the washboard, substantially as shown and described.
3. A washboard, of the usual form and construction provided with a rubber, which
is adapted to rest upon corrugated surfaces, thereof, said rubber being pivotally
connected with an attachment which is hinged to the side of the washboard and which
is adapted to be swung backwardly, substantially as shown and described.
4. A rubber for washboards constructed as herein described, and pivotally connected
with a hinged attachment which is adapted to be pivotally connected with or hinged
to one side of the washboard, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of August 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.