Improvements in the Construction of Washing, Wringing, and Mangling Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Washing, Wringing, and
Mangling Machines.
-
I THOMAS BRADFORD of the Crescent Iron Works Salford in the County of
Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is in the first place to make a washing compartment in
such a manner (whether it be made of wood or porcelain or metal) as shall economize
the cost of manufacture as compared with the cost of making such as are already in
use and at the same time add to its cleansing efficiency.
This I accomplish by making the said washing compartment in the shape of an
elongated polygon in transverse section which will give me not less than four inclined
planes of the greatest possible depth of rubbing surface during the rotation of the
washing compartment and also the greatest possible falling space or dollying force
upon dollying ribs or projections formed on those sides of the compartment which are
opposite to and furthest from each other, the intent and purpose of which is to hold
the linen and as much as possible of the washing lye or suds, until the washing
compartment in its rotation reaches and just passes the centre when the contents fall
with the desired cleansing effect, whether the direction of the rotation be forward or
backward.
This is a most essential feature for the prevention of injury in the larger washing
machines that are required to be worked by steam power and to which I shall here-
after refer more especially, to shew the advantages of this form of construction over
a circular square or rectangular form of construction, the rubbing friction of a long
inclined plane (whether corrugated or plain) being so much greater than that of the
segment of a circle or the several short sides of an octagon.
A further improvement relates to such washing machines as have rollers for
wringing and mangling attached to the same framework, and especially such rollers
as are placed horizontally or side by side instead of vertically or one above the other,
and as are specified in my Specification of Patent No. 8678 dated April 3rd 1886; in'
this case I exercise pressure upon the rollers by a very simple and novel construction
of hinged joint and spiral spring.
Levers are hinged to the fixed framing and carry the bearings of one of the rollers
which is held against the other roller (which is mounted in fixed bearings) by links
passing through the framing and each provided with a spiral spring which can be
regulated as required.
A further improvement consists in the application of hollow wood "endway" plugs
instead of solid ones as patented by me March 10th 1887, No. 3618; such application
or adaptation of such hollow plugs being more especially intended by me for washing
machines having an inner cage revolving in an outer shell, the advantage I gain by
such hollow plugs being that in consequence of the said hollow plugs projecting into
the interior of the cage there is retained in the cage a sufficient quantity of soap
suds to lubricate the linen and prevent it from clinging or sticking to the said cage,
as is always the case when in rotation the soap suds or rinsing water has percolated
away through the open spaces between a brass tubular cage or through the flush
perforations or holes in a wooden cage, thereby leaving the linen clinging helplessly
until it is lifted past the centre of gravity and falls away.
Linen, however, lubricated as I propose is always being actively cleansed to some
extent, as is the case with linen washed, in one compartment containing both linen
and soap suds.

page_text: A further improvement consists in a novel construction of lid or cover for the
inner compartment of washing machines with an outer shell, by which construction
the said lid can be instantly taken out and also instantly replaced. The novelty
consists of a pair of handles each formed or fixed upon sliding spring bolts entering
into recesses at one side of the opening in the said compartment. Upon taking hold
of these handles and pressing them forwards the bolts are released. The same springs
serves the purpose of latching the lid when replaced.
1 further propose to construct the framework of such machines in such a novel
manner that the cast iron overhead stay or bridge forms not only the basis of the
wringing and mangling rollers, but also the basis upon which I construct not only an
improved arrangement of reversing gear for turning the washing compartment, but
also an arrangement for turning the above described horizontally placed rollers by a
compact system of "back gear."
Thus the space usually occupied by placing such driving apparatus at one or both
ends of the machine is economized and in consequence of the adaptation of horizontal
in place of vertical rollers greater immunity is afforded from objectionable dirt
falling from overhead gearing upon or into the washing compartment.
Dated this 26th day of February 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Washing, Wringing, and
Mangling Machines.
I THOMAS BRADFORD of the Crescent Iron Works Salford in the County of
Lancaster 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 :-
My invention consists in improvements in the construction of washing wringing
and mangling machines, and the same will be readily understood from the following
description on reference to the annexed sheet of drawings of which
Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a single washing compartment detached.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of a machine driven by steam
power and
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same machine shewing the washing vessel in
section.
Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the lid hereafter described.
The object of my invention is in the first place to make a washing compartment
in such a manner (whether it be made of wood or porcelain or metal) as shall economize
the cost of manufacture as compared with the cost of making such as are already in
use and at the same time add to its cleansing efficiency.
**
"
This accomplish by making the said washing compartment in the shape of an
elongated polygon in transverse section, as shown at Fig. 1. which will give me not
less than four inclined planes a, b, c and d of the greatest possible depth of rubbing
surface during the rotation of the washing compartment and also the greatest possible
falling space (as from e to f) or dollying force upon dollying ribs or woodenway
projections ef fixed to those sides e and f of the compartment, which are opposite
to and furthest from each other, the intent and purpose of which is to hold the linen
and as much as possible of the washing lye or suds until the washing compartment
in its rotation reaches and just passes the centre of gravity when the contents fall
with the desired cleansing effect whether the direction of the rotation be forward or
backward.
This a most essential feature for the prevention of injury in the larger washing

page_text: machines that are required to be worked by steam power and to which I shall here-
after refer more especially.
Another advantage of this form of construction over a circular square or regular
octagonal-form of construction is that rubbing friction of a long inclined plane
(whether corrugated or plain) is much greater than that of a segment of a circle or
the several short sides of a regular octagon.
A further improvement relates to such washing machines as have rollers for
wringing and mangling attached to the same framework and especially to such rollers
as are placed horizontally (or nearly so) side by side instead of vertically or one
above the other and as are specified in my Specification of Patent No. 4678 dated
April 3rd 1886.
In this case I exercise pressure upon the rollers by a very simple and novel
construction of hinged joint and spiral spring as illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3 of the
drawings.
Levers gare hinged to the fixed framing at h and carry the bearings of one of the
rollers which is held against the other roller i¹ (which is mounted in fixed bearings)
by links k passing through the framing at h¹ and each provided with a spiral spring/
which can be regulated by a nut k² as required.
A further improvement consists in the application of hollow or perforated "wood-
endway" plugs m (see Fig. 3) instead of the solid ones patented by me March 10th
1887 No. 3618, such hollow or perforated plugs being more especially intended by
me for washing machines having an inner cage n revolving in an outer shell o as
shown at Fig. 3, the advantage I gain by such hollow plugs m being that in con-
sequence of the said hollow plugs projecting into the interior of the cage n which is
not otherwise perforated there is retained in the cage a sufficient quantity of soap
suds to lubricate the linen and prevent it from clinging or sticking to the said cage n
when in rotation the soap suds or rinsing water has percolated away through the open
spaces of a brass tubular cage or through the flush perforations or holes in a wooden
cage thereby leaving the linen clinging helplessly until it is lifted past the centre of
gravity and falls away.
Linen however lubricated as I propose is always being actively cleansed to some
extent, as is the case with linen washed in one compartiment containing both linen
and soap suds.
A further improvement consists in a novel construction of lid or cover p for the
inner compartiment n of washing machines (such as are shown on Fig. 3) with an
outer shell o by which construction the said lid or cover p can be instantly taken
out and also instantly replaced.
The novelty consists of a pair of handles q (see detached view Fig. 4) each formed
or fixed upon sliding spring bolts g' entering into recesses at one side of the opening
in the said compartment n.
9.
Upon taking hold of these handles 9 and pressing them forwards the bolts q¹ are
released, and the lid can be taken off by raising the same and removing the fixed
projections from their respective sockets in the compartment n.
The same
springs also serve the purpose of latching the lid when replaced.
I further propose to construct the framework of my improved washing wringing
and mangling machine in such a manner that the cast iron over-head stay or bridges s
(see Figs. 2 and 3) forms not only the bases of the wringing and mangling rollers i,
but also the bases upon which I carry not only the reversing gear (seen at t, t') for
turning the washing compartment n but also an arrangement for turning the above
described horizontally placed rollers i, by a compact system of "back gear"
seen at v, v1.
Thus the space usually occupied by placing such driving apparatus at one or both
ends of the machine is economized and in consequence of the adaptation of horizontally
set rollers instead of placing them vertically greater immunity is afforded from objec-
tionable dirt falling from overhead gearing upon, or into the washing compartment.
It will be evident that this construction of framework is also applicable to single
compartment washing machines.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improved construction in washing compartments substantially as herein before
described with reference to Fig. 1 on the drawings annexed.
2. The improved means for putting pressure upon the horizontally set wringing and
mangling rollers substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings.
3. The application of hollow or perforated "wood-endway" plugs projecting into
the interior of a vessel or cage revolving in an outer shell substantially as and for
the purpose herein before described.
4. The improved construction of lid or cover for the inner compartment of a
washing machine substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. of the
annexed drawings.
5. The improved arrangement of over head stay or bridge supporting the driving.
and reversing gear the wringing and mangling rollers and the back gear for actuating
the latter substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings.
6. The general construction and arrangement of my improved washing machine
substantially as nereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3 of the annexed
drawings.
Dated this
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.