Improvements in Apparatus to be Employed in Washing Wearing Apparel or Clothing.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus to be Employed in Washing
Wearing Apparel or Clothing.
We, GEORGE THORNTON, of Phoenix Works, Aston, Edge tool maker, and JAMES
BRITTAIN, of 3 Aston Street, and both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED IN WASHING WEARING APPAREL OR CLOTHING," to be as follows:-
This invention can be described thus
The instrument used in the washing of clothes is called a "dolly" or maid and
consists of a piece of wood turned to a smaller diameter at each end to form
suitable handles for the hands to grasp, which is fitted on the top of a stail or stem,
at the lower extremity of which is fixed a large head with deep recesses or slots
cut into it from the underside or a circular piece of wood with projections.-The
manner in which the dolly or maid is used is as follows-A tub is procured and
some water placed in it then the clothes are put in and the dolly is then firmly
grasped by both hands one at either end of the handle, then the operator lifts the
dolly or maid vertically from the bottom of the tub, and then allows it to descend
upon the clothes placed in the water partly by its own weight and partly by the
strength exerted by the operator, a smart blow is struck upon the clothes which
forces the dirt out this up and down motion of the dolly is repeated with great
rapidity and so the clothes are cleansed. The foregoing is a description of the
apparatus and operation as at present conducted. It is however very laborious
work, and to assist the operator by relieving her of the whole or part of the weight
of the "dolly" is the object of this our Invention. For this purpose we attach to
the outside of the maiding or "dolly" tub a socket provided with set screws.
This socket receives a vertical rod of suitable length and the set screws permit of
its easy adjustment or of its removal when not in use. At the upper end of this
vertical rod is a socket with one or more set screws which carries a horizontal rod
the outer end of which is hooked and is approximately over the middle of the tub.
The "dolly" or maid is suspended from the hooked arm of the horizontal rod by
means of a spring which we form preferably of first a plain india rubber spring

page_text: with an eye at each end such as is often used for closing doors, then below that a
spiral spring of wire, the spring preferably conical in form with the larger end at
the top, and below that another india rubber spring like the first, the lower end
being attached to the centre of the cross handle of the "dolly"-It will be under-
stood that the vertical centre line of the springs, and the vertical centre line of the
stem of the "dolly" coincide, when the parts are in their normal position but at
the same time the springs allow such freedom of movement that every part of the
bottom of the tub may be reached by the lower end of the dolly. It will be
understood that the vertical rod may be so adjusted in its socket as to relieve the
operator of the whole or part of the weight of the " dolly."

page_text: We, GEORGE THORNTON, of Phoenix Works, Aston, Edge tool maker, and JAMES
BRITTAIN, of 8 Aston Street, and both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This Invention can be described thus:—
The instrument used in the washing of clothes is called a "dolly" or maid and
consists of a piece of wood turned to a smaller diameter at each end to form
suitable handles for the hands to grasp, which is fitted on the top of a stail or stem,
at the lower extremity of which is fixed a large head with deep recesses or slots
cut into it from the underside, or a circular piece of wood with projections. The
manner in which the dolly or maid is used is as follows-A tub is procured and
some water placed in it then the clothes are put in and the dolly is then firmly
grasped by both hands one at either end of the handle, then the operator lifts the
dolly or maid vertically from the bottom of the tub, and then allows it to descend
upon the clothes placed in the water, partly by its own weight and partly by the
strength exerted by the operator, a smart blow is struck upon the clothes which
forces the dirt out; this up and down motion of the dolly is repeated with great
rapidity and so the clothes are cleansed. The foregoing is a description of the
apparatus and operation as at present conducted. It is however very laborious
work and to assist the operator by relieving her of the whole or part of the weight
of the "dolly" is the object of this our Invention. For this purpose we attach to
the outside of the maiding or "dolly" tub a socket provided with set screws.
This socket receives a vertical rod of suitable length and the set screws permit of
its easy adjustment or of its removal when not in use. At the upper end of this
vertical rod is a socket with one or more set screws which carries a horizontal rod
the outer end of which is hooked and is approximately over the middle of the tub.
The "dolly" or maid is suspended from the hooked arm of the horizontal rod by
means of a spring which we form preferably of first a plain india rubber spring
with an eye at each end such as is often used for closing doors, then below that a
spiral spring of wire, the spring preferably conical in form with the larger end at
the top, and below that another india rubber spring like the first, the lower end
being attached to the centre of the cross handle of the "dolly." It will be under-
stood that the vertical centre line of the springs, and the vertical centre line of the
stem of the "dolly" coincide, when the parts are in their normal position but at
the same time the springs allow such freedom of movement that every part of the
bottom of the tub may be reached by the lower end of the dolly. It will be
understood that the vertical rod may be so adjusted in its socket as to relieve the
operator of the whole or part of the weight of the "dolly.”

page_text: And in order that this our said Invention may be more clearly understood we
will now proceed to describe it in connection with the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a view in elevation shewing this invention as applied to an ordinary
maiding or dolly tub.
Fig. 2 a view in elevation of part detached.
a, is the maiding or dolly tub, b, is a socket with set screws c, d. is a vertical rod
of a required length fitting into b, and adjusted to a required position by means
of c, e, is also a socket and provided with set screws f, g, is the horizontal rod
with hooked end gl-being approximately over-the centre of the tub a.
The dolly
or maid h, (which is of the usual kind consisting of the handle, stem, and head) is
suspended from the hooked part gl of g, by two india rubber springs i, with
metallic eyes for durability, and between these is arranged the spiral spring j,
with cap for connecting the handle of the dolly or maid h. is provided with a
loop h¹ to which i¹ is connected.
In Fig. 2, we shew the two india rubber springs i, with metallic eyes in
combination with spiral spring ; and cap but detached from g¹ of g and-h¹ of h,
our object being to simplify the same, and is effected thus.
The tub a, is placed under an ordinary door 'frame, beam, or horizontal
projection of the required height, and a screw hook is inserted in the said beam,
the handle of the maid or dolly h, is provided with a loop or hook h¹ the lowest
part is arranged upon this loop or hook and the highest part i upon the hook in
the cross beam.
:
We do not confine ourselves to the exact shape configuration or arrangement of
parts shewn on the accompanying drawing or described in this Specification as we
may vary them to some extent while not departing essentially from our said
Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1st The construction of the vertical rod d, as arranged in the socket b, and
regulated by means of the set screws c at the lower part, and the socket e, for
receiving g, the rod with booked end and regulated by means of the set screws f,
as described in the foregoing Specification and illustrated by the annexed sheet of
drawings.
2nd The construction of the spiral spring ; in connection with the india rubber
springs i, and metallic eyes 2. "In Fig. 1, as attached and in Fig. 2 detached, as
described in the foregoing Specification and illustrated by the annexed sheet of
drawings.
<<
3rd The general arrangement and combination of parts the whole forming
Improvements in apparatus to be employed in washing wearing apparel or
clothing."