Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, JOHN JONES of 25 Titchfield Street, Edgeware Road, in the County of Middlesex,
laundry machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of washing machines having a steam-tight drum
or casing supplied with steam inside in which the clothes are usually contained in an
inner cage or drum which revolves inside the casing. This arrangement I find involves
unnecessary expense in construction and does not give so good results as can be
obtained from the apparatus I am now about to describe.
In carrying out my invention I employ a drum very similar to that already
mentioned but carried in bearings so as to be capable of being revolved by any suitable
means. This drum I prefer to divide diametrically with a suitable diaphragm
perforated or of open work or plain which dividos the drum into two chambers each
of which has a steam-tight door through which the clothes can be introduced. Steam
is supplied through one or both of the journals in the usual way and the drum may
be revolved in any suitable manner.
I find by this arrangement that besides the saving in the first cost I can also effect
a considerable saving in the quantity of steam employed and produce very satisfactory
results. The drum may he divided into more than two chambers if desired and any
desired number of ribs or equivalent preferably of wood may be placed where required
to assist in turning the clothes about. I find that an improved result inay be obtained
by making the diameter greater than the length of the drum; this construction is
contrary to that usually employed where the length is usually greatly in excess of the
diameter. In one machine for example from which I have obtained excellent results
the diameter is four feet while the length is only two. This machine as already
stated may be driven by any suitable means preferably by belts and gearing and
automatic reversing gear is also preferably employed.
Dated this inth day of Fabenory 1980
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
A grants
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, JOHN JONES of 25 Titchfield Street, Edgeware Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Laundry machinist, 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 :—
This invention relates to that class of washing machines baving a steam-tight drum
or casing supplied with steam inside in which the clothes are usually contained in an
inner cage or drum which revolves inside the casing. This arrangement I find involves
unnecessary expense in construction and does not give so good results as can be
obtained from the apparatus I am now about to describe.
In carrying out my invention I employ a drum very similar to that already
mentioned but carried in bearings so as to be capable of being revolved by any suitable
means. This drum prefer to divide diametrically with a suitable diaphragm
perforated or of open work or plain which divides the drum into two chambers each
of which has a steam-tight door through which the clothes can be introduced. Steam
is supplied through one or both of the journals in the usual way and the drum may
be revolved in any suitable manner.
I find by this arrangement that besides the saving in the first cost I can also effect

page_text: a considerable saving in the quantity of steam employed and produce very satisfactory
results. The drum may be divided into more than two chambers if desired and any
desired number of ribs or equivalent preferably of wood may be placed where required
to assist in turning the clothes about. I find that an improved result may be obtained
by making the diameter greater than the length of the drum; this construction is
contrary to that usually employed where the length is greatly in excess of the diameter.
In one machine for example from which I have obtained excellent results the diameter
is four feet while the length is only two. This machine as already stated may be
driven by any suitable means preferably by belts and gearing and automatic:reversing
gear is also preferably employed.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections taken:at right
angles to each other of a machine constructed according to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts in both figures of the drawings.
A is the drum which is provided with trunnions B and which may preferably be
constructed of galvanized iron of thickness sufficient to withstand a pressure of
say 15 to 20 lbs. per square inch at which it is desired:to work the machine and which
may be lined with copper or other suitable material. Care the bearings in which the
trunnions B are free to rotate and which may be secured to or formed in part with
the standards D. A¹ is the perforated or openwork diaphragm which divides the
drum into two chambers and E are the doors one of which is provided on each chamber
for giving access thereto for the insertion and removal of the articles to be washed:
Each of these doors as shown in figure 1 is hinged to the drum A and when
closed is secured by bolts E¹ or equivalent incans to ensure the making of a
steam tight joint an india-rubber or equivalent washer or packing being provided
for this purpose.; but it does not matter in what manner the door is fitted to the
drum whether permanently connected or otherwise so long as the joint between
the said door and drum can be made sufficiently tight to stand the pressure to
which it is to be exposed.
B' is the passage formed in one of the trunnions B and B is a pipe leading from
any suitable steam supply for introducing steam through the passage B' into the
drum A. Steam may be admitted into the drum A through one or both of the
trunnions. F is a nozzle secured to the drum A in any convenient manner and
screwed externally so that a cap F may be screwed on to it, but instead of this
nozzle and cap there may be applied any other convenient form of plug or stopper
or the equivalent thereof such for example as a valve or cock.
A are ribs which may be of solid wood but which in the accompanying drawings
are represented as of perforated metal. These ribs are secured to the shell of the
drum A in any convenient manner and when the machine is rotated assist in turning
about the articles being washed.
.
One of these ribs A2 viz. ;-that adjacent to the nozzle Falso serves to prevent the
said nozzle from being choked up by the clothes when the water is being run out
of the machine.
"When it is desired to use the before described. machine the covers or doors E having
been previously opened or removed the articles to be washed together with a suitable
quantity of soap or the equivalent are placed in both chambers of the drum A and
the doors E replaced and secured in position so that the joints between them and
the drum will be sufficiently steam tight. The cap, plug or cock FI then at the
upper side of the drum as shown in the drawings is next removed or opened and a
sufficient quantity of water is introduced into the drum. The water may however be
introduced through one of the doors. E the other one at the time being closed.
'The cap or cock is then replaced or turned off and the drum thereby made
steam tight. The drum is then caused to rotato by any of the well-known means and
steam is turned on so that it will enter the drum A by way of the pipo B and hollow,
trunnion to which it is connected, the articles to be washed being subjected to a
pressure of preferably from 15 to 20 lbs. per square inch. The machine may be
fitted with any of the usual belt shifting or equivalent devices for automatically and
periodically reversing the direction of rotation of the drum.

page_text: During the rotation of the drum the water will flow through the perforated
diaphragin from one chamber to the other and thus pass and repass through the articles
being washed.
The articles being washed are thus tossed, and by the ribs A2 turned about through
a considerable distance and will be found better washed than in a drum the length
of which is greater than its diameter such as has heretofore generally been
employed.
When the operation is finished the steam supply is cut off and the machine is
stopped and the water run off by the nozzle F or one of the doors E which are
removed or opened and the washed articles removed and a fresh batch of unwashed
articles placed in the drum for a repetition of the process.
If desired the drum A instead of being divided into two chambers as before described
may be divided into any other desired number of chambers and the diaphragm or
partition A¹ may be formed either of perforated or openwork or of unperforated or
solid material and if necessary each of the doors E may be arranged so as to serve
two chambers or compartments of the drum.
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. In a washing machine a drum such as A divided by a diaphragın such as A¹
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a washing machine the combination with a drum such as A of one or more
diaphragms for dividing the interior of the drum into two or more chambers sub-
stantially as herein described.
3. In a washing machine a revolvable drum such as A having one or more partitions
such as A and which without the intervention of an interior perforated cage receives
directly the clothes to be washed substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of December 1889.
Dated this 13th day of December 1889.
JOHN JONES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.
JOHN JONES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.