IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN WATSON and GEORGE WHALLEY, of the firm of Watson and Whalley,
Eagle Iron Works, Keighley, in the County of York, Machine Makers, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in washing machines, and has for
its object the construction of the apparatus in such a manner, that water and
clothes may be boiled together, and agitated by mechanical means in a vessel or
boiler forming part of the machine.
The object is accomplished by constructing a vessel or boiler of sheet metal in
which the water and clothes can be boiled, such vessel forming the base of the
apparatus and fitted with a bottom, some distance above the bottom of the outside
casing, thereby forming a recess underneath the boiler. Inside the vessel are a
number of pipes or openings communicating with the before mentioned recess, in
the latter of which we fix gas pipes having a number of jets, or in lieu thereof oil
lamps may be used for the purpose of heating the water and clothes inside the
vessel.
The surplus heat from the gas or oil flames not passing through the metal bottom,
ascends up the pipes or openings into the top part of the boiler, thereby heating
the water. We fix an agitator inside the boiler, to which motion is communicated
by suitable connections with a revolving shaft; and to the boiler is secured frame-
work fitted with gearing for turning rollers for wringing the wet clothes, the water
therefrom running back into the boiler, which is fitted with a movable cover.

page_text: We, JOHN WATSON and GEORGE WHALLEY, of the firm of Watson and Whalley,
Eagle Iron Works, Keighley, in the County of York, Machine Makers, do hereby
declare the nature of our Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WASHING MACHINES, 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 certain improvements in washing machines, and has for
its object the construction of the apparatus in such a manner, that the water and
clothes may be boiled. together, and agitated by mechanical means in a vessel or
boiler forming part of the machine; and consists in constructing the vessel or boiler
of sheet metal, fixed at the base of the apparatus, and fitted with a bottom some
distance above the bottom of the outside casing, thereby forming a recess underneath
the boiler, in which we fix one or more gaspipes having a number of jets for heating
the water, the heat therefrom passing through the bottom and through pipes secured
in the interior of the vessel, in the latter of which may be fitted a vertical or
'horizontal agitator for agitating the clothes during the operation of washing; and
to the framework of the apparatus is fitted gearing for turning rollers for wringing
or squeezing the wet clothes, the water therefrom running back into the boiler
which is fitted with a moveable cover.
In order that our invention may be better understood, we will describe the
same more in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in
which Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of our improved machine fitted with a
vertical agitator, the vessel or boiler being shewn in section. Fig. 2 is a side view
of the same, and is fitted with a cistern behind shewn in section for heating water
with surplus beat. Fig. 3 is a front view of our apparatus fitted with a horizontal
agitator. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same, the heating cistern being in section,
as is also a part of the vessel or boiler, and Fig. 5 is a section through the vessel or
boiler cut in the direction of the axis of the agitator, which is shewn in outline and
the manner in which it is mounted.
The vessel or boiler is indicated by the letter A, and as shewn by Fig. 1 is
fitted with a vertical agitator cage B, mounted at bottom in the footstep C, and at
the top in the sliding socket D. The clothes to be washed are placed within the
agitator cage B, and the water in the vessel or boiler heated by gas jets from the
pipe E, the heat therefrom passing through the bottom of the vessel, also up the
pipes F into circular pipe F¹, and the surplus heat out at the outlet pipe F2 under
the cistern G, thereby heating the water in the cistern with the surplus heat.
The agitator cage B, is actuated by imparting a reciprocating motion to the
lever H which is secured to shaft J, to which is also secured bevel wheel sector K,
which gears with the bevel wheel K¹ secured to the agitator cage spindle B', by
which means a circular reciprocating motion is imparted to the agitator cage and
clothes immersed in the hot water.
By passing the wet clothes between the rollers R, which we actuate by gearing
in the well known manner, they are wrung or squeezed, the water therefrom
running back into the boiler.
When our improved apparatus is arranged with a horizontal agitator cage B³, the
water in the vessel or boiler is heated by gas jets from the pipe E³, the heat passing
through the bottom and up the vertical pipes F³ into pipe F, the surplus heat
making its exit through pipe F3 under the cistern G', thereby heating the water
therein. The agitator cage B² is so arranged that a portion of its circumference

page_text: can be taken off for the purpose of putting in or taking out the clothes, the moveable
portion being secured to the other part of the cage by clasps or any other well
known means.
The agitator cage B2 is actuated by the lever H, to which is secured the toothed
sector K³, which gears with the pinion wheel K³ secured on the short shaft J', the
end of which at J' is made taper, and preferably square for the purpose of fitting
into a socket secured to the end of the agitator cage for actuating and supporting
one end; the other end being carried by the sliding parallel pin M passing into
another socket prepared with a circular hole; thus by these means the clothes are
agitated within the cage in the hot water, and squeezed by passing them between
the rollers R¹, in the inanner as before described.
Both the vertical and horizontal agitator cages are so arranged, that they can be
taken out of the boiler, thus giving facility for cleaning the interior; the former is
released in the following manner. In the cross bar P, is fitted the sliding socket D,
to which is secured stud S which projects through the slot hole in the cross bar
boss, and by which the sliding socket D is raised clear of the reduced portion of
spindle B¹, thereby liberating the agitator. The horizontal cage B' is liberated by
releasing the sliding parallel pin M, and drawing the same out of the circular holed
socket in the end of cage B2, thus allowing the cage to be lifted out of the vessel or
boiler, thereby exposing the whole of the interior for cleaning. The water from
the boilers and cisterns is run off from the same through taps or common plug
openings.
Our apparatus is also applicable for washing by stean, and the modus operandi
is the same as that described for washing the clothes immersed in water, except
there is not so much water put into the vessel or boiler the level of the water being
below and clear of the vertical or horizontal agitator.
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
A Washing Machine formed by the combination of a vessel or boiler heated by
gas jets with ordinary wringing machine rollers.
A cistern in combination with a washing machine such cistern being heated by
gas substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1884.
WAUGH & CHAPMAN,
Agents for the Applicants.