IMPROVEMENTS IN WRINGING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carroll Eugene Gray, of Great Suffolk Street,
Borough, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WRINGING MACHINES."
Sealed the 7th July 1868, and dated the 9th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carroll Eugene Gray.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th January 1868.
I, CARROLL EUGENE GRAY, of Great Suffolk Street, Borough, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "I
PROVEMENTS IN WRINGING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
"IM-
This Invention relates to two improved forms of construction of wringing
machines. One form of construction consists of two galvanized iron brackets,
screwed to a piece of wood, the upper end of each of said brackets has a
vertical slot or opening formed through same to receive the end of a short
bent lever, said lever fitting loosely in a vertical groove in said bracket. The
lower end of said bent lever may work either on a fixed fulcrum of the
ordinary kind, or on a loose rolling fulcrum, which latter I claim as new in
the construction of wringing machines, or the top of said bent lever may work
on a loose rolling fulcrum, formed by the slot at top of the brackets aforesaid,
and be provided with an elastic cushion, for the end of the bent lever aforesaid
to press against. Or said elastic cushion may be adapted to the bracket
aforesaid in such a manner that the lower end of the bent lever aforesaid may

page_text: press against same, and when this arrangement is used the top of said bent
lever is not rigidly fixed to the slot in the top of the bracket. The two
brackets and devers thus arranged respectively support the ends of the axes or
spindles of two cylindrical rollers, covered by preference with india-rubber, the
lower roller being supported by the brackets, and the upper roller by the bent
levers aforesaid, a winch handle being fixed on the spindle of the lower roller,
for imparting rotary motion thereto, as usually practised. The upper roller
moves outwards as the articles to be wrung or squeezed pass between said
rollers, the elastic cushions aforesaid causing sufficient pressure to express the
liquid from the articles as they are passed between said rollers. The above
machine may be fixed to a tub or washing machine by any convenient
means.
I now proceed to describe the other form of construction of wringing
machine above referred to, which consists of two hollow standards or tubes of
metal, having each a flange for fixing same to a piece of wood; each tube is
fitted with two brass or other metal bushes. The lowermost bush has a hole
drilled horizontally through same, and the standard in which it is placed;
each standard thus fitted supports a roller, covered by preference. with india-
rubber, immediately over this roller another similar roller is placed, and
connected to the standards aforesaid by the axis of said roller fitting into
holes in bushes in each standard; these bushes are loose in the standards, and
there is a slot formed in said standards for the axis of the roller to move up
and down with the bushes. At the top of each of the upper bushes aforesaid
a cushion of india-rubber is placed, and kept in forced contact therewith by
a cap screwed on to the top of each standard; by these means the pressure
on the upper roller may be easily regulated, as desired. These rollers may
be worked by a winch handle, as before stated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Carroll Eugene Gray in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th July, 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CARROLL
EUGENE GRAY, of Great Suffolk Street, Borough, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,.
the said Carroll Eugene Gray, Her special licence that I, the said Carroll
Eugene Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,.
the said Carroll Eugene Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns,.
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WRINGING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Carroll Eugene Gray, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Carroll Eugene Gray, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to two improved forms of construction of wringing
machines. One form of construction consists of two galvanized iron brackets
screwed to a piece of wood; the upper end of each of said brackets has a
vertical slot or opening formed through same to receive the end of a short
bent lever, said lever fitting loosely in a vertical groove in said bracket. Tho
lower end of said bent lever may work either on a fixed fulcrum of the ordinary
kind, or on a loose rolling fulcrum which latter I claim as new in the construction
of wringing machines; or the top of said bent lever may work on a loose rolling
fulcrum formed by the slot at top of the brackets aforesaid, and be provided
with an elastic cushion for the end of the bent lever aforesaid to press against ;.
or said elastic cushion may be adapted to the bracket aforesaid in such a
manner that the lower end of the bent lever aforesaid may press against same,
and when this arrangement is used, the top of said bent lever is not rigidly
fixed to the slot in the top of the bracket. The two brackets and levers thus
arranged respectively. support the ends of the axes or spindles of two cylin-
drical rollers, covered by preference with india-rubber, the lower roller being
supported by the brackets and the upper roller by the bent levers aforesaid, a
winch handle being fixed on the spindle of the lower roller for imparting
rotary motion thereto as usually practised. The upper roller moves outwards

page_text: as the articles to be wrung or squeezed pass between said rollers, the elastic
cushions aforesaid causing sufficient pressure to express the liquid from the
'articles as they are passed between said rollers. The above machine may be
fixed to a tub or washing machine by any convenient means.
I now proceed to describe the other form of construction of wringing
machine, above referred to, which consists of two hollow standards or tubes
of metal, having each a flange for fixing same to a piece of wood. Each
tube is fitted with two brass or other metal bushes; the lowermost bush
has a hole drilled horizontally through same and the standard in which it is
placed. Each standard thus fitted supports a roller covered, by preference,
with india-rubber; iminediately over this roller another similar roller is
placed, and connected to the standards aforesaid by the axis of said roller
fitting into holes in bushes. In each standard these bushes are loose in the
standards, and there is a slot formed in said standards for the axis of the
roller to move up and down with the bushes. At the top of each of the upper
bushes aforesaid a cushion of india-rubber is placed, and kept in forced
contact therewith by a cap screwed on to the top of each standard; by these
means the pressure on the upper roller may be easily regulated, as desired.
These rollers may be worked by a winch handle, as before stated.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best mode I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a top plan of the simplest and best mode of con-
structing a wringing machine according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a side,
and Figure 3 an end elevation of the same; Figure 4 shews a plan, and
Figure 5 a side view of the apparatus for fastening the wringing machine to a
washing tub or pail in the manner exhibited at Figure 6; similar letters of
reference denote coresponding parts in the Drawing.
A is a frame or piece of wood, to which are screwed the galvanized iron
brackets B, B¹, of a peculiar shape. A slot C is made in the curved part D,
which forms a loose rolling fulcrum in each bracket for the bent levers E, E.
At the upper part of the slot the metal is formed with a knife edge, against
which presses the short arm of the levers E, E¹. In the centre of said
brackets are cast two feathers or guide pieces F, F', which form a groove for
the long arm of the levers to work in. Between these two brackets are

page_text: placed the rollers G, G', made of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable
elastic material; H, H', are strong vulcanized india-rubber rings placed over
the ends of the levers and brackets, by which means great pressure is exerted
by the upper roller upon the lower roller; the axis of the lower roller is
provided with a winch handle I for working the machine. When it is
required to use this improved wringing machine, it is placed on any convenient
part of the top of a washing tub or vessel I', and is held firmly down on the
said vessel by a rope J of a suitable length, and having a knot at each end;
this rope is attached to the tightening frame or apparatus (Figures 4 and 5)
which is placed under the bottom of the tub or vessel I', as shewn at Figure 6,
and when in that position the rope J is placed over one of the curved
notches J of the hinged lever K, and the latter, upon being pressed down-
wards firmly secures the wringing machine to the washing tub or vessel 11.
The material to be wrung is taken out of the water or liquid, and placed
between the said rollers, and when the lower roller G¹ is made to revolve by
the winch handle I, the said material is quickly drawn between the rollers,
and thus becomes well wrung without injuring its texture.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Improvements in Wringing Machines," together with tho
best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, [
would remark in conclusion, that I hereby declare my Invention to consist
in, and I claim constructing wringing machines, in the manner above
described, with reference to the Sheet of Drawings accompanying these
Presents; and especially I claim mounting the levers which support the
uppermost wringing roller, each in a loose rolling fulcrum formed by slots in
the brackets which contain the fixed wringing roller, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carroll Eugene Gray, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
CARROLL EUGENE GRAY. (L.S.)