Improvements in or in Connection with Steam Washing Machines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Sept., 1887,
Improvements in or in Connection with Steam Washing Machines.
I JAMES HESELWOOD of Infirmary Street Leeds in the County of York Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Steam washing machines constructed according to my Specification of Letters
Patent No. 3549 of 1883 and other machines of a similar type are adapted almost
exclusively for domestic use and the object of this Invention is to enable machines of
a similar character to be advantageously used in laundries.
These Improvements consist in a novel construction combination and arrangement
for ensuring an automatic control of the steam and water supplies and for increasing
the durability and efficiency of the machines to which this Invention relates.
The steam and water supply pipes are each provided with a regulating valve and
with a control valve the two control valves being so arranged or connected that they
may be simultaneously opened or closed.
The cistern which receives the measured quantity of water required for each batch
of clothes is suspended within an enclosing cistern in which it is free to move up and
down and is balanced by a counterweight equivalent to the weight of the measured
quantity of water. The chain and pulley or chain and lever or equivalent devices for
connecting the receiving cistern and the counterweight are so arranged that when the
receiving cistern descends the consequent motion is employed to close the steam and
water control valves. On the spindle or its equivalent connecting these control valves
is a catch capable of engaging with a push or pull piece or a trigger in such a
position that when the receiving cistern has descended in the containing cistern and
the control valves have consequently been closed, the valves and the cistern are held
in position until released by means of the catch or locking device.
The receiving cistern is provided with a valve operated to discharge its contents at
the bottom of its descent into the containing cistern. Another weighted valve
operated by the weight of the receiving cistern controls the passage of the water from
the containing cistern to the machine.
A bye pass or independent supply of water may be employed to furnish the amount
of water required at starting. In addition to the regulating and the control valves

page_text: the steam and water supply pipes may be provided also with shut off valves. The
discs of the cage containing the clothes to be washed are cast with radial ribs or
corrugations.
Assuming the receiving cistern to be at the bottom of its stroke empty, and the
steam and water control valves closed, the attendant releases the catch or locking
device whereupon the acting of the counterweight raises the receiving cistern and
opens the steam and water supplies. The steam passes direct to the washer and the
water to the receiving cistern both at speeds or rates predetermined by the amount of
opening given to the regulation valves."
As soon as the desired quantity of water has flowed into the receiving cistern its
weight overbalances the counterweight and the cistern descends, when the locking
arrangement again comes into action and after the necessary or any convenient
interval the cycle of operations may be repeated.
By these Improvements one attendant is enabled to look after several machines
while by using a series of comparately small machines constructed and arranged as
hereinbefore indicated instead of a small number of the large machines ordinarily
employed, the operation of the laundry is more continuous rapid and effective.
D
11
00
1
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A D
1000
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
70, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in Connection with Steam Washing Machines.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Infirmary Street, Leeds, in the County of York, 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:
Steam Washing Machines constructed according to the Specification to Letters
Patent granted to me and bearing No. 3549 of A.D. 1883, and other machines of a
similar type, are adapted almost exclusively for domestic use, and the object of this
invention is to enable such machines to be advantageously used in Laundries.
These improvements consist in a novel construction and arrangement for ensuring
an automatic control of the steam and water supplies and for increasing the durability
and efficiency of the machines to which this invention relates.
And in order that this invention may be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings and will now proceed to
describe my improvements with reference thereto. In each of the figures similar
parts are denoted by similar letters.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan and Figs. 3 4 and 5 represent
details of the apparatus.
A is the steam supply pipe; B is the water supply pipe. Each of these pipes is
provided with a regulating valve CC and with a control valve or cock D'D', the
two control valves or cocks being upon one spindle E or otherwise so arranged and
connected that they may be simultaneously opened or closed. The cistern F which
receives the measured quantity of water required for each batch of clothes is suspended
by a rope or chain G within an enclosing cistern H in which it is free to move up
and down and is balanced by a counterweight I equivalent to the weight of the
measured quantity of water. The chain and pulley or the chain and lever or equivalent
devices for connecting the cistern F and the counterweight are so arranged that when
the cistern F descends, the consequent motion is employed to close the steam and
water control valves. On the spindle E or its equivalent connecting the control
valves D D' is a catch K capable of engaging with a push or pull piece or a trigger L
in such a position that when the receiving cistern F has descended in the containing
cistern H and the control valves D D' have consequently been closed, the valves and
the cistern are held in position until released by means of the catch or locking device.
The receiving cistern is provided with a valve M operated to discharge its contents
at the bottom of its descent into the containing cistern. A weighted valve N operated
by the weight of the receiving cistern controls the passage of the water from the
containing cistern to the machine O. A bye pass P or an independent supply of
water may be employed to furnish the amount of water required at starting. In
addition to the regulating and the control valves the steam and water supply pipes
may be provided also with shut off valves.

page_text: Assuming the receiving cistern F to be at the bottom of its stroke empty, and the
steam and water control valves closed, the attendant releases the catch or locking
device whereupon the action of the counterweight I raises the cistern F and opens the
steam and water supplies. The steam passes direct to the washer and the water to the
receiving cistern both at speeds or rates predetermined by the amount of opening
given to the regulation valves. As soon as the desired quantity of water has flowed
into the receiving cistern F its weight overbalances the counterweight and the cistern
descends, when the locking arrangement K again comes into action and after the
necessary or any convenient interval the cycle of operations may be repeated.
By these improvements one attendant is enabled to look after several machines,
while by using a series of comparatively small machines constructed and arranged as
hereinbefore indicated, instead of a small number of the large machines ordinarily
employed, the operation of the laundry is more continuous, rapid and effective.
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) In combination with a steam washing machine; a measuring cistern F fitted
with a discharge valve, an enclosing cistern H with an outlet valve, and a water
supply actuated by the locking device and the motion of the cistern, substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
(2) Controlling the steam and water supply to steam washers, substantially as
and by the means hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying sheet
of drawings.
(3) In or in connection with a steam washer; the cistern F substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying sheet
of drawings.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.