Improvements in and relating to Domestic Washing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Domestic Washing Machines.
I, WILHELM VON DER NAHMER, of Remscheid, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
German Empire, Manufacturer, 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 refers to domestic washing machines of that kind, in which a
horizontal disk furnished on its lower side with projections, and adapted to be
rotated or oscillated, co-operates with a large number of vertical or nearly vertical
ribs secured to the inner surface of the washing-tub or vat. My improvements in
domestic-washing-machines of said kind relate, first, to arranging the ribs not
directly upon the inner surface of the tub or vat, but in some distance therefrom,
so that the water or lye may flow through between the ribs and the side-wall of the
tub or vat; and, second, to combining all the ribs to a sort of basket, which may
be completely removed from the tub or vat, together with the washing-disk, and
with the means for operating the same. The purpose of my improvements are,
first, to obtain a thorough cleaning of the linen in very short a time; and second,
to make the washing-device proper, i.e. the washing-disk and the basket, adapted
to be used with any ordinary tub or vat just at hand, provided, the same be of
suitable size.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, a designates a horizontal polygonal frame,
which carries a small number of main-staves b, and a comparatively large number
of by-staves c. The staves 6 are of U hike shape, and form part of the frame for
the basket; the staves care of rectangular, or nearly rectangular, shape, and
extend from the upper horizontal frame a to the lower horizontal portions of the
staves b.
The frame a is laterally provided with an angular bearing-piece d by the
mediation of which it is hinged to a clamp e; similar_bearing-pieces and similar
clamps may be secured to other parts of said frame. The pivot d' of said bearing-
piece d serves, furthermore, as a fulcrum for a cross-beam, the middle portion of
which is formed into a bearing f₁ for the shaft g of the washing-disk . The latter
is arranged within the basket bc, and furnished on its lower side with the well-
known projections h¹.
In order to be able to fix the cross-beam fin place, or to secure its free end to
the frame a respectively, said free end is provided with a movable ear f³, which
inay be put upon a suitable projection i arranged diametrically opposite to the
bearing-piece d. The shaft g is furnished with a crank g'.
I prefer to provide the horizontal portions of the main-staves b with pius b'
adapted to take into the bottom of the vat or tub. The basket may then be
secured in place by one clamp e only, provided the height of the tub or vat
be corresponding to that of the basket.
I wish to call special attention to the fact that by reason of the removability of
the washing-device proper from the tub or vat the latter may be kept at a moist
place, whereas the former may be kept at a dry place. The wooden tub or vat is
thus prevented from falling to pieces, and the metallic parts of the washing-device
are prevented from getting oxidated.
It will be understood, that the staves b and c need not indispensably be flat in
section, but may, if desired, be round or quadrangular; and the frame a need not

page_text: C
be polygonal, but may, if desired, be of circular shape. I wish it further to be
understood, that the disk h need not indispensably be movable and the basket
stationary, but the machine may easily be constructed in such a way, that said
disk is stationary, whereas the basket may be oscillated.
The linen to be washed is in either case placed into the space between the
disk hand the bottom of the basket bc, and every portion of it is rubbed, an 1
brought into intimate contact with the water or lye, by the movement of either the
disk or the basket. The water or lye may constantly flow from the inner space of
the basket to the space between the latter and the tub or vat, and reversely, so
that it may move far quicker and easier then in the old form of construction of the
machine, in which the movement of the water or lye is incessantly hindered by the
ribs sitting directly upon the surface of the tub or vat.
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 having a horizontal washing-disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and having many perforations in its
bottom and sides; means for holding said container in movable connection with
the said disk, and for securing the whole to an ordinary tub or vat, for the purpose
as described.
2. In a washing-machine, having a horizontal washing-disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and composed of staves or rods leaving
interstices between every two of them; means for holding said container, in
movable connection with the said disk, and for securing the whole to an ordinary
tub or vat, for the purpose as described.
3. In a washing-machine having a horizontal washing-disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and consisting of a horizontal frame
holding vertical staves or rods forming the side-wall of said container, and being
connected by horizontal staves or rods forming the bottom of the same; means for
holding said container in movable connection with the said disk, and for securing
the whole to an ordinary tub or vat, for the purpose as described.
4. In a washing-machine having a horizontal washing disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and composed of staves or rods forming
a basket, a cross-beam hinged to said container or basket, and supporting the
shaft of the said disk; means for securing the whole to an ordinary tub or vat,
for the purpose as described.
5. In a washing-machine having a horizontal washing disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and composed of staves or rods forming
a basket; said container or basket having pins adapted to take into the bottom of
an ordinary wooden tub or vat, means for securing the whole to said tub or vat, for
the purpose as described.
6. In a washing-machine having a horizontal washing-disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter and having many perforations in its
bottom and sides; means for holding said container in movable connection with
said disk, and clamps for securing one or the other of said two parts to an ordinary
tub or vat, for the purpose as described.
7. In a washing-machine having a horizontal washing-disk provided with
projections adapted to act upon the linen to be washed, the combination with said
disk, of a container surrounding the latter, and consisting of a horizontal frame
holding vertical staves or rods, forming the side-wall of said container, and being

page_text: connected by horizontal staves or rods forming the bottom of the same; a cross-
beam hinged to said container, and supporting the shaft of the said disk; a clamp
or clamps for securing the whole to an ordinary wooden tub or vat, substantially
as described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1895.
WILHELM VON DER NAHMER,
By Geo. H. Rayner,
37 Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.