A NEW OR IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Archdeacon Scott at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th September 1873.
I, THOMAS ARCHDEACON SCOTT, of Greenock, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE AND APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows, that is to say :—
The nature of this said Invention consists generally of a new or
improved construction of the parts of a washing machine and mode of
using the same, principally for washing or boiling and cleansing the
clothes and napery of families, but also suitable when made larger for
public laundry washing establishments or other purposes, such as the
cleansing of textile goods in dyeing and bleaching works, and which is
more simple and efficient in its action, with less labour than most other
washing machines heretofore in use.

page_text: machine is made in the form of a simple rectangular or other shaped
vessel or boiler of sheet iron galvanized or tinned inside, or it might be of
other metal, as copper or with wood sides, but with a metal bottom so as
to form a boiler for heating the washing and soapy water within, as well
as the cistern and frame for the hollow washing cylinder, drum, or
wheel, containing the cloths to revolve in to a fourth of its depth or so,
more or less, within the water as found desirable to suit the particular
washing or rincing performed at the time being. This outer water
vessel or boiler has a closely fitting hinged or removable lid on top,
covering in the washing cylinder, made segmental at the centre for that
purpose, where the cylinder projects above its sides, on which it is carried
by two short spindles secured to the outer centre of its end discs,
revolving in bush bearings secured to the inner sides of the boiler, the
spindle of a crank handle passing in through a hole in one side to
actuate the cylinder by its one axle or centre. The perimeter of the
hollow cylinder is formed entirely open with or by an inner circle of
tinned iron or other metal, or it may be wood rods, preferably round at
wide intervals, which carry the clothes put inside by a portion or
segment of the sparred perimeter hinging or opening up as a door for
that purpose, fixed by suitable catches at the ends of segments, the
whole being further strengthened by a closer circle of such rods at its
outer perimeter, securing the end discs firmly together as a strong
cylinder to carry the clothes within, which roll or tumble over the inner
rods or spars, while the washing alkaline and soapy or other water passes
in through the double set of rods to the clothes, and when desired the
outer rods might be made in the form of laths with grooves or angled
faces, so as to force the water more directly into the clothes by their
revolving action within it in either direction. The boiler would have a
tap near the bottom for running off the used water, and its under side or
bottom is made plain or with descending pot parts to rest on or enter the
upper open heating part of the stoves or other convenient fire-places,
where these are used or convenient, so as to boil or keep the water warm
preferably for most purposes to have both the water and clothes boiling
before commencing to turn the washing cylinder, and as the greater part
of the cylinder is out of the water as before explained, the clothes are
acted upon by the steam within the close boiler, which greatly facilitates
the washing and cleansing of the articles in addition to and while being
agitated within the soapy and alkaline water.

page_text: Another improvement consists in forming a small close grate fire-place
and heating flue below the boiler, with a door and ash pan or pit at one
end and chimney at the other, for use and heating the boiler where
people have no suitable separate stove or fire grate; and in this case or
arrangement the whole is carried on end frames or strong feet, secured to
the outer corners or sides of the boiling vessel; in either case suitable
handles may be attached for carrying the whole as a portable washing
machine to and from the stoves, out-house, or other place where the
washing is to be performed.
The driving crank handle is made portable and easy of removal, to be
packed inside the boiler, so that the whole when not in use can be con-
veniently put aside. And, where different machines are not desired for
wringing and mangling, the sets of rollers for these purposes may be
either secured to the frame of the boiler at one side or end or have the
separate frames of ordinary forms of wringing and mangling machines
secured to that of the boiler permanently or portable and detachable, as
desired.