AN IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oscar Schimmel, of Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony,
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Oscar Schimmel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1877.
OSCAR SCHIMMEL, of Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Engineer. " AN
IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE."
This Invention of an improved washing machine consists in arranging oscillating
mallets or beaters to work alternately, rocked by a double crank shaft connected to
the heads or upper parts of the lever or mallets by coupling rods.
The washing trough is made with a curved bottom conforming to the arc of a
pendulum; the vertical sides of the trough form the support for the axle on which
the beaters rock; the lower ends of the beaters nearly conform to the arched or
curved bottom; the beaters are grouped alternately, that is to say, if there are six
beaters, every other one, that is, three of them, by their upper ends converge from
the fulcrum axle till they meet together; at this point a connecting rod unites them
with a crank axle; the other three in like manner are coupled to the second crank
on the crank axle; as the two cranks are at right angles it follows that the axle
when rotated gives a vibratory alternate motion to each set of oscillating beaters,
the lower ends of which alternately swinging in the are of the containing vessel
there rub the clothes or articles to be washed in a very efficient manner.
The lower part of the trough has an outer case or jacket to which steamor fire
may be applied for the purpose of heating.
I prefer to make the whole of the apparatus in metal, as it is more durable and
not affected by changes of temperature, or by being alternately, wet or dry as is
the case with machines constructed in wood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Oscar Schimmel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th January
1878.
OSCAR SCHIMMEL, of Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Engineer. "AN
IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE."
This Invention of an improved washing machine consists in arranging oscillating
mallets or beaters to work alternately, rocked by a double crank shaft connected to
the heads or upper parts of the levers or mallets by coupling rods.
The washing trough is made with a curved bottom conforming to the arc of a
pendulum; the vertical sides of the trough form the support for the axle on which
the beaters rock; the lower ends of the beaters nearly conform to the arched or
curved bottom; the beaters are grouped alternately, that is to say, if there are six
beaters, every other one, that is, three of them, by their upper ends converge from
the fulcrum axle till they meet together; at this point a connecting rod unites them
with a crank axle; the other three in like manner are coupled to the second crank
on the crank axle as the two cranks are at right angles; it follows that the axle when
rotated gives a vibratory alternate motion to each set of oscillating beaters, the
lower ends of which alternately swinging in the are of the containing vessel there
rub the clothes or articles to be washed in a very efficient manner.
The lower part of the trough has an outer case or jacket to which steam or fire
may be applied for the purpose of heating.
I prefer to make the whole of the apparatus in metal, as it is more durable and
not affected by changes of temperature, or by being alternately wet and dry, as is
the case with machines constructed in wood.
In the Drawings accompanying this Specification and forming part of it,―
Figure 1 is an end elevation partly in section.
Figure 2 an elevation, part of the washing box removed. The like letters repre-
sent the like parts in each Figure.
The two sides of the washing box support the axle g upon which the levers rock,
and the bent axle C, which transmits the motion to the rocking levers u, u, u, v, v, v,
and numbered left to right 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The upper ends of the rocking levers
u, u, u, Nos. 1, 3, 5, are connected to the one crank of C by the couplings & and Z;
the ends of the rocking levers v, v, v, Nos. 2, 4, 6, are connected to the shaft C by
the couplings y and e. When motion is imparted to the shaft C by hand or power
the lower parts of the rocking levers coupled in threes pass over the bottom of
the washing trough, see Figure 1, alternately to the right and left, and at such
distance as will be found in practice best for the size of the articles to be
washed.
The section of the trough shewn at Figure 1 explains itself, the under jacket is
shewn for heating, and two pipes w, w, for the inlet or outlet of steam or water.
I do not confine myself to any set number of rocking levers, for that would
depend upon the size of the machine and the purposes to which it would be applied,
nor to any particular description of material, though for the trough I prefer
galvanized iron.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the Invention and
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what
I claim as the Invention and desire to secure in the herein in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The alternate coupling of the rocking levers in conjunction with the double
throw crank to impart a reciprocating motion to the washing apparatus, substan-
tially as described.
Second. The coupling rods and the bent form of the upper part of the rocking

page_text: levers to enable each set of the rocking levers to be coupled to the crank shaft
without interfering with the other set, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the Oscar Schimmel, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
OSCAR SCHIMMEL. (L.S.)