IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Matthew Chamberlaine at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th March
1867.
I, MATTHEW CHAMBERLAINE, of No. 13, Park Row, Kennington Road, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The said improvements relate to the employment of flat or circular brushes,
which are attached to a tank or other suitable vessel for holding liquid, and
travel with the same over the surface of the fabrics or articles to be washed,
the said fabrics or articles being spread upon the bottom of a tray or upon a
table or other flat surface, and supplied with liquid from the said tank. The
latter is constructed of wood or other suitable material, and may be made of
any convenient size and shape; it may be enclosed in an outer box or case
and is supported at each end upon guide rollers, which are covered with india-
rubber or a compound of the same, and are arranged to run upon the fabrics
being washed, keeping the same in the proper position to be acted upon by the
brushes; weights may be attached to the tank if the same is not otherwise
heavy enough to keep the fabrics properly down. The brush surfaces are by
preference formed of strips or points of india-rubber, which may be set per-
pendicularly or obliquely to the stock of the brush, or the surfaces may be
formed of bristles, whalebone, or other suitable materials. When flat brushes
are employed two of them may be connected to the arms of a vibrating lever,
which arms are arranged at the sides of the tank, and are provided with a bar

page_text: or handle at the top of the same; this handle affords a convenient means of
imparting the required movements to the tank and brushes; the surfaces of
the two brushes are by preference arranged with their points or strips standing
obliquely in opposite directions. By means of the vibrating lever each of the
said brushes is in turn alternately brought down upon and raised from the
fabrics being washed, while the machine is moved backward and forward upon
the same liquid being supplied thereto, as required, from the tank through
cocks or taps, or by other suitable means. Each brush is caused to operate
upon the fabrics as it moves in the proper direction to present its smooth surface
thereto, and is raised as it moves in the opposite direction; the said brushes
are by this means caused to act evenly and softly upon the said fabrics, and
thoroughly cleanse without injuring the same. Instead of being constructed with
obliquely arranged surfaces the brushes may be made with the points or strips
perpendicular to the stock; in this case the vibrating lever is dispensed with,
and one brush only may be advantageously employed. When the roller
brushes are employed instead of the flat brushes the points or strips may be
placed either radially or tangentially upon the same. The said rollers, which
may be of india-rubber or of wood covered with rubber, are arranged to turn
freely upon suitable axles or spindles supported upon the bottom of the tank.
A number of these rollers may be employed, and the same may be constracted
of different diameters, and geared together in order to produce a better
rubbing action upon the fabrics.