Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD of Hanover Lane Leeds in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to washing machines in which the clothes or fabrics
are subjected to the action of a reciprocating heater or squeezer.
As such
machines are ordinarily constructed however, they fail to work satisfactorily,
chiefly because no provision is made for turning the clothes or fabrics during the
operation, and thus present them in an altered position for each stroke of the
beater or squeezer.
I obviate this defect by these improvements, by hinging the lower part of the
beater or squeezer, and by causing this hinged part to traverse an inclined or curved
path during its stroke. This lower part will thus be bent forward during the forward
stroke and will lift and partly turn the clothes or fabrics.
The part of the containing trough in front of the beater or squeezer is curved
upwards to facilitate the rolling action of the clothes or fabrics, and it is also by
preference corrugated.
Above this curved part I arrange a perforated pipe for the admission of soapy
water or suds, and of clean water, the supply of each being controlled by hand or.
automatically.
Two or more of the apparatus may be ranged side by side, and each of them
may be actuated by connecting rods from cranks arranged on one shaft.
It is preferred to supply the clothes or fabrics to the apparatus in measured
quantities in order to secure uniformity and more economical treatment. For this
purpose boxes are provided capable of holding the required quantity, and of fitting
upon the edges of the trough in which the apparatus works. These boxes are
provided with trunnions, and rest by these trunnions in suitable bearings on the
edges of the trough. By simply inverting the full box, the clothes or fabrics are
dropped into the apparatus in the best position and arrangement for work. The
box is then removed.
The apparatus may be covered or cased in, in which event it is provided with a
hinged lid or removable cover for the purposes of inspection and for the insertion
and removal of the fabrics.
·
Dated this 5th day of July A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD of Hanover Lane, 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:―
This invention relates to washing machines in which the clothes or fabrics
are subjected to the action of reciprocating beaters or squeezers. As such
machines are ordinarily constructed, they generally fail to work satisfactorily,
chiefly because no provision is made therein for turning the clothes or fabrics
during the operation and thus to present them in an altered position for each stroke
of the beater or squeezer.

page_text: I obviate this defect by these improvements by hinging the lower part of the
beater or squeezer and by causing this hinged part to traverse an inclined or curved
path during its stroke. This lower part is bent or inclined forward and will lift and
partly turn the clothes or fabrics.
The part of the containing trough in front of the beater or squeezer is curved to
facilitate the rolling action of the clothes or fabrics and it is also preferably
corrugated.
Above this curved part of the containing trough I arrange a perforated pipe
for the admission of soapy water or suds, and of clean water if desired, the supply
of each being controlled (preferably) automatically with an alternative hand
control.
Two or more of the apparatus may be arranged side by side and each of them
may be actuated by connecting rods from cranks arranged on one shaft.
Suitable means of known or of a special construction may be employed for the
purpose of stopping the apparatus after it has been in action for a predetermined
time.
It is preferred to supply the clothes or fabrics to the apparatus in measured
quantities in order to secure uniform and more economical treatment. For this
purpose boxes may be provided capable of holding the required quantity and of
fitting upon the edges of the apparatus or of the containing trough. These boxes
are provided with trunnions in suitable bearings. By simply inverting the full
box, the clothes or fabrics are dropped into the apparatus in the best position and
arrangement for work. The box is then removed.
The apparatus may be covered or cased in, in which event it is provided with a
hinged lid or removable cover for the purposes of inspection and for the insertion
and removal of the fabrics.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner I prefer to carry my
invention into practical effect
In these drawings
:-
Figure 1 is an end elevation, and
Figure 2 is a front view.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section.
Figure 4 represents the curved upper part of the front of the containing trough,
removed from the apparatus, in longitudinal horizontal and vertical cross sections,
and in elevation respectively.
Figure 5 shews the hinged lower part of the beater or squeezer separately, in
longitudinal horizontal and vertical cross sections and elevation.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section,
Figure 7 a vertical transverse section,
Figure 8 a partial plan, and
Figure 9 an elevation illustrating a time stop motion.
In each of the figures in which the parts occur similar details of construction are
indicated by similar letters of reference.
A is the containing trough in which the beater B is reciprocated. C is the crank
or driving shaft from which motion is communicated through the connecting rods D
to the beaters, the connecting rods being secured in the usual manner to cranks or
crank pins E and to the beaters respectively. The floor or lower part of the trough
may be false, and is inclined upwards towards the front where it is curved as shewn
at F, to the base of the part G which may be curved or inclined inwards, the
function of this part in conjunction with the curved part F, being to assist in the
turning of the fabrics at each stroke as herein before set forth.
I invariably employ at least two of the troughs and beaters side by side and
arrange the crank or crank pins at equal distances apart. Thus with two of the
troughs the cranks would be at 180 degrees apart; with three 120 degrees; and
with four, 90 degrees. The object of this arrangement is to equalise the driving
only, which would be difficult were only one trough employed.
In Figure 3 the beater B is indicated in two positions by dotted and full lines

page_text: respectively, the dotted lines representing it near the forward end of its stroke,
and the full lines near the back end.
The hinged lower part of the beater preferably takes the form of a plate H
which may be perforated and vertically corrugated in front as shewn by Figure 5
and may have a friction bowl H' at the bottom. The beater itself may be. of the
usual form and horizontally corrugated or otherwise.
Above and parallel with the part G there is arranged a perforated or spray
pipe I which communicates through the pipe J with the tank Karranged above the
troughs or in any suitable relative position. The pipe J is controlled by a tap or
valve L which may be opened and closed by hand but I prefer that this tap should
be left open while the apparatus is at work and to control the flow of the liquid
automatically. This may be accomplished by means of the auxiliary tank M
which is suspended by the cords NO passing over pulleys above the tank. The
opposite end of the cord N is connected with the plug P which closes the inlet to
the pipe J and the cord O is attached at its opposite end to the handle of the tap
In the bottom of the
or valve Q which controls the passage through the pipe R.
small tank M there is an adjustable cock S through which the contents of the tank
can escape in a given adjustable time.
Assuming the tank K to be nearly filled with the soapy water suds or other
liquids, and the tap Q to be opened, the liquid will flow into the small tank M and
simultaneously escape therefrom through the cock S, but the cock being small, the
tank M will fill quickly and descend thereby lifting the plug P and closing the
tap Q by means of the connecting cords or chains NO. The tank M will remain
in its lower position until its contents have nearly all escaped through the cock S,
whereupon the weight will be exceeded by its counterweight the plug and cords,
and it will ascend, the plug at the same time descending and closing the pipe J.
Hence it will be seen that the liquid will continue to flow through the spray pipe I
into the trough A so long as the tank M is in its lower position, and that this time
can be accurately regulated by opening or closing more or less the cock S.
Although the opening of the cock Q might be automatically effected by weighting
its handle, I prefer to arrange for its automatic closing only, and to open it by hand
on starting the apparatus.
It is preferred to arrange a separate pipe J for each trough although one such
pipe might be made to supply both or all the troughs.
The upper part of the trough is preferably cased in and provided with the lifting
door T.
When the fabrics are measured into the apparatus as hereinbefore described,
the trunnions of the measuring box (which is shown at U Figure 1 in dotted
lines) are rested on the bearings V, the lid T having previously been opened,
and the box is then inverted, dropping its contents upon the inclined bottom and
curved part F.
to run.
The apparatus should in use be caused to run for a sufficient time whilst the
liquid is running into the trough, and for a short time after the liquid has ceased
The stoppage of the apparatus may be effected at the proper time by
hand in the usual manner or it may be stopped by an automatic stop motion
such as that illustrated by Figures 6 to 9 inclusive of the accompanying
drawings.
Referring to these figures, I arrange a vertically sliding bucket W in the
tank W. In the bottom of the tank there are a central projection X and an
escape pipe X. In the bottom of the bucket there is a plug borne in a suitable
seating and projecting below the bottom of the bucket as shewn at Y. The bucket
is suspended by a cord or chain a, which passes over a pulley and is attached at its
other end to the slide, which passes through a slot in the upright c.
screw d also passes into the slot through the upright, where it comes into contact
with the slide, so that by tightening or loosening the set screw more or less pressure
may be exerted upon the slide and it may thus be more or less easily moved. The
opposite end of the slide is connected with the strap fork e.
A set

page_text: A fluid, which may be the liquid from the tank K is supplied at a controllable
rate to the bucket W, through the pipe and tap g (Figure 1).
If the apparatus be in action, and the bucket W empty at the top of its
stroke, liquid will enter and add continuously to its weight until this is finally
sufficient to overcome the resistance exerted by the pressure of the screw upon
the slide b, when the bucket will descend to the bottom (as shewn by the dotted
lines Figure 6) thus moving the slide horizontally, and stopping the apparatus by
shifting the driving belt to the loose pulley through the agency of the strap fork
to which the slide is attached.
the
Upon the descent of the bucket, its plug is lifted by the projection X and the
liquid escapes through the outlet X. The apparatus upon being restarted by
hand brings the stop motion once more into action through the strap fork
position of which being reversed, restores the slide to its original position and thus
lifts the bucket.
e,
It will be clear from the construction of the apparatus, that when the beater
reaches the forward end of its stroke, as shewn by dotted lines Figure 3, the suds
will be.squeezed out of the clothes which will then be comparatively dry. On the
retreat of the beater the clothes will expand and will be again soaked with fresb
suds or water from the spray pipe.
The inclined bottom of the trough facilitates the ready escape of the liquid
which runs from the trough through the outlet F¹.
Consequently upon this arrangement the clothes are treated with fresh and clean
suds or liquid at each stroke of the beater and are not as is usual in other similar
machines, worked and re-worked in the same fluid, and the washing is greatly
facilitated and more completely effected.
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 washing machines of the type herein described, a beater or squeezer having
a hinged or pivoted lower part or plate constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In washing machines of the type herein described, the combination with a
beater of a trough having an inclined bottom terminating with a curved part,
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In washing machines of the type set forth, a trough having an inclined
bottom terminating in an outlet, constructed to facilitate the free escape of the
suds or fluid expressed from the clothes by the forward stroke of the beater,
substantially as set forth and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a washing machine of the type herein described a curved or inclined part
above the bottom of the trough and parallel with the beater, constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. In combination with washing machines of the type herein described, a
measuring box having trunnions capable of resting upon bearings formed upon
the sides of the apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a duplex or multiplex
washing machine, constructed substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of May AD 1893
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.