Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Machines.
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT, of The Park, Nottingham, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, and JoHN CHARLES LANCASTER, of 12, Player Street, Notting-
ham, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
°
This invention has reference to washing machines constructed with a revolving
vessel into. which the goods to be washed are introduced, which vessel has a hori-
zontal or nearly horizontal axis, is usually either cylindrical, hexagonal or octagonal
in form, works within a close casing, and is commonly constructed to revolve
alternately in opposite directions, the arrangements for reversing the direction of
revolution being automatic. And our improvements (which may be used conjointly
or otherwise according to the construction of the machine in which they are applied)
have for object to simplify the construction of such machines and increase their
efficiency. The revolving vessel which may conveniently be of either cylindrical or
hexagonal form, is constructed with a periphery of metallic plate, perforated with
holes sufficient in number and size to permit the free circulation of water from the
casing into the revolving vessel, and from the revolving vessel into the casing.
Around the individual perforations the plate is indented in such wise that slight
projections are formed which are sufficient to cause friction upon the clothes or other
articles being washed and to assist in cleansing them.
The ends of the casing are closed by plates which support bearings in which the
revolving vessel is carried, but these bearings are closed at their outer ends to
prevent leakage around the shafts or through the bearings.
The driving of the revolving vessel is effected by means of a gearing wheel or
gearing wheels, attached to one or both ends of the revolving vessel; these gearing
wheels are constructed with arms, so arranged that as the wheels revolve, whether
in the one direction or in the other, the arms in passing through the water in the
lower part of the casing, raise and hold a quantity of it, and permit it to flow through
perforations in the end plates of the revolving vessel into this vessel. The arms and the
perforations are so arranged that the wheel at one end of the revolving vessel when
revolving in one direction, delivers the water near the periphery of the revolving
vessel, and when revolving in the other direction, delivers the water near the centre
of the revolving vessel, and when the machine has gearing wheels at both ends, we
usually arrange them in such a way that while water is being delivered near the
periphery of the revolving vessel at one end, it is being delivered near the centre of
the revolving vessel at the other end.
Two or more shelves, or partial diaphragms are or may be provided inside the
revolving vessel, which extend from end to end, and serve to enable the revolving
vessel to carry up the articles which are being washed within it, for some distance
before allowing them to drop and fall into the water.
To the revolving vessel on the side opposite to the door, there is or may be fitted a
metal sheet so arranged as to form pockets which as the vessel revolves become filled
with water, and carry it up for some distance, then allowing it to escape
through the perforations in the periphery of the vessel, and to fall upon the goods
within it. We arrange these pockets so that water is thus raised and delivered in
whichever direction the vessel is revolving.

page_text: The revolving vessel is driven by means of a pinion or pinions gearing into the
gearing wheel or gearing wheels at one or both ends of the revolving vessel and
fixed upon a shaft piercing one end of the casing of the machine, and, where the
revolving vessel is driven at both ends, carried through the machine so as to be
supported in a bearing at the further end of this casing; but this further bearing is
usually made entirely within the casing, or with a closed end, so that the shaft does
not project through and require a stuffing box. We prefer to place this shaft carry-
ing the pinions near the lower part of the casing, so that it is possible to remove the
revolving vessel in which the washing is done without interfering with the shaft or
the pinions upon it. This shafting is driven by means of fast and loose pulleys;
a fast pulley being arranged between two loose pulleys in such a way that by driving
with an open and with a cross belt, and by bringing these alternately upon the
central fast pulley, the revolving vessel may be driven in either direction.
These belts are moved into the required positions automatically by means of a
wornf carried upon a sleeve attached to one of the loose pulleys. This worm actuates
a worm wheel, which in its turn gives intermittent motion to a lever moving the
belt forks. In order that this motion shall always continue to work, the belt upon
the loose pulley to which it is attached is made of such a width that even when the
belt is driving the fast pulley, a portion of it still remains upon the loose pulley, and
continues to drive it also.°
Furthermore in connection with this driving apparatus suitable stops are provided
for throwing the belt gear out of action, as also locking apparatus adapted to at once
lock the belt gear, so that the belts cannot be brought upon the fast pulley, and at
the same time to lock the revolving vessel in the position given to it.
Provision is made for enabling the position of the revolving vessel to be adjusted
by hand by means of a hand wheel provided for the purpose when the machine itself
has been brought to rest.
We sometimes provide for heating the water within the washing machine. An
arrangement for this purpose comprises a fitting which may conveniently be
arranged within a casting adapted to be bolted on to the bottom of the casing, and
whose lower part holds the wash out valve. The heating is effected by means of a
steam jet which is arranged within a suitable casing of such shape that the steam
jet draws water out of the machine and this water heated by the steam is again
delivered into it. By suitably arranging appropriate connections, the water may be
drawn from either or both ends of the machine and delivered heated at the
centre.
The upper part of the periphery of the casing is or may be made removable in
such a way that it may be removed without disturbing the ends of the machine or
breaking any of the steam or water connections attached to them.
The construction of the machine is such that when the upper part of the periphery
of the casing has been removed, the revolving washing vessel may be lifted out for
thorough cleaning and repair, it being for this purpose only necessary to loosen and
remove the end bearings carrying it, without further dismantling the apparatus.
Dated this 17th day of May 1897.
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT, of The Park, Nottingham, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, and JOHN CHARLES LANCASTER, of 12, Player Street, Notting-
ham, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what 5

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
Fig. 3
This invention has reference to washing machines constructed with a revolving
vessel into which the goods to be washed are introduced, which vessel has a hori-
zontal or nearly horizontal axis, is usually either cylindrical, hexagonal or octagonal
in form, works within a close casing, and is commonly constructed to revolve
alternately in opposite directions, the arrangements for reversing the direction of
revolution being automatic. And our improvements (which may be used conjointly
or otherwise according to the construction of the machine in which they are applied)
have for object to simplify the construction of such machines and increase their
efficiency as we shall now proceed to explain with the aid of the accompanying draw-
ings wherein Fig. 1 shows partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section and
Fig. 2 in cross section, a washing machine embodying our improvements.
shows the machine in side elevation, with the belt fork and operating lever removed.
Fig. 4 shows part of the belt fork operating lever, and adjacent parts in end elevation.
Figs. 5 and 6 show a part of the rotary vessel in side elevation and section
respectively. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional detail views hereinafter referred to.
This vessel which may
1 is the rotary vessel in which the washing is done.
conveniently be of either cylindrical or, as shown, hexagonal form, is constructed
with a periphery of metallic plate, perforated with holes 2 (of which only a few are
shown) sufficient in number and size to permit the free circulation of water from the
fixed closed casing 3 into the rotary vessel, and from the rotary vessel into the casing.
Around the individual perforations 2 the plate is indented in suchwise that there
are formed on the inner surface of the vessel slight projections 4 which are sufficient
to cause friction upon the clothes or other articles being washed and to assist in
cleansing them. The ends of the casing 3 are closed by plates 3ª which support
bearings 5 in which the rotary vessel 1 is carried by end shafts or pivots 1ª, but these
bearings are, as shown, closed at their outer ends to prevent leakage around the
shafts or through the bearings.
The driving of the rotary vessel 1 is effected by means of a toothed wheel 6, or
toothed wheels 6, 6ª, attached to one or, as shown and as preferred, to both ends of
the rotary vessel. These toothed wheels are constructed with arms 7, that are
arranged in close contact with the ends of the rotary vessel and are formed of
channelled section so that as the wheels revolve, whether in the one direction or in
the other, the arms in passing through the water in the lower part of the casing 3, will
raise and hold a quantity of it, and permit it to flow through perforations
or 8ª in
the end plates of the rotary vessel 1 into this vessel. The arms 7 and the perfora-
tions 8, 8 are so arranged that the wheel at one end of the revolving vessel when
revolving in one direction, delivers the water near the periphery of the rotary vessel
through perforations 8, and when revolving in the other direction, delivers the water
near the centre of the rotary vessel through perforations 8%, and when the machine
has toothed wheels at both ends, as in the example shown, we usually arrange them
in such a way that while water is being delivered near the periphery of the rotary
vessel at one end through perforations 8, it is being delivered near the centre of the
rotary vessel at the other end through perforations 8°.
Within the rotary vessel are or may be provided two or more shelves, or partial
diaphragms 9 which extend from end to end and serve to enable the rotary vessel to
carry up the articles which are being washed within it, for some distance before
allowing them to drop and fall into the water.
To the rotary vessel 1 on the side opposite to the hinged door 1b there is or may be
fitted one or more longitudinally extending metal sheets 10, several are shown, so
arranged as to form pockets 11 one or other of which as the vessel revolves becomes
filled with water, and carries it up for some distance, then allows it to escape through
the perforations 2 in the periphery of the vessel 1, and to fall upon the goods within
the same.
As will be seen, these pockets are so arranged that water will be thus
raised and delivered in whichever direction the vessel is revolving.

page_text: The rotary vessel 1 is driven by means of a pinion 12 or pinions at 12, 12ª gearing
into the toothed wheel 6 or toothed wheels 6, 6" at one or both ends of the rotary
vessel and fixed upon a shaft 13 piercing one end of the casing 3 of the machine,
and, where the rotary vessel is driven at both ends, as in the example shown, carried
through the machine so as to be supported in a bearing 14 at the further end of the
casing, but this further bearing 14 is usually made entirely within the casing, or
with a closed end, so that the shaft does not project through and require a stuffing.
box. We prefer to place this shaft 13 near the lower part of the casing, as shown,
so that it is possible to remove the rotary vessel 1 from the casing 3 without interfer-
ing with the shaft or the pinions upon it.
The shaft 13 is driven by means of fast and loose pulleys, a fast pulley 15 being
arranged between two loose pulleys 16, 16" in such a way that by driving with an
open and with a cross belt, and by bringing these alternately upon the central fast
pulley 15, the rotary vessel can be driven in either direction. These belts are moved
into the required positions automatically by means of a worm 17 carried upon a sleeve
attached to one side of the loose pulley 16. This worm actuates a worm wheel 18, which
in its turn gives intermittent motion to a lever 19 moving the belt forks 20. For
this purpose the worm wheel may be provided with an eccentrically arranged pin 21
taking into a slot 19" in the lever so that as the worm wheel revolves the pin will
oscillate the lever about the centre 19b. In order that this motion may work con-
tinuously, the belt upon the loose pulley 16 to which the worm 17 is attached, is
made of such a width that even when the belt is driving the fast pulley 15, a portion
of it still remains upon the said loose pulley and continues to drive it also. In con-
nection with this driving apparatus suitable means are provided for holding the belt
gear out of action so that the belts cannot be brought upon the fast pulley. For
this purpose in the top of the lever 19 is a notch 19 with which normally engages a
catch 19 pivoted to the belt fork bar 20 so as to carry the same backwards and
forwards with the lever thus reversing the motion of the washer in an automatic
manner. When it is desired to stop the machine the catch 19d is turned over so as
to enter a notch 22 in the bracket 22" thus locking the bar when the belts are both
running upon the loose pulleys 16, 16ª. 23 is a hand wheel fixed to the shaft 13 for
enabling the position of the rotary vessel 1 to be adjusted in a rotary sense by hand
when the machine itself has been brought to rest. In order to further lock the
machine so that the hand gear cannot be used a spring catch 23" with an eccentric
handle 23b is fitted to the belt fork bar 20 in such a position (Figs. 7 and 8) that when
the belts are both on the loose pulleys, by turning the handle 23b into a vertical
position the catch 23ª can be caused to engage in one of a series of holes 23° in the
hand wheel 23 and prevent its being turned.
We sometimes provide for heating and circulating the water within the washing
machine. The arrangement for this purpose shown in the drawings comprises a
casting 24 adapted to be bolted on to the bottom of the casing 3, and whose lower
part holds the wash out valve 25. The heating is effected by means of a steam jet
issuing through a nozzle 26 which is arranged within a suitable casing 27 of such
shape that the steam jet draws water out of the machine and this water heated by
the steam is again delivered into it. By suitably arranging appropriate connections,
such as one or more pipes 28, the water may be drawn from either or both ends of
the machine and delivered heated at the centre; or it may be drawn from one end
and delivered at the other.
The upper part of the periphery of the casing 3 is or may be made removable in
such a way that it can be removed without disturbing the ends 3" of the machine or
breaking any of the steam or water connections attached to them. The construction
of the machine is such that when the upper part of the periphery of the casing has
been removed, the revolving washing vessel may be lifted out for thorough cleaning
and repair, it being for this purpose only necessary to loosen and remove the end
bearings 5 carrying it, without further dismantling the apparatus. Or the casing
may for a like purpose be divided horizontally into two parts connected together by
flanged joints the plane of division passing through the axis of the rotary vessel.

page_text: what we
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to performed we declare that
claim is:-
1. A washing machine of the kind herein referred to wherein the rotary vessel is
mounted to revolve in bearings closed at their outer ends and carried by the ends
of the casing of the machine, and is driven by, a pinion or pinions that gears or gear
with one or more toothed wheels on one or both ends of the vessel and is or are
fixed upon a shaft that extends through one end of the casing, the arrangement being
such that the vessel will be driven direct from the periphery and that it can be
removed without interfering with the driving shaft and the pinion or pinions
thereon.
2. In a washing machine, a casing having a removable upper part, a rotary vessel
constructed as described and mounted to revolve in bearings carried by the ends of
the casing, and a driving shaft extending longitudinally through one end of and at
the lower part of the casing and provided with pinions in gear with toothed wheels
on the vessel, these parts being constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in the drawing annexed for
the purposes specified.
3. In a washing machine of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the
casing of the machine of a steam jet, arrangement, constructed and operating
substantially as described and shown whereby water can be drawn out of the casing
and heated by the steam and again delivered into the casing thus circulating as well
as heating the water, as set forth.
4. In a washing machine, the combination with the shaft for rotating the rotary,
vessel, of automatic reversing driving mechanism, belt forks, stops and locking
apparatus, these parts being constructed and arranged to operate substantially as
herein before described with reference to and shown in the drawings annexed for the
purposes specified.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved washing
> machine herein before described with reference to and shown in the drawings
annexed.