An Improved Machine for Washing Clothes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 22nd June, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
An Improved Machine for Washing Clothes.
I, ROBERT BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, of Invercargill, Otago, in the Colony of
New Zealand, Mining Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for washing clothes and has
for its objects providing a cheap and handy machine which shall effectually wash
clothes with little expenditure of labour, have few parts, be portable, and easily
operated.
I carry out the objects of my invention by making my machine with a cylinder
mounted upon journals over a trough. A suitable handle is supplied for imparting
motion to the cylinder and a lid for filling and emptying the same.
The trough
has an orifice at one end at its lowest part for emptying out water.
Within the cylinder I provide chains which are placed loosely among the clothes
so that when the cylinder is revolved the friction of the links gives the necessary
rubbing action.
The cylinder, which is made of wood by preference is mounted upon journals
working in bearings. Beneath the cylinder I fix a trough preferably of wood for
cheapness, and having an orifice for escape of waste water. The cylinder and trough
are supported upon legs, and to the top of these are attached bearings by bolts.
A lid to the cylinder opens upon hinges and when closed is fastened by thumb
nuts. An iron band connects together the timber of which the lid is made, and
other bands hold together the parts forming the cylinder. A handle is securely
fitted to the produced end of one of the journals for imparting motion to the
cylinder.
Within the cylinder I place lengths of chain laid loosely between the layers of
clothes, so that when the handle is turned, the cylinder with its contents is
revolved. The friction of the chains among the clothes gives the necessary rubbing
action required when washing.
When it is desired to empty out the contents of the cylinder, the lid is opened
and a framing supplied for the purpose is placed inside and across the opening, the
battens of which being revoluble around bolts upon a stronger batten, allow of
their being inserted whilst closed together and afterwards spread apart. The
cylinder is then turned so that its mouth is downwards when the water will run out
and clothes and chains be retained in the cylinder, which is then reversed to bring
the opening upwards so that the clothes and chains may be taken out.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1895.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, ROBERT BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, of Invercargill, in the Colony of New
Zealand, Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in machine for washing clothes and some
other articles, and has for its objects, to provide a cheap and handy machine which
shall effectually wash clothes in a rapid manner with little expenditure of labour,
have few parts, be portable and easily operated.
I carry out the objects of my invention by making my machine with a cylinder
or barrel mounted upon journals and supported by a stand. A trough is placed
beneath the cylinder and rests upon the stand. A suitable handle is supplied for
imparting rotary or oscillating motion to the cylinder, and a lid for filling and
emptying the same. The trough has an orifice at one end at its lowest part for
emptying out water.
Within the cylinder I provide chains which are placed loosely among the clothes
so that when the cylinder is revolved the friction of the links gives the necessary
rubbing action. In the case of large garments I use single lengths of chain, but
when smaller articles are to be washed I connect together the various lengths of
chain by cross chains, and in the case of very fine material such as cotton waste
I make the chains into the form of a mat. These different forms have the effect of
preventing the chains sinking through the articles to the bottom of the cylinder,
instead of remaining in the midst of the articles.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood by one skilled in the
art to which it appertains I will now describe the same in detail and in doing so
shall refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate similar parts through the
views.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, partly in section on line A-B,
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, partly in section on line C-D,
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a frame used when emptying the water out of
the cylinder.
Figure 4 is a chain mat used when fine material such as cotton waste is being
washed.
Figure 5 is an arrangement of chains used when small articles such as socks or
handkerchiefs are being washed.
Cylinder (a) which is made of wood by preference is mounted upon journals (a¹)
& (a 2) working in bearings (a3) and (a 4). Beneath the cylinder I place a
trough (6) preferably of galvanized iron, and having an orifice (61) and pipe (62)
for the escape of waste water. The cylinder (a) and trough (6) are supported
upon the stand (d), and to the top of the said stand are attached the bearings (a 3)
and (a 4) by bolts (a 5) and (a 6).
Lid (a 7) of cylinder (a) is secured in position by thumb screw (f) which screws
into bar (f). The ends of bar (f¹) pass beneath hooks (2) which are fixed in
the body of the cylinder, so that when the thumb screw is turned the lid is forced
home and there held.
Iron bands (a 10) connect together the staves of cylinder (a) in a similar
manner to an ordinary barrel. The handle () is securely fitted to the

page_text: produced end (a 12) of journal (a¹) for imparting oscillating or rotary motion to
cylinder (a).
Within cylinder (a) I place lengths of chain (f3) when large articles are to be
trea ed, and I lay the same loosely between layers of clothes, so that when
handle (d) is moved the cylinder with its contents revolve or oscillate together.
Friction of the chains among the clothes gives the necessary rubbing action when
washing, and closely imitates the action of rubbing by human knuckles.
When small articles such as socks are to be washed I use an arrangement of
chains as shewn in Figure 5 where the longitudinal chains (3) are connected by
cross chains (4) and when treating still smaller materials I use chain mats (j)
Figure 4. If the chains are made of rusting materials they are galvanized to keep
them from rusting, and are preferably made of links about 2 inches long.
When it is desired to empty out the contents of cylinder (a), lid (a 7) is opened
and framing (g) Figure 3, placed inside and across the opening, the battens (9')
being revoluble around bolts (93) upon batten (92), to allow of their being
inserted whilst closed together and afterwards spread apart. The cylinder is then
turned so that its mouth is downwards, when the water will run out and clothes and
chains (f) be retained in the cylinder (a), which is then reversed to bring the
opening upwards so that clothes and chains may be taken out.
For the purpose of shewing how my machine is operated I will describe the
process when ordinary cotton clothing is to be washed, and it will readily be
perceived that other articles such as flannels may be washed with such modifications
of temperature of water and quantity of soap as are known to be requisite by every
person employed in washing.
The clothes may be put into the cylinder either dry or after the usual soaking,
alternate layers of clothes and chains being placed in position as previously
described. A small quantity of warm water is then added and the cylinder
operated for a short time. The water is now emptied out and replaced with
boiling water and a little more soap, when the cylinder is again operated for a few
revolutions. It is then allowed to stand to allow the hot water and steam to
thoroughly permeate the clothes. The hot water having been emptied out, the
clothes are rinsed by adding cold water and giving a few turns to the cylinder.
The clothes will then be found to be thoroughly clean.
In emptying out the water from the cylinder as before mentioned the lid (a 7) is
turned downwards until it is over trough (b) when thumb screw (f) is slackened to
allow the water to escape. The pipe (62) may be turned to either side or used at
the end as shewn, for conducting away the water as desired.
To give further rubbing action to the clothes and to ensure being thoroughly
tossed about during the rotation of the cylinder 1 fix longitudinal ribs (94) within
the cylinder, or in some cases as where cotton waste is to be treated I line the
inside of the cylinder with a chain mat made in a similar manner to that shewn in
Figure 4.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details
hereinbefore described as these may be modified in several ways without departing
from the principle of my invention, as for example the chains if made of a rusting
material may be nickel plated instead of galvanized to keep them from rusting, the
shape and size of the links of the chains may be varied to suit the different articles
to be treated, and the machine may be used for other purposes such as washing
wool. The shape of the cylinder may be varied and instead of keeping it of the
same diameter throughout its length I may make it of a larger diameter at the
centre than at the ends, after the shape of an ordinary barrel, or I may make
the barrel square in section instead of circular, and the barrel may be mounted
upon bearings provided with rollers to reduce friction.
I am aware that prior to my invention washing machines have been made which
revolve on bearings, and that balls and other shaped articles have been used for
giving a rubbing action, but these have had imperfections which my machine
overcomes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is,―
1. In a washing machine such as described herein the combination of cylinder (a)
with chains (3) substantially as set forth.
2. In a washing machine such as described herein, the combination of cylinder (a)
with chains (f3) and cross chains (4) substantially as set forth and illustrated.
3. In a washing machine such as described herein, the combination of cylinder, (a)
with chain mat (j) substantially as set forth.
4. In a washing machine such as described herein, the combination of a cylinder
having longitudinal ribs with chains or chain mats, substantially as described and
illustrated.
5. In a washing machine such as described herein, the combination of a cylinder
lined with chain matting with chains or chain mats, substantially as set forth.
6. In a washing machine such as described herein, the combination of cylinder
and chains with lid and fastening substantially as set forth and illustrated.
7. A washing machine constructed arranged and operating substantially as set
forth herein and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of June 1896.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.