IMPROVEMENTS IN WRINGING AND MANGLING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gilbert Ray Willett, Washing, Wringing, and Mangling
Machine Manufacturer, of 40, Chatterton Road, Highbury Vale, Finsbury Park,
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WRINGING AND MANGLING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 27th February 1877, and dated the 4th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gilbert Ray Willett at the
Office of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1876.
GILBERT RAY WILLETT, Washing, Wringing, and Mangling Machine Manufacturer,
of 40, Chatterton Road, Highbury Vale, Finsbury Park, Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN IN WRINGING, AND MANGLING MACHINES."
On a suitable framing I mount two standards (if made of iron the standards
might be cast in one with the side frames) in which, near the top, and at such
height as to admit of a tub being placed on the framing beneath, are provided slots
for the reception of moveable bearings which carry the spindles of two or more
rollers (the said standards are connected together at the top by means of a cross bar),
the spindles of which may project beyond the standards on either side, and be pro-
vided with cog wheels, and the lower one made to carry a crank for turning said
rollers; above the top roller is placed a cop of wood or metal cut on the under side
to fit the spindle of said roller, and provided at each end outside the standards
with a recess to admit a metal rod with a hook at its upper end; this rod extends
downwards a suitable distance below the top of the frame, and connected to a cross
bar; connected to the frame and passing above this cross bar is a lever provided at
its other end with a weight for the purpose of giving the required pressure to the
rollers. On the inside of the standards and just below the rollers I form slots in
the form of a X, into which I insert a strip of wood or metal of suitable width to
guide the water into the tub or other vessel; when wringing, this strip or guide may
be changed from one side to the other so as to send the water into a tub or other
vessel on the side desired; rollers are also provided on both sides for the clothes to
pass over before entering the pressing rollers.
For the purpose of mangling I form a leaf similar to a table leaf, which I attach
to the standards in front of the roller in any suitable manner, the outer edge being.

page_text: supported by a cord or chain attached also to the standards, said leaf being attached
or detached at pleasure.
The framing is preferably made in two parts, hinged together on one side of the
standards, and when not in use one half of the frame can thus be let down, but
when required for use this flap part of the frame is supported by a leg carried on a
sliding piece connected to the main framing by a slot and studs.
The rollers may be made of india-rubber, wood, or any suitable material, but I prefer
making them of wood with an iron spindle running through, and covering them with
rubber, metal, or any other suitable covering to protect them from the effects of wet
or heat. The clothes are passed between the rollers in the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Gilbert Ray Willett in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June 1877.
GILBERT RAY WILLETT, Washing, Wringing, and Mangling Machine Manufacturer,
of 40, Chatterton Road, Highbury Vale, Finsbury Park, Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WRINGING AND MANGLING MACHINES."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of wring-
ing and mangling machines; and in carrying out my said Invention I proceed to
construct the machine in the following manner, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a side view of the machine;
Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, a front view; and Fig. 4, a section through the top of the
machine. To two suitable strips of wood or metal a, a, I attach across them on
the under side, at either end, by means of screws or bolts, or in any suitable manner,
two more strips b, b, into each of which are fixed, in any suitable manner, two legs
or supports c, c, thus forming a firm and suitable framing-or stand for a wash tub,
box, or other vessel. Near one end and on the top of the said stand I place two
uprights or standards d, d, one in each of the strips a, a, which uprights or
standards may be fastened to the strips a, a, by means of a mortice and tenon or in
any other suitable firm manner, or if made of metal may be cast in one piece with
the frame; in the upper parts of these uprights or standards I cut a slot e of
suitable dimensions for the reception of the spindles or shafts f. f, of two or more
rollers g, g; above the said rollers and at or near the top of the uprights or standards
d, d, for the purpose of keeping them firmly in their place I insert a bar or strut h
which may be either round or square, and of wood or metal securely fixed to the
standards by means of screws or bolts or other suitable manner; the rollers g, g,
may be made of wood or any suitable material, but I prefer making them in the
following manner -Into an ordinary wood or metal roller of any suitable size I
insert a metal spindle or shaft of suitable length and diameter; if the said roller is
made of wood I cover it with thin metal in the form of a tube or other suitable
manner to protect it from wet or heat, such metal tube being fastened to the wood
roller by means of a number of screws, nails, or slugs, which may be left to project
a little on the outside of the said metal tube for the purpose of holding firm an
outside covering of non-corrosive metal, with which I cover the aforesaid metal
tube; the said non-corrosive metal covering may be cast in any ordinary way on to
the metal tube, or may be put on in a sheet and secured by means of the screws,
nails, or slugs, the heads of which screws, nails, or slugs must be accurately counter-
sunk, or the holes filled up with suitable material, thus forming a roller with a
perfectly smooth, even, and incorrosive surface. The object is to have a roller for
wringing and mangling machines that will not be injuriously affected by the water,
cannot shrink unevenly so as to cause space between the rollers, and always have a
smooth surface for mangling.
On either side of the standards d, d, and at a proper level so as not to interfere
with the passage of the clothes through the rollers g, g, I attach, by means of

page_text: screws or in any suitable manner, shield plates g¹, g', of suitable form and dimensions
to prevent the clothes from turning back underneath the rollers; the rollers g, g,
are placed in the uprights or standards d, d, at a suitable height so as to admit of a
tub or other washing vessel being placed on the stand under them. The spindles
ff, of the said rollers may project beyond the uprights or standards at either side
to admit of cog wheels, the lower one to project more than the upper to allow of
the crank handle i being attached to it for the purpose of working the machine.
On each projection end of the spindle of the upper roller outside the standards I
place a metal cap or saddle k, having a notchi or cavity on the under side of proper
form to fit over the said spindle, and on which it rests; over the top of the said caps
or saddles I place metal rods 1, 1, in the shape of a loop at the top, and extending
downwards to a suitable distance below the top of the stand, where they are attached
in any suitable manner to a cross bar m, of suitable form and dimensions, placed
beneath the stand and immediately underneath the uprights or standards d, d; on
the top and at the centre of the cross bar m and underneath the strip b, to which
the uprights or standards are attached, I place one end of a lever n, made of either
wood or metal, and fastened in any suitable manner, both to the said cross bar m
and cross piece b, the said lever extending to or near the end of the stand, and on
which lever I cut holes or notches at proper intervals, similar to a steelyard beam,
which notches are for the purpose of receiving a moveable weight or weights o so
as to enable the pressure on the rollers g, g, to be varied at pleasure by moving the
weight backwards or forwards on the lever, as may be necessary; thus the required
amount of pressure on the fabrics to be operated upon is secured by the combina-
tion of the dead weight o with the lever n, the cross bar m, on which the lever
rests in connection with the rods 1, 1, and caps or saddles , on the spindle of the
roller g, as before described. On the inside of the uprights or standards d, d, and
just below the rollers I cut a slot or slots p of suitable depth in the form of a ✗, into
which slots I insert a strip of wood or metal q of a suitable width to guide the
water into the tub or vessel when wringing, and which may be reversed in the
cross-shaped slots so as to guide the water into a tub or vessel standing on either
side of the uprights or standards, as may be required. On either side of the uprights
or standards,, and below the level of the rollers g, g, I attach by means of the meta!
bracket r, r, or in any suitable manner small guide rollers 8, 8, of wood or other
suitable material for the clothes or fabrics to pass over as they are conveyed to and
emerge from between the rollers g, g; at the end of the framing or stand, I form
what I will term an extension of it in the following manner, that is to say, I attach
to the ends of the strips a, a, nearest the uprights by means of hinges two more
strips b, b, of suitable length, to which strips I attach a cross piece u of suitable
dimensions, thus forming a frame which may be let down at will, similar to a table
leaf, thus economising space, and to support which, when required for use I make a
Tshaped piece with one or more legs or feet in the cross piece, and a slot win
the longitudinal piece, one end of which rests on the cross piece immediately under
the uprights or standards, and into which cross piece I insert a pin for the purpose
of keeping the longitudinal slotted piece in a proper position in the centre of the
frame or stand while moving it backwards or forwards as required.
For the purpose of mangling I form a leaf similar to a table leaf which I attach
to the uprights or standards d, d, in front of the rollers, in any suitable manner, the
outer edge to be supported by means of a cord or chain attached also to the top of
the standards in such manner that the said leaf may be attached and removed at
pleasure.
The manner of using the machine is as follows:- Having placed the tub or
vessel containing the clothes to be operated upon on the framing or stand so that
the edge of the tub or vessel is under the rollers the clothes are passed through or
between them in the same manner as any ordinary wringing machine, the water
wrung out of them being led back into the tub by means of the strips of wood or
metal 9, while the clothes pass through the rollers into another tub or vessel placed
on the extended frame to receive them, or when maugling on to the moveable leaf,

page_text: which would then be fixed to the standards to receive them, the pressure being
regulated by means of the weight and lever as required. When not used for
wringing, the extension frame may be let down or not, as may be convenient, and
the framing may be used as an ordinary washing stool.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into practical effect, what I claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,―
1. The combination of a washing stool, wringer, and mangle in one machine,
substantially as described.
2. The combination of the fixed frame with the hinged one and the T shaped
support so as to economise space, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the weight o and the lever n and the cross bar m with the
rods , l, and saddles & for the purpose of regulating the pressure on the rollers g, g,
substantially as described.
4. The construction of the rollers by covering them with non-corrosive metal, as
described.
5. The combination of the large rollers g, g, with the small guide rollers s, s, and
the metal water guide plate q, substantially as described.
6. The X shaped slots p on the insides of the standards d, d, to receive the metal
water guide q, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gilbert Ray Willett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
DUNCAN A. McCASKILL.
GILBERT RAY WILLETT. (L.S.)