IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Com-
pany, Patent Agents, residing at Frankfort-on-the-Maine (Germany),
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES."-A
communication from William Reinemer and Gustave Stemler,
residing at Homburg vor der Höhe (Germany).
Scaled the 1st January 1874, and dated the 4th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th July 1878.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agents,
residing at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Germany, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES,"
a communication from William Reinemer and Gustave Stemler, persons
residing at Homburg vor der Höhe (Germany) to be as follows:-
These improvements consist.–

page_text: water heating apparatus, herein-after described, which is connected by
suitable pipes with the washing vat or tub.
Secondly. In the arrangement within the tub of a perforated bottom
grating, on which the clothes lie so that the space beneath the same
collects the dirt carried through by the water, so that only clean water
is conveyed back into the heating apparatus, whereas in the machines
hitherto in use the water is always redriven through the clothes.
Thirdly. In the application of a movable pipe to serve not only for the
introduction of hot water, but also to convey the steam for bleaching.
In carrying this Invention into effect I employ a wooden vat or tub
having shoulders or supports therein for holding the lower grating or
perforated bottom, and other shoulders or supports are provided for
holding an upper grating, the lower grating serving for depositing the
dirt from the clothes, and the upper grating preventing the clothes from
rising above the surface of the water. A tap is provided below the
lower grating for drawing off the dirty water.
Centrally within the vat or tub is a perforated tin case or tube which
is connected by another tube with the boiler of the heating apparatus,
and an outflow pipe from below the lower grating in the vat or tub
conducts the hot water which has passed through and over the clothes
back into the boiler of the heating apparatus. As with a strong heat
the boiler circulates more water than can percolate through the linen,
overflow pipes are provided which lead down into the space between the
grating and the hollow of the vat.
The heating apparatus consists of a boiler or receptacle for water, and
a fire-grate or stove, which occupies a position beneath the boiler. The
pipe which supplies the heated water to the vat or wash tub is placed at
the upper part of the boiler, and the pipe which re-supplies the water to
the boiler is placed at the lower part thereof. The clothes when soaped
are laid in the tub, and cold water poured over them until the tub is
about three parts full, the upper grating is then stretched across to
prevent the clothes rising above the water. The stove is then filled with
coal and lighted on the top, as in ordinary regulating stoves, sufficient
soda according to the quantity of linen is put in a basin formed at the
upper extremity of the central perforated pipe, the cover is then put on
the tub or vat and the clothes boiled. By continuous bucking or scald-
ing for several hours the clothes are cleansed. The linen is then rinsed

page_text: and wrung out and again well soaped, the dirty water being removed
from the tub and boiler by means of taps. The perforated bottom or
grating is taken out and the bottom of the tub is cleansed from the dirt.
The perforated bottom having been replaced the manipulation is
| repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agents, residing at
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special licence that
I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES,” a com-
munication from William Reinemer and Gustave Stemler, persons residing
at Homburg vor der Höhe (Germany), upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Figures on the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and numerals marked
thereon (that is to say) :—
thereon that is to say)
The improvements consist,-
First. In the application of a separate and peculiarly constructed
water heating apparatus connected by suitable pipes with the washing
tub or vat.
Secondly. In a special arrangement within the tub or vat of a grating
or perforated board on which the clothes or fabrics lic, so that the space
beneath the grating collects the dirt carried through by the water, and
comparatively clean water is conveyed back into the heating apparatus,
whereas in the machines hitherto in use the water is always redriven or
returned through the clothes.
And Thirdly. In the application of a moveable pipe to serve not only
for the introduction of hot water, but also to convey steam for bleaching.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a plan of one of
the improved washing machines; Fig. 2, a vertical section at the line
A, B, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical section at the line E, F; and Fig. 4, a
vertical section at the line C, D, Fig. 1.
In carrying this Invention into effect I employ a wooden vat or tub
A having an inner space a for containing the clothes or fabrics to be
cleaned, and shoulders or supports b for holding a lower grating or per-
forated bottom d, and at the top other shoulders or supports c for holding
an upper grating e, the lower grating or perforated bottom serving for
facilitating the drawing off of the water and for depositing the dirt from
the clothes, and the upper grating for preventing the clothes from rising
above the surface of the water, and below the lower grating d there is a
tap for drawing off the dirty water.
In the centre of the tub or vat there is a vertical perforated tin case
or pipe connected by another pipe with the boiler of the heating
apparatus, and at the top of the vertical pipe there is a basin g serving
to buck the clothes, which takes place as soon as the water boils in the
heating apparatus by means of continual streams of boiling water over
and among the clothes. At the top of the basing there is an adjusting ;

page_text: pin h, which is only required if the clothes are to be bleached when it is
turned to the right by means of the small basin g, whereupon the boiling
water flows downwards, and the soap is drawn out of the clothes, and to
prevent the basin g from being overturned when being adjusted there is
a resisting pin i.
1
The pipe k is an outflow pipe which conducts the hot water from the
heating apparatus to the perforated vertical pipe 1, through the per-
forations in which the hot water passes to the clothes or fabric, and
below the lower grating d there is a feeding pipe m, through which water
from the tub or vat is fed or circulated to the heating apparatus. As
with a strong heat the boiler circulates more water than can percolate -
through the clothes or fabric I employ two pipes n, n, to conduct or
return this surplus water to the space below the lower grating and to the
feeding pipe m.
The heating apparatus marked B in the plan, Fig. 1, longitudinal
section Fig. 2, and transverse section Fig. 4, is formed of two cylinders
of strong tin plate with an iron bottom, and has at the top an air valve
marked 1 to let off the compressed air which gets in when the cylinder
or boiler 2 is filled with water from the tub A. At the upper part of
the boiler there is an outflow pipe 3 connected to the pipe k for conduct-
ing the boiling water into the tub, and at the lower part of the boiler
there is a reflow pipe 4 connected to the pipe m for conducting the water
from the tub to the boiler, and for completely drawing the boiler when
required there is a draw off tap 5.
The numeral 6 represents the support of the boiler, and also serves as
an ash box. 7 represents the ring for bearing the grate and boiler, 8
the fire-grate, 9 a regulating grate, 10 the fire-box, 11 a shoulder or
damper for regulating the draught, 12 the smoke passage, 13 the
chimney, 14 the feeding hole, 16 the ash box, 17 an iron casing for
preserving the boiler, and 18 a regulating grate door. The manipulation
or working of this machine is very simple, and requires neither extra-
ordinary arrangements nor much preparation to cleanse soiled linen with
advantage, and anyone who can wash and wring can soon learn to work
the machine. The clothes are soaped lukewarm the previous evening,
laid in the tub A, and cold water poured over them until about up to
the grating shoulder c, and then the upper grating bars are stretched
across to prevent the clothes from rising above the water.

page_text: The stove is now filled with coal and lighted on the top, as in ordinary
German regulating stoves, and sufficient soda, according to the quantity
of linen, that is, about half an ounce to each dozen shirts, is put in the
basin g, after which the cover is put on the tub or vat, and the clothes
boiled, and by continuous bucking or scalding for several hours the
clothes are cleansed. The next morning the linen is rinsed and wrung
out and again well soaped, the dirty water being removed from the tub
and boiler by means of taps f and 5. The perforated bottom or grating
d is taken out and the bottom of the tub cleaned from dirt, and when
the perforated bottom has been replaced the manipulation is repeated.
If the clothes are to be bleached they must be wrung out in the
afternoon and laid on the bleaching ground, but if the linen cannot be
bleached on grass it is laid for the third time, without being previously
soaped, in the tub, and cold water poured over as before, after which the
basin is turned to the right, so that the water in the boiler can flow
downsonda

page_text: Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention,
I claim the improvements in washing machines, substantially as herein
described and shown on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.