IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM WASHING APPARATUS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM WASHING APPARATUS." -A communication
from abroad by James Robertson Davidson, of the City of Halifax,
the Doming of Nova Scotia Canada.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th July 1873.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM WASHING APPARATUS," a commu-
nication to me from abroad by James Robertson Davidson, of the City
of Halifax, in the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in
O steam washing apparatus, which apparatus is capable of being adapted
· to any common cooking stove boiler without regard to size or shape, so
that it is not necessary to have a boiler constructed for the express
purpose of being used therewith, as most families are in possession of
.

page_text: cooking stove boilers. The special object of this part of the Invention
is to reduce the cost of the apparatus.
The said improved apparatus is also rendered capable of being
detached from the external boiler used in connection with all such
apparatus. This peculiarity renders the apparatus more convenient for
use, while at the same time it admits of its being thoroughly cleaned and
dried after-using it.
The improved washer is of peculiar shape. Its upper edge or rim is
fitted closely to the sides of the outside boiler. The sides of the washer
or inner boiler slope inwardly towards the bottom. The result is that no
steam is allowed to escape between the sides of the inner and outer
boilers at the mouth of the same, but all the steam generated in the
outer boiler is forced through holes in the inner boiler upon the clothing.
In the bottom of the inner vessel there is a hole, and under the hole
there is a ball attached by wire or tin in such a way as to permit of its
moving upwards or downwards. The inner vessel is detached or lifted
by means of a loop handle at each end.
1
A sufficient quantity of water and soap is placed in the common
cooking stove boiler. The clothes are then folded and packed down in
the steam washer, and the washer is then placed by means of the loops
or handles in the outer boiler, the cover of which suffices for both the
boiler and the washer. When heat is applied to the water in the outer
boiler the steam generated thereby is prevented by the ball from
ascending through the bottom of the washer, and such steam by passing
up around the sides and through the holes of the inner vessel, forces its
way through the clothing. When condensed in the inner vessel into
water it passes through the hole in the bottom of the same into the outer
boiler, thus causing a constant circulation of steam and heated water,
which speedily cleanses the clothing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 30
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
-Gentleman, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth 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 John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 STEAM WASHING APPARATUS,” a communication to me from abroad by
James Robertson Davidson, of the City of Halifax, in the Province of
Nova Scotia, Canada, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
The said Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in
steam washing apparatus, which apparatus is capable of being adapted
to any common cooking stove boiler without regard to size or shape, so
that it is not necessary to have a boiler constructed for the express
purpose of being used therewith, as most families are in possession of
cooking stove boilers, the special object of part of this Invention being
o reduce the cost of the apparatus.
The said improved apparatus is also rendered capable of being
letached from the external boiler used in connection with all such
pparatus. This peculiarity renders the apparatus more convenient for

page_text: use, while at the same time it admits of its being thoroughly cleaned and
dried after use.
'
The improved washing apparatus is of peculiar shape. Its upper edge
or rim is fitted closely to the sides of the outside boiler. The sides of the
washer or inner. boiler slope inwardly towards the bottom. The result 5
is that no steam is allowed to escape between the sides of the inner and
outer boilers at the mouth of the same, but all the steam generated in
the outer boiler, herein-after described, is forced through holes in the
inner boiler upon the clothing.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall 10
now proceed more particularly to describe (the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in both the Figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved steam washing apparatus 18
contained in a common cooking stove boiler; and Figure 2 is à corres-
ponding transverse section of the same.
A represents a common cooking stove boiler; B is an inner vessel so
shaped that it may be fitted to any cooking stove boiler.
The inner vessel is perforated round the sides and ends. In the bottom 2
of the inner vessel there is a hole, and under the hole there is a ball (C)
attached by wire or tin in such a way as to permit of its moving upwards
or downwards within certain limits. The inner vessel is detached or
lifted by means of the inner loop or handle E at each end.
A sufficient quantity of water and soap is placed in the common 2
cooking stove boiler. The clothes are then folded and packed down in
the steam washer B, and the washer is then placed by means of the loops
or handles in the outer boiler, the cover of which suffices for both the
boiler and the washer. When heat is applied to the water in the outer
boiler the steam generated thereby is prevented by the ball (C) from a
ascending through the bottom of the washer, and such steam by passing
up around the sides and through the holes of the inner vessel forces its
When condensed in the inner vessel into
way through the clothing.
water it passes through the bole in the bottom of the same into the outer
'boiler, thus causing a constant circulation of steam and heated water,
which speedily cleanses the clothing.

page_text: I am aware that steam clothes washers have been used which con-
sisted of two boilers, or an outside boiler and inner vessel, the inner
vessel having perforations in its sides, as in the washer B, and having a
hole and ball in the bottom, as indicated at C in the Drawing hereunto
annexed. But so far as I am aware the inside vessel or washer has
been inseparably attached to and sold in connection with a special
outside boiler. The cost of the apparatus has thereby been made much
greater in the first instance, and for want of facility in cleaning and
drying the apparatus when so constructed has more easily and rapidly
worn out.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination with a common cooking stove boiler A of the
inner perforated vessel or washer B, constructed with sloping sides and
ends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of the loop or handle E with the inner boiler
or washer B for detaching the same from the outer boiler A, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The combination, as shown at D, of the mouth or upper rim of
the inner vessel or washer B with the inside of the outer boiler A, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of
January One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.