Iк- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND BOILING LINEN AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Thomas Davey, of Chilton Road, Sudbury,
in the County of Suffolk, Ironmonger, for the Invention of "Iк-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND BOILING LINEN AND OTHER
FABRICS."
Sealed the 16th December 1870, and dated the 21st June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Thomas Davey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st June 1870.
I, HENRY THOMAS DAVEY, of Chilton Road, Sudbury, in the County
of Suffolk, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND BOILING LINEN AND
OTHER FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This apparatus is constructed and made of a cylinder of iron, copper,
tin, or any other material which is fitted with a perforated bottom or
wire strainer, and with a lid likewise made of wirework or perforated
material which fastens at the top of the cylinder.

page_text: It is also fitted with tubes fixed to the sides rising a little above the
top of the cylinder and passing partially across the bottom of the same,
and can be placed in any ordinary washing copper.
The cylinder is supported by feet so as to leave a space between the
bottom of it and the copper, and made of less diameter than the copper
so as to admit of the free circulation of the water all round.
The linen being previously soaked in cold water is placed inside the
cylinder, which is then placed in the copper partially filled with water,
which when boiling rises between the cylinder and the copper, flowing
over the top of the cylinder through the wire or perforated lid, passing
through the linen to the bottom of the copper, and thus by constant
circulation of water charged with purifying substances the linen is
cleansed.
Should the water rise round the sides of the cylinder faster than it can
pass through the linen the tubes at the side carry it back to the bottom
of the copper and thus prevent both the burning of the linen and the
copper.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I would state that
the shape or form of the apparatus may be varied and fitted to any
copper, boiler, or vessel suitable for the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Thomas Davey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
THOMAS DAVEY, of Chilton Road, Sudbury, in the County of Suffolk,
Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Thomas Davey, Her special licence that
I, the said Henry Thomas Davey, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Thomas Davey, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: 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 APPARATUS
FOR WASHING AND BOILING LINEN AND OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Thomas Davey, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Thomas Davey, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the reduction of the time and labor
usually expended in washing and cleansing soiled linen, wearing apparel,,
or other fabrics.
My improved apparatus for washing is based upon the natural laws.
which govern the motions of heated currents of water, and consists in
applying to a copper, heated by steam or otherwise, the "linen chamber"
or washing cylinder with its appurtenances herein-after described. And
in order to explain my said Invention more completely I will now
proceed to describe the best means with which I am acquainted for
carrying the same into practical effect, reference being had to the Sheet
of Drawings which accompanies this Specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a general elevation of the copper, its setting, fittings,
and cover; Fig. 2 is a transverse and vertical section through the copper
"linen chamber and cover; Fig. 3 is a plan of the copper and its
fittings complete.
"
Fig. 4 is a plan of the copper and contained "linen chamber," the
cover and its tackle being removed; and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical
section of a cover or lid for condensing the superfluous steam, which

page_text: may be used when the cover and telescopic vapour pipe shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 are unattainable.
32
At each of the foregoing Figures similar letters of reference are
employed to denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear
at or are common to each of such said Figures respectively. The
"linen chamber or washing cylinder A is formed of iron, copper, tin,
or other suitable substance, and is fitted with a perforated bottom or
the wire strainer or grating B, and provided with the perforated lid or
grating C, which may be securely fastened to the top of the cylinder A.
The overflow tubes D, D, D, D, are fixed to the sides of the cylinder
rising slightly above its top and effect a junction under the said cylinder;
those parts of the pipes marked E in Fig. 2 beneath the perforated
bottom or grating B being perforated at intervals; or the pipes D, D,
D, D, may pass partially only across the bottom of the cylinder, the
ends being left open. I prefer to shape the mouths or upper ends of
these tubes as represented in Fig. 2 in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed.
The "linen chamber" or washing cylinder A is supported by feet
so as to leave a space between its perforated bottom or lower grating B,
and the copper in which it is placed, and is made of less diameter than
the copper, thereby leaving an annular space between it and the copper,
and admitting of the free circulation of the water all round. The
cylinder and its appurtenances so far as I have hitherto described them
may be adapted to and placed in any ordinary washing copper.
The soiled linen or wearing apparel having been previously soaked in
cold or warm water is disposed in the "linen chamber" A, and the lid C
affixed, it is then placed in a copper partially filled with water, which
when caused to boil rises between the "linen chamber" or cylinder and
the copper, flowing over the top of the cylinder through the perforated
lid or grating C, passing through the linen and the lower grating B to
the bottom of the copper, and thus by constant circulation of the
boiling water charged with soap and other purifying detergents the
linen is cleansed. Should the water rise round the sides of the cylinder A
faster than it can pass through the linen, the tubes D, D, D, D, carry
it back to the bottom of the copper, thus checking unnecessary ebulli-
tion, and when fire is directly employed as the heating agent preventing
the burning of the linen or copper.

page_text: I would have it understood that the shape or form of the appa-
ratus herein-before described may be varied, and the said apparatus
fitted to any copper, boiler, or vessel suitable for the same; by pre-
ference however I employ my apparatus in conjunction with the copper
cover and fittings represented in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
The copper F provided for the reception of the "linen chamber" and
its appurtenances is heated by steam issuing from the perforated pipe G,
which is in connexion with the steam supply pipe H, the amount of
steam being regulated by the stop-cock I.
The pipe J supplies the necessary cold water.
When the cleansing
process is complete the copper may be wholly or partially emptied by
means of the waste pipe K, and the rinser L being brought over the
linen chamber and the stop-cock M closed, on opening the cock N a
supply of cold water is directed on to and through the linen and the
rinsing effected.
The counterbalanced cover or funnel O in conjunction with the tele-
scopic vapour pipe P conveys away the superfluous steam, the cover being
placed on the copper whilst the boiling and cleansing is being accom-
plished. When the cover O and its fittings are for want of space or
other reasons rendered inapplicable, the condensing cover represented
in Fig. 5 may be conveniently substituted, the waste or superfluous
steam rising through the central hole Q in the partition R impinges
against the outer casing S, and being there condensed the resulting
water finds its way back into the copper through the apertures T, T, T.
It will be readily seen that my Invention is applicable to the dyeing of
any fabric.
Having now fully explained the nature of my Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would have it under-
stood that I do not claim the adaptation of the natural motions of heated
currents of water to the cleansing of linen, but what I do claim as my
Invention and desire to have secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is as follows:-
I claim the construction and arrangement of the "linen chamber"
or washing cylinder and its overflow pipes and appurtenances in the
manner and for the purpose herein-before described and set forth, and

page_text: the general arrangement of the copper, covers, and fittings used in con-
junction with the said "linen chamber or washing cylinder.
"
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Thomas Davey, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and i
seventy.
Witness,
JOHN BEARD NIX,
5, Market Place,
Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk.
HENRY THOMAS DAVEY. (L.S.)