Year: 1888

page_text: JOSIAH SHEPHERD, of Jeffersonville in the County of Fayette and State of
Ohio United States of America, gentleman, 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 :--
The invention relates to washing machines the object being to economize force
and to bring no metallic substance in contact with the clothes so as to render
them liable to be corroded thereby, and it consists in the construction and novel
combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings
and pointed out in the appended claims.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof.
Fig. 3 is a detail central sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the face of one of the plungers.
Referring to the drawings by letter
A designates the suds-box preferably of rectangular form
door a in its top with the edges at its mouth rabbeted as at
the door correspondingly rabbeted and also packed so as to
joint when closed.
having the hinged
a¹ and the edges of
make a steam tight
B is a turn-table composed of the outer circular plate having the beveled
edge which rests in a correspondingly-beveled recess & around the central circular
opening in the door a and the inner circular plate 6 connected to the outer plate by
the central pin and side bolts 68.
The suds box is supported on the legs cc so as to stand clear of the floor and
has no nails, screws or other metallic parts in its composition to come in contact
with the clothes. The turn table turns freely with an easy motion on its seat.
DD are parallel similar bearing-lugs standing from the outer plate of the turn
table and having the oscillating shaft E journaled centrally thereon.
F is a lever mounted on the said shaft between the bearing-lugs and having its
free or upper end formed into a handle by means of which to operate the machine.
GG are transverse bars secured to the lever F. suitable distance outward
from or above the shaft E and having their ends pivoted to, the plunger-rods h.

page_text: :
upon the lower ends of which are fixed the cup shaped plungers which are
preferably diametrically opposite each other. Each of said plungers consists of a
block I having a spherical topi and the vertical recesses, preferably arranged
opposite each other.
The said vertical recesses have their mouths or orifices rounded on the edges so
that when they beat down on the water in the suds-box the water that does not enter
is spread laterally thereby throwing the hot water and suds over the clothes. The
plunger-rods reciprocate in guide openings J J in the turn table which openings
are made of sufficient diameter to accommodate the motion of the plunger rods as
they move up and down.
By the use of the turn table the person operating the machine can vary the direction
of the stroke at will and could in fact walk around the suds-box if desirable or
necessary while using the lever handle F.
The particular advantage of this arrangement however is to allow the working
parts to be easily turned so that the plungers can be brought in contact with the
clothes all around the tub without stopping the action of the machine or lifting the
lid. This is one of the essential features of the invention. By the simple mechanical
arrangement of the operating means for the plungers all the power is brought to bear
directly on the clothes without any waste of power. Furthermore, all the heat and
steam are confined in the tub while the work is being done thus making the results
more satisfactory and with less annoyance to the operator than when an open tub is
used.
The machine, as described, is cheap, effective, and not easily put out of repair
and no metal is intended to be used in its construction to come in contact with the
clothes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1. The combination, with the suds-box, of the lid, the rotatable circular turn table
mounted in the lid and forming in connection with the same a complete cover for the
suds-box, the lever mounted on the turn-table and the plunger connected to the lever
and extending through the turn-table into the suds-box as specified.
2. The combination with the suds-box and the cover making a steam-tight joint
therewith, of the turn-table attached to the cover the shaft journaled thereupon the
lugs rising from said turn-table, the lover handle pivoted on said shaft, the transverse
bars secured to said lever above its pivotal point, the plunger rods and the plungers,
substantially as specified.
3. The combination, with the suds-box and the lid, of the turn-table comprising
the upper plate and the lower plate secured together by bolts the lever mounted
on the turn-table, and the plungers connected to the lever as set forth.
4. In a washing machine, a suds-box having the door a. provided with a circular
opening having the beveled recess, the turn table B comprising the outer plate b
having the beveled edge to rest in the recess and the inner plate connected to
.the outer plate by pins and bolts and engaging under the lid or cover a around the
opening therein and the plunger and operating connections mounted on the turn table
as set forth.
13
ז ןו.
351 1
ca
1000
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.
Agent for the Applicant,