IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Donald of Glasgow in the County of Lanark
North Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Donald at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th October 1883.
JAMES DONALD of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES."
This Invention which relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
washing clothes, fabrics tissues or fibres is applicable to hand and also to power
driven washing machines.
The washing machine as constructed in accordance with this Invention consists
of a box of rectangular, circular, oval or other shape in plan and whose sides may
be parallel to each other two and two or inclined at an angle or the box may
constitute a hemisphere or other part of a sphere. The box is open below and
closed at the top and its interior may either be plain, undulated, corrugated, or
fluted in any suitable direction and in the latter cases the undulations, corrugations,
or flutes may be made in the material of which the sides and if desired also the top
of the box is composed or such undulations, corrugations, or flutes may be made in
sheet metal, sheet india-rubber, or other equivalent material and secured to the
interior of the box after it is made or built up or in the act of making it.
In washing machines to be operated by hand a handle or handles is or are made
on the closed top of the box or such handle or handles may be made on or secured
to a side or sides or a hand strap may be substituted for the handle or handles.
Underneath the open part of the box a tray or utensil is used. This tray or utensil
consists of a flat surface at the centre of which a concave or dished portion is made
the concavity or dish being downwards The interior surface of the concave or
dished part may also be plain undulated, corrugated, or fluted the flutes or
Corrugations when such are used being produced as hereinbefore referred to and
besides being so corrugated or fluted the concave or dished part may have holes or
interstices formed through it for the passage of water

page_text: The tray or utensil may be made or removably placed in the bottom of an
ordinary wash tub or it may be supported on feet and be capable of adjustment to
any desired height in the tub.
In washing with a hand machine the material to be washed after being soaped is
placed in the box by turning its open part upwards or the said material may be
placed in the dished or concave part of the tray or utensil. The box is then turned
with its open part downwards and so that its edges bear on the flat surface of the
tray or utensil and by the handles on it, it is operated over the said utensil or tray
with a reciprocating motion or with a circular or with an eccentric circular motion
or with a compound reciprocating and eccentric circular motion by which means it
is found that a very effective and speedy cleansing action is produced on the
materials being operated upon.
To provide an additional cleaning surface for parts of materials which may be
more soiled than other parts a rubber may be made on or attached to the side or
top of the box which rubber may consist of a fluted, grooved, corrugated, or flat
surface of metal, wood, vulcanized india rubber, or equivalent substances and to the
action of which the said more soiled parts are after being soaped and with or
without the presence of water subjected before the material is placed in the box or
in lieu of providing a special rubber the said soiled parts may be rubbed with the
edge side or top of the box merely.
Under another arrangement reciprocating or eccentric circular motion may be
given to the tray or utensil instead of to the box or such movements may be
communicated both to the box and to the tray or utensil in which latter case the
motion imparted to the tray or utensil is preferably a motion at right angles to
that imparted to the box.
In machines actuated by power the box or the tray or utensil or both box and tray
or utensil is or are so connected by cams, eccentrics cranks, gearing or equivalent
mechanism to the prime mover as to have the motions hereinbefore described
imparted to it or them and in machines of a size in which it would be inconvenient
to lift or remove the box every time it is desired to insert and withdraw materials
a door may be made in the top or in one or more of the sides of the box for that
purpose.
Under another construction of the box the top may be made separate from the
sides and arranged so as to slide within or without the sides in order that the
capacity of the box may be varied at pleasure and pinching screws or their
equivalents may be provided. to secure the parts together.
The rubbing surfaces of the box and of the tray or utensil instead of being
horizontal may be situated vertically or inclined at any desired angle to a vertical
or horizontal plane.
When the rubbing surfaces are horizontal or inclined in lieu of employing a tub
in conjunction with the apparatus a receptacle may be placed under and removably
secured to the tray or utensil the water placed in the said receptacle rising into the
dished part of the tray through the holes or interstices. From the said receptacle
the water may be run off at pleasure through a tap or the receptacle may be
removed from the tray for that purpose.
When the rubbing surfaces are placed vertically the box may be made with one
or more buckets at its periphery which as the box is rotated scoop or lift up water
from a tub or receptacle underneath and discharge it on the clothes at the interior
of the apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance, of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Donald in the Patent Office on the 5th April 1884.
JAMES DONALD of Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
My said Invention which relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus
for washing clothes, fabrics, tissues or fibres is applicable to hand and also to
power driven washing machines.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I have
hereunto appended a sheet of drawings illustrative of the Invention and with
reference to which I now proceed more particularly to describe the several systems
or modes in or under which it is or may be used or carried out in practice, that
is to say,
The washing machine as constructed in accordance with one modification of my
said Invention consists as seen at figures 1, 2, and 3 of a rectangular box whose
a,
sides are or may be parallel to each other as shewn, or inclined at an angle
pyramid wise the open bottom a¹, being the base. The box is closed at the top
and its interior surface may either be plain as shewn, or undulated, corrugated, or
fluted, the undulations, corrugations or flutes being arranged in any suitable
direction and made either in the material of which the sides and if desired also the
top of the box is composed or they may be made in sheet metal, sheet india rubber
A
or other equivalent material and secured to the interior surface of the box.
handle b, is made preferably on the closed top of the box or two or more such handles
may be so made and underneath the open part a¹, a vessel, tray, or utensil is used
which utensil consists of a flat surface c, at the centre of which a concave or dished
portion c, is made. The interior surface of the said portion c¹, is or may also be
plain, undulated, corrugated, or fluted as above described with reference to the
box a, and besides being so formed the said concave or dished portion may have
holes formed through it for the passage of water.
The tray or utensil c, may be made in or removably placed in the bottom of an
ordinary wash tub or it may be supported on feet and be capable of adjustment to
any desired height in the tub as hereinafter more particularly referred to
In washing with the said apparatus the materials to be washed after being
soaped are placed in the box a, by turning its open part upwards or the said
materials may be placed in the dished or concave part c¹, the box is then turned
with its open part downwards and by the handle b, the box is then operated over
the utensil with a reciprocating or to and fro motion or with a circular or
eccentric movement or with a compound to and fro and eccentric circular motion
by which means it is found that a very speedy and effective cleansing action is
produced on the materials being operated on.
In working it is found preferable to so fill the apparatus that the bottom of the
box a, does not touch the part c.
To provide an additional cleaning surface for parts of materials which
be
may
more soiled than other parts a rubber may be made on or attached to the side or
top of the box which rubber may consist of a fluted, grooved, corrugated or flat
projecting surface of metal, wood or vulcanized india rubber, or a brush or its
equivalent may be secured to the box and to the action of which the said more
soiled parts after being soaped and with or without the presence of water is
subjected or in lieu of providing a special rubber the said more soiled parts may be
rubbed with the edge, side, or top of the box merely.
Under another arrangement illustrated at figures 4, 5, and 6, of the drawings
the box a, and the dished or concave part cl, of the utensils o, in lieu of being
V

page_text: '
rectangular in plan as at figures 1, 2, and 3, are of circular form. With the said
arrangement the interior surface of the box a, and of the dished or concave part c¹,
may be plain as hereinbefore stated or they may be corrugated, fluted, or undulated
as shewn, or as illustrated in any of the modes at figures 7, 8, and 9, or in any
of the modes shewn at figures 10, and 11, it being understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular arrangement or form of corrugations, flutes, or
indentations.
.
Figures 12, 13, and 14, illustrate a modification of the arrangement shewn at
figures 4, 5, and 6, and in which the tray or utensil c, is dispensed with a second
box or basin d, being substituted therefor. Both boxes or basins under this
arrangement are preferably provided with straps d¹, for the hands though they
may be furnished with handles as shewn at b, figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8, and in
washing with them one basin or box is held in each hand with the open part
vertical, the basins or boxes being reciprocated or moved with a circular or
eccentric motion as herein before described.
As shewn at figures 5, 6, 8 and 9, the vessel or utensil c, may be provided with
bars, legs or feet e, on which to rest it on the bottom of the wash tub or otherwise
and in order to firmly secure it in the desired position in the tub the said bars are
or may be projected beyond the ends of the flat part of the utensil. Besides Bo
projecting they may as seen at figures 8, 9 and 9, have lengthening pieces g,
secured to their sides by pinching pins h, and nuts i, or their equivalents the said
pins passing through slots i, in the pieces g, Thus by slacking the nuts i, the
pieces g, may be extended to a greater or less distance beyond the ends of the
bars e, so as to fit any width of tub and retain the apparatus in position either in
the bottom or at any desired height or position in the tub.
As before stated the dished or cancave part c¹, of the vessel or utensil c, may be
made in the bottom itself of a wash tub. Under a modification it may as shewn
by figures 12, 13, 14ª, and 15, be also made in an ordinary wash board. Figures 16
and 17 shew a method of securing a wash board so constructed to the top of a wash
tub by means of a screw clamp 2, the position of which is capable of adjustment on
the bar e, by forming a slot in the bar in which a screwed pin passing through two
cheeks m, formed on the clamp so as to embrace the sides of the bar works a thumb
nut n, being formed or placed on the pin to secure the clamp in the position to
which it has been adjusted and another thumb screw and presser n', used to fix the
apparatus to the side of the tub, or any other suitable means may be employed to
retain the board in position it being understood that the said construction of clamp
constitutes no part of my said Invention.
As shewn at figure 16, a receptacle o, may be placed under and if desired
removably secured to the tray or utensil c, to contain water the water therein
rising through holes or openings into the dished or concave part cl, and a plug or
tap p, is or may also be provided to enable the water to be run off at pleasure.
This arrangement may also be used in conjunction with any of the other forms
of the apparatus hereinbefore described in which case a wash tub may be dispensed
with.
In machines actuated by power the box is so connected by eccentrics, cranks,
gearing or equivalent mechanism to the prime mover as to have the motions
herein before described imparted to it and in machines of a size in which it would
be inconvenient to remove the box every time it is desired to insert and withdraw
materials the box may be lifted by screw gear or equivalent mechanism.
Figures 18 and 19 of the drawings illustrate a washing machine actuated by
power constructed in accordance with my said Invention and in which the box A,
has secured to its upper part a frame B, working in guides C, in which it is capable
of moving vertically but is prevented from turning round therein by a feather or
key in the frame or guide working in a groove in the guide or frame or by
equivalent means. A screw D, passing through a bridge on the upper end of the
guides C, is tapped into the frame B, and the said screw has a hand wheel E, keyed
on its upper end so that by turning the band wheel the box A, is raised to enable

page_text: materials to be placed in the dish or concave part F, The box A, is carried by a
horizontal frame G, one arm of which is connected by a pin to a crank disc H,
secured on a vertical shaft carried in a bracket I, a bevel pinion J, being also fixed
on the shaft and geared with a wheel K, fixed on a horizontal shaft L, carried in
brackets M, On the said shaft L, a crank handle M¹, or a wheel is also fixed when
the machine is to be actuated by hand and a belt pulley or wheel is substituted
when power is to be employed.
The crank disc H, has a series of holes in it at varying distances from the centre
so as to enable the throw to be altered and the pin connecting the frame G, to the
disc may have a handle formed on or connected to it so as to enable the machine to
be actuated from that point if desired. The arm of the frame G, connecting to the
said pin has a slot or recess formed in it, into which the pin enters and in which it
is retained by a slide N, adjustable on the arm and formed with a projecting piece a,
as shewn, a pinching screw or its equivalent being employed to hold the slide in
position.
Through the other arms of the horizontal frame a shaft P, passes, the said shaft
being connected at each end by a pin to a crank disc Q, carried in a bracket R, the
position of the pins in these discs being also relatively adjustable as hereinbefore
stated. The ends of the shaft P, are carried or fixed in brackets b, which are
capable of swivelling on the pins in the crank discs Q.
When the crank disc H, is rotated the box A, through the intervention of the
apparatus described has an eccentric circular motion communicated to it whereby a
speedy and effective cleansing action is produced on the material being operated on.
The dished or concave part F, is shewn formed in the bottom of a tub or vessel S,
of rectangular shape in plan and which rests on a stand or frame but the said
dished part may be separate from the tub or vessel which may be circular or
of other forin in plan.
When the machine is not of such a size as to render it inconvenient the box A,
may, to insert and withdraw materials be turned up round the shaft P, in
which case the screw arrangement for raising and lowering the box may be
dispensed with.
As a modification of my said Invention the under dished or concave part may in
some cases be dispensed with and the upper box used in combination with a plain
flat under surface such for example as the bottom of a tub or in combination with
an ordinary washing board.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and systems or modes in or under which it is or may be used or carried
out in practice 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 hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,
The improved washing machines hereinbefore described consisting of a box
or vessel (having its interior surface plain, corrugated, fluted or undulated) in
combination with a board, tray, utensil, or tub having or not a concave or otherwise
dished part; the interior surface of the dish being either plain, corrugated, fluted,
or undulated substantially as set forth with reference to the several figures on the
sheet of drawings hereunto annexed.
In Witness Whereof, I, the said James Donald have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.
JAMES DONALD
(L.S.)