Improvements in and relating to Rotary Washing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Washing Machines.
I, ALEXANDER DOUGLAS DUNN of the Argyle Laundry Works, Spring Vale, West
Kensington Park, London, W., Laundryman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The machine according to my invention is of the usual circular type of rotary
washers, and consists of a fixed outer shell or casing within which revolves a cage for
containing the articles to be cleansed.
The outer shell or casing which may be formed of mild steel, cast or wrought iron or
other suitable metal, is provided with a door having a gaskin or rubber insertion to
serve as a packing and ensure a tight joint under pressure of steam. A safety valve
disposed in the roof or dome of the outer casing may be set to blow off at any desired
pressure of steam.
The end plates are provided with bosses, journalled out to form bearings for the
spindle or axle of the inner revolving cage. Said bosses are bored to form stuffing.
boxes, and are fitted with glands and studs to ensure their being perfectly steam and
water tight. The bottom of said outer casing is also provided with cocks or valves for
the admission of steam and discharge of the dirty water. The inlet for the clean
water is disposed in the roof of the outer casing.
The inner revolving cage, I prefer to make cylindrical of wild steel, cast or wrought
iron or other suitable metal, to which the ends are secured by any convenient means.
Centrally within the cage, is disposed, horizontally, a diaphragmn to form two separate
compartments or chambers, each of which is provided with an opening having pre-
ferably two doors moving in suitable guides adapted to the exterior of the cage. These
doors, which are provided with suitable catches or equivalent fastenings, are so formed,
that when closed, the shall drop into the openings in the cage, thus ensuring a perfectly
flush surface both interiorily and exteriorily. The object of the flush surface in the
interior of the cage is, that inasmuch as there are no recesses into which the articles
being washed would fall, as is the case in machines at present in use-the liability to
damage or undue wear and tear is entirely obviated. Beneath the sliding doors above
described; I prefer to employ a hinged flap to serve as a guard against the falling of
the articles between the outer casing and the cage during the loading and unloading
of the latter. I may also mount the doors upon hinges in such a manner as to open
outwards to form a shute to facilitate the loading or unloading of the cage.
Upon the interior walls of the cage, and upon both sides of the diaphragm are
arranged horizontally a number of half round strips of wood at convenient distances
apart, and secured thereto from the exterior by screws or equivalent means.
Similar
strips are also adapted to the inner faces of the ends, either radiating from the centre
or arranged in any other convenient manner; and, in order to allow of the free cir-
culation of water or other washing fluid, the diaphragm, walls and ends of the cage
are perforated with a number of holes or slots in the channels formed between the
several strips of wood aforesaid.
It will be observed that the water from the inlet pipe will enter the cage by way
of
the perforations in a number of fiue streams, which, in conjunction with the rubbing
imparted to the articles when coming into contact with the strips of wood during the
rotation of the cage, will ensure thorough cleansing without the slightest risk of
damage to the most delicate fabrics.
The ends of the cage are made preferably in two halves, and provided with, centre
bosses to clip on to the axle or spindle to which it is keyed.
In order to prevent waste by the discharge of the partly exhausted liquor from the

page_text: machine, in or to replace it with clean water, I may employ a second machine, and
join the two together by means of a pipe adapted to the base of the machines, and
provided with a stop cock, through which pipe the liquor may be forced by pressure
of steam from one machine to another.
Dated this 14th day of September 1889.
EDGAR GEORGE,
27, Bow Lane, Cannon Street, E.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rotary Washing Machines.
I ALEXANDER DOUGLAS DUNN of the Argyle Laundry Works Spring Vale West
Kensington Park London W. Laundryman do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to that class of washing machines which consist of a fixed
outer shell or casing within which is mounted a rotatory vessel divided by means of a
longitudinal diaphragm into two chambers or compartments into which the articles to
be cleansed are placed. In each of the said chambers or compartments is an opening
provided with doors or shutters arranged so as to be capable of being slidden on the
outer side of the said vessel so as to cover or uncover the said openings which doors
or shutters have heretofore been arranged so that when the openings in the rotatory
vessel are closed by them the inner faces of the said doors and the sides of the said
openings form recesses into which the articles being cleansed enter when the machine
is in action the consequence being that when the said doors are being opened portions
of the said articles are liable to be drawn between them and the adjacent parts of the
rotatory vessel whereby the said articles are frequently torn.
My said invention consists principally of the improvements hereinafter described in
the construction of the said rotatory vessel and in the arrangement of the doors
thereof in such a manner that the inner surfaces of the said doors are flush with the
inner surface of the said vessel the object of thus arranging the said doors being to
prevent damage from the cause hereinbefore stated being caused to the articles under
operation.
I will describe my said improvements with reference to the accompanying drawings
which illustrate the construction according to my invention of the rotatory vessel of a
washing machine of the kind herein before referred to.
Figure 1 of the said drawings is an elevation of a portion of the said rotatory vessel
and Figure 2 is a transverse section of a portion of the said vessel the section being
taken on the line A A Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates an alternative arrangement of
the doors of the said vessel and Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are details hereinafter
referred' to.
In the following description the several parts of the said figures are referred to by
the letters and figures marked thereon. The same letters and figures of reference
indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawings.
The general figure of the rotatory vessel illustrated in the said drawings is that of a
cylindrical drum divided by means of a longitudinal diaphragm a into two compart-
ments and secured to a shaft b passing through its axis the parts of which the said
drum is composed being two semi-cylindrical pieces of sheet metal c¹² and two
circular or disc shaped ends consisting preferably of cast metal each of which is
formed in two parts marked d¹ e¹ d² e². The said drum is built up as follows:-The
parts c d d constituting one half of the drum are secured together by means of
angle iron fi f and the parts c² el e² constituting the other half of the drum are
likewise secured together by means of angle'iron 'gg. The two halves' thus formed
are connected together with the two portions of the diaphragm a between them by
means of strips of angle iron k k² and by screws or 'bolts passed through
flanges d³ ed e* on the end portions d¹ e¹ d² e². The drum thus formed is keyed or

page_text: otherwise secured to the shaft b which may be placed in position before the two halves
of the drum are connected. hh (see Figures 1 and 2) are the doors closing one of
the openings in the drum. The said doors are provided with handles * * and have
flanges h¹¹ formed at their upper and lower edges which flanges rest on the outer
face of the part of the drum and are confined by bars ii secured to other bars jj
which are secured to the said part c¹ of the drum. The said doors h h are when
necessary fastened in place over the opening in the drum by means of lever catches h²²
the acting portions of which engage under the bars ii as shown in Figure 2 and in
Figure 4 which is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2. By reference to the
said Figures 2 and 4 it will be seen that the thickness of the doors h h below their
flanges is such that the inner faces of the said doors are flush with the inner face
of the part of the drum when secured over the opening therein. When it is
wished to uncover the opening in the drum the catches h² are turned clear of
the bars ii and the doors are raised clear of the said opening and placed partly
over the sides thereof so that the flanges ¹ rest on the inner ends of the bars jj.
The further opening of the doors in order to fully uncover the opening in the
drum may then be effected by sliding the said doors along the said bars towards
the end portions d¹ d² of the drum. Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings is
an enlarged view of a portion of the door hand of a portion of the drum adjacent
thereto showing the catch 2 unfastened and the door in the position which it
occupies when slidden clear of the opening and supported by the bars j j. Instead
of arranging the doors h h so that they require to be raised and slidden from over
the openings in the drum in order to uncover the said openings, I in some cases
joint or hinge the said doors to the cylindrical part of the drum. This modification
is illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings which figure is a sectional
view of one of the said doors and of portions of the drum adjacent to the opening
to which the door is applied. Referring to the said Figure 3-9 is the hinge by
which the door is jointed to the part e¹ and is a staple affixed to the said
part c¹ with which staple the catch is engaged when it is required to secure
the said door h.
The parts of the drum hereinbefore described may be of mild steel or cast or
wrought iron or other suitable metal.
For the purposes of preventing contact of the articles being cleansed with the
metal of the drum and producing a rubbing action on the said articles when the
machine is in action I line the interior of the said drum with strips of pitch pine
or other suitable wood rounded on their exposed faces.
In Figure 2 of the drawings the said strips of wood are shown those applied
to the parts c¹ c² being marked p p those applied to the diaphragm a being
marked and those applied to that one of the end portions of the drum which
is partly shown in the said Figure being marked m m n n.
In applying the said
strips of wood to the parts c¹² and a I prefer to arrange them longitudinally as
shown in the said Figure 2 and in applying the said strips to the parts d¹ d² e¹ e
I either arrange them transversely as shown at m m or radially as shown at n n.
For the purpose of permitting free passage of water to the drum from the outer
casing and vice versa and from one compartment of the drum to the other
compartment I form holes in the parts a c¹ c² d¹ d² e¹ e and in the doors h h.
The said holes are not shown in Figures 1 and 2 but are shown in Figures 6
and 7 which are enlarged views of a portion of the drum the said Figure 6 being
a face view of the inner side of a portion of the drum and the said Figure 7 being
a section of the same showing the method of securing the said strips of wood in
place. Referring to the said figures pl p' are screws passed into the strips of
wood p p through holes in the part c¹ and oo are the holes formed in the said
part cand in the strips of wood p p to admit of the passage of water to and
from the drum. I prefer to use zinc or brass screws for securing the strips of
wood pp in place.
Although in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings I have not shown a lining
of wood on the inner sides of the doors h h I would observe that if desired such

page_text: a lining may be applied to the said doors provided the bars iijj be of sufficient
height to admit of the said doors being lifted high enough to cause the lining
thereof to clear the outer face of the cylindrical part of the drum when the said
doors are required to be removed from the opening in the said part. I would also
observe that when the said doors are not provided with a lining of wood the edges
of the strips of wood affixed to the parts of the drum adjacent to the openings
should be rounded or bevilled in order to avoid risk of injury to the articles
under operation in the drum. The application of a lining of wood to the innerside
of one of the doors is illustrated in connection with the hinged door Figure 3 the
bars of wood constituting the said lining being marked ss in the said figure.
In some cases instead of arranging the strips of wood close together as illustrated
in Figures 6 and 7 I arrange them at some distance apart as illustrated in Figure 8.
In such cases I prefer to form the holes for inlet and outlet of water between the
said strips as illustrated in the said Figure 8.
In order to facilitate the use of machines of the kind to which my invention
relates I in some cases connect two such machines by means of a pipe provided
with a stop cock and communicating with the interior of the outer casing of each
machine at the lower part thereof so that when fresh liquor is required in one of
the machines the liquor contained in it may be forced from it into the other of
the said machines by steam pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention:-
First Forming and arranging the doors of the rotating vessels of rotatory
washing machines substantially as herein before described that is to say forming
and arranging the said doors so that when closed their inner faces will be flush
with the inner face of the shell of the rotating vessel to which they are applied.
Secondly-Forming and mounting the doors of the rotating vessels of rotatory
washing machines substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly-Forming and mounting the doors of the rotating vessels of rotatory
washing machines substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3
of the accompanying drawings.
FourthlyLining the interior of the rotating vessels of rotatory washing
machines with wood substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated the 16th day of July 1890.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.