AN IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Shanks, Engineer, No. 6, Robert Street,
Adelphi, Westminster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WASHING
MACHINE."
Sealed the 30th August 1861, and dated the 8th April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Shanks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th April 1861.
I, ANDREW SHANKS, Engineer, No. 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, West-
minster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
WASHING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
My improvement consists in mounting a barrel on a frame like a piece of
ordinance, being supported on trunnions or pivots so as to revolve or swing at
pleasure. Projecting pieces are placed internally for the purpose of turning
over and mixing, the articles being washed with the soap suds during its
revolutions. When much heat is wanted, I introduce steam at the trunnion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Shanks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
SHANKS, Engineer, No. 6, Robert Street, Adelphi, Westminster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year, of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Andrew Shanks, Her special licence that I, the said Andrew Shanks,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Andrew Shanks, my executors, administrators, and 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. "AN IMPROVED
WASHING MACHINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Andrew Shanks, 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 Andrew Shanks, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reférence being had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say:―
My Invention is as follows:-I use a cask or other shaped vessel suspended
and revolving on trunnions or gudgeons, in which the water, soap, and clothes
are placed, one of the ends of the cask being removeable for the purpose of
introducing the articles operated upon. I recommend that at least two-thirds
of the contents of the cask be left 'void, so that the clothes may be made to
toss and tumble about along with the soap and water. If very hot water is
necessary to be employed, I introduce steam by a hole in the centres of the
trunnions, having the usual stuffing-box.

page_text: EXPLANATION.
(The same letters refer to the same parts in all the Figs.) A is the cask
swinging on the trunnions or gudgeons C, C; B, B, the standards supporting
the barrel; F is the frame on which the whole is supported; D is the internal
frame in which the gudgeons and also the bandles H, II, are inserted, and
which serves also for the purpose of obstructing the clothes in their fall, and
at the samo time causes them to turn over and change their position cach
time during the operation; r, r, r, the rope for lacing the removeable end of
the barrel or cask; L, the lid of the cask.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the several parts or
elements of the machinery or apparatus herein-before described or referred to
when taken separately or otherwise than when in combined and acting in
mauner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Shanks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
ANDREW SHANKS. (L.S.)