IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING OR WASHING CLOTHES, AND IN THE MACHINES USED THEREFOR
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Krutzsch, of Number 5, Philpot Street,
Commercial Road, London, E., Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING OR WASHING CLOTHES, AND IN THE MACHINES
USED THEREFOR."-A communication from abroad by Oscar Schimmel,
of the Town of Chemnitz Saxony Engineer
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Krutzsch, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 22nd February 1868, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KRUTZSCH, of Number 5, Philpot Street, Commercial Road, London, E.,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CLEANING OR WASHING CLOTHES, AND IN THE MACHINES USED THEREFOR," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from
abroad by Oscar Schimmel, of the Town of Chemnitz, Saxony, Engineer.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Krutzsch, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and
by the following statement and accompanying Three Sheets of Drawings
which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of enabling the said
Invention to be more readily understood:-
Figures 1 to 7 shew different views of the arrangement of apparatus
which I adopt in accordance with the first portion of the said Invention
which relates to the washing of clothes; such apparatus may be worked
either by motive or hand power.
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a washing machine in accordance
with the said Invention, taken along one face of the framing, and
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same machine taken along the
opposite face of the framing thereof.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section shewing more particularly the
internal construction of the machine, the disposition and action of the
several working parts, and the general arrangement of the whole.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line A, B, (Figure 2) passing
through the centre of the machine; Figure 5 is a detached view, being
a vertical section taken on the line C, D, (Figure 3).
The several Figures in Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying three
Sheets of Drawings, illustrate machines according to this Invention
adapted for being worked by either motive or hand power, and which I
construct as follows:-
The two main side frames or standards A, A', of the machine are
connected to each other by studs or tie bolts; the lower main portion
of the framing A, A', is provided, as shown, with flanges, projections,
or ribs b, to which is secured the bottom C of the washing vessel, formed
by preference of wood. On the transverse axis d, at the top of the
framing of the machine, two washing "hammers," "beaters," or
"swillers" B, B', are suspended; the lower part B2, B3, of the said beaters
is formed by preference of wood, and is ridged or corrugated as shown.
The two washing hammers or beaters reach the bottom of the washing
vessel within a space of about 1 inches, the said space being filled up
or occupied by the tongue pieces or fillets e projecting from the under
surface of the lower part of the "beaters or "hammers," and which
"

page_text: take into or work in corresponding indentations f formed in the
bottom C of the washing vessel, which is divided into two chambers
or compartments, in which work the "hammers," "beaters," or
swillers, to which motion is given, and they are caused to work by
the action of two cranks D, D', the pins of which work in sliding
blocks D, D, which by the action of the cranks when put in motion.
are each caused to play or move up and down in a slot formed in the
stem of the lower portion of the "hammers," "beaters," or "swillers,"
which are caused to move back and forth in the channels formed in the
bottom of the washing vessel through an arc of a circle equal to the
throw of the cranks, which are so set that the working points thereof
strike four times separately in every revolution so as to equalize the con-
sumption of power. The two washing chambers are provided cach
with a lid g, g', through which the clothes, having been previously
soaked, are introduced into the machine, as also soap water or suds. In
the interior of each chamber is an inclined board h, h', provided at the
lower end with an elastic flap piece i, , formed of india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material, so as to prevent the clothes from slipping into
and getting entangled amongst the cranks and upper portion of the
"hammers" or "beaters," and also to confine the froth and suds.
Thus if any of the clothes or articles being washed fall on to the flap i, i,
they would be caused to slide down on to the bottom of the washing
chamber so as to be operated upon by the lower part B2, B³, of the
"hammers," "beaters," or "swillers," which act as pistons travelling in
the path of an arc of a circle, the amount of travel being represented by
the dotted lines in Figure 3, which shows the position of the "hammers"
or "beaters" when at the end of their stroke. ,, is the pipe
pierced with small apertures, through which the warm water flows in
a finely divided state into the washing chambers containing the clothes
or articles to be washed. At the bottom of the washing machine is an
outlet provided with a plug to allow of the discharge of the suds when
required. m, m', (Figure 1) are doors which when opened allow of the
removal of the washed clothes; the door to the left-hand side of the
elevational view, Figure 1, is shewn as being opened, and that to
the right-hand is shown as closed. (Figure 1) is an indicator and
alarum arrangement of apparatus which, when required, may be fitted to
washing machines, according to this Invention, which in accordance
with the arrangement illustrated by the Figures in Sheet 1) are so con-

page_text: structed that a given number of revolutions of the machine indicated
on the dial and announced by the alarum show that a certain weight or
amount of clothes have been washed sufficiently and are ready to
undergo treatment according to the second part of this Invention which
relates to the rinsing of clothes.
Figures 6 and 7, Sheet 2, illustrate a modification of washing machines
according to this Invention adapted for the smaller kinds of such
machines when intended to be 'worked by hand power.
It will be seen
from the said illustrations that though the form of the lower portion
of the "hammers," "beaters," or "swillers" is retained, as is also the
same radial reciprocating traverse thereof within the washing vessel,
the arrangement of cranks and other actuating and power-increasing
parts shown in the several Figures of Sheet 1 are not adopted, and the
omission of the said parts renders also unnecessary other internal fittings
of the machines illustrated in Sheet 1.
Figures 8 and 9, Sheet 3, illustrate the machine for carrying out the
second portion of the said Invention which relates to the rinsing of the
clothes which have previously been operated upon in the washing
machine.
For the purpose of carrying out the said second portion of this Invention
I construct a vessel made of wood or other suitable material of a circular
or oval shape, so as to allow of the free and rapid circulation within it
of currents of water. Figure 8 is a plan view of such a machine, and
Figure 9 is a section thereof taken in the direction of the red line 1, 2,
in Figure 8. In the centre of the vessel I place a partial divisional
piece o rounded at each end, as shown, leaving a clear space between
each of such ends and the interior of the vessel. Working in bearings
formed respectively in the partial diaphragm or divisional piece o and
one of the sides of the rinsing vessel is a shaft p carrying vanes, bent
arms, or blades q, so that upon the shaft p being driven either by hand
or motive power it is caused to revolve, and with it the blades mounted
on it, so as to act upon the water contained in the vessel as an impelling
fan, and thus cause the water to be circulated freely and forced amongst
the clothes immersed for the purpose of being rinsed free from the
soap suds which remain in them on being removed from the washing
machine. The rinsing vessel may be charged with water either through
the pipe 7, or in any other convenient way. At one end of the rinsing

page_text: vessel a sluice valve arrangement & is provided which serves as an over-
flow to regulate the height of the water in the rinsing vessel, and also
for draining or drawing off the water therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Krutzsch, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM KRUTZSCH. (L.S.)
Witness,
HERMAN KRUTZSCH,
5, Philpot Street,
Commercial Road,
London, E.