IMPROVEMENTS IN: MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lamb Hancock, of Pentonville, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN:
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING."
Sealed the 15th December 1857, and dated the 25th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lamb Hancock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th June 1857.
I, JAMES LAMB HANCOCK, of Pentonville, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING," to be as
follows:-
My improvements relate to a novel arrangement or combination of parts
forming a machine to be used for washing and cleansing purposes. An end-
less band or cloth, of linen or other suitable flexible material, is supported
upon and so as to be distended by a pair of rollers enclosed in a close
chamber, and one of which rollers is immersed in suds or other wash liquor.
To this band or cloth is affixed by loops,. pins, sewing, or in other suitable
manner, one end of the clothes or other things to be washed, leaving the
other end loose. When the rollers are set in motion, the band or cloth takes
round with it the articles affixed thereto, causing them to be alternately
immersed in and carried through the wash liquids, and then withdrawn there-

page_text: from; a pressure roller acting with the upper of the supporting rollers,
causes a squeezing or pressing out of the principal part of the wash liquor
after each immersion. Sinall articles, such as ladies' caps, &c., can be placed
in net or other open bags to be similarly operated upon. Steam is admitted
to the close chamber to keep the wash water in a boiling state, but othe
heating means may be applied. A door or other opening is provided to
facilitate access to the chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Lamb Hancock in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LAMB HANCOCK, of Pentonville, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Lamb Hancock, Her special licence that I, the said James Lamb
Hancock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Lamb Hancock, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Lamb Hancock, 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 mouths next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Lamb Hancock, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof; that is to say:―

page_text: forward by the rotation of the roller d. There is also applied a series of
rollers which are caused to rotate simply by surface contact with the
roller d, or the articles thereon, and it is the weight of these rollers f, acting
upon the articles to be cleaned as they are alternately withdrawn from or
moved in the wash liquid, and then again immersed (or shifted) therein, that
facilitates the washing or cleansing desired. The axis of the roller d rotates
in suitable bearings, and has affixed upon it the winch handle g, by which
motion is given thereto. The dotted colored lines represent the height of
the wash liquor.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 show respectively a transverse section, a side view,
and an end section of a modification of the above. But as the parts differ
but slightly from those already described, I have not thought it necessary
separately to describe them, but have applied the same letters of reference to
indicate corresponding parts. In this case, for convenience of working, the
crank handle g is applied to a separate axis g¹, upon which is affixed the
toothed wheel g³, which takes into and drives the toothed wheel h, affixed
upon the axis of the roller d.
Figures 7 and 8 shew another modification, in which the endless band ís
omitted, and the cords or bands or other connections e for the fabrics to be
washed or cleansed are affixed to the surface of the cylinder d, in such
manner as to be carried round therewith. But it will be seen that in each
case, that when the rollers are set in motion the fabrics will be taken round
with the rollers, so as to be alternately immersed in and carried through the
wash liquids, and then withdrawn therefrom, or they will have their position
in the wash liquor changed, and that a pressure roller or pressure rollers act
with a supporting roller to cause a squeezing or pressing out of the principal
part of the wash liquor, after each immersion or change of position in the
wash liquor.
I would have it understood that a distinguishing feature of my improve-
ments consists in only so securing the articles to the band or other surface
as to insure their being carried forwards by it, whilst the remaining parts
are free to change their relative position during the washing process. Small
articles, such as ladies' caps, &c., I sometimes place in net or other open
bags to be similarly operated upon. In some cases the rollers may be entirely
immersed in the wash liquors, and in each case the liquid in the chamber may
be kept at the required degree of heat by means of steam or hot water
passed through the pipes i, or in other convenient manner.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means
1 am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-

page_text: stood, that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and described,
so long as cylinders or rolling surfaces (and parts acting therewith) are so
arranged as to have attached to them by a simple attachment the cloths or
articles to be washed, and thereby loosely carry them alternately into, and so
as that they may be immersed by the wash liquids, and then drawn out there-
from successively, or that the articles may be shifted from one part of the
wash liquor to another, and so that the fabrics thus treated, after each immer-
sion or change of position in the wash liquors, may be subjected to the action
of revolving pressing surfaces, in manner substantially as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lamb Hancock, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES LAMB HANCOCK. (L.S.)
WILLIAM BROOKES, Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane, London.