IMPROVE- MENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Robson, of 15, Critchill Place, Hoxton, in
the County of Middlesex, Warehouseman, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WASHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 22nd January 1858, and dated the 15th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Robson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th September 1857.
I, THOMAS ROBSON, of 15, Critchill Place, Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in washing machines relates to an appa-
ratus consisting of a cylindrical chamber or vessel mounted on a concentric
axis, on which it rotates. The interior of this vessel is divided by four or other
number of radial partitions parallel with the axis, dividing the interior into
compartments. The periphery as also the sides or ends and partitions of this
apparatus are studded with perforations, through which the water passes
freely. Instead of perforations, open spaces or latticework may be substituted
for the perforated surfaces.
The periphery is formed of corrugated' metal or other material suitable to
form undulating interior surface, having the corrugations parallel to the axis.
The one end of the cylinder is made with hinged doors, which can be
opened for the introduction or removal of the articles operated upon. This
cylinder is fitted in bearings in a vessel suitable to contain the water in which
the cylinder is partially immersed and in which it rotates to effect the washing.

page_text: The one side of the water-containing vessel has a door descending as low as the
axis of the cylinder; by opening this door, the doors of the cylinder may be
exposed, and the materials put in or withdrawn from the washing machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Robson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBSON, of 15, Critchill Place, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, Ware-
houseman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, 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 Thomas Robson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Robson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Robson, 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
WASHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Robson, 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 Thomas Robson, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
T
My Invention of improvements in washing machines relates to an appa-
ratus consisting of a cylindrical chamber or vessel mounted on a concentric
axis, on which it rotates. The interior of this vessel is divided by three, four,
or other number of radial partitions parallel with the axis, dividing the

page_text: interior into compartments. The periphery, as also the partitions of this appa
ratus, are studded with perforations, through which the water passes freely:
Instead of perforations, open spaces or latticework may be substituted for the
perforated surfaces. The periphery is formed of corrugated metal or other
material suitable to form an undulating interior surface, having the corru-
gations parallel to the axis. The one end of this cylinder is made with
hinged doors, which can be opened for the introduction or removal of the
articles operated upon. This cylinder is fitted in bearings in a vessel suitable
to contain the water, in which the cylinder is partially immersed, and in which
it rotates to effect the act of washing. The one side of the water-containing
vessel has a door descending as low as the axis of the cylinder; by opening
this door, the doors of the cylinder may be exposed and opened, and the
materials put in or withdrawn from the washing machine. In small
machines the upper half of the case may be removed altogether to obtain:
access to the revolving drum or machine.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a small portable washing machine
constructed according to my Invention. This Figure represents the upper
part of the outer case removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section; and
Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section of the same machine; while Figs. 4 and 5.
represent side and end views of the revolving drum removed from its case.
a, a, are two side frames supporting the axis 6 of the revolving drum C, C,
which is placed within an outer case D, D', the lower half D¹ of which
is water-tight, and is fixed and forms part of the framework. This is
also the vessel containing the water and other detergent matters. The frame
of the drum may be of wood, that is, the boss e and arms f,f, as also the rims
g, to which the periphery of the drum is attached; or the rims, arms, and
bosses may be of iron if suitably galvanized to prevent oxidation of the metal,
or they may be of other suitable metal; in either case they are fixed. to the
axis b. h, h, are cross ties, which with the arms f.f, form a frame to support
the partitions i, i, of the drum, which I prefer to form of perforated metal.
galvanized and corrugated, having the corrugations running across the breadth
of the drum, as seen in the Figures. This drum is closed at the end by a
fixed disc of wood m, while the opposite end is moveable in two halves n, n,
which parts are removed for the purpose of introducing or removing the
articles into or from the drum. The moveable parts n, n, are. fixed and:
secured in position by thumb nuts p, p.
To operate small machines I simply place a winch handle q on axis b, byi

page_text: which the drum is caused to revolve at a suitable rate. In washing, the
clothes or other articles to be cleansed are simply placed within the four com-
partments of the drum, taking care to distribute them uniformly, that is to
say, as much in one compartment as in another, so as to balance the drum
and insure its easy and smooth rotation. The compartments must not be filled
more than one-quarter or one-third full, as the operation of washing in this
machine depends principally on the clothes under operation having liberty of
motion in the compartments of the drum C.
The operation of washing is as follows:-Soap suds or water and soap are
placed in the vessel D up to the height represented in the section, Fig. 2.
The clothes or other articles to be washed are then placed in the several com-
partments, and the ends n, n, fixed in position by the thumb nuts p, p, and
the upper half of the cover placed so as to enclose the whole and prevent
splashing. The drum C, C, is now caused to rotate by the bandle q, but not
at too great a velocity; the object being not only to immerse the clothes in the
water and remove them therefrom alternately, but also to allow the clothes as
they arrive at the upper part of their revolution to fall from the partition by
which they were raised on to that partition immediately in advance. The
repeated immersion, accompanied by the repeated falling of the clothes from
the one partition on to another, has the effect of removing dirt and thoroughly
cleansing the clothes or other articles or materials so operated on. A tap is
placed near the lower part of D¹, to draw off the dirty water when requisite,
or for changing it if required. Instead of plain perforated partitions i, i, i, I
sometimes use perforated partitions of corrugated metal similar to the peri-
phery, the corrugations being placed parallel to the axis, have the effect of
preventing in some degree the clothes sliding towards the centre of the drum
when they arrive near the highest point of their revolution, and just before
they fall from the one partition on to the other.
The perforated periphery permits the water contained in D¹ to enter and
escape freely from the drum C; the water entering is partially carried up by
the corrugations of the periphery, and is distributed in the compartments
amongst the clothes, which greatly facilitates the operation of washing. The
corrugations may be formed otherwise than is represented in the Drawings, so
long as such undulating surfaces have the effect of lifting the water by the
rotation of the drum. The clothes having been subjected to the action of the
drum a sufficient length of time to be cleansed, are removed, and dried and
finished in the ordinary manner.
Fig. 6 is a view of this washing drum on a larger scale, and Fig. 7 an end
view of the same with the lower vessel D¹ in section. In its general prin-

page_text: ciples this machine is the same as that herein-before described, the details
merely differing somewhat. In this case the end of the compartments of the
drum open by four doors n', n¹, n', n', hinged in the line of the partitions, as
represented in Fig. 7. The arcs of these doors are furnished with suitable
stops r, & button fastenings 8, 8, or bolts, to secure them when closed.
Instead of removing the upper case in this large machine, I form doors in the
front, and hinge them as represented dotted in Fig. 7. Thus access is readily
obtained to the interior of the drum, no matter how large or how heavy the parts
may be. This machine is also represented as driven by toothed gear, having
a spur wheel t fixed on the axis b, gearing into a pinion u, mounted on a stud
fixed to the framework, motion being communicated by a winch handle to the
pinion causes the drum to rotate. Instead of driving by hand power, steam
or any suitable motive power may be applied for the purpose. Instead of four
partitions being used, as represented in the Drawings, three may be em-
ployed, or the drum may be divided into a greater number of compartments,
depending in some measure on the diameter and requirements of the drum.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of perform-
ing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a rotating drum divided
internally into three, four, or other greater number of compartments, having a
corrugated or ribbed circumference or periphery for lifting the water applied
for washing purposes, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
THOMAS ROBSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.