IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
....+
I JOHN HUNT of Baldwin Street, Bolton in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
MACHINES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates principally to improvements in washing machines for
which provisional protection was granted me, bearing date the 6th day of February
1884, Ñ° 2824, and for which also a Complete Specification and Drawings were
filed on the 1st day of November 1884, and consists in an arrangement whereby a
nore certain and efficient action is obtained in the washing machine therein
described.
The articles or clothes intended to be washed are placed in a cylindrical casing
or vessel, in which a small quantity of water is kept boiling or otherwise in a cavity
or chamber by means of steam, gas, or other suitable fire placed beneath the same.
This cavity is formed by placing a false bottom provided with sides in the bottom
end of the said casing or vessel. The clothes or other articles are laid on the false
bottom, over which is placed a perforated metallic cover, the latter being supported
on a funnel or pipe secured or otherwise to the false bottom. To facilitate boiling
and force stean through the clothes, also when washing flannel or other analogous
fabrics, the top end of the funnel is stopped by means of a movable plug.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation, I hereunto annex a sheet of explanatory drawings. Fig. 1 is a sectional
elevation of my improved washing machine with the said funnel and perforated
cover applied.
E is the cylindrical vessel or casing; F the cover provided with the handle G;
H the false bottom with the perforations J. The clothes or other articles are
placed on the false bottom H, over which is placed the metallic cover L, the latter
being supported on the funnel I, secured or otherwise to the false bottom H. When
the clothes or other articles are laid on the false bottom H, the steam or vapour, as
it is generated, is forced through the perforations J direct into and through them,
being washed without coming in contact with the water in the cavity K. When
the water in the cavity K commences to boil, the suds, or water impregnated with
soap or other alkaline solutions used in washing, rise up and through the funnel I
from whence they are distributed over the metallic perforated cover L, through
which they again descend through the clothes being washed and so on to the
cavity K,
.

page_text: When a fresh charge of clothes are placed in the space betwixt the false bottom H
and the cover L, the top end of the funnel I is stopped by inserting the plug M,
shewn in fig. 2, thus preventing the passage of steam or vapour, compelling it to
pass through the perforations into and through the clothes. After boiling commences
or when desired the plug M can be removed when the circulation before described
takes place.
When the clothes are washed the perforated cover L is removed from the top end
of the funnel I, when they can be removed without hindrance, and replaced with
others requiring washing, after which the perforated cover L is again placed in
position as in fig. 1.
In washing flannel or other analogous fabrics it is absolutely necessary they
should be free from the action of the suds, in which case the plug M is kept in the
funnel I during the whole process of washing..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
-
1. The use and construction of the funnel I and the perforated cover L, for the
purposes herein set forth and as shewn on the drawings.
2. The use of the plug. M for the purpose set forth.