IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Firth, of Oldham, for the Invention of
** IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Firth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th September 1875.
I, EDWIN FIRTH, of Oldham, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machines;
for this purpose I proceed as follows:-I make a wooden tub of any
suitable size and shape having a hole or orifice formed in the bottom
thereof, such hole or orifice being stopped by means of a wooden plug.
I then make two metal sockets of iron or other suitable metal, having'
on their outside a broad projecting flange, each such flange being cast
with a hole in its centre, to permit of its being screwed or otherwise

page_text: securely fastened to the rim of the tub. The base of each such metal
socket is also provided with two holes to admit of its being screwed or
otherwise fastened to the sides of the tub; these metal sockets I place
opposite each other. Just above the screws which secure the base of
such metal sockets to the inside of the tub are formed three other holes ;
in the centre one of such holes I place a corrugated roller of suitable
size and diameter, according to the dimensions of the tub, and on either
side of such corrugated roller I fix two small plain rollers. These three
_rollers revolve on metal spindles which are received in the holes formed,
as before described, for their reception in the base of the metal socket,
the two outer and smaller rollers being raised somewhat above the level
of the centre corrugated roller. Around these three rollers I pass a
piece of canvas of suitable grain and thickness which is stitched or other-
wise secured around them.
The use of this canvas stretcher I will presently explain. The top
of each metal socket is provided with a deep slot for the purpose of
receiving an iron spindle, such spindle passing through the centre of a
corrugated roller; the corrugations on which are of larger dimensions
than the one before described and the roller itself being about twice the
diameter of the corrugated roller beneath. One end of the spindle is
provided with a crank handle in order to allow of such upper corrugated
roller being turned round, and the other end projects about an inch
beyond the rim of the tub and is provided at its end with a knob or boss.
On each side of the outside of the tub, about half an inch from the
bottom, I place two small metal eyelets which screw in to the sides of
the tub. In each of these metal eyelets I insert one end of a stout coiled
or helical spring; such helical springs being each provided with a
wooden handle wherein there is a deep notch or slot. These notches
or slots receive the two projecting ends of the spindle of the topmost
corrugated roller and the knob or boss at one end prevents the wooden
handle of the helical spring working off the spindle when the machine
-is-in-use, whilst the crank handle at the other end of the spindle. has
-the-same effect in keeping the handle of the other helical spring in a
proper position at the same time that such helical springs themselves
serve to retain such topmost corrugated roller in its place.
When it is desired to use the machine it is only necessary to lay the
article to be washed over the linen or canvas stretcher, before described

page_text: (which serves to prevent the clothes being torn owing to the action of
the teeth of the two corrugatted rollers when they are put into motion),
drop the upper corrugated roller into the iron sockets, insert the ends
of the two helical springs in the metal eyelets at the sides of the tub,
and pass their handles over the projecting parts of the spindle when the
machine is at once ready for use. The hole formed in the bottom of the
tub is to permit of the escape of the dirty water which flows out imme-
diately the wooden plug is withdrawn from such orifice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Firth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
FIRTH, of Oldham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Firth, Her special
license that I, the said Edwin Firth, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Firth, 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 Edwin Firth, 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

page_text: six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Firth, 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 5
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
"
The object of this Invention is to economise time and lighten the
really hard labour which has hitherto been inseparable from washing,
-and-to combine together in my improved machine simplicity, usefulness,
and efficiency. By the use of it all wear and tear of the clothes may 10
be removed, at the same time that it is more portable and convenient
than those hitherto in use.
.
I will now with the aid of the accompanying Drawings proceed to
describe the manner in which I carry my Invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine before the main or upper cor- 15
rugated roller is dropped into the iron sockets or nibs.
Figure 2 is an independent view of the main or upper pot roller,
and shewing the way in which it is attached to the spiral springs and
clutches. .
Figure 3 is an independent view of the second or under pot roller 20
showing the finer flutings thereon, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of
the machine complete.
Corresponding letters in the various Figures indicate corresponding
parts.
I proceed as follows:-I make a wooden tub, marked a on the accom- 25
panying Drawings, of any suitable size and shape, and having a hole or
orifice formed in the bottom thereof. This hole or orifice (not shewn in
the Drawings) is stopped by means of a wooden plug. I then fix on two
sides of such tub, and facing each other, two strong iron sockets or nibs (or
any other suitable metal_may_be_used), cach_having_on-their-outside-a-30
broad-projecting flange, such flanges being cast with a hole in the centre to
permit of such sockets or nibs being screwed or otherwise securely fastened
to the rim of the tub; these sockets or nibs are marked 6 on the accom-
panying Drawings. Each of their bases is also provided with two other
holes cast therein in order to admit of their being fastened to the sides 35

page_text: of the tub. Just above the screws which secure the bases of the sockets
or nibs to the inside of the tub three other holes are formed, and in the
centre one of such holes I place a corrugated roller of suitable size and
diameter, according to the dimensions of the tub. This roller is here-
after referred to as the under pot roller and is marked c on the accom-
panying Drawings. The flutings on it are of a finer pitch than those
of the main corrugated roller, shewn at Figure 3, which is hereafter
referred to as the upper pot roller, as will be seen by the independent
view thereof, shewn at Figure 3.
On either side of such corrugated or under pot roller I fix two small
plain wood rollers marked d on the accompanying Drawings. These
three rollers revolve on metal spindles which are received in the holes
formed, as before described, for their reception in the base of the metal
sockets or nibs. The two outer and smaller plain wooden rollers & are
raised somewhat above the level of the centre corrugated roller c.
Around these three rollers I pass a piece of canvas of suitable grain and
thickness which is stitched or otherwise fastened, and thereby forms
an endless cloth (marked e on the accompanying Drawings) around
them.
The use of this endless cloth e I will presently explain. The top of
each metal socket or nib is provided with a deep slot for the purpose of
receiving an iron spindle g, such spindle passing through the centro of a
corrugated roller, before referred to, as the main or upper pot roller
this main roller is. marked fand is shewn independently at Figure 3 of
the accompanying Drawings. The corrugations thereon are of larger
dimensions than those formed on the under pot roller, while the roller
itself is about twice the diameter of the one fixed beneath it.
The object of making the corrugations finer on one roller than on the
other is to prevent the clothes being either torn or destroyed by being
nipped between such rollers, which would be the case if each roller
were fluted to a similar scale or pitch. One end of the spindle passing
through such main pot roller is provided with a crank handle h in order
to allow of its being turned round by hand, and the other end projects
about an inch beyond the rim of the tub, and is provided at its end with
a knob or boss g¹.
On each side of the outside of the tub, about half an inch from the

page_text: which eyelets screw into the sides of the tub a. In each of these
metal eyelets I insert one end of a stout coiled or helical spring shewn
at i, Figure 2, such helical springs being each provided with a wooden
handle j, Figure 2, to which they are secured at the top by small studs
or pins, and wherein there is a deep notch or slot k, Figure 2, forming
a clutch. These notches or clutches receive the two projecting ends of
the spindle of the topmost corrugated roller f and the knob or boss g',
provided at one end, catching in the edge of the clutch prevents the
wooded handle j of the helical spring i working off the spindle g when
the machine is in use, whilst the crank handle at the other end of
the spindle has the same effect in keeping the handle ; of the other
helical spring i in a proper position; at the same time such helical
springs themselves serve to retain such topmost corrugated roller ƒ in
its place.
When it is desired to use the machine it is only necessary to lay the
article to be washed over the linen or canvas stretcher or endless
cloth e, before described (which serves to assist in preventing the clothes
being either torn or damaged when the two corrugated rollers are put
into motion), drop the upper corrugated roller finto the iron sockets b,
insert the ends of the two helical springs i in the metal eyelets at the
sides of the tub, and pass their handles ; over the projecting parts of
the spindle, when the machine is at once ready for use. The hole
formed in the bottom of the tub is to permit of the escape of the dirty
water which flows out immediately the wooden plug is withdrawn from
such orifice.
My Invention may be readily applied to any ordinary washing tub, or
even to an ordinary pail.
Another advantage of my Invention consists in the main or upper
corrugated roller being attached by helical springs, as before described,
_as_from_the expanding action of these springs it allows the roller to
rise whenever a button, hook, or other obstacle is encountered, and by
-this-means-sufficient-space-is-afforded_for_such_button_or_hook_to_pass
between the rollers without being wrenched off the rollers, as is now
ordinarily the case.
As will be readily understood from the above explanation and the
accompanying Drawings, the clothes saturated with water are passed
between the corrugated rollers which crimp the fabric and loosen the

page_text: dirt, the plain side rollers acting in such a manner thereon as to drive
or force out the water with the dirt so loosened, and by this means all
articles are evenly washed, as all portions of the clothes are acted upon
equally by the rollers, so that seams and creases are thoroughly cleansed,
while, the clothes remain totally uninjured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and the manner of performing the same, I would have
it understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1stly. The method of adjusting the upper and lower corrugated rollers
and the two plain side rollers, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described.
2ndly. The use of the helical or spiral springs and clutches at the
sides of a washing machine.
3rdly. The use and application generally of my improvements to
washing machines and to other suitable vessels, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described.
When desired I combine a wringer with my improved washing
machine by affixing the same to the top of the machine in any suitable
manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Firth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.