IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING, RINSING, AND BLUKING CLAQUER FABRICS YARNS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bradford, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Washing. Machine Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING, RINSING, AND BLUKING
CLAQUER FABRICS YARNS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bradford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
January 1861.
I, THOMAS BRADFORD, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Washing Machine Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING, RINSING,
AND BLUEING CLOTHES. FABRICS. YARNS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of an improved lid for washing machines constructed
in the shape of a sunk trough fitted with flanges so as to fit on the opening
required for an ordinary lid, the object of which is, in the first place, to aid
and assist in the process of washing with any machine that has an oscillating
or reciprocating motion. It is made of sufficient and suitable depth to rub
the clothes or other articles as they are precipitated past it by the oscillating
motion given to the tub. And for the purpose of more effectually accom-

page_text: plishing this object than by the plain, angular, or corrugated surfaces at
present in use, I secure upon the edge of the corrugation a brass, copper, or
other metallic rod, the diameter of which must be regulated by the size of the
machine and the kind of articles to be washed. By this improved lid, 1 gain
a combing but not injurious action of the smallest desirable diameter of bead
or corrugation, which cannot be accomplished by the ordinary wooden ribs or
corrugation, and yet is essentially necessary for some kinds of clothes. I also
use and adapt the said improved lid to machines used for blueing and rinsing
processes. I also use or apply my said improvements to any other part of
the washing machine that may be found by practice desirable, as well as
the lid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Bradford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BRADFORD, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Washing
Machine Manufacturer, sen." greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Bradford, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Bradford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Bradford, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR WASHING, RINSING, AND BLURING CLOTHES, FABRICS,
YARNS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Bradford, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Bradford, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of an improved lid for washing machines con-
structed in the shape of a sunk trough fitted with flanges so as to fit in the
opening required for an ordinary lid, the object of which is, in the first place,
to aid and assist in the process of washing with any machine that has an
oscillating, pendulous, or reciprocating motion. The said lid is to have at the
bottom a number of plain, angular, curved, or corrugated surfaces or bars, and
is to be made of sufficient and suitable depth to contract the passage of and
rub the clothes or other articles as they are being precipitated past it by the
aforesaid oscillating motion given to the washing tub; and for the purpose of
more effectually accomplishing the rubbing of certain classes of fabrics than
has hitherto been accomplished, I secure on any one or all of the plain,
angular, curved, or corrugated ribs of the lid and washing tub a brass, copper,
zinc, or other metallic rod, the diameter of which must be regulated by the
size of the machine and the kind of articles to be washed. By this means 1
obtain a combing but not an injurious action by the smallest diameter of bead
or corrugation, producing an effect which cannot be accomplished by the
wooden ribs or corrugations hitherto employed, and yet is essentially necessary
for some kinds of clothes or materials.
This improved sunk lid is applied, not simply as a washer for the clothes or
materials to rub against by the motion given to the washing tub, but I use
and adapt it as a part of the machine by which the rinsing and blucing pro-
cesses are accomplished, and also connect it with the wringing apparatus by
means of an improved drip board made to slide in and out, and on the front
edge of which I place a roller of wood or metal, over which the clothes are
carried from the wash or rinse tub to the wringing rollers, and the water, after
being expressed, returns uninterruptedly underneath the said roller into the
rinsing or washing compartment without any slop whatever. The moveable
or sliding drip board is secured to the upper or stationary drip board by
causing pins to pass through holes in the upper board, and employing springs
of india-rubber or metal to press the pins like a break upon the lower drip
board for the purpose of keeping it steady in any position.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the Figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a
transverse elevation, and Fig. 2, a transverse section of the washing machine
with my improved sunk lid and drip board, in which a represents the washing

page_text: tub, which has an oscillating, pendulous, or reciprocating motion imparted to
it in the usual manner; is the improved sunk lid projecting into the interior
of the tub, and is formed of sufficient depth to enable the corrugations to
rub the fabric in the washing compartment, and also when desired to be
employed as a trough for rinsing and blueing purposes; c are bars or curved
surfaces of suitable depth at the bottom of the lid extending its entire, length,
and forming rubbing surfaces similar to those in the interior of the tub, and
which bars may be placed either transversely or diagonally. When required
any or all of the aforesaid bars, whether on the lid or in the tub, may have
beads of metal, as shewn at d, for giving a combing action, and producing a
more powerful effect than can be obtained by wooden ribs only.
The stationary drip board is shewn at c, under which is the moveable drip
board placed in the grooves g at the side of the framework, so that it can
be moved backwards and forwards as required. During the washing process
it is pushed back, as shewn by the dotted lines, so as to be clear of the tub;
and during the wringing process it is brought forward to the edge of the sunk
lid b, or the edge of the washing tub, in order to enable the expressed water
from the rollers to flow back either into the lid or tub without any slop or
waste. The moveable drip board is held in its forward position by headed
pins, one of which is shewn at i, which pins pass through holes in the top
board e, and the under board is kept from shifting by the elastic bands
pressing the pin like a break upon it. When the rollers are required for
mangling, the moveable drip board is removed from the grooves g, turned
over, and placed in the grooves 1, forming part of the framework.
When the processes of blueing and rinsing are not required, I may sub-
stitute for the sunk trough lid a flat or other shaped lid having longitudinal,
transverse, or diagonal flanges projecting into the interior of the washing tub,
and made of suflicient depth to contract the passage and rub the clothes or
other articles as they are being precipitated past them by the motion given to
the tub.
The bottom of the flanges may be plain, angular, curved, or corrugated,
and when desired mounted with rods or beads of metal of suitable diameter,
so as to obtain the combing action necessary for some kinds of clothes or
materials.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly understood
that I claim as my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and
belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,-
First, an improved lid for washing machines, the depth of which is intended

page_text: (however it may be ribbed or corrugated) to rub and contract the passage of
the clothes while being precipitated from one end to the other of the washing
compartment.
Secondly, the additional improvement of one or more metallic rods or beads
upon plain, corrugated, or other ribbed surfaces used for washing clothes or
other fabrics, secured either longitudinally, transversely, or diagonally.
Thirdly, the adaptation of a washing machine lid for rinsing and blueing
purposes.
And, fourthly, the moveable or sliding drip board which accommodates
itself both to the washing and rinsing compartiment, and also the mode of
securing it at any required point by means of the improved spring knob or
brake, as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bradford, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Bradford, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
THOMAS BRADFORD. (L..S.)