Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM LANE, ALFRED DONEY, and JOHN
C. KELLOW, all of Pen Argyl, Northampton County, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of 67 Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention has relation to that class of washing machines known as "rotating,
the object being to provide a machine that is simple of construction, cheap and
effective; and the invention consists in certain features of construction, hereinafter set
forth and particularly pointed out in the claim.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective of a washing machine constructed in accordance with this
invention, the cover thereof being open.
Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 12 of Fig. 2 of the same.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged similar section in detail.
Like letters indicate like parts.in all the figures.
A represents any suitable tub or other receptacle, into which a tightly fitting
covering B, is inserted, in this instance by means of supports as C, and also by
reason of the edge of said covering being bevelled. At the centre of the covering B
is a substantially rectangular opening B¹ and secured to said covering by means of
hinges D is a lid or cover D, adapted to fit said opening. The lid D is provided at
its front edge with insets or recesses D, in which cleats D³ fit, said cleats being
provided with turn buttons B2 whereby said lid when closed is secured against both
lateral and vertical displacement during the operation of the machine.
The covering B may be composed of as many separate pieces as desired; but I have
found it both convenient and advantageous to form it of four pieces and secure them
together by cleats B³, the section which supports the front edge of the cover being cut
away, as at B5, to make room for the passage of the agitator F when the cover
is raised.
The object of forming the cover in sections is to have the grain of the wood run in
different directions, so that warping will not take place, as would be the case if the

page_text: cover were of a single piece. By this construction the cover is much stronger, and is
held securely together by the cleats or brackets B³.
At the centre of the lid D is an aperture, in which is fitted a collar D³, which forms
a bearing for a vertical spindle E. Rigidly attached to the lower end of the spindle E
is an agitator F of disk form, in the bottom of which is inserted a series of pegs or
projections F, which are adapted to rotate upon a series of ribs A', secured to and
radiating from the centre of the bottom of the tub or receptacle. At the opposite or
upper end of the spindle E is rigidly secured a miter-gear G which rotates with the
spindle and in bearing D³, formed in the top of the lid D.
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The spindle E having the miter gear G, is supported in position and at a suitable
distance by means of a bridge piece H, and nut H, and projecting from the bridge
piece H, and at a right angle thereto, is an upwardly extended bracket I, having
bearing 1 formed therein, in which is adapted to rotate a crank shaft J having a
miter-gear K which is adapted to mesh with the gear G. The opposite end of the
shaft is supported on a bearing L' formed in the end of an upwardly extending
bracket or standard L, secured to a projecting portion X of the lid D, and said
opposite end is bent to form or may be provided with a crank handle M.
By
projecting the lid, as at X, opposite its hinge edge, the journalled standard can be
mounted upon the lid, and yet midway between the crank M and pinion K. This
obviates the necessity of employing two standards-one located near the gear K. and
one near the crank M-in which case the advantages of being able to mount the entire
operating mechanism upon the hinged lid could not be secured.
From the above it will be seen that all the mechanism for operating the washer is
mounted directly upon the lid or cover D, which may readily be opened and closed to
remove and replace soiled clothes, as necessary, without the inconvenience of removing
any of the mechanical devices for operating the machine.
The advantages of the invention and the operation thereof will be readily understood
from the foregoing description, in that it will be seen that by turning the handle M
the shaft J will rotate the gear K, which rotates the gear G, shaft or spindle E,
and the agitator F, and thus clothes within the tub will be readily and thoroughly
cleansed.
The under surface of the gear G is projected in the form of a hub, which is adapted.
to fit the bearing 1)² so that it is supported thereon and therein, rendering the machine
at this point capable of long service.
Of course it will be understood that changes in the relative proportions in the
gears K and G may be made, so that, for instance, one rotation of the handle M will
cause the agitator F to rotate two or three times.
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 :-
The combination of the tub A, having the cover sections B, secured at B³, one of
said sections being provided with cleats D, projecting therefrom, the lid D, hinged to
one of said sections and projected as at X, and recessed as at D2 to receive the
cleats D³, with the standard L, mounted on the projecting end X, and carrying a
shaft J, provided with a crank M, at its outer end and a pinion or gear K at its
opposite end, and with the agitator rod E, having the gear G, journalled in the lid,
and the bridge piece H, extended as at I to form a journal I¹, for the .shaft J,
substantially as specified.