An Improvement in Clothes Washing Boards and Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Clothes Washing Boards and Machines.
I, JOHN HORACE O'BRIEN of 25 Elm Grove, Windsor, in the County of
Bourke, Colony of Victoria, Mechanic, 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 :-
My object is to provide a washing board or machine in which by the rotation of
fluted or corrugated rollers, a compound motion is imparted to the rubbing or
cleansing surfaces of the same whereby labour is saved impurities quickly removed,
and no injury occasioned to the material under treatment.
My invention consists of a framework in which a series of rollers (regularly or
irregularly plain or corrugated) revolve by the reciprocating movement of the
clothes. The removal of a portion of this framework instantly releases the whole
of these rollers for renewal, repair, or adjustment.
But in order that my invention may be better understood I will now refer to the
accompanying sheet of drawings which are to be taken as part of this Specification
and read therewith.
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation through .c. x. (Fig. 2) in which E are the plain
rollers, D the parallel corrugated and F the spiral corrugated rollers.
Fig. 2. is a plan in which A is the frame B the soaping box, C the soaping
roller, H the cap piece and I the bolts for same and G the spindles for the rollers.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they
occur in the several views.
The rollers
may
be arranged as shewn, or the frame may contain a series of
parallel corrugated rollers, or a series of spirally corrugated rollers, or the former
and the latter with each alternate roller plain or any combination of the same.
The external shape of the corrugated rollers which are composed of wood, metal,
india-rubber, gutta percha, vulcanised fibre or other materials or the same in
combination may vary in section. The corrugations may be either rounded square
or of other conformation and either regular or irregular in their arrangement. If
arranged spirally the bottom of the pocket or groove will have either sharp or
rounded edges. If an elastic material or composition be used the spindle passing
through its interior is composed of metal or wood.
The cap pieces H which are loose in the frame A are removed therefrom by
releasing the bolts, I. Said cap piece on its bottom edge forms one half of the
bearing for carrying the spindles of the soaping and other rollers. Any undue
wear in the holes can be taken up by removing a portion of the bottom edge of this
cap piece.
The raiment to be cleansed has not only a rubbing motion imparted to it but
also a beating action, since every corrugation as it comes up from the bottom side
strikes the passing clothes and in its striking action rapidly dislodges and precipitates
unhealthy accumulations of foreign matter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1stly. In a table or board for the washing of clothes by hand or machine a series
of rollers which are regularly or irregularly corrugated either parallel or spirally
with the in
11

page_text: 2ndly. In a table or board for the washing of clothes the combination of a series
of rollers alternately plain or corrugated with a soaping box and roller substantially
as herein illustrated and described.
3rdly. The combination and arrangement in a washing table or board of a soaping
roller, series of corrugated rollers, and a removable cap piece on the top of each side
frame substantially as herein illustrated and described.
Dated this 9th day of April 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.