A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING LAWN TENNIS BALLS AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Sandiford Openshaw of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Merchant for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR WASHING LAWN TENNIS BALLS AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
وو
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Sandiford Openshaw
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1882.
ARTHUR SANDIFORD OPENSHAW of Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Merchant "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING LAWN TENNIS BALLS
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
The said machine is constructed essentially as follows:-
A shallow cylindrical case or vessel has a vertical axis in its centre to which a
rotary motion is communicated by a winch or handle.
The said axis carries a disc of about one half the diameter of the case and to the
edge of the said disc are affixed, ten or other number of nearly semi tubular or
horse shoe shaped plates or holders of metal, the open side of the horse shoe shaped
holders being outwards; that is, most distant from the axis. On the bottom of the
case is a circular brush and an annular brush is fixed on the inner cylindrical
surface of that portion of the case within which the rotating disc, carrying the
horse shoe shaped holders, works. The top or cover of the case has on its underside
a circular brush.
The machine is used in the following manner:
The winch or bandle being lifted from the axis and the cover of the case
removed, the said case is partly filled with a solution of soap in water together
with a little chloride of lime, or with other washing liquid. The lawn tennis balls
to be washed are dropped into the case, each of the said balls occupying the space
between the arms of one of the horse shoe shaped holders of the rotating disc and
nearly filling the said space.
The cover and winch being replaced, rotary motion is given to the disc carrying
the horse-shoe shaped holders. By the motion of the said disc and bolders, the lawn

page_text: tennis balls are carried round the interior of the case and in their motion are
subjected to the action of the brush on the bottom of the case, on which brush they
rest, as well as to the action of the annular brush on the inner cylindrical surface
of the case, and the circular brush on the underside of the cover. The lawn tennis
balls are thus subjected in their travelling motion to the action of the said
brushes and the washing liquid in which they are immersed and by a few rotations
of the winch or handle are thoroughly washed, every part of the balls in succession
being brought under the action of the brushes and washing liquid.
After removal from the machine and rinsing in clean water and drying, the lawn
tennis balls are again ready for use.
My invention may be applied to the washing of apples oranges and other articles
having either a spherical or spheroidal figure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Sandiford Openshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th February 1883.
ARTHUR SANDIFORD OPENSHAW of Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Merchant "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WASHING LAWN TENNIS BALLS
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
The said machine is constructed essentially as follows:-A shallow cylindrical
case or vessel has a vertical axis in its centre to which a rotary motion is
communicated by a winch or handle.
The said axis carries a disc of about one half the diameter of the case and to the
edge of the said disc are affixed ten or other number of nearly semi-tubular or
horse shoe shaped plates or holders of metal, the open side of the horse shoe shaped
holders being outwards; that is most distant from the axis. On the bottom of the
case is a circular brush and an annular brush is fixed on the inner cylindrical
surface of that portion of the case within which the rotating disc carrying the
horse shoe shaped holders works. The top or cover of the case has on its underside
a circular brush.
The machine is used in the following manner :-
The winch or handle being lifted from the axis and the cover of the case
removed, the said case is partly filled with a solution of soap in water together
with a little chloride of lime or with other washing liquid. The lawn tennis balls
to be washed are dropped into the case each of the said balls occupying the space
between the arms of one of the horse shoe shaped holders of the rotating disc and
nearly filling the said space. The cover and winch being replaced, rotary motion
is given to the disc carrying the horse shoe shaped holders. By the motion of the
said disc and holders the lawn tennis balls are carried round the interior of the case
and in their motion are subjected to the action of the brush on the bottom of the
case on which brush they rest, as well as to the action of the annular brush on the
inner cylindrical surface of the case and the circular brush on the underside of the
cover.
The lawn tennis balls are thus subjected in their travelling motion to the action
of the said brushes and the washing liquid in which they are immersed and by
a few rotations of the winch or handle are thoroughly washed, every part of the
balls in succession being brought under the action of the brushes and washing
liquid.
After removal from the machine and rinsing in clean water and drying, the lawn
tennis balls are again ready for use
My invention may be applied to the washing of apples, oranges and other articles
having either a sperical or speroidal figure.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in cross section and Figure 2,
partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, a machine constructed according to
my invention for washing lawn tennis balls and for other like purposes.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both Figures.
a is the shallow cylindrical case or vessel of the machine provided with
handles b, b for carrying it; c is the cover of the case and d is a vertical axis turning
in the bearing f at the bottom of the case and also turning in the tube at gin
the middle of the cover c (see Figure 1) The axis d is provided with a removeable
winch or handle e for giving a rotary motion to it. The said axis d carries the
horizontal disc h having affixed to its edge the plates or holders i, i between which
plates or holders the lawn tennis balls k, k (or other articles) to be washed are placed
and separated as represented.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the shape of the plates or holders i, i as they may be
made of a semi-tubular or horse shoe shaped figure or other figure suitable for
holding and keeping the balls or articles from one another during the washing
operation, while permitting the balls or articles to rotate in the holders.
is the circular brush on the bottom of the case a on which the balls or articles
rest and m is a similar circular brush on the underside of the cover c; n is an
annular brush on the inner side of the cylindrical case the said annular brush
being situated opposite the rotating disc h carrying the holders.
By an examination of the Drawing the manner in which the top and bottom
circular brushes 1, m and the annular or side brush n press upon and partly enclose
the balls k, k being washed will be readily seen.
In using the machine, the removeable winch or handle e is withdrawn from its
axis & and the cover c is afterwards lifted from the case a. The case a having been
partly filled with the washing solution herein before described, or other washing
liquid, the lawn tennis balls k., k are dropped into the spaces between the holders or
plates i, i as represented in the Drawing. The cover c and winch e having been
replaced and the cover fixed by a wedge or other fastening, the disc h is rotated by
turning the winch e. By the motion thus given to the disc h and its holders i i,
the balls k. k are carried round the interior of the case a and in their motion are
subjected to the action of the brushes l, m, n by which they are rotated so that
every part of the halls are in succession brought under the action of the brushes
and washing liquid. The washed balls, after removal from the machine, are washed
in water and dried.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
invention;―
The new or improved machine for washing lawn tennis balls and for other like
purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; that
is to say, a machine consisting essentially of the following parts, namely of a
cylindrical case or vessel and its cover provided with brushes of the kind descri' ad
and illustrated, and of a circular disc capable of rotating in the said case or vessel
and having at its edge a series of plates or holders for holding and separating the
balls or articles to be washed, the several parts being constructed and operating
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Sandiford Openshaw have hereunto set
my hand and seal this sixteenth day of February in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
ARTHUR SANDIFORD OPENSHAW (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW