IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Skeel, of 3, Finsbury Chambers, 5, Blomfield
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WASHING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Messrs. William
Robarts & Son, of Graham's Town, Cape of Good Hope.
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 30th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Skeel at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th May 1877.
--
WILLIAM SKEEL, of 3, Finsbury Chambers, 5, Blomfield Street, in the City of
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES." [A communication from abroad
by Messrs. William Robarts & Son, of Graham's Town; Cape of Good Hope.]*
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machines, suitable for
washing clothes and other articles. For this purpose a rectangular tub or vat is
employed to contain the soap water and articles to be washed, as well as the disks
(or palms), as hereafter described. Over this tub or vat a cranked axle is carried
by standards, which axle is worked or driven by a winch of any convenient throw
or length on one side and a fly wheel on the other. Two cranks are formed in
the axle opposite the one to the other, and from each a flat wooden crank rod
descends into the tub or vat. To the lower end of each crank rod a disk (or palm)
is fixed, the inner surface of which disk (or palm) is concave, and is either corru-
gated, or perforated with holes, or both; and the two disks (or palms) are connected
by a network of netting, rope, or moveablo bars, the connecting network being
sufficiently wide.to allow free motion to the disks (or palms) when the winch is
turned, and thus forming a flexible basket into which the clothes and other articles
to be washed are placed. An opening is left at the top of the basket to admit of
the articles being easily put in and taken out.
The crank rods are guided by horizontal friction rollers, between which they pass,
and underneath there is another horizontal roller at right angles to these; it passes
through a vertical slot in each of the rods. This roller thus forms a fulcrum, about
which the rods rock, so that the disks (or palms) at their lower ends receive circular

page_text: motions, whilst they always travel in opposite directions. These movements keep
the water in constant agitation, and the.clothes in constant rotation, in such manner
that the washing is rapidly and effectually accomplished.
_SPECIFICATION-in-pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Skeel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th November
1877:
WILLIAM SKEEL, of 3, Finsbury Chambers, 5, Blomfield Street, in the City of
London. IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES." (A communication from abroad
by Mess. William Robarts and Son, of Graham's Town, Cape of Good Hope.)
This Invention' has for its object improvements in washing machines suitable for
washing clothes and other articles. For this purpose a rectangular tub or vat is
employed to contain the soap water and articles to be washed, as well as the discs
(or palms), as hereafter described. Over this tub or vat a cranked; axle is carried
by standards, which axle is worked or driven by a winch of any convenient throw
or length on one side and a fly wheel on the other. Two cranks are formed in the
axle opposite the one to the other, and from each a flat wooden crank rod descends
into the tub or vat. To the-lower end-of-each crank-rod-a disk (or palm) is fixed;
the inner surface of which disk (or palm) is concave, and is either corrugated or
perforated with holes, or both, and the two disks (or palms) are connected by a net-
work of netting, rope, or moveable bars, the connecting network being sufficiently
wide to allow free motion to the disks (or palins) when the winch is turned, and
thus forming a flexible basket, into which the clothes and other articles to be washed
are placed. An opening is left at the top of the basket to admit of the articles
being easily put in and taken out.
The crank rods are guided by horizontal friction rollers, between which they pass,
and underneath there is another horizontal roller at right angles to these; it passes
through a vertical slot in each of the rods: This roller thus forms à fulcrum, about
which the rods rock; so that the disks (ör palms) at their lower ends receive circular
motions, whilst they always travel in opposite directions: These movements keep
the water in constant agitation, and the clothes in constant rotation, in such manner
that the washing is rapidly and effectually accomplished.
In order that the said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried-into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed..

page_text: each of the two cranks, which are opposite the one to the other, there is a flat con-
necting rod f; the way in which it is preferred to connect this rod with the crank
is shown in detail by the Figures 3. f¹, f¹, are slots formed in the connecting rods
f, and g, g, are rollers fitted loosely into these slots, they are mounted so as to be
able to turn upon the spindle h fixed in the sides of the tub a. Pins inserted into
the spindle h prevent the rollers 9 moving longitudinally upon them; i, i, are
other rollers, between which the connecting rods of pass, these rollers are reduced in
diameter at their ends, and. the necks so formed are inserted into holes in cross bars
which form part of the frame b. k, k, are concave discs or palms fixed to the lower
ends of the connecting rods f, f, and it is preferred that these discs or palms should
be corrugated or perforated, so that their surfaces may have a more effectual rubbing
and squeezing action on the articles to be washed.
Metal-faced perforated discs or palms act very efficiently.
Z is a network connecting the discs or palms / and forming a flexible basket, open
at the top to receive the clothes or articles to be washed.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,―
First. The flexible basket for containing the clothes or other articles to be
washed, such basket consisting of the moving discs or palms h, k, and the flexible
connecting network 2, or its equivalent, substantially as described.
Second. The combination with the discs or palms, for the purpose of actuating
and controlling them, of the cranked axis c, the connecting rods f, the slots f¹³ in
the connecting rods, and the guide rollers g and i, substantially as described.
Third. The combination, forming a washing machine, of a tub for containing
the water or liquid for washing, a flexible basket, and apparatus for giving a con-
tinually varying form to the said basket, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Skeel, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.