WASHING WOOLLEN, LINEN, COTTON, SILKEN, HEMPEN, SKIN, AND FLAXEN MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES, AND CALLED THE ROTARY WASHING MACHINE
Year: 1853

page_text: Pimlico, in the Parish of Saint George, in the County of Middle-
sex, Ironmonger, for an Invention for "WASHING WOOLLEN,
LINEN, COTTON, SILKEN, HEMPEN, SKIN, AND FLAXEN MATERIALS AND
SUBSTANCES, AND CALLED THE ROTARY WASHING MACHINE."
Sealed the 1st September 1853, and dated the 19th March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Eldridge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th March 1853.
I, JOHN ELDRIDGE, of Number Nine, Stanley Street, Pimlico, in the
Parish of Saint George, in the County of Middlesex, Ironmonger, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "WASHING WOOLLEN,
LINEN, COTTON, SILKEN, HEMPEN, SKINS, AND FLAXEN MATERIALS AND SUB-
STANCES, AND CALLED "THE ROTARY WASHING MACHINE," to be as
follows:--
My Invention of a rotary clothes, &c. washing machine is shown by
the accompanying Drawings or Figures, 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1, is a

page_text: vertical longitudinal section; Figure 2, is a vertical transverse sec-
tion; and Figure 3, is a plan showing the top part of the machine
on the line Z, Z, in Figures 1, and 2. The drawings represent the
principle for a single-action rotary clothes washing machine, consisting
of cistern or tub A, for holding the water, with a cylinder of wood or
other material, (shown at 13,) which is fixed in or about the centre of
the cistern A, by passing a galvanized iron shaft through the side, and
half way through the opposite side; and the cylinder B, is made to
revolve by means of a cranked handle, or cog wheels, as shown at F.
The cylinder has a groove cut lengthways, shown at 1, Figure 1, for
a rope or bar H, to fit flush with the cylinder, for fixing one end of
the clothes, &c. on the cylinder, to be washed. The rope II, is shown
in Figure 2. The cylinder B, is fixed on the galvanized iron shaft.
Thus the cylinder is divided in two parts lengthways, and the shaft is
screwed to one half, as shown at 0, 0, 0, 0, at Fig. 2, and the other
shalf cylinder is screwed over the same. The shaft works in a stufling
box E, and on brass or galvanized iron bearings, fixed on the cistern or
tub. C, is a reciprocating friction lever, or falling bar, which produces
a rubbing and a thumping motion on the clothes, &c. to be washed, by
the revolution of the cylinder B, backwards and forwards, whereby the
clothes and materials are folded and unfolded in the water, and, passing
between the cylinder and friction lever, washes the clothes, &c.; for
which principle I claim my Letters Patent.
The machine may be made with one cylinder, with flanges at the
ends of the same, and a friction lever, or with several cylinders and
friction levers, making a double or treble, &c. action rotary washing
machine, is the case may require. K, K, shows the handles of the
cistern G, is a cock for letting off the water; D, C, in Figure 3.
shows the plan of the friction lever, which is made of wood or other
materials. L, shews the flanges of the cylinder.
Having now described my invention and construction, which I
denominate a "Rotary Washing Machine," I desire it to be understood
that I not confine myself to the shape and struction of the cylinder B,
and falling bar or friction lever C, (shown to be a plain surface or flat
in the drawings,) or any other part of the machine, as an elliptical

page_text: shaft B, or any other shape, may be made to answer the same purpose:
also the friction lever C, shewn to be a plane surface, may be made
cylindrical or other shape, and so of the other parts. In the Figures 1,
and 2, the friction lever is drawn at a distance from the cylinder B,
in order to shew the action, but in practice it falls or presses on the
clothes and materials to be washed that are on the cylinder.
-
The operation is thus: The cistern is partly filled with water (of
the usual temperature for washing), and the clothes, &c. are folded to
the width of the cylinder B, (in case the clothes are too wide); one end
of the clothes, &c. is put under the cord or bar of the cylinder, as
shown at H, Figure 2, which cord, &c. is made tight by a slip knot or
loop, which fixes the clothes to the cylinder B. The wynch handle F,
is turned backwards and forwards, which winds and unwinds the
clothes &c. on the cylinder, and the clothes and materials coming in
contact with the friction lever are washed thereby.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Eldridge, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 7th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ELDRIDGE, of Number 9, Stanley Street, Pimlico, in the Parish of
Saint George, in the County of Middlesex, Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Ier
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Eldridge, Her special licence that
I, the said John Eldridge, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Eldridge, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for WASHING WOOLLEN,
LINEN, COTTON, SILKEN, HEMPEN, SKIN, AND FLAXEN MATERIALS AND SUB-
STANCES, AND CALLED THE ROTARY WASHING MACHINE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that 1, the said John Eldridge, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1. the said John Eldridge, 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):
In the accompanying Drawing, in which the same letters refer to
the same parts in each figure. Figure 1, is a plan of which Figure 2.
is a longitudinal section through the line a, b; and Figure 3. is a cross
section through the axle e. d. d. &c. is a cistern or tub for holding
the water. . is a roller of wood or other material, to which one end
of the cloth, &c. to be washed is fastened by a piece of cord, fitting
flush in a groove in the roller, or in any other convenient manner.
By turning the winch or handle, which causes the roller e, to revolve,
the cloth, while immersed in the water, will be folded on the said
roller; then, by turning in the contrary direction, the cloth will be
unfolded, and again folded, with its other side outwards. The wooden
ba.s or levers g, g, &c., are moveable on the fulcrum h. and rest on
the roller e, by which means they press upon and rub the cloth, while
The roller e. is flat-
it is being folded and unfolded by the roller c.
tened a little on four sides, to cause the levers g, g, &c. at the same
time to produce a slight thumping action on the cloth. i, is a plug to
allow the water to escape from the cistern d: j,j, are handles fixed to
the cistern, for the purpose of lifting or moving it; k, k, &c. are holes
through the ends of the levers coninciding with each other, through
which a piece of cord or har may be passed, for the purpose of lifting
the levers while fastening or unfastening the cloth.
Having now described my said "Rotary Washing Machine," I declare

page_text: that what I claim as my Invention is the combination of a roller and
bars, or levers, for the purpose of cleaning cloth, skins, woollen, linen,
cotton, silken, hempen, and flaxen materials and substances, as above
described. But I do not confine myself to any particular modification
thereof, nor to any particular number of bars or levers, but use one or
more, as may be most convenient.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Eldridge, have heretofore
set my hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
Signed and sealed by John Eldridge,
in the presence of me,
J. A. SHARP,
JOHN ELDRIDGE. (L.S.)
Clerk to George Capes,
Gray's Inn.