Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE GIBBINS, of Argyll House, Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone,
in the County of Essex, Furrier, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in washing machines, the object
being to so construct such machines that the goods to be washed shall be alternately
immersed in the cleansing liquid so as to become charged therewith, and squeezed,
the dirty liquid from the goods being allowed to escape from the machine as soon
as it is squeezed from the goods.
The machine comprises a suitably shaped vessel adapted to be oscillated or
rocked and within which a partition or division plate is mounted independently of
the vessel so that the one may be rocked to a greater or less extent than the
other.
In one arrangement suitable for working by hand the vessel is mounted so as
to be capable of oscillating about a horizontal axis or shaft passing through its
lower part and mounted in suitable bearings on the frame of the machrine. The
vessel may be counterbalanced or provided with springs so as to normally rest in an
upright position. On the shaft is fixed the partition or division plate, which is
preferably formed of two sets of louvres arranged side by side at a short distance
apart and downwardly inclined towards each other, said partition having imparted
to it by means of a spring or weight attached outside the vessel to an arm on the
said shaft a tendency to maintain a vertical attitude. The vessel is formed at its
upper part with an inlet opening fitted with a door and at its bottom with an outlet
opening or openings each provided with a valve adapted to be intermittently opened
during the oscillation of the vessel by an arm or abutment controlled by a weight
or spring. Above the valves a perforated plate may be provided to prevent the
goods interfering with the working of the valve or valves.
With such an arrangement, if the vessel be charged with cleansing liquid and
goods be placed on either side of the partition, as the vessel is rocked about the
shaft, the goods on one side will be squeezed between that side of the partition
and the adjacent wall of the vessel, the dirty liquid squeezed from them passing
down between the louvres and through the perforated plate to the outlets, the
valves of which will be opened at the required times by the weighted or spring
arm or abutment so as to allow the escape of the dirty liquid and thus prevent it
mixing with the rest of the liquid. Meanwhile, the goods on the other side of the
partition will fall into the, for the time being, lowermost part of the vessel, and the
liquid at the same time in rushing to that part of the vessel will turn the goods
over so as to present a different surface to be squeezed, the vessel being formed with
sides curved with gradually decreasing radii towards their upper parts for this
purpose. During this time the goods will become charged with liquid, which
will be squeezed out again during the return movement of the vessel and dis-
charged as above mentioned. This action will be continued until practically all
the liquid is discharged from the vessel.

page_text: The shaft about which the vessel oscillates may be made hollow and perforated at
its underside so that steam and cleansing liquid may be admitted to the vessel
through it, suitable valves and connections being provided for controlling their
admission. This is especially desirable in power machines which. I prefer to
arrange so that the extent to which the vessels are rocked may be varied at will.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1898.
Improvements in Washing Machines;
I WILLIAM GEORGE GIBBINS, of Argyll House, Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone,
in the County of Essex,, Furrier, 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 reference to improvements in washing machines, the object
being to so construct such machines that the goods to be washed shall be alternately
immersed in the cleansing liquid so as to become charged therewith, and squeezed,
the dirty liquid from the goods being allowed to escape from the machine as soon
as it is squeezed from the goods.
Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of one arrangement of machine according to this.
invention suitable for working by hand.
Fig. 2 is a plan with the cover removed; and
Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections thereof, showing the vessel in different positions.
The machine comprises a vessel 1 mounted so as to be capable of oscillating
about a horizontal axis or shaft 2 that passes through stuffing boxes and glands 2
into the lower part of the vessel 1 and that is mounted in suitable bearings 3 on the
frame, 4 of the machine. The vessel is counterbalanced or provided with springs 5
so as to normally rest in an upright position. On the shaft 2 is fixed a partition
or. division plate 6, which is preferably formed of two sets of louvres arranged side.
by side at a short distance apart and downwardly inclined towards each other.as
shown. The partition 6 has imparted to it by a spring 7 attached outside the vessel
to an arm 2 on the said shaft a tendency to maintain a vertical attitude. The
vessel is formed at its upper part with an inlet opening 8 fitted with a door 8"
and at its bottom with outlet openings 9 each provided with a valve 10 adapted to
be intermittently opened during the oscillation of the vessel by an arm.or
abutment 11 carried by a pin 12 hinged to the bottom of the vessel 1 and controlled
by a weight 13 or by a spring. Above the valves 10, a perforated plate 14 may be
provided to prevent the goods being washed interfering with the working of the
valve or valves. Attached to the vessel 1 is a handle 15 by which it may be
rocked...
With such an arrangement,. if the vessel 1 be charged with cleansing liquid
and..goods be placed on either side of the partitions 6, as the vessel is rocked
about the shaft 2 to the position shown.in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the goods on the
right hand side will be squeezed between the partition and the adjacent wall of the
vessel the dirty liquid squeezed from them will pass down between the louvres
and through, the perforated plate 14 to the outlets 9, the valves 10 of which will
be opened at the required times by the arm or abutment 11 so as to allow the.
escape of the dirty liquid and thus prevent it mixing with the rest of the liquid.

page_text: Meanwhile, the goods on the other side of the partition will fall into the, for the
ime being, lowermost part of the vessel 1,and the liquid at the same time in rushing
o that part of the vessel will turn the goods over so as to present a different
surface to be squeezed, the vessel being, as shown, formed with sides curved with
gradually decreasing radii towards their upper parts for this purpose. During
this time the goods will become charged with liquid, which will be squeezed out
again and discharged through the valve 10 during the return movement of the
vessel, the goods being then squeezed between the left hand side of the partition 6
and the wall of the vessel. This action will be continued until practically all the
liquid has been discharged from the vessel. For holding the arm or abutment 11
out of action when required so as to enable the escape of liquid to be prevented
until the dirt or other matter to be removed from the goods has been softened
sufficiently to allow it to be squeezed out with the water, there may be provided.
means such as a notched bar 12" pivoted at one end to the vessel 1 and formed
with a notch 12b to engage with the pin 12.
The shaft about which the vessel 1 oscillates may be made hollow so that steam
and cleansing liquid may be admitted to the vessel through it, suitable valves and
connections being provided for controlling their admission.
Figs. 5 and 6 are end elevations showing a power machine according to this
invention in different positions, the washing action of which is the same as that
described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.
In the power machine the vessel 1 is provided with trunnions 1", which rest in
the bearings 3 and the partition 6 is carried by a shaft 2 that extends across the
interior vessel 1, passing through the stuffing boxes and glands 2 to the exterior
of the vessel, where it is provided with an arm 2b that carries an antifriction
roller 2 which, when the vessel is rocked, bears alternately against two levers 15
pivoted at 15" to the frame of the machine and normally held in the position
shown in Fig. 5 by springs 16. The arrangement is such that the spring-actuated.
levers tend to keep the partition 6 in an approximately vertical attitude whilst
allowing it to move from side to side with the vessel 1; the tension of the springs 16
is such as to give the required squeeze to the goods being washed. It may, in some
cases, be desirable to operate the partition 6 positively, for instance by an eccentric,
so as to squeeze the goods as above described.
The vessel is rocked through a suitably driven crank disc 17 and connecting
rod 18 which is preferably formed with a gab so that it can be easily disconnected
from the vessel to enable the latter to be turned completely over and the goods
contained in it to be discharged.
The trunnion 1" at one end of the vessel 1 is hollow as shown in Fig. 7 and is fitted
with a forked branch pipe 19 that passes down the outside of and under the vessel 1 to
a recess or well 9* in the bottom thereof. When it is desired to boil goods within
the vessel steam is supplied thereto through the trunnion and pipe 19 from a
pipe 20 that is fitted with a controlling valve (not shown). The other trunnion is
also made hollow and is fitted with a branch pipe 21 to which water is supplied
through the trunnion by a pipe 22, the water being discharged into the vessel 1
above the partition 6; the pipe 22 is fitted with a cock (not shown) for controlling
be able to vary the
is sometimes desirable to
the water supply. It
extent to which the vessel 1 is rocked and for this purpose the crank
pin may be made adjustable towards and from the centre of the crank disc 17
along a radial slot therein as is shown on Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a
modified construction in which the partition 6 which is attached to the shaft 2 is
given a tendency to maintain a more or less vertical attitude by connecting by a
link 23 the arm 2b of the shaft 2 to a lever 24 which is pivoted to the frame at 24"
and is connected to another lever 25 that is also pivoted at 24" by a spring 26 (see
Fig. 9). The lever 25 is connected by a link 27 to the connecting rod 18. As will
be understood, by this arrangement as the shaft 2 is swung by the oscillation of
the vessel to one side of the vertical plane containing the vessel's trunnions, the
point of connection between the arm 2b and the link 23 will be similarly moved to

page_text: a corresponding extent, thereby causing the partition 6 to remain approximately
vertical when the pressure of the vessel upon the goods squeezed between its
wall and the partition is sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring, the
partition will move with the vessel in opposition to the spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A washing machine comprising an oscillating vessel formed with sides curved
with gradually decreasing radii towards their upper parts, said vessel being
adapted to receive goods to be washed and cleansing liquid and having in its lower
part one or more liquid outlet openings, and a partition mounted within said vessel,
the arrangement being such that goods contained in the vessel on each side of the
partition are alternately squeezed and immersed in the cleansing liquid by the
imovement of which they are turned over so as to present a different surface to be
squeezed and with which they become recharged, substantially as described.
2. A washing machine comprising an oscillating vessel adapted to receive goods
to be washed and cleansing liquid and having within it a partition so mounted as to
tend to maintain an approximately vertical attitude, the lower part of said
vessel being formed with one or more liquid outlet openings provided with valves
which are intermittently opened and the arrangement being such that, by the
oscillation of the vessel, goods contained therein on each side of the partition are
alternately immersed in the cleansing liquid so as to become charged therewith,
and squeezed, and that, when the dirt in the goods (or other matter to be removed
therefrom) has been sufficiently softened, the dirty liquid will be allowed to escape
as soon as it is squeezed from the goods, substantially as described.
3. Washing machines constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 4; Figs. 5 to 7 and Figs. 8
and 9 respectively of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of January 1899.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.