Improvements in Laundering Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Laundering Apparatus.
I, DEXTER REYNOLDS of 317 Jaccard Building St. Louis in the County of
St. Louis and State of Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman 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 invention relates to laundering, the objects in view being to provide an
apparatus designed to thoroughly cleanse as well as disinfect wearing apparel and
other fabrics of all disease germs without injury to such fabrics.
With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of
construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawing :-
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a laundering tub, the same being provided with my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clamping tube.
Fig. 3 is a detail in longitudinal section of one of the wire holders or clamps.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the
drawing.
be
In carrying out my invention I employ a tub, vat or other liquid-holding
receptacle 1, and introduce over the edge thereof and preferably through the
opposite handles 2, substantially U-shaped tubular clamps or wire holders 3.
These holders or clamps 3 have their terminals flared, as indicated at 4 so as to
facilitate their introduction. The clamps or holders 3 are tubular and may
provided near their outer ends with thumb-screws 5, at whose inner ends within
the clamps or holders are located clamping plates 6, whose under sides are curved
so as to conform to the wire 7. Clamps or holders, it will be understood, are
provided with threaded perforatious 8 for the reception of the screws, or the
screws may be omitted and other securing device employed if preferred. Through
the two opposite clamps or holders are passed the opposite wires 7 the ends of the
wires being secured to two electrodes 9, such, for instance, as zinc. The opposite
ends of the wires lead to the two poles of an electrical generator, such as, for
instance, a battery 10, or it may be a dynamo. The clamps or holders 3 may be
of any desired material either metal insulated, or hard rubber if preferred. Either
is however preferably yielding, so that their terminals may be sprung over the
edge of the tub.
By subjecting apparel or other fabrics, such as bed clothes, surgical cloths or
bandages, sponges, etc., to immersions in a tub of water or other laundering liquid
charged with and decomposed by electricity they are not only thoroughly cleansed
but all disease germs, of whatever nature, are absorbed and destroyed thus
saving such apparel or fabrics from destruction and rendering them capable of
further use.
It will be seen that this apparatus can also be employed for the purpose of
purifying water or other liquid, for drinking and other purposes in that by charging
the water with electricity all impurities such as animal and vegetable matter, are
thoroughly decomposed as the same is thereby sterilized.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. In a laundering apparatus, the combination with a receptacle, of opposite

page_text: U-shaped clamps or holders, the electrical supply, the wires leading from the poles
thereof and passing through the clamps or holders, meaus for adjustably securing
the wires in the tubular holders, and electrodes at the ends of the wires within the
receptacle, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with an electrical supply and its wires, of the U-shaped
clamps or holders bent outward at their ends, the clamping screws and plates let
into the same and bearing upon said wires, said holders being introduced through
the handles and over the edge of the tub, and the electrodes at the ends of the
wires, substantially as specified.
Dated this 18th day of February 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.