CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR THE WASHING OF CLOTHES AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sigismund Wekey, of 26, Montague Street, Russell
Square, London, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR THE WASHING OF CLOTHES
AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 9th June 1876, and dated the 22nd March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sigismund Wekey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1876.
SIGISMUND WEKEY, of 26, Montague Street, Russell Square, London, in the
County of Middlesex. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
FOR THE WASHING OF CLOTHES AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS."
My Invention consists of certain improvements in machinery and apparatus for
the washing of clothes and textile fabrics of any kind whereby the combined
operation of soaping, washing, boiling, rinsing, bluing, and finally expelling the
water from the clothes will be done and performed at a great saving of time, labour,
and expense, without the necessity of the clothes operated upon being touched by
the hand after having been once placed in the machine, and before they shall have
been thoroughly washed and the moisture expelled from them without a separate
clothes wringer being required for the purpose.
The nature of the Invention will be clearly understood by the subjoined
description, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures thereon.
A is a water-tight druin of pine wood and zinc combined. It may be constructed
of wood or any other material which is not liable to oxidize. The shape of the
drum may be circular or polygonal. I give preference to a drum of the shape of a
fly wheel. The inside of the drum is lined with fluted pine or other suitable wood.
Within three inches of the inner periphery of the druin it is partitioned off by
elastic rods of cane C closely fixed so as not to allow the clothes operated upon to
protrude through and to touch the inner periphery of the drum. D is a door
covering an aperture through which the clothes intended to be washed are placed
into the machine and taken out again after having been washed. E is a hollow
axle, which does not however pass through the inside of the drum. By means of
this hollow axle hot water, cold water, bluing water, and steam is admitted into
the machine. Inside the drum A is a semicircular piece of wood in the form of a
[Price Gd1

page_text: pipe marked B so as to assume the shape of a tube cut in half longitudinally,
closed at its end near the centre of the drum, but open at its other end. It is
attached to the inside of the drum for the purpose of receiving the steam which
enters the machine through the hollow axle E and serves to distribute and convey
the steam between and beneath the clothes within the machine, the steam being
thus made to rise through the clothes, steaming them without more water in the
machine during this operation than was necessary to moisten and to soap the
clothes, the effect of steam under moderate pressure upon the clothes being far
superior to that of boiling water. H is an aperture for the discharge of waste
water from the machine. This aperture may be closed with a plug or tap or
thumbscrew. I are balls of wood placed inside the drum. These balls in the
course of the revolution of the drum A are raised to near the upper part of the
drum, and in dropping down again upon the cane work they exert a pressure upon
the clothes which happen to be between the cane work and the balls, such pressure
being continually repeated, resembling in effect the squeezing and kneading of the
clothes by the hand; small holes for the escape of compressed air from the drum are
made therein. K is a trough, which may be made to serve the purpose of a stand
whereon to fix the axles and gearing. G is a funnel for the casy admission of cold
water and bluing water into the machine through the hollow axle. The inside of
the drum is divided into compartments by means of partitions or shelves O, such
compartiments to have the effect in carrying the clothes upwards and distributing
the contents of the machine, so that they will not exert their influence as a dead
weight on one point when the machine is in operation.
The working of the machine is performed in the following manner-The clothes
intended to be washed and operated upon are put into the machine through the
aperture covered by the door D, together with soap dissolved in hot water in
proportion to the quantity of clothes placed in the machine for the purpose of
being washed. The door D is then closed and fastened by means of a screw, bolt,
or other simple contrivance. Warm water being then adınitted into the machine
through the hollow axle, and a rotary motion being given to the drum A, the
soaping and washing of the clothes commences.
When it is intended to subject the clothes operated upon to what is termed
boiling, steam is admitted into the machine through the hollow axle and by means
of the wooden tube above alluded to the steam is distributed between and
conveyed beneath the clothes operated upon. The scouring and washing of the
clothes is performed by the reciprocal action of the elastic rods of cane and of the
balls, the one upon the other, and upon the clothes intermixed between them
within the drum, and by the alternate raising up and falling down of the clothes
and balls upon the cane work and the clastic reaction of the canes upon the
clothes and balls, subjecting the clothes to a continuous though comparatively
gentle friction in addition to the rubbing and friction exerted upon the clothes by
the extensive fluted inner surface of the drum. By each revolution of the machine
the clothes within the drum are exposed to a fresh and continually changed
surface to rub against, the clothes being rubbed and squeezed and tossed about to
and fro by and between the clastic rods of cane and the balls within the machine
until the combined operation of soaping, boiling, or steaming and washing of the
clothes is effectually done, when the plug tap or thumbscrew of the aperture His
opened and the impure water is discharged from the machine. The aperture II is
then closed again, and clear water is admitted into the machine through the funnel
G and hollow axle E to rinse the clothes. After the clothes in the machine have
been well rinsed the aperture H is again closed, and sufficient water is admitted
into the drum to float the clothes within the machine. As soon as the clothes are
floated cold water in which washing blue was dissolved is poured into the drum
through the funnel G and hollow axle E, revolving the drum during the time the
bluing water is passing into the machine to blue the clothes. The waste blue
water is then discharged from the machine. After the escape of the waste blue
water the revolution of the drum with the aperture H left open is resumed and

page_text: continued for the purpose of expelling the moisture from the clothes by driving it
through the interstices of the cane work and discharging it from the machine by
occasionally stopping the revolution of the drum with the aperture H downward.
What I claim by my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1. In a washing machine, the combination of the closed revolving cylinder A,
having an open concentric cylinder C of elastic cane rods, leaving an uninterrupted
space between them and the balls I, whereby the clothes are washed, rinsed, and
moisture expelled therefrom in manner described.
2. In a washing machine the combination of closed revolving cylinder A, having
its inner surface partitioned off by elastic cane rods C, and provided with the
hollow axle E and the perforated pipe B, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the closed revolving cylinder A provided with the
concentric cylinder C, having shelves O, the balls I and steam pipe, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a washing machine the combination of a revolving cylinder provided with
a hollow axle E, and the semicircular perforated pipe B open at its outer end,
substantially as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sigismund Wekey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th Juno
1876.
SIGISMUND WEKEY, of 26, Montague Street, Russell Square, London, in the
County of Middlesex. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
FOR THE WASHING OF CLOTHES AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS."
My Invention consists of certain improvements in machinery and apparatus for
the washing of clothes and textile fabrics of any kind whereby the combined
operation of soaping, washing, boiling, rinsing, bluing, and finally of expelling the
water from the clothes will be done and performed at a great saving of time,
labor, and expense, without the necessity of the clothes operated upon being
touched by the hand after having been once placed in the machine and before they
shall have been thoroughly washed and the moisture expelled from them without a
separate clothes wringer being required for the purpose.
The nature of the Invention will be clearly understood by the subjoined
description, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures thereon.
A is a water-tight drum of pine wood and zinc combined. It may be constructed
of wood or of any other material which is not liable to oxidize. The shape of the
drum may be circular or polygonal. I give preference to a drum of the shape of
a fly wheel. The inside of the drum is lined with fluted pine or other suitable
wood. Within three inches of the inner periphery of the drum it is partitioned
off by elastic rods of cane C closely fixed so as not to allow the clothes operated
upon to protrude through and to touch the inner periphery of the druin. D is a
door covering an aperture, through which the clothes intended to be washed are
placed into the machine and taken out again after having been washed. E is a
hollow axle which does not however pass through the inside of the drum. By
means of this hollow axle, hot water, cold water, bluing water, and steam is
admitted into the machine. Inside the drum A is a semicircular piece of wood in
the form of a pipe marked B so as to assume the shape of a tube cut in half,
longitudinally closed at its end near the centre of the drum, but open at its other
end. It is attached to the inside of the drum for the purpose of receiving the
steam which enters the machine through the hollow axle E, and serves to distribute
and convey the steam between and beneath the clothes within the machine, the
steam being thus made to rise through the clothes, steaming them without more

page_text: water in the machine during this operation than was necessary to moisten and to
soap the clothes, the effect of steam under moderate pressure upon the clothes being
far superior to that of boiling water. H is an aperture for the discharge of waste
water from the machine. This aperture may be closed with a plug or tap or
thumb screw.
I are balls of wood placed inside the drum. These balls, in the
course of the revolution of the drum A are raised to near the upper part of the
drum, and in dropping down again upon the cane work they exert a pressure upon
the clothes which happen to be between the cane work and the balls, such pressure
being continually repeated, resembling in effect the squeezing and kneading of the
clothes by the hand. Small holes for the escape of compressed air from the drum
are made therein. K is a trough, which may be made to serve the purpose of a
stand whereon to fix the axles and gearing.; G is a funnel for the easy admission of
cold water and bluing water into the machine through the hollow axle.
inside of the drum is divided into compartments by means of partitions or shelves
O, such compartments to have effect in carrying the clothes upwards and distri-
buting the contents of the machine so that it will not exert their influence as a
dead weight on one point when the machine is in operation.
Tho
:-The
The working of the machine is performed in the following manner-
clothes intended to be washed and operated. upon are put into the machine through
the aperture covered by the door D, together with soap dissolved in hot water in
proportion to the quantity of clothes placed in the machine for the purpose of
being washed. The door D is then closed and fastened by means of a screw bolt
or other simple contrivance. Warm water being then admitted into the machine
through the hollow axle, and a rotary motion being given to the drum A, the
soaping and washing of the clothes commences.
When it is intended to subject the clothes operated upon to what is termed
boiling, steam is admitted into the machine through the hollow axle, and by means
of the wooden tube above alluded to the steam is distributed between and conveyed
beneath the clothes operated upon. The scouring and washing of the clothes is
performed by the reciprocal action of the clastic rods of cane and of the balls, the
one upon the other, and upon the clothes intermixed between them within the drum
and by the alternate raising up and falling down of the clothes and balls upon the
canework, and the elastic reaction of the canes upon the clothes and balls sub-
jecting the clothes to a continuons though comparatively gentle friction in addition
to the rubbing and friction exerted upon the clothes by the extensive fluted inner
surface of the drum. By each revolution of the machine the clothes within the
drum are exposed to a fresh and continually changed surface to rub against, the
clothes being rubbed and squeezed and tossed about to and fro by and between the
elastic rods of cane and the balls within the machine, until the combined operation
of soaping, boiling, or steaming and washing of the clothes is effectually done,
when the plug tap or thumbscrew of the aperture H is opened and the impure
water is discharged from the machine, the aperture H is then closed again and
clear water is admitted into the machine through the funnel G and hollow axle E
to rinse the clothes. After the clothes in the machine have been well rinsed the
aperture H is again closed, and sufficient water is admitted into the drum to float
the clothes within the machine. As soon as the clothes are floated cold water in
which washing blue was dissolved is poured into the drum through the funnel G
and hollow axle E, revolving the drum during the time the bluing water is passing
into the machine to blue the clothes, the waste blue water is then discharged from
the machine. After the escape of the waste blue water the revolution of the
drum, with the aperture H left open, is resumed and continued for the purpose of
expelling the moisture from the clothes by driving it through the interstices of the
cane work and discharging it from the machine by occasionally stopping the
revolution of the drum with the aperture H downward.
What I claim by my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,---
1. In a washing machine the combination of the closed revolving cylinder A,
having an open concentric cylinder C of elastic cane rods, leaving an uninterrupted

page_text: space between them and balls I, whereby the clothes are washed, rinsed, and
moisture expelled therefrom in manner described.
2. In a washing machine, the combination of closed revolving cylinder A,
having its inner surface partitioned off by clastic cane rods C, and provided with
the hollow axle E and the perforated pipe B, substantially as described.
3. The combination of closed revolving cylinder A provided with the concentric
cylinder C, having shelves O, the balls I, and steam pipe, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
4. In a washing machine the combination of a revolving cylinder provided with
a hollow axle E, and the semicircular perforated pipe B open at its outer end,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sigismund Wekey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
S. WEKEY. (L.S.)