AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, BOILING, RINSING, AND PARTIALLY DRYING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND OTHER FABRICS, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WASHING, RINSING, OR BOILING IN THE PREPARATION OF ARTICLES FOR FOOD."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bradford, of High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, and of the City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, BOILING, RINSING,
AND PARTIALLY DRYING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND OTHER FABRICS, WHICH
APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WASHING, RINSING, OR BOILING IN THE
PREPARATION OF ARTICLES FOR FOOD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bradford at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March .1877.
THOMAS BRADFORD, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of the
City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR WASHING, BOILING, RINSING, AND PARTIALLY DRYING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING
AND OTHER FABRICS, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WASHING, RINSING,
OR BOILING IN THE PREPARATION OF ARTICLES FOR FOOD."
This Invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for washing, boiling,
rinsing, and partially drying clothes or other fabrics, by which they can be lifted
out of or into either the washing, boiling, or rinsing compartment without being
handled, which apparatus is also applicable for washing, rinsing, or boiling in the
preparation of articles for food.
The improved machine or apparatus consists of or is constructed with one or
more vessels or outer containers (made of suitable shape of wood or other of suitable
material) to hold the water or other liquid contents. To the side of or between
these vessels I attach suitable bearings or brackets for carrying one or more vertical
and horizontal shafts, which are connected or geared together by worms and worm
wheels, and may be actuated by hand or any suitable motive power in an ordinary
manner; and by these means the desired lifting and lowering motions are given to
one or more levers, cranks, or "teagle" arms fast upon the horizontal shafting, and
to which, as herein-after mentioned, inner containers or cages or baskets for con-
taining the clothes or other articles are connected, so that the contents can be lifted

page_text: out of (say) the washing vessel into (say) the boiling vessel without being handled,
which causes more or less injury to some kinds of fabrics. To accomplish this I propose
to adopt, in addition to the wood or other outer vessels containing the water or
other liquid, a receptacle made of suitable shape and material in the form of a cago
or wire basket, or it may be perforated with openings; it will be hung upon centres,
and so constructed that such cage or basket or inner container can be lifted by the
aforesaid teagle out of vessel No. 1 and placed in vessel No. 2, and so on by a series
of such teagles can be transferred from one vessel to another, as for instance, from
the vessel that washes and boils linen into the vessel that rinses it in either clear or
blue water, as may be required, and so on continuously from vessel No. 1 to any
number of succeeding vessels.
I also propose to adopt the same or similar arrangements in the cleansing and in
the preparation of articles of food, as for instance, in the washing of potatoes, by
which they can be washed in an inner revolving cage suspended in another outer
vessel containing water, and then lifted out of such outer vessels into whatever
other convenient position may be desirable, and in the same manner in suitable
vessels for the boiling of flesh meat, which is especially desirable in large public or
private establishments, such as asylums, workhouses, and such like places.
A further improvement in relation to the washing of potatoes consists in the
employment of metal plates fixed edgeways upon the bars of the inner or revolving
cage, by which a scraping or peeling action (with new potatoes more especially) is
effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bradford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th Sep-
tember 1877.
THOMAS BRADFORD, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of the
City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR WASHING, BOILING, RINSING, AND PARTIALLY DRYING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING
AND OTHER FABRICS, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WASHING, RINSING,
OR BOILING IN THE PREPARATION OF ARTICLES FOR FOOD."
This Invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for use in washing,
boiling, rinsing, and partially drying clothes or other fabrics, which machine or
apparatus is also applicable for washing, rinsing, or boiling in the preparation of
articles for food.
The improved machine or apparatus which is illustrated in the plan views,
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, consists of and is con-
structed with one or more vessels or outer containers 1 made of suitable shape of
wood or other suitable material to hold the water or other liquid contents, and to
the sides of or between which vessels I attach suitable bearings or brackets 2 (see
Figures 3 to 8, of which Figures 3, 5, and 7, are elevations, and Figures 4, 6, and 8
plans) for carrying vertical or horizontal shafts 3, which are connected or geared
together by worms 4 and worm wheels 5 or other equivalent gearing, and may be
actuated by hand (as illustrated in Figure 9, herein-after_referred to) or by any
suitable motive power (as illustrated in Figures 1 to 8). By the application to a
series of such vessels 1 of these or equivalent arrangements of shafting and gearing
I give lifting and lowering motions to one or a series of levers, cranks, or "teagle
arms 6 fast upon the horizontal shafting 3, and to which inner containers, cages, or
baskets 7 perforated with openings or formed of open wire (see Figures 1 and 2)
for containing the clothes or other articles are suitably connected, so that the
articles being operated upon can be lifted in the baskets 7 by the levers 6 out of
(say) the washing vessel and lowered into (say) the boiling vessel, and by a series
of such arms can be continuously transferred from one vessel to others succeeding
without being handled, to avoid which in these operations is the principal object of
2

page_text: the Invention, the handling of the fabrics causing more or less injury to some kinds
thereof.
I also adopt similar or equivalent arrangements in the cleansing and preparation
of articles for food, as for instance, in the washing of potatoes (see the perspective
view, Figure 9), by which they can be washed in an inner revolving cage 7*
suspended in an outer vessel 1 containing water, and then lifted out of such vessel 1
into any other desirable position for being emptied from the cage 7* into a basket
or receptacle 8, as shewn."
-
I also adopt such arrangements in the boiling of meat in large quantities, and
such an application will be especially advantageous in large public or private
establishments, such as asylums, workhouses, hospitals, and similar places.
A further improvement in relation to the washing of potatoes consists in the
employment of metal plates 9 fixed edgeways upon the bars 10 of the cage 7*, and
so as to project within it, and by which a scraping or peeling action (more especially
with new potatoes) is effected.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention the
peculiar adaptation and application to machinery or apparatus, consisting of one or
a series of outer vessels to be used in washing, boiling, rinsing, and partially drying
clothes and other fabrics, and in washing, rinsing, and boiling articles in the
preparation of food, of mechanical means for lifting the articles being treated in
cages or baskets from such outer vessels and lowering them into other vessels of the
serios or into other receptacles, substantially as above described and as illustrated on
the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, instead of removing such articles by hand,
as hitherto generally done.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bradford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
5, Serle Street,
Lincoln's Inn.
THOMAS BRADFORD. (L.S.)