IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: THOMAS FLETCHER of Thynne Street Warrington in the County of Lancaster
Manufacturer of Gas Apparatus, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
86
These Improvements relate to that type or class of Washing Machines of which
the following is a general description: An outer containing metallic vessel externally
heated by gaseous Huid or solid fuel, has mounted within it a horizontal cylindrical
metallic vessel capable of revolution upon its axis. A small quantity of water is
placed within the outer vessel and the fabrics to be washed are placed within the
cylindrical vessel to which the steam arising from the water below and the water
itself has access. The cylindrical vessel is then rotated by means of a crank handle
external to the outer casing.
The defects of these machines are that if the cylindrical vessel is constructed of
iron the fabrics become "ironmoulded," if of zinc that metal reacts upon the soap
employed which then forms an objectionable and insoluble deposit upon the metal
surface while if they are constructed of copper or any other metal free from the
objections incidental to the use of iron or zine the cost becomes very heavy. Further
while such machines are in use there is a liability to leakage of the contents of
the outer vessel through the whole provided therein for the passage of the handle
shaft.
Now my Improvements have for their objects (a) to prevent damage to the
fabrics through "ironmould," (b) to prevent the accumulation of deposit on the
surface of the cylindrical vessel, (c) to prevent leakage through the opening
provided in the outer vessel for the passage of the handle shaft, (d) to reduce the
cost of the machine and (e) to facilitate the removal of the cylindrical vessel from
the outer containing vessel."
In order that my Invention may be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings having marked
thereon letters of reference similar letters denoting similar parts in the various
figure.
Fig 1 is a vertical section, Fig 2 is a plan and Fig 3 is an end view of the
Machine with my Improvements applied thereto. Figs 4, 5, 6 7 and 8 illustrate
some of the details on a larger scale as hereinafter described.
Instead of the metallic cylindrical vessel at present in use I employ a horizontal
cage constructed of wool. The ends of this cage D D consist of two equal wooden
dises bored near their circumferences with a series of holes into which are fitted the
wooden rods or bars C. A convenient number of the bars or rods instead of being
fixed at their ends to the discs may be stopped short and connected together so as
to form a door or gate by the opening of which the fabrics may be inserted into or
removed from the cylinder. A suitable method of forming such a gate or door. is

page_text: L
indicated in Figs 1, 2 and 3. A number of the bars or rods are made of such a
diameter that they will slide freely through their corresponding holes in the
discs D. D. These bars are fastened at their ends to the curved pieces G. G one of
which is placed between the discs the other being external to its nearest disc. The
curved piece G' between the discs is of such a length and so shaped that its
extremities embrace and are free to slide upon the two contiguous fixed rods which
thus form a guide for the sliding door or gate. The cage with which alone the
fabrics come in contact being constructed wholly of wood the risk of ironmould is
obviated while the wood having no action or reaction with the soap-no surface
deposit is formed.
To prevent leakage I pass the handle shaft through a packed joint or gland F
attached to the outer vessel B as shewn on an enlarged scale in Figs 4 and 5.
To facilitate the removal of the cage C from the outer vessel BI employ the
arrangement illustrated in Figs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. To avoid confusion in the
Drawings this arrangement is not indicated on Figs 1, 2 and 3 in which the handle
shaft is shown as fitting into a boss secured to the disc or end of the cage. Figs 4
and 5 are a horizontal and a vertical section of the arrangement. To the disc or
end D of the cage nearer to the handle shaft I attach the plate I having formed-
upon its outer face the undercut D shaped projection S. This plate with its
projection are shown separately in elevation and plan in Figs 7 and 8. The end of
the handle shaft H. has formed upon or attached to it a plate L within which
there is formed an undercut recess as shewn in elevation at S¹ in Fig 6 and in
vertical and horizontal section at S in Figs 4 and 5. This recess is of such a form
and size as to receive the projecting part S of the plate I thus forming a kind of
clutch The crank handle U is preferably so fixed on its shaft for convenience that
when the handle is at the lower point of its revolution the open part of the recess S¹
is at the top of the plate L as shown in Fig 6. It is obvious that to permit the
removal of the cage or cylinder the bearing of the axis R at the opposite end of the
casing must be an open one similar in shape to that shown at M in Fig 6. To
prevent the cage falling downwards when the clutch is inverted I attach to the
inner side of the casing B the semicircular bearing M. Figs 4, 5 and 6.
The efficiency of the Machine is improved by the construction therein of carriers
or dashers K of which there may be six as shown in Fig 3 or any other convenient
number. These may be formed of two or more rods or bars similar to the
circumferential rods or bars C which should be placed in the planes of radii of the
cage as indicated at K Fig 3 and fixed at their extremities to the ends or discs D D
of the cage.
The horizontal cage instead of being enclosed within the casing B and its cover A
may be used in conjunction with the ordinary or with a special washing boiler or
copper" as shown in Figs 9 and 10 the bearings of the axis of the cylinder being
carried by suitable standards or brackets 1, 2 Fig 9 attached to the brickwork as
indicated or to a framing or brackets carried upon or supported by the brickwork.
In this case the handle shaft H. may be used with or without the packed gland
herein before described and the shaft is prolonged so that the crank handle U will
clear the brickwork setting of the boiler. In some cases with this modified
arrangement the horizontal cage may be placed lower and entirely within the
"copper" or boiler as indicated in Fig 10 when the bearings may be attached to
the sides of the boiler in a similar manner to that in which they are attached to
the casing B. Figs 1 and 2 and the shaft H is lengthened in order that the crank
liandle may clear the brick work setting.

page_text: THOMAS FLETCHER of Thynne Street Warrington in the County of Lancaster
Manufacturer of Gas Apparatus do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
These Improvements relate to that type or class of Washing Machines of which
the following is a general description:-An outer containing metallic vessel
externally heated by gaseous fluid or solid fuel, has mounted within it a horizontal
cylindrical metallic vessel capable of revolution upon its axis. A small quantity of
water is placed within the outer vessel and the fabrics to be washed are placed
within the cylindrical vessel to which the steam arising from the water below and
the water itself has access. The cylindrical vessel is then rotated by means of a
crank handle external to the outer casing.
The defects of these machines are that if the cylindrical vessel is constructed of
iron the fabrics become ironmoulded, if of zinc that metal reacts upon the soap
employed which then forms an objectionable and insoluble deposit upon the metal
surface while if they are constructed of copper or any other metal free from the
objections incidental to the use of iron or zinc the cost becomes very heavy.
Further while such machines are in use there is a liability to leakage of the
contents of the outer vessel through the hole provided therein for the passage of
the handle shaft.
Now my Improvements have for their objects (a) to prevent damage to the
fabrics through "ironmould" (b) to prevent the accumulation of deposit on the
surface of the cylindrical vessel, (c) to prevent leakage through the opening provided
in the outer vessel for the passage of the handle shaft, (d) to reduce the cost of the
machine and (e) to facilitate the removal of the cylindrical vessel from the outer
containing vessel.
In order that my Invention may be more readily understood and carried into.
practical effect I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings having marked
thereon letters of reference, similar letters denoting similar parts in the various
figures.
Fig 1 is a vertical section, Fig 2 is a plan and Fig 3 is an end view of the
machine with my Improvements applied thereto. Figs 4,5 6, 7 and 8 illustrate
some of the details on a larger scale as hereinafter described.
Instead of the metallic cylindrical vessel at present in use I employ a horizontal
cage constructed of wood with or without an outer metal frame work. The ends of
this cage D. D consist of two equal wooden discs bored near their circumferences
with a series of holes into which are fitted the wooden rods or bars C or a metal
frame lined with wood may be used. A convenient number of the bars or rods
instead of being fixed at their ends to the discs may be stopped short and connected
together so as to form a door or gate by the opening of which the fabrics may be
inserted into or removed from the cylinder. A suitable method of forming such a
gate or door is indicated in Figs 1, 2 and 3. A number of the bars or rods are
made of such a diameter that they will slide freely through their corresponding
holes in the disc D. These bars are fastened at their ends to the curved pieces G. G¹
one of which is placed between the discs the other being external to its nearest
disc. The curved piece G¹ between the discs is of such a length and so shaped that
its extremities embrace and are free to slide upon the two contiguous fixed rods

page_text: which thus form a guide for the sliding door or gate. The internal part of the cage
with which alone the fabrics come in contact being constructed wholly of wood the
risk of "ironmould" is obviated while the wood having no action or reaction with
the soap no surface deposit is formed.
To prevent leakage I pass the handle shaft through a packed joint or gland F
attached to the outer vessel B as shown on an enlarged scale in Figs 4 and 5.
To facilitate the removal of the cage C from the outer vessel BI employ the
arrangement illustrated in Figs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. To avoid confusion in the
Drawings this arrangement is not indicated in Figs 1, 2 and 3 in which the handle
shaft is shown as fitting into a boss secured to the disc or end of the cage. Figs 4
and 5 are a horizontal and a vertical section of the arrangement. To the disc or
end D of the cage nearer the handle shaft I attach the plate I having formed upon
its outer face the undercut D shaped projection S. This plate with its projection
is shown separately in elevation and plan in Figs 7 and 8. The end of the handle
shaft H has formed upon or attached to it a plate L within which there is formed
an undercut recess as shown in elevation at S' in Fig 6 and in vertical and
horizontal section at S in Figs 4 and 5. This recess is of such a form and size as to
receive the projecting part S of the plate I thus forming a kind of clutch. The
crank handle U is preferably so fixed on its shaft for convenience that when the
handle is at the lower point of its revolution the open part of the recess S' is at
the top of the plate L as shown in Fig 6. It is obvious that to permit the removal
of the cage or cylinder the bearing of the axis R at the opposite end of the casing
must be an open one similar in shape to that shown at M in Fig 6. To prevent
the cage falling downwards when the clutch is inverted I attach to the inner side
of the casing B the semicircular bearing M Figs 4, 5 and 6.
The efficiency of the Machine is improved by the construction therein of carriers
or dashers K of which there may be six as shown in Fig 3 or any other convenient
number. These may be formed of two or more rods or bars similar to the
circumferential rods or bars C which should be placed in the planes of radii of the
cage as indicated at K Fig 3 and fixed at their extremities to the ends or discs D. D
of the cage.
"
The horizontal cage instead of being enclosed within the casing B and its cover A
may be used in conjunction with the ordinary or with a special washing boiler or
copper" as shown in Figs 9 and 10 the bearings of the axis of the cylinder being
carried by suitable standards or brackets R Fig 9 attached to the brickwork as
indicated or to a framing or brackets carried upon or supported by the brickwork.
In this case the handle shaft H may be used with or without the packed gland
herein before described and the shaft is prolonged so that the crank handle U
will clear the brickwork setting of the boiler. In some cases with this modified
.arrangement the horizontal cage may be placed lower and entirely within the
copper" as indicated in Fig 10 when the bearings may be attached to the sides of
the boiler in a similar manner to that in which they are attached to the casing B.
Figs 1 and 2 and the shaft H is lengthened in order that the crank handle may clear
the brickwork setting.
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 Washing Machines of the class herein described the combination of the
horizontal cage with the packed joint F substantially as hereinbefore described
and set forth and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
(2) The combination of the horizontal cage with the clutch consisting of the
parts I, S, S¹, L, M. Figs 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8 substantially as herein before set forth
and described and illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.
(3) The combination of the horizontal cage, the packed joint and the clutch all
substantially as herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying sheet
<of drawings.

page_text: (4) The use of the horizontal cage constructed entirely or principally of wood
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and described and
illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
37
(5) The adaptation or application of an horizontal cage constructed entirely or
principally of wood to an ordinary washing "copper or boiler substantially as
herein before described and as illustrated in Fig 9 of the accompanying drawings.
(6) The adaptation or application of an horizontal cage to a modified washing
copper" or boiler substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
Fig 10 of the accompanying drawings.
"
Dated this seventh day of November 188
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent.