Improvements in Rotary Washing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rotary Washing Machines.
I, SIDNEY TEBBUTT, of 32 Avenue Road, Leamington, in County of Warwick-
shire, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention consists of an improvement in rotary machines for washing clothes
and textile fabrics. The machines referred to are the well known ones used in
steam laundries, consisting of an outer casing, which is stationary and watertight,
and usually cylindrical, and an inner revolving circular, hexagonal, or octagonal
drum, into which the clothes are placed. The water holding soap and other ingre-
dients, forming the washing solution, stands in the bottom of the casing, and it
passes freely into the lower part of the revolving drum through holes made in its
sides.
It is of great importance to bring the washing solution thoroughly into contact
with all the clothes, and all parts of them, and to do this with the least amount of
action upon, and friction with the clothes by the drum itself.
For this purpose, I use a drum of an hexagonal shape, and I place longitudinally
along the centre of each side of the drum (at which point there is considerable
space between the drum and the casing) a board, or strip of wood, so as to stand up
on its edge, vertically to the side of the drum, like a float of a paddle wheel. The
board, or strip of wood, carries crosswise upon its top or outer edge, and along its
entire length, another board, or strip of wood, which projects to an equal distance
on each side of it, and forms with it a symmetrical T piece. The strip of upright
wood and the length of wood on it are of such a height and size as not to come
against any part of the casing. Upon the ends of these strips of wood, which
correspond with the ends of the drum, covering pieces of wood are fixed so as to
better form the buckets next mentioned.
The upright strips of wood with their cross pieces and the end, or covering,
pieces, form with the sides of the drum long buckets, or scoops, or wooden boxes,
into which the washing solution flows readily when they are immersed in it, but.
out of which it cannot flow when they are in certain positions.
As the drum revolves some of the washing solution lying in the lower part of the
casing is caught up and carried upwards by the buckets. The holes in the sides of
the drum are so placed that as each bucket approaches the top of the drum in its
revolution the water held in it can run through them, and can continue to run
through them, on to the clothes below till the bucket has passed over the upper
half of its revolution.
In order to check the washing solution, when passing out of the bucket, as it
passes over the top of the revolution, from running beyond the holes, and over the
circumference of the drum, (and into the next bucket on the descending side) I
place a fillet, or strip of wood, upon the outside of the drum, halfway between each
two buckets, that is, when the drum is hexagonal, as I prefer, upon the corners of
the drum, formed by the meeting of the sides. These fillets run the full length of
the drum.
By means of the improvements above described the clothes are acted upon by
the washing solution flowing over them from above as well as from below and in
consequence of the washing solution being carried from the bottom of the casing
and from below the clothes, the water upon them inside the drum is made to pass
through them into the empty space at the bottom of the casing below them, thus
causing a current of liquid to constantly pass through them.

page_text: As the cross pieces of wood are symmetrical they thus form a bucket on each
side so that whichever way the drum revolves the same action takes place.
Dated this 18th day of April 1893.
SIDNEY TEBBUTT.
I, SIDNEY TEBBUTT, of 32, Avenue Road, Leamington Spa, Mechanical
Engineer, 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 consists of an improvement in rotary washing machines for washing
linen and woollen clothes and other textile fabrics. and has for its object to bring
the washing solution thoroughly into contact with all the clothes and all parts of
them, and to do this with the least amount of action upon, and friction with, them.
The machines I use are the rotary ones commonly used in laundries, which
consist of an outer box or casing which is, stationary and watertight, and in the
lower part of which stands the washing solution, and of an inner revolving drum,
which is commonly cylindrical in form, but which I make polygonal, and, by
preference, hexagonal."
These machines revolve sometimes in one direction and sometimes in the opposite.
The fabrics to be washed are placed inside the inner drum or cage, and into this
the washing solution passes freely through holes made in the sides of its hexagonal
circumference.
Upon the outside of the sides of the circumference of this drum I. construct
narrow troughs or buckets, running the entire length of the drum. There are two
of such troughs upon each of such sides placed bottom to bottom, so that one set of
troughs is in operation when the drum revolves in one direction and the other set
when it revolves the opposite way.
Upon the corners of the druin are fillets or ribs of wood, also running from end
to end of the drum, which form barriers to the overflow of the liquid when flowing
out of the troughs, besides serving to strengthan the drum itself

page_text: Figure 2. only shows those parts of L, L, which project beyond the covers D¹, D²:
E, E, are fillets or beadings of wood fitted upon the corners of the drum, and
fastened to the sides by screws so as to clamp them securely together; the cross
pieces B, B, are of such a height that the covers D', D', are at the same distance
from the centre of the machine as the outside of the fillets E, E, lying upon the
circumference of the same circle; J, J, are circular holes of about five-eights of an
inch in diameter and are confined to those parts of the sides which are nearest the
corners of the drum. I make three or more rows of these holes according to the
size of the drum; R, is the door held in position by buttons 0, 0, which
buttons O, O, are held down by wing-nuts N, N; S, S, are brass plates fixed to
the drum through which the bolts T, T, pass; H, H, are brass strips of the same
length as the width of the door, and screwed to the ends of it, but slightly
overlapping it sideways, as shewn by the dotted line in Figure 4, whereby the door
is strengthened and prevented from falling through into the drum; F, F, are metal
discs fastened to the ends of the drum by bolts and nuts M, M, and having axles
keyed into them.
The outer box or casing is not shewn, but it is of the size and kind ordinarily
used in machines of this class where the revolving drum has a circumference
corresponding with the outside of the troughs, and the fillets E, E, the shape of the
drum, troughs, and fillets being such that the outer casing need be but slightly
bigger than would be necessary in the ordinary machine where the drum was
cylindrical, and had no troughs upon it.
I call my machine "The Torrent" and its mode of action is as follows. As the
troughs pass through the washing solution at the bottom of the outer casing by the
revolution of the drum, those whose openings face in that direction become filled
with the liquid, and carry it upwards. As they approach the top of the drum they
begin to pour the liquid over that part of the sides of the drum in which the
holes J, J, are placed, and finally they discharge the whole of the liquid upon the
holes. The liquid thus passes through the holes, and showers down in heavy streams
upon the clothes and fabrics beneath inside the drum, the fillets serving as barriers
to prevent the liquid from passing over the corners and falling into the trough
immediately in front.
When the drum revolves the opposite way, the other set of troughs facing the
opposite way operate in the same manner. Part of the double-trough on one of
the sides of the drum is cut away so as to allow for the passage of the door. On
the door is placed a double trough so as to form with the parts at each end of the
same side a continuous trough running from end to end of the drum but divided
into three parts, and thus the door and troughs upon it may be considered simply
as a portion of one of the sides cut out. Small under brackets K, K, are placed
at the open ends of the parts of this double trough so as to give the necessary
support to the covers D', D'. For greater convenience in removing the door the
ends of the troughs on the door are cut on the bevel, inclining from the door
outwards, so as to get wider as they approach the outside; and the ends of the
troughs on the rest of that side of the drum are bevelled in the opposite way, so as
to fit them. The door, and troughs, and all other parts of the drum are made of
wood except where expressed to be made of metal or when obviously so made.
By means of the machine above described large quantities of washing liquid are
continually showered upon the clothes in copious streams, while at the same time
the liquid is carried away from beneath them, thus causing a great circulation of
the washing liquid and drenching the clothes through and through at each
revolution of the drum.
What I claim is :-

page_text: as, and used for the purposes, hereinbefore, and in the accompanying drawing,
described and illustrated.
(2.) The construction of the fillets E, E, upon the corners of the said inner
revolving cage or drum, in combination with the troughs or buckets B, D¹, C', L,
and B, D², C², L, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore, and in the
accompanying drawings, described and illustrated.
Dated this Fifteenth day of January Eighteen hundred and ninety-four.
SIDNEY TEBBUTT.