IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINERY
Year: 1857

page_text: Sealed the 22nd December 1857, and dated the 24th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Juckes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th June"
1857.
I, JOHN JUCKES, of No. 8, Dame Street, Islington, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINERY," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machinery. For
these purposes a tray is used, by preference of a circular form, and fixed on a
vertical axis' in such a manner as to admit of the tray being caused to have a
rotating or alternating motion. The bottom of the tray is perforated with
holes, in order that water or suds may rise up through the bottom near the.
axis of motion, and be thrown outwards by centrifugal action. The raised
edge or circumference of the tray is also perforated or formed with wire cloth,
in order that the water or suds may pass off at the periphery of the tray during.
its rotation. The water or suds used is contained in a vessel in which the tray
rotates, and the level of the water or suds is, by preference, kept below the
upper part of the tray. Pressing rollers, on horizontal axes which can rise

page_text: and fall freely, are arranged to press on the fabrics or garments in the tray as
the tray is rotated under the rollers, and by the tray so rotating it causes the
rollers to move round on their own axes. The rollers and their axes are
arranged so as to be raised off the tray, in order to admit of the tray being
revolved more quickly after the water has been drained off, by which means
the fabrics or garments will be thrown outwards and be pressed against the
perforated periphery, and be thereby deprived of their moisture and partially
dried. In place of having the tray of a circular form, it may be rectangular,
and have a reciprocating motion given to it; and the axes of the rollers may
be across such tray, but it is preferred that the tray should be circular and
have a rotating motion communicated thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Juckes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JUCKES, of No. 8, Dame Street, Islington, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Juckes, Her special licence that I, the said John Juckes, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Juckes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should, and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINERY,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Juckes, my
executors, or, administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Juckes, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
: ...
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machinery. For
these purposes a tray is used, by preference of a circular form, and fixed.on a
vertical axis in such a manner as to admit of the tray being caused to have. a
rotating, or alternating motion. The bottom of the tray is perforated with..
holes, in order that water or suds may rise up through. the bottom near the
axis of motion, and be thrown outwards by centrifugal action. The. raised.
edge or circumference of the tray is also perforated or formed with wire cloth,-
in order.that the water or suds may pass off at the periphery of the tray during.
its rotation. The water or suds. used is contained in a vessel in which the
tray rotates, and the level of the water or suds is, by preference, kept below!
the upper part of the tray. Pressing rollers, on horizontal axes, which can
rise and fall freely, are arranged to press on the fabrics or garments in the
tray as the tray is rotated under the rollers, and by the tray. so rotating it
causes the rollers to move round on their own axes. The rollers and their
axes are arranged so as to be raised off the tray, in order to admit of the tray.
being revolved more quickly after the water has been drained off, by which
means the fabrics or garments will be thrown outwards and be pressed!
against the perforated periphery, and be thereby deprived of their moisture.
and, be partially dried. In place of having the tray of a circular. form, it
may be rectangular, and have a reciprocating motion given to it; and the axes>
of the rollers may be across such tray, but it is preferred that the. tray should!
be circular and have a rotating motion communicated thereto.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe, the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figuré 1 is a vertical section of a washing machine constructed according
to my Invention. a, a, is a circular tray, which is perforated at a¹, a', and is
mounted on a vertical axis b; this axis is firmly fixed in the centre of the
exterior vessel c, and at its upper end it carries a cross head d; to which the
guides e, slotted at their lower ends, are keyed; and in the slot of the guides e
the axes of the rollers f are capable of rising and falling freely. g is a stand
for supporting the vessel c; at one end the vessel rests on a bar g', which turns

page_text: emptied completely out of it, there being a suitable plug at the side for the
purpose. When the machine is in use, the vessel c is filled with soap and
water, and the articles to be washed are put into the vessel a, which is then
caused to revolve, either continuously in one direction or backwards and
forwards, by the operator, who takes hold of the handles h; in this way the
articles are caused to pass under the rollers f, and they are thus in a short.
time completely cleansed. The rollers may be made of hard and heavy wood,
stone, or other.suitable material. i, i, are small rollers, fixed to the vessel'a,
and on which it is able to run freely. Sometimes I arrange the cross head d,
the guides e, and the rollers f so that they may be lifted up away from the
other parts by a crane above, and then I make the periphery of the vessel a of
wire gauze, and arrange it to be driven at a considerable velocity by power, so
as to be capable of being used for separating the moisture from the clothes by
centrifugal action.
Figure 2 is, a vertical section, and Figure 3 is a plan, of another form of
washing machine. constructed according to my Invention, and differing from
that already described in that the exterior vessel c is dispensed with, and that
the vessel a is made without perforations, and is supported by a platform, in
place of by the bottom of the exterior vessel, as in the former case.
Figure 4 is a vertical section, and Figure 5 is a plan, of another washing
machine constructed according to my Invention, and differing from that just
described in that the rollers are arranged to travel while the containing vessel a
is stationary.
In this arrangement, as the vertical axis h has to revolve to carry the
rollers with it it, does not pass through the bottom of the vessel a, but works
on a centre, pin which projects upwards from the bottom of that vessel, as is
shown by the Drawing.
When the articles to be washed are in long lengths, I make the vessel a
oblong in plan, in place of circular, and then no centre axis is required, and
the bar d, corresponding with the cross head of the machine before described,
works backwards and forwards in suitable guides, being moved either by
power or by hand. In this arrangement it is advantageous to use two sets of
rollers, one set behind the other, so that the rollers of the second set pass over
the portions of the fabric missed by those of the first. In place of mounting
these rollers so as to rise and fall in guides, it is in this case more convenient
to mount them on arms capable of turning freely about the bar d. The ends
of the oblong vessel I prefer to be inclined, to facilitate the passage of the
articles through the vessel.
Washing machines of the description last described may be adapted to be

page_text: used conveniently for washing articles of small length by laying an endless web
of cocoa nut matting from end to end of the vessel and over its full width.
This web passes under the rollers in the washing vessel, over a drum at its end,
is then turned back and passes under the vessel, and, lastly, having passed
round another drum at the other end of the vessel, it again passes under the
rollers. The articles to be washed are fed on to the web at one end, and are
brought out of the vessel by it at the other. Pressing rollers may be
employed for separating the water from the articles after they have been
washed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Juckes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
JN° JUCKES. (L.S.)