A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING DRINKING GLASSES AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adam Smeal, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND
DRYING DRINKING GLASSES AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Smeal at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1879.
ADAM SMEAL, of Manchester, in tho County of Lancaster. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING DRINKING GLASSES AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES."
My Invention relates moro particularly to an apparatus designed for washing and
drying tumblers, but with slight modifications it may be readily adapted for washing
and drying other similar articles.
In a trough containing water I mount a roller or cylinder capable of revolving,
and provided with any convenient number of clips (arranged by preference in lon-
gitudinal rows parallel to the axis of the roller), the said clips being of such a form
ns each to embrace and hold one of the tumblers (or other articles to be washed) by
the base or foot, and being either made with springs or capable of being tightened
by means of screws or otherwise to hold the articles firmly.
A number of tumblers or other articles being thus fixed in the clips, the roller is
caused to revolve by turning a handle, and the tumblers will thus be dashed in and
out of the water, and thoroughly washed.
Above this washing cylinder is mounted a rail which is capable of being raised or
lowered by a rack or otherwise, and in this rail is mounted a series of vertical
spindles, each of which corresponds in position with the uppermost longitudinal
row of clips on the washing roller, and the lower end of each spindle is provided
with a soft pad of absorbent material, which when the spindle is lowered fits both
the inside and outside of the tumbler in the clip. The spindles are all caused to

page_text: revolve simultaneously by a series of bevil gearing actuated by a second winch
handle.
When a series of tumblers has been well washed, as above described, the washing
roller is brought to a state of rest, with the uppermost row of tumblers immediately
below the row of spindles. The spindle rail is then brought down by means of the
rack (or otherwise) till the absorbent pads on the lower ends of the spindles fit and
press against both the inside and outside of the row of tumblers. The spindles are
then set revolving, and the row of tumblers are dried and polished by the pads.
The spindle rail is then raised and the next row of tumblers is brought under the
spindles, the first or dried row being removed, and the operation repeated as
before.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adam Smeal in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1879.
ADAM SMEAL, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING DRINKING GLASSES AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES."
My Invention relates more particularly to an apparatus designed for washing
and drying tumblers, but with slight modifications it may be readily adapted for
washing and drying other articles of hollow ware.
In a trough containing water I mount a roller or cylinder capable of revolving,
and provided with any convenient number of clips or holders (arranged by pre-
ference in longitudinal rows parallel to the axis of the roller), the said clips being
of such a rorm as cach to embrace and hold one of the tumblers (or other articles to
be washed) by the base or foot, and being either made with springs or capable of
being tightened by means of screws or otherwise so as to hold the articles firmly.
A number of tumblers or other articles being thus fixed in the clips, the roller is
caused to revolve by turning a handle, and the tumblers will thus be dashed in and
out of the water, and thoroughly washed.
Above this washing cylinder is mounted a rail which is capable of being raised or
lowered by a rack or otherwise, and in this rail is mounted a series of vertical spindles,
each of which corresponds in position with the uppermost longitudinal row of clips
in the washing roller, and the lower end of each spindle is provided with a soft pad
of absorbent material, which when the spindle is lowered its both the inside and
outside of the tumbler in the clip. The spindles are all caused to revolve simulta-
neously by a series of bevil or other gearing actuated by a second winch handle.
When a series of tumblers has been well washed, as above described, the washing
roller is brought to a state of rest, with the uppermost row of tumblers immediately
below the row of spindles. The spindle rail is then brought down by means of the
rack (or otherwise) till the absorbent pads on the lower ends of the spindles fit and
press against both the inside and outside of the row of tumblers. The spindles are
then set revolving, and the row of tumblers are dried and polished by pads.
The spindle rail is then raised and the next row of tumblers is brought under the
spindles, the first or dried row being removed, and the operation repeated as
before.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly understood I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference, corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof:-
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is an clevation, and Fig. 2 a transverse section
illustrating the construction of the apparatus. a, a, is the trough for containing
water, in the ends of which is mounted the axis of the roller b, b, which may be
square, octagonal, or of any other convenient form in section, and is provided on
each of its sides with a series of sliding clips c, c, made in two halves held together
by elastic bands d, d, or any other suitable form of clip so constructed as to hold the
tumbler or other article by the foot may be employed; e, e, is the handle for turning
the roller b, b, so as to wash the articles in the trough a, a; f, f, is the spindle rail,
which can be raised and lowered as required by means of a rack and pinion g, g ;
h, h, are the vertical spindles so arranged as to rise and fall with the rail f, f, and at
the same time to be capable of revolving when required by putting the toothed
gearing i, i, in rapid motion by means of the winch handle k, k.
At the lower end of each spindle is mounted a pad 1, 1, of such a form as to fit

page_text: the inside of the tumbler or other article, and capable of sliding a short distance up
the spindle for a purpose hereinafter described.
To each side of the top of this pad is hinged a curved bar m, m, provided with an
absorbent pad *,, made to fit the outside of the tumbler or other article. These
curved bars m, m, pass through two straps n, n, (one on each side of the spindle,)
and when the pad is hanging in its lowest position on the end of the spindle (as at
Figs. 1 and 2) the straps lift the curved bars so as to expand the outer pads, as seen
at Fig. 1.
When the spindle rail is lowered, as soon as the inner pad 7, 1, reaches the bottom
of the tumbler (the rail still continueing to descend), the pad l, l, slides up the
spindle h, h, and the straps n, n, coming against the curved tops of the bars m, m,
cause the outer pads *, *, to close upon the outside of the tumbler, as shown at
Fig. 3.
The spindles and pads are now caused to revolve by turning the winch
handle k, k.
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 wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention the construction and
arrangement of apparatus for washing and drying drinking glasses and other
similar articles, as herein before described, and represented by the Drawings annexed,
or any mere imitation or modification thereof, constructed and operating in sub-
stantially the same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adam Smeal, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.