A NEW OR IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander John Forbes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1880.
ALEXANDER JOHN FORBES, of Conon Bridge, in the County of Ross, North
Britain. A NEW OR IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE."
This Invention relates to a new or improved construction of washing machine
for domestic and laundry use, which is extremely simple in design, very easily
operated, and most efficient in its action, whilst the clothes and other articles
washed therein are not subjected to the tear and wear which is usual in washing
machines as heretofore constructed.
The improved machine comprises a wooden tub or water vessel, which is semi-
cylindrical below and rectangular above, or U shaped in cross section, and is
supported on a wooden or metallic framing or legs. A large water tight floating
cylinder or revolving drum of nearly the full length of the tub is fitted inside, and
carried by a central spindle or axle in sliding bushes free to move in a vertical
groove formed in each end of the tub. This drum is preferably made of wooden
staves bound together by galvanized hoops, but it may be made entirely of galvanized
sheet metal, and is formed with a flange at each end, between which flanges and
directly above the drum a smaller wooden roller or metallic cylinder is fitted and
carried by its spindle in journal bearings on the end boards of the tub, so as to be
driven by a hand crank and fly wheel or pulley outside and revolve in contact with
the larger floating drum, which when the tub is partially filled with water is
buoyed or pressed up against the roller, and is thus driven by it. The upper roller
is preferably corrugated longitudinally, or made of corrugated galvanized sheet
metal covered with rubber, and its bearing bushes are fitted over the vertical
grooves so as to be easily unscrewed or removed when it is desired to withdraw the
drum, which may also be corrugated if desired.
The clothes or articles to be washed are placed within a bag, or spread out on and
folded within a "washing cloth," which is made of an open woven fabric or netting,

page_text: "
and when closed or tied over at each side to envelope the clothes is of about the
breadth of the drum and somewhat longer than its circumference. This bag or
washing cloth" with the clothes within it is then wrapped or rolled round the
revolving drum between its flanges and tied at the ends in the form of a loosely
fitting endless band. The stationary tub is partially filled with water and soap, or
the usual washing lyes, and the upper roller driven by means of its hand crank, when
the floating drum, being kept in contact with it, also revolves and carries round the
"washing cloth" and clothes, which are alternately completely soaked in passing
through the water in the tub, and wrung in passing between the roller and drum.
The clothes are thus washed by driving the roller and drum for a short time in
either direction, or in both alternately, and they are kept from coming off the drum
by the flange at each side, whilst splashing of the water is prevented by movable
covering boards fitted on the top of the tub close up to the upper roller. When this
operation has been continued for a sufficient length of time the washing cloth or
bag is untied at the joined ends and unrolled from the drum between it and the
upper roller to be wrung in passing out, and it may be further wrung dry by being
passed directly through rubber rollers or a wringing machine fitted to one side or
edge of the tub. The washing cloth is then untied and unfolded and the clothes
removed ready for drying, whilst the soiled washing water is run off from the tub
by a tap fitted in the bottom, but the separate articles may be taken from the
washing cloth and passed through wringing rollers in the usual way.
With this machine and by this means, blankets, sheeting, and other large articles
or a considerable quantity of clothing can be washed at once with very little power;
and for laundry purposes, or for the washing of yarns or heavy goods, the spindle
of the revolving roller may be fitted with fast and loose pulleys, and be driven by
a belt from a counter shaft, or directly by a motive power engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander John Forbes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
November 1880.
ALEXANDER JOHN FORBES, of Cononbridge, in the County of Ross, North-
Britain. A NEW OR IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE"
"
My said Invention relates to a new or improved construction of washing machine
for domestic and laundry use, which is extremely simple in design, very easily
operated, and most efficient in its action, whilst the clothes and other articles
washed therein are not subjected to the tear and wear which is usual in washing
machines as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended for that purpose a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings, representing my improved washing machine, which I shall
now proceed to describe. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used
to indicate the same or like parts where repeated.
--
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a modification of my improved
construction of washing machine, and Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of
the same taken as at the line 1 1 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view of the
washing cloth to be used with the improved machine, as will be hereinafter
explained, and Figure 4 shows the same folded up as having the articles to be
washed inside.
Referring to these Drawings, the improved machine comprises a wooden tub or
water vessel A, which is semi-cylindrical below at A¹ and rectangular above at A¹¹,
or U shaped in cross section, and is supported on a metallic framing B, which is
carried up and fixed to the ends A¹¹1 of the tub A, and fitted with small rollers or
castors B¹ at the lower ends or legs. A large water-tight floating cylinder or
revolving drum C of nearly the full length of the tub A is fitted inside the latter,
and carried by a central spindle or axle C¹, with or without sliding bushes, and
free to move in a vertical groove a formed in each end of the tub A, and preferably
lined with brass. This drum C is preferably made of wooden staves c bound
together by galvanized iron hoops c¹ (but it may be made entirely of galvanized
sheet metal or other material), and is formed or fitted with a flange C¹¹ at each end.
Between these flanges C and directly above the drum C a smaller wooden roller D,
or it may be a metallic cylinder, is fitted and carried by a spindle D¹ in journal
bearings D on the top of the end boards A" of the tub A, so as to be driven by
a hand crank or handle E and fly wheel or pulley E' outside, and revolve in contact
with the larger floating drum C, which, when the tub A is partially filled with
water, is buoyed or pressed up against the roller D, as shown, and is thus driven
by it. The upper roller D is preferably corrugated longitudinally, or made of
corrugated or fluted galvanized sheet metal, or it may be covered with india-
rubber, and its bearing bushes D₁ are fitted over the vertical grooves a in the tub
end A, so as to be easily unscrewed or removed when it is desired to withdraw
the drum C, which may also be corrugated if preferred. For this purpose only one
of the bushes D₁ need be fitted with a removable cover, which may be hinged and
held by a screw, whilst the other end of the spindle D' may simply be slipped in
or out of the bearing.
The clothes or articles to be washed are placed within a bag or spread out on
and folded within a "washing cloth "F, of the form shown open in Figure 3 and
folded up in Figure 4, which is made of an open woven fabric or netting, with
longitudinal flaps F', which are closed or fixed over at each side by means of
buttons fand button holes f¹ to envelope the clothes. This cloth F, F', which is
drawn to a smaller scale than the machine, is of about the breadth of the drum C
and somewhat longer than its circumference. The bag or "washing cloth" F, F',
with the clothes within it is wrapped or rolled round the revolving drum C between
its flanges C, and tied at the ends by means of tapes or cords f¹, so as to form a

page_text: loosely fitting endless band surrounding the drum C, as shown particularly in
Figure 2. The tub A is partially filled with water and soap or the usual washing
lyes, and the upper roller D driven by means of its hand crank E, and the floating
drum C being kept in contact with it also revolves and carries round the " washing
cloth" F, F, and clothes, which are alternately completely soaked in passing
through the water in the tub A, and wrung or pressed in passing between the
roller D and drum C. The clothes act. as a sponge in absorbing the water and
having it expressed, and are thus washed by driving the roller D and drum C for
a short time in either direction, or in both alternately; and the washing cloth F, F¹,
with its contents is kept from coming off the drum C by the flange C at each
side, whilst splashing of the water is prevented by movable covering inclined
boards G fitted on the top of the tub A, close up to the upper roller D. When the
washing operation has been continued for a sufficient length of time the washing
cloth or bag F is untied at the joined ends f", and unrolled from the drum C, and
rolled tightly round the upper roller D to be wrung, and it may be further wrung
dry by being passed directly through rubber rollers, or a wringing machine fitted
to one side or edge of the tub. The washing cloth is then untied and unfolded,
and the clothes removed ready for complete drying, whilst the soiled washing water
is run off from the tub A by a tap a¹ fitted in the bottom or end. The separate
articles may however be taken from the washing cloth F and passed through
rollers in the usual way to express the water and aid the drying operation. The
drum C may be kept up in contact with the roller D by means of rubber bands
passed round the spindle D¹ and suspended from the upper part of the tub A, or by
other springs when simple flotation is considered insufficient to press up the drum
either for the washing or wringing of the clothes..
With this machine and by these means, blankets, sheeting, and other large
articles, or a considerable quantity of clothing can be washed at one operation with
very little power. For laundry purposes, or for the washing of yarns or heavy
goods, the spindle D¹ of the revolving roller D may be fitted with fast and loose
pulleys, and be driven by a belt from a counter shaft, or directly by a motive-power
engine.
My improved machine is obviously susceptible of modification as regards the
construction of the various parts while still adhering to the main features or
combination claimed. I therefore wish it to be understood that I do not restrict
mysely to the precise details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement and construction of a washing machine in which
the clothes or other articles to be washed are placed in a bag or cloth F, F¹, tied
round a floating or suspended drum C fitted inside the washing tub or vessel A,
and driven by contact of a revolving roller D above, all substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In a washing machine with a drum C and roller D revolving in contact
in a tub or vessel A, the application and use of a bag or washing cloth F containing
the clothing or articles to be washed by pressure in passing alternately through the
water in the tub, and between such revolving drum and roller, all substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander John Forbes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALEXANDER JOHN FORBES. (L.S.)