IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 11th Jan., 1887.
I THOMAS COOPER SMITH of the Paragon Laundry, Moss Side Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Laundry Proprietor do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
In constructing a washing machine according to my Invention I form the outer
casing or tank of wood or metal. The casing is provided with a door and inside the
casing is fitted as usual a cylinder or cylindrical cage the ends of which are or may be
solid and with the sides formed of "green-heart" wood the inner surface of the bars
being angular or bevelled so as to impart an extra rubbing action to the clothes or
fabrics being washed in the cage which provided with dashers as usual. I arrange
a sliding door or doors for the cage through which the clothes etc. can be inserted
and withdrawn at will when the door of the outer casing is opened.
I propose to drive the cylindrical cage either by steam or other motive power or by
hand and to employ a suitable automatic reversing motion by which when the cage
has been driven a certain time in one direction its rotation is reversed and thus the
clothes etc. are more thoroughly cleansed.
The shaft or axle of the cylinder is supported on friction rollers by which means
no oiling of these bearings is required and therefore no oil reaches the inner portion
of the tank.
The outer casing or tank contains a certain quantity of water which may be boiled
by steam or otherwise and in which the rotating cage is partially submerged.
The outer casing is provided with the usual taps or valves to regulate the admission
and discharge of water and steam.

page_text: Improvements in Washing Machines.
I THOMAS COOPER SMITH, of the Paragon Laundry, Moss Side, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Laundry Proprietor, 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:—
In constructing a washing machine according to my Invention I form the outer
casing or tank of wood or metal. The casing is provided with a door and inside the
casing is fitted as usual a cylinder or cylindrical-cage the ends of which are or may be
solid and with the sides formed of bars of green heart wood, the inner surface of the
bars being angular or bevelled so as to impart an extra rubbing action to the clothes
or fabrics being washed in the cage which is or may be provided with dashers as usual.
I arrange a sliding door or doors for the cage through which the clothes etc., can be
inserted and withdrawn at will when the door of the outer casing is opened.
I propose to drive the cylindrical cage either by steam or other motive power or by
hand and to employ a suitable automatic reversing motion by which when the cage
has been driven a certain time in one direction its rotation is reversed and thus the
clothes etc., are more thoroughly cleansed.
The shaft or axle of the cylinder is supported on friction rollers by which means no
oiling of these bearings is required and therefore no oil reaches the inner portion of
the tank.
The outer casing or tank contains a certain quantity of water which may be boiled
by steam or otherwise and in which the rotating cage is partially submerged.
The outer casing is provided with the usual taps or valves to regulate the admission
and discharge of water and steam.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying three Slicets of Drawings, reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
to
Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a washing machine constructed according
my Invention.
Figure 2 is an end sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3 an end view. Figure 4 a side view and Figure 5 a plan of the driving
and automatic reversing mechanism.
The outer casing or tank a is formed of wood or of metal and the cylindrical cage b
is formed of green heart wood the ends being solid and the side formed of bars. The
inner surface of the bars may be either plain or may be angular or bevelled as shown
so as to impart a rubbing action to the clothes or fabrics to be washed. The bars &¹ have
slideways formed in them in which are fitted the doors e through which the clothes
etc., can be inserted and withdrawn. The shaft d of the cage is supported at each
end on antifriction rollers e which are mounted in brackets secured to the outer
easing a. On the shaft d is fixed the spur wheel g which gears into a pinion / fixed
on a countershaft i on which is also secured a flywheel 7. The countershaft is sup-
ported in a frame or bracket a¹ bolted or otherwise secured to the casing a and on the
countershaft are mounted two loose pulleys & respectively and a fast pulley 7. The

page_text: machine is driven from a steam or other motor by means of two belts one an open
belt m the other a crossed belt m¹ so that when the belt m is on the fast pulley the
cage b is rotated in one direction and when the belt m¹ is on the fast pulley the motion
of the cage is reversed.
The automatic reversing mechanism consists of the following parts:-A strap fork
guide bar o is pivoted at o' to the frame a¹ and on the bar o is a pin or stud o³ which
enters a slot p¹ in a weighted rocking lever p also pivoted at p? to the frame a¹. On
the extended end of the cage shaft d is formed a screw d¹ on which is placed a screwed
block or nut which is spaced or recessed to receive the lower and forked end of the
weighted rocking lever p.
The operation of the reversing mechanism is as follows:-As the cage & revolves
in one direction with say the belt m¹ on the fast pulley as shown in Fig. 1 the
screw d' as it turns moves the block and lower end of the lever p in the direction of
the arrow until as the lever ? approaches the perpendicular position shown in Fig. 4
the slot p begins to move the pin o and the strap fork guide bar o and the belt m
off the fast pulley on to the loose pulley and as soon as the lever p passes over
its centre and falls rapidly in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4 the guide bar o carried
with it moves the belt m on to the fast pulley and the cage b begins to revolve in the
opposite direction.
There is a catch or stop piece hinged to the bracket a¹ which when the machine is
not running holds the guide bar o and keeps the two belts on the loose pulleys.
The tank is preferably heated by means of steam which is admitted through a tap or
valve s and water or other liquor is admitted near the top of the tank through a tap t.-
Instead of employing steam when the casing a is of metal the water in the tank may
be heated by means of fire or gas burners placed below the casing.
For agricultural and other districts where gas and steam are not readily obtainable
I propose to make the outer casing of metal and mount it upon wheels so that the
machine can be moved from one place to another and used outside in any convenient
place the water in the tank being heated by a fire.
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. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting my
improvements in washing machines substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a washing machine the combination with a cage and means for rotating the
sane in either direction of automatic reversing mechanism substantially as herein
set forth.
3. The combination of a strap fork guide bar, a weighted pivoted rocking lever, a
screwed block or nut, and a screw on the shaft of the revolving cage of a washing
machine, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
4. In a washing machine the combination with a screw on the end of the cage
shaft, of a screwed block or nut and connections for operating the belt shifting
mechanism and reversing the motion of the revolving cage.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.