Improvements in and relating to Washing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan.,
1899
Complete Specification Left 27th Oct. 1000 Ancanted 2nd Don
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Washing Machines.
We, DAVID MEIN NESBIT, of 12, Great James Street, Bedford Row, London,
W.C., and of Sycamore Lane, Leicester, Managing Director and ASWELL &
NESBIT LIMITED, whose registered office is at Sycamore Lane, Leicester, afore-
said, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
This invention relates to washing machines in which an inner rotating cage
or frame is employed for the reception of the fabrics to be washed and in which
steam, or steam and water, are usually employed for the purpose of washing.
The invention has for its object to positively preclude the rotation of the inner
cage except when the door of the outer fixed casing, in which it is contained
is closed. It may be stated that accidents have occurred by reason of the inner
cage being set into motion while an attendant introduces or withdraws the fabrics
to be washed, and the object of the invention is to absolutely preclude such acci-
dents in the use of the machine. The invention further consists in manual means
for adjusting the position of the inner cage when the machine is stopped so that
its door may be brought into coincidence with the door upon the outer casing
for the purpose of withdrawing or introducing the fabrics or material to be
washed so as thereby to preclude the necessity of effecting this adjustment by
the ordinary gear and thereby avoiding accidents that usually result therefrom.
The invention further consists in the introduction of the steam through a hollow
shaft or trunnions so that it may be distributed radially outwards and thereby
more effectively operate upon the fabrics or material within the rotating cage.
The invention further consists in means for introducing disinfectant with the
steam so as thereby to avoid the necessity of separate treatment of the fabrics or
clothes in an independent disinfectant apparatus.
The
In carrying the invention into effect in the construction of a washing machine,
a fixed outer casing is provided of any suitable construction and within this outer
casing an inner perforated cage is mounted upon bearings provided in the plates
forming the ends of the outer casing. Stuffing glands are provided upon each
plate and upon one end of the shaft exterior to the casing a spur wheel is mounted
which gears with a pinion provided upon a counter shaft and mounted in bearings
to the exterior of the casing, upon which shaft fixed and loose pullies
may be mounted and means for shifting the driving belt may be provided
so that the motion of the shaft may also be reversed or stopped.
pinion provided upon the counter shaft is preferably formed integral
with the socket part of a clutch and rides loosely upon the shaft. A clutch is
provided upon the countershaft and is secured to rotate therewith by means of
à sunk feather. The clutch is embraced by means of the forked extremity of
a lever pivotting upon a bracket fixed to the outer casing. The opposite extremity
of the lever embraces the boss of a hand wheel which is screwed upon the
extremity of a rod transversely disposed to the lever aforesaid, and carried upon
a guide bracket aflixed or integrally provided upon the outer casing so that the
rod may be preferably parallel with the main spindle of the machine. A fixed
stop is provided upon the rod aforesaid on the other side of the forked extremity

page_text: of the lever so that upon the outward movement of this rod the extremity of
the lever shall be positively forced outward and thereby the clutch disengaged.
The rod is connected by means of a link to a cranked or eccentric part of a hinge
pin or spindle upon which the cover closing the opening of the outer casing
hinges in such a manner that in the opening of the cover the link is forced
outward, in turn outwardly forcing the rod and effecting the disengagement of
the clutch as before described.
The cover may be clamped upon its seat by usual means such as a cross
bar hinging upon the same pin as the cover whose extremity engages with a
bracket provided upon the opposite side of the cover to the hinge bracket, so
that upon the operation of the hand wheel which is provided upon a screwed
spindle at the centre of the cross bar, the cover is firmly forced upon its seat.
The hand wheel provided upon the extremity of the rod whose boss is embraced
by the forced extremity of the operating lever may be rotated so as to disengage
the clutch mechanism notwithstanding that the door is closed, but the fixed stop
provided will insure that the clutch shall always be disengaged when the cover
of the outer casing is open.
When the machine has been stopped and the cover of the outer casing opened,
the inner rotating case may have its aperture out of reach, and for the purpose
of bringing the aperture of the inner cage into coincidence with that of the
outer casing without the use of the driving belt or otherwise inconveniently
operating the gear, means are provided according to the invention for effecting
the necessary adjustment in rotation by manual means and the locking of the
inner cage in that position and such means consist of a spindle mounted within
a bracket affixed to the outer casing which is formed tapered, and has a hand-
wheel and integral pinion mounted upon an eccentric part thereof, while the
extremity of such spindle is screw threaded and provided with a smaller hand
wheel. The pinion lies in such proximity to the spur driving wheel provided
upon the main spindle that upon the operation of the small hand wheel the pinion
may be brought into engagement with the spur wheel and the operation of the
larger hand wheel integral with the pinion will enable the position of the inner
cage to be controlled." When the inner cage has been properly adjusted into
position the gear may be locked by means of the pinion of the manual gear being
forced, upon the operation of the snfaller hand wheel, so as to be bound upon the
tapered spindle upon which it is mounted. The pinion is disengaged by turning
the smaller hand wheel in the opposite direction so as thereby to abut against
a fixed collar at the extremity of the eccentric spindle and effect the partial
rotation thereof.
The steam may be led into the washing machine through the main spindle
provided hollow for the purpose, and the steam prior to its introduction into the
machine may pass through a disinfecting vapouriser, or atomiser so that dis-
infectant may be carried by the steam into the machine, and thereby the use
of a separate disinfecting or antiseptic machine avoided. Or the steam may be
led in from the top of the outer casing and a common valve casing may be pro-
vided for steam hot water and cold water valves so that all may be controlled at
the same place within ready reach of the attendant.
A separate inlet for steam may however be provided in the lower part of
the outer casing. The invention is not limited to the specific disposition and
combination of elements as herein before described, as the mechanism may be
varied to suit any particular disposition of the counter shaft and cover and
otherwise varied in detail without departing from the essential features of the
invention.
The machine in all other general features than those of the invention may
be constructed according to any usual or particular construction.
Dal 1001 1. of Tanna 1900

page_text: Improvements in and relating to washing machines.
We, DAVID MEIN NESBIT, of 12, Great James Street, Bedford Row, London,
W.C., and of Great Central Street (formerly Sycamore Lane), Leicester, in the
County of Leicester, Managing Director, and ASHWELL & NESBIT LIMITED,
whose registered office is at Great Central Street (formerly Sycamore Lane)
Leicester aforesaid, Engineers, 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:-
This invention relates to washing machines in which an inner rotating cage
or frame is employed for the reception of the fabrics to be washed and in which
steam, or steam and water, are usually employed for the purpose of washing.
The invention has for its object to positively prevent the rotation of the inner
cage except when the door of the outer fixed casing, in which it is contained,
is closed. It may be stated that accidents have occurred by reason of the inner
cage being set into motion while an attendant introduces or withdraws the fabrics
to be washed, and the object of the invention is to absolutely prevent such acci-
dents in the use of the machine. The invention further consists in manual means.
for adjusting the position of the inner cage when the machine is stopped so that
its door may be brought into coincidence with the door upon the outer casing
for the purpose of withdrawing or introducing the fabrics or material to be
washed so as thereby to obviate the necessity of effecting this adjustment by
the ordinary gear and thereby avoiding accidents that usually result therefrom.
In the use of the apparatus steam may be introduced through a hollow shaft
or trunnions so that it may be distributed radially outwards and thereby more
effectively operate upon the fabrics or material within the rotating cage, and
disinfectant may be introduced with the steam so as thereby to avoid the necessity
of separate treatment of the fabrics or cloths in an independent disinfectant
apparatus.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1,
2 and 3 are respectively end elevation, front elevation and plan of a washing
machine made in accordance with the invention.
In carrying the invention into effect in the construction of a washing machine
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings a fixed outer casing A is provided
of any suitable construction and within this outer casing A an inner perforated
cage is mounted upon bearings provided in the plates B B forming the ends of
the outer casing. Stuffing glands are provided upon each plate, and upon one
end of the shaft exterior to the casing a spur wheel C is mounted which gears
with a pinion D provided upon a counter shaft E and mounted in bearings upon a
pillar bracket Fupon which shaft fixed and loose pulleys G G¹ may be mounted
and means for shifting the driving belt may be provided so that the 'motion of
the shaft E may also be reversed or stopped. The pinion D provided upon the
counter shaft E is preferably formed integral with the socket part H' of a clutch
and rides loosely upon the shaft. A clutch H is provided upon the counter shaft E
and is secured to rotate therewith by such means as a sunk feather. The clutch H
is embraced by means of the forked extremity of a lever I pivotting upon a
bracket Jfixed to the outer casing. The opposite extremity of the lever I
embraces the boss of a hand wheel K which is screwed upon the extremity of a
rod L transversely disposed to the lever I aforesaid and carried upon a guide
bracket M affixed or integrally provided upon the outer casing so that the rod L
may be preferably parallel with the main spindle of the machine. A fixed stop l

page_text: is provided upon the rod L aforesaid on the other side of the forked extremity
of the lever I so that upon the outward movement of this rod the extremity it
of the lever shall be positively forced outward and thereby the clutch H dis-
engaged. The rod L is connected by means of a link N to a cranked or eccentric
pin close to a hinge pin or spindle P upon which the cover Q closing the
opening of the outer casing hinges in such a manner that in the opening of
the cover Q the link N is forced outward, in turn outwardly forcing the rod L
and effecting the disengagement of the clutch H as before described.
The cover may be clamped upon its seat by usual means such as a cross
bar R hinging upon the same pin P as the cover Q, whose extremity engages
with a bracket S provided upon the opposite side of the cover Q to the hinge
bracket, so that upon the operation of the hand wheel T which is provided upon
a screwed spindlet at the centre of the cross bar R, the cover Q is firmly forced
upon its seat.
The hand wheel K provided upon the extremity of the rod L whose boss is
embraced by the forked extremity of the operating lever I may be rotated
so as to disengage the clutch mechanism notwithstanding that the door is closed,
but the fixed stop provided will ensure that the cluch I shall always be dis-
engaged when the cover Q of the outer casing A is open..
When the machine has been stopped and the cover Q of the outer casing A
opened, the inner rotating case may have its aperture out of reach, and for the
purpose of bringing the aperture of the inner cage into coincidence with that of
the outer casing without the use of the driving belt or otherwise inconveniently
operating the gear, means are provided according to the invention for effecting
the necessary adjustment in rotation by manual means and the locking of the
inner cage in that position. Such means consist of a spindle U mounted within
a bracket affixed to the plate 1 which is formed tapered, and has a hand
wheel U and integral pinion U2 mounted upon an eccentric part thereof; while
the extremity of such spindle U is screw threaded and provided with a smaller
hand wheel Ü. The pinion U lies in such proximity to the spur driving wheel C
provided upon the main spindle that upon the operation of the small hand
wheel U the pinion U may be brought into engagement with the spur wheel
and the operation of the larger hand wheel U integral with the pinion U² will
enable the position of the inner cage to be adjusted. When the inner cage has
been properly adjusted into position the gear may be locked by means of the
pinion of the manual gear being forced, upon the operation of the smaller
hand wheel U³, so as to be bound upon the tapered spindle U upon which it is
mounted. The pinion U is disengaged by turning the smaller hand wheel U
in the opposite direction so as thereby to abut against a fixed collar Ut at the
extremity of the eccentric spindle and effect the partial rotation thereof.
The steam may be led into the washing machine through the main spindle
provided hollow for the purpose, and the steam prior to its introduction into the
machine may pass through a disinfecting vapouriser, or atomiser, so that dis-
infectant may be carried by the steam into the machine, and thereby the use
of a separate disinfecting or antiseptic machine avoided. Or the steam may be
led in from the top of the outer casing A as illustrated and a common valve
casing may be provided for steam, hot water and cold water valves &
respectively so that all may be controlled at the same place within ready reach
of the attendant.
A separate inlet for steam may, however, be provided in the lower part of
the outer casing. The invention is not limited to the specific disposition and
combination of elements as herein before described, as the mechanism may be
varied to suit any particular disposition of the counter shaft and cover and
otherwise varied in detail without departing from the essential features of the
invention.
The machine in all other general features than those of the invention may
be constructed according to any usual or particular construction.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In machines for washing and for other purposes means for positively pre-
venting the rotation of the inner cage except when the door of the outer casing
in which it is contained is closed consisting of a clutch or equivalent device
operated through a lever upon the opening of the cover of the outer casing sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. In machines such as herein before described means for adjusting the position
of the inner cage into coincidence with the outer casing combined and arranged
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
3. A machine for washing and for other purposes constructed and operating
in the manner herein before described.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.