IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY HIRST of N° 77 Abbey Street Accrington in the County of Lancaster,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
WASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
It is applicable to the class of washing machines (used chiefly for domestic
purposes) in which the heat of the water is intended to be kept up during the
cleansing process.
As usually constructed, such machines have a cage of wire or
cylinder of sheet metal, to whose interior steam may have free access, a suitable
opening with hinged door being provided for admission of the objects to be
cleansed. This cage or cylinder is contained by, and is capable of being rotated
within, an outer box or case which serves also as a boiler. A sufficient quantity
of water having been put into this boiler, it is heated from below, generally by
means of gas.
By my improvement it is intended to use the open fire found with the ordinary
cottage range, and to which the case or boiler above-described is, (on account of its
size) not adapted. I make a water-heating chamber of such dimensions that it
may be passed over the fire of the grate, and the contained water thereby heated.
This chamber is to be fixed to one side of the large external case, and to com-
municate with the interior of the latter by suitable openings, or case and heating
chamber may be formed together. The whole is to be supported on an appropriate
frame, hooked-on to one of the bars of the grate, and may have in addition a
reflector (plane or corrugated) to screen the operator and to utilise the heat given
from the front of the fire.
Instead of the simple chamber, a series of tubes (cast together or separately
attached to a tube-plate) may be used, without departure from the essential feature
of the invention.

page_text: I, HENRY HIRST, of N° 77 Abbey St Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN WASHING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement which
is to be taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, where
similar letters have reference to corresponding parts:―
The invention is applicable to that class of Washing Machines-used chiefly for
domestic purposes-in which the heat of water is intended to be kept up to high
temperatures during the cleansing process. As usually constructed, such machines
have a cylindrical cage of wire or sheet metal, so formed, that steam may have
free access to its interior, a suitable opening with hinged door being provided
for admission of articles to be cleansed. This cage is contained by, and is capable
of being rotated within, an outer box or case, which serves as a boiler. A sufficient
quantity of water having been put into this boiler, the water is heated from below,
generally by means of gas.
By my improvements it is intended to use the open fire of the ordinary cottage
range, to which the case or boiler above-mentioned is, by reason of its size-not
adapted. The primary feature then, of my method, is the provision of a heating
chamber so constructed, and having such dimensions, that it may be passed over
the fire of the grate. I further utilize the heat of the fire by means of a reflector.
Figures 1. 2. 3. may be taken together in illustration of one form of my
appliances. (a) is the outer case or boiler already known. To this I add the
projecting chamber (b) which is made of sheet metal, preferably of copper. It has
free communication with the interior of the large outer case, to one side of which
it is to be attached, and to which it may be rivetted, seamed, or brazed. In actual
practice I adopt seam-and-solder joints. The form of chamber may be variously
modified without departure from essential features. One modification is shewn in
Figs. 4. 5. Here the heating chamber is a bent tube, communicating at its flanched
ends with the outer case. Another form is represented in Fig. where a series of
tubes, attached to a tube-plate, or cast together, are to be used.
To support the apparatus when in operation, I employ the frame (c) Figs. 1. 2. 3.
This is to be hooked to the highest bar of the fire-grate. If its sides he made
parallel with each other and sufficiently long, and the bottom of the outer case be
fitted with angled guide-strips as shewn in Figs. 1. 2. the case with its heating
chamber may conveniently be drawn forward, so that the fire may be renewed.
A framework stand is already known and used where gas is the heating agent.
By increasing its height, and fitting small wheels to its bottom corners, (Figs 4. 5.)
I obtain a suitable support for my apparatus, one that may be conveniently moved
to and fro,
The reflector (d) is, in every case, found to be a desirable appendage. Its object
is, so to direct heat-rays which would otherwise escape, that they may do useful
work. It also prevents access of currents of cold air to the bottom of the boiler,
and serves, at the same time, to screen the operator. It is obvious that it may be

page_text: modified in material, shape, and position; practically it is found that ordinary
tinned-plate, approximately plane, and set at about the inclinations shewn in
Figs 2. 4. gives satisfactory results. It is desirable that it be fixed to one or other
of the supports described, and that the openings at its sides be closed in.
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 projecting heating chamber or chambers (6) in drawings.
2. The reflector (d) in drawings.
Both claims to be understood as associated with the class of Washing machines
herein referred to and substantially as described.