IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cannon, of Billiter Street, in the City of
London, Ship Broker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Abiel Odell, of Bourman-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cannon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
August 1859.
I, JOHN CANNON, of Billiter Street, in the City of London, Ship Broker, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
MACHINES," being a communication from Abiel Odell, of Bourmanville, in the
County of Durham, Canada, Machinist, as aforesaid, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the combination of a washboard or washboards
mounted in elastic bearings or supports, with a curved swing press worked by
a crank or lever, or otherwise. The box intended to contain the clothes is
curved at the bottom as also the bottom of the swing press, the radius of the
curve being at the point of suspension of the swing press. The wash board is
mounted at one side, or there is a board at each side of the box. The said
board is suspended by a hinge at the upper part, a spring being fixed between
the board and the side of the box, so as to afford an elastic bed or abuttal for
the lower part of the board, the movement of which is controlled by a bolt so
as to prevent it from flying out towards the swing press, and at the same time
allow it to recede to a limited extent as the spring becomes collapsed by the
pressure brought upon it during the action of the swing press. The lower

page_text: face of the washboard or washboards and that of the swing press acting
therewith are fluted, and the said face or faces of the swing press is or are
concave, so as to have a tendency to turn over the clothes when in operation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cannon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CANNON, of Billiter street, in the City of London, Ship broker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Cannon, Her special license that I, the said John
Cannon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Cannon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," being a communication from abroad by Abiell
Odell, of Bourmanville, in the County of Durham, Canada, Machinist, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Cannon, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cannon, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in the combination of a washboard or washboards
mounted in elastic bearings or supports, with a curved swing press worked by
a crank or lever, or otherwise. The box intended to contain the clothes is
curved at the bottom as also the bottom of the swing press, the radius of the

page_text: curve being at or near the point of suspension of the swing press. If preferred
the bottom of the said box might be formed in two inclined planes meeting in
the centre instead of being curved as shewn. The washboard is mounted at
one side, or there is a board at each side of the box. The said board is
suspended by a hinge at the upper part, a spring being fixed between the
board and the side of the box, so as to afford an elastic bed or abuttal for the'
lower part of the board, the movement of which is controlled by a bolt, so as
to prevent it from flying out towards the swing press, and at the same time'
allow it to recede to a limited extent as the spring becomes collapsed by the
pressure brought upon it during the action of the swing press. The lower face:
of the washboard or washboards and that of the swing press acting therewith*
are fluted, and the said face or faces of the swing press is or are concave; so as
to have a tendency to turn over the clothes when in operation..
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to:
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the
aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented two modes of
constructing washing machines according to the Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 to 5 represent a washing machine with a spring washboard sus-!
pended on each side of the swing press, and the latter worked by means of a
pair of cranks and links connecting them with the press; Fig. 6 represents a
inachine with only one spring washboard suspended in front of the swing
press, which is worked by means of a lever. In the several Figures the same
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an end view, Fig. 2 a side view, Fig. 3 a cross section, Fig. 4 a
plan, and Fig. 5 a longitudinal section of the first-named machine. a, a, is
the frame or standards of the machine; b is the box or trough for holding the
clothes or articles to be washed; c, c, are the washboards suspended by hinges
to the battens d, d. At the back of each board is fixed a spring e, so as to
admit of the lower part of the board yielding to the pressure of the clothes
when urged against it by the action of the swing press. The boards are
prevented from approaching any nearer to the swing press than is shewn by
the bolts f, which are fitted so as to pass through a staple and into a cavity' at
the back of each board, in order to allow a sufficient length of elastic play to
the boards. The boards are bevilled and receded on their lower face against
which the clothes will be pressed. g is the swing press which is suspended on
a rod or pivot h in the standards i, i, so as to be capable of being worked to
and fro by the revolution of the cranks k, k, on the shaft 7, the cranks being

page_text: connected to the press by means of the links m, m. There are slits or
openings in the swing or arm of the press for allowing the water to pass
through from side to side of the box or trough. The operating on each
side of the press is formed concave and receded, so as to give it, in conjunction
with the wash board opposite to it, a tendency to turn over the clothes and in
some degree to rinse them by the action of the swing press.
The action of the machine is obvious. On applying power to the shaft /
the cranks k, k, will be turned, and through the links m, m, impart a recipro-
cating motion to the swing press 9 by the action of which the clothes or
articles to be washed having been previously placed in the box or trough b,
will be operated upon in such a manner as to become washed as required by
the combined action of the press 9 and the spring boards c, c, the clothes or
other articles being saved from undue friction and wear by the elasticity
afforded to the boards by their respective springs e.
In the machine shewn at Fig. 6 there is only one spring washboard c, and
the swing press g is worked to and fro by a lever'n having its fulcrum at o,
the extent of the range of the press g being regulated by means of the notches
in the arm p.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I do hereby declare that I claim as of the
Invention communicated to me as aforesaid, the washboard or washboards
with springs behind them in order to be capable of yielding to the pressure of
the clothes or other articles under operation, combined with the swing press
curved on its operating face or faces, so as to have a tendency, in conjunction
with the washboard, to turn over the clothes or other articles, such swing press
having a reciprocating motion imparted to it.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cannon, have hereunto set my
band and seal, the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE;
50, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.
JOHN CANNON. (L.S.).