IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING AND CLEANGING ARDICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Burton, of Regent Street, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
WASHING AND CLEANGING ARDICS
"
Sealed the 30th December 1856, and dated the 9th October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Burton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
October 1856.
I, CHARLES BURTON, of Regent. Street, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY.
FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING FABRICS AND CLOTHES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for washing
and cleansing fabrics and clothes. For these purposes a cylinder is mounted
on axes or necks on the ends, the axis at one end being somewhat out of the
centre in order to produce an excentric motion. The interior surface of this
roller is formed into longitudinal grooves or ribs, the ribs being by preference
of a curved form: On the interior of this cylinder is a roller of less diameter
than the cylinder, and the external surface of this roller is formed with
grooves or ribs longitudinally, corresponding to those on the interior of the
cylinder. The cylinder is formed with doors which close fluid-tight. The
roller at all times rests by its weight on the part of the cylinder which is for
the time being below its axes of rotation, and the fabrics or clothes pass
between the grooved or ribbed surfaces of the interior of the cylinder and
exterior of the roller.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Burton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BURTON, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
l'atent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Burton, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Burton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Burton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING FABRICS AND CLOTHES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Burton, my exccutors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals.
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 Charles Burton, 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 state-
ment thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for washing
and cleansing fabrics and clothes. For these purposes a cylinder is mounted
on axes or necks on the ends, the axis at one end being somewhat out of the
centre in order to produce an excentric motion. The interior surface of this
roller is formed into longitudinal grooves or ribs, the ribs being by preference
of a curved form. On the interior of this cylinder is a roller of less diameter
than the cylinder, and the external surface of this roller is formed with
grooves or ribs longitudinally, corresponding to those on the interior of the
cylinder. The cylinder is formed with doors which close fluid-tight. The
roller at all times rests by its weight on the part of the cylinder which is for.
the time being below its axes of rotation, and the fabrics or clothes pass

page_text: between the grooved or ribbed surfaces of the interior of the cylinder and
exterior of the roller.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a front view of the universal washing machine, which
may be called eccentric, rotary, and regulated. a is a cylinder of any
convenient dimensions and constructed of wood or metal, with a lid open-
ing about one-fourth of the circumference. The lid or cover forms part
of the entire cylinder, and is hung on hinges or any suitable fastening, and
can be opened or turned back on a T support (shewn in perspective);
two or three draw buttons, Figures 8 & 9, expressly constructed for
this machine, are represented at b, which have the effect of tightening
and fastening the lid by the same operation. The spindle C is fixed at
a distance from the centre of the cylinder, which has the effect of rising
and depressing that end of the machine, so that when the handle dis
turned round the water may dash backwards and forwards in order to assist in
drawing out the dirt from the linen. The spindle e is fastened on to the other
end of the cylinder in the true centre, and has a compensation hinge or joint f
to allow of the eccentric motion, so that whilst the handle and spindle up to f
is turned true, the smaller portion behind the hinge has a slight circular
motion during one entire revolution of the crank. The inner cylinder or
presser is represented at Figure 3, and consists of three discs with mouldings
placed entirely round them, leaving by preference small spaces between cach
moulding, in order to allow the water more freely to pass during the operation
of washing. The discs are perforated at a to allow of regulated pressure
being applied by means of different sized weights (see Figure 5), according as
the articles to be washed are heavy or light. The outer cylinder is formed
with a moulded or corrugated interior in similar manner to the inner
cylinder, but without the intermediate spaces. The whole of the large cylinder
and the spindles may be supported on a frame of wood, iron, or any suitable
material. A tub or receiver to turn the dirty water into when done with is
shown at h', h, which may be let off at the plug or tap at i. A hook to hang
a pail ou is shewn at k. When the cylinder is stationary a book or pin is
shut into a hole at 7 to steady it, and the lid of the large cylinder has a strip
of india-rubler, leather, or any suitable substance around it to keep it water-
tight when closed. A few thin elastic straps of india-rubber web are used
round the smaller cylinder to keep the clothes which are wrapped round the
a

page_text: inner cylinder in their places whilst washing. I do not confine myself to the
precise form of a cylinder, but prefer the cylindrical machine above described.
Figure 2 is a side view of the machine; Figure 4 shews the interior of the
large cylinder in perspective; Figure 5, weights to load the presser (Figure 3);
Figure 6, a sectional view of outer cylinder and the presser, showing the
mouldings; Figure 7, end view of the presser.
The washing is conducted in the following manner-Place on a table a
cloth about the size of the circumference of the presser (Figure 3), and a
dozen or more pieces of soiled linen wetted and soaped; wrap them round
the presser, Figure 3, pretty evenly, and having placed over the whole rather
loosely three or four elastic rings to keep the articles together, put the presser
into the large cylinder with about a gallon or so of hot water, shut the lid and
close tightly, and having given a few turns to the handle for a minute or two,
the whole of the clothes are perfectly washed. When washed, the suds are
run off and clean water run in, in order to rinse the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Burton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand.
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
GEO. PITT.
C. BURTON. (L.S.) ·