IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTHES WRINGERS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTHES WRINGERS." - A communication from
abroad by August Albrecht, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the
United States of America.
Scaled the 5th September 1871, and dated the 12th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th April 1871.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTHES WRINGERS," a communication to
me from abroad by August Albrecht, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar construction of clothes wringer
with the view to the attainment of simplicity and economy in the
manufacture of the wringer and greater efficiency in its action.

page_text: said washer.
The wringer has two cast-iron frames, and each frame has a recess or
deep notch formed by two pendent legs, through one of which passes a
thumbscrew furnished at the end with a washer, so that the edge of
a wash tub can be griped between the inner leg of the frame and the
Forming part of the frame is a projection or arm, on
which are cast two fulcrum pins adapted to the bent end of a lever,
the latter being forked and hooked at the end, so as to embrace the
projection and engage under the pins. Between the under side of the
lever and the top of the frame intervenes a substantial rubber spring,
which I arrange as near the fulcrum of the lever as circumstances will
permit. At the outer end of the lever there is formed a half bearing
for the spindle of the lower squeezing roller, directly above which is
the upper roller, these squeezing or wringing rollers being made of
india-rubber, and the spindle of the latter has its bearing in the end of
another arm or projection in the main frame.
I dispense entirely with the usual cog wheels, by which the rollers of
ordinary wringers are geared together to prevent the slipping of onc
of the rollers, as I have found that if the power be applied to the
yielding roller there will be no yielding of that which revolves in fixed
bearings, hence I secure the driving handle to the spindles of the lower
moveable roller.
I dispense with the usual screws, which in ordinary wringers serve to
impart more or less pressure of the yielding roller against that which
revolves in fixed bearings; and I also dispense entirely with the cross
bars common to other wringers, the only media for connecting the
frames together being such as the spindles of the rollers afford.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-;

page_text: fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 CLOTHES WRINGERS," a communication to me from abroad by August
Albrecht, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, by an instrument 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, tho said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say-
The said Invention consists of a peculiar construction of clothes
wringer with the view to the attainment of simplicity and economy in
the manufacture of the wringer, and greater efficiency in its action.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed is a side view of the
improved clothes wringer, and Figure 2 is a plan. view of one half of
the wringer:
The wringer has two cast-iron frames, only one of which is shown in
the Drawing as the other is precisely like it in construction. Each
frame has a recess a formed by two pendent legs 6 and 0', through, the
latter of which passes a thumbscrew B furnished at the end with a
washer d, so that the edge of a wash-tub, can be griped between the
leg of the frame and the said washer. Forming part of the frame is.
a projection e, on which are cast two. fulcrum pins, adapted to the
bent end of the lever D, the latter being forked at the end, so as
to embrace the projection and catch. under the pins as shown.

page_text: Between the under side of the lever D and the top of the frame A
intervenes a substantial rubber spring E, which I arrange as near the
fulcrum of the lever D as circumstances will permit. At the outer
end of the lever D) is formed a bearing for the spindle of the lower
india-rubber roller G, directly above which is the upper india-rubber 5
roller G, the spindle of the latter having its bearing in the end of the
projection m of the frame A.
The main object of the Invention is economy in construction, and this
is attained as regards the following points :—
-
First. The fulcrum of the lever D consists of pins cast on the frame, 1
and the forked end of the lever is simply hooked under these pins, the
desired connection being thus formed without any boring of holes or
turning of detachable pins.
Second. The spindles of the rollers turn in half bearings, so that the
usual boring of bearings for the spindles is avoided, the said half 1
bearings being simply cleaned out carefully.
Third. Owing to these half bearings and to the hooking of the lever
to the fulcrum pins in the manner described the parts can be readily
fitted together and as readily taken apart.
Fourth. The usual cog wheels, by which the rollers of ordinary 2
wringers are geared together to prevent the slipping of one of the rollers,
are entirely dispensed with. If the power be applied to the yielding
roller there will be no yielding of that which revolves in fixed bearings,
hence the driving handle II is secured to the spindle i of the lower
moveable roller.
2
Fifth. The usual screws, which in ordinary wringers serve to impart
more or less pressure of the yielding roller against that which revolves
in fixed bearings, are dispensed with; for it has been found that by
using a substantial spring, as near the fulcrum of the lever as possible,
all the pressure desired can be obtained, and yet the lower roller will 3
yield sufficiently to permit thick masses of clothes to pass between it
and the upper roller.
Sixth. The cross bars common to other wringers are also entirely
dispensed with, the only media for connecting the frames together being
such as the spindles of the india-rubber rollers afford, and these aro 3
found to be amply sufficient, providing somewhat deep collars be mado
on the journals, the opposite frames being confined between the collars

page_text: of the spindle of the upper roller and the opposite levers D between the
collars of the spindle of the lower roller.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would obscrve that I do not claim broadly
attaching the driving crank or handle directly to the spindle of a roller,
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention scoured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
Firstly. The lever D carrying the roller G in combination with a non-
adjustable spring E situated between the said roller and the fulcrum of
the lever.
Secondly. The combination of the frame A having fulcrum pins f
and the lever D having a forked end h, as specified..
Thirdly. A clothes wringer consisting of two frames A, A, two rollers
G, G', and two levers D, D, when the spindles of the said rollers are the
sole means of connecting the frames and levers together.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of
October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
T TTVDY
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)