IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
Year: 1885

page_text: I, THOMAS FRATER, of Port Hopetoun, Lothian Road, in the City of Edinburgh,
Agent for washing Machines do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
"
The object of my invention is to improve the construction of washing machines
in order that they may be better adapted for washing or cleansing clothes.
The improved washing machine comprises a boiler of any suitable shape in which
is fitted in the usual manner a revolving drum or cylinder containing the clothes to
be cleansed by steam and water which enter the drum, but instead of forming the
druni of sheets, with dash boards for raising and overturning the clothes, I form an
open drum of a series of longitudinal rods or tubes between each of which an open
slit is left for the admission of the steam generated within the boiler and of water
from the bottom of the boiler. I so fit the rods or tubes forming the perimeter of
the drum that in cross section they do not form a circle but a series of concave or
segmental sides or arcs whose meeting edges form ridges projecting inwards and
serve as means for turning over the clothes within as the drum revolves. The
ends of the drum may be formed with radial ridge plates. A hinged cover or lid
is formed by or in one of the segments.

page_text: I, THOMAS FRATER, Port Hopetoun, Lothian Road, in the City of Edinburgh 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
The object of my invention, which relates to improvements in rotatory steam
washing machines, is to better adapt such machines for washing or cleansing
clothes.
As represented in sectional elevation at figure 1 and in plan at figure 2 of the
accompanying drawings the improved washing machine constituting my invention
comprises a boiler A of any suitable shape which may be heated by gas or fire or
by a steam jacket and in which is fitted a revolving drum or cylinder B adapted to
hold the clothes which are cleansed by the action of steam and water entering the
drum from the vessel A, the drum being provided with a carrying spindle a
turning in bearings in the sides of the boiler and having a hand-crank A' or belt
pulley outside. The drum B instead of being formed of sheets with dash boards
for raising and turning over the clothes, is made up of a series of longitudinal rods
or tubes b, between each of which an open slit is left for the admission of the steam
generated within the boiler and of water from the bottom of the boiler. The rods
or tubes 6 forming the perimeter of the drum are so fitted that in cross section, as
shown in figure 1, they form a series of concave or segmental sides or arcs whose
meeting edges form ridges at 6' projecting inwards, and serve in lieu of the usual
dashboards as means for turning over the clothes within as the drum revolves.
The ends or end plates B¹ of the drum may be formed with radial ridges, and a
lid C or cover is formed in or by one of the segments, the said lid being hinged or
pivotted upon one of the rods b and secured by spring catches c at its opposite side
entering the end plates B of the drum.
Instead of forming the periphery of the drum wholly of rods or tubes it may in
part be formed of sheets of copper or other material the inwardly projecting ridges
which serve to turn over the clothes being in such case the part by preference
formed of sheet metal and the intermediate part being made up of rods or tubes.
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 combination of parts constituting the improved washing machine herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a washing machine of the class herein described a clothes drum having its
periphery composed of a series of rods or tubes arranged to form segments or
sections whose meeting edges form ridges within the drum, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Twentysecond day of May 1886.