IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edward Bonnar, of No. 28, Scotland
Street, Edinburgh, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
MACHINES."
"
Sealed the 5th September 1878, and dated the 7th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edward
Bonnar at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th March 1878.
I, THOMAS EDWARD BONNAR, of No. 28, Scotland Street, Edinburgh,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WASHING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machines.
For this purpose I construct the machine of two separate parts, a box or
tub into which the clothes and water are put, and a cradle or rubber
fitting into the tub and working above the clothes. The tub is made
of an oblong shape, the ends being at right angles to the sides (sec
Figures 4 and 1), and the ends sloping so that while the breadth remains
the same throughout the tub the length of the bottom of the tub is

page_text: loss than that of the top. The bottom is flat outside, but on the inside
it is of a semicircular shape from end to end of the tub, but straight
from side to side, the concave surface being towards the top of the
the machine. The space between the outer and inner bottoms is filled
with wood, so that the lower part of the tub is solid and heavy, see
Figures 2, 3, and 7, and no water can get between the inner and outer
shells of the tub. On the inside of the semicircular bed are placed small
spars of wood about two inches wide, lying across the tub, the ends of
the spars touching the sides of the tub, and the sides of the spars
touching each other. There is a double beading on the upper side of
each spar. The inner surface of the tub, on which the clothes lie, is
thus rendered sufficiently uneven for cleansing purposes, without the
existence of any sharp corners, which would tear the clothes. The ends
of the tub are keyed into the sides (see Figure 8), thus giving enough
strength to resist the destructive action of any ringer which may be
attached to the machine. The cradle (shortly to be described) works
in two slots placed in the exact centre of each side (see Figure 1); the
slots are tenoned on to the sides and are at least ½ in. thicker than the
sides of the tub, and of such width as is necessary for strength. Grooves
are cut in the inner faces of the slots to receive the pivots of the cradle.
These grooves are lined with sheet brass about in. thick, fixed into
position with brass screw nails. The tub is placed on four legs (which
may be either turned or plain) of such length as to raise it a sufficient
height to allow a pail to be placed underneath it to receive the water
from the machine. The water is drawn from the tub by means of a
brass-vent, which is stopped by a plug of the same material: this vent
is placed on one side of the machine, and at the lowest (part of the
semicircular bed. The cradle or rubber (shewn separately at Figure 5)
is straight on the top with a convex semicircular bottom corresponding
to the concave surface in the tub. It consists of two solid sides con-
nected by means of spars of the same shape and placed in the same
direction as those on the bed of the tub. The spars of the cradlo are
placed at a distance of one inch from each other, see Figure 6, and
are checked into the sides of the cradle as well as screwed thereto
at each end by means of a brass screw nail. Across the centre of
the top of the cradle is placed a strong bar, checked into the sides,
from the ends of which bar the pivots project on which the cradle is
worked. A brass ferule is placed round these pivots. The handle or
lever by which the cradle is worked is a straight piece of hard wood

page_text: placed upright in the exact centre of the cradle, fastened into the middlo
cross spar by means of a tenon, and passing through the cross bar
and fixed to it by a screw nail, so that the handle cannot get slack.
The cradle is quite open at the top, but a lid having a holo in the
centre for the passage of the handle, is mado to cover the whole top
of the machine, and is lifted off altogether when the machine is in
usc. The cradle (which lies inside of the tub) is made of such size
that its outer measurements are all somewhat smaller than the inner
measurements of the tub.
The machine is used as follows:-The cradle is removed from tho
tub, the water and clothes are placed in the tub, the cradlo is then
replaced, and the clothes are washed by the cradle being moved to and
fro on its pivots, the weight of the cradle resting on the clothes, the
handle being inclined alternately to each end of the machine.
Tho advantages of machines constructed on this principle are that
the washing is performed more expeditiously and with less labor than
machines on other principles; that from their simplicity of construction
they always keep in good order, thero being no metal wheels or other
machinery to become damaged and need repair, and that its construction
combines strength with cheapness.
Tho advantages of this particular machine over other machines con-
structed on a similar principle are that by the space between the outer
and inner shells of the tub being filled with solid wood, the water is
confined to the innermost portion of the tub, and a saving is thereby
effected of all the water, which in other machines on a similar principle,
is wasted between the two shells. This saving of water carries with
it a corresponding saving in soap and washing powder. The ends being
keyed into the sides are thereby rendered strong enough to bear the
strain of any wringer which may be attached to them. The spars of tho
cradle are placed closer than formerly, while placed far enough apart
to allow for play to the water, they are too close to permit of tho
clothes getting between them, and preventing them from getting
entangled and causing more labour than necessary.
The slots in this machine are much stronger in make and are fastened
in a better way than is done in other machines; they are tenoned on
to the sido instead of cutting through the side and nailing on a picco
of wood outside. The grooves in the slots are also lined with good
durable sheet brass screwed to the wood; in other machines the brass

page_text: being slight and only indented into the wood. A brass 'vent with a
brass plug is screwed into the side of the tub for drawing off the water,
when in former machines a hole was simply bored in the tub with a
wooden plug.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Edward Bonnar, in the Great Seal
Patent Offico on the 6th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
EDWARD BONNAR, of No. 28, Scotland Street, Edinburgh, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Edward Bonnar, Her special
license that I, the said Thomas Edward Bonnar, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Edward
Bonnar, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the torm 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Edward Bonnar, my executors
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 Thomas Edward Bonnar, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing machines.
For this purpose I construct, the machine of two separate parts, a box

page_text: or tub into which the clothes and water are put, and a cradle or rubber
fitting into the tub and working above the clothes. The tub is made
of an oblong shape, the ends being at right angles to the sides (sco
Figure 4), and the ends sloping so that while the breadth remains tho
same throughout the tub the length of the bottom of the tub is less
than that of the top. The bottom is flat outside but on the insido it
is of a semicircular shape from end to end of the tub but straight from
side to side, the concave surface being towards, the top of the machine.
The space between the outer and inner bottoms is filled with wood so
that the lower part of the tub is solid and heavy (see Figures 2, 3, and
7,) no water can get between the inner and outer shells of the tub. On
the inside of the semicircular bed are placed small spars of wood about
two inches wide lying across the tub the ends of the spars touching thọ
sides of the tub and the sides of the spars touching each other. Thero
is a double beading on the upper side of each spar. The inner surfaço
of the tub on which the clothes lie is thus rendered sufficiently uneven
for cleansing purposes without the existence of any sharp corners which
would tear the clothes; the ends of the tub are keyed into the sides (sco
Figure 8), thus giving enough strength to resist the destructive action
of any wringer which may be attached to the machine. The cradle
(shortly to be described) works in two slots placed in the exact centre
of cach side (see Figure 1). The slots are tenoned on to the sides and
are at least inch thicker than the sides of the tub, and of such width
as is necessary for strength. Grooves are cut in the inner faces of the
slots to receive the pivots of the cradle. These grooves are lined with
sheet brass about 1 inch thick fixed into position with brass scrow
nails. The tub is placed on four legs (which may be either turned or
plain) of such length as to raise it a sufficient height to allow a pail
to be placed underneath it to receive the water from the machine. The
water is drawn from the tub by means of a brass vent which is stopped
by a plug of the same material, this vent is placed on one side of the
machine and at the lowest part of the semicircular bed. The cradle
or rubber (shewn separately at Figure 5), is straight on the top. with a
convex semicircular bottom corresponding to the concave surfaco in
the tub. It consists of two solid sides connected by means of spars of
the same shape and placed in the same direction as those on the bed of
the tub, the spars of the cradle are placed at a distance of 1 inch from
each other (see Figure 6) and are checked into the sides of the cradlo
as well as serowed thereto at each end by micans of a brass screw nail.

page_text: Across the centre of the top of the cradle is placed a strong bar checked
into the sides, from the ends of which bar the pivots project on which
the cradle is worked. A brass ferule is placed round these pivots. The
handle or lever by which the cradle is worked is a straight pieco of
hard wood placed upright in the exact centre of the cradle fastened into 5
the middle cross spar by means of a tenon and passing through the
cross bar and fixed to it by a screw nail so that the handle cannot get
slack. The cradle is quite open at the top but a lid having a hole in
the centre for the passage of the handle is made to cover the whole top
of the machine and is lifted off altogether when the machine is in use. 1
The cradle (which lies inside of the tub) is made of such size that its
outer measurements are all somewhat smaller than the inner measure-
ments of the tub.
The machine is used as follows:--The cradle is removed from the tub,
the water and clothes are placed in the tub. The cradle is then replaced 1
and the clothes are washed by the cradle being moved to and fro on its
pivots, the weight of the cradle resting on the clothes, the handle being
inclined alternately to each end of the machine.
The advantages of machines constructed on this principle are that
the washing is performed more expeditiously and with less labour than 2
machines on other principles, that from their simplicity of construction
they always keep in good order there being no metal wheels or other
machinery to become damaged and need repair, and that its construction
combines strength with cheapness.
The advantages of this particular machine over other machines con- &
structed on a similar principle are that by the space between the outer and
inner shelves of the tub being filled with solid wood the water is confined
to the innermost portion of the tub and a saving is thereby effected of all
the water which in other machines on a similar principle is wasted between
the two shells. This saving of water carries with it a corresponding
saving in soap and washing powder. The ends being keyed into the sides
are thereby rendered strong enough to bear the strain of any wringer which
may be attached to them. The spars of the cradle are placed closer than
formerly, while placed far enough apart to allow for play to the water they
are too close to permit of the clothes getting between them and preventing
them from getting entangled and causing more labour than necessary.
The slots in this machine are much stronger in make and are fastened
in a better way than is done in other machines; they are tenoned on to