Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Washing Machines.
We, JACOB W. THOMAS, of Lanark, Carroll County, State of Illinois, United
States of America, Gentleman, and Jonn N. BRANDT, of Lanark, Carroll County,
State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:―
This invention relates to washing machines which employ a pounder as the
direct means for effecting the cleansing of the clothes or articles by exerting a
pressure thereon.
One of the chief features of the invention is to devise a simple and effective
means for effecting a turning of the head carrying a cluster of pounders so as to
cover or act upon the entire surface of the clothes or articles contained in the
receptacle or suds box.
The invention also aims to secure a direct vertical reciprocating motion of
the pounder without any special effort on the part of the operator, and also to
obviate injurious contact between any one of the pounders and the sides of the
suds box.
For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention, refer-
ence is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.
The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion,
and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or
sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the inven-
tion an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine constructed for effecting
the ends of this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof.
Figure 3 is a view of the pounder inverted.
The
Figure 4 is a vertical section of one of the pounders on a larger scale.
Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and
indicated in the several views of the drawing by the same reference characters.
The receptacle or suds box. 1 is preferably of circular form, and its upper end
is closed by a cover consisting of a central section 2 and side wings 3 hinged
or loosely connected at their inner edges with the sides of the section 2.
central section 2 is hinged at one end with the receptacle or suds box 1, and
its opposite end is engaged by a spring catch 4, whereby the part 2 is held in
place. Lips 5 project beyond the free end of the section 2 and come upon
opposite sides of the spring catch 4, thereby preventing lateral movement of the
cover when closed. The pin 6, connecting the hinge members between the
section 2 and receptacle 1 is removable so as to admit of the cover being lifted
bodily when required, which is of advantage, as will presently appear. The
wings 3 admit of ready access to the interior of the receptacle for any desired
purpose without necessitating the freeing of the central section 2.
A false bottom 7 is mounted upon spring supports 8, and is perforated to provide
for a free circulation of the suds water, and this false bottom is placed upon the

page_text: bottom of the receptacle or suds box and is supported upon said bottom a proper
distance therefrom by the feet or yielding parts 8.
The pounder consists of a head 9, a cluster or series of individual pounders 10,
and a stem 11, which is tubular and operates through a guide 12 attached cen-
trally to the middle section 2 of the cover. The head 9 is composed of right-
angularly-disposed bars rigidly attached at the point of crossing or intersection.
The individual pounders 10 are similarly constructed and comprise a funnel-
shaped body 13, an inversely-disposed flaring diaphragm 14 secured at its flaring
end to the body at a point between its upper and lower ends, a ring or band 15
concentric with the parts 13 and 14 and attached at its upper edge to the
diaphragm 14 about midway of its inner and outer edges, and a vertically-dis-
posed tube 16 secured at its lower end to the smaller end of the diaphragm. The
tube 16, extends into the upper air chamber, formed by the diaphragm 14 and
thereby provides an inlet opening within said chamber and beyond the contracted
mouth thereof. The parts 13, 14 15 and 16 are concentric, and their lower edges
or ends are substantially in the same plane so as to engage with the clothing
or articles in the suds box and exert a pressure thereon. A guide rod 17 is
secured to the bottom of the receptacle or suds box I and enters the lower end of
the tubular stem 11 and co-operates therewith to guide the pounder in its ver-
tical movements, thereby preventing the pounders from engaging with the sides
of the receptacle or suds box to the injury of themselves and the said receptacle.
It will be understood that this guide rod is not essential and may be dispensed
with, but it is preferred in some instances to have recourse thereto, and in such
cases the cover must be entirely removed when it is required to gain access to
the interior of the receptacle or suds box. Hence the advantage of having the
pin easily removable.
The operating lever 18 is slotted longitudinally and receives the upper end of
the stem 11, which is connected therewith by a pin 19 passing transversely
through corresponding openings in the stem and lever. A link 20 connects the
inner or rear end of the lever with a rod 21 which constitutes in effect a fulcrum
for the lever when the machine is in active operation. The link 20 is loosely
mounted upon the rod 21 and has pivotal connection with the operating lever 18.
It therefore follows that the lever, when oscillated vertically will move longi-
tudinally so as to admit of the stem 11 and the pounder connected therewith
reciprocating vertically without requiring the operator to exercise watchfulness
and force to give proper direction to the pounder to prevent it engaging with
the sides of the receptacle. The link 20 has a sliding movement on the rod 21,
thereby admitting of the operating lever being vibrated laterally simultaneously
with its vertical movement so that the pounder may cover the entire surface of
the clothes or articles contained in the receptacle. The rod 21 is curved longitu-
dinally on the are of a circle whose center corresponds with the stem 11, whereby
the link will maintain the same relation at any position within the range of
its lateral movement as if it were mounted upon a fulcrum and incapable of any
lateral play. This rod has its end portions bent vertically and secured in any
substantial manner to the rear end of the section 2, although it may be attached
to the machine in any convenient place.
When in operation the clothing or articles to be washed are placed upon the
false bottom 7, and the proper amount of suds water being supplied to the recep-
tacle and the cover being secured in place, the operation is effected by oscillat-
ing the operating lever 18, which imparts a vertical reciprocating motion to the
pounder. As the pounder descends a pressure is exerted upon the clothes and
the false bottom is caused to yield, and the suds water below it passes up through
the perforations and through the clothing placed thereon and loosens and removes
the dirt from the clothing in the ordinary way. When the plunger rises the false
bottom likewise ascends by reason of the spring supports 8 regaining themselves,
and the suds water is caused to pass downward through the clothing. This
operation is repeated until the desired results are effected.

page_text: When the pin 6 is drawn out the cover and pounder can be removed from the
suds box and a wringer may be placed in position. Ordinarily the guide 12
will be sufficient to direct the pounder in its movements, but when the cover is
laid aside the guide rod 17 answers the same purpose.
It will thus be seen that
the machine can be used with or without the cover.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle, a pounder, means
for directing the pounder in its vertical movements, a rod placed at one side of
the receptacle and curved outwardly between its ends away from the center
of the receptacle, a link mounted to swing and slide upon the rod, and an operat-
ing lever having pivotal connection with the stem of the pounder and with the
said link substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle, a cover therefor,
comprising a central section and side wings hinged thereto, the said central
section having a tubular guide, a vertical rod secured to the bottom of the recep-
tacle, a pounder having a tubular stem guided in its movements by the aforesaid
tubular guide and the vertical rod, a rod placed at one end of the central section
and curving outwardly between its ends, a link mounted to slide and turn upon
said rod, and a lever having pivotal connection with said link and with the stem
of the pounder, substantially as set forth.
3. In a washing machine, a pounder comprising a funnel-shaped body open at
the bottom and closed at the top, an inversely disposed flaring diaphragm secured
at its upper edge to the body at a point intermediate its upper and lower ends
and dividing the funnel-shaped body into an upper air space closed at the top.
and a lower air space, a tube secured to the lower end of the diaphragm and
extending upward approximately midway of the upper air space and forming
an inlet to said chamber, and a ring depending from the diaphragm about midway
of its ends, the lower edges of the body, ring, diaphragm and tube being in the
same horizontal plane, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
this 25th day of May 189I.
For the Applicants,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.E.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.