AN IMPROVED WASHING MACHINE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Langdale, junior, of South Stockton-on-Tees,.
in the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WASHING
MACHINE."
Sealed the 6th December 1861, and dated the 10th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Langdale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
June 1861.
1, JOHN LANGDALE, junior, of South Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
WASHING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
The articles to be washed are placed in a revolving chamber with closed
ends, the sides of the same being formed of round bars or rails of wood placed
horizontally (with small intervening spaces between them), and have their
ends secured in the said closed ends of the chamber. The bars follow cách
other in a serpentine or corrugated line, and those bars which approach
nearest to the axis of the said chamber are made of a beaded shape; by these
ineans the articles operated upon which are put loosely in the said chamber
are exposed to a large area of irregular rubbing surface as the said chamber
revolves; a section of the said chamber and bars are moveable to enable the
insertion and withdrawal of the articles operated upon. The said revolving
chamber is mounted and revolves in a suitable covered trough for containing
water, which is provided with a lid to permit access to the interior.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Langdale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LANGDALE, junior, of South Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Langdale, junior, Her special licence that I, the said John
Langdale, junior, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Langdale, junior, 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 "AN IM-
PROVED WASHING MACHINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Langdale, junior, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 John Langdale, junior, 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:
(I.) The nature of the said Invention consists in an improved washing
machine which has a rotating chamber with closed ends, which chamber
should be of polygonal form, the sides of the same (as distinguished from the
ends) being formed of bars or rails with small intervening spaces between
them with their ends secured in the said closed ends of the chamber. The
bars follow each other in a serpentine or corrugated line, and those which
approach nearest to the axis of the said chamber are made beaded in form, by
which means the articles operated upon (which are put loosely in the said
chamber) are exposed to a large area of irregular rubbing surface as the said
chamber rotates. A section of the said chamber or cluster of bars is moveable
to enable the articles operated upon to be inserted or withdrawn. The said

page_text: rotating chamber is mounted and rotates in a suitable covered trough
for containing water, which is provided with a lid to permit access to the
interior.
(II.) Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, I now proceed
to describe in what manner the same is to be performed, by reference to
the accompanying Drawings, by the figures and letters appearing thereon and
herein referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
.
Figure 1, front elevation or external view of the machine; Figure 2, end
clevation of the same, part of the exterior case or trough being broken away,
shewing interior arrangements; Figure 3, vertical section taken at about the
middle of the machine; Figure 4, face view of the moveable section or cluster
of bars detached (serving as a door to the rotating chamber); Figure 5, end
of the part shewn as said Figure 4.
In said Figures, A, A, denote the exterior case or covered trough aforesaid;
B, B, the legs sustaining the machine, and C the crank handle by which
rotary motion is imparted to the said rotating chamber B, B*, B*, B*,
denoting the polygonal rotating chamber aforesaid, the sides to be angled
as shewn, or curved, or conical. The ends f, f, (see Fig. 2) of this rotating
chamber or wheel (B*) to be of solid joined wood (though they may be
perforated); E, the bars or rods some (only of which are marked), those at
E being beaded as aforesaid, the beads being turned annular, spiral, or
longitudinal. The number of sides of the rotating chamber will vary according
to the size or sizes of the machines. The bars or rollers to be well' turned,
shouldered, and fixed to the ends. The door or opening D to be equal at
least to a division of the polygon, and this closes the opening for putting in
and taking out the clothes, the said door to be secured by two buttons or
nuts (d) of wood or anti-corrosive metal, turning upon screws which..secure
the same to the case of the rotating chamber or wheel. The said polygonal
rotating chamber or wheel (B*) to form a circle in, the sweep of the edges
within the turned bars or rollers of openwork as a receptacle for the clothes,
and the spaces between such bars or rollers should be about three-eighths of
an inch, so as to allow of free and rapid contact with the clothes or articles to
be washed. The said wheel or rotating chamber B* works in the trough
or exterior case (A) made of wood, sound material, and workmanship, upon
being turned by the handle C fixed to a pin or axis and plate of cast iron,
or iron galvanized, firmly fastened by screws to the ends f, f, of the rotating
chamber or wheel B. The sizes for common washing uses to be' from 36
inches in length outside to twenty-four inches in width, outside which is

page_text: the outside measure of the trough or exterior case. It is proposed to vary
the number of sides of the revolving wheel according to the sizes of the
machine. The exterior case or trough (A) should have a binder or binders
on each side, in which is a cast metal bush or pipe flanged or fastened thereon
by screws, to be of the proper length to work truly to the shoulders of the
metal plate which is affixed to the rotating chamber or wheel at each end,
and this metal plate has a bevil at each end of not less than half an inch,
to allow of the rotating chamber or wheel working freely in the trough.
The angles of the trough to be bevilled at each end of the bottom so as to
bring the water to the centre and economize its use; the trough to be
made securely water-tight, and well nailed, and screwed together. The outside
door (H) being at one of the angles, as aforesaid, which door is to be fastened
by wooden or galvanized metal nuts g, J.
In machines of the largest size required for purposes other than domestic
washing, the sizes or dimensions may be altogether enlarged in such manner
and according to the foregoing arrangements, and the material of a size or
sizes and quality according to the work required to be performed; K denotes
a cock or tap for drawing off the water or liquid when required. Although
the rotating chamber or wheel is shewn polygonal, any other form may be
adopted and used.
(III.) Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the details
described per se and apart from the purposes bereof, but I claim the Inven-
tion as the nature of the same is set forth in the outset (marked I.) of this
my Specification thereof, and particularly as regards the arrangement of tho
bars, rails, or rollers aforesaid (some of which are beaded as set forth), in tho
serpentine or corrugated manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Langdale, junior, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
Jons WILKINSON,
Bridge Street,
South Stockton.
JOHN LANGDALE, JUNIOR. (L.S.)