Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1889-Accepted. 12th Oct.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines.
I, JOHN READ, of All Saint's Road, Leicester, Mechanic, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to what are technically known as Tom Toms or
machines for scouring textile fabrics and the object is to effect certain improvements
in their construction by which the fabrics are more equally subjected to the action of
the beaters or stampers than is the case with machines of ordinary construction.
For this purpose I prefer to employ .square tubs with zinc bottoms, the said tubs
being caused to traverse backwards and forwards alternately during the rising and
falling of the beaters, thus ensuring the fabrics being more equally operated upon or
treated than would otherwise be the case. To impart this reciprocating motion to the
tubs, which are provided with wheels to run on lines or rails, the underside of the
tub is furnished with a rack, preferably near the centre, which gears into and receives
its motion from a pinion mounted on a horizontal shaft, carrying also a spur wheel
operated by a horizontal rack which is reciprocated through the medium of a con-
necting rod fixed in a slot in a horizontal worm wheel, mounted on a vertical stud or
equivalent and actuated by a worm on the same shaft as the driving pulley.
The beaters receive their motion from S shaped cams or wipers carried on an
overhead shaft having its bearings in the sides of the framework, each of the said
cams or wipers being fixed on the shaft at a different angle so that each of the
beaters may be elevated and fall on to the fabric in the tubs at different times. The
sides of the beaters are provided near their upper ends with a projecting block or
equivalent to come into contact with the S shaped cams or wipers for the purpose of
raising the beaters.
When two sets of beaters are employed the shafts carrying the cams or wipers for
raising same, may each be driven separately or the second shaft may carry at one
end a spur wheel which may gear into a similar wheel on the end of the driving
shaft.
Provision is also made for lifting any individual beater out of action when desirable
without interfering with the working of the others. This is effected by perforating
the beater at a convenient position in its length and placing in such perforation &
pin or cottar which when the beater has been lifted out of action of the cam will rest
on a cross-bar attached to each side of the framework, and retain the beater in such
elevated position.
The machine in a modified form may also be used for domestic purposes.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines.
I, JOHN READ of All Saints Road, Leicester, Mechanic, 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 has reference to what are technically known as 'Tom Tomis' or
machines for scouring and washing textile fabrics and the object of the invention is
to effect certain improvements in their construction by which the fabrics are more
equally subjected to the action of the beaters or stampers than is the case with machines
of ordinary construction.

page_text: For this purpose I prefer to employ square or oblong shaped tubs with zinc lined
bottoms, the said tubs being caused to traverse backwards and forwards alternately
during the rising and falling of the beater's or stampers by which the fabrics are
operated upon or 'treated.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is, a side elevation, and Figure 2 is an
end elevation of a machine, constructed according to this invention. Figure 3 being
a plan on the line Y, Z of figure 1.
A is the wash tub or box mounted upon wheels B which run upon lines or rails B¹
secured to the cross beams B' by screws B³.
The wash tub or box A is built preferably of 2" boards, the sides of the tub being
held firmly together by means of bolts and nuts A².
The interior of the tub is divided into two compartments by means of a partition A¹
which enables fabrics of two different colours to be treated simultaneously.
In order to increase the durability of the wash tub and to obtain a more perfectly
treated fabric, the bottom of the interior of the tub is provided with a lining of zinc
or equivalent.
Underneath the tub A and fixed preferably near the centre by means of screws C³
is a rack C³ gearing into a toothed wheel CI mounted on the spindle C working in
the bearings D which are secured to the bed-plate E by bolts D'.
The tub A is caused to traverse backwards and forwards by means of the toothed
wheel which gears into and receives its motion from a horizontally reciprocating
rack F working in a groove El (fig. 3) in the bed-plate E and actuated by means of a
connecting rod G pivotted to the horizontal worm-wheel H mounted on the upper end
of the pillar or standard H.
The horizontal worm wheel H engages with and is actuated by a worm J on the
shaft K to which motion is communicated through the pulley L.
The shaft K has bearings K¹ fixed to the upright portion E³ of the bed-plate E
and an additional bearing K2 on the block K³.
The vertical beaters or stampers M, which act upon the fabric in the tub during
the time the latter is slowly traversing backwards and forwards, receive their elevating
motion from cams or wipers N each of which is fixed upon the shafts P, P¹ at a
different angle so that each of the beaters or stampers M may descend upon the fabric
in the wash tub at different times.
The stems of the beaters M are provided with blocks or equivalent M¹ secured
thereto by bolts M³, the said blocks coming into contact with and being elevated by
the cams or wipers N.
The shafts PP are provided with bearings R¹ in the plates R secured to the
upright beams S.
The shafts P P may be driven separately if desired or the shaft P may be pro-
vided at one end with a spur-wheel P₁ gearing into a similar wheel P³ on the
shaft P¹.
Provision is also made for lifting each or any individual beater out of action without
interfering with the working of any of the others.
For this purpose the stem of the beater is provided with a hole or opening M³
(fig. 2) and when the beater has been raised out of contact with the cam or wiper N
a pin or cottar M' may be inserted in the hole M³ and allowed to rest on the cross-
beam S¹ thereby retaining the beater in its elevated position.
Motion is communicated to the machine by means of the pulley T on the shaft P
and through the medium of the spur wheels P2 and P to the shaft P¹ on the
end of which is a pulley U transmitting motion through the belt U¹ to the pulley L
on the shaft K carrying the worm J.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
elaim is :-
1. In a machine for scouring and washing textile fabrics the combination of
mechanism for reciprocating the tub or wash-box consisting of racks such as C³ and F,

page_text: toothed wheel C connecting rod G, worm J, and worm wheel H substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improved machine, constructed, combined and operating substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompany drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1889.
JOHN READ.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.