IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES."-
A communication from abroad by Joshua Thomas Owen, of
Dhiladalnhio Donnawlvenie United States of Amorinn
Sealed the 5th August 1870, and dated the 25th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th May 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES,"
a communication, to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to machines for washing clothes, wool, rags,
and other materials, and it consists in the combination and arrangement
of the parts of which the machine is composed.
The said machine has a tub or vessel which may be of wood hooped

page_text: with iron, or it may be of any other suitable material, and of any
capacity to hold the required amount of the materials to be cleansed.
For convenience in use it should be open at its upper end, but should
be supplied with a close-fitting cover to be used when the cleansing
process is being performed, but which may be readily removed when
such process is completed so as to permit free access to the contents
of the vessel as well as to the machinery contained therein.
Perforated diaphragms or plates are secured within the aforesaid
vessel in such a manner that their inner sides present an angle to
each other, and thus leave a space or chamber between them for the
clothes or other materials to be cleansed. These diaphragms or plates
extend from the bottom of the vessel to near its top, and they are
perforated for the passage of water from the spaces outside of them.
I use an agitator, which consists of a thin piece of wood or metal,
placed in a vertical position between the parts of the diaphragms, and
which has upon its lower edge a journal or pivot whereon it turns, a
step being provided upon the inner surface of the lower head for it to
rest in this agitator extends up nearly to the top of the diaphragms
and has secured to its upper edge a hollow journal serving to keep it in
its position and forming the axis upon which it turns.
The said hollow journal is constructed with a flange upon its lower
end for the purpose of securing it to the agitator. Above this flange
the journal is made hollow in order that when the machine is in use
any steam arising from the water may escape; any air contained in such
vessel may also find egress through this opening.
A support or bearing is provided for the hollow journal, which support
consists of a piece of metal or wood secured to the upper edges of the
diaphragms at or near the point where they come in contact with each
other. A cross bar is secured to the upper surface of the cover and
projects beyond the outer surface of the same for a distance sufficient to
enable it to pass under the projecting portions of hooks secured to the
outer surface of the vessel. These hooks are arranged in such a manner
that when the cover is placed upon the vessel and partially rotated the
ends of this bar will pass under the said hooks, and thus press the cover
down upon the edge of the vessel; the cover is thus held in place and
forms a tight joint with the vessel.
A handle is placed upon the upper projecting end of the hollow

page_text: device, so that it can be taken off when necessary to remove the cover
from the vessel, but will not turn upon the said journal when it is
necessary to give motion to the agitator.
Instead of perforating the diaphragms with holes the said diaphragms
may be made of wooden or galvanized iron bars, spaces being left
between the bars for the free passage of the cleansing materials, or they
may be made by extending stout wires from the top to the bottom
frames of the diaphragms, or of wire screenwork.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad
by Joshua Thomas Owen, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention relates to machines for washing clothes, wool, rags,
and other articles and materials, and it consists in the combination and
arrangement of the parts of which the machine is composed.
Ben and pavy
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation shewing an end view of an
agitator and a side view of two perforated diaphragms forming part of
the said machine.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section shewing the said agitator, the casc
or tub of the machine, and a hollow journal for the escape of steam
from the said machine.
Figure 4 is a plan or top view shewing the position of the aforesaid
perforated diaphragms, the agitator, the hollow journal, and the bearing
or support for the same.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the tube or vessel, which is formed of wood, hooped with iron,
or of other suitable material, and is of a suitable capacity to hold the
required amount of the materials to be cleansed. For convenience in
use it should be open at its upper end, but should be supplied with a
close fitting cover A', which is used when the cleansing process is being
performed, but which may be readily removed when such process is
completed to permit free access to the contents of the vessel, as well as to
the machinery contained therein.
B, B, are the perforated diaphragms or plates, which are to be secured
within the vessel A in such a manner that their inner sides present an
angle to each other substantially as shewn in Figure 4, and thus leave
a space or chamber between them for the reception of the clothes or
other articles or materials to be cleansed. It will be seen that these
diaphragms or plates extend from the bottom of the vessel to near its

page_text: top, and that they are perforated for the passage of water from the spaces
outside of them.
C is an agitator, which consists of a thin piece of wood or metal
placed in a vertical position between the parts of the diaphragms, and
which has upon its lower edge a journal or pivot whereon it turns, a
step being provided upon the inner surface of the lower head for it to
rest in. This agitator extends up nearly to the top of the diaphragms,
and has secured to its upper edge a hollow journal serving to keep it in
its position, and forming the axis upon which it turns.
D is the hollow journal constructed with a flange upon its lower end
for the purpose of securing it to the agitator C. The said journal is
made hollow above this flange, as shown, in order that when the
machine is in use any steam arising from the water may escape, and
that any air contained in such vessel may find egress through this
opening.
E is a support or bearing for the hollow journal D, which support
consists of a piece of metal or wood secured to the upper edges of the
diaphragms at or near the point where they come in contact with each
other, the proper opening being made in its centre for the passage of
such journal.
F is a cross bar, which is secured to the upper surface of the cover A³,
and projects beyond the outer surface of the same for a distance sufficient
to enable it to pass under the projecting portions of hooks H secured to
the outer surface of the vessel A. These hooks are arranged in such
a manner that when the cover is placed upon the vessel and partially
rotated the ends of this cross bar will pass under the said hooks, and
thus press the cover down upon the edge of the vessel. The cover is
thus held in place and forms a tight joint with the vessel.
G is a handle placed upon the upper projecting end of the hollow
journal, where it may be held by a set screw or other suitable device,
so that it can be taken off when it is necessary to remove the cover from
the vessel, but will not turn independently upon the said journal when
it is necessary to give motion to the agitator.
The operation of my improved machine is as follows:-
The parts
having been constructed and arranged as above described, the materials
or articles to be cleansed are placed in the compartments formed by the
diaphragms not occupied by the agitator; the water and other cleansing

page_text: material are to be put into that portion of the machine occupied by the
agitator; the cover of the machine is placed in position, and the handle
secured to the journal. The agitator is then oscillated through about
one-fourth of a revolution, which will cause the water or other cleansing
material to be forced through the apertures in the diaphragms and
amongst the clothes or other articles with great force, thus causing any
foreign substances to be removed therefrom.
When the cleansing process has been completed the cover is removed,
and the clothes or other articles taken out; the compartments may then
be again filled and the operation repeated.
One important advantage arising from my method of washing clothes
is that they are not pounded, rubbed, or moved while being cleansed,
and consequently are not injured as in the other methods of washing or
cleansing.
Instead of perforating the diaphragms with holes as shewn, the said
diaphragms may be slotted vertically, or made of wooden or galvanized
iron bars placed vertically, spaces being left between the bars for the
free passage of the cleansing materials; or they may be made by
extending stout wires from the top to the bottom frames of the
diaphragms, or be made of wire screenwork.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination and arrangement of the diaphragms, the
oscillating agitator, and the enclosing vessel, substantially as described
for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination of the oscillating agitator and the hollow
journal, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)