IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, WRINGING, RINSING, MANGLING, AND DRYING CLOTHES AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Henry Ellis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th June
1864.
I, GEORGE HENRY ELLIS, of Wellington Road, Bromley, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, WRINGING, RINSING,
MANGLING, AND DRYING CLOTHES AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the application of india-rubber rollers in
combination with other means for washing, wringing, rinsing, and mangling
clothes and other articles. I employ a suitable vessel to contain the liquid
used in washing and rinsing, by preference of an oblong shape, and within or
upon this vessel I fix a pair of india-rubber rollers in such a manner that the
linen can be readily passed between the rollers, and at each side thereof be
immersed in the liquid. Two vessels may be used, but I prefer to use one
only, the rollers being fixed at the upper part in the centre. Below each side
of the rollers I dispose a series of rubbers or brushes for partially dislodging
the dirt as the linen is drawn over the surface thereof by the action of the
rollers. I also dispose a movable lid or shelf at both sides of the rollers for
receiving the linen when it has been properly washed and rinsed. The rollers
are also used for mangling, and the design of my improvements is to provide
a portable machine which is capable of performing the entire work of family
washing, and not, as is now commonly the case, to have several machines for
this purpose.
I do not restrict myself to the method of fixing the rollers in the middle of
the washing vessel, as they may be in any position which enables the linen to

page_text: be raised out of the water on one side, passed between the rollers, and
immersed on the other side, and so on to and fro in a convenient manner.
The pressure upon the rollers is obtained in the usual manner, either by
springs, levers, or other contrivance, and the effect of passing the linen
between them, after being immersed in the liquid, is to squeeze all impurities
from the fabric with the least possible labour to the operator and without
throwing the water out of the vessel or damaging the linen. I provide a tap
for withdrawing the liquid and handles for moving the vessel. The rollers
are actuated by a winch handle or by other means. I make the shafts, frame,
levers, and parts immediately connected with the roller of this machine of
galvanized iron.
Rinsing is performed in the same manner as washing, but with pure water,
while the wringing simply necessitates the placing of the sliding cover or lid
on one side to receive the clothes as they are wrung out and to prevent.them
being again immersed in the tub or vessel, while, for mangling, both covers
are put on, which serve as a table to receive and spread the clothes in passing
them through to mangle them. Instead of constructing a vessel purposely
for this application of the rollers to washing, and disposing them at mid-length
thereof, I construct them with a frame so as to fix on the side of a tub or
vessel, and to overhang such vessel, so that the clothes under operation can
be readily raised out of the water on one side, passed through the rollers, and
fall again and be immersed on the other side. By reversing the movement
of the rollers the to-and-fro action of the clothes is produced, and the alternate
immersion of the clothes on the one side of the rollers and then on the other.
I also apply a partial cover to the vessel to receive the clothes as before when
wringing. This machine I make almost entirely of wood.
The second part of my improvements consists in an apparatus or horse for
drying clothes; it consists of three, four, or more rods jointed to each other
in the manner of a three-legged or portable campstool; the upper ends of
these rods have numerous lines stretched between them on which to hang
the clothes; when collapsed this apparatus occupies little room, and when
expanded presents great length of line to hang clothes on; it is kept in an
expanded form by stretchers at the upper part in the manner of umbrella
stretchers.