Improvements in Washing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1396-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
Improvements in Washing Machines.
I, EDWARD CLEMENTS, of 51 Great Russell Street, in the County of Middlesex.
General Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In this improved washing machine there is an outer casing in the form of a
drum and within the casing there is a cylindrical cage mounted upon an horizontal
axis. The cage fits the casing as nearly as is consistent with its free rotation
within it. The cage is divided into two, three or more compartments by radial
partitions at right angles the one to the other. The periphery of the cage is
composed of bars parallel to the axis and set at a short distance apart. The
clothes to be washed are placed in the compartments of the cage and to admit of
this there are openings in the periphery and sliding grids with suitable fastenings
are provided to close these openings. There is also a charging opening in the
casing and this is fitted with a door which can be closed steam tight. When
charging the machine the openings in the cage are brought up in succession to face
the doorway in the casing. Hand gear is provided for turning the cage when
charging; it consists of a worm wheel which can be clutched fast upon the axis of
the cage and there is a worm engaged with the wheel and a crank handle, on the
axis of the worm by which it can be turned.
When the machine is at work the hand gear is unclutched and the cage is turned
by driving belts passing over pulleys.
An automatic locking arrangement is fitted in connection with these clutch
wheels so that the machine cannot be put in motion while the band turning
arrangement is in gear and vice versa.
There are two driving belts, one open, the other crossed, and there are three
pulleys on the axis of the cage, one fast and the others loose.
A belt fork shifts the belts from time to time from pulley to pulley so that the
cage is made to revolve first in one direction and then in the other. The belt fork
is connected with a crank which receives a slow motion by a worm and worm wheel
from the shafting which drives the machine. A steam pipe is connected with the
casing at the lower part and another pipe is provided to admit water near the top
of the casing.
The washing operation is conducted in the following manner:-The clothes
having been placed in the compartments of the cage, a small quantity of water
together with soda or a suitable detergent is put into the casing. This done the
door in the casing is closed and the steam is turned on so that the casing is charged
with steam at a moderate pressure.
The cage is started and it is kept in motion in the manner already described so
that the clothes saturated with the detergent liquid are tumbled over and over.
When it is judged that the clothes are clean the steam is turned off and a draw off
cock is opened for the discharge of the foul liquid from the casing.
Water is now turned on and allowed to run through the casing until it comes out
clear; then the water cock is closed, the cage is brought to rest, the machine is
opened and the clean clothes are taken out.
Dated this 16th day of October 1895.

page_text: 1. EDWARD CLEMENTS, of 51 Great. Russell Street, in the County of Middlesex,.
General Engineer, 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 more especially to machines for washing clothes and
household linen. A machine in accordance with the invention is shown by the
annexed drawings.
Figure is a front elevation and Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section.
In this improved washing machine there is an outer casing a in the form of a
drun and within the easing there is a cylindrical cage & mounted upon an horizontal
axis, which passes through stuffing boxes on the ends of the casing. The cage fits
the casing as nearly as is consistent with its free rotation within it. The cage
divided into two, three or more compartments by radial partitions, the drawing
shows n cage having four partitions at right angles the one to the other. The
periphery of the enge is composed of bars parallel to the axis and set at a short
distance apart. The clothes to be washed are placed in the compartments of the
cage and to admit of this there are openings in the periphery and sliding grids &
with suitable fastenings are provided to close these openings. The fastenings
represented in the drawings consist of eyes on the cage and lugs on the movable
grids which project through the eyes and are locked by cottars . There is also
a charging opening in the casing and this is fitted with a door which can be
closed steam tight. The door is hinged and has a latch e in which is a hand
screw serving to set the door home to its seating. When charging the machine
the openings in the cage are brought up in succession to face the doorway in the
casing. Hand gear is provided for turning the enge when charging; it consists of
a worm wheel d which can be clutched fast upon the axis of the cage by a clutch
operated by the clutch fork and handle e and there is a worm engaged with the
wheel and a crank handle is when needed applied on the axis of the worm by
which it can be turned.
C
When the machine is at work the hand gear is unclutched and the cage is turned
by driving belts and passing over pulleys on the axis of the cage and on the
main shaft. The main shaft is driven by a belt and pulleys. is an axis
with a handle upon it by which it can be turned so as to shift the slide which
carries the belt fork and so the belt can be passed from the loose pulley * to
the fast pulley and vice versa.
Thus the minchine is started and stopped.
An automatic locking arrangement can be fitted in connection with the handles e
and so that the machine cannot be put in motion while the hand turning
arrangement is in gear and vice versa.
There are two driving belts g' and one open, the other crossed, and there are
three pulleys
on the axis of the cage, one viz. -kis fast and the
others loose.
and
A double belt fork shifts the belts from time to time from pulley to pulley so
that the cage is made to revolve first in one direction and then in the other. The
belt fork is on a slide and this is connected by rods with cranks m which
receive a slow motion by a worm and worm wheel m' from the shaft which
drives the machine. A steam pipe o is connected with the casing at the lower part
and another pipe p is provided to admit water near the top of the casing.
The washing operation is conducted in the following manner:-The clothes
having been placed in the compartments of the cage, a small quantity of water
together with soda or a suitable detergent is put into the casing. This done the

page_text: door in the casing is closed and the steam from a boiler under a pressure of say
4 lbs. to the inch, is turned on so that the casing is charged with steam at a
moderate pressure.
The cage is started and it is kept in motion first in one direction and then in
the other in the manner already described so that the clothes saturated with the
detergent liquid are tumbled over and over.
When it is judged that the clothes are clean the steam is turned off and a
draw off cock is opened for the discharge of the foul liquid from the casing.
Water is now turned on by the cocks at p' and allowed to run through the
casing until it comes out clear; then the water cocks are closed, the cage is
brought to rest, the machine is opened and the clean clothes are taken out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A washing machine consisting of a cylindrical steam tight casing with means
for admitting steam and water and for drawing off, a cage with partitions and with
gratings at the periphery mounted within the casing, means for rotating the cage
and for automatically reversing the direction of rotation and apertures with.
suitable doors in the casing and in the cage.
2. A washing machine substantially as herein described.