IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WASHING MACHINES "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Proudley, of Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WASHING MACHINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Proudley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1882.
JAMES PROUDLEY of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WASHING MACHINES
"
"
'IMPROVEMENTS
This invention relates principally to the construction of that class of machines
for washing domestic linen or other articles wherein the articles are placed in a
revolving cylinder contained in a casing or vessel in which a small quantity of
water is kept boiling by means of a gas or other suitable fire placed beneath
the same.
I make the vessel or casing (by preference) of metal of a rectangular form with a
dome shaped or other convenient cover.
The cylinder is made of metal (preferably of brass or copper) of a plain cylindrical
form and having the ends flat or slightly downed and with a short axis at each end,
one axis being longer than the other and having a removable winch handle.
A part of the cylinder is made to open as a door for the introduction and removal
of the articles to be cleansed or washed.
Inside the cylinder are fitted from about three to five longitudinal shelves having
their edges either straight or waved, which, as the cylinder revolves will constantly
take up the articles and let them fall again through the steam into the water and
so facilitate the operation of washing.
In order to allow of the removal of the cylinder from the casing or vessel I fix
the lower half of the bearing of the axis at the bottom of a vertical slot in the endl
of the casing, and the upper half of the said bearing I fix at the lower end of a
hinged piece which, when the bearing is in its place closes up the slot; the said
hinged piece being held in its place by a small bolt. When it is desired to remove
the cylinder from the vessel or casing the bolt is withdrawn and the hinged piece
is lifted upwards and outwards bringing the upper half of the bearing with it and

page_text: opening the slot. The handle must now be removed from the outer end of the axle
and the cylinder can then be withdrawn. In some cases I make the slot only at
the handle end of the casing having a fixed bearing for the short axis at the other
end inside the casing.
In the ends of the cylinder round or near to the outer edge thereof I form a
series of slots or apertures for the admission of the boiling water to the interior of
the cylinder and its exit therefrom, and outside these apertures I fix cups which
take up the water and throw it inwards as the cylinder revolves, some of the cups
being reversed in position so that they will act in whichever direction the cylinder
may be turned.
In some cases I also propose to give to the cylinder an endwise to and fro motion
(as it revolves) by means of a scroll or a diagonal disc working in a fixed fork, or
in any other convenient manner.
Beneath the cylinder I place in the vessel a slightly convex or arched false
bottom made of thin metal which accelerates the boiling of the water and greatly
facilitates formation of steam and the circulation of the boiling water.
The vessel is heated by being placed over a gas or other suitable fire or heating
apparatus but in cases where a large apparatus is required I propose to make the
casing or vessel of wood and to heat the water therein by means of steam pipes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Proudley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th June
1883.
JAMES PROUDLEY of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WASHING MACHINES
"
"IMPROVEMENTS
This invention relates principally to the construction of that class of machines
for washing domestic linen or other articles wherein the articles are placed in a
revolving cylinder in a casing or vessel in which a small quantity of water is
kept boiling by means of a gas or other suitable fire placed beneath the same.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. in the annexed drawing is a vertical transverse section of my improved
washing machine and Fig 2. is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.
I make the vessel or casing a, a (by preference) of metal of a rectangular form
with a cover b, b of a flattened, dome, or other convenient shape. The cylinder c, c
is made of metal (preferably of brass or copper) of a plain cylindrical form and
having the ends d, d flat or slightly domed and with a short axis e, e' at each end;
one axis e¹ being made with a square opening into which fits the squared part fi of
the stud ff of a removable winch handle g, g which passes through the casing a, a
so that the handle can be removed and refixed by means of the screw h, h when
desired, and thus the cylinder can easily be withdrawn from the casing. A part i, i
of the cylinder is made to open on a hinge às a door for the introduction and removal
of the articles to be cleansed or washed.
Inside the cylinder c. c are fitted from about three to five longitudinal shelves k, k
having their edges either straight or waved, which as the cylinder revolves will
constantly take up the articles and let them fall again through the steam into the
water and so facilitate the operation of washing.
In order to allow of the removal of the cylinder from the casing or vessel instead
of the arrangement above described I sometimes fix the lower half of the bearing
of the axis e¹ at the bottom of a vertical slot m, m in the end of the casing (see
detached view Fig. 3. and the upper half of the said bearing I fix at the lower
end of a sliding hinged piece n, n which when the bearing is in its place closes
up the slot m, m the said hinged piece n, n being held in its place by a small bolt.
When it is desired to remove the cylinder c, c from the vessel or casing a, a the
bolt is withdrawn and the hinged piece n, n is lifted upwards and outwards or
sideways as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 3. bringing the upper half of the
bearing with it and opening the slot. The handle must now be removed from the
outer end of the axle and the cylinder can then be withdrawn. I make the slot
only at the handle end of the casing, having a fixed bearing for the short axis at
the other end inside the casing; or the bearing l' and the sliding piece may be
made without a hinge or pivot so that it may be entirely removed from the slide.
In the ends d, d of the cylinder c, c round or near to the outer edge thereof I
form a series of slots or apertures o, o for the admission of the boiling water to the
interior of the cylinder and its exit therefrom, and outside these apertures I fix
cups which take up the water and throw it inwards as the cylinder revolves, some
of the cups being reversed in position so that they will act in whichever direction
the cylinder may be turned; in the drawing these cups are shown all in the same
direction at one end, being all reversed at the other end.

page_text: In some cases I also propose to give to the cylinder an end wise to and fro motion
(as it revolves) by means of a scroll, or a diagonal disc, working in a fixed fork, or
in any other convenient manner.
Beneath the cylinder I place in the vessel a slightly convex or arched false
bottom p, p made of metal (either corrugated, or plain as in the drawing) which
accelerates the boiling of the water and greatly facilitates the formation of steam
and the circulation of the boiling water; q, q are lips for taking hold of the
cylinder, after turning it with its door i, i downwards, when required to remove it
from the casing.
The vessel is heated by being placed over a gas or other suitable fire or heating
apparatus, but in cases where a large apparatus is required I propose to make the
casing or vessel of wood and to heat the water therein by means of steam pipes.
Having now described the nature and object of my said invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention.
First. The particular construction of the cylinder with its internal shelves, and
openings and cups substantially as described.
Secondly. The arrangement shown and described for detaching and replacing the
said cylinder and
Thirdly. I claim the arched or corrugated false bottom for accelerating the boiling
of the water and facilitating the circulation of the same and the formation of the
steam all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
In witness whereof. I the said James Proudley have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty eighth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and Eighty three
זרד ATTA