IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Beall Morrison, of East Springfield, Ohio,
United States of America, now residing in the City of London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES."-A commu-
nication from abroad by John Rickey Morrison, of East Springfield,
aforesaid.
Sealed the 16th June 1863, and dated the 20th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Beall Morrison
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th December 1862.
I, JAMES BEALL MORRISON, of East Springfield, Ohio, United States of
America, now residing in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," a 'commu-
nication from John Rickey Morrison, of East Spingfield, aforesaid, to be as
follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the novel construction and arrange-
ment of the parts of a washing machine whose mode of operation closely
resembles the hand process, while this machine secures all the advantages
obtained by rubbing clothes between the hands simply, or by the hands on a

page_text: corrugated board, it possesses the additional advantages of performing the
work much more rapidly, and with less injury to the clothes or fabrics. At or
near the centre of the washing vessel a vertical board is fixed, corrugated on
either side, or a single corrugated plate of zinc may be employed. Upon this
board or plate the clothes or fabrics are hung, and are kept in place during the
process of washing by a rod passing from side to side of the vessel, and secured
in position in any convenient manner. Two corrugated wash boards or sets of
rollers are fixed one to each prong of a fork-shaped piece or frame. These
prongs are made to spring, thereby rendering the wash boards self-adjusting,
and the space between them is also regulated by a set screw. The wash
boards or sets of rollers are arranged so that when the frame is operated they
pass down and up one on each side of the centre board, and at a sufficient
distance therefrom to properly rub the clothes or fabrics hanging over the
sides of the said centre board. This fork-shaped piece or frame is moved by
a lever or crank arranged and operated in any convenient manner.
The same result is secured, though not so conveniently, by attaching the
corrugated centre board to the moveable frame, and fixing the two wash boards
or sets of rollers in the washing vessel.
In this arrangement the clothes or fabrics are attached to the moveable
centre board, and the wash boards or sets of rollers are made self-adjusting by
means of springs to vary the space between them, according to the thickness
of the fabrics on the centre board. It is found advantageous to cover the
moveable boards with zinc, and to cover the centre board or plate with a heavy
woollen fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Beall Morrison in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BEALL MORRISON, of East Springfield, Ohio, United States of America, now
residing in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight bundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Beall Morrison, Her special licence, that I, the said James

page_text: Beall Morrison, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Beall Morrison, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad by
the Inventor, John Rickey Morrison, of East Springfield, aforesaid, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Beall Morrison, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Beall Morrison, 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 Sheet of
Drawings, and the letters marked thereon, the same making a part of this
Specification:-
The nature of said Invention consists in the novel construction and
arrangement of the parts of a washing machine whose mode of operation closely
resembles the hand process. This peculiar effect is produced by the employ-
ment of a corrugated or plain wash board, in connection with a yielding roller
or rollers or corrugated boards. The parts are so formed and combined as
to secure cheapness of construction, and convenience in operating the machine;
while the use of this machine secures in washing fabrics all the advantages
obtained by rubbing fabrics between the hands simply or with the hands on a
corrugated wash-board, it secures the important additional advantages of per-
forming the required work much more rapidly with great saving of labor, and
without injury to the finest fabrics.

page_text: view of a corrugated wash board, attached to the frame of the machine by
swing levers; Figure 6 an enlarged view of a section of said wash board.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of another form of machine, constructed
according to the principles of said Invention; Figure 8 a longitudinal section
of this machine; Figure 9 a top view of the same; Figure 10 a transverse
section of the same with wash board, in the position shown in Figure 8;
Figure 11 an enlarged view of the wash board, showing the hinge of the lever e'.
Figure 12 is still another form of machine constructed according to the
principles of said Invention; Figure 13 a longitudinal section of this machine;
Figure 14 a top view of the same; Figure 15 a transverse section of the
same showing the roller. Like letters refer to corresponding parts in all
the Figures. The frame of the machine and the washing vessel A may
be constructed of any convenient form and suitable material. While the
forms shown in Figures 1 and 7 are well adapted for the purposes for
which they are designed, the form shown in Figure 12 possesses the
advantages of greater cheapness of construction, without liability to leak.
The rollers B shown in several of the Figures are constructed of wood or
metal simply, or they may be covered with india-rubber, or other suitable
material. In the form shown in Figure 2, it will be observed that two rollers
are represented, while in the forms shown in Figure 8 and 13, there is only one
roller; but in any one of the forms represented the number of rollers may be
increased, forming series, and still adhering to the principles of said Invention.
B', Figures 2, 3, 4, rotates on fixed bearings at the sides of the machine,
while B in all the Figures represents yielding rollers with bearings in the
levers a. The rollers may be constructed plain or grooved as found most
desirable for the required work. The levers a which sustain the rollers B are
hinged at the bottom, and are drawn towards the wash board, and rendered
self-adjusting by means of an elastic band 6 (shown in several of the Figures)
attached to the top and passing around the pin c. Instead of this band a
spring placed on either side of the lever a may be employed. For these rollers
or series of rollers, corrugated boards may be substituted, and they may be
advantageously covered with zinc. When two boards are thus employed, one
or both may be rendered self-adjusting, by means described in connection with
the rollers, or in other convenient manner. Or one board may be employed
in combination with a roller or series of rollers, in which case either the
rollers or the said board, or both, may be made to yield to the pressure of the
fabrics passing between them.
The corrugated centre wash board C, shown in several Figures, and enlarged

page_text: in Figures 6 and 11, may be constructed plain and of any suitable material,
but I have found in practice that a corrugated board with one or more
plain rollers is the most effectual, though the principles of said Invention
would not be essentially changed by making one or all of the rollers cor-
rugated or grooved, .
In the form of wash board shown in Figures 2 and 5, the sides are
extended in the manner clearly shown in Figure 5, and are united at or
near their upper extremities by means of the handle d. This frame of the
wash board is attached for convenience to the legs D, Figures 1 and 2,
which being extended upwards, form a part of the frame of the machine,
and also the support of the wash board. The said wash board is attached
to the extensions of the legs D, by means of swing levers e, which are.
arranged to permit a free reciprocating movement to the wash board,
while the latter may revolve on the pivots f. At each rotation this board
recedes from the rollers, and when the swing levers are in a vertical position
above the pivots, it may be arrested by the stop g, for the purpose of adjusting
the fabrics upon the wash board.
In the forms of the machine represented in Figures 7 to 15, only one
roller B is employed, which is made yielding in the same manner as in the
form described. The wash board C, shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, (enlarged
in Figure 11) resembles in form the one shown in Figure 5, but is corru-
gated only upon its upper surface. This board is supported by swing levers e
and e', and may be rendered yielding by the use of springs, in which case it
may not be necessary to use a yielding roller or rollers. The reciprocating
movement is given to this board in a manner similar to that described, but
it is not arranged to rotate on the pivots f. The corrugated board h, shown
in Figure 8, is fixed to the yielding lever a, and in Figure 13 a similar board
is fixed to the side of the washing vessel, but in either of these forms these
additions are not necessary to the successful working of the machine. The
wash board C, Figures 13 and 14, is of a circular form, and is hinged to the
side of the washing vessel at i.
In operating the machine, the clothes or fabrics are first placed or hung
upon the centre wash board, the latter being withdrawn from the roller
or rollers, or corrugated boards. Then power being applied to the handle d,
the centre wash board is pressed against the roller or between the rollers, or
corrugated boards, causing the centre wash board to pass the yielding roller or
rollers at each reciprocating movement, the pressure continually forcing
the water through the fabrics, thus speedily obtaining the desired object.

page_text: Having fully described and ascertained the said improvements, I claim the
Invention substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Beall Morrison, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE,
International Patent Office,
12, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
.
J. B. MORRISON. (L.S.)