US134310A - Improvement in washing-machines - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

.1. ?RATT.

ashing-Wiachines.

Patented Dec. 24,1872.

VV] ESSES 1. W. PRATT.

Washing-Machines.

Patented Dec.24, 1872.

JOSEPH W. PRATT, OF EDGEFIELD, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT lN WASHINGMACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. RSLLFJMB, dated December 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. PRATT, of Ed getield, in the county ofDavidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus or Machine for Washing Clothes (wool in the iieece) and other Fabries; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, enabling others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the line X X; Fig. 2, an end view; Fig. 3 represents a section through the line Z Z, showing also the internally-toothed gear and pinion which would not appear exactly on that line; the face of the driving disk or crank is also reversed in this figure to show more plainly the operation of frame M, as hereafter described; and Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the entire machine, with dotted lines to show some of the hidden movements.

Nature cmd Object.

This invention relates to that class of inventions described in patent No. 130,821, issued to me August 27,1872. These improvements `are intended to adapt it to large laundries as General Description.

A is a lwater-box, sustained by legs B B. (l is a revolving cylinder, situated in said box,l and is provided with a shaft, D, which sup` ports said cylinder by means of brackets 22 attached tosides of box, as shown in Fig. 1.v Cylinder C receives rotary motion from an internally-toothed gear located at one end thereI of, into which works pinion E, operated by,y shaft F, which extends through the side of the box above the level of the Water, and is provided with a pulley, G, which, by means of belt I, receives rotary motion from pulley H attached to' shaft J, as shown in Fig. 4,

which receives rotary motion either from pinion K, into which works the gear-Wheel L attached to shaft T, or from the Wheel Y, which may either be used as a balance or a driving Wheel, being attached to shaft J, to which is also attached the disk or crank S, with which is connected, by means of the rod Q, the frame M, and receives reciprocating motion from the rotation thereof, which (reciprocating motion)4 is transmitted to the frame O, which is connected with M at top by means of hinge N, as shown by dot-ted lines in Fig. 3.

It will also be seen that between frames M and O are located a number of springs, R, which have the tendency to force the bottom of said frames apart. This is prevented at the back of frame M by means of friction-wheels 24, and at the front of frame O by means of the washing-rollers P P coming in contact vwith cylinder U. The bottom of frame O is compelled to vibrate as the said rollers follow the direction of the circle of C according to the distance traveled at each stroke of the said frames. U is a pulley situated upon shaft F, and is made to revolve at pleasure (when said shaft is in motion) by a clutch attachment V, shown partially in Figs. 1 and 3, and can be of any suitable character to carry out the above design, for the purpose hereafter described. A similar clutcharran gement, W, is employed in connection with pulley H upon shaft J, for the purpose of stopping lthe rotation of said pulley H when shaft J is in motion, if desired. In connection with pulley U, k by means of belt 1, is pulley 2, which connects horizontal plane. Said frame 7 is moved byu means of arm 13 connected therewith, and shaft 14, to which -is attached arm 15, connected by means of rod 16 with Vthe handle 23, which is located within reach of the oper-'A ator, who may by this contrivance move the frame backward and forward at pleasure.

2 4 naaste The frame 7 is also provided with rollers 8 and 9, the former of which is located near roller 5 and the latter at the upper part of the frame, and connected by means of endless apron 10, which receives motion from the friction caused by the motion of apron 6, upon which it rests, as shown. Apron 10 is used to confine the clothes to apron 6, while in the agitated water, as they pass toward the wrmger.

It will also be seen that 17 is an elastic roller located just above roller 4, a-nd that upon each end of the shaft of said roller 17 rests a connector or fulcrum, 18, upon which act the levers 19, which are pivoted at one end to the brackets 20 20, and are acted on at the other end by springs located in bracket 21, by means of which roller 17 may be held with great force against the roller 4, while at the same time it is self-adjusting.

Having now described the construction of my machine, I will proceed with a brief description of its operation.

The shaft J being set in motion, either by shaft T or wheel Y, the frame M is caused to yreciprocate and the cylinder U to revolve in the direction of the arrow. The reciprocation of M causes the washing-rollers P P to traverse up and down upon the face of the revolving cylinder, the latter of which moves slow, and the former with great rapidity, while they press against each other with great force. Therefore wet clothing or other fabrics have only to be laid upon the said cylinder to find their way through a rubbing, rolling, and squeezing process, and then fall into the water below, with which the box is provided; from whence they are conveyed, by endless aprons 6 and 10, between the rollers 5 and 8, and from thence, by apron 6, through between the rollers 4 and 17; from whence they drop into a basket or other receiver practically cleansed and freed from liquid used in the process.

' The above describes the process of running the fabrics directly through the machine with every part in motion; though in practice it may prove more advantageous to stop the motion of one portion and not the other, and vice versa. As, for instance, should the fabrics be very much soiled and require a great deal of rubbing to make them clean, it might be necessary to throw the pulley H out of gear with shaft J, which may be accomplished by clutch attachment W7, when the cylinder .C will become stationary and the rollers P P would continue to operate upon the fabric. This may be done upon any spot or part of the goodsthat needs extra cleansing. Or it may be necessary to stop the wringing part of the process from time to time, which may be accomplished by throwing the pulley U out of gear with shaft F or 'pulley G by means of clutch attachment V;

at the same time the frame 7 and the rollers and aprons connected therewith should be thrown back out of the way of cylinder C, which may be accomplished by means of handle 23 and its connections, as heretofore described. With frame 7 in this position the clothes come back under cylinder C to the operator, and may be passed through as frequently as desired.

It will be seen that in this machine I employ two washing-rollers, P P, (which may be attached to frame O in any suitable manner,) instead of one, which is described in my patent No. 130,821; therefore What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is

1. The combination of two or more reciprocating revolving rollers with the cylinder C, as and for the purpose above described.

2. The combination of shaft J with the pulley H, clutch W, and the crank or disk S, substantially as and for the purposes above set forth and described.

3. The combination of cylinder C with shaft D, brackets 22, pinion E with the internallytoothed gear, shaft F, pulley G, clutch attachment V, and pulley U, all as arranged and described, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination ot' frames M and O with the rod Q and crank S, hinge N, spring Pt, friction-wheels 24, and washing-rollers P P, all as arranged and described, for the purpose speeilied.

5. The combination of the rollers 4, 5, 8, 9, and 17 with the endless aprons 6 and 10, substantially as and for the purposes above described.

6. The frame 7 with arm 13, shaft 14, arm 15, rod 16, and handle 23, all as arranged and described, for the purpose described.

7. The combination of levers 19 with roller 17, fulcrums or connectors 18, brackets 20 2O and 21, springs located in bracket 21, all

Vas described, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of water-box A with the cylinder (l, shaft D, pinion E, shaft F, pulley Gr, pulley H, belt I, shaft J, pinion K, gearwheel L, frame M, hinge N, frame O, rollers P P, connecting-rod Q. spring R, crank S, shaft T, pulley U, clutch attachments V and W, balance or driving wheel Y, belt l, pulley 2, rollers 4, 5, 8, 9, and 17, endless aprons 6 and 19, the frame 7, roller 12, arm 13, shaft 14, arm 15, rod 16, handle 23, brackets 22, and friction-wheels 24, the levers 19 with the brackets 20 and 21, and the fulcrums or connectors 18, and the springs located in bracket 21, substantially as arranged and described in the foregoing specification, for the purposes therein named.

JOSEPH W. PRATT.

Witnesses:

JOHN ilionnow, J r., CHARLIE Smrrn.

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