US1896077A - Rubbing element for washboards - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 7, 1933. H. J. GILBERT RUBBING ELEMENT FOR WASHBOARDS Filed Feb. 8, 1952 K Z A Patentedk Feb. 7, 1933` UNITED STATES HARWOOD J'. GILBERT, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN,v ASSIGNOR TO `NATIONAL WASHBOARD COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPO'R'ATION-OF XVEST `VIRGINIA RUBBING ELEMENT FOR WASHBOARDS Application led February 8, 1932. Serial No. 591,649.

This invention relates to wash-boards and pertains particularly to an improved rubbingr element.

The objects are to produce as an article of manufacture a sheet metal rubbing ele ment for wash-boards that can be made of thinnerA material than is customary and still have the necessary strength to resist the strains brought upon it in use.

Another object is to provide a rubbing element that is of different and more attractive appearance than those heretofore produced and consequently more readily saleable.

Another obJect is to improve the effective-V ness of a wash-boardrubbing surface by making it in such form that a larger number of bulges and depressions will be encountered by the goods as they are rubbed up and down along the face of the board, thereby increasing the effectiveness of its operation.

lVith the foregoing and certain other objects in view, which will appear later in the specification, my invention comp-rises the devices described and claimed and the equivalents thereof. y

My invention consists in the rubbing element shown in the drawing. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a wash-board having a rubbing surface made accordingto my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional. view projected from Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section cn line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4'4 of Fig. 1.

As is clearly shown in the drawing, the rubbing elementconsists in a. sheet of metal formed with horizontal parallel corrugations that present alternating ribs 1 and grooves 2, their general shape in cross section being that of ogee curves. A series of parallel raised portions or wale-like ridges 3 winds diagonally and sinuously aci oss the crest of each rib 1.

A significant novel feature that distinguishes my present invention resides in a structural modification of the diagonal wales 3 and of the side walls of the ribs 1. It is by this modification of ystructure that the stated objects of my invention are attained.

.According to Vmy improvement each of the diagonal wales 3 is characterized by being f divided in its length L into several individual wales 3 by the diagonal indentations 6 is to greatly increase the number of bulges or projections 4, 5 rising from the rubbing surface of a wash-board and to materially increase the strength and. stiffness of the ribs 1 to resist pressure tending to collapse them in use, thereby enabling rubbing elements of adequate strength to be made from material of less thickness than has been practicable heretofore.. The number of effective projections is greatly increased, giving improved washing efliciency.

Considered from the standpoint of appearance groove 6 performs another advantageous function. It increases the amount of light reflected and diffused by the rubbing surface, making the surface as a Whole while new appear much more brilliant and attractive to purchasers of wash-boards, thereby adding to the sale value of the article.

In practice my preferred mode of operation in making rubbing elements that are characterized by'the features just described is first, to pass a thin sheet of metal through suitable embossing dies or rolls adapted to form the sheet so it shall present a multitude of diamondor lozenge-shaped elements 7 separated from each other by diagonal grooves, as shown in Fig. 1. This embossed sheet is then passed through known corrugating rolls which produce the ribs 1, grooves 2 and also the diagonally disposed series of wales 3 on the crests of ribs 1. Each Wale 3, however, due to those lozengeshaped raised portions 7 that occupy ythe same space with it is divided lengthwise as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and represents in general the pattern illustrated in Fig. 1, being the improved rubbing element of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A rubbing element for Wash-boards comprising a sheet metal structure presenting parallel ribs and grooves, said ribs having on their crests parallel diagonally disposed alternating Wales and indentations, each of said Wales consisting of a plurality of bulge elements separated by transverse depressions.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HARVVOOD J. GILBERT.

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