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UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

ABBA SAMANS, OF BOWMANSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MARVIN SEAMANS, OF BOWMANSVILLE, NEW YORK.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,-705, dated November 20, 1860.

To dll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Abba Samans, of Bowmansville, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new ₅ and useful Improvement in Washing-Ma⁰ chines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this ₁₀ specification, in which—

Figure 1, is a vertical section of my improved machine. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the shaft F, and its appurtenances, detached. Fig. 3, is an enlarged section of the escape valve M.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My invention has for its object the construction of a machine which shall, by me₂₀ chanical action assimilating the motion of “ the human hands, perform the operations of rubbing, squeezing, or pounding, and turning the garments at the same operation, whereby the labor is greatly expedited and 25 facilitated.

My improvements are also especially designed to preserve the garments from that injury and rapid wearing to which they are so subject from machine washing.

As represented in the drawings, A, is. a frame supporting the box, or vat, B, in which the washing is effected, which is. of square form except the bottom D, which approaches, in form, the segment of a ₃₅ circle. It is constructed of zinc, though wood may be used and will answer nearly as well. It is corrugated like an ordinary washboard for about one half of the distance which it occupies., commencing at the 40 top of the vat, the remainder being plain.

A pair of short standards E, upon each side of the vat, form the boxes or bearings of a transverse horizontal shaft F; (shown fully in Fig. 2;) and from this shaft a series 4g of spring-slats G, G, descend, supporting on the lower end of each a block, or head, H, arranged in a line parallel with the shaft E, and with the ends or back of the vat B. The slats are framed into mortises, and se50 curely pinned or otherwise held, in both the shaft and blocks, and are made so thin, especially near the blocks that they will readily bend, but they should be formed, of flexible wood, such as ash or hickory, which 55 possesses sufficient strength to render it suitable for the purpose. The blocks form a uniform row, having but little space between them, and the face side, /, may be grooved or corrugated to have a better effect on the clothing. 60

At right angles with the slats G, rods I, I, connect to the shaft a transverse hand piece K, which forms a convenient lever for giving motion to the rubbing and squeezing blocks H. 65

The method of washing consists in filling the vat B, partly full of water, or suds, into which the garments are thrown. During the filling of the vat the operating device described should be removed out of the way 70 by turning the handle K, ovei' back, which raises the rubbing blocks above the top of the machine. To bring it into use, it is returned again to the vat, and a vertical oscillating motion given to the handle, which 75 causes the blocks H, to perform the part of rubbing the clothes over the corrugations of the board D, much in the manner of hand rubbing,—their flexibility allowing them to yield to the pressure of large masses and 80 avoid tearing or other injury, and yet causing them to bear with nearly equal pressure on the thinner portions. With each oscillation the clothes are brought between the “ butting board ” m, of the vat, and the 85 blocks H, and the suds pressed through and out of them, as in the process of pounding. And here the flexibility of the rubbing blocks proves of great importance both in yielding to the irregularity of the mass of fabrics, so 90 as not to strike with too much force, and in reaching every part notwithstanding the irregularities. The reverse motion of the brake keeps the clothes turning over and over so as effectually to present all parts to 95 the operation. It is worked with ease and performs the whole operation of cleansing the clothes, if properly managed, and has the advantage of compactness of form, and economy of cost with great ease of working. 100

M, is a valve for discharging the water from the tub when desired. Above the hole n, on the outer side of the box, a leather strap I, or its equivalent, is nailed, having a block o, sufficiently large to cover the hole, 105 attached thereto, in the proper position for that purpose. This strap is passed partly around the eccentric roller M, and fastened to it. The roller turns by the small lever p, on pivots at either end of it, and when the HO

30,705 lever is elevated to a vertical position the winding up of the strap Z, draws off the block o, and opens the vent hole n. The pressing of the lever downward to the hori5 zontal, or nearly so, brings the eccentric portion of the roller against the block and forces it upon the hole so closely as to entirely close it. This forms a convenient mode of letting off the water, and one not 10 subject to get out of repair.