Evolution of H-Axis Washing Machines From Semi to Fully Automatic

[niclonnic]

Really good history lesson!

This inspired me to post about a former player in the FL washer industry: Dyson. Apart from vacuum cleaners, they had a short-lived washing machine known as the "Contrarotator." It was exclusive to the UK and came in two major models: CR01 and CR02. Since I'm American, I had to do some research on it.

One day, Dyson engineers found a startling discovery about doing laundry: hand-washing for 15 minutes removed more dirt than 1-2 hours in a conventional machine. This led to the development of the Contrarotator. Released in late 2000, the new washer featured two drums that simultaneously turn in opposite directions. This manipulates and flexes the laundry in a three-dimensional way, mimicking the action of hand washing which in turn leads to cleaner clothes. Dyson's motto was "Two-drum, not humdrum."

Unfortunately, this design came with drawbacks. For one, due to the inherent nature of the dual-drum design, the machine had to be overengineered. It was essentially two washing machines in one, featuring two of every major component: motors, clutches and drive belts, along with a gearbox to control the drums. This made the CR too expensive and unprofitable for the company. So it was reluctantly discontinued in the mid-2000s.

The second was reliability. Apparently, these things broke down much more quickly than a standard washer, all thanks to the aformentioned overly complex engineering. Does the wash action tangle laundry?

Here's a video about the rise and fall of the CR. I'm curious, what would have happened if Dyson remained in the washing machine business?

 

[me]

Dyson's modus operandi always seems to be to come up with something he can patent, so noone can copy, and use marketing to convince people it is better. His machine got a fair amount of publicity from BBC's Tomorrow's World as I recall, showing the unique wash action of the prototype.

The Dyson contrarotator actually had two drum motors, but only the one belt, which was driven by both! It also had two doors, two door lock, two aluminium spiders, a clutch locking plate system driven by a small motor to switch between locked together drums and counterrotation, which I believe used planetary gears fixed to the plate. And there was an outer drum with two inner half drums; one presumably attached to the outer and the other driven by the secondary inner spider, so lots of places for grime and moisture to potentially get trapped, which may be one of the reasons the inner spider was reputedly prone to corrode and fail. Must have weighed a ton! I don't believe there was much difference between the CR01 and 02, from what I read the major changes was, he redesigned the coin trap, some extra buttons and programme options and they added a reminder to run a regular maintenance cycle to the firmware, and toned the colour schemes down a bit.

A working contrarotator, that still does its trick



Here's a video showing the innards, with the aid of a club hammer.



The Titan, another quirky UK machine, came out a while after the dyson was released, but I believe stayed on the market for an even shorter period, I only ever saw it once in a single store. That had a tilted removable plastic drum which doubled as a wash basket, and if I recall correctly, pumped the wash water through the centre of the drum shaft so it sprayed water over the load from holes in the lift arms.

 

[foraloysius]

A small chapter in this history is for V-Zug that introduced automatic washing in Switzerland with the V-Zug Unimatic Favorit. This machine was mainly found in communal laundry rooms.

 

[launderess]

A small chapter in this history is for V-Zug that introduced automatic washing in Switzerland with the V-Zug Unimatic Favorit. This machine was mainly found in communal laundry rooms.

V-Zug adverts are so wonderful.

Here you have father, son and brother (at least they all resemble each other a moi).

Father is going on about having to take over housekeeping duties while his wife is away on holiday. In particular he's rabbiting on about doing laundry... In reality his son knew all about wash day and easily could operate V-Zug machine.



V-Zug washers offer various innovations such as "wet cleaning" and no iron "steam" cycles.



In fact V-Zug long has been big on steam....

 

[launderess]

Trust Louis to uncover fun stuff in Europe:

Both commercial and domestic, before fully computer programming took over there were various punched or whatever cards.

Hoover's "KeyMatic" wasn't alone on that score.

Thread 'Old Schulthess with keycards'

Aug 17, 2012

There is an old Schulthess for sale on a swiss site. It's a Schulthess with a kind of keycards that are pressed on a sensor I think that senses the holes in the card. Quite a unique system, never saw it on any other brand.

Here's a picture of the machine and the link to the ad.

The asking price is ridiculous btw.

http://www.ricardo.ch/kaufen/haushalt-und-wohnen/haushaltsgeraete-und-maschinen/waschmaschinen-und-trockner/waschmaschinen/waschmaschine/v/an684890504/

• foraloysius
• Replies: 12
• Forum: Imperial

 

[launderess]

Louis was kind enough to post snaps he took while visiting V-Zug's museum. There one can see evolution of V-Zug washing machines which reflects overall state of art as well through the years.

As mentioned previously top loading washers with central beaters were not totally unknown in Europe prior to WWII. Indeed many of first semi-automatic washing machines were based upon that model. This and American manufacturers either licensed or directly exported their machines to Europe. Something that went on after WWII, as now and then one can find an American top loader about.

Thread 'Oldest Zug Unimatic'

Jan 12, 2013

The local Zug newspaper advertised to find the OLDEST working Zug washing machine and here are the results, a 50 year old machine still in working order!!, looks a heavy beasty,

• chestermikeuk
• Replies: 76
• Forum: Imperial

 

[launderess]

There is a method behind the madness of why those small washers are popular with Swiss and Swedes

It isn't just fact those living in flats often have limited space, but more to do with strict rules regarding use of communal laundry facilities.

Americans and others long used to laundries in buildings being "first come, first served" would be (and often are) shocked at rule system that such places have in Swisserland and Sweden.

Long story short one does not merely show up, but dates/times are either assigned by apartment and or one must sign up in say few hour blocks of time. If one does not arrive on time, tant pis, you lose whatever time is missed because next person will arrive on time and expect to start. Can't make assigned/reserved date/time? Again tant pis because you'll either have to wait until next reserved time or find an open slot. Want to do wash late in evening or overnight? Perhaps not as there are strict open and closed rules that are meant to be followed. Those living adjacent or near laundry rooms don't want to hear noise late at night.

A primer on shared laundry rooms in Switzerland

With such a high quality of living standards, it comes to a surprise that many Swiss still share a laundry machine among several apartments...

www.newlyswissed.com

 

[foraloysius]

I’m afraid I lost the pictures and I believe the museum is not open to the public anymore or perhaps even gone. I still have the memories though.

If someone still has these photos I would love to see them here again.

 

[launderess]

I’m afraid I lost the pictures and I believe the museum is not open to the public anymore or perhaps even gone. I still have the memories though.

If someone still has these photos I would love to see them here again.

Salut Louis!

Your pictures are forever preserved in archives of group. Click on linked thread above (Oldest V-Zug Umimatic) and scroll through. If your computer skills are keen can save photo's on your own hard drive.

 

[launderess]

English translation of above.

Notice entirely different voice dubbing narration.

 

[foraloysius]

Salut Louis!

Your pictures are forever preserved in archives of group. Click on linked thread above (Oldest V-Zug Umimatic) and scroll through. If your computer skills are keen can save photo's on your own hard drive.

Oooh Launderess, thank you very much! I never found them back myself. This good deed counts for a whole month

 

[launderess]

Electrolux was a big player in Sweden laundry appliance market. They furthered reach into Europe and eventually USA by stragecis mergers or acquisitions such as Zanussi, Wascator (Wascomat).

Electrolux nabbed Bohus Mekaniska Verkstad, a maker of commercial/industrial laundry equipment. This proved furtituious as by 1950's through 1970's or so Swedish goverment went on massive building spree of new multi-family housing. In keeping with that nation's ideals of social equality it was determined all households should have access to laundry equipment. Thus the communal laundries one sees still all over Sweden was born. Early such laundrooms and still today in many cases were/are equipped with commercial quality or at least OPL equipment. So you can see why Electrolux was keen to get their feet past that front door.

A uniquely Swedish way of washing your clothes

Electrolux not only supplies domestic washing machines for family use – the company has a long tradition of supplying larger, sturdier machines to support the rise of communal laundry rooms, including the ‘tvättstuga’, still very much part of cultural life in Sweden today.

www.electroluxgroup.com

From A to Z in laundry – European acquisitions add spectacular designs and crucial innovations

From a rather straightforward model in the early 1950s, Electrolux’s washing machines developed enormously throughout the post-war period. Much of this development was due to strategic acquisitions of brands including Germany’s AEG and Italy’s Zanussi. Cutting edge design, a growing brand...

www.electroluxgroup.com

Here's a video showing how it all came together. New housing, all sorts of mod cons, communal laundry room. This was state of art "social" housing if you will for 1960's.

 

[foraloysius]

Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!! There’s one of these old v-Zug Unimatics for sale.

https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/v-zug-unimatic-fuer-museum-1282444858/