Franklin-WCI Transmission & Tub Brakes

[scrubflex]

Does anyone know what year Franklin stopped using the transmission with the super-fast tub brakes that enabled the non-indexing washes?

What were the washer brand names?

Did Franklin use the same tub brake transmission style or the design when they began using indexing?

Or, did they change the style of the transmission? And, just removed the tub brakes from the transmission.

 

[combo52]

I never heard of a Franklin built washer with a tub break. What models have you seen that had one?

John

 

[scrubflex]

I've read a little from AW.ORG about the Canadian Viking. I have a brochure of the Bradford Grant washer. I always thought Westinghouse, Kelvinator, Gibson, and the later Frigidaire were stuck with the agitate-ing 'hindering' indexing tub transmission. The "Early 80's Kelvinator Washer and Dryer Training Sales" video, explains that Kelvinator "removed" the brakes from the washer. I thought, how could they not see how it caused such an agitation deficiency in cleaning the laundry?

 

[Unimatic1140]

explains that Kelvinator "removed" the brakes from the washer. I think that video is misleading. The only time Kelvinator ever used a true spin brake was just for 2 or 3 years when they switch production from the ABC/Orbital design to the Norge made design with the fast acting brake latch. Once they went to the Franklin transmission there was no spin brake ever in that system except for stopping the tub from turning both directions. This brake was minor and only meant to allow the tub indexing in one direction only.

 

[scrubflex]

Really? What year did they change to the Norge made design with the fast acting brake latch? Norge made Kelvinator's? Have you ever seen a Bradford Grant washer, John? These washer were the non-indexing spin brake machines

 

[combo52]

Franklin designed automatic washers

The spin helix spring only allow the tub to index in one direction, but it really isn’t a break as such.

I never saw in Norge built Kelvinator, but who knows.

 

[Unimatic1140]

I think Harry may be right, from looking at the early 70s Bradford washer brochure it claims to have a brake. This would be a Franklin transmission with a brake, unless of course this is just advertising nonsense.

 

[scrubflex]

This is from a 1975 Kelvinator washer Repair Master catalog...thoughts

 

[combo52]

Franklin transmissions

Hi Harry there are two very different transmissions in your reply #7.

 

The one on the left is the older design. Like our 1960 co-op Franklin belt washer head it almost looks like there’s a brake in the bottom but I can’t read the print in your post. You can read it and tell us.

 

I can tell you our co-op did not have a brake it took about 30 to 45 seconds to coast to a stop, The transmission design on the right is the later designed but they used up until the last 10 years and that one definitely does not have any type of tub break to slow the tub or keep it from indexing

 

John

[this post was last edited: 2/10/2023-09:05]

 

[Unimatic1140]

That Franklin transmission on the left does in fact have a brake assembly, the later one on the right does not as John said. Here is the proof I found:

 

[combo52]

Franklin top load washer with brake

This is really interesting. It looks like they actually did put a brake in for a while, I guess the cost cutters may have gotten involved and said we really don’t need this added expense, and away it went.

Instead we had years of Franklin washers with stupid lid locks that always broke.

John.

 

[scrubflex]

Hey John, it's not the original, copied the pic from an eBay auction, sorry.

So, there seem to be quite a few 18-pound giant capacity washers with the "angel-wing" agitators that used tub indexing and non-indexing Franklin transmissions.

Hi Robert, where are these pics of the transmission from? I'd like to see more.

 

[cfz2882]

earlier franklin transmission

somewhere on here there are some good pics of the mechanism of a 1968 era Franklin built Hamilton washer(a real beauty in coppertone )

 

[Unimatic1140]

Yes here is a video that shows that 1968 Hamilton washer with that Franklin transmission with a brake. If you advance the video to 3:55 mark you can see the brake in action! It is fast acting for sure.

 

[cfz2882]

so cool!

Thanks Robert!

 

[scrubflex]

Thanks for the pics of the transmission and video, Robert.

 

[scrubflex]

The Hamilton's agitator cap is the same style as the late 70's angel-wing agitators

 

[mayfan69]

Gearcase looks similar to a Simpson 'plastic bucket'

Was just looking at the pics in reply #7 and the gearcase assembly looks very similar to what's inside the Australian made Simpson plastic bucket gearbox, which makes sense as I have service manuals stating the gearbox was based on a US Franklin gearbox. You can see the gearcase in these pictures of a recently overhauled Simpson project. Difference is the Simpson gearbox has been designed to work with the Maytag style stem seal kit and brake assembly.

 

[scrubflex]

Hhmm, that's pretty awesome Leon. Thanks for sharing those fantastic pics also, very much appreciated.

 

[114jwh]

Eddy had one at one time...

A Franklin built washer with a brake!

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?14312

 

[eddy1210]

Yes James!

Yes, I did have one with a very fast tub brake. I had forgotten about that machine which unfortunately I no longer have. But I kept souvenirs like the agitator and control panel.

 

[paulwash]

Franklin - WCI Transmission and Tub Brakes

I gotta jump in on this one.. my grandfather remarried in the 1970s he married a woman that brought her washing machine that she used for some years for her 6 kids it was a Hamilton. I distinctly remember I used it at age 10 I used powdered all detergent the tub did not index the machine was very loud while washing and it very much looked like this Gibson I would love to see this machine wash love the agitator that machine is out there I know my buddy Ricker that recently passed had a set in copper tone but not with the the turquoise agitator. Anybody have any videos of this machine

 

[scrubflex]

Sorry for your lost Paul. I can't wait to see videos of the 'angel wing' Ten Vane agitator in action, also. But, the story from the guys is, the 67' 21" tall angel wing agitator is not so effective turning over giant size loads. The agitator base is only 11 1/2" wide and the vanes are very narrow. They weren't high enough to create the turbulence needed to force the clothes down to the bottom of the tub to roll the laundry over.
It is beyond me that Franklin-WCI did not think it was important enough or necessary to enlarge the bottom vanes to create more powerful agitation to handle full, giant 18 pound capacity loads. After all, the Ten Vane 'angel wing' and 18 pound giant capacities were used in the Grants Bradford, Gamble's Coronado, Co-op, Franklin, Kelvinator, and Gibson washers. They were 2 of their washers greater features. Or, supposed to be, at least.
Now, I'm not sure if Franklin shrank the agitator to 19" or 18" and kept the same base size for their 16 pound capacity tubs. Or, they widen the base to 12 5/8" and added more height to the bottom vanes which would have performed much better than the 18 pounders. And, continued using that style for the later 70's to 80's washers. If you look at the 'Early 80's Kelvinator Washer Dryer Sales Training Video' on YouTube, you will be able to see the potential turnover power of the Ten Vane agitator in action. Look carefully, you'll see the load being pulled down by the 210 degree agiation strokes, although there's indexing.