Isn't This Picture Fun?

[Unimatic1140]

I was looking through some old pictures I took back in 2001 when our little club was much smaller and relatively new. Here is one that is worth posting again...

 

[westytoploader]

Too kewl, with the "famous" '57 AMP! Just don't pull the cap off the agitator on the right...OY!

Could you adjust the white knob to control the water level?

 

[spiraclean]

Hi Robert,
Thanks for sharing that picture. I love to see all the different agitators in American Top Loaders; if you come across a picture of a GE Spiral Ramp I would love to see it.

All the best.
Hugh

 

[westytoploader]

GE Ramp Activator

Here's the standard-capacity version, pulled from a late-80's Filter-Flo that had seen better days...

 

[westytoploader]

Another shot

Close-up of "ACTIVATOR" cap.

 

[petek]

Here's a

Mine must be the large capacity spiral ramp ge, has a few more inches above the top of the ramps,,but my question is..the cap on the top says, agitator activator..what's that. Is it supposed to do something I never knew about..as you guessed I've never read the instructions, just plug and load..hahahaha. So where are the instrux. now? Somewhere in some box or file somewhere in the house.

 

[appliguy]

Thats what GE called their agitator

GE's was the Activator
Maytags was the Gyrator
Whirlpools was the Surgilator
Frigidaires was the Pulsator
Kenmores was the Roto Swirl, Super Roto Swirl, Roto Flex, Penta Swirl, Penta Vane, Dual Action, Triple Action.

 

[appnut]

At least in this instance, getting agitated is a happy thought. Washer Nuts R Us!!!

 

[spiraclean]

Hi Austin,
Thanks for the picture of the GE Spiral Ramp, it's a lot like the Hotpoint Spiraclean agitator used in the UK.

All the best.
Hugh

 

[maytagbear]

Hugh--at least in the States,

Hotpoint is a fully owned division of General Electric, and has been for many years, though it started as a separate company.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rinso]

My mom had both styles of AMPs. And, I do remember that the cap on the black one had printing engraved on it that said "Do Not Remove Cap" so guess what I did?

 

[toggleswitch]

Hugh-

May I request a pic of the UK Hotpoint's spiraclean? if possible?

thank you!

 

[mayken4now]

Robert -

Very nice picture you chose to share with some of us newer members. I am ISO of an AMP at this time. They are hard to come by in this area of Florida.

To all the others - The older folks from the 20's and before referred to all of these as "DASHERS"!

Steve

 

[spiraclean]

Hotpoint UK

Hi Lawrence,
Yes indeed Hotpoint in the UK was owned by Genral Electric until last year, unfortunately it is now owned by Indesit Company or Merloni Electrodomestico as it used to call itself.

Hi Steve,
I will be delighted to get you a Spiraclean picture the next time I bring my Hotpoint Twin Tub out.

All the best.
Hugh

 

[toggleswitch]

Steve:

All kiding aside-- did Florida really "exist" on a large-scale before the early 1950s (before the advent of affordable and large-scale air-conditiong?

I also got the impression that the wealthy were some of the first to inhabit Florida with "snow-bird" winter estates, Sicne they could afford to brign electricity to the rural areas. Electric was necessary IMHO for fans and refrgeration, not to mention washers (all that sweating!)!!! LOL

My understanding is that laws have been coming out recently in varioius locales of FL to prevent demolition of 1950s and prior architecture, in that is IS some of the earliest stuff.

 

[mayken4now]

Yes

Steve:

Florida was a large established state in the union as of 1878. It has some very vintage folks and materialistic items here. Just not washers. You would have to go to south Florida's West coast to find AMP's. Not here in pensacola. Pensacola is an old city, but Tampa area and sought of there are of about 130 years vintage.

Steve

 

[gansky1]

Down memory lane...

That machine has certainly traversed the country, first Jon Charles (jetcone) pulls it out of a dump, then Robert, then me, now it's living with Steve 1-18 in Augusta, GA. Any other stops I don't remember?

The Maytag Gyratator (that is the correct spelling) cap on the later AMP washers wasn't so hard to re-attach, you just had to have the agitator out of the machine, sometimes no easy task in itself. Once you had it out, a wooden dowel was all that was needed to push up on the diaphram and snap the cap back on.

 

[toggleswitch]

Thanks Steve!

Apparently my Ohio born buddy who has been in FL for 20 year was filling my head with drivel!

 

[jmirawm]

question for appliguy...or whoever

What is a triple action agitator? I have heard of and know the dual action agitator......but the triple action? how was it different ?

 

[appnut]

Tom, from what a couple of people have told me who own these newest versions, they've noticed the top part of the agitator also kinda going up & down on erally heavy loads. Not sure what purpose it serves, but that's what they've all independently observed.

 

[DADoES]

Yes, on the Triple Action agitator, the upper spiral section is spring-loaded on the vertical axis. I imagine it takes a VERY heavy load to get it moving that way. Does Kenmore still have those? If so, pull upward on one next time you're at Sears and you'll see.

 

[scott55405]

Yes Glenn, still have them, the one we have here has that. I've felt the spring tension, but you're right, it does have to be an awfully big load. In 3+ years I've gotten ours to do it a little once.

Maytagbear, interestingly enough some of the Hotpoint washers in the UK also have a "spiralator" type agitator, like an Easy Spindrier.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Hotpoint Spiraclean

Hi Guys

The Hotpoint Filter Flow also has the Spiralator Agi, has used this same one since the first model in the 60`s.

The Filter Pan snaps on top with a rubber bushel.

I`m sure Jet will give it a thorough going use in the next few days, and report back...LOL

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ch...g.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chestermikeuk/my_photos

 

[chestermikeuk]

First Washer

Hi Robert

Very classic looking agi, love the red colour, we only had black , white or grey here, and just a hint of colour on earlier filter flow pans...

The exception being the English Electric twinny in the 60`swhich had a red agi..

What was the first washer you collected??

Cheers, Mike

 

[spiraclean]

Spiraclean Agitator

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the Spiraclean Agitator picture that will save me from having to haul out my Hotpoint Twin Tub, not that its a chore but my poor back has seen better days. Steve Toggleswitch wanted to see a picture of the Spiraclean Agitator.

All the best.
Hugh

 

[toggleswitch]

Looks mighty familiar.

*WOW*
Thank you boys, thank you very much. Fascinating. Posting of pic and album is most appreciated.

To me the Hopoint-UK model featured is so familiar, yet so different. Perhaps as London is To New York City!

Of course the spin speed is gr8!

regards
-Steve

 

[geoffdelp]

Oh boy, Robert ... I'm YEARNING to get my Maytag done! I just love those machines.

My 101 went off to the painter's yesterday ... OH BOY!!

 

[yaktx]

Florida & Refrigeration

Refrigeration/air conditioning was invented in Florida by Dr. John Gorrie in 1851.

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/gorrie/gorrie.htm

 

[westytoploader]

Triple-Action Agitator

Just another excuse for people to cram as much in as possible. With this agitator as well as Cold Water Tide, you can stuff as much as you can in one load and no sorting is necessary! There will no longer be a "right" way to do laundry. Oy...

Mike, that Hotpoint Spiraclean agitator is really neat. I especially find it interesting that the filter pan actually snaps/locks on, rather than just rests on the agitator like the GE's over here.

Robert, I'm kinda curious about what your first vintage machine was as well...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Mike and Austin, my very first vintage washer was an L-9 Westinghouse Laundromat (I'll have to dig out an old Photo). It was in my x-partners house when we moved in back in the fall of 1995. My next washer after that was my Philco at New Years 1996 and after in Feb '96 was a 1962 "Baby-Care" (WDCA-62) Multi-Matic Frigidaire, my very first Frigidaire.

My ten year anniversary of collecting washers is coming up!