Just a question!

[sudzreturn]

Hi all, i was wondering, what is the differences between the Unimatic, Rollermatic, and Multimatic? I know the difference between agitators, ie green cone shaped thingy, and what does the 1-18 mean? Im sure these washers were/are pretty common, but to me it looks like the clothes dont move hardly. Oh, i was in a laundrette i dont use often, and although they have Maytag digital top loaders, and a few 80's Speed Queen washers (with thin white platic agitator), and the old instructions on the wall are still there! Must be from at least the 60's, its emblembed `Washeteria' with the big Frigidaire `F', wonder what the origional machines where, as there as the `picture' depicts a 60's quite well dressed housewife next to a washer with a round window in the lid. Im thinking the `coin-op' Frigidaire off Unimatic1140's pics. Oh, and to the guy who replied to my last post (Newbie!) the maximum waster temp i can use is 60c from the hot tap, which is usually used to white/light coloureds, and shabbat shalom v'shavua tov!

 

[mcmodern]

All those 'matics

I'm still learning the glorious Frigidaire history, but I THINK it goes like this:
An older pulsator mechanism, called 'pulsamatic' was used until 1957 or 8. Earlier versions had a short, strange-looking agitator that ran at a very high speed. The unimatic showed up about 1955(?), while the pulsamatic remained in the BOL models through about 1958. The Multimatic introduced two speeds and was used from 1960 or 61 (again, someone who know for sure?), replaced by the rollermatic in 1964.

To complicate things, the famous tri-color three-ring agitator was used in both unitmatic and multimatics, from 1958 until 1962, replaced by a newer three-ring conical shaped device (narrower at the bottom) in '63 and 4. Rollermatics had the jet cone agitator, again followed by the last of the 'real' Frigidaires, the 1-18 models. Those had a perforated tub and considerably higher capacity, variable from 1-18 lbs. with an evolution of the jet cone agitator. I beleive that was up to about 1979. After that, Frigidaires became WCI throw-aways, as did many other brands from the past. I have a working (not part of a collection, but actually used!) 1-18 myself.

There's a good agitator comparison here, at the link below. PLEASE, someone with better historic knowlege correct me where I'm off!

Kelly

 

[gansky1]

Unimatic: 1947-1958 (1959 to 1964 in commercial washers) 330 PPM/1140 RPM

Pulsamatic: 1954-1958 (economy models) 630PPM/630RPM

Multimatic: 1959-1964 (all models) modification of the pulsamatic mechanism for the first offering of 2 speed selections for pulsate and spin 330 & 220 PPM -- 330, 700 & 850 RPM, depending on model.

Rollermatic: 1964-1969 330 & 220 PPM -- 330, 710, 1010 RPM (depending on model) The Jet Action agitator was introduced in 1962 for commercial washers and 1965 for domestic models.

1-18: 1970-1979 Perf. wash basket, 18lb capacity 360 & 230 PPM, 430 & 650 RPM

PPM = pulsations per minute
RPM = revolutions per minute