"Laundromat" trademark?

[lowefficiency]

So today's Picture of the Day is of the Westinghouse 1000 Laundromat machines... and at the bottom of the advertisement is the small print:

"Laundromat is a Westinghouse registered trademark"

What's the history on this term? How did it come to be that Westinghouse had a trademark for a machine, with the same name as what we know of as a location having self-service laundry facilities? Being in the same category (Laundry-related), I would have thought that one or the other usage would not have been permitted. ie: Westinghouse would have either vigorously fought any other use of the word "Laundromat" to protect their trademark, or Westinghouse would have not been granted the trademark at all due to an existing common usage.

Anyone happen to know the story?

 

[circlew]

Laundromat was not only the trademark for the Westinghouse washers, but also for the Westinghouse equipped coin-op laundries. Evidently the trademark lapsed at some point in time.

My mom (from Hattiesburg, MS) always called such places "washaterias", and I also tend to do so, as that is what many people in the south call them.

 

[turquoisedude]

Many older brand names became the generic term for a kind of appliance. "Frigidaire" for example, especially here in La Belle Province, became the catch-all term for a household refrigerator. It still sticks to this day...

Two others I can think of off the top of my head are "Disposall" and "Radarange". Only on Saturday Night Live do I recall "Norge" also being used a generic term for a 'fridge, though... LOL

 

[jeb]

My grandmother always call her washing machine a laundromat. "They just delivered my new laundromat and dryer".

 

[washerlover]

Well all I can say to that is I hate it when people say “laundrymat..!”

 

[askolover]

In Tennessee I've heard laundromat, washateria, and coin laundry.  No rhyme or reason related to East, Middle, or West TN.  Tony refers to our fridge as the Frigidaire as did my grandmother (but hers actually was a Frigidaire...ours is a Maytag).

 

[launderess]

George Edward Pendray invented word "Laundromat" for his employer Westinghouse Electric Corp, which they promptly used for their new "automatic washing machines". Westinghouse also registered the name "Laundromat" as their trademark.

As the 1940's wore on into the 1950's and beyond washerterias or any place where there were self service washing machines came to be known as "laundromats". But places couldn't officially name themselves such because the word was a registered trademark of Westinghouse, and used on their washing machines.

Much like people refer to any box of tissues as Kleenex, but no one can use that brand name as it is a registered trademark. This also explains why spell checking software world over corrects "laundromat" if spelled with a lower case "l". It is a proper noun when referring to Westinghouse washers, but not so when used generically.

Westinghouse allowed the trademark rights to "Laundromat" to expire in 1993. So now yes, places can call themselves "Bob's Laundromat".

 

[arbilab]

IINM, Westinghouse 'expired' in 1993.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I grew up hearing coin laundries called Launderettes, a service mark for self service laundries that was established in 1946, according to the dictionary. I am still not certain about derivation of the name of the business I saw in DC called Beautyrette.

 

[Unimatic1140]

The timeline of the word is interesting. Every since the mid 60's I remember my mother and grandmother using the word laundromat to describe coin-laundries. Makes me wonder if the majority of very early coin laundries in certain cities were equipped with Westinghouse Laundromats.

 

[launderess]

Laundryette

Was the name used by Telecoin Corporation (now defunct) for their franchise laundromats.

Telecoin was in the business of supplying coin meters used to operate everything from juke boxes to arcade machines (including pinball). They go the idea of slapping such a device onto these new automatic washing machines, and voilà, you had a coin operated machine.

IIRC Bendix washers were used and Telcoin had a worldwide reach.

Self serve laundries were a boon in not only post war USA, but elsewhere as well. Prior to this there were "wash houses" or public laundries however machines were operated either by staff, and or one paid a fee to an attendant which entitled one to access machines.

https://books.google.com/books?id=H...n self service system washing machine&f=false

https://openjurist.org/204/f2d/331/bascom-launder-corp-v-telecoin-corp

[this post was last edited: 5/31/2019-12:03]

Billboard

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books.google.com

 

[sudsomatic]

The explanations make a lot of sense

It kind of reminds me of how (most) people refer to any type of facial tissue as a Kleenex when in reality that's not what they are officially called it was just the most recognized brand name and eventually came to be the items definition.

 

Some people do it with soft drinks too, where any dark colored pop is referred to as Coke even if it's actually Pepsi, RC Cola, or similar.

 

I don't hear it a lot now but Linoleum was kind of like that too.. any smooth  patterned kitchen floor was called linoleum even if it was actually vinyl or some other material.

 

[launderess]

There is a whole long list of brand names

That are now used generically...

Frigidaire is used by some to refer to refrigerators. Ditto with "Coolerator"

Kleenex

Jet Ski

Bubble Wrap

Crock-Pot

Heroin

Linoleum

Dry Ice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_genericized_trademarks

 

[launderess]

From the archives:

Both Westinghouse and Bendix washers are represented. https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?20374

 

[launderess]

Happy Anniversary Britain

First laundryette opened in May, 1949!

Located in Bayswater and still is in existence.

https://www.squaducation.com/blog/first-launderette-uk-opened

Arrival of self-service laundries caused the British market for wringers and washboards to virtually collapse. The things spread to every corner of GB where laundryettes could be found on high streets and elsewhere. Cue Dot Cotton and her service washes. Hahaha

 

[sudsomatic]

Laundress...

Neat!  And I learned a new word "Eponym" haha

 

[appnut]

can call themselves "Bob's Laundromat".

Featuring ……. BobLoads.  

 

[tolivac]

Brands used generically-----"bush hog" for any tractor drawn rough cut mower,"skilsaw" for any hand held circular saw-and of course "Kleenex" for any face tissues.Oh yes-"dremel tool" for any hand held small rotary tool.

 

[askolover]

Weed-eater for any string trimmer.