POD 1/28/2017

[brucelucenta]

This was the new model Norge designed to compete with all the other machines with larger capacity, lint filters and perforated tubs. As can be seen, it was rated at 14 lbs. The old design solid tub machine held quite a bit less and did not dispose of sand and sediment well. This new design apparently had infringed on a patent that GE had on the filter flo design and they had to change from having a filter pan to having a small filter mounted at the front to filter the water. This same basic design was made from the early 60's thru the 80's. The same tub size was used and the claimed capacity eventually went up to 22 lbs. The filtering system changed from being a pump filtering system to the old design they had with the solid tub models of the filter built into the agitator, which the agitator pumped the water into the agitator mounted filter as it agitated well after the patent on filter flo expired I expect. These washers really WASHED the clothes. They were quite aggressive and caused more linting than most. They were also somewhat noisy with the solenoid for the brake on the spin. Certainly were a lot of them manufactured and rebadged with various names including Montgomery Wards Signature brand. Believe it or not, I even saw one from the mid 60's that said "Kelvinator" on it. I assume it was before Kelvinator completely quit making their own design and had added this model for extra capacity customers, but not sure. It did have the same design pattern the last Kelvinator machines had on their control panels of the solid tub versions.[this post was last edited: 1/28/2017-09:26]

 

[appnut]

This was the washer we got Decemb3er 1964.  By that time it had Norge15 on the panel.

 

[brucelucenta]

Did it have the filter pan or the small filter?

 

[gyrafoam]

So Bruce, do you recall what year they "twisted" that Burpalator?

 

[appnut]

It had the rear mount small filter "tray".  I am not sure the filter pan as shown ever made it to market, if at all, very briefly. 

 

[mrsalvo]

My mother had a late 60's MW Signature washer, by that time the agitator design had changed to the "turbo sweep design" with lower fins, this increased the capacity of clothes in the tub. I remember the washer being noisier than most, even in the laundrymats. The lint filter was to the rear of the tub and would often fall out into the tub, mom quit using it altogether. I don't really think the agitator lint filtering system, burpalator, was really all that effective at gathering lint, more of a sales gimmick than anything, but they sure stayed with that design for many years. Anyone have any thoughts on this? It seems that our washer lasted a little less than 10 years before it started shooting oil. These washers were in many, many households. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking the MW TOL was priced about what a MOL Kenmore would have been. I'd be interested in knowing what the water usage would have been, they used HUGE amounts. Anyone's thoughts?

 

[washdaddy]

A friend had a Norge machine 20lb with the burpalator. The machine sure could scrub up some clothes and as far as the filter pan went, it did collect quite a bit. The only thing I did notice is that lint collected in the holes in the bottom skirt of the agitator. From what we could tell there wasn't anyway to take it apart so that you could clean it out.
Yes the machine was loud but at the same time it was kind of soothing by the rhythm sounds it made. (Except for the brake engaging after spin...lol). But as mentioned earlier it certainly did a decent job of cleaning.

 

[brucelucenta]

Gyrafoam

I'm not sure what you mean by "twisted the burpalator". I do remember that for a while, they made the bakelite agitators and had the pump recirculating filter. They did made a bakelite agitator that was twisted, sort of like a spiral agitator that GE or Kenmore had too on some models. As I recall, once they started making the agitators out of plastic, they changed to the burpalator agitator with the lint pan and discontinued the recirculating pump filter. I think that they must have made the first few models when they came out with this design that had the lint pan that was like the GE filter flo. I do recall working on an early machine of this type and it did have the spout that was pictured in the POD, although by the time I ran across it there was no filter pan with it. I really have always thought filters on the washer really didn't make much difference since the dryer is what catches most of the lint anyway.

 

[gansky1]

Bob is right, the over agitator filter pan was made but very briefly. I'm not sure if MW ever had this, or it was just a Norge feature. IIRC, Robert has one of these filter pans in his collection.

The spiral agitator that Steve is thinking of was used on MW recirculating filter washers for a couple of years after the straight vane with rounded fins and before the white plastic agitator (non-burp) came about 67. The recirc-filter was still used until about 69 when the burp-up filter made it's debut in the MW catalog.

The spiral ramp MW agitator is a really great performer, nothing escapes those giant vanes.

 

[gyrafoam]

Thanks Greg

that's the one I remember, except I thought it was a Burpalator. I always thought those were Norge's and didn't realize that it was limited to MW.