POD Philco-Bendix WGG-C Washer

[launderess]

Have said this before....

From time they began using H-axis washers regardless how they were powered commercial/institutional laundries never spun loads after wash. Indeed most never extracted period because early washers couldn't spin. So with a soap based laundry program it was simply dilute, dilute, dilute, then add whatever else chemical wise (bleaches, starches, bluing...) finally after final drain haul wash into an extractor.

Early European front H-axis washers for most part didn't spin until after second or third rinse either. Reasons for this varied but main (IIRC) was to ensure most froth had been knocked down or was gone to prevent suds lock. Something that would have been an issue with soap and later high froth detergents.

Of course there are many ways to skin a cat; and in Europe washer makers found ways round Bendix and their pesky patents, or at least tried to minimize impact.

 

[launderess]

Philco-Bendix was going along a great path with these machines, even if they dropped combo units for washer/extractor only.



post was last edited: 7/7/2020-21:02]

 

[tomturbomatic]

Next time you have the opportunity, compare the outside of a Bendix diving bell with the tub inside. There was a good deal of clearance between the two tubs. The Bendix did not have to cope with the narrow, suds-generating clearances that modern washers have. Bendix and WH washers also had powerful pumps, powered by the motor that ran the machine not the small separately-powered pumps of modern washers and those machines did not stop if suds locked. They kept going and pumping, if not completely successfully, and eventually got rid of the suds. Also, soap suds does not persist as long as suds from detergent, especially if the water is hard.

 

[launderess]

Yes, that is true

Addition of hard water (even in smallest qualities) will knock down soap froth.

That being said absence of suds does not mean all soap was removed from wash. Hence one, two or even three hot (maybe warm) rinses were required (more if necessary), to ensure all traces of soap were removed.

Housewives and others on domestic side were advised to add Calgon or some other phosphate based water softener to at least first rinse after using soap. This helped keep the stuff in solution so it could be rinsed easily from fabrics.

Commercial or industrial laundries usually went with water softening systems, though homeowners also did so as well.

If you watch video of Constructa K4 above you see that it barely drains very deep rinse water before going into spin.

 

[peterh770]

Both grandmothers had Bendix deluxe washers. One had probably the first Hamilton dryer. All these lasted until the very late 1960's, and the washers were replaced with Kenmore model 70s, as recommended by my mother.