Something I can't figure out about 1970s Norge Coin-Operated Washers

[Unimatic1140]

So one the four Ephemera postings for today has some odd ball Norge coin-operated washer and dryer brochures from the mid 1970s. I remember using coin-operated Norge washers around 1983 when I was living in Staten Island, NY. They were the huge 20lb Norge washers with a black agitator without a filtering "burpalator" system. What is odd about the Norge washer brochures today is apparently they offered two models "Double-Load" and "Single-Load". I'm sure the Norge coin-ops I used in the early 80's filled up all the way to the top and used probably around 55 gallons per wash-load, so those must have been "Double-Load". What is confusing is the Single-Load machines, the brochure claims that the single loads only use 26 gallons of water per cycle! I can't for the life of me imagine how they accomplished this. The cabinet styles between the two machines are the same so I can't imagine that they were using their old 1960's 12lb solid-basket design in these machine.

Now Frigidaire coin-ops of the mid 70s offered both the old 60's solid tub machines as well as the larger 1/18 style tub. Except the Frigidaire coin-ops were advertised as 16lb because they only filled up 2/3 of the way to the top of the last cone, unlike the the 1/18 machines that filled all the way up to the top. Did Norge only fill the tub 1/2 way up which would be really harsh on the clothes if the machines were loaded filled all the way with clothes. Norge washers at that time were far from gentle on clothing. Did they have a marking in the tub or on the agitator with a water-line mark?

Does anyone remember seeing these single-load coin-op Norge washers????

Home Appliance Information Library at Automatic Ephemera

 

[tomturbomatic]

Those were the solid tub machines with the older design from the 50s. They were in Norge Dry Cleaning Villages (it takes a village to clean your clothes).

 

[Unimatic1140]

Thanks Tom, wow I never knew that like Frigidaire, Norge continued to make solid tub machines into the 70s, long after they discontinued their solid tub machines for home use! Cool.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Well, as you pointed out, they used less water and where that was a factor, they were able to provide a machine.

 

[jetcone]

LOL

it takes a village to clean your clothes--love that!

 

[mrb627]

Norge Coin-Ops

I remember doing laundry at a Norge equipped laundromat out west on vacation one year. I couldn't get over how loud that place was. Also amazed at how the agitator seemed somewhat upside down with the fins getting bigger the higher up the shaft they came.

I think I must have been 7 or 8 at the time...LOL

Malcolm

 

[appnut]

Lemme add a slightly different perspecxtive/possibility.  The Norge C;eamomg Village we started utilizing after we'd moved to the new house in 1961, probably date back to themid-to late 1950s with that part of Houston being the older part of suburbia.  Originally the had all TimeLine coinOps along with 2 20-pound Norge front loaders and a 50 lb.; Big Boy.  When the TimeLines were replacved in 1965 or so, they were essentially the 14 or 15 pound perforated tub style.  BUT, there was some sort of barrier or "cone" that went over the agitator to significantly discourage customers filling the machine up past that "cone" because the water level had been reduced on them and din't fill up nearly as high as what I Norge did at home.