AI is getting to the point where it can recreate patents of early automatic washer designs that were never marketed to the public, it's not quite perfect yet but it certainly is better than it was 6 months ago. We can learn about the history of the design and creativity of the architects and engineers of our beloved machines. Had World War II never started we probably would have seen some these machines come to market in the early 40's.
This one is incredible. It is one of the very first patents General Motors received for their newly designed automatic washer. It was larger than the standard automatics we know today because of the three 10 gallon water tanks incorporated within the back of the machine.
The machine could wash three 8 to 10lb loads of laundry using only 50 gallons of water!
Introducing the 1938 Frigidaire Automatic Washer!
Check out the inside of the machine, the coolest thing ever!...
Here is how the machine works according to the patent:
The user places the wash load into the wash basket. Then she removes the rear cover over the water tanks. With a hose connected to the sink she fills the Wash Tank with 10 gallons of hot water and adds the soap or detergent to the Wash Tank as well. Next she fills both Rinse 1 and Rinse 2 tanks with 10 gallons each of warm water. She selects the wash time wanted from 5 to 20 minutes on the "Wash Period" dial and turns the top dial to "On". From here on out she is free to go onto other things and the machine runs all by itself.
The washer then does the following according to the patent:
Wash load #1
#1 Pumps the detergent laden hot water into the wash tub up from the Wash Tank.
#2 Washes/Pulsates the clothes for the desired time as set on the "Wash Period" dial.
#3 Spins the wash water up and into the upper drain trough and the soapy wash water is then directed back into the Wash Tank to be reused for the next wash load later on.
#4 Tub stops spinning and water is pumped into the wash tub from Rinse Tank 1.
#5 Machine pulsates clothes in the rinse water for a couple of minutes.
#6 Machine spins first rinse water into trough and then the diverter valve sends the 1st rinse water right down the drain. The first rinse water is never re-used in subsequent loads.
#7 Tub stops and water is pumped into the wash tub from Rinse Tank 2.
#8 Machine pulsates clothes again in the rinse water for the second rinse for a couple of minutes.
#9 Tub spins the water into the drain trough and the 2nd rinse water is now diverted into Rinse Tank 1. The 2nd rinse's water is now saved to used in the next wash loads 1st rinse!
#10 Machine spins the clothes damp dry and they are now ready to be hung on the clothes line for drying.
Wash load #2...
The user re-fills Rinse Tank 2 with 10 gallons of fresh clear warm water for the next load. The other two water tanks are filled from the previous load.
The user can place the 2nd wash load into the washer. It uses the saved hot wash water (which has now cooled down to warm) for the 2nd load.
Wash time is set and the machine started and runs through the same cycle again saving the wash water and last rinse water.
At the end of wash day or if the user wants fresh water she turns the drain dial to "On" and the machine drains all three water tanks.
Fascinating to say the least!
Here are the images from the actual patent that I used with AI to create the photos, you can read the patent here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2325837A/en?oq=US2325837A
This one is incredible. It is one of the very first patents General Motors received for their newly designed automatic washer. It was larger than the standard automatics we know today because of the three 10 gallon water tanks incorporated within the back of the machine.
The machine could wash three 8 to 10lb loads of laundry using only 50 gallons of water!
Introducing the 1938 Frigidaire Automatic Washer!
Check out the inside of the machine, the coolest thing ever!...
Here is how the machine works according to the patent:
The user places the wash load into the wash basket. Then she removes the rear cover over the water tanks. With a hose connected to the sink she fills the Wash Tank with 10 gallons of hot water and adds the soap or detergent to the Wash Tank as well. Next she fills both Rinse 1 and Rinse 2 tanks with 10 gallons each of warm water. She selects the wash time wanted from 5 to 20 minutes on the "Wash Period" dial and turns the top dial to "On". From here on out she is free to go onto other things and the machine runs all by itself.
The washer then does the following according to the patent:
Wash load #1
#1 Pumps the detergent laden hot water into the wash tub up from the Wash Tank.
#2 Washes/Pulsates the clothes for the desired time as set on the "Wash Period" dial.
#3 Spins the wash water up and into the upper drain trough and the soapy wash water is then directed back into the Wash Tank to be reused for the next wash load later on.
#4 Tub stops spinning and water is pumped into the wash tub from Rinse Tank 1.
#5 Machine pulsates clothes in the rinse water for a couple of minutes.
#6 Machine spins first rinse water into trough and then the diverter valve sends the 1st rinse water right down the drain. The first rinse water is never re-used in subsequent loads.
#7 Tub stops and water is pumped into the wash tub from Rinse Tank 2.
#8 Machine pulsates clothes again in the rinse water for the second rinse for a couple of minutes.
#9 Tub spins the water into the drain trough and the 2nd rinse water is now diverted into Rinse Tank 1. The 2nd rinse's water is now saved to used in the next wash loads 1st rinse!
#10 Machine spins the clothes damp dry and they are now ready to be hung on the clothes line for drying.
Wash load #2...
The user re-fills Rinse Tank 2 with 10 gallons of fresh clear warm water for the next load. The other two water tanks are filled from the previous load.
The user can place the 2nd wash load into the washer. It uses the saved hot wash water (which has now cooled down to warm) for the 2nd load.
Wash time is set and the machine started and runs through the same cycle again saving the wash water and last rinse water.
At the end of wash day or if the user wants fresh water she turns the drain dial to "On" and the machine drains all three water tanks.
Fascinating to say the least!
Here are the images from the actual patent that I used with AI to create the photos, you can read the patent here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2325837A/en?oq=US2325837A
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