The Ultimate in Washday Drama

[Unimatic1140]

Today’s PAT is a nifty little design, engineered by Frigidaire in the mid 50’s. They designed another Unimatic style transmission but with some major changes. The wash tub wobbles at 300 wpm (wobbles per minute)! Then at the very same time the wash tub slowly rotates in the opposite direction of the wobbling at 60rpm. The agitator rotates slowly with the tub but does not wobble. Why bring the agitator to and fro the tub when you can bring the tub to and fro the agitator! Can you imagine what must go on in there during the wash cycle?

If that wasn’t enough, after the wash cycle is completed the washer pauses and goes into spin. But like a Unimatic, the spin system is direct driven from the motor shaft which means it spins at 1140 rpm!

I wonder if they ever built a prototype of this machine. YAY for dreams.

 

[tlee618]

Hi Robert! I love the Patent of the Day!! Wouldn't this have been a neat machine if they had gone forward with it!!

 

[foraloysius]

I have a vision of a few clubmembers who will try to build one of the patents some day. Wouldn't it be nice to have a machine that was never on the market.

 

[frigilux]

I'm not an engineer (toot!! toot!!) but I'd think there would be much more strain on the mechanisms wobbling a tub full of water/clothes than moving an agitator up/down. Or don't I know enough about how these things work?

Definitely a cool idea, though. Wonder what made them abandon the idea in the end?

 

[golittlesport]

oh my gosh! this is too cool. this would have definitely needed a window in the lid like a Kelvinator!

 

[westytoploader]

AMAZING!!!! Frigidaire, Philco, and Apex combined in one machine! This would certainly make for a fun washday! How cool!

It makes me wonder what would happen if this design was adopted; what would happen to the 1-18s, Multi, and Rollermatics? Also, the vertical-action Unimatics would be a great deal rarer, IMHO!

The PAT feature is definitely a great idea; thanks Robert!!

--Austin

 

[pulsator-power]

...and if we weren't dramatic enough...

Wow, that is really something, that GM design. Yeah, I think it would wear out the transmission too awfully fast, and the clothes would get caught underneath the center post. How could they say the laundry wouldn't wear out?
Wonder what's in store for tomorrow?
Jerry

 

[gregm]

leads me to Apex ques .....

Did Apex "wear out" ?? How long were they around and why did they "demise" ?? Forgive me if these ques have been asked before ..........