Uni - Roller - Pulsa - Multi - Tragic - Matic.... what's in a name?

[revvinkevin]

What is the signifigance of each of these names? Was it just marketing, or is it for each different style of agitator, or a specific model year(s), or.......?

And why to some refer to the Multi-matic as a Multi-tragic? Were they problem-matic (you like the way I did that? >snicker<)?

 

[roto204]

Mechanism changes

Unimatics were an all-in-one, beltless, direct-drive mechanism that Frigidaire used in their home line automatic, solid-tub washers up until 1958.

Pulsamatics were a shorter-lived, belt driven mechanism that were, for a while, offered concurrently with the Unimatics on lower lines of Frigidaires. Their pulsation was really fast (630 PPM?), but their spin speed matched it (630 RPM as well), so they weren't as good (per se) as the Unimatic, which had a slower pulsation rate, but a wildly fast 1140 RPM spin speed. Also, the superfast pulsation, though dramatic, didn't roll clothes as well.

Multimatics followed the demise of the Unimatic, and though a good mechanism by definition, they are sometimes referred to as "Multitragic", among other reasons, because of a design where two belts drove the mechanism, and they're very difficult to tighten evenly for correct performance.

Rollermatic transmissions differed greatly from the transmission-case design of the Uni/Pulsa/Multimatics, because a series of interconnecting rollers passed power around to achive the pulsation/spin. These were used in the mid-to-late sixties solid-tub machines, and evolved into the "modified Rollermatic" 1-18 (which has a similar setup, but a drive belt as well).

I know the Frigidaire gurus are hammering away at their keyboards right now, and will correct the errata that I've presented above But that gives you a very brief overview.

 

[revvinkevin]

THANK YOU!!!

That was quite informative, thanks Nate!!

So the "modified Rollermatic" 1-18... is that the (version) that was produced into the mid-70's?

 

[westyslantfront]

Thank you Nate for the interesting description. It is fascinating to see the evolution of Frigidaire washers.

Ross

 

[rinso]

Thanks, Nate. In the 1970's my parents bought a 1-18 set at a local small-town dealer who also carried Maytag. Their service person, who my parents knew personally, was not a fan of Frigidaire because over the years they had used so many different mechanisms, while Maytag only had two. He did say, though, that he thought the up-and-down agitator did a better job of cleaning.

 

[peteski50]

Frigidaire!

As far as I am concerned their will never be a top load washer built to wash clothes and have a great turnover like the up / down action of a Frigidaire.
It will by far always be superior.
JetAction to all
Peter

 

[gansky1]

Excellent, Nate! Ten points to Ravenclaw!

 

[peterh770]

And don't forget the Syncho-Swing mechanism that was used in the Skinny Mini...

 

[frigidaireguy]

The unimatics of the 1950's were awsome machines. My mother had a 1948 or 1949 model and my grandmother had a 1955 model.
Both had that wonderful spin and great washing action.
If anyone knows where I might get one of these machines please let me know. That would be my "Dream Machine". Thanks for any feedback.

Bob

 

[roto204]

Yay! And whoops!

Thanks, Ross! :-D

LOL Thanks, Greg!! :-D *does Hermione curtsy*

Yes, yes, how could I forget the Synchro-Swing?? It's featured on my Repair-Master, right up front! *puts hand to forehead*

Unfortunately, I've never seen a Skinny-Mini work, so I'm at a loss--both from descriptions and reading the Repair-Master, to describe how that functions. It looked interesting, though!

Gene, that's a good point, and I think it's all a matter of perspective. We were discussing the fact the other day that just about any machine, properly maintained, is a fundamentally good machine, and will do just fine if you load it to the capacity for which it was intended. The fact that Frigidaire was prolific in design variations and Maytag found something early on that worked perfectly for them just speaks to different research and development philosophies. Both are excellent machines in any form, and I would be as happy with a Maytag as with a pulsator Frigidaire.

Heck, I liked my WCI Frigidaire with the "fooled-ya" (*nod to Greg* ;-) ) 1-18 control panel and the Westinghouse toploader mechanism. :-D

*clunk* *swish* *index* *clunk* *splash* *index*

 

[peterh770]

The Synchro-Swing work like...

Remember in Boy Scouts, when they would take you out in the woods and try to teach you how to build a fire? You would take a stick and tie a string to each end, winding the center of the string around another straight piece of wood. To start the fire, you would hold the straight piece of wood against a piece that you want to ignite and pull the string/stick back and forth, spinning the straight wood around and around as the string wound and unwound.

That is how it works... There is a straigh lever attached to the pulley. There is a cable attached to each end of the lever, with the center wrapped around the driver for the wash tub. As the pulley turns, the lever moves back and forth, and the cable winds and unwinds, driving the wash tub back and forth in an oscillating agitator manner.

 

[roto204]

Ah, very cool!

I get the idea now. Thanks, Peter!

However, I must say that I missed that part of Boy Scouts. Our den mother was more focused on making stilts.

:-|

*slaps forehead*