Believe me, if we had found a Power Surge or an Apex down here, they would already be shipped to Omaha or Minneapolis respectively!
Who Has the Power?? Bendix!!
- Thread starter gansky1
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This washer beside the dryer looked so gross with the way the dials did not line up, sort of like bilateral strabismus.
It's true that this washer was a victim of the sale of Bendix to Philco. I believe that another reason not many of these were seen is the reputation that the Economat was earning about this time and people were not interested in any top loader with the Bendix name on it. Granted the Economat and the semi-automatic Dial-a-mat were cheap, but with things like water leaking into the transmissions,tubs tearing and children having to sit on the lids to make them seal, people were not interested in something that looked so much like what they had and were getting rid of when other makers were offering the high styling that we know and appreciate. Every time CU rated washers, they harped on the lower performance of the front loaders so Bendix was heading down a rough road for many reasons. It's funny how there seems to be a pattern with innovators, the ones that make it first. They do very well with their design until other people try their hands at a similar appliance. The innovators, who had sold so many when it was the only thing to sell, become as damned for their early technology as they were praised when it was new. Then, in spite of their sometimes slow move to improvements, they always seem one step behind in styling or features, introducing things so revolutionary that their patents are studied years later, like WP studied this idea for the Colapso, yet not seeing how other washer manufacturers had moved to having controls on the backsplash. This machine still looked like a portable, not like a serious, full sized washer for a family. Bendix went with updated styling for their TOL front load washers and combos,but this was almost like a stepchild. It's a shame, too, because dressed up by Philco, a very similar wash action, comlete with perforated tub liner, proved successful. Of course, Philco did have the tower above the twirling flapper at the bottom that did the washing so that it looked a bit more like what people expected when they lifted the lid of a top load washer.
It's true that this washer was a victim of the sale of Bendix to Philco. I believe that another reason not many of these were seen is the reputation that the Economat was earning about this time and people were not interested in any top loader with the Bendix name on it. Granted the Economat and the semi-automatic Dial-a-mat were cheap, but with things like water leaking into the transmissions,tubs tearing and children having to sit on the lids to make them seal, people were not interested in something that looked so much like what they had and were getting rid of when other makers were offering the high styling that we know and appreciate. Every time CU rated washers, they harped on the lower performance of the front loaders so Bendix was heading down a rough road for many reasons. It's funny how there seems to be a pattern with innovators, the ones that make it first. They do very well with their design until other people try their hands at a similar appliance. The innovators, who had sold so many when it was the only thing to sell, become as damned for their early technology as they were praised when it was new. Then, in spite of their sometimes slow move to improvements, they always seem one step behind in styling or features, introducing things so revolutionary that their patents are studied years later, like WP studied this idea for the Colapso, yet not seeing how other washer manufacturers had moved to having controls on the backsplash. This machine still looked like a portable, not like a serious, full sized washer for a family. Bendix went with updated styling for their TOL front load washers and combos,but this was almost like a stepchild. It's a shame, too, because dressed up by Philco, a very similar wash action, comlete with perforated tub liner, proved successful. Of course, Philco did have the tower above the twirling flapper at the bottom that did the washing so that it looked a bit more like what people expected when they lifted the lid of a top load washer.
I'll bet when people installed these as shown in the photo (built in along the kitchen cabinets) they were bummed to find no other brand's machines would fit in the same space when it came time to replace their Bendix set.
Having said that, a very cool-looking machine! Would love to see it in action.
Having said that, a very cool-looking machine! Would love to see it in action.
Tom have you or John ever seen one of the machines?
What the h&LL is
bilateral strabismus?????????????
And Peter make sure any quiver action comes to Boston first!!
Omaha can wait&&&&&&&&&&wait &&&&&&&&& wait!
You're in trouble mister!
Jet
bilateral strabismus?????????????
And Peter make sure any quiver action comes to Boston first!!
Omaha can wait&&&&&&&&&&wait &&&&&&&&& wait!
You're in trouble mister!
Jet
GyroJonJetcone:
You'd better be nice, I have very precious parts to hold for ransom!
You'd better be nice, I have very precious parts to hold for ransom!
Euhhhh
Hi Darling Greg! I didn't know you read these threads once they were up.
I was just coddling the other members nothing serious..
How are you?? How are your PIS??
Hi Darling Greg! I didn't know you read these threads once they were up.
I was just coddling the other members nothing serious..
How are you?? How are your PIS??
PIS are just fine, a little dishelveled as usual, but quite well appointed. Thank you for asking!
Designgeek
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2004
- Messages
- 865
Here's my guess that the way this worked was to vibrate in a circular pattern.
For example think of a clockface with a ball bearing that rolls around its circumference clockwise. Now put another disc of the same size above the ball bearing. As the ball bearing rolls around the circumference of the clockface, it lifts the disc above the point where it is located. So first the disc is highest at the 12:00 position and lowest at the 6:00 position, and then the ball bearing moves around to 3:00, so the disc is highest at that position and lowest at the 9:00 position, etc. etc.
Well, instead of a clockface and a disc, you have the bottom of the washtub and the underside of the surface whose top is the oddly-shaped "agitator." So the "agitator" moves with a circular "wobbling" action, although it does not actually rotate. And those scoop-shaped paddles along it would each in turn "throw" the water in front of them at a tangent to the central vertical axis.
If this was mounted on a pulley that provided a 3x reduction via belt from a regular AC motor, you'd have something like 1200 rpm / 3 = 400 rpm or approximately 6 to 7 revolutions per second. If the tub were sized correctly, this could produce a resonant action to amplify whatever other movement of water was occurring.
Very clever. Someone gets points for thinking this one up. And it wouldn't even be particularly noisy in operation.
One possible issue: the rubber gasket that sealed the moving "agitator" to the bottom of the drum, would be a potentially significant maintenance item. If it developed a leak, there could be much trouble. Any cases of that type would become associated with the "unusual" design, leading to a perception of more instances of trouble than were actually occurring (i.e. "she has that new Bendix with the weird agitator, but it needed a repair..." vs. "she has a new washer, I don't know what make, but it needed a repair...").
With some of the new materials available today, it would be interesting to see if any of the present manufacturers would stick their necks out by trying to reintroduce this design to the market.
For example think of a clockface with a ball bearing that rolls around its circumference clockwise. Now put another disc of the same size above the ball bearing. As the ball bearing rolls around the circumference of the clockface, it lifts the disc above the point where it is located. So first the disc is highest at the 12:00 position and lowest at the 6:00 position, and then the ball bearing moves around to 3:00, so the disc is highest at that position and lowest at the 9:00 position, etc. etc.
Well, instead of a clockface and a disc, you have the bottom of the washtub and the underside of the surface whose top is the oddly-shaped "agitator." So the "agitator" moves with a circular "wobbling" action, although it does not actually rotate. And those scoop-shaped paddles along it would each in turn "throw" the water in front of them at a tangent to the central vertical axis.
If this was mounted on a pulley that provided a 3x reduction via belt from a regular AC motor, you'd have something like 1200 rpm / 3 = 400 rpm or approximately 6 to 7 revolutions per second. If the tub were sized correctly, this could produce a resonant action to amplify whatever other movement of water was occurring.
Very clever. Someone gets points for thinking this one up. And it wouldn't even be particularly noisy in operation.
One possible issue: the rubber gasket that sealed the moving "agitator" to the bottom of the drum, would be a potentially significant maintenance item. If it developed a leak, there could be much trouble. Any cases of that type would become associated with the "unusual" design, leading to a perception of more instances of trouble than were actually occurring (i.e. "she has that new Bendix with the weird agitator, but it needed a repair..." vs. "she has a new washer, I don't know what make, but it needed a repair...").
With some of the new materials available today, it would be interesting to see if any of the present manufacturers would stick their necks out by trying to reintroduce this design to the market.
Outer Tub
I take it the water from the perforated tub and wash tub gets thrown out of both when spinning and hit the outer cabinet of the machine to be then pumped away????
If you look at the Three Way Draining and then Installation & Maintenance you will see what I`m asking, almost like the Thor Automagic etc
Mike
I take it the water from the perforated tub and wash tub gets thrown out of both when spinning and hit the outer cabinet of the machine to be then pumped away????
If you look at the Three Way Draining and then Installation & Maintenance you will see what I`m asking, almost like the Thor Automagic etc
Mike
veg-o-matic
Well-known member
What the heck
Is/are PIS?
veg, who's totally out of the loop
Is/are PIS?
veg, who's totally out of the loop
Veg, PIS means "Parts in Stock".
Parts Diagram
Shows the mechanism...
Shows the mechanism...
Ohh Somebody wants it
BAD!!
I'll keep my eye peeled for ya laddie!
BAD!!
I'll keep my eye peeled for ya laddie!
westytoploader
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,485
WOW!!! GREAT ads Greg...that PowerSurge has grabbed my interest now! Sort of the "MobileMaid Washer" with the Formica tops and "thick" lid. Could this machine be set up for portable use?
IMHO, the washing action would quite possibly be similar to a bottom-impeller machine, complete with "vortex" due to the fast orbital motion of the triangular disc.
To say that one of these would be great to find and ship Next Day Air to Omaha is the understatement of the week! No gears to break, no oil necessary, now if they could just make one with no tub boots to rip!
--Austin
IMHO, the washing action would quite possibly be similar to a bottom-impeller machine, complete with "vortex" due to the fast orbital motion of the triangular disc.
To say that one of these would be great to find and ship Next Day Air to Omaha is the understatement of the week! No gears to break, no oil necessary, now if they could just make one with no tub boots to rip!
--Austin
