ovrphil
Well-known member
All porcelain!
sweet!
sweet!
Wow !!! Check this out !!! O'Keefe & Merritt Pink Front Loading Washing Machine!!!
- Thread starter verizonbear
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Very nice!!
Congrats John! That is a really great find! So glad that you will be able to add this to the museum!!
Question: because it's 100,000 BTU does it have a larger than normal exhaust fan? I would think that it would have to be moving quite a bit of air in order to prevent a fire! What is the air movement speed?
Enjoy!!
Congrats John! That is a really great find! So glad that you will be able to add this to the museum!!
Question: because it's 100,000 BTU does it have a larger than normal exhaust fan? I would think that it would have to be moving quite a bit of air in order to prevent a fire! What is the air movement speed?
Enjoy!!
Another rarity for the museum! Have never heard of, much less seen, an O'Keefe & Merritt combo.
No spin zone: Can you imagine drying a full load of bath towels from the dripping wet stage? Yikes!
No spin zone: Can you imagine drying a full load of bath towels from the dripping wet stage? Yikes!
OKeefe & Merritt Gas Combo
At this point I do not know a lot about this unusual combo, we do know that it was designed and built by the Automatic Washer Co. and this design first appeared around 1954 or 5, this design is said to be just the 2nd combo introduced to the US market after the Bendix combos. Automatic Washer also sold these and some department store brands were also used on them. They were always gas heated for drying and for this and probably many other reasons they certainly did not sell in large numbers, Automatic Washer did not have a big sales network.
I am guessing that between AW, the American Gas Association and Tappan and OKeefe & Merritt [ same company ] they figured out a way to sell this design and probably most were sold in Southern California where homes often did not have basements and where Natural Gas was being promoted in new homes.
At this point I do not know a lot about this unusual combo, we do know that it was designed and built by the Automatic Washer Co. and this design first appeared around 1954 or 5, this design is said to be just the 2nd combo introduced to the US market after the Bendix combos. Automatic Washer also sold these and some department store brands were also used on them. They were always gas heated for drying and for this and probably many other reasons they certainly did not sell in large numbers, Automatic Washer did not have a big sales network.
I am guessing that between AW, the American Gas Association and Tappan and OKeefe & Merritt [ same company ] they figured out a way to sell this design and probably most were sold in Southern California where homes often did not have basements and where Natural Gas was being promoted in new homes.
This combo was sold under a third name, One Minute which was another old wringer washer company that made a foray into the automatic washer market with a Beam machine, like Automatic, and this combo. I will try to locate more literature over the weekend.
Combo!
John
Many Congrats on this find! Looks like a real Gem!
Peter
John
Many Congrats on this find! Looks like a real Gem!
Peter
Kevin, are there going to be some additional photos posted after pickup?
polkanut
Well-known member
Kevin,
You rock!!! When he was here in Wausau in May it was great to have his experience in unloading the turquoise Kenmores. It comes as no surprise to me that he helped John with this purchase, and the offer to pick them up also.
You rock!!! When he was here in Wausau in May it was great to have his experience in unloading the turquoise Kenmores. It comes as no surprise to me that he helped John with this purchase, and the offer to pick them up also.
Thank you for the kind words Tim!
Phil: I wasn't sure if John wanted to "be the first" to post more photos of this combo, but I just called him to ask and he gave his blessing.
I will get more photos up in the next day or three.
Kevin
[this post was last edited: 8/28/2014-14:37]
ovrphil
Well-known member
Not sure if it was me you were addressing, Kevin, but either way, with so many Phils here...I'll just speak for all the "Phils" and say, "Yay, works for me/us". All porcelain, eh? That's the way the appliances should be made and with the same pride going out the factory floor. Ok, back to reality. Thanks Kevin.
OK... revealing PHOTOS of the mystery machine!!!!!
Sorry Phil, I was referring to Phil, you know, the other Phil, not you Phil, you know which Phil, right Phil?? LOL <span style="font-size: 10pt;">(Sorry I meant John's brother) <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span>
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ANYWHO... I had time to snap a some pix (and post them) before heading out the door in a few.</span></span>
You will see the sexy side view, the back and NEKKED back view, the interior view, the linty view and the best view for last... Plus a surprise "pretend" view!!!
I loaded larger photos so you can view them "full size"if you'd like.
Enjoy!
Kevin
Sorry Phil, I was referring to Phil, you know, the other Phil, not you Phil, you know which Phil, right Phil?? LOL <span style="font-size: 10pt;">(Sorry I meant John's brother) <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span>
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ANYWHO... I had time to snap a some pix (and post them) before heading out the door in a few.</span></span>
You will see the sexy side view, the back and NEKKED back view, the interior view, the linty view and the best view for last... Plus a surprise "pretend" view!!!
I loaded larger photos so you can view them "full size"if you'd like.
Enjoy!
Kevin
ovrphil
Well-known member
thanks Kevin - looking from afar...really surprised and nice find[this post was last edited: 8/28/2014-21:24]
ovrphil
Well-known member
Bringing it up
* bump*
* bump*
That is so cool.
Kevin, is there a model and serial plate on the machine that shows the BTU rating? I'm dying to know!
Thanks for the pics for all of us and your kindness for picking it up for John!
Kevin, is there a model and serial plate on the machine that shows the BTU rating? I'm dying to know!
Thanks for the pics for all of us and your kindness for picking it up for John!
bluejay
Well-known member
This is such a beautiful machine. Out of curiosity, what's the approximate weight, because it looks heavy and substantial?
Kevin, thanks for the great photos and hats off for your part of this save. Pretty cool to see photos of this rare bird let alone know it has been saved from the scrap man !!
I will be curious to find out how the next leg of its journey is handled.
Phil #2
I will be curious to find out how the next leg of its journey is handled.
Phil #2
Thanks for the awesome pictures Kevin! Did you move this monster by yourself? It looks like it weighs a ton! I can't get over the thickness of the metal outside and inside of the machine!
It is so clean!!! I wonder the use history of the machine.
Was wondering about the model serial plate also. I also did not see where the gas connection was on the back. It appears when looking at the machine from the back that the gas burner is on the upper left side.
Love the lights!!!!
This machine is so cool!
Get some rest Kevin! You have worked very hard this week!
Thanks for all of your hard work!
Brent
It is so clean!!! I wonder the use history of the machine.
Was wondering about the model serial plate also. I also did not see where the gas connection was on the back. It appears when looking at the machine from the back that the gas burner is on the upper left side.
Love the lights!!!!
This machine is so cool!
Get some rest Kevin! You have worked very hard this week!
Thanks for all of your hard work!
Brent
A little more info on this rare W/D combo...........
~ It's still in the back of my truck up against the cab and there's not a lot of room to access the front. I will move it around later today and get more photos... and yes I'll find the model tag (I assume it's in the front somewhere).
~ The timer is a push off / pull on.
~ When I start/stop it I hear a baffle or air door opening/closing, sounds just like my '59 Lady Kenmore combo.
~ As has been noted, it doesn't spin, so no transmission, just the motor, belts and the interesting gear reduction drive for the tub.
~ It's very interesting to note the tub baffles inside are rather tall at the ends (like 3 inches), but SO short in between (only about 1 inch tall). It looks really strange.
~ Yes it's pretty heavy, but not as heavy as my '59 Lady K combo or '53 Bendix Duomatic (that one is H E A V Y). Less stuff inside. The seller and I were able to get it loaded in my truck.
~ It appears lint collects on the outside of the lint screen tube.
~ I didn't think about it while taking the photos, but yeah I didn't notice the gas connection either. It must have been obscured by the hoses. I will investigate after I'm home from work.
More later.....
Kevin
~ It's still in the back of my truck up against the cab and there's not a lot of room to access the front. I will move it around later today and get more photos... and yes I'll find the model tag (I assume it's in the front somewhere).
~ The timer is a push off / pull on.
~ When I start/stop it I hear a baffle or air door opening/closing, sounds just like my '59 Lady Kenmore combo.
~ As has been noted, it doesn't spin, so no transmission, just the motor, belts and the interesting gear reduction drive for the tub.
~ It's very interesting to note the tub baffles inside are rather tall at the ends (like 3 inches), but SO short in between (only about 1 inch tall). It looks really strange.
~ Yes it's pretty heavy, but not as heavy as my '59 Lady K combo or '53 Bendix Duomatic (that one is H E A V Y). Less stuff inside. The seller and I were able to get it loaded in my truck.
~ It appears lint collects on the outside of the lint screen tube.
~ I didn't think about it while taking the photos, but yeah I didn't notice the gas connection either. It must have been obscured by the hoses. I will investigate after I'm home from work.
More later.....
Kevin
