The gear-driven cylinder is a first for me. It shows a unique approach to speed reduction from the motor to the cylinder and pays homage the old wringer washer construction principles of gear drives for the agitator and wringer which would be most familiar to the maker, a long-time producer of wringer washers. In a tumble only application, they did not have to worry about high speeds shearing cogs. The other neat thing about the system is that the weight of the cylinder rests against the drive cog possibly providing extra support for the drum bearing and assuring positive contact between the two sets of gears.
Wow !!! Check this out !!! O'Keefe & Merritt Pink Front Loading Washing Machine!!!
- Thread starter verizonbear
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If Anyone Deserves A Rest This "Labour Day" Weekend
Would be you Kevin! That thing looks like a beast to shift, hope you had your back brace on! *LOL*
What an unusual machine inside. Guess the design had the benefit of getting around any patent violations.
Would be you Kevin! That thing looks like a beast to shift, hope you had your back brace on! *LOL*
What an unusual machine inside. Guess the design had the benefit of getting around any patent violations.
Movie Placement
So I went back to one of my favorite fun mid century movies, 'Bachelor in Paradise'... and as I had noted above, the combo has a good role in the movie, albeit with some factual liberties (they load the soap in the lint door). But there are some good views of the combo and the full kitchen, especially (for those with the movie) at minutes 41-43. The combo is in Lana Turner's kitchen, and features prominently in a scene with Bob Hope and Janis Paige overfilling the soap. This kitchen is in yellow... earlier in the movie, we see Paula Prentiss and Jim Hutton's kitchen in pink (no good views of the combo). This is probably the only movie with an O'Keefe & Merritt combo product placement!
Congratulations to John for the new addition to the museum, and thanks to Kevin for rescuing and saving this Hollywood star!
So I went back to one of my favorite fun mid century movies, 'Bachelor in Paradise'... and as I had noted above, the combo has a good role in the movie, albeit with some factual liberties (they load the soap in the lint door). But there are some good views of the combo and the full kitchen, especially (for those with the movie) at minutes 41-43. The combo is in Lana Turner's kitchen, and features prominently in a scene with Bob Hope and Janis Paige overfilling the soap. This kitchen is in yellow... earlier in the movie, we see Paula Prentiss and Jim Hutton's kitchen in pink (no good views of the combo). This is probably the only movie with an O'Keefe & Merritt combo product placement!
Congratulations to John for the new addition to the museum, and thanks to Kevin for rescuing and saving this Hollywood star!
And now for even MORE photos!
1. The view of the OTHER sexy side.
2. The hair / button trap
3. The FULL FRONTAL naked view!
4. Lint trap box & air door solenoid
5. Door switch that works off the hinge
6. Auto pilot generator
7. Gas control valve/regulator and ELECTRIC drain pump
8. The gas burner
9. The strange baffle in the tub. Center is 1 inch high and the ends are 3 1/2 inches high! ALSO, interior dimensions of the drum are 15" deep and 26" across.
10. Wiring diagram (on the inside (back) of the front panel.
......
Well that's it folks, the full tour of the Uber rare O'Keefe & Merritt Washer / Dryer Combo.
......
Hmm... I feel like I've forgotten something....
......
......
..... What could it be....
......
..... damn I wish I could remember.......
.....
.....
Wait, I've got it! The one bit of information everyone has been anxiously waiting for!
Photo #11. I'm sorry to disappoint everyone, but it's not rated at 100K BTU's....
I hope you've enjoyed my little tour!
Kevin
1. The view of the OTHER sexy side.
2. The hair / button trap
3. The FULL FRONTAL naked view!
4. Lint trap box & air door solenoid
5. Door switch that works off the hinge
6. Auto pilot generator
7. Gas control valve/regulator and ELECTRIC drain pump
8. The gas burner
9. The strange baffle in the tub. Center is 1 inch high and the ends are 3 1/2 inches high! ALSO, interior dimensions of the drum are 15" deep and 26" across.
10. Wiring diagram (on the inside (back) of the front panel.
......
Well that's it folks, the full tour of the Uber rare O'Keefe & Merritt Washer / Dryer Combo.
......
Hmm... I feel like I've forgotten something....
......
......
..... What could it be....
......
..... damn I wish I could remember.......
.....
.....
Wait, I've got it! The one bit of information everyone has been anxiously waiting for!
Photo #11. I'm sorry to disappoint everyone, but it's not rated at 100K BTU's....
I hope you've enjoyed my little tour!
Kevin
Awesome Pictures Kevin! Thanks so much! Very interesting that the max btu is only 29,000. I found it hard to believe that the input would be 100,000. It would have to have amazing and accurate temperature monitoring devices. 29,000 seems to be the max of all gas dryers of this period. The gas valve and pilot control is one that I don't know much about. Will be interesting to hear how it all works.
Jeff...Interesting about the movie "Bachelor in Paradise". I remember these combos well in the movie, but did not know it was this combo when watching. I actually thought it was built by the props department. I remember the suds running down the driveway! I also wonder if this was the same combo that was used in the first season of "Dennis the Menace"? It is always shown on at service porch off of the kitchen. I will have to pay more attention when I see the episodes again. I could not identify it. It was obliviously a combo however.
This has been so much fun.
Thanks John and Kevin for this holiday treat!
Brent
Jeff...Interesting about the movie "Bachelor in Paradise". I remember these combos well in the movie, but did not know it was this combo when watching. I actually thought it was built by the props department. I remember the suds running down the driveway! I also wonder if this was the same combo that was used in the first season of "Dennis the Menace"? It is always shown on at service porch off of the kitchen. I will have to pay more attention when I see the episodes again. I could not identify it. It was obliviously a combo however.
This has been so much fun.
Thanks John and Kevin for this holiday treat!
Brent
I spoke with John this evening and told him it was only 29,000 BTUs. He told me of other machines at the time that were 30,000 and 33,000 BTU's. It would seem that Lady Kenmore held the BTU crown as both my 1959 and 1965 gas Lady K combos are 37,000 BTUs.
Kevin
Kevin
OKeefe & Merritt Gas Combo
WOW thanks for taking all these pictures and posting them Kevin.
Yes it is funny how we came to believe that the gas input was around 100,000 BTUs, I really do not have an explanation of how it got so high, I guess that because this machine does not spin at all we must have though it would need a really big burner to dry soaping wet towels. But at 29,000 BTUs this is probably another combo that would not be really fast with big loads of cotton towels etc. 29,000 BTUs would translate into about 9000 watts if you were comparing to an electric dryer, so I would imagine that this combo would dry loads of lightweight items fairly fast much like my GE combo does when you are washing light items, the GE spins just over 200 RPMs and has a 4000 watt heater.
The electric ignition on this OKeefe & Merritt combo looks like a fairly common system that was used on most gas dryers of the 1950s. You have to remember that the majority of early gas dryers had electric ignition [ all MT gas dryers had EI till they came out with the HOH dryers and they eliminated EI to cut costs ] WP & KM dryers used this low voltage EI system through 1963 on almost all the clothes dryers and the KM combos continued to use it through the end of WP built KM combos in 1971. This low voltage system was deemed safer on combos where over sudsing could get burner parts wet if the machine was over sudsed, [ See the movie Bachelor In Paradise, LOL ].
John L.
WOW thanks for taking all these pictures and posting them Kevin.
Yes it is funny how we came to believe that the gas input was around 100,000 BTUs, I really do not have an explanation of how it got so high, I guess that because this machine does not spin at all we must have though it would need a really big burner to dry soaping wet towels. But at 29,000 BTUs this is probably another combo that would not be really fast with big loads of cotton towels etc. 29,000 BTUs would translate into about 9000 watts if you were comparing to an electric dryer, so I would imagine that this combo would dry loads of lightweight items fairly fast much like my GE combo does when you are washing light items, the GE spins just over 200 RPMs and has a 4000 watt heater.
The electric ignition on this OKeefe & Merritt combo looks like a fairly common system that was used on most gas dryers of the 1950s. You have to remember that the majority of early gas dryers had electric ignition [ all MT gas dryers had EI till they came out with the HOH dryers and they eliminated EI to cut costs ] WP & KM dryers used this low voltage EI system through 1963 on almost all the clothes dryers and the KM combos continued to use it through the end of WP built KM combos in 1971. This low voltage system was deemed safer on combos where over sudsing could get burner parts wet if the machine was over sudsed, [ See the movie Bachelor In Paradise, LOL ].
John L.
The most up-to-date update!!
Shipper Jackie came by to picked up the O'Keefe & Merritt Combo this afternoon and left 20 minutes ago. After a stop in Tempe, Arizona tonight she has one more stop in Missouri before heading to Maryland for delivery!
It's a good thing I had not unloaded it from my truck too! Even though her rented truck has a ramp, I cannot imagine trying to push that heavy beast UP the ramp WHILE trying to balance it! Getting it from the back of my little truck into the big truck, honestly was only as hard as loading it into my truck to begin with!
YAY, another appliance chapter closed!
Kevin
Shipper Jackie came by to picked up the O'Keefe & Merritt Combo this afternoon and left 20 minutes ago. After a stop in Tempe, Arizona tonight she has one more stop in Missouri before heading to Maryland for delivery!
It's a good thing I had not unloaded it from my truck too! Even though her rented truck has a ramp, I cannot imagine trying to push that heavy beast UP the ramp WHILE trying to balance it! Getting it from the back of my little truck into the big truck, honestly was only as hard as loading it into my truck to begin with!
YAY, another appliance chapter closed!
Kevin
ovrphil
Well-known member
Yes, good luck to all.
A little bump to the top............
... since Robert just moved this thread into the Imperial forum for all to see.
Kevin
... since Robert just moved this thread into the Imperial forum for all to see.
Kevin
hippiedoll
Well-known member
GREAT PICTURES KEVIN!!!
i can't believe how clean everything looked inside the cabinet!!!
excited for this combo to make it home. and i'm sure leaving uncle kevin's was a happy but sad moment.
GREAT SAVE THERE!!!
)
i can't believe how clean everything looked inside the cabinet!!!
excited for this combo to make it home. and i'm sure leaving uncle kevin's was a happy but sad moment.
GREAT SAVE THERE!!!
)
OKeefe & Merritt Gas Combo
Just talked to Jackie an hour ago and she expects to get here Saturday afternoon, we are very excited and will post more pictures and information after it arrives,
And again a HUGE thanks To Kevin and Tom [ Turbomatic ] for making this happen, YAY.
John L.
Just talked to Jackie an hour ago and she expects to get here Saturday afternoon, we are very excited and will post more pictures and information after it arrives,
And again a HUGE thanks To Kevin and Tom [ Turbomatic ] for making this happen, YAY.
John L.
Combi Combo
Congratulations on collecting another piece of Laundry history, looks one big beasty especially with the gas burner - although from the side view reminded me of the neptunes with the slant top/front.
Now with that amount of steam out the back you could start a sauna!
Congratulations on collecting another piece of Laundry history, looks one big beasty especially with the gas burner - although from the side view reminded me of the neptunes with the slant top/front.
Now with that amount of steam out the back you could start a sauna!
The OKeefe & Merritt Gas Combo
Arrived safely yesterday afternoon, Jackie has once again brought us a cool addition for the museum and is now heading north with a cool Mystery copper-tone pair for Jon in the Boston area.
The OK&M Combo is in really good condition for its age, thank goodness it lived its life in Southern California and not in a damp basement in the East somewhere. The cabinet being porclean is in beautiful shape, the back panel frame had just a little surface rust etc, we started examining the machine and removed panels cleaned and sanded them and Jason did an expert job of spray painting them with black paint again. The orignal paint on these panels was so thin that it made Westinghouse s paint look good and again I was envisioning the rusted mess this machine would have been if it had been in that damp basement, LOL.
Overall I think that this should be a fairly easy restore. I am not going to do a from the ground up restoration for several reasons,1 The machine is not is bad shape, 2 almost nothing is available to replace parts, 3 the machine will only ever occasional and light use in the museum.
I will take pictures and report back on progress.
Arrived safely yesterday afternoon, Jackie has once again brought us a cool addition for the museum and is now heading north with a cool Mystery copper-tone pair for Jon in the Boston area.
The OK&M Combo is in really good condition for its age, thank goodness it lived its life in Southern California and not in a damp basement in the East somewhere. The cabinet being porclean is in beautiful shape, the back panel frame had just a little surface rust etc, we started examining the machine and removed panels cleaned and sanded them and Jason did an expert job of spray painting them with black paint again. The orignal paint on these panels was so thin that it made Westinghouse s paint look good and again I was envisioning the rusted mess this machine would have been if it had been in that damp basement, LOL.
Overall I think that this should be a fairly easy restore. I am not going to do a from the ground up restoration for several reasons,1 The machine is not is bad shape, 2 almost nothing is available to replace parts, 3 the machine will only ever occasional and light use in the museum.
I will take pictures and report back on progress.
Year of the Combo
Congratulations, John! It's been a really good year for combos for you, hasn't it? I can't wait to get down there in person to see it and the other new acquisitions!!
In the meantime, I'll still keep an eye out for a Moffat-badged combo for you...
Congratulations, John! It's been a really good year for combos for you, hasn't it? I can't wait to get down there in person to see it and the other new acquisitions!!
In the meantime, I'll still keep an eye out for a Moffat-badged combo for you...
That looks to be in
fantastic condition! I love the weird baffles and the Wizard of OZ glass door !!
Beautiful find can't wait to see it live !!
Nice to see jackie back on the road too !
fantastic condition! I love the weird baffles and the Wizard of OZ glass door !!
Beautiful find can't wait to see it live !!
Nice to see jackie back on the road too !
