洗衣机的简史

via:http://washer.ea3w.com/11/113332.html

1858年，一个叫汉密尔顿·史密斯的美国人在匹茨堡制成了世界上第一台洗衣机。（左图）该洗衣机的主件是一只圆桶，桶内装有一根带有桨状叶子的直轴。轴是通过摇动和它相连的曲柄转动的。同年史密斯取得了这台洗衣机的专利权。但这台洗衣机使用费力，且损伤衣服，因而没被广泛使用，但这却标志了用机器洗衣的开端。次年在德国出现了一种用捣衣杵作为搅拌器的洗衣机，当捣衣杵上下运动时，装有弹簧的木钉便连续作用于衣服。19世纪末期的洗衣机已发展到一只用手柄转动的八角形洗衣缸，洗衣时缸内放入热肥皂水，衣服洗净后，由轧液装置把衣服干。

Via: WASHING MACHINES,Saving Women's Lives! By Lee Maxwell

Thor(ca. 1908),Hurley Machine Company of Chicago

Among the early electric powered machines to be mass produced was the Thor washer .Features of this machine,include a wooden drum into which the clothes are put to be tumble washed. The drum turns 8 revolutions in one direction, then reverses.A control on the lower left side of the machine engages the clutch to start the rotation.A lever, on the top right side, provides forward and reverse control for the chain driven wringer.

At the time when this machine was manufactured, safety releases for wringers were not yet perfected. And, since most electric machines did not have on-off switches, if a finger or some other part of the anatomy were caught in the wringer one would have to grab the electric cord and yank it out of the outlet. Some cords had a terminal which could be screwed into a light socket, and even with vigorous yanking you could not have easily stopped the wringer from swallowing your entire arm.
Electric Motor Washer (ca. 1907),1900Corporation

The "electric motor washer", Fig. 6, was in the early line of powered models manufactured by the Nineteen Hundred Corporation, This 1900 company finally evolved into the present Whirlpool Corporation. This machine features a fixed agitator and an oscillating wooden tub. A single lever on the wringer post serves as the sole control for this machine. In one position the tub oscillates while in the other, the wringer turns. This is a rare example whereby the wringer, on a powered machine, is allowed to rotate only in a single direction. Imprinted on the side of the wringer is the phrase "SAVES WOMEN'S LIVES". What a wonderfully gallant thought!

The Troy machine(ca.1888),Troy Laundry Machinery Company

The Troy machine was manufactured in Troy, New York. The wooden tub of this machine rotates and the clothes are tumbled as they wash. The single control positions the belt, connected to the driving source of power, either to be on the drive (inner) pulley or on the idler (outer) pulley. With about 250 pounds of gears and pulleys as large as those for a tractor.