LAUNDRY MACHINERY. Laundry machinery as it is understood from the com mercial standpoint includes a class of mechani cal devices developed during a comparatively recent period, to supplant the primitive proc esses of laundering that have existed during all time. While the use of laundry machinery in crude forms dates back for a considerable period, the past three or four decades mark the era of the development and manufacture of power machinery for laundering purposes, in a sufficient degree to warrant recognition as an independent branch of industry. This is due to the fact that the steam laundry is a modern institution; and the development and extent of manufacture of laundry machinery has gone hand in hand with the growth of the laundry interest. The steam laundry of to-day per forms on a large scale, and by improved mechanical devices, the processes of cleansing, that for centuries had been confined to hand work in connection with the running stream, or the wash tub of later years. The, growth of the laundry as an organized business has been so rapid during the past quarter of a century that its changing needs have made, and still keep, the invention and production of laundry machinery in a state of constant development of new ideas and forms. So that while the laundry machinery business has passed the em bryotic stage, it may fairly be said in the open ing years of the 20th century to be in an era of great advance, holding and to hold a much more important position as an independent and recognized branch of mechanical industry. The city of Troy, N. Y. (the birthplace of the collar, cuff and shirt industry, as set forth in an article under that head) was practically the home, and for many years was the centre, of the steam laundry interests of the country; an interest which has now extended to every city or place of any importance in the land. So general is the recognition of this fact, that the name "Troy Laundry° is still retained by hun dreds of laundries in various parts of the United States, and is even seen abroad. It was natural, therefore, that the earliest organized movement to produce the machines demanded for laundering purposes should have been made in Troy. That city has always been and still remains a strong factor in the laundry machinery industry, which, however, with its diversified and growing interests is now located and strongly intrenched in various sec tions. All the manufactories of laundry ma chinery are, however, located east of the Mississippi River.
The introduction, use and development of laundry machinery has been much more rapid and general in the United States than in Europe. American manufacturers are com
peting actively for the trade of all foreign markets. The greatest limitation to the de velopment of the trade abroad is the conserv atism of foreign nations in adopting the more advanced methods of laundering calling for the modern types of American machinery. 1Vhile there are very many forms of laundry machinery in use, the most prominent examples of the art are included in those that perform the three most important functions of launder ing, namely, washing, drying and ironing.
Washing Machines.— The first process, washing, is performed by two types of rotary machines, the dash wheel and the reverse wheel. The dash wheel consists of a large cylinder divided into pockets by baffles and revolving in one direction inside of an outer case. This machine is used principally in new work laundries. The more generally used washer is the reverse wheel. In this the goods are placed in an inside cylinder having perforations to admit the free passage of water, steam and soap among the goods. This cylinder runs in an outside shell or case, the water and steam being let in by pipes, and by automatic re versing devices the inside cylinder revolves several times in one direction, then an equal number in the opposite one. This action loosens up the goods and subjects them freely to the action of water and soap, and so re moves the dirt from the garments. The inside cylinders are made of wood and brass and the outside cases of wood, galvanized iron or brass. Another form of the interior cylinder has its sides of copper rods with sufficient space be tween to allow the free entrance of the hot soapy liquid in the outer case. An improved and very efficient type of this machine has inner nner cylinder pivoted off the centre, with the result that the cleansing liquid is scooped up by the revolving eccentric and surges through the "wash" as it falls back to the bot tom of the case. These washing machines are made in several sizes, graded to the economical performance of the work they are expected to do. They may be had either for the ordinary laundry work at low pressure, or with steam tight covers and connections to support the high steam pressures used particularly for sterilizing or disinfecting. A different type of washer is used in washing flannels and other woolens, for which the temperatures must be much lower, the revolving motion slower, and the baffles and paddles arranged to produce a kneading effect. The operations of rinsing and blueing are carried out in the same machines in which the washing is done.