Washing Machine Technology: History, Development and Types

Washing Machine Technology: History, Development and Types

Washing machines are technologies designed to wash like clothes, towels, bed linen and others. In other words, the term washing machine can be described as a machine that uses water media and chemical cleaning liquid for washing. Along with the needs and development of technology, people are increasingly looking for ways that technology can also help and accelerate the work created, both in and the work of washing dishes and washing clothes.

History and development of washing machines

The washing machine has a long history and is one of the objects that continues to evolve along with the development of technology and human thought. Where the forerunner of the washing machine itself starts from the usual grinding board which is generally made of wood. Then it developed into a giant machine with parts made of wood. Next the machine with several separate parts to do the washing and drying process. And now available two tube washing machines to one tube washing machine that is more practical and smaller in shape.

The process of washing clothes in the river lasts quite a long time, even in Indonesia itself is still widely practiced today. Especially in rural areas that have clear water flow. By utilizing the river flow, stains and dirt are expected to be clean and participate in flowing with the water.

For those who do not wash clothes in the river, usually they will soak their clothes in a vessel container which is then heated. After that the clothes are lifted, washed and twisted also beaten with wooden sticks to clean the dirt. Only after that the clothes are rinsed.

The use of laundry soap became known since the 16th century, starting on the European continent precisely at Sapo Hill, Rome. Don't imagine fragrant and foamy laundry soap like detergent that exists today, because the washing soap of the time was made from animal fat, ash and even urine! Not only washing alone, in the 18th and 19th centuries, wash houses or washing houses together began to be known in the continent of Blue. This shared washing house usually has two pools, namely for washing pools and rinsing ponds. Water used in this wash house usually comes from springs or takes river water flow. Even though they still wash using their hands, at least in this place people can wash clothes without having to be afraid of the heavy water and of course the sun.

Inventor of Washing Machines

In the beginning, wooden milling boards became tools to wash clothes. During its development, the jagged parts on the grinding board were replaced with metal. This happened in 1851 where an American named James King made an innovation in the form of a drum drum. The drum on this machine is used to hold water during the washing process. Then in 1858, Hamilton Smith patented a rotating washing machine that was equipped with a hose and sprig in the middle of the barrel. Where this barrel is used to hold water and clothes.

Three years later, in 1861, the washing machine was equipped with a wringer or a squeezer made of several long, perfectly round wood. Because there is no electricity, this tool is moved by being cranked to help squeeze the water from the clothes being washed. In its development, washing machines are still driven by gasoline.

Technology increasingly developed where in 1874 a man named William Blackstone invented a washing machine that could wash mud dirt from clothes where the machine was quite easy to use and could be placed inside the house. Entering the 20th century, precisely in 1908, created an electric washing machine named Thor which was taken from Nordic Mythology which means the God of Lightning. This washing machine was created by Alva J. Fisher and was issued by a company called Hurley Machine based in Chicago, Illinois. This washing machine has a barrel made of iron which is used to hold water and clothing and has been equipped with squeezer boards and engine motors. But the Thor size is still quite large and the inside is rusty.

Around 1911 an electric-powered washing machine was created which was mass-produced by a company called Upton Machine Company. In its development the company was known as the Whirlpool Corporation. Washing machine manufacturers face challenges related to the development of these technologies, namely finding the right motorbike and ensuring that users are not electrocuted.

At the beginning of its development, washing machines used chains, belts, shafts and gears. To overcome the initial obstacles in using a washing machine, a fractional horsepower motor was put into use. The power of this motor is usually only 1/8 or motor motorized horsepower on the first engine, this engine is manufactured by Westinghouse. To prevent electric shock, the engine stator and rator are wrapped and have a fan to prevent heat. From a consumer satisfaction perspective, machines that will wash clothes without tearing need to be developed. This means the engine must be operated at different speeds. To overcome this problem, the fall of water into clothing on the washing machine through agitation needs to be developed

Beatty Brothers from Fergus, Ontario is the first company to produce agitator washers, using copper nickel or chromium-plated tubes. In the US, the first company to adopt agitator technology was Maytag. The vertical orientation of this machine is an industry standard replacing the horizontal rotating axis on the previous machine. In the 1920s, white enameled metal sheets replaced copper tubes and angled iron legs.

And in 1930, John W. Chamberlain created a washing machine that can wash, rinse and squeeze clothes in a process where this function is the basic function that can be found in modern washing machines. In 1937 the first automatic washing machine was released by Bendix Corporation. But unfortunately this washing machine has a rudimentary shape where the engine that moves the washing machine must be turned off to prevent it from moving while washing. A more modern washing machine was released in 1947 by General Electric. This automatic washing machine uses a top loading method where the shirt is inserted into a vertical cylinder for washing. The cylinder will move backwards and forwards to flex the fabric thread so that the water through through the fabric to clean the dirt on the shirt. The next development of the washing machine is the installation of a timer that allows the machine to be set to operate in a cycle so that users do not need to continue to monitor the running of the washing machine.

In the early 1950s, the machine with the dryer button feature began to be marketed in the United States which replaced the process of squeezing clothes which could cause dislocations. In 1957, GE introduced a washing machine equipped with 5 buttons to control washing temperature, rinsing temperature, washing speed and rotation speed.

The washing machine is driven by a single phase electric motor. This motor can move two directions to rub clothes while washing. The motor is connected to a sink or agitator with a belt and turning wheel (pully).

Until 2010-2011 this is the latest washing machine model that is widely used by people in Indonesia today, with exceptional sophistication features. Auto balance speed RPM that can be adjusted at will until the 100% complete drying stage is one of the many advanced features commonly used today.

Types of Washing Machines

Washing machine is divided into two types of filling, namely from the front (front loading) and from the top (top loading).

a. Front Loading Washing Machine

The front loading washing machine or filling it from the front is usually an automatic washing process, starting from the washing stage to drying. This type of washing machine is usually more efficient in water and washed clothes are not easily damaged because the working process does not use a pulsator and the nipple is not too fast. But this type of washing machine is more wasteful of electricity and is more expensive than the top loading models.

b. Top loading washing machine

The washing process on top loading washing machines is already automatic and some are not. For this washing machine is divided into 2 types of tubes (twin tubes) and 1 tube. This difference lies not only in the openings (places for filling clothes) but also differences in terms of use of water, electricity, technology and the results of washing.

Two tube type washing machines are most widely used in the community because in addition to the economical price, the laundry results are also cleaner, electricity is more economical and easy and inexpensive maintenance including the price of spare parts. Unfortunately this type of washing machine is still manual operation method where it still uses the play button starting from washing, drying and removing water. Likewise the process of moving clothes, when the process of washing and drying still has to be moved manually.

Time Line for the development of washing machines:

 

Thus information about the history and development of washing machine technology from the past and the type of washing machine at this time, hopefully useful.

References:

• http://rofiahnacbonsu.blogspot.co.id/2013/01/sejarah-mesin-cuci_1640.html
• http://kumpulanilmuan.blogspot.co.id/2015/07/penemu-mesin-cuci-hamilton-smith.html
• https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesin_cuci
• https://nurhandayaniweb.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/perkembangan-mesin-cuci-dalam-rumah-tangga/