How a Washing

Machine Works

LapWoon Keung
2005

What is a Washing Machine

A washing machine
is an machine that
washes clothes,
linen
Was made to help
wash clothes easier

Steps to Cleaning Clothes

Decide on: Load size
(small, medium, large, xlarge)
Temp
How machine should
agitate
Time

Steps to Cleaning Clothes

Fill tub with clothes;
Fills with water;
Agitator starts to spin;
After agitating
Drains water
Spins clothes
Refills; agitates more
Drains
Spins more.

History of the Machine that

Washes
Before washing
machines people
cleaned clothes in the
stream
Then its beat with
rocks or they scrubs
clothes clean on a
washboard.

History of the Machine that

Washes
First electronic:
American - Alva J.
Fisher - 1901
Had Electronic
vertical-tube
machine with built-in
turbo washers or
Vertical axle fitted
with blade.

Alva J. Fisher - Thor

History of Washing Machine

Replaced steam
boiler and the
washtub; wooden bins
that was filled with
soap hot water
First mechanical
washing machine
used heavy blades

History of Washing Machine

1915 Crank to turn agitator

Principle of tossing
clothes inside in a
rotating cylinder
Used in 1850 in a
English laundry.
Used in 1840 by the
French: Industrial
model, double
sheathing, 4
compartments, driven
by a crank.

Inside of a Washing Machine

Two Steel Tubs
Outer = Seals water.
Mounted so that
inner can move
without banging.
Inner = Holds
clothes and with the
agitator in the middle
with holes around
the side of the tub.
Attached to gearbox

Inside a Washing Machine

There are 3 pulley
One side of frame
moves up
Other side frame
goes down
Has Damping System
Uses friction to
absorb force of the
dangling pulleys

Inside a Washing Machine

Each four corner has
mechanism that:
Works like disc brake
Attached to spring
Squeeze two pads
against metal plate
Attached to black
frame

Plumbing
Jobs
Fills washing
machine with correct
temperature of
water
Re-circulate water
from bottom of the
wash tub back to the
top, during wash
cycle

 Hook for two water lines

on back
Cold
Hot
Hooked to the body of
the solenoid valve
Solenoid valve
Feed into a single hose
Hot valve, cold valve or
both valve will open

Plumbing

Plumbing

Before hose release

water into tub, it is send
through anti-siphon
device
Prevent water from being
sucked back into the water
line
White plastic device has
big opening that allows air
in
Suction would only get air,
not water

Plumbing
Water Inlet
Water enters that way
Nozzle to the right:
Overflow port
Connected to pipes
that dump water
onto floor
Goes to floor
instead of the tub
and motor

Pump
Re-circulates water
and drains it
Has 2 separate
pump in one
Bottom half: Hooked
to drain line
Top half: Recirculates wash
water

Pump
Vanes of the bottom
layer of the pump:
Push water around
The pump can
reverse direction
Spins different way
while doing different
jobs.

Pump
Clutch is hooked up to
pump
Drain hose loops all
the way to the top of
machine
One end is hooked
to bottom of tub
Open to
atmosphere

Drive Mechanism

A piece of rubber seals

the outer tub to the
gearbox
Has 2 jobs
Agitate clothes: Moving
them back and forth
inside tub
Spin Tub to force water
out

Inside the Gearbox

Pulley
Pie-shaped gears
has link on it
Washer goes to spin
cycle - locks up,
everything spins at
same speed
Gears - angled teeth

Control
Cycle switch
Speed and temp.
control switch
Water level control
switch plumbing
Designed before
micro-controllers
were being used in
appliances

Ill Nino

Dragpipe

Brand New

The Union
Underground

Boiler Room

Motograter

About Me
I love music, especially
hardcore metal rock. Some
bands are: Ill Nino, Dragpipe,
Bush, Boiler Room, Brand
KORN
New, Motograter, Project 86,
Powerman 5000, Drowning
Pool, Full Devil Jacket, Puya,
Adema, Clutch, Coal
Chamber, The F-Ups, The
Kittie, Korn, SOAD, The
Powerman
Union Underground, Sworn
5000
Enemy and Mushroom Head,
plus more.

Project 86

Bibliography
Washing Machine. The World Book
Encyclopedia. 2003ed.
Walerie-Anne Giscard dEstaing. The Second
World Almanac Book of Invention. New York;
Pharos Book, 1986.
Karim Nice. How Washing Machine Work.
How Stuff Works. 1998-2005. How Stuff
Works. May 3, 2005
<home.howstuffworks.com/washer.html>