The launderer. A practical treatise on the management and the operation of a steam laundry

Preface

IT HAS often been stated that there is no technical work published on the laundry industry, and as a need of such work has often been suggested to the writer, and being convinced that it would be appreciated by the general laundry public he has attempted to meet the requirements of the trade and herewith offers the following work, hoping that it wall be received and awarded such merits as a true criticism will give. There has been an attempt to set forth a practical, common-sense standard which can be generally followed, and a like technical information which will aid the novice and professional to overcome many of the perplexing difficulties which arise in the laundry business. The reader may not agree Avitli everything in this book, as the writer is fully aware of the diversity of opinions in the methods and operation of a laundry, and while the points herein set forth are in every way practical, no doubt there are many Avhich can be improved. The writer makes no claim to superior knowledge, but only sets forth his experience and observation in the practical workings of the laundry business in its various departments. It is quite impossible in a work of this kind to make it broad enough to cover every condition that may arise. The reader may find it necessary to depart here and there from the text of this work to meet the requirements of different condi-

iii tions which exist in different localities, and he should study the work and adjust it to his conditions, and not try to adjust his conditions to the work. The greater diversity between men's opinions and the opinions here given will be in the plans of the laundry, the arrangement of the machinery and the application of the machines more than the methods of operation. As this work is the result of one man's experience, of course there are many existing conditions which have never come under his observation, and which may be found to be omitted.

It is impossible, without extending the number lof pages beyond reasonable limits, to illustrate every laundry machine. For this reason only a few of the prevailing types have been shown in any one case. The selection of any one machine must not be understood to indicate that the author is partial to the particular machine illustrated. The purchaser should fully consider the varying conditions which are to be met, and select the machine best suited to them.

The prospective purchaser should not be guided in his selection of machinery by reported failures on the part of any one machine in a laundry. It is an undisputed fact that a failure upon the part of one laundryman to successfully operate a machine has been completely offset by the complete success of another laundryman with the identical make of machine.

D. H, Benjamin.

Ionia, Michigan, October, 1900.

Part First— New Work

Page Introductory. Classification of laundry work— General requirements of the difierent grades of new work .... 1

EtjuiPMENT OF A New Shirt Plant. Machinery and fittings for a plant with a capacity of forty dozen shirts per day — The dash wheel — Washers — Plans for heating water — The water purifier — Extractors and speeds for same — Soap making 3

Process of Washing. Importance of color — Management of dyes — White shirts — Operation of the dash wheel — Bleaching — Dipping — Making starch — Extracting — Handling colored work — "Wash overs" 18

The Starchroom. Location — Cement floors — Starching machines — Wiping — Starch cookers — Arrangement of the machinery — Hanging shirts — Hanging collars and cuflis — Quality required for new work 33

The Drykoom. Theories applied to drying — How clothes are dried — Comparison of methods— Ventilation — Dry rooms described — Importance of removing goods at the proper time 64

CHAPTER 6.

The Dampening Room. Location — Importance of cleanliness — Dampening machines — Arrangement of racks — Uniform dampness essential — The shirt press — The dampening truck — Dampening for hand ironers .... 73

— VI —

CHAPTER 7.

Page The Ironing Eoom. Available kinds of gas — Gas machines — Arrangement of piping — Gas burners — Blowers — Air pumps 88

CHAPTER 8.

Ironing-Room Methods. Three methods in use — Hand ironing — Machine ironing — Ironing by hand and machine — Devices necessary in a modern plant — Ironing machines — Stretching devices — Speed of ironers 98

CHAPTER 9.

The Back Ironer. The various types described 1C6

CHAPTER ]0. jS'eck and Wristband Ironers. General description — Difficulties in operation — Importance of low speeds — Roll ironers — Shoe ironers Ill

CHAPTER 11.

The Bosom-Fixing Table and the Yoke-Setting Machine. Putting the shirt in shape — Construction of the bosom-fixing table — Operation of the yoke-setter . . .117

CHAPTER 12.

Sleeve and Body Ironers. How to iron a sleeve — Ironing bodies — Description of the various machines — How to prevent shirts sticking together — Folding shirts — Equipment for the folder 120

CHAPTER 13.

Process of Ironing by Machines. Covering for the ironing table — How to put the shirt on the table — Ironing the inside yoke — Temperature of the irons 128

CHAPTER 14.

Bosom Ironing. The foundation of a well ironed shirt — Limitations of the ironing machine — Order of operations — Pressure and dampness — Ironing inside yokes — Difficulties in yoke ironing — Appearance of a correctly ironed shirt — Ironing open fronts — Pique and plaited bosoms — Sponging — Methods required with the several types of machines — The use of the split felt 131

CHAPTER 15.

Page Ironing Backs, Neckbands and Wristbands. Ironing

backs a simple operation— How to manage the back

ironer — Difficulties involved in neckband ironing —

Essentials in ironing neckbands — Order of operations

in neckband ironing — Importance of practice — How

to iron a wristband — Size of the covered roll 138

CHAPTER 16.

Bosom Fixing. Fixing the final operation in shaping the shirt — Making the shirt lie fiat — Fixing open fronts — How to handle the flat-iron — Temperature of the flat-iron 143

CHAPTER 17.

Yoke Setting. Method of operation — How to place the shirt on the machine — Spraying and dampening — Importance of a hot iron 147

CHAPTER 18.

Sleeve and Body Ironing. How to hold the shirt — Direction of the ironing movement — Changing sleeves — Putting the shirt on the body ironer 151

CHAPTER 19.

Folding Shirts. Equipment for the folder — The process employed — Where to make the creases — The shirt should be compact 154

CHAPTER 20.

The Examining Room. Equipment for the examiner — His duties— Care in handling "wash overs" — Repairing — Eyelet raisers . 156

CHAPTER 21.

Boxing. Arrangement of the boxing table — Sorting shirts —

Packing shirts 159

CHAPTER 22.

Ironing Shirts Partly by Machinery and Finishing by Hand. Parts to be ironed by machinery — Finishing — The finishing table— Advantages of this plan . . 162

CHAPTER 23.

Page Hand Ironing, Individuality of the hand ironer — Intelligence required — How hand work is dampened — The equipment necessary — Process employed — Ironing open fronts — Shirts that must be ironed by hand . . . 164

CHAPTER 24.

Laundering Negligee Work. Definition of negligee — Portions laundried — Ironing the neckbands — The ironingtable— Dampening— Method of ironing — Folding soft shirts — The folding table — Pinning— Puff bosoms — Madras and percale — Starching the bands on a soft shirt 168

CHAPTER 25.

Collar and Cuff Ironing. Principles of the machines employed — Construction of collar and cuff ironers — Description of the various types— Capacities of the various machines— The collar tipper — Steam heated ironers — The seam dampener — The collar shaper — The edge ironer 174

Part Second— Custom Work

Custom or Old Work Laundering. Comparison of old and new work laundering — Chief requisites in laundering old work — The standard of good laundry work - . . 195

The Washrooji. Necessity of washing clean — The floor — The water supply — Storing hot water — A simple water heater — Arrangement of power transmission devices 198

Washing Machines. General remarks upon the modern types — The work done on modern machines practically uniform — Modifications of the prevailing type — Examples of standard makes — The disinfecting machine 202

Page Filters. The office of the laundry filter — Where filters are needed the most — The principle of filtering— Examples — The coagulant — Washing the filter bed — Mechanical action — The proper size for a laundry — Frequency of washing 217

Odds and Ends. The tumbler — The dipwheel— Stationary tubs — Power roll wringers — Bluing tanks — Tanks for soaking soiled clothing — Scales and graduated glasses 224

CHAPTER 6.

Methods in the Washroom — Washing White Shirts. Soaking — How a washer should be loaded — Temperature of wash water— Soap spots — Necessity for bleaching—Management of bleach— Coloring — Scouring — Test for acetic acid — When to bleach 229

CHAPTER 7.

Washing Woolens. Prevention of shrinking — How to

wash them in a machine— Stretching before drying . 237

CHAPTER 8.

Washing Colored Shirts. Danger of fading — Necessity of using neutral soap — Colored bosoms with white bodies—Fancy shirts with soft bosoms — The common negligee shirt — Ladies' white skirts — Ladies' underwear—Dark colored flannels and black stockings — Table linen, etc. — Miscellaneous goods — Lace curtains 238

CHAPTER 9.

The Starchroom. Comparison of methods for old and for new work — Shirt starchers— Examples of shirt starchers — The various principles involved — The arrangement of the machinery in the starchroom 244

CHAPTER 10.

Starchroom Methods. The proper starch for custom work — Operation of the shirt starcher — Use of the dipwheel — Collar and cufF starching — Wiping — Finishing — Removing air bubbles— Distributing wrinkles — Starch for the dipwheel— Stripping devices — Cause of failure in collar starching 254

CHAPTER 11.

Page The Dampening Room. When to dampen — Dampening

sheets — Dampening presses — Sprayers — Handling

miscellaneous articles 270

CHAPTER 12.

The Ironing Room. General methods— Shirt ironing — The several types of bosom ironers with examples — Neckband and yoke clamps — Domestic and gloss tinishes — Pressure on bosom ironers — Finishing machines — The arrangement of ironing machines — The bosom-fixing table 274

CHAPTER 13.

Ironing-Room Methods. Comparison with new work methods — Requirements for a custom laundered shirt — Ironing yokes — Placing bosoms on the bosom board- How to launder a shirt — Faults to avoid in ironing a shirt — Use of the neckband clamp — Pressure — Open fronts — Plaited bosoms — Pique shirts — Relative merits of neckband ironers — Necessity of a soft padded roll — Body ironing — Fixing a crushed neckband . . 285

CHAPTER 14.

Negligee Shirts and Ladies' Waists. Ironing negligees entirely by machine — Silk fronts — Necessity of ironing waists by hand 297

CHAPTER 15.

Collar and Cuff Ironing. Requirements of country and of city trade — Theories about gloss finish — Machines that will produce the highest gloss — Dampening for gloss finish — Machines suitable for several grades of finish — Conditions necessary for good results — How to cover the padded roll — Frequency with which cover should be changed — The saw-edge machine . 299

CHAPTER 16.

Miscellaneous Ironing. White duck coats — The " Jumbo " flat-iron — Ladies' skirts and underwear — Fluters — The steam-heated body ironer 30&

CHAPTER 17.

Page

Marking, Sorting and Handling Laundry Work. Plan for a laundry doing $500 worth of work per week — Marking the lists — Marking the garments — Location and size of the marks — Size of a lot — Separation of the goods in the wash room — Numbering the lots — Sorting shirts and underwear — Sorting collars and cuffs — Assembling the bundles — Checking — " Specials " *..... 310

Part Third— Mangle Work

Mangle Work — Comparison with Ordinary Work. Plants equipped expressly for mangle work — Where mangles are extensively used — Capabilities of the modern mangle — Their effect upon the price of flat work — Mangles for custom laundries — Wide diversity of mangle work 317

Arrangement of the Washroom. Necessity of arranging for economy of time — The washing machine — Special extractors — Bluing tanks 320

Methods of Washing Mangle Work. Sorting the work Rinsing — Bleaching — Coloring — Time required to wash fiat work — Starching seldom required — Finish for napkins and table linen 323

The Mangle Room. Ventilation — The floor — Supply of steam — The ventilating fan — Steam traps — Necessity for a steam trap — Table of temperatures of steam at various pressures 326

Steam Mangles. Classification — Examples — Capacities — Material for covering mangle drums — How to get the best finish — Speed — Feeding devices 830

— xu —

CHAPTER 6.

Page Methods of the Mangle Room. The tumbler — Straightening out after extracting— Feeding — Requisites of good mangle work — Folding — Finishing 346

ADDENDA.

Formula for making potash soap for woolens — Formula for

making bleach solution 349

TABLES.

Temperatures of steam at various pressures 329

Table of water analyses 350

Index 353

THE LAUNDERER.

INTRODUCTORY.

The laundry industry is divided, naturally, into two distinct classes of work, laundering and relaundering. When the garment is new, it is laundered. After it has become soiled, it must be relaundered, and, while the character of the work is similar to first laundering, the method employed is somewhat different. In the present work, the subject of laundering new work will be taken up first, and that of relaundering afterwards.

The laundering of new shirts, collars and cuffs, must be done perfectly, and, in the present state of competition, manufacturers have brought the laundering of their goods to the highest degree of excellence. Anyone making a good garment, and poorly laundering it, has but little chance in the sale of his goods, when competing with the manufacturer who may make a poorer class of goods, but who launders them well, and who therefore finds a ready market for his output.

The laundering of new goods has become an art, and the volume of business done is regulated by the character of the laundry work, much more than by the manner in which the goods are made. A poorly made garment, nicely washed, starched and ironed will make a far better appearance than a well-made garment poorly washed, starched or ironed, and it will be observed in all manufacturing that greater talent, skill and energy are put into this department than anywhere else. If you should inquire where the turning point in the business is, you would surely get as the answer, "The laundry." Therefore, anyone starting out to launder new work must be prepared to strive for perfection in everv detail.

EQUIPMENT OF A JSTEW-SHIKT PLANT.

Washroom. Capacity, 40 dozen shirts per day.

One four-pocket dash wheel; one thirty-inch extractor ; one hot-water tank in rear of dash weel ; one hluing- and starch-tank in rear of and connected with dash wheel; stationary tubs; soap tanks; crocks for water heater, etc.

DESCRIPTION.

A dash wheel is a washing machine having an inside cylinder about eight feet in diameter and three feet wide, with four partitions through its periphery, forming a cross at the center and dividing the space into four three-cornered compartments or pockets. This cylinder is perforated and it revolves in a water-tight case. It has no reverse motion, but runs continuously in one direction. Each compartment has a door, and ten dozen shirts may be placed in every one. The outer case has also an opening, which is closed by a water-tight door. Shirts are tied around the body, with the arms secured so that they can not become entangled while revolving in the machine. An illustration of a dash wheel is shown in Fig. 1.

The action of the machine is as follows : the same number of shirts, say ten dozen, is placed in each one of the four pockets ; the machine is made to revolve and the goods are dippfed down into the washing solution, whatever it may be, and are then carried up over the center and dashed from one corner of the pocket to the other. Goods change positions in a dash wheel four times in each revolution, this making a dash wheel much more effectual than the common cylinder washer, because of the greater action in each revolution.

Fig. 1. DASH VnrETilj,

If new work is to be undertaken, the author would strongly advise the use of a dash wheel. It is more economical in material, and is more effectual in pounding the sizing and color from the fibre, l^ew goods come from the bleaeheries filled with sizing, and have a very tenacious green shade all of which has to be removed before a fine color can be established, and nothing is so effectual in accomplishing this as a dash wheel. Light shirts may be washed satisfactorily in a small machine, but heavy muslins, like Wamsutta and New York Mills never should be washed in a cylinder machine ; otherwise the seams will be yellow, and the bosoms more or less streaked in spite of anything that can be done. Examine the binding of a bosom, for instance, where several thicknesses are tightly stitched down ; it is impossible to thoroughly bleach and destroy this color in the goods in the cylinder machine, consequently, when the bluing is applied, it will not ''take" in these seams, and, when the shirt is ironed the seams will be yellow. Such shirts must be washed in a dash wheel,, where they will receive heavy "pounding," in order to thoroughly saturate all parts of the shirt with the washing solution.

CONNECTIONS OF A DASH WHEEL.

Dash wheels should be connected with hot and cold water, and steam, using large water pipes in order that the machine may be filled quickly. It should have large sewer connections, so that it may be emptied promptly. A water glass to indicate the depth of water in the machine is also a valuable adjunct. Makers of dash wheels seldom put on water glasses, unless specially requested to do so. But a machine without a water glass can be operated only by having holes bored in the side of the machine, so that the water may run out when it has reached the level of the holes, thus indicating the amount of water in the machine. This is a very uncertain ojieration, and to insure uniformity of results it is necessarv to have a Avater glass.

There should be erected on an elevated platform a stationary tank, and this tank should be connected with the machine. There should be an open steam pipe leading into the tank, for cooking the dipping starch, and heating the bluing and souring solutions. The tank should be made large enough to hold all the water, or solution of any kind, that the dash wheel may require at one time. There should be steps leading to this platform, and everything about this tank equipment should be made as convenient as possible, for the whole operation of the washing is done by the means of this elevated tank. In this tank all solutions are mixed and properly prepared before being run into the machine. To the rear of the machine there is usually attached an aluminum soap tank, for putting the soap or any other solution into the machine.

The ordinary dash wheels are belted directly, without gearing, from a countershaft, which is furnished with the machine. The speed of the dash wheel should not be over twenty-eight turns per minute, if it runs much faster than this, the goods are swung completely around by centrifugal force and receive no action whatever. It is necessary to use the very best double belt to run a dash wheel, as it must run quite slowly, and the belt has to be very taut.

In case one desires to use a cylinder washer, for the purpose of washing new shirts, the author wishes to state that it is necessary to erect an elevated tank in connection with the machine in the same manner as that described in connection with the dash wheel, and for the same purj)Ose. A cylinder machine, in its essential details, will be described later.

It is absolutely necessary, in any washroom, whether it be for new work or old, to have some sort of hot-water system. Having hot water, not only facilitates and shortens the process of washing, but enables one to get better results than from heating cold water by steam. Every change of water should be of the same temperature, as the water preceding it, and this condition can only be brought about by having a supply of hot water always ready for use.

There are several different methods of obtaining hot water, the most a23proved plan being the utilization of exhaust steam from the engine. Of course, if an engine is not used, then live steam must be let into the water tank directly, but in almost all steam laundries today, a steam engine is employed. A regular hot-water plant consists of a large elevated tank, used for storage, and the water passing into this tank, and then through an exhaust steam heater, becomes heated from exhaust steam.

There are many makes of hot-water heaters, but where there is a mineral deposit in the water, the author advises the use of that class of heater which not only heats the water, but also removes the greater percentage of mineral deposit. In this kind of heater the steam is exhausted at the bottom of a large steel tube ; at the bottom of this tube is placed excelsior, and above the excelsior several sections of plates of iron. Water is admitted at the top, flows over these plates, and as it falls it j^asses through the steam, when the mineral deposit is ^precipitated, the water becomes heated, and is jDu.mped into the elevated tank. This class of heater has an oil separator, which removes all oil that there may be in the exhaust steam, and prevents any of it from getting into the hot water. An example of this form of heater is shown in Fia;. 2.

Fig. 3. MONITOR ■WATER PXTRIFIEK.

(Monitor Water Purifier Co.)

Another form of heater, which is much used, consists of an arrangement similar to the one already described, except tliat the inside is filled with coils of copper pipe, through which the exhaust steam passes. This heater is filled with cold water, and receives the heat from the steam bj radiation through the copper pipe, whence it flows by pressure into the tank. With this kind of heater no pump is required.

A very cheaj) method of heating water is as follows : Have an elevated tank, in the bottom of which has been placed a coil of steam pijie, through which the steam is to be exhausted from the engine so that the steam heat will radiate through the pipes into the water. The coil, in this case, should be sufficient to radiate all the heat in the steam, and should any steam escape when the tank is filled with cold water, it would indicate that more coil is required. With this arrangement, when the tank is first filled with cold water, no steam should exhaust into the open air. The coil must have an outlet, for when the water becomes hot, the steam will not condense in the coil, and it therefore must escape or produces a back jiressure on the engine. I consider this arrangement very desirabk^, as it not only serves as a hot water heater, but produces a partial vacuum in the exhaust jjij^es by the steam becoming condensed, and thus increases the power of the engine. In other words, it serves the jiurpose, to a certain extent, of a steamengine condenser.

This storage hot-water tank may be placed in any convenient position in, or outside the building. It should be elevated sufficiently to allow the water in the bottom of the tank to gravitate to the washing machines. There is very little danger of its freezing, the water always being hot. The only difficulty that might arise, would be with the water freezing in the pipes leading from the tank into the building. But no trouble should be experienced if these pipes are well protected. If necessary to have a tank outside, it is practical to so place it. The tank should be connected with the washing machines, to the elevated tank in rear of washing machines, and to the stationary tubs or other places where hot water is needed.

In the equipment of a washroom, a good extractor is a very important adjunct. There are many makes of extractors, but all embody the same principle, i. e., the extraction of the moisture from the goods by centrifugal force. All the moisture is not removed by the extractor, however, and the machine that can run at the highest rate of speed with safety, is the most desirable machine to buy, because the greater the ninnber of revolutions of the basket, the greater the amount of water that will be extracted.

The universal type of extractor is constructed as follows : A perforated steel cylinder or basket is mounted on an upright shaft, in yielding bearings, and driven by a pulley on the lower end of the shaft. The basket is enclosed in a water-tight casing which is open at the top. The yielding bearings are necessary to allow the machine to revolve on the center of the centrifugal force. It is impossible to place goods in an extractor perfectly in balance, and if the machine is made with rigid bearings, and operated at a high rate of speed, it will run with great vibration, on account of the load being out of balance. When, however, it is mounted in yielding bearings, and the shaft allowed to oscillate, the mass of weight will find its own center and revolve on the same principle as a top, without causing any vibration to the machine or the foundations. The principle point of merit in an extractor is that it is capable of being run at a high rate of speed with its load very greatly out of balance. The best extractor being that which can be run at the highest speed and the most out of balance. The yielding bearings are usually an arrangement of springs in the bearing directly underneath the basket, and the lower end of the shaft is mounted in a ball bearing. This allows the shaft to oscillate and swing about its lower extremity. See illustrations, Fig. ?>, 4 and 5.

Another very good type of extractor, which, in the author's judgment, is built on the best scientific principles, is that in which the shaft extends above the basket, with the upper end secured, in a ball bearing, while the lower end rests in a movable box. In this type of machine, gravity acts in place of springs. The objection to an arrangement of this kind, is that the machine driven from above, and to have the shaft extending above the machine, is not so convenient as when

Fig. 3. EXTRACTOK.

the machine is driven from below. Manufacturers of this type of machine, however, have brought it to the highest state of perfection, and its many advantages quite outweigh this objection. An example of this type is shown in Fig. 6.

Extractors are dangerous machines, at the best, and they should be handled with the utmost care. If they are run at too high a speed, there is danger of an explosion, and when an extractor explodes, the result is almost equal to that of a boiler explosion, and it may be very destructive to life and j)roperty. There 'is great danger, also, in running this machine too much out of balance. Many times the vibration causes the bending of the shaft or breaking of the spring, in which case the results are likely to be disastrous.

An extractor is driven by. a countershaft, which is generally furnished with the machine. It is well to have a friction pulley on the countershaft, which drives the machines, to take the slip or lost motion when starting. It takes quite an amount of power to start an extractor, but after it has reached its speed very little power is required to keep it .in motion. Therefore, it must be started slowly, and should there be no friction pulley, the belts will necessarily slip, in which case much damage is caused to the belt, as well as loss of power.

The larger the extractor the less its drying capacity. It is the quick travelling of goods around a small circle that causes the greatest centrifugal force ; the larger the circle the less the centrifugal force at the same surface speed. A thirty-inch basket is the most practical machine for steam laundries.

The usual speeds -of standard makes of extractors are as follows :

»1

P4 s

X

Fig. 5. EXTRACTOR.

(The F. M. Watkins Co.)

Fi^. 6. EXTKACTOR.

20-inch basket, 1,400 revolutions jjer minute.

24-incli basket, 1,300 revolutions jDer minute.

26-incli basket, 1,200 revolutions per minute.

30-inch basket, 1,000 revolutions per minute. Sizes larger than 30 inches are unusual, and anyone purchasing a machine of larger size should get advice regarding the speed from the manufacturer. Extractors are made as large as 60 inches, but such machines are not practical for laundrv purposes, and are used more especially in woolen mills and textile manufactories.