Combo Washer Dryer - Early History of Drying Machines

Early History of Drying Machines

In the late 18th century, the first type of dryer technology was introduced with a simple, hand-operated machine called a mangle wringer. This machine consisted of rollers and cranks so that the operator would insert the garments on one side and crank it through the tightly-compressed rollers, wringing much of the water and soap from the garments. During the 18th century, wringers and manglers were a separate machine from the washing machine. It was not until the mid-19th century when the first wringer/washer combo was patented and developed, with the wringer sitting atop the washing drum. This invention allowed for convenience and ease of use. Because the wringer sat on top of the washing drum, the water wrung from the garments would fall straight into the tub to be reused for the next batch of garments.

Another simple yet ingenious innovation in the history of dryers came about before the turn of 19th century. Designed by a French man named Poncho in 1799, the early dryer did more than just wring clothes, but it actually aided in fully drying the clothes. This early design was referred to as the ventilator, because it allowed the clothes to vent out and dry completely. The ventilator was a metal drum that had holes along its sides. The drum was usually hand-turned over an open fire, allowing the clothes to dry much faster than simply wringing and air-drying. Essentially, this ventilator design was the main idea behind most dryer machine designs up to the late-19th century, when attention started to turn toward using stoves to dry the clothes. Finally, in the 20th century, the invention of electrical drying machines made these ventilator-type machines obsolete.