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Thread Number: 7016
Work Begins on the 1947 GE Washer |
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Post# 138632 6/28/2006 at 22:04 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140  (Minneapolis) |
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Some of you might remember last winter John Lefever and I made a trade, my 1957 Westinghouse Wash & Dry Laundromat for his 1947 GE. The 1947 GE is the VERY FIRST General Electric Automatic Washer. Here is a link back to that original thread ---> The Very First GE Automatic Washer Here is a link to some pictures of the machine ---> Pictures of the 1947 GE Anyway, tonight I began the long process of it's restoration. I've tried the machine out and it has a few mechanical problems, but its most serious problem is a structural rust problem under the top. With help from another club member I might have found an easy solution to that serious structural problem, but more on that later. As for the mechanical problems, the both the electric drain and electric recirculation pumps completely seized up, I think the drain pump can be saved but the recirculation pump I'm pretty sure is a goner. Another problem is in the combination Water Temperature Selector/Wash Time Selector Assembly. Its rather tight and in need of a thorough cleaning and lubrication. Its so tight that when the wash time counts down on the dial, it turns the water temp dial and selects a new water temperature. Can't have that, so tonight I took it apart and gave the assembly a total restoration, both dials now turn like they are brand new. YAY. 
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Post# 138635 , Reply# 1 6/28/2006 at 22:05 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138636 , Reply# 2 6/28/2006 at 22:07 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138637 , Reply# 3 6/28/2006 at 22:08 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138639 , Reply# 4 6/28/2006 at 22:11 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138640 , Reply# 5 6/28/2006 at 22:13 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138641 , Reply# 6 6/28/2006 at 22:18 (6,510 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Tomorrow I will pull out the timer which is located on the right side of the machine. After seeing this wonderful switch bank, I can't wait to see what the timer looks like! By the way, in case some of you are wondering how the wash time control works. You can set the wash time dial anywhere from 3 to 20 minutes. The machine fills and starts to wash, the main timer dial advances for about 60 seconds and then stops and transfers control to this wash time control. The wash time control then starts to turn and when it gets down to 3 minutes it sends control back to the main timer dial which starts to move again and after another two minutes of wash goes into the first spin. | ||
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Post# 138664 , Reply# 7 6/28/2006 at 22:59 (6,510 days old) by peteski50 (New York) |
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GE | ||
| Post# 138687 , Reply# 8 6/28/2006 at 23:50 (6,510 days old) by harold (Madison, WI) | ||
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Robert, it that is a sunbeam mixmaster pic in the background? Model 10? | ||
| Post# 138710 , Reply# 9 6/29/2006 at 06:09 (6,509 days old) by christfr (st louis mo) | ||
to cool | ||
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Post# 138720 , Reply# 10 6/29/2006 at 08:14 (6,509 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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| Post# 138724 , Reply# 11 6/29/2006 at 08:27 (6,509 days old) by lesto (Atlanta) | ||
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That is a very unusual timer system - especially for 47. Didn't GE redesign it in your 51 with just one standard timer dial? This machine is fascinating. Can't wait for more. Especially that 1140 rpm spin! What is the recirculation pump for? Does the 47 have an early filtering system? | ||
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Post# 138731 , Reply# 12 6/29/2006 at 08:49 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Hi Les, yes GE did redesign the timer system to one control around 1949. As for the recirculation pump it's used for multiple purposes. The washer fills with fresh incoming water into the outer tub only. The recirculation pump, pumps the water into the inner tub. Then when the tub overflows and agitation begins the recirculation pump keeps going and filters the water through those screens at the top of the wash tub. Then during 1140rpm spin, the recirculation pump blasts a stream of water onto the spinning filter screens for 30 seconds which cleans the lint filter screens automatically! This is the very first self-cleaning lint filter system. 
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| Post# 138734 , Reply# 13 6/29/2006 at 08:59 (6,509 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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YAY!!!!!! OMG! What an awesome washer. One can only hope to see videos or see it in action! GE at it's finest! | ||
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Post# 138738 , Reply# 14 6/29/2006 at 09:05 (6,509 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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| Post# 138740 , Reply# 15 6/29/2006 at 09:09 (6,509 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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Robert's da man I can't wait to one day be able to see those machines in person. | ||
| Post# 138769 , Reply# 18 6/29/2006 at 11:25 (6,509 days old) by peterh770 (Marietta, GA) | ||
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| Post# 138808 , Reply# 20 6/29/2006 at 15:00 (6,509 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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Looks like the machine fills the outer tub first and then it recirc pumps it into the wash basket. How neat! | ||
| Post# 138822 , Reply# 21 6/29/2006 at 15:53 (6,509 days old) by tumbler () | ||
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Transmission question Is this the one with the oil-filled 1140-r.p.m. motor (with start relay) which uses hydraulic pressure to actuate the clutches? | ||
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Post# 138826 , Reply# 22 6/29/2006 at 16:11 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Is this the one with the oil-filled 1140-r.p.m. motor (with start relay) which uses hydraulic pressure to actuate the clutches? Yes, it was GE's very first washer transmission design. CLICK HERE TO GO TO unimatic1140's LINK | ||
| Post# 138838 , Reply# 23 6/29/2006 at 18:41 (6,509 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago) | ||
i don't get it | ||
| Post# 138881 , Reply# 27 6/29/2006 at 21:35 (6,509 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida) | ||
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Post# 138897 , Reply# 29 6/29/2006 at 22:30 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Yes the way it works is there is enough water in the system to fill the entire wash tub, plus a few extra gallons so those few extra gallons run down the holes at the top of the agitator, down a passagway into the outer tub and back up through the recirculation filter screens. Austin yes, the transmission also has a quick disconnect block, where as the pumps and other components do not. Well tonight I pulled out the main timer assembly and boy is it cool! Check this out, like nothing I have ever seen before... 
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Post# 138899 , Reply# 30 6/29/2006 at 22:31 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138901 , Reply# 31 6/29/2006 at 22:34 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Its a simple but durable system. The switch levers simply fall into or get pushed out by the slots in the copper cam as it rotates through the cycle. You can turn this cycle control either way, both clockwise or counterclockwise so you can easily add more time to spin or repeat a cycle without turning the dial all the way around.
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Post# 138903 , Reply# 32 6/29/2006 at 22:35 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138908 , Reply# 33 6/29/2006 at 22:49 (6,509 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Is this machine anywhere near the 1947 Unimatic that I have? Steve-mayken4now actually the 1947 GE has a lot more features than our 1947 Unimatics. At first, it wasn't clear why you wanted to trade a coveted Westy pair for that homely looking GE Steve-helicaldrive I didn't trade my '55 Westy pair, I traded the '57 Westy combo I found last year for it... 
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| Post# 138909 , Reply# 34 6/29/2006 at 22:53 (6,509 days old) by golittlesport (California) | ||
wow | ||
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Post# 138969 , Reply# 35 6/30/2006 at 08:42 (6,508 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 138975 , Reply# 36 6/30/2006 at 08:48 (6,508 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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| Post# 138986 , Reply# 37 6/30/2006 at 09:31 (6,508 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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WOW! Now that's what I like to see. Technical explanations of how and what it does during the cycle. The timer is wild with all those switches and stuff. I bet this is a fun washer to watch. | ||
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Post# 139009 , Reply# 39 6/30/2006 at 11:12 (6,508 days old) by jeff_adelphi (Adelphi, Maryland, USA) |
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I rember that washer!
My brother John and I picked up that washer from a customer over 25 years ago. She had offered it to us for free and said it was not too old. When we showed up to get it we were not happy as it was way too old to repair and resell. We took it away thinking it would go to the scrap yard. When we got it home and took a better look at it we decided it was too interesting to throw away. I remember the first time we tried it in spin, the top was off and it kept going faster and faster as we were backing away from it thinking if was going to explode. I still remember how smooth and quiet that washer ran. Your going to really enjoy seeing it run again. Jeff
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Post# 139050 , Reply# 40 6/30/2006 at 14:25 (6,508 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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WOO HOO!!! I can't wait to see it in action!!! I bet that filter cleaning spray is gonna be AWESOME!!! I only wish I had the patience to fully restore a vintage machine. I can do some minor repairs, but to completely disassemble clean, paint, lubricate, silicone, then put it allllll back together would kill me I think. lol! Good luck on getting those pumps going again! -Jamie | ||
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Post# 139058 , Reply# 41 6/30/2006 at 16:39 (6,508 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Post# 139178 , Reply# 42 7/1/2006 at 06:41 (6,507 days old) by paulg (My sweet home... Chicago) |
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Hey UNIMATIC - What camera are you using? | ||
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Post# 139191 , Reply# 43 7/1/2006 at 08:07 (6,507 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 139196 , Reply# 44 7/1/2006 at 08:40 (6,507 days old) by paulg (My sweet home... Chicago) |
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Thanks again. | ||
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Post# 139754 , Reply# 46 7/3/2006 at 11:23 (6,505 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut) |
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Thank you so much for posting this. I'm fascinated by the design decisions GE made in the evolution of their machines. Am I wrong, or does this mean that they produced a machine with a lint filter a fast extraction and a detergent dispenser in 1947, then abandoned those innovations only to reintroduce some of them in the mid-fifties?
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Post# 139781 , Reply# 47 7/3/2006 at 13:33 (6,505 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Has there been any talk about why GE changed this design so fast? It is obvious that it is very complex machine. I am just wondering if it was the cost to produce vs. how reliable the machine was. Hi Brent, I suspect reliability probably wasn't the issue here, I'm sure GE took away features to save manufacturing costs. Am I wrong, or does this mean that they produced a machine with a lint filter a fast extraction and a detergent dispenser in 1947, then abandoned those innovations only to reintroduce some of them in the mid-fifties? Actually Ken, GE didn't bring back any of those features in the 50's. They did create a new lint filter system in '55, but it was not self-cleaning. The didn't introduce an automatic detergent dispenser (dumping it into the filter pan doesn't count as automatic) until the Dispensall of the 1970's. GE did bring back their self-cleaning filter ring but it was utilized only on their GE made Hotpoint washers starting in 1975, never on a GE washer itself. The 1140rpm spin was gone for ever. | ||
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Post# 141775 , Reply# 49 7/12/2006 at 18:30 (6,496 days old) by trainguy (Key West, FL) |
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Update Please | ||
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Post# 141864 , Reply# 50 7/12/2006 at 22:50 (6,496 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Hi Rich, Well its coming along, but I've been sort of busy so I'm not moving a great speed in getting it done. For some reason I'm not getting any hot water, so I have to do some electrical tracing. I was hoping to do the very first wash by this weekend, but I'm not too sure about that yet. I'll keep ya posted. I can wait to see that fabulous machine spin at 1140rpm! | ||
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