Thread Number: 6813
GE NON-FilterFlo Set
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Post# 135836   6/15/2006 at 18:11 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

The other set that I brought back with me from DC was this 1955 GE Washer and Dryer Set. This is a 1955 set, just before the FilterFlo wash system was introduced........This is still the double belt set with a double clutch pully system.........I have the trim piece from the front of the washer, but it was loose so I removed it so it would not get bent........




Post# 135837 , Reply# 1   6/15/2006 at 18:11 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

General Electric Washer........

Post# 135838 , Reply# 2   6/15/2006 at 18:12 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Matching dryer

Post# 135839 , Reply# 3   6/15/2006 at 18:13 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Washer timer........

Post# 135840 , Reply# 4   6/15/2006 at 18:13 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Water temp switch......

Post# 135841 , Reply# 5   6/15/2006 at 18:14 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Water saver button.........

Post# 135842 , Reply# 6   6/15/2006 at 18:15 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Tub opening..........no Filter Flo!

Post# 135844 , Reply# 7   6/15/2006 at 18:15 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

GE washer lid and instructions...........

Post# 135845 , Reply# 8   6/15/2006 at 18:16 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Dryer Timer.........

Post# 135846 , Reply# 9   6/15/2006 at 18:17 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Dryer heat selector............

Post# 135847 , Reply# 10   6/15/2006 at 18:17 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Dryer door........

Post# 135848 , Reply# 11   6/15/2006 at 18:19 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Door port opening.......This dryer is working and actually needs nothing but a good cleaning up and a little cosmetics. Tom Anderson helped me move it and hook it up and we were both amazed by how quiet it was. It was almost silent!

Post# 135849 , Reply# 12   6/15/2006 at 18:22 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

pic of the washer motor and clutch. The clutch shaft has actually broken in two...again, this was GE's two belt system and double action clutch..........the next years models went to a single belt tranny and single clutch. A much simpler and more dependable design.........

Post# 135850 , Reply# 13   6/15/2006 at 18:24 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

I had an extra motor and double clutch on a scrap washer that I had saved. Its hard work hunting down, saving these parts and then hunting them up when needed, but boy do they come in handy when you need them!. I almost tossed this out several times, after tripping over it moving it from here to there.........now I need it and GLAD I saved it! Yay!

Post# 135851 , Reply# 14   6/15/2006 at 18:25 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Backs of the GE set...........And yes, like a lunatic, I bought home ANOTHER set yesterday! I just cant quit! Well, got to save them when we find them.........will post pics of them soon.........another great find! Jimmy

Post# 135853 , Reply# 15   6/15/2006 at 18:27 (6,495 days old) by agiflow ()        

Very nice pictures. Nice to see GE also had a center timer dial. Love the look.

Post# 135855 , Reply# 16   6/15/2006 at 18:35 (6,495 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        
They ARE VERY NICE

Is the dryer a perforated drum with a lint screen at the toe kick area? or is the screen somewhere else? thanks nice pics. alr2903

Post# 135874 , Reply# 17   6/15/2006 at 20:25 (6,495 days old) by gregm ()        
very nice

love the simplicity, center dial and copper accents

Post# 135880 , Reply# 18   6/15/2006 at 20:38 (6,495 days old) by nasadowsk ()        

Ok, I give up. how does the 2 speed clutch on the older ones work? I sorts remember the later 2 speed clutch - the one on my mom's old GE flaked out in the late 80's, but I remember how it would start out slow for a few seconds, then click into regular speed. I think the bearing for plate the high speed arms ride on siezed up, so it was forever stuck in high sigh speed after that...

The other thing it did in it's later years was make a horrid grinding noise when startingh in either activate or spin (but it ran smoothly)...

Ok, anyway, I'm guessing the early model GE transmissions were different than the later ones? Did they change this with the two speed clutch change, and oh yeah, how did the Versatronic one work?

Anyone got pictures showing these things? I love seeing internals on stuff.

(and where's the GE wash videos? I'm curious as to how the earlier solid tub ones worked, esp the filter flows and AW6..)


Post# 135896 , Reply# 19   6/15/2006 at 20:59 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Its not a two speed clutch, its a double belt clutch. One belt was for agitate, and the other was for spin. Its one speed and one speed only..........

Post# 135905 , Reply# 20   6/15/2006 at 21:12 (6,495 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Jimmy, outstanding. I wish someone around here knew the GE history right about that time. Friends of my parents had a similiar style set. The difference was, there were parallel knobs on each machine. On the washer, inbetween/middle of the two kinobs, was the turqoise water saver button that ya pushed down to activate. The 2nd know was water temp as well as "off". I remember our owners manual had a looseleaf marketing piece in it and I believe the temp dial was referred to as the fabri-flex dial. And here's the confusing part. The washer we got, to replace the 48 bendix to keep me out of it, did not have a FF in it. It looked just like the inside of this machine. However, the panel looked exactly like the FF Jon Charles has--center lighted dial with the copper accents and turqoise buttons on the right for water saver, hot, warm, and off. I did not have a FF, I would have remembered!! I wish someone around here could place exactlyu what we had. It also had on the front left of the cabine, in a turoise banner on the right, emossed with chrome automatic washer words.

Post# 135909 , Reply# 21   6/15/2006 at 21:17 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Bob, the GE with the two knobs on each side is just a slighter later model than this one. That model was in response to this model, as this model surprisingly has no OFF position on the dial. Once you start it, it either has to run thru the complete cycle or you turn it by hand thru all the cycles to OFF. There is no PUSH/PULL Off on this timer. Not the best design........I believe they incorporated the OFF swich on the Water Temp control dial on the two dial models..........

Post# 135910 , Reply# 22   6/15/2006 at 21:18 (6,495 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida)        

mayken4now's profile picture
Jimmy, how cool is that. It is a first for me to see them. Very simple like gregm says. Almost Maytag simple! LOL

Steve


Post# 135911 , Reply# 23   6/15/2006 at 21:18 (6,495 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)        
Wow, Jimmy!

What a find!


Lawrence/Maytagbear


Post# 135928 , Reply# 24   6/15/2006 at 22:18 (6,495 days old) by rickr (.)        

rickr's profile picture
Great find Jimmy! And that washer is sure a rare find. My mother had that same model dryer, but with a Kenmore washer with the "target" type timer console.

Post# 135964 , Reply# 25   6/16/2006 at 06:02 (6,495 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)        
Maytag simple? Hardy har har..

toggleswitch's profile picture
Again, a very cool and unique set. Thanks for posting them for all to admire.

Post# 135968 , Reply# 26   6/16/2006 at 07:25 (6,495 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Rick, are you meaning the frog-eyed timer?

Post# 136057 , Reply# 27   6/16/2006 at 13:34 (6,495 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        
Congrats! It's beautiful set...

Your washer's configuration seems to suggest that it's actually a K or L series machine, model 450 or 550 (K=1953 or L=1954--they appear to be virtually identical), based on GE service literature. The "M" series '55's appear to have the single belt and a slightly different bezel than your machine.

Additionally, the two-dial "650" machines were also produced during all of K,L & M series years.

Moreover, the interesting two belt drive system allows it to have a higher spin speed than the later single belt machines.

I have attached the exploded pics of "representative" machines:


Post# 136058 , Reply# 28   6/16/2006 at 13:36 (6,495 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        
And the corresponding parts list:

...

Post# 136059 , Reply# 29   6/16/2006 at 13:37 (6,495 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        
And the dryer:

Enjoy!

Post# 136061 , Reply# 30   6/16/2006 at 13:48 (6,495 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

frigilux's profile picture
I'm looking at the lid instructions; Under group B it says 'Heavy Soil', the 'Light Soil', then it says....what? Batiste? Dimty? Organdy? What do those words mean?

Post# 136063 , Reply# 31   6/16/2006 at 13:56 (6,495 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)        
I had never heard of these either...........

toggleswitch's profile picture
Batiste: A fine, plain-woven fabric made from various fibers and used especially for clothing

Dimity: A sheer, crisp cotton fabric with raised woven stripes or checks, used chiefly for curtains and dresses.

Organdy: A stiff transparent fabric of cotton or silk, used for trim, curtains, and light apparel.


www.dictionary.com... is a girl's best friend.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO toggleswitch's LINK


Post# 136069 , Reply# 32   6/16/2006 at 14:28 (6,495 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Jimmy - what a cool score! This will be a set sure to please.

Ben


Post# 136077 , Reply# 33   6/16/2006 at 15:01 (6,495 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Thanks Ben, yes its a great set, and especially since it IS a set. I love my sets. Rather hard to find a complete GE set from this era for some reason. The Frigidaires seem to have a higher rate of survival. I dont want to seem rash, but geez, I just wish this set had at least ONE light on it!. Its obviously from the school of thought where "less is more"........I really went to DC to get the full size Hoover set shown in post #6808. That set Im REALLY thrilled with! But this GE set is great too. BTW the date stamped on the timer is Dec 1954, so it is pretty close to being a 1955 set as I initially suspected.......

Post# 136120 , Reply# 34   6/16/2006 at 22:28 (6,494 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Spinout, do you have the service/tech info that would help solve what washer we had in my early childhood up in post 135905?

Post# 136122 , Reply# 35   6/16/2006 at 22:50 (6,494 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Cotton Bastie was common for ladies undergarments (slips, night gowns, etc), as well as baby's gowns,sheets, and other nursery items.

While both organdy and dimity were popular for curtians, both were often used for those puffed sleeved sheer blouses ladies and little girls wore from the 1940's through 1950's. Also because both materials were somewhat stiff, they also were great for pouffy dresses, worn by girls and ladies during those same periods. Last use was for fancy aprons and pinafores, also popular during the period. Think Mrs. June Cleaver serving tea or whatever it was she did all dressed up on a starched shirtwaist dress, pearls and high heels. It certianly wasn't house work,that is what "Dahlia", "Beulah", or whatever their "girl" or cleaner was called. *LOL*

L.


Post# 136123 , Reply# 36   6/16/2006 at 23:30 (6,494 days old) by helicaldrive (St. Louis)        

Wow, they certainly did a lot of laundry in hot water back then. I would never put clothes in hot water! (just sheets, towels and underwear) Maybe people wore clothes multiple times inbetween washings and so they had to use hot water to get them clean?

Post# 136132 , Reply# 37   6/17/2006 at 00:41 (6,494 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Most everything was washed in hot water because legions of houswives had been told it gave the best cleaning performace, and provided a sanitary wash. What woman would risk putting the health of her family in jeopardy by washing in warm or *gasp*, cold water. *LOL*

Before enzyme detergents, when laundering with soap and or the new "detergents" hotter water temps did provide best cleaning, especially of oils, grime and muck. Some soaps like Fels, and detergents that were petrol based did a reasonably good job at cleaning in cold water, but in general soap and many detergents of the day not only did not clean well in cooler water, they did not disslove/rinse well either. This was also the era of hot wash and warm rinse, a setting you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere on today's washing machines.


It should be noted that up until around the late 1950's or so, many bed/table linens, shirts, undergarments (non dainties of course), and the like were all designed to be laundered in hot water, even jeans. Textiles were woven differently, and sized to allow shrinkage.


Post# 136133 , Reply# 38   6/17/2006 at 00:42 (6,494 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
And Furthermore To That

launderess's profile picture
Now you understand why there was so much ironing! All those heavy cottons/linens and all that hot water made for some badly wrinkled laundry! *LOL*

Post# 136139 , Reply# 39   6/17/2006 at 04:21 (6,494 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        

Appnut, yes I probably do. I would be glad to help you solve your mystery. I just need a place to start or something to go on.

Post# 136190 , Reply# 40   6/17/2006 at 09:12 (6,494 days old) by helicaldrive (St. Louis)        
Badly wrinkled

and FADED too! Jeez.

My Mom always obsessed about having her laundry come out of the washer unwrinkled. I could never understand what difference that made, since she was going to iron everything anyway. But she crowed and crowed about how clothes came out so wrinkle free when she used the Wash and Wear cycle on her new 1968 Whirlpool with cold water. Unwrinkled they might have been, but they weren't clean because of its slow agitation with cold water, and they came out sopping wet because it used slow spin. Then by the time they finally drip dried in the basement, they were sour too. I hated that machine! And to this day I still can't understand why people love BD Whirlpools.


Post# 136223 , Reply# 41   6/17/2006 at 11:22 (6,494 days old) by agiflow ()        

Because they are better than a Maytag.

Post# 136231 , Reply# 42   6/17/2006 at 11:49 (6,494 days old) by westytoploader ()        

Congratulations Jimmy...very nice set! It's strange seeing that familiar Activator without the filter mount on it!

What really intrigues me though is that 2-belt clutch! How on earth did that work? I'm assuming it shifted the power between the two belts depending on the direction the motor was turning, similar to the Multimatic?

--Austin


Post# 136244 , Reply# 43   6/17/2006 at 14:00 (6,494 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Austin, because ours was a non-ff, this looks so very normal to me.



Post# 136263 , Reply# 44   6/17/2006 at 16:44 (6,493 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        
Appnut,

Can't find the post (135905) you referred to above.

Post# 136298 , Reply# 45   6/17/2006 at 19:51 (6,493 days old) by brent-aucoin ()        

Jimmy,
What a great set you have found! And a set no less!!!
I would say that this is so rare!
They are in beautiful shape!
Thanks for the pictures.
Brent


Post# 136303 , Reply# 46   6/17/2006 at 20:18 (6,493 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

Thanks Brent!, Bring some dirty laundry and come and play with them sometime. BTW my new GE Wall Refrigerator is almost up on the wall, I remember how much you loved the other ratty one that I had. This one is much nicer!

Post# 136307 , Reply# 47   6/17/2006 at 20:24 (6,493 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Spinout, it as posted on June 15th at 21:32 within this thread. Has the post # on it too. it's in this discfussion. I don't wanna have to copyu it and put it down here too.

Post# 136356 , Reply# 48   6/17/2006 at 22:45 (6,493 days old) by spinout (Phoenix)        

Appnut, Got it. I feel kind of stupid because I previously read that post, but didn't make the connection... And I discovered that a search on a post# will not return a result.

Anyway, you referred to the "...FF Jon Charles has...". I was trying to locate a pic of that machine on this site, but I didn't see it in his collection photos. Maybe I'm missing it again, but if you can direct me to a pic (or send one) that will help.

Joe


Post# 136380 , Reply# 49   6/18/2006 at 00:46 (6,493 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
Joe, I"ve emailed Jon to ask him if he has a pic of the machine and have him post it here. We'll have to see. Gasnky1 had it b4 Jon, but I don't know if Greg took any pics or not. Will have to be patient.


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