Electric washing machine
Lavadora eléctrica
- Date
- 1908 · confidence medium
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Credited to
- Alva J. Fisher (Thor, Hurley Machine Company, 1908; 1910 patent), attribution disputed: electric washing machines were patented and advertised from c. 1904; Bendix (automatic, 1937)
- People
- 👤 Alva J. Fisher1862–1947👤 Vincent Hugo Bendix1882–1945
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Drum driven by an electric motor that replaced hand-washing and the washerwoman. The Bendix (1937) automated washing, rinsing and spinning.
Fisher's patent (1910) is the most cited, but electric washing machines existed earlier, around 1904.
What it led to
- Drastic reduction in women's domestic labour
- Women entering paid employment
- Appliance industry and instalment credit
Built on
- AC induction motor1888
- Domestic electrification
Made possible
- Automatic drum washing machine (Bendix)1937
- Electric tumble dryer