Who invented dryers

The s saw the arrival of environmentally friendly and allergy-reducing dryers. Equipped with sensors rather than timers, the dryers were designed to turn off the moment the clothes were dry to save energy. The environmental movement has brought things full circle.

Herring, Susan Davis. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Best prices guaranteed. Image by David Goehring. The tumble dryer has long been the saviour of many a washing day. Tumble dryers are taken for granted now, but they actually chart an interesting arc and development in terms of how technology has impacted society.

Before the advent of drying systems of any kind, clothing was always hung out and left to dry in the sun — people had to use a washboard vigorously to get the clothes clean, and then hung them on a hard surface or clothes line to dry them out. This method was hard work, labour intensive and time consuming — and this meant washing and drying clothes was something of an all-day marathon.

It was French inventor, Pochons, who in created the ventilator — and it was this initial design that became the early antecedent of the tumble dryer. Essentially a metal drum with holes, clothing was placed inside the drum and dried over an open fire with a hand cranking system.

Known as "ventilators," they were large metal drums with ventilation holes, powered by hand cranks, and used over open fires. Their invention can't be traced to any one person, but perhaps no one would have wanted the credit, since the clothes always smelled of smoke, were often covered with soot and sometimes caught fire.

An American inventor, George T. Sampson of Dayton, Ohio, came up with a better ventilator-type dryer. It had a rack and used heat from a stove, rather than an open fire.

He was granted a patent for his invention in on June 7, Inventor J. Ross Moore lived on a North Dakota farm in the early 20th century. Sampson's dryer was heated in a stove, rather then over an open fire, making his model was more efficient, and safer to use.

As early as , consumers could by a tumble dryer for their home. However, the prices were astronomical and most families could not afford the luxury of a clothes dryer in the early s.

In , an American company capitalised on the improved version of the clothes dryer; invented by J. Ross Moore. The Hamilton Manufacturing Company was able to sell automatic tumble dryers at a much lower price.

The model, called "June Day," was made in electric and gas models. In the s tumble dryer sales skyrocketed, according to Washing Machine Wizard. More brands came out and competition drove the price for tumble dryers down even lower. After WWII ended, the baby boomer generation benefited from improved tumble dryer models. In , many brands added timers, temperature controls, simple exhausts and a cool cycle.