You have to respect the wringers on old washing machines. This Maytag has a red release bar; if memory serves me correctly, Speed Queen's release bars were white like the rest of the washer. These wringers have no mercy if they catch your hand. They will roll right up to your shoulder, and then spin your skin off down to the bone. If you use one of these old machines to wash your greasers, throw rugs, etc., be sure to check the wringer release bars before you run your clothes through them.
I have the utmost respect for moving parts of any kind. Many years ago I worked in a box plant, right next to Chrysler in Fenton, Mo, where we turned rather large rolls of heavy paper into corrugated boxes. The waste from the corrugator and the flexo-folders would go to the baler.
ReplyDeleteThe baler would chop it up, bale it and get it ready for recycling. Well, that baler was fed via an 8 foot wide, steel cable reinforced belt running on (perhaps) 10 inch diamter stainless steel rollers.
One day, whilst sweeping a young man caught his shirt sleeve between the belt and the roller. It pulled his arm between the roller and the belt, conforming the arm to the shape of that roller. Luckily as his neck and shoulder made contact with the belt there was enough resistance to trip a breaker. A gruesome sight, needless to say.
One just can't be too careful with any exposed moving parts.