Josephine Cochran ( March 8, 1839, Ashtabula County, Ohio - August 3, 1913) made the first practical mechanical dishwasher in 1886, in Shelbyville, Illinois., although a mechanical hand-powered dishwashing device was patented in 1850 by Joel Houghton (see Dishwasher, History). Mrs. Cochrane was a rich woman who held many fancy dinner parties. She did not do any of the dishes herself because she had servants to do that for her, but she wanted a ma...
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Josephine Cochran ( March 8, 1839, Ashtabula County, Ohio - August 3, 1913) made the first practical mechanical dishwasher in 1886, in Shelbyville, Illinois., although a mechanical hand-powered dishwashing device was patented in 1850 by Joel Houghton (see Dishwasher, History). Mrs. Cochrane was a rich woman who held many fancy dinner parties. She did not do any of the dishes herself because she had servants to do that for her, but she wanted a machine that could do the job faster without chipping any dishes. No one had invented such a machine so she built one herself. She has always dreamed of being famous. She is said to have exclaimed, "If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I'll do it myself!" First she measured the dishes. Then she built wire compartments, each specially designed to fit either plates, cups, or saucers. The compartments were placed inside a wheel that lay flat inside a copper boiler. A motor turned the wheel while hot soapy water squirted up from...
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