Why did Hotpoint concieve the twin drum & not patent it?

The Dyson Washing machine in theory, with it's twin drum that can counter-rotate, is teh best wash that you can get.

The problem is that in order to achieve this in a (nearly) standard sized washing machine bow, the complexity inside is awesome.... and unreliable...

James Dyson actually took on 1 or 2 ex-Hotpoint development engineers who has been working on Hotpoints 'Vougue2' platform. As part of that programme, the split double drum design was concieved and tested, but it was clear that the mid-range market that Hotpoint used to dominate could neither afford such a machine (i.e. in the £200 to £450 range) and it had one problem....

If the Drums were not perfectly manufactured and assembled - IT TORE UP CLOTHES. Warranty costs would have been astronomical.

So Hotpoint purposely DID NOT PATENT the design and continued to develop a very good product that was made in North Wales up until 2 years ago. Sadly the factory was closed by the new owner (Merloni/Ariston-Indesit), but not because the product was bad, just because foreign owners just see the UK as a market for products, not a manufacturing base.

I feel sorry for James, up to a point. The 'factory' just outside of Tetbury in the Cotswolds is no longer a production facility - it is now purely a nice building with a carpark in fornt of the offices.... and a special place for James' car with JD written in it.

Anyway, now he is into cooling air and drying hands........