Squeezing out the excess wash water by hand on laundry day was a laborious process and this gadget was a decided improvement. Priced at $6.00 when it was made in 1872, the wooden wringer sat beside the wash and rinse tubs. After feeding the wet laundry through the grooved wooden rollers powered by the crank handle, it would be hung on the line to dry. It was sure to dry quickly with the water having been squeezed out “automatically.”