US2037784A - Pressing machine - Google Patents

Description

Filed April 19, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aprfifi 2B, 1936. A. F. HANNEY PRESSING MACHINE v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1934 v INVENTOR I ANGUS E HANNEY 7 BY flwiai, fl/

A ril 21, 1936. A. F. HANN EY PRESSING MACHINE FiledApril 19, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENT OR ANGUS E HANNEY BY W w.

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE PRESSING MACHINE Application April 19, 1934, Serial No. 721,260

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for removing condensate from. an element of a pressing machine of the type used in laundry and garment work, and more particularly in a machine in e which the pressing element has a movement away from the operator and into pressing engagement with a coacting pressing element.

An object of the invention is to provide in a press having coacting pressing elements, one of which is provided with means for condensing vapors formed in a pressing operation, means for operating the press, and means actuated by the press operating means for removing the condensate;

The invention also provides a hollow pressing element with the pressing surface arranged to provide a bellows-like action when the pressing members are brought together, and means for moving the pressing members rapidly into final pressing position so as to provide a vapor and condensate removing action within the hollow member.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a press having a bed movable into and out of registration with a head and into and out of pressure engagement therewith, means for condensing and removing condensate from the bed, and means for collecting the condensate in a receptacle positioned to receive the condensate in all of the various positions into which the bed may be moved.

The invention also provides power means for moving the pressing members into and out of pressing engagement with each other, and a reciprocating pump adapted to receive condensate from the pressing operation during one of the power strokes of the power means and to discharge the condensate during another stroke of the power means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear in the accompanying description when taken with the drawings andthe essential features are summarized in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressing machine embodying my invention and showing the pressing elements in open and closed positions; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lower part of the pressing machine taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the pressing bed and its supporting carriage; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the condensation removal mechanism; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the control mechanism along the line 5-5 of .Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view along the line 66 of Fig. 5; while Fig. 7 is a schematic layout of the fluid pressure system.

While the invention in some of its broader aspects is applicable to many types of pressing machines actuated by power means, I have chosen to illustrate the condensate removal mechanism as applied to a fluid pressure operated press of the type illustrated, described and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 721,259, filed April 19, 1934..

This press comprises, in general, frame members supporting a pressing head 2|, and having rails 22 upon which moves acarriage 23 into and out of registration with the head. On the carriage is a bed member 24 supported for vertical movement relative to the carriage from which it is raised by a contact member acting against a downwardly extending pressure pin 25. A cylinder and piston motor 26 is supplied for moving the bed into registering position and raising the bed from the carriage into pressure engagement with the head. A piston 27 moves Vertically in a cylinder 28 which lifts a piston rod 29 together with a yoke or saddle member 30 whichis secured to the piston rod. The saddle member in turn is'pivoted to a cam lever B! by a connection 32, the lever being pivoted to the frame at 33. The free end of the cam lever engages a carriagemoving lever 34 which is pivoted to the frame at 35. A link 36 connects the carriage-moving lever to the carriage. Movement of the piston upwardly 'in its cylinder causes counterclockwise movement of cam lever 3|, which, durlever 34 and the bed to forward or open posi- 45 tion. 39 indicates a snub-ber for the horizontal motion of the bed.

'The control valves for the supply and exhaust I moving the valve controls to fluid pressure exhaust position, the control of fluid flow to the release cylinder being by way of pilot valve 45.

The main fluid pressure supply is by way of conduit 46 and forwardly extending passageway 41 which communicates by way of passageway 48 (which is restricted as shown at 48') with valve 4|, by passageway 49 with valve 42, and by passageway 50 with valve 45. Ontheir outlet sides valves 4| and 42 communicate with chamber 5| which also extends to communicate with one side of exhaust valve 43. Chamber 5| is connected by conduit 52 with motor 26. The outlet side of pilot valve 45 is connected by conduit 53 with release cylinder 44. The outlet side of exhaust valve 43 is shown at 54.

The various control valves are normally closed by springs, and actuators for opening them lie upon a common cam shaft 55 which is supported for oscillation in suitable bearings and is actuated in press-closing direction manually by means of a forward pull upon control handle 56 by the operator. Control handle 56 is connected with the cam shaft 55 by a link 51 and an arm 58 which is rigid with the cam shaft. A pull on the manual control will therefore move the shaft 55 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 6, or counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 1, and will cause cam 59 to engage the stem of valve 4| thus opening the primary inlet valve.

The exhaust valve 43 is actuated by a cam 68 rigid on shaft 55 and so arranged in relation to cam 59 that when valve 4| is closed valve 43 is open and vice versa. When valve 4| is opened and valve 43 closed, piston 29 starts upward and the bed moves toward registration.

The final pressure or secondary inlet valve 42 is actuated by a cam 6| on a sleeve 62 which is rotatable about an eccentric 63, which is rigid with shaft 55.- The sleeve 62 and cam 6| are rotatable by an arm 64, which in turn is actuated by rod 65 which is pivotally connected with the arm. Rod 65 depends in a position where it is engaged by the forked end of a bar 66 which is rigid with the bed and moves rearwardly and upwardly therewith. When the control handle is pulled by the operator to initiate press closing the cam 6| just touches the stem of valve 42. As the bed reaches registration bar 66 engages rod 65 and as the bed starts to move upward rod 65 is lifted, arm 64, sleeve 62 and cam 6| rotate to the position of Fig. 6 and valve 42 is suddenly opened. The bed then moves rapidly into its final pressing position as valve 42 admits full line pressure to motor 26.

To open the press, cam shaft 55 is rotated in the opposite direction. This is accomplished by release cylinder 44 mentioned above. The cylinder is provided with a piston which is connected by a link with arm 61 which is rigidly fastened to shaft 55. Fluid admitted to cylinder 44 through passageway 53 will thus actuate cam shaft 55 in press-opening direction which will close inlet valves 4| and 42 and will open exhaust valve 43. Cylinder 28 is then evacuated and the bed moves downward and forward as previously described.

The supply of fluid to release cylinder 44 is controlled by pilot valve 45. This valve may be actuated by a finger guard 68 which depends in a freely swingable position in front of the head and closely above the path of travel of the pressing surface of the bed. The guard is adapted to turn shaft 69 and arm Ill, which is pivotally connected by link H with arm 12, which in turn rotates a cam 13, free on shaft 55. Cam 13 depresses the stem of valve 45 thus admitting fluid pressure to the release cylinder. The finger guard thus is available toopen the press at the will be the operator and will open the press as a safety device if the operators hands are lying upon the bed as it moves toward registering position.

For practicing the removal of condensate I provide a pressing bed which is unheated and equipped with passageways for removing and carrying away condensate formed during a pressing operation. The bed illustrated is provided with a sloping bottom 14 having longitudinal ribs 15 upon which is supported a wire mesh 16, a spring padding H and a cover cloth 18 so that the entire pressing surface is pervious to the moisture and vapors present when damp articles are pressed upon the bed. The ribs 15 have suitable openings 19 therethrough adjacent the sloping bottom so that all the moisture formed within the hollow bed may be brought to a common drainage point 89. The bed-supporting pedestal is cored out to provide a passageway 8| which leads to a conduit 82 supported on the bed carriage in a manner to be moved therewith in all positions of the bed. The outlet end of the conduit is preferably provided with perforations 83 through which condensation is discharged into a receptacle carried by the press frame. The receptacle shown is an elongated trough 84 running from front to rear of the machine and in such a position that the outlet end of conduit 82 is in position to discharge into the trough as the bed moves backward and forward in its registering movement. The trough drains to a common outlet 85 where conduit 86 conducts away the condensate to a pump 81. This pump may be actuated by the press moving parts as illustrated. the particular arrangement shown comprising a pump cylinder 88 supported on the base of the machine and provided with a piston 89 actuated through a piston rod 90 which is connected by a link 9| with lever 92. The lever 92 is pivotally supported at a central point 93 by means of a bracket 94 which may conveniently be a part of the pump casting. The other end of lever 92 is pivotally connected at 95 with a link 96 which in turn is pivotally connected at 91 with the saddle member 30 which, as previously described, is operated by the press motor 26. The intake conduit for pump 81 is provided with a check valve 98 which permits flow toward the pump only, and the discharge conduit 99 is provided with a check valve I08 which permits flow from the pump only. Conduit 99 discharges into conduit |9l which may be an open drain line or it may be a return line adapted to return the condensate from the press to a boiler or other similar mechanism.

The removal of condensate during a pressing operation is accomplished as follows:

With the bed in its forward or open position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, the operator arranges a moist article upon the surface of the pressing bed and pulls the control handle 56 which by the mechanism previously described moves the bed inwardly to registering position beneath the head and then upwardly into pressure engagement when the parts assume the position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. l. The final portion of the movement into pressure engagement is accomplished by means of a quick opening secondary inlet valve 42 which, as previously described, is opened suddenly and admits full line pressure beneath piston 21 and causes a very sudden closing of the press which brings the head and bed into a sealing relation in such a manner as to trap a goodly portion of the air and vapor' within the hollow bed. It will be noted from. an inspection of Fig. 3 that the bed is provided with an upwardly extending flange I02 about its periphery. It will also be noted that the arrangement of the pressing surface and the spring padding 11 provides a bellows-like construction and the arrangement is such that when the pressing members are squeezed together flange H12 is not quite in contact with the head but serves suliiciently to inclose the space immediately beneath the pressing surface so that air and vapor being unable to escape through the cover cloth or around the edges to any substantial. degree are compressed by the downward movement of the contiguous pressing surfaces and are forced downwardly through passageway 8| and conduit 82 and thus aids the removal of vapor and condensate from the bed. It may be seen from the arrangement of the condensate removal passages that most of the condensate will flow out naturally by gravity but this action is greatly aided by the construction just described.

When the saddle 30 moves downward at the close of a pressing operation the pump piston 89 moves upward in its cylinder, as will be apparent from a study of Fig. 4. This draws condensate from trough 84 through conduit 86 into the pump chamber and when saddle 30 moves upward during the next pressing operation the piston 89 moves downward and discharges condensate through check valve I00 to conduits 99 and NH. Air is from time to time drawn into the pump chamber and the pump would eventually become air bound were it not for a vent line I03 which communicates at one end with the pump cylinder just below the uppermost position of piston 89 and which is arranged to discharge its contents into the trough 84. Any air trapped in the pump cylinder is thus relieved through the vent and any slight amount of condensate which might be discharged through the vent, if the pump were entirely filled with condensate, would be harmlessly discharged into the trough.

What I claim is:

1. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of which is unheated and provided with means for removing condensate therefrom during a pressing operation, means for operating said press, and means actuated by said press operating means for pumping said condensate from said condensate removing means.

2. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of which is unheated and provided with means for removing condensate therefrom during a pressing operation, means for operating said press, means for storing condensate removed during a pressing operation, and means actuated by said press operating means during a subsequent pressing operation for pumping said stored condensate from said condensate storage means.

3. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of which is provided with means for removing condensate therefrom during a pressing operation, power means for operating said press, means for storing condensate removed during a pressing operation, and means actuated by said power means during a subsequent pressing operation for pumping said condensate'from said storage means.

4. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of which is hollow and unheated and provided. with a vapor-pervious pressing surface and. a compressible supporting structure therefor, a drainage conduit communicating at one end with said hollowmember, a condensate receptacle adjacent the other end of said conduit when said members are in pressing position, and means for suddenly closing and sealing said meme bars in pressing engagement to compress said supporting structure, whereby condensate formed in said hollow member is forced through said conduit into said receptacle.

5. In a press of the class described, the combination of a frame, a head stationary on the frame, a hollow unheated pressing bed having a vaporpervious cover and being movable into and out of registration with the head and into and out of pressing engagement therewith, a drainage conduit carried by the bed and communicating at one end with said bed, and a condensate receptacle extending along the frame at points adjacent the outlet end of said conduit in all positions of said bed.

6. In a press of the class described, the combination of a frame, a head stationary on the frame, a hollow unheated pressing bed having a vaporpervious cover and being movable into and out of registration with the head and into and out of pressing engagement therewith, a drainage conduit carried by the bed and communicating at one end with said bed, and a trough on said frame extending in the direction of the registering movement of said bed in position to lie beneath the outlet end of said conduit during said bed movement.

7. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a hollow unheated pressing bed having a vapor-pervious cover and being movable into and out of registration with said head and into and out of pressing engagement therewith, a drainage conduit carried by the bed and communicating at one end with said hollow bed for removing condensate therefrom, means for receiving condensate from said conduit, means for moving said bed into and out of registration, power means for moving said bed into pressure engagement, and means actuated by said power means for pumping condensate from said receiving means.

8. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a hollow unheated pressing bed having a vapor-pervious cover and being movable into and out of registration with said head and into and out of pressing engagement therewith, a drainage conduit carried by the bed and communicating at one end with said hollow bed, means for moving said bed into and out of registration, a trough adapted to receive condensate from the outlet end of said conduit as the bed moves into and out of registration, power means for moving said bed into pressure engagement, and a pump actuated by said power means and operable to remove condensate from said trough.

9. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a hollow unheated pressing bed having a vapor-pervious cover and being movable into and out of registration with said head and into and out of pressing engagement therewith, a drainage conduit carried by the bed and communicating at one end with said hollow bed,

means for moving said bed into and out of registration, a trough adapted to receive condensate from the outlet end of said conduit as the bed moves into and out of registration, a fluid pressure actuated piston for moving said bed into pressure engagement, and pump means actuated by said piston to remove condensate from said trough.

10. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of which is provided with means for condensing vapor formed during a pressing operation and with means for removing the condensate from the member, means for opening and closing the press, and reciprocating means for pumping the condensate from said removing means, said pumping means being connected with the press operating means and arranged to make intake and discharge strokes in accordance with the opening and closing movements of the press.

11. In a pressing machine, a frame, a heated pressing head member thereon, a coacting pressing bed member movable vertically on said frame into and out of pressing engagement with said head member to iron a moist article between said members, said bed member including a vaporpervious cover and an unheated chamber communicating therewith for condensing vapor passing out of an ironed article and a drainage conduit for conducting vapor condensate from said chamber, and a receptacle on said frame for receiving condensate discharged by said conduit.

12. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable head and bed pressing members, power means for causing relative movement between said members for a pressing operation, one of said members being heated for ironing a moist article, the other of said members having a vapor-pervious cover and an unheated chamber communicating therewith for condensing vapor passing out of an ironed article and a drainage conduit for conducting vapor condensate from said chamber, a receptacle on said frame for receiving condensate discharged by said conduit and means operated by said power means for pumping condensate from said receptacle.

ANGUS F. HANNEY.

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