GB1350755A - Laundry feeding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1350755 Laundry sheet feeders H J WEIR 23 April 1971 [1 May 1970] 21147/70 Heading D1A A laundry machine utilises an air blast from a slotted or apertured air pipe 10 to blow the end of a sheet or similar laundry article, when released by a pair of clamps 6 which are movable apart to tension the leading edge of the sheet, onto the forwardly moving upper run of a conveyor 1. In operation two sheet corners are attached to the clamps 6 directly or,'as in Fig. 3, to clips at stations A, B, C and D whence they are carried on links 15 or guides 16 to and transferred to the clamps 6. The clamps 6 move apart on a fixed beam 5 tensioning the leading edge of the sheet and carrying it beyond rollers 11. When tensioned the rollers 11 are moved by rams 14 to hold the sheet against the conveyor 1 and prevent its falling when air is supplied simultaneously to the clamps to release the sheet leading edge and to two tubes 10 to blow it onto the conveyor. The front of the sheet is preferably uncreased by momentarily stopping the conveyor or by gripping the sheet momentarily between one or two shoe plates (17) and either a roller (18) beside the conveyor roller 3 (Fig. 9) (not shown) or one or two stops (19) below the conveyor (Figs. 10, 11, not shown). The sheet is tensioned laterally by pairs of endless bands 7, 8 the inner ones being reciprocated to and from the outer ones to intermittently grip the sheet.