GB2052567A

GB2052567A - Household press for ironing laundry

Info

Publication number: GB2052567A
Application number: GB8019221A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Moulinex SA
Current assignee: Moulinex SA
Priority date: 1979-06-15
Filing date: 1980-06-12
Publication date: 1981-01-28
Also published as: EP0021268B1; ES8102231A1; ATE4824T1; FR2459322B1; ES492396A0; EP0021268A1; GB2052567B; DE3065035D1; FR2459322A1

Abstract

A household press has a pivotally mounted heated plate (14) which cooperates with an ironing table (10). An endless conveyor belt (30) supported on spaced parallel rollers (32, 34) is provided in the ironing table (10). Drive means (39, 40) are also provided to drive the conveyor belt (30) in either of its longitudinal directions. When the heated plate (14) is closed onto the ironing table (10) the conveyor belt (30) is driven whereby an article to be pressed is moved between the heated plate and the ironing table. This enables a large article such as a sheet to be ironed quickly and conveniently. An electrical three-position reversing unit for reversing the direction of rotation of the drive motor (39) is activatable by a lever (46). <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB 2 052 567 A 1

SPECIFICATION Household press for ironing laundry

The invention relates to household presses for ironing of laundry, which presses are of the type comprising an ironing table supported by a plinth, and a heated pressing plate carried by a rigid arm which can pivot on the plinth about a horizontal axis between a raised position, in which the said plate is spaced from the ironing table, and a lowered'position, in which the plate is close to the said table.

With a press of this type, when ironing a large item of laundry such as, for example, a sheet, the user must repeatedly raise the heated plate, pull is the piece of laundry to bring each of its parts into the pressing zone, and then lower the heated plate.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a press which the user will find more convenient and less laborious to use and which 85 nevertheless is not bulky.

According to the present invention there is provided a household press for ironing laundry, comprising an ironing table supported by a plinth, and a heatable pressing plate carried by a rigid arm, the rigid arm being mounted on the plinth to pivot about a horizontal axis and move the pressing plate between a raised position, in which the pressing plate is spaced from the ironing table, and a lowered position, in which the pressing plate approaches said table, and wherein an endless conveyor belt is supported on two spaced parallel rollers provided in said table, the axes of said rollers extending at right angles to the pivot axis of said arm, and drive means are arranged to rotate 100 one of said rollers and hence to drive the belt.

A press of the invention enables an item of laundry to travel between the table and the heated plate, which avoids the user having the inconvenience of frequent repetition of the 105 operations described above.

An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of an ironing press according to the invention, with the heated plate in the raised position; FIGURE 2 shows a front elevation of the press of Figure 1 with the heated plate in the lowered position; FIGURE 3 shows a top view of the press with a hood covering the pivoting arm and two water tanks located on either side of the arm and carried by the plate removed; and FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken along line IV-1V of Figure 3. - The press shown in the drawings comprises an ironing table 10 supported by a plinth 12, and a heated pressing plate 14 connected by means of a hinge 15 to a rigid arm 16 which pivots on the plinth 12 about a horizontal axis 18 between a raised position (Figure 1), in which the plate 14 is spaced from the table 10, and a lowered position (Figure 2) in which the plate 14 approaches this table. The arm 16 carries an operating handle 20 at its free end and is equipped with a balancing device comprising a spring 22 interposed between a hook 24 located in the median region of the arm and an attachment 26 carried by the plinth. The upper face of the arm is covered with a hood 21 (not shown in Figure 3). As can be seen clearly in the drawings, the arm 16 extends at right angles to its pivoting axis 18, and the table 10 as well as the heated plate 14 are arranged symmetrically relative to the vertical plane in which this arm is located. To facilitate the ironing of laundry, the plate 14 is equipped with a steam-generating device (not shown in detail in the drawings) which is fed by two water tanks 28 located on the top of this plate, on either side of the arm 16.

The table 10 possesses an endless conveyor belt 30 mounted on two spaced parallel rollers 32 and 34, of which the axes 36 and 38 (Figure 2) are arranged at right angles to the axis 18. One of the rollers namely 32 is rotationally driven by a motor 39 by way of a reduction gear 40. The endless belt 30 is made of a supple heat-resistant material and slides on a support plane 42 (Figure 4) located between the two rollers 32 and 34.

In order to allow the user to control, at will, the travel of the endless belt 30 in either direction, the motor/reduction gear unit 39-40 is equipped with means for reversing the direction of rotation, which means comprise an electrical three-position - reversing unit 44 (Figure 3), in the intermediate position of which the endless belt is stopped. For ease of operation, the reversing unit 44 is accommodated in the arm 16 and is actuated by a movable lever 46 located near the handle 20.

As can be seen more clearly in Figures 1 and 3, the opposed edges 48 of the heated plate 14 which extend transversely to the direction of travel of the endless belt 30, each have a V-shaped contour defining an apex 50 facing outwardly. Each of these edges 48 is raised relative to the plane of the central region of the plate 14 and is joined to this central region of the plate by a rounded-section surface 52. These arrangements facilitate the introduction and travel of the laundry under the plate, in either drive direction of the endless belt 30, and reduce the risk of undesired creasing.

With the same object, and also with the object of ensuring a sufficiently wide pressing area between the plate 14 and the belt 30 whilst limiting the bulkiness of the press, it is provided that the length of the plate 14 from one apex 50 to the other is substantially equal to the space between the axes 36 and 38 of the rollers 32 and 34. Furthermore, the width of the plate in the direction at right angles to the pivot axis 18 is substantially equal to the width of the endless belt 30.

To use this ironing press, the user positions himself opposite the handle 20, brings the heated plate 14 into the raised position (Figure 1) and introduces the item of laundry, for example from the left, onto belt 30. He then lowers the handle to bring the plate 14 close to the belt 30 and actuates the lever 46 so as to drive this belt to the right. As the belt 30 travels, the user can with one hand guide the item of laundry and with the other appropriately control the pressure of the plate 14. If an unintended crease starts on the item of laundry he operates the lever 46 with one finger, to stop the belt and, if necessary make it start again in the other direction. Once the area of the unintentional crease has been withdrawn from the plate, he again operates the lever 46 so as to 45 continue the ironing operation, in the desired direction.

Claims

1. A household press for ironing laundry, 50 comprising an ironing table supported by a plinth, and a heatable pressing plate carried by a rigid arm, the rigid arm being amounted on the plinth to pivot about a horizontal axis and move the pressing plate between a raised position, in which 55 the pressing plate is spaced from the ironing table, and a lowered position, in which the pressing plate approaches said table, and wherein an endless conveyor belt is supported on two spaced parallel rollers provided in said table, the axes of said rollers extending at right angles to the pivot axis of said arm, and drive means are arranged to rotate one of said rollers and hence to drive the belt.

2. A household press as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the dimension of said plate in.the direction at right angles to the pivot axis of-said arm is substantially equal to the width of the endless belt.

3. A household press as claimed in Claim 1 -or 2 GB 2 052 567 A 2 2, wherein said drive means comprises means for reversing the direction of rotation of said one'roller such that the endless belt is drivable in either longitudinal direction thereof.

4. A household press as claimed in Claim 3, wherein an operating handle is located at the free end of said arm, and a movable lever is located close to said handle and is actuable to control said reversing means.

5. A household press as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the opposed edges of said plate which extend transversely to the direction of travel of the endless belt each have a substantially V-shaped contour defining an outwardly facing apex.

6. A household press as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each said opposed edge is raised relative to the plane of the central region of the plate and is joined to this plane by a rounded-section surface.

7. A household press as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the dimension of said plate from one apex to the other of said edges is substantially equal to the space between the axes of said rollers.

8. A household press as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said arm extends at right angles to its pivot axis and the ironing table and the heatable plate are arranged symmetrically relative to the vertical plane in which this arm is located.

9. A household press for ironing laundry substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office -by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1981. Published by. the Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London. WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

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