348,150. Drying-presses. DEHN, F. B., 103, Kingsway, London.- (National Laundry Machinery Co.; Warren Street, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.) Feb. 7, 1930, No. 4257. [Class 34 (ii).] A drying and ironing press is provided with a blower 19, Fig. 7, for blowing heated air through a portion of the work supported on the buck 27 and for sucking it back through another portion. For this purpose the buck is divided by a partition 37 into a central chamber 38, containing a steamheating unit 40 and communicating by a pipe 50 with the discharge side of the blower, and a peripheral chamber 39 which communicates with the suction pipe 51. The cover-plate is perforated, the perforations 33 of the peripheral chamber being larger than those of the central chamber. A steam spraying nozzle 67 controlled by a valve 66 is provided in the pipe 50 for moistening the hot air. The press-head 28, which s heated by a sinuous steam channel 72, is lowered manually and heavy pressure is applied by a piston and cylinder mechanism 120. The closing movement of the press automatically switches in the motor which operates the blower, the switch of the motor circuit being actuated by an arm carried by the forward end of the press-head lever 75. The cylinder 120 of the pressure mechanism is pivoted at 121 to the machine frame and the piston-rod 123, Fig. 2, is provided with a recessed head 124 in which is pivoted at 127 a link 126 of which the other end is pivoted to the downwardly extending arm 90 of the head lever 75, the piston-rod and link 126 being out of alignment until the press reaches safe closed position so that the application of heavy pressure is prevented until this stage is reached. Means are provided for automatically opening the press after it has been closed for an adjustable predetermined time. A bar 83, Fig. 7, having an operating lever arm, not shown, is mounted in brackets 82 on the press head which is resiliently mounted on the forward end of the lever 75, and the bar 83 is connected by a link 85, Fig. 8, to a bell-crank lever 86 which is pivoted about the pivot of the head lever. The bell crank is linked to a lever 92 which actuates a three-way valve 93 in a pipe 118 communicating with the cylinder 120 and with a compressed air supply pipe 99. To the lever 92 are also pivoted a slotted link 114 and a link 115 which is pivoted to a lever arm 116 secured to a shaft 117. The slotted link engages a pin 112 carried by a piston-rod 109 which works in a cylinder 108 communicating with the pressure supply line 99 through a pipe 107 and three-way valve 97. The operating lever arm 96 of the valve 97 is interconnected with the head lever arm 90 and with the link 91 by the pin and slotted link and lever connections shown. A lever arm 131, Fig. 7, is secured to the shaft 117 and is connected by a chain 130 with the head 124 of the piston rod 123, Fig. 2. The press is closed by downward manual pressure on the bar 83, Fig. 7, and after the blower has been automatically set in operation by the movement of the press head lever, heavy pressure is applied by the counterclock rotation of the lever arm on the bar 83 which rotates the lever 92, Fig. 8, counterclockwise to open the valve 93 to admit pressure to the cylinder 120. Simultaneously through the slotted link and lever system the piston on rod 109 is forced downwardly in its cylinder 108 and the valve 97 opened to admit pressure to the cylinder beneath the piston. The piston therefore is forced upwardly again in the cylinder 108 at a rate dependent on the adjustment of a needle valve 102 in the pressure pipe 99 and at the end of its stroke swings the lever 92 clockwise to operate the valve 93, shutting off the supply of compressed air to the cylinder 120 and opening the cylinder to atmosphere through the valve. The upward movement of the piston rod 109 also swings the lever 116 to rotate the shaft 117 thereby pulling the chain 130, breaking the toggle 123, 126, Fig. 2, and permitting a counterweight and springs 89, Fig. 7, on the head lever to open the press. The cylinder 108 is exhausted through the valve 97, Fig. 8, which is actuated on the upward movement of the piston-rod 109.