GB607492A - Two-hand control of laundry and the like presses - Google Patents

Abstract

607,492. Ironing-presses. HOWLETT, E. J., GLEDHILL, H., GLEDHILL, N. R., and GLEDHILL, M., (trading as THOMAS'S). Feb. 6, 1946, No. 3769. [Class 138(ii)] Relates to laundry and like presses in which the control of fluid pressure for operating the press is by means of a valve which can only be opened by superimposing the movements resulting from the operation of two hand-control members, the operation of one control member alone being insufficient to effect the desired action. According to the present invention. such presses are operated in tandem by arranging that the extent to which one of the hand controls of one machine is moved rather than the other hand control of that machine controls the pressure release of the other machine. As applied to the press described in Specification 583,516, the head is carried by a lever arm adapted to be swung to operative position with the head disposed over the buck by power derived from an auxiliary pressure-fluid cylinder, after which a main pressure cylinder draws down the assembly of lever arm and head to apply pressure. Preferably, the power medium is compressed air. The valve 7 is of double-headed type, having intermediate connections 9, 11 to the auxiliary and main cylinders, and connected at opposite ends to the compressed air supply pipe 8 and exhaust, respectively. Normally, the air supply causes the inlet valve head to be seated and the exhaust head to be open. In order to operate the valve so that air passes through the pipes 9, 11, both operating handles 20, 21 act through lever mechanism upon the valve stem or tappet rod 22. A bell-crank lever, which is mounted on a fixed pivot 28 in this mechanism, has one arm 25 connected by a link 26 to the handle 21 and the other arm 27 carrying the pivot of a second bell-crank lever 30 which is connected by a link 32 to the handle 20. The arm 31 of the lever 30 carries an adjustable head 33 which is adapted to contact with the tappet rod 22. The limited movement of either handle as permitted by a stop 23, 24 can only move the mechanism up to the point where the tappet rod is just about to become effective, but a relatively small movement of the second handle then seats the exhaust head and opens the inlet head of the valve 7 before such handle reaches its stop 23. In the operation of the machines, if the handle 20 of one machine is operated prior to the depression of both handles 20, 21 in order to actuate that machine, an adjustably-mounted abutment 35 on the link 32 operates a valve 15 so as to open the supply of air to a cylinder, whereby the pressure-release lever of the second machine is actuated; the head of the second press then rises and moves to its inoperative position. If. however, the handle 21 is first actuated, the movement of the link 32 is insufficient to cause the abutment 35 to actuate the valve 15, since this abutment is so set that the tappet rod 22 is moved to open the inlet valve head and seat the exhaust valve head of the valve 7 before the valve 15 can be operated. Specifications 607,493 and 607,502 also are referred to.