US1382242A - Safety-guard for clothes-wringers - Google Patents

Description

J. D. ROSS.

SAFETY GUARD FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1920.

1,382,242. Patented June 21, 1921.

anon me t JOHN D. ROSS, OF FLUSHIN'G, NEW YORK.

SAFETY-GUARD FOR CLOTHES-WRINGERS.

Application filed July 15,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN D. Ross, a citizenof the United States, residing at Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Guards for Clothes-WVringers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices to insure the safety of persons using clothes wringers of the roller type, and particularly when such wringers are power driven.

The danger zone of a roller type wringer is the small space immediately in front of the line of contact between the rollers. Relatively, there is no tendency for a smooth surfaced roller to draw along another smooth surfaced object, such as the fingers, for instance. The fingers may press against a roller with impunity as long as they are kept away from the danger zone, which latter is dangerous 'simplybecause the clearance between the rollers is rapidly becoming less and less, the.closer the point of contact between the rollers is approached, and unless there is ample clearance any object in that zone is sure to be drawn in between the rollers.

The function of a guard, therefore, is to keep the fingers away from the danger zone and at the same time permit the clothes to be easily put through the wringer, and since power driven wringers are adapted to run in both directions it is necessary to provide a guard on each side. These guards must be movable so that each may be removed when the rollers are revolving to wring from the opposite side, or, in other words, upon the side toward which the clothes are being fed, thereby permitting a free passage of the clothes away from the rollers. Moreover, because of the possibility ofthe clothes not leaving the rollers as they should,- but winding around either roller instead, it is desirable to have the guard automatically removed under such circumstances, as the increasing diameter of roller and clothes would either break the guard or some other part of the wringer, or over-load the source of power to a dangerous degree. In all cases the guards are always in such a position that they will prevent the fingers being caught regardless of the direction of rotation of the rollers.

My invention has for 1ts objects the provision of wringer guard mechanism which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921. 1920. Serial No. 396,543.

will fulfil, the requirements above outlined, which is easily manipulated, which is positive and reliable in use, and which can not be mlsunderstood or used wrongly by even the most careless or ignorant persons. These and further objects will more fully appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel constructlon and arrangement of parts of a safety guard for clothes wringers, and in the combined safety guard and wringer, hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a wringer equipped with my invention, the parts being broken away to indicate that they may have any desired length, and the details of the roll mountings and operating mechanism being omitted; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same looking from right to left in Fig. 1, parts of the frame being shown in dotted lines to avoid complication of the drawing;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the parts in a different operative position;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the wringer rolls with associated guard members in the position indicated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the guard members in the positions indicated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of the latches for the guard frame.

Referring to the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate respectively the upper and lower rolls of a pair of wringer rolls which may be of any desired length and size, and which may be mounted in any suitable manner in a frame, parts of which are indicated at 12 and 13. Upright members 14 and 15, and cross strips 16 and 17 complete the diagrammatic showing of the wringer structure. The wringer rolls may be journaled in the frame structure and geared together and driven in any suitable manner, such parts being omitted as they are Well known in the art and it is thought unnecessary to complicate the drawing by showing them. The invention is particularly applicable to power wringers, therefore any suitable power drive in connection with the rollers may be employed.

Upon each side of the wringer rolls is arrangeda main guard member, shown at 18 and 19. The main guard member is sup- .tive position at a ported at one end by an arm 20 pivotally mounted at 21 .upon a lug 22 upon the upright at that end, the main guard member 19 having a corresponding end similarly mounted upon the other side of the frame.

At the opposite end, each main guard member 18 and 19 is mounted upon a pivoted frame which is so cross connected as to compel a definite relationship between the mam guard members. Each guard member 1s arranged to swing outwardly toward and from the wringer rolls, and when one of the guard members is in the guard position, the other is swung outwardly, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The guard member frame comprises two levers, one being indicated at 23, and pivotally mounted at 24, upon one end of the strip 25 secured to the uprights 14 and 15 of the frame. This lever 23 is attached in any suitable way, as by screws 26 and 27, to the end of main guard member 18,. the latter being positioned between this lever and pivoted arm 20 so that its upper inward edge 28 when swung toward the wringer rolls will be opposite and a little above the danger zone, which may be considered the meeting or contact portions of the rolls to which the clothes are to be fed.

The corresponding end of main guard member 19 is mounted upon lever 29 which is pivotally mounted at 30 upon cross strip 25, the lower end of lever 29 being secured by screws 31 and 32 to the end of guard member 19. It will be observed that lever 29 is bent so that while its upper portion 29' is held in parallelism with lever 23 by cross link 33, the lower portion upon which guard member 19 is mounted projects so as to maintain guard member 19 in a different position relatively to the wringer rolls to that occupied by guard member 18. This relative position of the two main guard members is preferably such that when one is swung into its operative or guard position, the other will occupy its extreme inoperadistance from the wringer rolls.

The main guard member frame just described is operated preferably by means of a handle 34 secured to any suitable part of the frame, as to lever 23, and said lever may be, and preferably is provided with a latc 35 which, as shown, consists of a sheet spring secured to upright 15. 'and engaged by the lower end of lever 23, as will be understood by an inspection of Figs. 2 and 6. Lever 29 may be similarly provided with the latch 36 which is preferably mounted upon upright 14, as shown in Fig. 3.

Cooperating with main guard members 18 and 19 are auxiliary guard members 37 and 38. Auxiliary guard member 37 is mounted upon a rod 39 to which it is rigidly secured by end strips 40 and screws 41, but the rigid mounting of this guard member upon the rod may be efiected in any other suitable manner. Rod 39 is journaled in the uprights of the frame and is secured against longitudinal movement by pins 42 and 43. Rod 39 is operated from the main guard member swinging frame by means of a segmental rack 44 having its center of movement at pivot 24 of lever 23, and secured to said lever in any suitable manner, as by pin 45. Segmental rack 44 meshes with pinion 46 secured upon the end of the rod 39. The relationship between segmental rack 44 and pinion 46 is such that when main guard member 18 is swung into its guard position, the auxiliary guard member 37 will be in its raised or inoperative position.

Auxiliary guard member 38, upon the opposite side of the wringer, is mounted upon the rod 39 in a manner similar to the mounting of auxiliary guard member 37 and is controlled by the movements of lever 29 through the action of gear segment 47 secured to lever 29, as by means of pin 48,

and having pivot 30 as its center of moveforegoing. Assuming that it is desired to wring clothes fromleft to right, looking at' Figs. 2 and 4, maln guard member 18 is moved to its guard position by means of handle 34 and is there latched, as shown. The clothes will be fed to the wringerrolls oyer the upper and inner edge 28 of said main guard member, and at the same time it will be found impossible to catch the fingers at the danger zone between the rolls. In this position auxiliary guard member 37 is in its raised position, and main guard member 19 upon the opposite side is swung outwardly into its inoperative position so as to allow the clothes to pass freely from the wringer rolls upon that side. At the same time auxiliary guard member 38 on that, side occupies its lower or guard position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, in which it prevents access to the wringer rolls upon that side in proximity to the danger zone. This is desirable in order to prevent an inexperienced or careless person from using the wringer from that side while the main guard member occupies its outward or non-guarded position.

As these wringers are intended to wring both ways, when it is desired to wring from the opposite side, the operator grasps the handle 34 and swings lever 23 outwardly to the left, the lever being released by the spring latch 35. While assuming this position, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the cross link 33 communicates the motion to lever 29 which swings said lever inwardly to swing main guard member 19 into guard position where it is latched by spring latch 36. At the same time auxiliary guard member 37 is brought down into its guard position, and auxiliary guard member 38 is moved upwardly into its inoperative position. It will thus be seen that the operator is protected from that side of the wringer by main guard 19, and from improper use by auxiliary guard member 37 on the opposite side.

It will be observed that by the swinging mounting of the main guard members all practical features of the problem of wringing are taken care of. Not only is the operator fully protected by the main guard member in its guard position, but said member is maintained in that position not only by the latch, but by the pressure and movement ,of the clothes over said main guard member to the wringer rolls. Moreover, by the inward oblique surface or slope of the main guard member, the parts are protected from undue strain should the clothes become wound upon either of the rolls, in which event the main guard member would automatically be swung outwardly to relieve the strain. At th member upon the opposite side of the wringer will be prevented by the movement of the clothes toward it, from being brought down into an improper position where the movement would be obstructed after leaving the rolls.

While the auxiliary guard members are important as completing the protection afforded by my machine, it will be seen that the cooperation and utility of the main guard members is not dependent upon the use of the auxiliary guard members, which latter may, therefore, be omitted in some instances when found desirable.

While I have described what I now believe to be the best and most eflicient embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that numerous changes in details of construction and relationship of parts may be made without departing from the invention. For instance, the relationship of the main guard members to each other may be effected by means other than the precise system of levers and links disclosed, and their degree of movement may be changed by an alteration in proportionate parts. 11 the same manner, changes may be made in the cooperation between the main and auxiliary guard mem bers. All such changes I aim to include within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. The combination with cooperating wringer rolls, of a guard member consisting of a bar formed and positioned to obstruct e same time the main guard access to the danger zone or space immediately in front of the line of contact between the rolls but havin an upper guard edge and surface in proximity to the upper roll, said guard member being mounted to swing bodily outwardly from or inwardly toward the rolls to bring said guard member out of or into guard position.

2. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls, of a guard member extending along said rolls upon one side thereof at the danger zone with an upper guard edge and surface above said danger zone, a second guard member extending along said rolls upon the other side thereof and similarly positioned, and common means for swinging either one of said guard members bodily outwardly from and the other inwardly toward said rolls, to bring either guard member out of and the other into guard position.

3. The combination with upper and lower cooperating wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, extending along said rolls obstructing access to the danger zone but having an upper guard edge and surface above the danger zone upon one side thereof, a second guard member extending along said rolls upon the other side thereof, said guard members beof a safety guard member mg mounted upon said frame and connected for swinging movement of one bodily outwardly from and the other inwardly toward said rolls to bring either guard member out of and the other into guard position but yieldable under pressure of material wound upon either roll.

4:. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a safety guard member extending along said rolls upon one side thereof, a second guard member extending along said rolls upon the other side thereof, said guard members being pivotally supported by said frame to swing in an are from a fixed pivot point bodily away from or toward said rolls, and connectin-g'means for adjacent ends of said guard members to cause either guard member to swing out of guard position when the other guard member is swung into guard position.

5. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a safety guard member extending along said rolls and pivotally mounted upon. said frame to swing bodily outwardly 'from or inwardly toward said rolls out of or into guard position, and a latch upon said supporting frame arranged to hold said guard member in guard position but releasable by pressure by clothes wound upon either of saidv rolls.

6. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a safety guard member extending along said rolls upon one side thereof, a second guard posing the approach to the upper roll above ing pivotally member extendin along said rolls upon the other side thereo said guard members bemounted upon said frame to swing in an arc bodily away from or toward said rolls, and a parallel motion link pivotally connecting corresponding ends of said guard members to cause either guard memher to swinglin an are out of guard position when the ot er guard member is swung into guard position.

7. The combination with a pail of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a main safety guard member extending along said rolls opposite the danger zone and mounted upon said frame for swinging movement bodily outwardly from or inwardly toward said rolls, an auxiliary guard member mounted on the same side of said rolls above said main guard member, and a connection between said members whereby said auxiliary guard member is moved out of guard position when said main guard member is moved into guard position.

8. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a main safety guard member extending along said rolls opposite the danger zone and mounted upon said frame for swinging movement bodily outwardly from or- -inwardly toward said rolls, an auxiliary guard member pivotally mounted above sa1d main guard member to move from a position exsaid main guard member to a position closing said approach, and a connection between said members whereby said auxiliary guard member is moved to close said approachwhen said main guard member is moved out of guard position.

9. The combination with a pair 'of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a main safety guard member upon each side of said rolls opposite the danger zone and mounted upon said frame for swinging movement bodily "outwardly from or inwardly toward said rolls, an auxiliary guard member mounted above each main guard member to move from a position exposing the approach to the upper roll above its main guard member to a position closing said approach, and connections between said guard members for causing the auxiliary guard member on either side to expose the approach to the upper roll on that side when the main guard member of that side is moved into guard position, and for causing the main guard member on the other side to move out of guard position, and the auxiliary guard member on that side to close the approach to the upper roll on that side.

10. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a main safety guard member extending along said rolls upon one side thereof, a second main guard member extendin along said rolls upon the other side thereo said guard members being pivotally mounted upon said frame to swing bodily away from or'toward said rolls, connecting means for adjacentends of said main guard members to cause either guard member to swing out of guard position when the other main guard member is swung into guard position, an auxiliary guard member mounted above said main guard member and geared to the same in such relationship that when said auxiliary guard member is moved out of guard position its main guard member is moved into guard position, and when said auxiliary guard member is moved into guard position its main guard member is moved out of guard osition.

11. he combination with upper and lower cooperating wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a main safety guard member upon each side of said rolls opposite the danger zone and mounted upon said frame, an auxiliary guard member mounted above each main guard member to move from a position exposing the approach to the upper roll above its main guard member to a guard position closing said approach, and a connection between said guard members for causing the auxiliary guard member on one side to assume its guard position when the main guard member upon the other side of the rolls is moved to guard position.

12. The combination with cooperating wringer rolls, of a guard member comprising a bar formed to obstruct access to the danger zone and having an upper guard edge and surface just above said danger zone, said guard member being mounted for movement into and out of guard position.

13. The combination with a pair of wringer rolls and a supporting frame therefor, of a guard member mounted upon said frame to swing toward and from said rolls and comprising a non-rotatable bar formed and positioned to obstruct access to the danger zone but having an upper guard edge and surface just above said danger zone and over which the clothes pass, said bar also having an inner surface sloping obliquely downwardly and outwardly from said guard edge and surface.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN D. ROSS.

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