US1647640A

US1647640A - Garment press

Info

Publication number: US1647640A
Application number: US57264A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ledbetter James Camrod
Original assignee: Prosperity Co Inc
Current assignee: Prosperity Co Inc
Priority date: 1925-09-19
Filing date: 1925-09-19
Publication date: 1927-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1944-11-01

Description

Nov. l, 1927.

J. C. LEDBETTER GARMENT PREss Filed Sept. 19. 1925 INVENTOR light weight, not

'Patented Nov. l, 19,27.

UNITED STATES JAMES CAMOD LEDBETTER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 THE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC., 0F SYBACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

GABMENT PRESS.

Application tiled September 19, 1925. Serial No. 57,264.

This invention relates to garment` presses and to operating mechanism therefor, and more particularly relates to improved balancing means for the movable press jaws or for the press head.

In garment pressing machines now largely in use, it is the custom of press manufacturers to mount the pressing head on one end of a long horizontal press lever. This press lever rocks in a vertical plane on a horizontal ulcrum axis to raise and lower a press head and this lever projects rather tar back from the press frame and causes the press to really occupymore floor space than would seem p necessary w1th an otherwise compact frame.

In order to balance the rather heavy head, it is necesary to mount a heavy weight on the other end of the press lever. This further increases the size of the machine and space consumed, and furthermore the weight must be heavy if the head is to be balanced on a relatively short rear end lever arm.

It is not practical to increase the length of .the lever arm to correspondingly decrease the balancing weight for that would render the machine still more cumbersome and unsightly and require still more floorspace.

According to my invention, it is not necessary to project the rear end of the lever to the rear of the press frame and thus be in the way but my invention permits the press to be placed close to the wall or close to another pressing machine and thus save floor space. s

In this improved press the rearwardly projecting, unsightly, large, heavy weight carrying, short integral lever arm is simply reversed in all these respects. It is made in two pieces geared together and the weight carrying section of the press lever is placed under the table of the press and carries a a heavy one, because the balancing arm is longer and possesses increased leverage. It is out of the way under the press table. It projects inside the machine instead of to the rear.

' The accompanying drawing illustrates in partially diagrammatic form the invention as adapted to a pressing machine. The press jaws are shown in closed and pressing position with the pedal down and the operating means locked to maintain the jaws closed. f j

Referrin further to the drawing for a more deta' ed description of the invention,

mechanism.

there is shown a press frame 10 on which a press table 11 is mounted together with a back board 12 to prevent the garment or other work being pressed fromV falling to the rear of the press. Press jaws are mounted on the press frame and comprise the usual form of stationary buck 13 and movable head 14. The jaws or press head and buck open wide to, admit the work. A jaw' carrying press arm 15 is xed to the head 14 at one end and is pivoted at 16 on the frame at the other end thereof. The press head arm 15 is preferably composed of a horizontal ortion 16 and substantially vertical portion 17 and the head 14 is lifted high above the buck 13 by swinging this arm. The lower end of the arm is made integrally with a gear 18orming part of the press operating A balancing arm 20 is mounted under the press table 11 with its forward end projecting towards the front of the machine and its rear end pivoted at 21 on the frame 10. The rear end of the balancing arm 20 is made with a gear 22 which engages the gear 18. The balancing arm 20 is normally disposed in a horizontal plane when the press is closed as shown in the drawing and the front. end swings up and down, moving in a direction opposite to that of the head 14. In other words the

arms

20 and 15 are geared together which imparts an opposite direc tion of travel, for it is to be noted that as the press head arm 15 lifts upwardly the balancing arm 20` moves downwardly. A balancing weight 23 is adjustably mounted on the horizontal balancing arm 20 and preferably placed toward the forward end thereof so as to obtain as much leverage as possible .through the

gears

18 and 22 in order to lift the head 13 or in order to balance it as the case may be.

One balancing arm shown mounted on the outside of the press frame out of the way under the table 11 but it is to be understood that a double set of these arts may be employed, one to each side o the press if flesired. In some forms of pressing machines where the steam piping and other equipment is carefully arranged to give clearance within the frame it is possible tov place one arm and Weight inside o the leg frames but in case of .pressing machines lso filled with piping and other equipment within the frame, then the parts 20 and weight 23 are.

,PATENTJ OFFICE.

EGG

may be readily placed outside the frame 10 but .directly underneath the o verhanging table ends and thus be kept out of the way and not interfere with any other parts of the pressing machine.

The weight or weights 23 are relatively light, not heavy, because they work throu h a long leverage and the gear ratio of

t e gears

18 and 22 may if desired be so designed as to further increase the leverage so as to further decrease the weight 23.

A handle is mounted on the head 14 to facilitate drawing the head down manually b the operator as is usual in pressing Ina-A cli'ines. An additional feature tas regards manually operating the press may be incorporated in this machine if desired and to this end another handle 26 is made on the front end of the balancing lever` 20. This handle 26 comes to rest invits uppermost limited position when the press is closed,

. coming to rest at a point adjacent the front edge ofthe table 11 which is convenient and easy for the operator to reach without stoop-J ing down. While it is true that the handle 26 travels rather far down towards the-floorl on which the machine is placed as the head 'straig 'tene lifts, it"is also true that the operator does not use the handle 26 until the head 14 has practically reached contact with the buck 13 whereupon any additional power needed to close and lock the press may be readily obtained by the operatoritaking hold of the handle 26 and lifting upwardly thereon to facilitate tightening the press jaws together as will be more fully understood after the foot pedal operating means is described.

Any suitable operating means may be used to open and close the'press, that is to raise the head 14 high above the vbuck and close it down thereupon against the work. Motor .means may be used to advantage with the .points or

pins

29 and 33 in order that the past a` toggle point 31 may be forced straight line connecting the

points

29 and 33 thereby causing the toggle 30-32 to reachl an overstraightened locked osition as shown in the drawing; thus hol ing the head 24 under tight compression on the buck 13. The handle 26 if lifted sli htly by the operieat y the toggle 30-32 togroverin bringin ky dlocked position.

the frame and is adapted to be thrust upwardly against the pedal 28 b the operator. The kick-off pedal 36 causes t e toggle 30- 32 to be broken to force the toggle pin 31 to swing counterclockwise to broken position which permits the weight 23 to act down.- wardly to open the press thereby bringing all parts into an open position as along the dotted line.

In the operation of the press, the work is spread upon the buck 13 and the head 14 is drawn down thereupon either by depressing the pedal 28 or by pulling down the handle 25 or by usino' both such means and. in addition thereto, for finally locking the press, by

'pulling upwardly on the handle 26 if desired to thus facilitate the operation of the machine. The handle 26 stands in a convenient position to the operator and is particularly useful in edge pressing machines and other high powered pressing machines which are worked by operators. In other words some presses are required to produce high compression and yet be worked by operators and in such cases, it materially aids the operator in finally overcoming the resistance of the toggle pivot pin 31 forcing it to move to overstraightened locked position if the operator will lift up on the handle 26 at the end of the closing action. It is to be noted that vwhen the pedal A28 is going down, the handle 26 on the balancing arm is going up. This arrangement permits the operator to better Autilize his physical power with less exertion by simultaneously'pressing his' foot and lifting up by hand. lThis is a more natural way to exert man power than by attemptin to do all thework with the foot only. By Iifting up on the handle 26 the operator works through the ears 18- and 22 to aid in throwing the togg e over to a locked position and Y thereby does not have to jump up and down on the pedal r28 to lock the toggle. By a simple operation of simultaneously pressing his foot and lifting his/hand the operator more easily and with less exertion closes the press into locked position. A

Man foot power pressing machinesl worke by operators are not required to be locked at all because of the fact that tailor work or steam valet pressing of clothes requires only a light patting or stroking action of the head on the garment and in such case this pressing machine has its toggle 24 set to such an adjustment that it will not lock and yso the operator readily causes the head 14 to pat or stroke lightly the work on thebuck 13 and in that case it is not necessary to use the handle/26.

While this invention is explained in connection with foot and hand operated resses, it is to be understood that the ba ancing mechanism is readily adapted to motor driven presses because the improved balancing means is placed under the table out of the way whether forfoot operated press or power driven machines.

This improvement provides a press operating means or mechanism of suitable kind including the gear transmission 18-92 by which press opening and `closing motion is imparted to the movable press jaw, and by which compression is obtained betweenthe jaws. The press operating means i-s simple in construction and readily lends itself to the inclusion of balancing means such as the transmission.

weight 23 which also works through the gear operatingpress j aws, a pivotal arm carrying a movable press jaw, another pivotal arm, a

weight mounted on the second arm to balance the movable press jaw, gears interposed between thetwo ar'ms operatively connecting them together, and means to actuate the arms to open and close'the press.

3. A press comprising'in combination, cooperating press jaws, a pivotal arm carrying a movable press jaw, another pivotal arm, a weight mounted on the second arm to balance the movable press jaw, a gear integrally formed on each pivotal arm and meshing together to cause the armsto swing in opposite directions, and means to actuate the arms to open and close the press.

4. A press comprising in combination, co-

operating press jaws, a pivotal arm carrying a movable press jaw, another pivotal arm, a weight mounted on the second arm to balance they movable press jaw, means operatively connecting `together the two pivotal arms, means to actuate the arms to open and close the press, and a handle carried by each arm which handles travel in opposite directions and adapted to be manually perated if desired by the operator to facilitate theA operation of the aforesaid'means.

5. A press comprising in combination, cooperating press jaws, a pivotal arm carrying a movable press jaw, another plvotal arm, a

vweight mounted on the second arm to balance the movable press jaw, means operatively connecting together the two pivotal arms, means to actuate the arms to open and close the press, and a handle carried on the second arm upon which the operator may manually work in conjunction with the means to open or close the press.

6. A press comprising in combination, co-

operating press j aws, a pivotal arm carrying a movable press jaw, another pivotal arm, a weight mounted on the second arm to balance the movable press jaw, means operatively connecting together the two pivotal arms, a pedal connected with the aforesaid pivotal arms by which the press is closed by the operators foot, and a handlecarried by theA second arm adapted to be manually operated if desired.

7 A press comprising in combination, a frame, cooperating press jaws comprlsing a head' and buck, a table disposed under the rbuck supported on the frame, an arm having its rear end pivotally mounted on the frame and reaching horizontally orwardl across the table withJits front end fixed to t e head, a balancing arm horizontally disposed under the table with its rear end pivoted on the frame, means operatively connecting the two arms together, abalanclng weight mounted on the front end of the last named arm, and a handle carried on the forward end of the arm under the table convenient to the operator. l

8. A press "comprising in combination, a frame, cooperating 4press jaws comprising 'a head and buck, atable disposed under' the buck supported on the frame, an arm having its rear end pivotally mounted on the frame and reaching horizontally forward across PAthe table with its front end fixed to the head,

a balancing arm horizontally disposed under the, table with its rear end pivoted on the frame, means operatively connecting .the two arms together, a balancing weight mounted on the front end of the last named arm, a handle carried on the 'forward end of the arm under the table convenient to the operator, and foot operated mechanism connected with. the balancing arm to,aid in operating the press.

9. A press frame, cooperating press jaws mounted thereon consisting of a movable head and stationary buck, a handle carried on the head, a swing arm attached at one end to the head and pivoted at other end on frame, an arm pivoted infthe frane, gears connecting the arms together causing them to move inopposite directions, and a handle fixed on the outer end of the last arm and adapted to swing downwardly as the first named handle swings upwardly. e

10. A press comprising in combination, a frame, cooperating press jaws mounted there' on consisting of a movable head and stationary buck, a handle carried on the head, a swing arm attached at one end to the head and pivoted at other end on frame, an arm pivoted in the frame, gears connecting the comprising in cimbination, aV

arms together causing them to move in opposite directions, a handle xed on the outer end of the arm and adapted to swing downupwardly, locking means cooperating with one of the arms to lock the head closed, and a Weight mounted on the arm adjacent the handle Ito balance the head;

1l. A press comprising in combination, a frame, cooperating press jawsmounted thereon consisting of a movable head and sta-Y tionary buck, a handle carried on the head, a swing arm attached at one end to the head and pivoted at other end on frame, an-arm pivoted in the frame, gears' connecting the arms together causing them to move in opposite directions, a balancing weight cooperating with the gears to c'ounterbalance the head, a toggle having one end pivotally connecting with one of the arms and the other end pivotally attached to the frame, a pedal integrally formed with one of the toggle links, and a handle carried bythe last named arm to aid in manually locking the toggle as the pedal is depressed.

12. A press comprising in combination, a frame,' cooperating press jaws mounted thereon consisting of a movable head and stationary buck, a handle carried on the head, a swing arm attached at one end to the head and pivoted at other end on frame, an arm pivoted in the frame, means operatively connecting together the arms, a balancing weight cooperating with the aforesaid means to counterbalance the head, a toggle standing vertically with its lower end pivotally attached to the frame and its upper end c onnected with the last named arm and con-l stituting a locking toggle, and a pedal integral with the lower toggle link.

13. A press comprising, cooperating press jaws, a member connected with one of said jaws and movable to close said jaw on the other, a gear formed on said member, a second gear meshing with said first gear, means secured to said second gear tending to rotate -said gear in one direction to separate the jaws, and means for overcoming said rotating means to rotate said second gear in the opposite direction to cause compression between the jaws.

14. A press comprising, cooperating press jaws, a member connected with one of said .jaws and movable to close said jaw on the other,a gear formed on said member, a sec'-` ond gear meshing with said first gear, a weight connected to and movable with said second gear, and means for rotating said second gear.

15. A press comprising, cooperatin press jaws, a lever supporting one of sai press jaws, a gear formed on one arm of the lever,

'a second gear meshing with said first gear,

a weight connected to and movable with said second gear, and means for rotatingA said second gear.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature. JAMES CAMRQD LEDBETTER.