US1689473A - Pressing machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 30, T928: l,6 89,473

i a. w. BROCKETT I PRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Shets-Sheet l Oct. 30,1928. B. W. BROCKETT PRESSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1926 gwmmto'a B. W. BROCKETT Oct. 30, 1928.

PRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 erator having to completely close the machine.

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLUFORD .W. BROCKETT, OE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, F ONE-HALF TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY (XJMPANY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, A- CORPORATION OF OHIO, AND ONE-HALF T0 UNITED STATES HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, .N. Y., .A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE,

'rnnssme mourns.

Application and January 29, 192s. Serial m. 84,655.

This invention relates to pressing machines for use in finishing and shaping garments for the laundry as well as the garment trade.

Heretofore these presses have been of var ous types familiar to those interested in this art and these types may be readily separated into classes. One class is the hand closed with after power type where the operator closes the press by hand and either automatically or optionally produces a power operation. Another class is what may be termed the automatic type where the operator, through a suitable controller, mitiates the closing operation when the machine closes and goes through to final pressure and stops with the article under pressure. With the first class the operator must wait until the machine is entirely closed sothat where several machines are placed for operation by a single operator much time is lost and production diminished by the necessity for the op- The second class has the advantage in speed over the first/class but machines of this type are apt to be dangerous and for that reason are many times equipped with guards or safety devices which prevent the operator from accomplishing the result dBSlIQd. It is wellunderstood that garments of various t pes in both fields are obstinate in the sense that they do not readily adapt themselves to the lays which the-machines are adapted to treat requiring the attention of the operators hand to hold the article in the desired lay. The presence of the .operators hand, of course, produces a dangerous situation which must be disposed of in some way to prevent injur -With the guarded machine the ards interfere with the operator manipufelting the lay and hence these machines are somewhat inefficient because they'do not press or finsh the garment in proper form orshape.

The resent invention aims to overcome these difficulties by providinga machine of what might be termed an automatic type in that it closes automatically after being started and goes through to final pressure, but is arranged so that the closing operation,

while automatic, is safe and may be interrupted by the operator without injury so that the desired lay-may be accomplished and substantiallyso that the operator may, after producing the proper lay, hold the garment in such a position until it is clamped in the press. v

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Referring'to the drawings, Fi 1 is a side elevation of the machine open aii d ready for use; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the machine' closed; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the opening switch; Fig. 4 is a section upon the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view partly in section upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 6, and illustrating the pressure applying switch; Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the commutator device; Fig. 8 is an end View. with parts brokenaway; and Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the wiring diagram.

In the drawings, l'represents a standard or frame which is provided with an upward extension 2, a buck support 3 and upstandingpower shaft supports 4 at the rear. Pivotally mounted in the upper end of the upright 2 is a head' lever 5 provided with'a counter weight 6 at the rear and with a head 7 at the front end supported upon the lever. by suitable ears 8 engaging pivot 9 carried by the lever. The front end of the lever 5' has a handle 10 and between this handle and the head there is a spring'll which tends to tilt the head counter clockwise so that stops 12 on the head engage stops 13 on the lever. The head is adapted to engage a buck 14 mounted upon a support 15 carried by the buck support 3. The head, the lever 5 and the counter balance weight 6 are arranged so that they are counter balanced and this entire structure has no tendency to open or close but remains in any position to which it is moved! The head is closed by an energy storing device such as a movable weight comprising a pair of weights 16 and 17 mounted on arms 18 and 19 respectively, and forminga part of a hub 20 loosely pivoted upon the pivot 21 of the head lever 5. These weights areadapted to be swung between suitable stops 22 and 23, the former being in front of the pivot 21 and the latter being to the rear of it'and both carried by the head lever. The hub 20'is provided with a lever 24 provided with a pin adaptedlto engage in a slot 26 formed in the upper end of the link 27. This link 27 is pivoted to the arm 28 of a bell cranklever pivoted at 29 to the frame and having a downing out to the front of the machine where provided with a suitable handle 33.

shift the weights until the arm 19' engages the stop 22; The preponderance of the weight is then toward closing and should be sufficient to cause the head to move toward the work at a safe speed. When the head reaches the work its front edge engages the buck and then settles upon the buck when the press is closed. If the operator wishes to open the press he pushes backward upon the lever with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2'when the weights are shifted over the center and.

' brought to a position so that the arm 18 engages the stop 23.. The preponderance of W81%1hl3 is then sufiicient to open the press.

T e foregoing mechanism is therefore an energy storing device or a gravity closing and opening mechanism for a scissors type of garment press and is usable in this way or main-be utilized with power.

y suitable power mechanism may be used provided it can-operate with the parts so described and I have shown a simple and effective mechanism and itcomprises a motor means 34 mounted upon a suitable bracket 35 secured to the frame and having its shaft 36 entering a suitable'gear housing 37 which is provided with a worm 38 upon the motor shaft and engages a worm wheel 39 upon a power shaft 40 which extends out through the casing and is supported in the bearing brackets 4. Outside of one of the bearing brackets 4 the shaft 40 is provided with an eccentric 41 engaged by an. eccentric strap 42 having a socket 43 for receiving a pressure bar 44 threaded into the socket and held in any adjusted position, as to length, by 'a nut 45. The upper end of this rod 1s adapted to extend to a point where it may engage a shoulder 46 formed in the rear part of the head lever 5 as will appear. The socket 34 is also provided with a laterally or forwardly extending arm 47 adapted to engage a stop bracket 48 secured to one of the bearing brackets 4. A spring 49 tends to swing the eccentric strap, its socket and pressure bar to engage 44 and the arm 47 in a clockwisedirection, as shown in Fig. 1, and toward the stop 48 and when the eccentric has its lobe extending downward, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm 47 is in engagement with the stop and the upper end of the pressure bar is out of a position the shoulder 46 so that the head lever may swing free of the pressure bar at all on the underside of the partition. Above times when the power mechanism is in off position.

When, however, the eccentric is rotated and the pressure bar raised, the first'movement is a production of a clockwise swinging of the pressure bar, sincethe spring 49 holds the arm 47 against the stop 48 when the upper end of the pressure bar will pass under the shoulder 46 and further upward movement of the eccentric strap and pressure bar will pro duce final pressure upon the work. When the motor means is .a"gain operated for the release operation, the eccentric strap and pressure bar are moved downward until the arm 47 engages the stop 48 when the upper end of the pressure bar will be moved out of engagement with the shoulder 46.

Any suitable controlling means may be used but I have shown one arrangement which is effective in operation and it includes a pressure applying switch comprising the casing 50 secured. to the frame and provided with a partition 51 having an opening 52 therethrough for the passage of a switch rod 53' which extends-down through a suitable bearing 54 in the bottom of the casing. The switch rod below the partition 51 is provided with the collar 55 adapted to be engaged by a spring 56 thrusting against a washer 1517 t e partition the rod is provided with a bridge piece 58 adapted to'engage between the com tacts 59, 59* arranged in the circuit to the motor. The upper end of the rod passes through an insulating block 60 for the contacts 59, 59 secured to the underside of a cover 61 The extreme upper end of the rod is adjustably secured in the clevis 62 which is rovided with a pin 63 engaging in aslot 64 1n a link 65 secured at 66 to the rear of the pivot 21 of the .head lever 5. The length of the slot 64' and the arrangement of the parts of this switch are such that the head closes until the front edge thereof engagesthe bed when the pin 63 has reached the lower end of the slot 64. The settling of the head into matched relation with the bed then produces an operation of this-switch such that the circuit throu h it is closed and the power means is actuate to apply final pressure. The final pressure is held throug the commutator mechanism to be described until the press is released.

The release ofthe press is brought about by a switch mechanism cooperating with the pull rod 32 and it comprises a casing '67, Figs.

3 and'4, provided with bearings 68 for the rod 32 and with a contact lever 69 pivoted at 70 within the casing below the pull rod. This lever isprovided with a bridge piece 71- adapted to enter between the contacts 72 and to close the circuit to the motor for thereleasing operation. The lever 69 is controlled and operated by a spring 73 anchored in the.

rod 32, as shown in Fig. 3, and connected to a pin 74 on the lever 69. A pin 75 limits the switch thus breaking the circuit and when the rod 32 is moved to the rear the spring 73 again passes thepivot 70 and causes the switch to be moved into closed position.

To stop the motor means at the end of the pressure producing operation and at the end of the opening operation, the machine is provided with a suitable timing switch con nected in the electrical circuit and this timer will now be described. As illustrated, it comrises a suitable casing 76 provided with a radially and outwardly extending ear 77 having a circumferentially extending slot 78 through which a bolt 79 is screwed into the machine frame. The elongated slot 78 per- .mits slight adjustment of the casing 76 around the axis of the shaft 40 at the center ofsaid casing, the adjustability of said casing bein for the purpose of changing the timing 0 the switch. Casing 76 carries insulating blocks 80, 81 upon which are the upper and lower segments 82 and 83, the ends of said segments being separated by gaps 84. The timing switch casing surrounds the crank shaft 40 which extends across the frame, and said shaft within the switch casing carries an insulating block 85 provided with a continuous conducting ring 86 to which is electrically connected a swinging contact arm 87 whose shoe end is pressed outwardly against the segments 82 and 83 by a suitable spring 88. A third insulating block 89 is also provided with a post 90 carrying a similar contact arm 91 pressed against the ring 86 and electrically connected with the post 90 to which one of the line wires is connected. Both of the insulating blocks 80, 81 are adjustable rotatably in the casing76, for apurpose which will later appear. Specifically, each of said insulating blocks on its outer face bears against and upon a pair of bosses 92 extending inwardly from the casin bosses having circumferentialfi' extending slots 93 through which extend clamping bolts 94 for clamping the insulating blocks to the casing. The circumferentially extending slots enable the clamping bolts to be loosened up and the insulating blocks with the conducting segments carried thereby to be adjusted circumferentially of the casing.

Referring to Fig. 8 shaft 40 rotates in the clockwise direction, the arm 87 wiping in turn over each se ment. The far end of each segment is curve inwardly, as at 95, so that as the shoe passes beyond the end of each contact it is lifted away from its normal oath of movement and suddenly jumps off from one segment, producing a quick break, and then suddenly engages into ample electrical contact with thenext segment.-

wall, said v i The electrical control and the wiring diagram is set forth in Fig. 9, wherein the motor 34 is connected to incoming line wire L with its other lead 96 branching into twolines, one of which 97 leads to the contact 72 and the other of which 98 leads to the contact 59 of the head closing plunger switch. The other contact 59 of this plunger switch is connected by a wire 99 to the upper contact segment 82 of the timing switch. The movable contact shoe 87 of this timing switch, which is operated by the crank shaft 40, is electrically connected to the other line wire L The other contact 72 of the control rod switch or power pressure switch is connected by a wire 100 with the lower segment 83 of the timing switch.

The press, as illustrated in Fig. 1 is open and ready for use by the operators In us1ng the press the operator places the garment upon the bed 14 and then pulls upon the handle 33 which causes the connections between this handle and the weights 16 and 17 to move such weights from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. The preponderance of the weight is then exerted upon the forward or closing side of the lever 5 with the result that the head moves to full closed position without effort upon the part of the operator. As the head-closes its front e e touches the bed first, clamps the work and t ereafter settles to full matched position, the movement of the head lever 5 during this matching operation causing the actuation of the switch comprising the contacts 59, 59 and the bridge 58 with the result that the circuit is closed through the closing half of the cycle of the timing mechanism and the motor and the power mechanism rotates the eccentric 41 causing the pressure bar 44 to first swing to the r1 ht until it engages under the shoulder 46 7% to the right is prevented and continued 0 eration of the eccentric 41 causes the head ever to be rocked and final pressure to be exerted upon the work, When the eccentric reaches en further rotat on its extreme upper position, as shown in Fig.

2, the shoe 87 of the commutator switch leaves the uppersegment 82 and moveson to the lower segment thus breaking the closing circuit, and permitting the press to remain closed. The press remains in this position until the o erator opens it which is accomplished by pus ing the handle 33 to the rear which shlfts the weights 16 and 17 from the full line position shown in Fi 2 to a position where the arm 18 engages e stop pin 23 on the head lever when the weights are effective on the rear side of the pivot 21 to exert an opening tendency u on the entire head and lever structure. The rearward movement of the handle 33 has effected the shifting of the switch lever 69 to close the opening switch which causes the final pressure creating means to goto the opening part cycle and open' the press and release the power means, the press bein opened by the weights which are, as state at that time efiective for opening the press. fHaving described my invention, I claim:

1. A pressing machine comprising a stationary work support, a head and head-lever structure counterbalanced to be free of any normal tendency to move to closed or open position, operator ener 'zed motor means capable of ener 'zation y the operator inde pendently of ead movement and arranged for actuation by the operator to be made effective upon the head for closing the press, and power means including a controller operatively connected to said head, said power means being effective upon said head for producing final heavy pressure when the press is closed.

' 2. As in claim 1, wherein the head and head lever structure is pivoted and the operator energized motor means is pivoted on substantially the same pivot as the head and head lever structure and is adapted to be thrown by the operator on either side of the pivot and connected to the head and head lever *structure. to urge the. same toward closed or.

open position and operator operated means for throwing the said weight. 3. As in claim 1, wherein the head and head lever structure is pivoted and the operator energized motor means is pivotedon substantially the same pivot as the head and head lever structure and is adapted to be thrown on either side of the pivot and connected to the head and head leverstructure to urge th same toward closed or open position.

In testimony whereof I hereby aifix my signature.

BLUFORD w. BRooKETT.

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