US1734936A - Garment-pressing machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 5, 1929. F. E. BAKER 1,734,936

GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 VIYTOR W 47 @L/AA 45 44 flrro NEYS Nov. 5, 1929.

INVENTOR W 7'7'0 NEYS 14 1 TNESS Nov. 5, 1929. F. E. BAKER 1,734,936

GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1925, I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fillillll! 1H- INWS'NTOI? Q76, Wm

mm 55 MW I 5 W W 1 H7701? EYS Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNE'E'ED STATES PATNT OFFICE FRANK E. BAKER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW! YORK, ASSIG'NOR TO CHAPIN-SKELTON COR- YORATION, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GARMENT-PRESSING MACHINE Application filed April 23, 1925.

This invention relates to a garment pressing machine involving the use of cooperative pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other about an axis parallel with the longitudinal centers of said elements and some distance to the rear thereof, and is suitably counter-balanced to facilitate its operation but refers more particularly to pedal-controlled means for effecting such operation.

In machine of this character the main object is to enable the operator to effect the steaming, pressing and drying operations expeditiously and with a minimum amount of labor and thereby to greatly increase the output for a given period of time.

Another object is to enable the movable pressing element to be moved to and locked in its pressing position and released from such position thru the medium of a single pedal lever which may also be used for controlling the application and withdrawal of the steam to and from the garment under pressure.

One of the specific objects is to simplify the means for locking and releasing the movable pressing element in and from its pressing position.

A further object is to provide means whereby the admission of steam to the garment for moistening purposes and the withdrawal of the steam and moisture from the garment for drying purposes may be controlled by the adjustment of a single valve to different positions in a manner similar to that in Patent 1,582,891 granted May 4, 1926 and in Patent 1,641,132 granted August 30, 1.927.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a garment pressing machine embodying the various features of my invention, the pressing elements being shown in their closed positions.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken away of the same machine, the dotted lines indicating the open position of the pressing element and operating means Serial No. 25,259.

therefor and also the valve operating means for controlling the admission of exhaust of steam to and from the buck.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation from the left hand side of the machine, of the portions of the toggle lever 14.- and its operating lever --23-- showing more clearly the means for limiting the return movement of the operating lever following the straightening of the toggle and the means for flexing the toggle joint to release the head and allow it to return to its uppermost position.

Figure 4, is a detail sectional view taken on line 1t, Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve for controlling the supply and exhaust of steam to and from one of the pressing elements, said valve being shown in its closed position.

As illustrated, the frame of this machine comprises an upright standard 1 for a suitable supporting base 2 and a forwardly projecting bracket -3 carrying a lower pressing element or buck 41- and a suitable work table 5. A rock arm 6 is pivotally fulcrumed at 7 upon the upper end of the standard 1- and has its forward end suit-ably secured to an upper pressing element or head 8- and its rear end provided with a counter weight --9 for counter balancing the weight of the head 8, said head being provided with a handle 10- by which the front end of the lever -6- and head 8 carried thereby may be rocked by hand about the axis of the fulcrum 7- against the action of the counter balancing weight 9.

The intermediate portion of the rear end of the lever -6-- is provided on its underside with an abutment 11 adapted to engage a yielding buffer 12 of rubber or equivalent material mounted on the upright standard 1- for limiting the opening movement of the press head without excessive shock.

The arm of the lever 6 -is flexibly connected to the upright standard 1 thru the medium of a toggle -l3 having one of its members as 14 pivotally fulcrumed at --l5-- to the upright standard -1- while the other member as H is pivotally connected at to a stud 16 which is fustably mounted on the rear end of the e r *6 by means of a hand screw l7- varying the amount of movement of the press head -8 according to the thickness the work operated upon, and to permit straightening of the toggle '-13 for 'in; the press head in its pressing posi tion when operating upon garments of varying thicknesses.

The toggle members 14- and -14 are pivotally connected to each other at l8 to constitute the flexing joint which is movable to and from a direct line between the pivots l5 and --l5 as the head -8 is moved to and from its pressing position so that when straightened the head will be locked in its pressin position and when flexed rearwardly and downwardly the head will be automatically opened or raised thru the medium of its counter weigl t 9.

The toggle member 1 l is provided with one or more yielding buffers adapted to engage portions of the upright standard l for limiting the flexing of the toggle joint to a straightened position when the head is closed upon the work and also to reduce the shock incidental to such closing movement.

The toggle member 1l is preferably made in the form of a bell crank lever having a forwardly and upwardly pro'ecting extension 2l which is preferably curved longitudinally and is adapted to be engaged by a roller 22- on the upper end of a pedal lever 23- in a manner and for a purpose presentl described.

tion shown by the upper dotted lines in Figure 1 for effecting the closing movement and locking of the press head in its pressing position.

The lower arm of the pedal lever 23- extends forwardly from the fulcrum 2 l to a point near the vertical plane of the front edge of the pressing elements for receiving and supporting a forwardly projecting pedal ese The rear end of this pedal is pivoted at 97 to the front end of the lever 23 and is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly extending arm -.28 having its upper end pivotally connected at 29- to the front end of a rearwardly extending link 30, the latter having its rear end pivoted to the fulcrum 15- co-axial with the axis of movement of the toggle member 1 l-.

The object of the particular arrangement and relation of the curved extension 2land upper end of the bell crank lever 23 above the pivot 15 of the toggle 13 is to provide an accelerated initial movement of the press head from its extreme open position toward its closed position and to grad ually increase the pressure of the movable pressing element upon the work when in its pressing position by causing the roller 22 to ride against the rear curved face of said extension 2lfrom an intermediate point toward the outer end of said extension as the press head is forced to its pressing position thereby increasing the pressure of the press head upon the work during the pressing operation with a corresponding reduction of power applied to the front end of the lever The object of the pedal extension -Q8 and link 30 is to cause the pedal 26 to assume substantially parallel horizontal positions in all positions of adjustment of the lever 23 thereby reducing the amount ofvertical movement of the pedal from one extreme position to the other for convenience of operation and also to permit the operating lever Q3 to move thru a comparatively long are and to permit the press head to be moved thru a comparatively large angle from its closed to its opened positions.

As previously explained, the toggle 1 is adapted to flex downwardly and rearwardly from its straightened locked position shown by full lines in Fig. 2' to its extreme open position shown by dotted lines in the same figure, and suitable means is provided for positively locking the toggle in its straightened position for holding its press head in its pressing position and also for offecting the release of the toggle from its locked position to allow the opening of the press head by its counter weight 9-.

This automatic locking and releasing means is preferably accomplished by one and the same pedal operated lever 23 which is free to rock upon its fulcrum -9A- inde pendently of the toggle when the latter has been forced to its straightened locked position and is provided with a rack or bar 3l adapted to cooperate with a latch or pawl -32 on the forwardly extending arm 21' of the toggle member 14-.

The rack or bar -31 is adjustably mounted upon the lever -23 between the fulcrum 2 l and roller -22 and is provided with a V-shaped groove in its upper edge, while the latch or pawl 32 is slidably mounted transversely of and upon the intermediate portion of the extension -21 of the toggle member 1 l and is held in place by guide bolts -33 secured to the arm 21 and passed thru an elongated slot -34 in the pawl to permit said pawl to freely move endwise on the arm 21. The bar 31 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its pivot 55 and is adjustable by means of a screw 19 thereon against a stop 19'- on the pedal lever -23, Figure 3, while the pawl 32 is adapted to be adjusted endwise by a screw --32 engaging the uppermost bolt 33 as shown in Figure 4.

The pawl 32 is provided with a lower beveled end 35 and is adapted to move about the axis of the fulcrum thru an are which intersects the arc of movement of the rack or bar 31 about the fulcrum -2land is arranged to engage in the V- shaped groove as 36 in the upper edge of the bar 31 when the pedal lever -Q3 is operated to straighten the toggle 13- or when the pedal lever is moved to its lowermost dotted position for locking said toggle lever and parts operated thereby against rebound from the straightened position during the pressing operation.

The lever 23- is provided with a rearward extension S7- connected by a retracting spring -38 to the base 2 of the main supporting frame for returning the pedal operated lever and pedal thereon to its normal starting position as shown by the uppermost dotted lines in Figure 2.

A stop pawl 39 is pivoted at 4:0 to a suitable lug on the underside of the hub of the toggle member i14- and has its front end weighted and adapted to engage a shoulder 41 on the lever 23 just at the rear of the bar -31- for limiting the upward and rearward rocking movement of the lever 23- to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2 after it has been opened from its extreme upper position shown by dotted lines at -a to its extreme down position shown by dotted lines indicated at b for straightening the toggle 13- to its locked position and thereby forcing the press head to its pressing position, the rear end or heel of the stop pawl 39-- being adapted to engage a shoulder 42 on the lever 14- for limiting the downward movement of the front weighted end of said stop pawl.

Opera-zfi'onof press head face of the upwardly curved extension 21 on the toggle arm 14 and by continued movement of the pedal 26 to the lowermost dotted position indicated at b, Figure 2, the toggle 13 will be brought to a straightened position thereby forcing the press head 8- into press co-action with the buck -4 for effecting the desired pre sure upon theinterposed portion of the gar- Inent.

This straightening movement of the toggle 13 will be limited by the engagement of the buffer with the adjacent portion of the standard 1 and will also cause the beveled lower edge of the pawl -32 to drop by its own weight into ongagement with the then underlying upper edge of the bar 31- on the lever 23.

During this forward movement of the upper arm 25 of the lever 23- the shoulder 451 on said lever will ride against the underside and raise the weighted end of the stop pawl39 until said shoulder 41 passes beyond the front end of the pawl whereupon the weighted end of said pawl will drop by its own weight into the path of movement of the rear face of the shoulder -ll so that when the pressure of the foot upon the pedal 26 is released the spring 38 will rock the lever -23 upwardly and rearwardly until stopped by the engagement of the pawl 39 with the shoulder 4l and thereby holding the pedal 26 in the position indicated at -c*, Fig. 2.

During this limited movement of the lever 23 toward its starting position the bar 31 on said lever will be forced rearwardly out of engagement with the lower beveled end of the pawl 32 which is free to slide vertically by the engagement of the bar 31 therewith until said bar passes to the rear of the pawl thus permitting the lower end of the pawl --32- to drop by its own weight to the front of the upper end of the bar 31-- leaving the toggle in its straightened locked posit-ion and the press head in its pressing position at the will of the operator.

When it is desired to release the head from itspressing position it is simply necessary to again depress the pedal -2t3- from the position shown at c toward the position shown at b-, Fig. 2, thereby rocking the upper portion of the lever 28- forwardly and causing the bar 31 to engage the pawl 32- in front of the fulcrum 15 for rocking the curved arm 2l upwardly and effectingacorresponding rearward movement of the toggle joint 13 to flex the toggle fromit-sstraightened position thereby releasing the head 8 fr-ornits pressing position and permitting it to be returned to its extreme upward position by the counter weight 9 while the spring 38- serves to return the lever 23 to its normal position indicated at a, Fig. 2, ready for a repetition of the operations previously described, it being understood that when the pedal lever is operated to flex the toggle joint from its locking position, the flexing of said joint will move the pawl 32- away from the bar 31 while the shoulder 41 will be similarly moved away from the stop pawl -3$) to permit the full retraction of the lever 23 by the spring 38.

During this operation of the pedal 26 from its uppermost position shown at a to its lowermost position shown at b, Figure 2, the arm 28 and link -30- connecting the upper end to the pivot 15 serves to hold the pedal in nearly a horizontal position in all positions of adjustment for convenience of operation and also to shorten the arc of movement to a greater degree than would be the case if the pedal were rigidly secured to the front end of the lever 23.

Steaming and moisture rem-owing In machines of this character the garments are usually brought to the machine in a dry condition to be steamed and moistened therein for sterilizing and shaping purposes and, therefore, suitable means is provided for supplying steam to the garment while being operated upon by the pressing elements, the same means being also employed for withdrawing steam and moisture from the garment and from the pressing elements follow- .ing the steaming operation.

This steam supplying and removing means forms the subject matter of my Patent 1,641,132 and comprises a steam pipe 43, leading to the distributing chamber of one of the pressing elements as, for example, the buck l and an additional pipe 4% leading to a heating chamber in said element for keeping the same at the desired temperature, both of said pipes being connected to a valve case -l5-- having a single slide valve which is adapted to be partially opened to one position for controlling the passage of steam to the distributing chamber for moistening purposes and to another position for exhausting the steam and moisture from the garment through the same pipe 4-3-.

Steam is supplied to the valve case -45 by means of a pipe l6- which is in open communication with the pipe l4 to maintain a constant supply of steam to the heating chamber without in any way interfering with a supply and exhaust of steam to and from the distributing chamber.

Vihen the valve -45 is adjusted to its full open or exhaust position the supply of steam through the pipe l3- is cut ofi and, through the medium of the slide valve or nozzle 4L5 in the valve, steam is projected through an exhaust or waste pipe 47 across the port as l7, Figure 6 leading to the pipe 43' for withdrawing the moisture and steam from the buck through said pipe and discharging it through the exhaust l7.

The operation of this valve may be controlled by a separate pedal -48 which is fulcrumed at 49 upon the base 2 of the frame -1 and is provided with a toggle arm 50 flexibly connected to another toggle arm 51 extending upwardly therefrom and having its upper end pivoted at 52 to the front upper portion of the frame arm 3 as shown in Figure 2.

The arm -51- is connected by a link 53 to the stem -5l of the valve 45 and also connected by a retracting spring 56 to the frame member -3.

. The toggle members 50- and 51 are normally flexed rearwardly by the spring, 56 for closing the valve 45 through the medium of the linl 53 but may be vmoved to a straightened position by the depression of the pedal 48 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 for opening the valve first to one position for admitting steam to the garment and them to another position for cutting Oil the supply of steam to the garment and causing the steam and moisture to be withdrawn by suction from the garment and discharged through the pipe t7-.

This operation of the valve may be controlled automatically by the pedal 2G by simply providing the pedal 48 with a transversely sliding part 57 adapted to be moved at will to and from a position directly under the main pedal 26 so that when the latter is depressed from its extreme up position shown by dotted lines at a or from its intermediate positionshown by full lines at c the pedal --4t8 will be similarly depressed for eifecting the opening movement of the valve 4t5- in the manner previously described.

I claim:

1. In a garment pressing machine having a self-opening press head, toggle-connections between the press head and the frame of the machine, an extension-bearing on one of the toggle members in front of the toggle-joint and above the connection of the toggle with the frame and a pedal-operated lever having means to engage said bearing at gradually increasing distances from the connection of the toggle with the frame for straightening the toggle to force the press head to its pressing position, said lever being movable independently of the toggle when the latter is straightened, and means actuated by the movement of the lever for flexing the toggle from its straightened position to allow the press-head to open.

2. In a garment pressing machine having a self-opening press head, toggle-connections between the press head and the frame of the machine, an extension-bearing on one of the toggle members in front of the toggle joint and above the connection of the toggle with the frame and a pedal-operated lever having means to engage said bearing at gradually increasing distances from the connection of the toggle with the frame for straightening the toggle to force the press head to its pressing position, said lever being movable away from the bearing when the toggle is straightened, means controlled by the movement of the lever for re-establishing operative connection between the lever and toggle whereby the return of the lever toward said bearing will flex the toggle and permit the opening of the press head.

3. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, cooperative pressing elements, a toggle having one member pivoted to the frame and its other member pivotally connected to one of the pressing elements, a pedal-operated lever pivoted to the frame in a plane below the first-named pivot and engaging the secondnamed toggle member at gradually increasing distances from its pivot for straightening the toggle, and additional means actuated by a continued movement of the lever for flexing the toggle from its straightened position.

4. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, a toggle having one of its members pivoted to the frame and provided With a bearing member at the front of the toggle joint, the other member of the toggle being pivotally connected to one of the pressing elements, a pedaloperated lever pivoted to the frame in a plane below and extended upwardly in front of and some distance above the first named toggle pivot and having means to engage said bearing member at gradually increasing distances from the pivotal connection of the toggle with the frame for straightening the toggle when the lever is moved to one position, and cooperative means between said lever and the firstnamed toggle member for flexing the toggle from its straightened position as the movement of the lever is continued.

5. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, cooperative pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, toggle connections between the frame and movable element, a pedal-operated lever movable 3 from one position to another position for straightening the toggle, means for retracting said lever, means including a detent for automatically limiting the retracting movement of the lever to an intermediate position, and 5 means actuated by a continued movement of the lever from its intermediate position against the action of the retracting means for tripping the detent and flexing the toggle from the straightened position and allowing 3 the movable pressing element to be opened by said retracting means.

6. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, cooperative pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the. other, toggle 5 connections between the frame and movable element,=a pedal-operated lever movable from oneposition to another position for straightening the toggle, means for retracting said lever,,meansqfor automatically limiting the retracting movement of the lever to an intermediate position, a tooth on said lever, and a pawl on one of the toggle members movable into a position to be engaged by said tooth when the lever is retracted to its intermediate position whereby the operation of the lever from said intermediate position against its retracting means will causethe flexing of the to gle from its straightened position.

Ina garment pressing machine, the combination with a movable pressing element and a rocking support therefor, of means for operating the rocking support including a toggle, a lever operable in one direction for moving the toggle toward a straightened position, means for retracting the lever, a stop pawl carried by one of the toggle members for automatically engaging and preventing the return movement of the lever by its retracting means when straightening the toggle, said lever having an independent movement out of engagement with the stop pawl, and means actuated by said independent movement for flexing the toggle to permit the return movement of the rocking support and pressing element carried thereby, said stop pawl being movable out of engagement with the lever when the toggle is flexed to permit the return of said lever by its retracting means.

8. In a garment pressing machine, the combination with a movable pressing element and a rocking support therefor, of means for operating the rocking support including a toggle, a lever operable in one direction for moving the toggle toward a straightened position, means for retracting the lever, a stop pawl carried by one of the toggle members for automatically engaging and preventing the return movemenit of the lever by its retracting means when straightening the toggle, said lever having an independent movement out of engagement with the stop pawl, and means actuated by said independent movement for flexing the toggle to permit the return movement of the rocking support and pressing element carried thereby, said stop pawl being movable out of engagement with the lever when the toggle is flexed to permit the return of said lever by its retracting means, said stop pawl having means for engaging and preventing re-bound of the toggle members when the latter are moved to a straightened position and engaged with the lever while said lever is in position to straighten the toggle.

9. In a garment pressing machine, the combination with a movable pressing element and a rocking support therefor, of means for operating said support to force the pressing element to its pressing position including a toggle, a lever for forcing the toggle to its straightened position, means for retracting said lever from its toggle straightening position, means carried by one of the toggle members for limiting the retracting movement of the lever by its retracting means, said lever being movable toward its toggle straightening position from its limited retracting movement, and means actuated by 10 said independent movement of the lever for flexing the toggle to permit the opening movement of the rocking support and pressing element carried thereby.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 15 hand this 14th day of April, 1925.

FRANK E. BAKER.

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