US1994910A - Ironing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1935. M, E Y 1,994 910 IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1932 V 4 Sheets-Sheet lv INVENTR Mm 5555.-

ATTORNEY w. M EMERY 1,994,910

"IRONING MAC-HIJENE Filed Sept. 10, 1952 March 19, 1935.

4 s eets-sheet 2 INVENTOR flzffi'am ffiwy ATTORNEY March 19, 1935. w 1,994,910

IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet March 19, 1935. w RY 1,994,910

' IRONING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 19:52 4 sheets-sheet 4 WITNESSES: i INVENTOR gf 4 $4614 aim (5 Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES IRONING MACHINE William M. Emery, Lansdownc, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 10, 1932, Serial No. 632,498

16 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines or mangles or any other machine in which it is desirable to control the clutch or motor in like manner to that herein set forth.

5 An object of my invention is to provide a new and novel control means for a power driven mech anism.

Another object is to provide a single control means for an ironing machine which shall both control the movement of the ironing elements towards and away from each other and also control a frictional movement between the elements.

Another object is to provide an electrically controlled ironer, the elements of which will automatically separate should the electrical power be interrupted.

The invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the right-hand end of the ironing machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the roll,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a clutch mecha- 25 nism and gear reduction constituting a part of my invention, a

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the motor casing and clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a switch with 30 the housing removed,

Fig. 6 is a view, in end elevation, of the switch with the housing,

Fig. '7 is a d agrammatical view showing the electrical relationship of the. parts,

Fig. 8 is a. sectional view through the roll struc ture, taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of a clutch forming part of the mechanism.

Only those details of the structure of the ma- 40 chine will be described which are necessary to the exposition of the invention herein recited,

inasmuch as a more detailed description is to be found in the several copending applications of the inventor, application Ser. No. 635,521 filed Sept. 30, 1932, and application Ser. No. 630,351,

filed Aug. 25, 1932.

Fig. 1 shows an ironer to illustrate the applicat ou of the invention. Inasmuch as it is applicable to most of the ironing machines on the market applicant does not wish in any way to limit his invention to any one type of ironer. Fig. 1 shows a base 12 adapted to rest on a table on wh ch a shoe support 13 and a heated shoe 14 are rig dly mounted. A single central roll support 15 is resiliently mounted on base 12. This support other including arms 19, spindles 23 and 24, motor 26 and gearbox 27 which is mounted to swing as a unit on pintles 21 in yoke ends 17 and18.

Rotatably mounted on spindles 23 and 24 is a padded roll structure 28, including a padded cylinder and three supporting spiders fixed thereto journalled on the spindles 23 and 24. Motor 26, as shown, includes a housing 29, a stator 31, fixed to said housing by suitable screws or bolts and a rotor 32 with a shaft 33 on which is cut a pinion 34'which extends into gearbox 27. It should be noted that the stator in this ironer is not bolted to some fixed support, as it is in most motor applications, but is free to turn or swing on pintles 21 towards and away from the shoe 14 as a result of reactive forces. Extending from the gearbox 27 is a shaft 36 having thereon a pinion 37. The

operable connections between the rotor and said pinion will be hereinafter described. Motor driven pinion 37 meshes with an internal gear 38 which is fixed to' the roll structure 28.

The roll and the power unit structure 27, 26, 23 and 24 are shown in the full lines of Fig. 1 as hanging in stable equilibrium from pintles 21. This is the normal position of these parts into which they move automatically when the supply of energy is interrupted for reasons hereinafter set forth. It is apparent that, with the parts in this position, if the motor is energized to'cause the rotor 32 to rotate, the roll will rotate on the spindles. If, however the roll is retarded or temporarily prevented from rotation, the forces generated in the motor will react toturnthestator 31, which is anintegral part of the power unit structure. Such. movement of the stator will cause the whole power unit structure to swing or tum on pintles 21. Since this bodily movement of the power unit structure is a reactive movement from the prevented forces which would normally rotate the roll, it is apparent that the direction of the turning movement of the power unit structure will be opposite to the direction of rotation of the roll.

This is not because of any structural peculiarities, but primarily to the physical law that action and reaction are equal and opposite. The roll, as viewed in Fig. 1, normally turns counterclockwise and accordingly, for the reasons just stated, arms 19 will turn clockwise and swing the roll structure bodily to the shoe.

A brake band 39 constitutes the retarding means above-mentioned, operating as it does in the inside of the left end of the roll and having an anchorage fixed-in definite relationship to the yoke ends 17 and 18 preventing the brake band 39 from rotating with the roll.

Fig. 8 is a view of this anchorage means, taken from my copending application Serial No. 630,351.

The brake band 39 is expanded by an expansion spring 39a. A strap 39b loosely connects brake 39 with spindle 23. An arm 390 has a pivotal attachment to strap 39b at 39d and to yoke arm 17 at 39c.

When the roll has swung to the position shown by the broken line circle in Fig. 1, it is prevented from swinging further by the shoe, but if necessary stop pins 40 in members 17 and 18 may be provided. When the roll can no longer swing bodily, if pinion 3'7 continues to be revolved, the roll must rotate against the shoe 14. This is the normal condition when fabrics are being ironed.

Since the roll structure and the power unit structure hang in stable equilibrium from pintles 21 when at rest, then whenever they swing to shoe 14 they must swing against gravity. This gravity is a constant force tending to disengage the elements and return the roll to its position of stable equilibrium. Accordingly, if pinion 37 is disengaged by a clutch and free to turn in any direction or the reverse direction when the roll was against the shoe, then the force of gravity above described will cause the roll and power unit structure to drop away from the shoe. In this movement, the drag against rotation by brake band 39 is not effective to interfere with the dropping away of the roll and power unit structure because the power unit structure in dropping, if pinion 37 is free, can turn within roll 28 independently to a large extent of roll rotation.

Figs. 3,4 and 9 show a spur gear 41 having three internal ratchet teeth 42, loosely mounted on a shaft 43 at one end thereof, and with which the rotor shaft pinion 34 meshes. On the other end of shaft 43 there is loosely mounted a ratchet wheel 44, having external teeth (see Figs. 3, 4 and 9) and a pinion 46 integral with ratchet wheel 44. Pinion 46'meshes with a spur gear 47 fixed on shaft. 36 already mentioned. Shaft 43 is rotatably mounted at its ends in suitable bearings in gearbox 27 and has an arm 48, on the sides of which are pivotally mounted two pawl arms 49 and 51. A portion 52 of arm 49 (see Fig. 4) is so shaped as to engage with the internal ratchet teeth 42 and a portion 53 of arm 51 (see Fig. 4) is shaped to engage with the external teeth of ratchet wheel 44. Other portions 54 and 56 of arms 49 and 51, respectively, constitute lever arms for a purpose to be hereinafter noted. The pawls 52 and 53 are normally held in operative engagement with their cooperating ratchet teeth by a torsional spring 5'7. A small frictional drag, in the form of a disc 58 and a helical compression spring 59, is located between arm 48 and gear wheel 41.

These parts are shown in an exploded view! in Fig. 9, from which the relation of the parts to each other will be clearly apparent. This view is the same as one of the drawings in my copending application, Serial No. 635,521, filed September 30, 1932.

It should be noted that gear 41 and ratchet wheel 44 are mounted on a loose shaft and are only rigidly related when the pawls each engage their respective ratchet teeth.

An electromagnet 61 includes a fixed coil 62, a stationary yoke 63, and a reciprocating armature 64 integral with which is an obstacle 66 which is normally projected into the gearbox 27 by a spring .67 when the magnet 61 is not energized.

Obstacle 66 projects far enough into the gearbox to engage pawl lever portions 54 and 56 but when magnet 61'is energized obstacle 66 is withdrawn sufficiently against the action of spring 67 to permit pawl lever portions 54 and 56 to pass and to permit said lever arms to thereafter revolve in engagement with one of the internal ratchet teeth 42 and one of the external ratchet teeth of ratchet wheel 44.

When the obstacle 66 interrupts the rotation of arms 49 and 51, gear 41 continues to turn the assembly including shaft 43, arm 48 and ratchet wheel 44 a slight additional distance (about 20 degrees) before the clutch completely disengages pawl arms 49 and 51. During this final fractional turn, pawl arms 49 and 51 turn slightly relatively to arm 48 on their pivotal mounting thereon, which results in the disengagement of pawls 52 and 53 from their respective ratchet wheels. In actual operation, pawl arms 49 and 51 being somewhat independent of each other, it is arrangedthat pawl arm 51 is disengaged from ratchet wheel 44 a trifle prior to the disengagement of pawl arm ,49 from ratchet teeth 42, in order to secure smooth operation.

When disengagement has taken place then gear 41 continues to revolve, and shaft 43 with arm 48 and pawls 52 and 53 are held from turning forward by obstacle 66 and held in this position by friction plate 58. The ratchet wheel 44 and integral spur pinion 46 are however left free on shaft 43 to turn in any direction. This is necessary because, as previously described, in order to separate the roll from the shoe, this gear must turn backwards that is opposite from its driving direction.

A novel feature. of this invention is the placing of a clutch which either governs the rotation .of the roll or the relative movement of the elements or both, between the first and second reduction of the gears. The speed of the trans mission is such at this point that very quick action is obtained which is especially desirable for stopping the machine.

Another feature is that the work of the magnet is not varied by the load on the transmission or the pressure or friction developed between the pressing elements 14 and 28. Y e

The actual disengagement of the clutch parts is effected by the motor, or the momentum of the rotating parts, particularly of the armature. In actual models applicant has found that the mo-* mentum of an armature of standard construction is sufficient to disengage the clutch when the current is cut off at the source, in which case the obstacle is projected into the gearbox almost instantly by spring 67, while the other parts continue to rotate under momentum sufficient to produce the effect just described.

However, if the motor stops where the roll is against the shoe, and the magnet is energized withdrawing the obstacle, then the roll will stop, the clutch will remain engaged, and ratchet wheel 44 and pinion gear 46 will not be freed. Under these conditions the disengaging force, such as gravity, is not suflicient to give a reverse rotation to the armature so that the roll 28 is held stationary by the inertial and frictional forces of the gear train and motor in a positionof continued pressure against the shoe. The gear ratio is about one to three hundred and fifty. While spur gears are theoretically reversible, the inertia of the armature tending to resist rotation becomes a factor on account of the high gear ratio as well as on account of the friction of the parts.

Figs. and 6 show a control switch 70 for the ironer, the switch including abase 71, a cover 72. and a manually actuable knob 73 outside of the cover. the base, and a contact member 76 is secured to the other end of the arm. The knob 73 is secured to a push'rod 75 which projects through cover 72 and engages spring arm 74 intermediate its ends, to actuate the same. A second spring arm 77, of return bent shape has one end fixed on the base, a contact member 78 being mounted on the free end of arm 77 to be engaged by contact member 76. A second contact member 79 is mounted on the spring arm 77 spaced from contact member 76, and is normally engaged by a substantially fixed contact member 81.

An energizing circuit for the ironer includes two supply circuit conductors 82 and 83 and a main control switch 84, which may be constituted by a wall switch or by a plug as shown in' Fig. 1. A conductor 86 extends from the switch 84 (and supply circuit conductor 82) to spring arm 77, and a conductor 87 extends from contact member 81 to one terminal of the motor 26, the other terminal of the motor being connected to the other supply'circuit conductor 83 by a conductor 88.

One terminal of the,coil 62 of electromagnet 61 is connected to the conductor 88 by a conductor 89, and the other terminal of the coil 62 is connected by a conductor 91 to spring arm 74. The spring arm 74 is also connected, through a manually-actuable switch 92 (see Figs. 1 and 7) to the conductor 87.

A circuit normally energizing the motor may' be traced as follows: from supply circuit conductor 82 through switch 84, conductor .86, arm 77, contact members 79 and 81, conductor-87 motor 26, conductor 88, and through switch 84 to the second supply circuit conductor 83.

The magnet coil 62 is energized through two parallel circuits, having certain parts in common, the first circuit being as follows: from conductor 82 switch 84, conductor 86, arm '77, contact-members 79 and 81, conductor 87, switch 92,- conductor 91, coil 62, conductors 89 and 88 and through switch 84 to the second supply circuit conductor 83. The second energizing circuit is ative positions shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings,

if switch 84 is closed as by placing the plug in a cooperating socket, the motor 26 will be energized and the motor armature and gear wheel 41 will revolve, but no other operation of the device A spring arm 74 has one end secured to' 73 to cause engagement of contact members 76 and 78, a circuit will be closed through coil 62', whereby obstacle 66 is moved out of engagement with lever arms 54 and 56. This causes the clutch will be efiected. If now an operator pushes knob parts to engage and effect rotation of pinion 37 whereby the roll is moved into engagement with the shoe and after having been moved to full ironing operation, it is only necessary to close switch 92, in addition to closing switch 84.

If it is desired to effect a pressing operation as by intermittently moving the roll against the shoe and holding it there for, a short period of time to obtain non-frictionalengagement this .may be done by means of the control switch of Figs. 5 and 6 as follows: the operator may first close the coil-energizing circuit hereinbefore described, by pressing on the knob 73 to effect engagement of contacts 76 and 78, to cause the roll to tightly engage the shoe and to press material located therebetween. The operator then presses harder on the knob 73, whereby spring arm 77 is moved to efiect disengagement of contact members 79 and 81. This deenergizes the motor so that, as has already been described, the roll 28 ceases to rotate, but remains in pressure engagement withshoe 14. 4

After the roll and shoe have remained in this position a suflicient length of time to dry out the fabric being pressed, the rotation of the roll maybe again started by removing the extra pressure on the button 73, while retaining the slight initial pressure thereon. Under these conditions contact member 79 again engages contact member 81 thereby closing the motor circuit.

If it is desirable to separate the roll from the shoe after stopping the roll, without again rotating the roll, the operator first makes sure that hand switch 92 is open and then removes the pressure entirely from button 73. In this event the magnet will be deenergized and the obstacle projectedinto the gearbox, the motor will start and theclutch will disengage, freeing ratchet wheel 44 and pinion 46, which as previously described permits gravity or other forces to separate the roll 28 from shoe 14.

If the operator when ironing comes to a particularly thick or damp portion of the fabric and his necessary to slow down the revolvingof the roll in order to dry more thoroughly this portion of the fabric, it can be done by depressing the button '73 and then releasing it a trifle, breaking andmaking the contact of 76 and 78 in quick succession. In this way it is possible to slow down the speed of the motor and the roll without actually stopping either, and this can be accomplished conveniently and without interfering with the pressure.

The device and system embodying my invention thus provide a simple andeasily actuated means for selectively effecting either a frictional ironing or only a pressing operation, the control means being a manually actuable switch. My invention provides an ironer having a co-operating roll and shoe, and means to selectively-effect rotatable and non-rotatable engagement of the shoe and the roll, whereby to effect either a pressure engagement alone or a simultaneous pressure and relatively rotatable engagement. It ls also adaptable to a press utilizing a buck and a pressing head as pressing elements to control ating pressing members adapted to move into and out of pressing engagement and to have frictional sliding movement relative to each other, motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch operatively associated with one of said pressing membersfor actuating it to'eil'ect said movements, and amultiple contact plural-position switch effective in one position to cause operation of the clutch to effect first a pressing movement and then a rotative movement of one of said pressing members relatively to the other and effective in another position to cause deenergization of the motor.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the switch is pressure-actuated and the two positions in the order named are in sequential order of increasing pressure on the switch.

3. An ironing machine including two co-operating pressing members having normally disengaged positions relatively to each other, motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch associated with one of said pressing members to actuate the same, and a plural-position pressure-actuated switch controlling the motor and the clutch and effective in its first actuated position to energize the clutch to cause rotative engagement of the two pressing members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective on continuing movement in the same direction to its second actuated position to deenergize the motor and hold the two pressing members in non-rotative engagement to press fabrics placed therebetween. V

4. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members having normally disengaged positions relatively to each other, motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch associated with one of said pressing members to actuate the same, and a plural-position switch controlling the motor and the clutch and eifective in its first actuated position to energize the clutch to cause rotative engagement of the two pressing members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective on continuing movement in the same direction to its second actuated position, to deenergize the motor and hold the two pressing members in nonrotative engagement to press fabrics placed therebetween and effective upon release to cause return of the pressing members to the normal disengaged positions.

5. An ironing machine including cooperating pressing and ironing members mounted for movement toward and away from each other, motor driven means for actuating one of said memhers and control means for the motor driven means effective inits first actuated position to cause rotative engagement of the two members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective on continuing movement in the same direction to its second actuated position to deenergize the motor, the two members remaining in nonrotative engagement.

6. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing and ironing members mounted for relative movement toward and away from each other, a motor driven means, and control means therefor effective in one actuated position manually to cause a frictional and pressing engagement of the two members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective in another actuated position to'prevent the frictional part of the engagement of the members. 7

'I. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing and ironing members mounted for relative movement towards and away from one another, a motor driven mechanism and control means therefor effective in its first actuated position to cause a frictional and pressing engagement 0 the two members to iron fabrics placed therebetween and effective on continuing said control movement to its second actuated position to prevent the frictional part of the engagement of the two members.

8. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members, means to move the pressing members toward and away from one another and to slide them frictionally one against theother, a motor to actuate the moving means and control means to govern the motor and the moving means and having at least three positions and effective in one position to cause a pressure and frictional engagement between the members and effective in another position to cause a pressure engagement only between the members and effective in a third position to cause a separation of the members.

9. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the control means is.a manually operable plural-contact switch.

.10. An ironing machine including two relatively movable cooperating pressing members,

motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch actuating one of said members to move it into and out of pressing engagement with and to have relative frictional sliding engagement on the other member, and operable pressure-actuated switch means for the motor and the electromagnetically controlled clutch, to control them to selectively effect' any one of said plurality of movements.

11. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members adapted to move into and out of pressing engagement and to have frictional sliding movement relatively to each other,

motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch operatively associated with one of said pressing members for actuating it to efiect said movements, and a multiple contact switch electrically connected to the motor and to the electromagnet and actuable by a continuing movement thereof in the same direction to control the motor driven mechanism including the electromagnet to selectively elfect any one of said movements.

12. An ironing machine including two cooperating pressing members adapted to move into and out of pressing engagement and to have frictional sliding movement relatively to each other, motor driven mechanism including an electromagnetically controlled clutch operatively associated with one of said pressing members for actuating it to effect said movements, and a multiple contact switch electrically connected to the motor and to the electromagnet to cause the motor driven mechanism to selectively effect ,a pressing and then a frictional movement or a pressing movement only of one of said pressing members.

13. An ironing machine including two coopcrating pressing members, motor driven operating means therefor and an electrical control means actuated by an initial movement to cause a frictional pressing engagement of the two members and actuated by a further movement in the same direction to deenergize the motor whereby pressing engagement only of the two members is effected.

14. In an ironing machine including a fixed shoe, a roll normally separated from the shoe, a support for the roll adapted to permit its bodily movement towards the shoe, a motor operatively connected to the roll to rotate the same and operatively connected to the roll support to move the roll toward the shoe and a single clutch means for the motor to transmit forces to produce both said movements.

15. An ironing machine including two pressing members, operating means for effecting movement of one of said members toward and away from the other, an electric circuit, a motor in said circuit for actuating the operating means, an electromagnetically controlled clutch for the operating means, a manually actuable plural position switch in the circuit controlling the motor and the clutch control, and efiective upon actuation to a first position by an operator to energize the clutch control and the motor, to cause engagement of the two members and upon further actuation in the same direction, to a second position to deenergize the motor while maintaining the energization of the clutch control, whereby pressing engagement only of the two members is maintained, disengagement of the two pressing members being effected by return of the switch to its initial position to deenergize the clutch control only or by deenergization of the electric circuit.

16. An'ironing machine including a fixed pressing member and a cooperating pivotally mounted pressing member, a motor-driven gear train and an electromagnetically controlled clutch in the gear train connected with the pivotally mounted pressing member'to cause it to move toward and into engagement with the fixed member and to rotate thereagainst, a single plural-position switch and electric connections between it, the motor and the clutch electromagnet, said switch being actuable by a first movement to energize the clutch electromagnet to cause the gear train to move the pivotally mounted pressing member into engagement with and then rotate against the fixed pressing member, by a further move ment in the same direction to deenergize the motor to stop the rotation of the pivotally mounted pressing member, by a third movement in the reverse direction to energize the motor to cause relative rotary movement and by a further movement in the reverse direction to deenergize the clutch electromagnet and cause separation of the two pressing members.

WILLIAM M. EMERY.

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