US1999400A - Garment or ironing press - Google Patents

Description

April 30, 1935. E.- DAVIS Y 1,999,400

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed Aug. 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

April 30, 193 5. E DAVIS 2,999,400

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed Aug. 4; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I l A TTORNEYS.

atenterl Apr. 3h i193 GMIENT 01R lIlEtOiNllNG JPRJESS Application August 4, 1930, Serial No. 473,028

ll Claims.

This invention relates to jaw-type pressing machines such as garment and laundry presses and particularly to means of the two-hand control type for operating the motors of such presses.

It is common practice to provide pneumatic pressing machines with two-hand control devices which require the operator to hold a push button depressed with each hand until the pressing elements have come together. When the press is thus closed it is conventional practice to provide means for locking the valves, which are operated by the push buttons, in position so that the operator may release the push buttons and working fluid will continue to flow-to the press motor to hold the press jaws closed.

The principal object of this invention is to provide novel means for locking a pressing machine closed without looking the two-hand control means. A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically supplying working fluid to the motor when the press reaches closed position, and to operate such means independently of the valves which are operated by the two-hand control.

A further object of the invention is to provide a by-pass, for working fluid, around the twohand control devices, and to provide means for automatically opening a valve in the by-pass to supply working fluid to the motor, after the pressing elements have come together, to hold the press closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear and will be pointed out as the description proceeds. V

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of a pressing machine to which my invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a schematic showing, mostly in section, of the pressing machine motor andthe control mechanism therefor.

The invention is designed primarily for use on pressing machines having an opening and closing movement and such a machine is shown in Figure 1 and includes a pressing head ll secured to a yoke or press lever I2 which is pivotally mounted at l3 on a frame It of the pressing machine. A fixed pressing element or buck i5 is supported by a neck 16 which is mounted on the pressing machine frame I l. A link 20 is pivoted at 2! to the yoke. A bell crank 22 is pivoted at 23 to the pressing machine frame it, and is pivotally connected at 25 to the link 29. A fluid motor 2i is oscillatedly mounted at 28 on the pressing machine frame M. The fluid motor 27 includes a piston 30 which is pivotally connected at 3i to the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 22. The link 26 and upstanding arm of the bell crank 22 form a toggle and operation of the motor 2i rocks the bell crank 22 in a counter-clockwise direction, in Figure l, to straighten the toggle and bring the pressing elements M and i5 together to close the press. A spring 33 is secured at its upper end to the pressing machine frame Hi, and at its lower end to the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever 22. The spring 33 rocks the bell crank lever 22 in a clockwise direction, in Figure l, to break the toggle and open the press when working fluid is released from the fluid motor 21!. The mechanism thus far described is of the conventional type and is merely one form of ironing press with which my invention may be used.

The fluid motor 21 includes a cylinder 35 having .a piston 36 therein which is rigidly secured to the piston rod 30. The cylinder 35 is provided with a port 38 in the wall thereof at a point near the lower end of the cylinder. The'port 38 establishes communication between the inside of the cylinder 35 and a chamber 50 which is connected to a pipe t I.

An orifice di of reduced cross section is provided in the pipe ill for reasons which will be explained in connection with the operation of the control mechanism to open the press at the end of the pressure ironing operation.

Working fluid passes to and from the cylinder 35 through a pipe M which leads to a check valve casing M. This valve is in effect a double check valve means M provided with an upper valve seat t5 and a lower valve seat A6, thus forming a twoway check valve. A check valve A8 is located within the check valve casing M and is normally held against the seat M5 by a spring 50 to close a by-pass pipe 52 leading from the top of the check valve casing M. A by-pass pipe 5t leads from the bottom of the double or two-way check valve casing Ml. When the check valve M is against the seat t5, working fluid can not flow from the check valve casing M into the by-pass pipe 52. When the check valve M is against the seat 46 working fluid can not flow from the check valve casing M into the by-pass pipe 5A.

The pipe 52 is provided with an exhaust valve casing 56 at one end, and a branch pipe 51 connects the pipe 52 with a combined intake and exhaust valve casing 59.

The valve casing 56 contains a normally open exhaust valve 60 having a valve stem 6! which extends through the end of the valve casing 56. A push button 62 is provided to operate the valve 66 in the valve casing 56. A bell crank 63, pivoted at 66 to the pressing machine frame l6, transmits motion of the push button 62 to the valve stem 6| to operate the valve 60.

The valve casing 59 contains a normally closed intake valve 65 and a normally open exhaust valve 66 which are connected together by a spacer rod 6'? so that they operate as a unit. A spring 66 holds the valves in their normal open-press positions as shown in Figure 2. The valve 66 is provided with a valve stem 16 which projects through the end of the valve casing 59. A push button 12 is provided to operate the valves 65 and 66 in the valve casing 59. A bell crank l3, pivoted at 76 to the pressing machine frame I4, transmits motion of the push button 12 to the valve stem 16 to operate the valves 65 and 66 in the valve casing 59.

A fluid supply source conduit system such as a pipe or air pressure line is connected by a pipe 76 with the valve casing 59. A branch pipe ll leads from the fluid supply source or pipe 15 to a valve casing 86 comprising in effect a control valve means in the by-pass pressure supply line ll, 54.

The valve casing 86 contains a normally closed intake valve. and a normally open exhaust valve 86 which are connected together by a spacer rod 87 so that the valves operate as a unit and they remain in the position shown in Figure 2 until the press closes. A spring 89 holds the valves 85 and 86 in normal position. The valve 86 is pro vided with a valve stem 66 which projects through the end of the valve casing 80. A rocker arm 9! is pivotally mounted at 92 to a bracket 93 formed on the valve casing 86. The rocker arm 9! is operated by a plunger 96 which extends through the side of a diaphragm chamber 95 in which is mounted a diaphragm 96. When working fluid 'pressure is applied behind the diaphragm 96 the plunger 94 will be operated to move the rocker arm 9| against the valve stem to operate the valves 85 and 86 in the valve casing 86. The pipe 56 connects the valve casing 80, at a point midway between the valves 85 and 86, with the check valve casing 44. Pressure is supplied to the diaphragm chamber 95 through the pipe 4|.

To exhaust working fluid from the diaphragm chamber 95 a pipe I66 is connected with the pipe GI and leads to a valve casing l0! which contains a normally closed exhaust valve I02. A spring I03 holds the valve I02 in normal position and a handle I64 may be operated to open the exhaust valve'l62 to permit fluid to escape from the pipe I06 through the valve casing NH.

The operation of the control mechanism is as follows- When the press is in open position, the control devices will occupy the positions shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and the piston 36 and piston rod 36 will be at the top of their stroke. Depression of the push button 62, without likewise operating the push button 12, will close the normallyopen exhaust valve 60 but have no effect to start the operation of the motor since the supply of working fluid pressure is cut off by the normally closed intake valve 65. Depression of the push button 12, without operating the other push button 62, will open the intake valve 65 and close the exhaust valve 66. Working fluid will flow through the pipe 16 around the open intake valve 65, through the valve casing 59, and branch pipe 51, to the pipe 52, but no pressure will build up in the pipe 52 since the working fluid will escape through the valve casing 56 and open exhaust valve 60 as fast as it is supplied through the branch pipe 57. From the above description it will be apparent that it is impossible for the operator to close the press by operating only one of the push buttons 62 and 12. Should the operator remove his hand from either button 62 or 12 while the press is closing the motor is in stantly deenergized, and the press-opening spring 33 arrests the closing movement of the ironing head H and pulls it back up out of the way to afford clear vision of the work and room to safely smooth or correct the lay of the garment or work about to be ironed on the buck I5.

If the push buttons 62 and 12 are both depressed at the same time working fluid from the supply line or pipe 15 will flow through the supply pipe 76, around the open intake valve 65, through the valve casing 59, and branch pipe 5'! to the pipe 52. Since the exhaust valve 60 is closed working fluid can not escape to atmosphere from the pipe 52 through the valve casing 56. Pressure will now build up in the pipe 52 and the two-way check valve 48 will move downwardly and open against the tension of the spring 50. Work ng fluid will then flow from the pipe 52 into the double check valve casing 44, and through the pipe 42 to the cylinder 35 to operate the fluid motor 27 to close the press.

The check valve 48, spring 56 and valve casing 44 are so designed that the dynamic pressure of the working fluid flowing from the pipe 52 into the valve casing 44 against the check valve 48 will hold the check valve 48 against the lower seat 66 so that working fluid can not escape from the check valve casing 44 through the pipe 54 to atmosphere thru the by-pass control means 80 having the normally-open exhaust valve 86.

As the fluid motor 27 operates to close the press the piston 36 will move downwardly, in Figure 2, until it uncovers the port 38 in the wall of the cylinder 35. The port 38 is located in such a position in the cylinder Wall that the pressing elements or jaws will be substantially together before the piston 36 uncovers the port 38. When the pressing elements are substantially together there is no longer any danger of the operator getting one hand between the pressing elements and hence, it is not necessary to require the operator to keep his hands on the push buttons 62 and 12 during the remaining operation of the press. When the piston 36 uncovers the port 38 and admits working fluid into the chamber 46 from which it flows through the pipe 4! to the diaphragm chamber 95, the valves in the valve casing 80 will be operated to supply working fluid to the motor and the operation of the valves, which are controlled by the operator, is no longer necessary.

When the diaphragm 96 is actuated by pressure from the cylinder 35 and the rocker arm 9| tilts to open the intake valve 85 and close the exhaust valve 86, working fluid will flow from the pipe 15, through the by-pass pipe 11, around the open intake valve 85, through the valve casing 80, the by-pass pipe 54, thru the check valve casing 44, and thence to the fluid-pressure motor 21. Hence the spaced two-hand controls 62 and 12 are cut out, shunted or by-passed by the pressure feed lines 15, I1 and 54 under the control of the 75 cylinder port 38 and pneumatic control means 81!, 96 after the press has reached closed position, whereby the operator may then release the two buttons and yet the pressure remains applied to the cylinder to keep the press closed.

When the pressure is applied under the check valve 68, from the cylinder port 38, this pressure together with the spring 50 will overcome the dynamic pressure caused by working fluid entering from the pipe 52 and the check valve t8 will move into its normal position by expansion of the spring 50 and into contact with the seat t8. Working fluid from the pipe ti l now flows through the check valve casing M, and pipe 32, to the cylinder 35 of the fluid motor 21 to operate the fluid motor to apply final heavy pressure to the pressing elements and hold the press in closed position. After the operation of the valves to close the exhaust 86 and open the intake 85 in the valve casing 80 the operator may release the push buttons 62 and 112 since the check valve lB will prevent working fluid from escaping through the pipe 52 to either of the open exhaust valves W or M.

When the operator wishes to open the press he will open the exhaust valve it? by raising the handle lil l. Pressure in the pipe M and diaphragm chamber 95 will immediately be reduced by the escape of working fluid through the pipe lflll, valve casing 11M, and around the open exhaust valve Hi2. Due to the reduced cross section of the orifice M in the pipe ill working fluid will not enter from the chamber Mi into the pipe M as fast as it will exhaust through the pipe Mill, valve casing Bill, and, around the open exhaust valve Hi2. When the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 95 is thus reduced the spring 89 will move the valves 85 and 86 into normal position with the intake valve E5 closed and the exhaust valve 86 open. The supply of working fluid from the pipe H is thus cut off by the closing of the intake valve 85, and working fluid will exhaust from the cylinder 35 through the pipe d2, check valve casing Ml, pipe 5%, valve casing 80, and open exhaust, valve 86. The spring 33 (see Figure 1) will return the press operating mechanism to open-press position.

It is to be noted that the by-pass control valve means M serves to connect the initial pressure feed line H, 52 with the final or by-pass feed line 5t, ll. The spring 50 controls the action of the by-pass valve means i l at or near the end of the power stroke of the pneumatic motor piston 36 by opening the pressure port it and thereby continuing the flow of motive fluid pressure to the cylinder 35 and completely cutting out the initial or preliminary pressure supply or feed line 52 so that it matters not that the operator releases the control manuals t2 and l2 after the press closes. The spring Bil does not open the normallyclosed port Mi until near the end of the piston stroke and then the two valve means 56 and 5t, which are merely pilot or initial operating valves, are completely shunted or cut out. The combination mechanical-pneumatic means M, 96 exer- .cises complete control over the by-pass valve means M and its actuating spring means 50 and permits the latter to function only after the piston 36 uncovers the port 38. These are important features of the invention.

A plurality of closed intake spring-loaded valves 65 and 318, as well as the open exhaust valve 60, insures a deenergized motor means 21, until the two pilot or preliminary manuals 62 and T2 are depressed, whereupon the spring closed valve 38 is opened by fluid pressure initially to energize the motor and thereafter the motor is continued energized by pressure received from another line, the by-pass ll, fi l.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have devised a novel two-hand control for pressing machines by means of which the press is closed under final heavy pressure and held or locked in closed position by fluid pressure without the necessity of locking the operatoroperated control valves. It will be further apparent that the operation of my improved looking or by-pass pressure feed line control means is entirely automatic. The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment but changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine in combination cooperative pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other to close and open the press; operatingmechanism for the movable pressing-element including a fluid motor having a piston, and a cylinder with a port opening in the wall thereof near the end of the stroke of the piston; operator-operated devices for supplying working fluid to the cylinder to operate the fluid motor to close the press; other devices for supplying working fluid to the cylinder to lock the press in closed position; operating means for said other devices including means operated by working fluid supplied thereto when the piston uncovers the port in the cylinder during closing movement of the press.

2. A garment or ironing press, comprising in combination, coacting press jaws, operating mechanism to open and close the press, including a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with one of the press jaws, an initial fluid-pressure supply line connected with the motor, two-hand control-valve means included in the supply line to admit fluid pressure to the motor to actuate it and close the press, spring means included in the operating mechanism to arrest the closing movement of the press should an operator release either tWo-hand control-valve means during said closing movement, a by-pass pressure-supply line also connected with the motor and by-passing pressure around the two-hand control-valve means; and a two-way check-valve means connecting the by-pass pressure-supply line with the two-hand control-valve means, whereby said bypass line is closed when the two-hand controlvalve means is operated to start the motor, and conversely said by-pass line is opened to supply the motor with fluid pressure after the two-hand control-valve means are released to hold the press closed by fluid pressure.

3. A garment or ironing press, comprising in combination, coacting press jaws, operating mechanism to open and close the press, including a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with one of the press jaws, an initial fluid-pressure supply line connected with the motor, two-hand control-valve means included in the supply line to admit fluid pressure to the motor to actuate it and close the press, spring means included in the operating mechanism to arrest the closing movement of the press should an operator release either two-hand control-valve means during said closing movement, a by-pass pressure-supply line also connected with the motor and by-passing pressure around the two-hand control-valve means; and by-pass control-valve means connecting the two aforesaid supply lines to the motor and adapted to normally close the initial fluidpressure supply line when the press is open but operable to open when'the two-hand control-valve means are actuated aforesaid and simultaneously closing said' by-pass pressure-supply line, and means operative near the end of the press-closing motion to reverse the setting of the by-pass control-valve means to close the initial fluidpressure supply line and open the by-pass pres sure-supply line.

4. A garment or ironing press, comprising in combination, coacting press jaws, operating means to open and close the press, including a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with one press jaw, an initial pressure-feed line including a two-hand control means connected with the motor, a by-pass pressure-feed line connected with the initial line and with the motor to bypass pressure around the two-hand control means, a two-Way check-valve means in the by-passline and operative in one direction by pressure from the initial line to close the by-pass line, and means to operate said check-valve means in the other direction by pressure from the by-pass line to close the initial line and open the by-pass line near the end of the press-closing movement.

5. A garment or ironing press, comprising in combination, coacting press jaws, operating means to open and close the press, including a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with one press jaw, an initial pressure-feed line including a two-hand control means connected with the motor, a by-pass pressure-feed line connected with the initial line and with the motor to bypass pressure around the two-hand control means, a valve housing connecting the twolines and having two valve-port seats, a valve head movable between the two seats to close first one port and the other, and actuating means operated near the end of the press-closing movement to actuate the valve head to one of its seats to close the initial feed line and open the by-pass line.

6. A garment or ironing press, comprising in combination, coacting press jaws, operating means to open and close the press, including a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with one press jaw, a double-check valve housing connected with the motor, spaced-valve seats forming two intake ports in the housing, a pressurefccd line connected with each port, a valve head movable between the seats, a spring to hold the valve on one seat when the press is open, manually-controlled valve means in one line, pressurecontrolled valve means in the other line, and means to actuate the pressure-controlled valve means upon a predetermined extent of movement of the press.

'7. A garment or ironing press comprising, in combination, coacting press jaws; operating mechanism operatively connected with one of the press jaws to open and close the press including, a fluid pressure motor; operator actuated valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with a source of fluid pressure, an operating connection connecting the operator actuated valve means and the motor, a bypass valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with the source of fluid pressure, a by-pass connection connecting the bypass valve means with the motor, actuating means operatively connected with the by-pass valve means to close the exhaust and open the intake upon a predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism, and means normally closing one of the connections and operated upon the same predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism to cut off the operating connection and open the by-pass connection.

8. A garment or ironing press comprising, in combination, coacting press jaws; operating mechanism operativelyconnected with one of the press jaws to open and close the press including, a fluid pressure motor; operator actuated valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with a source of fluid pressure, an operating connection between the operator actuated valve means and the motor, a by-pass valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with the source of fluid pressure, a by-pass connection connecting the by-pass valve means with the motor, actuating means operatively connected with the by-pass valve means to close the exhaust and open the intake upon a predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism, and means normally closing the operating connection and operated upon the actuation of the operator actuated valve means to open the operating connection and close the by-pass connection and operated upon actuation of the bypass valve means to close the operating connection and open the by-pass connection.

9. A garment or ironing press comprising, in combination, coacting press jaws; operating mechanism operatively connected with one of the press jaws to open and close the press including, a fluid pressure motor; operator actuated valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with a source of fluid pressure, an .operating connection between the operator actuated valve means and the motor, a by-pass valve means having a normally open exhaust and a normally closed intake adapted to be connected with the source of fluid pressure, a by-pass connection connecting the by-pass valve means with the motor, actuating means operatively connected with the, by-pass valve means to close the exhaust and open the intake upon a predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism,

and check valve means resiliently closing the opcrating connection, means connected with fluid pressure upon actuation of the operator actuated valve means and operating the check valve means to open the operating connection and close the by-pass connection and being operated by fluid pressure from the by-pass valve means upon actuation thereof to cut oil the operating connection and open the by-pass connection.

10. A garment or ironing press comprising, in combination, coacting press jaws; operating mechanism operatively connected with one of the press jaws to open and close the press including, a fluid pressure motor; operator actuated valve means having, a normally closed intake valve adapted to be connected with a source of fluid supply and a normally open exhaust valve; an

' operating connection between the operator actuated valve means and the motor, a. by-pass valve means having a normally closed intake valve connected with a source of fluid supply, a by-pass connection connecting the by-pass valve means with the motor, means operated upon a predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism for opening the by-pass intake valve, valve means in the operating connection and opoeaaoo erated by fluid pressure in the by-pass connection to close the operating connection and render the normally open exhaust valve ineffective to exhaust fluid from the motor, and means to exhaust the fluid pressure from the motor to open the press.

11. A garment or ironing press comprising, in combination, coacting press jaws; operating mechanism operatively connected with one of the press jaws to open and close the press including, a fluid pressure motor; operator actuated valve means having, a normally closed intake valve adapted to be connected with a source of fluid supply; an operating connection between the operator actuated valve means and the motor; a

by-pass valve means having a normally closed intake valve connected with a source of fluid supply, and a normally open exhaust valve; a by-pass connection connecting the by-pass valve means with the motor, means operated upon a predetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism for opening the by-pass intake valve and closing the open exhaust valve, and valve means operated by fluid pressure in the operating connection to close the by-pass connection and thereby render the normally open exhaust therein ineffective, andmeans to exhaust the motor.

ERNEST DAVIS.

Images