US2029715A - Control mechanism for garment pressing machines - Google Patents

Description

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 4 L L I 4.4

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' 8.6 M g 61 7a 1 7 7 5 7 A 71 /a2 77 as I INVENTOR 7 ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1936. A. F. HANNEY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAH e a z a a 0 50 f0 5 50 {a 50 I as .33 3 I J 54 If [6 f7 i 62? u an FM! 4 I 34 f a; 37 39 a? 12 4a 46 J g 1- 5 43 flW Q 4'2 ATTORN EY-S.

Feb. 4, 1935. HANNEY 2,029,715-

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 5, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Will/111,111!!! Patented Feb. 4, 1936 J ETE T eerie CONTROL MECHANESM FOR GARMENT PRESSING MACHINES Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,815

11 Claims.

This invention relates to control mechanism for presses, particularly presses of the type used in garment and laundry work.

One object of my invention is to provide a compact arrangement of the control valves and operating parts therefor which reduces the number of parts, thus contributing to a cheaper construction.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the number of connections necessary to be made between the control mechanism and the operating parts of the press on the one hand, and between the control mechanism and the power supply on the other hand.

Other objects and .advantages will be disclosed in the following description and the essential features of the invention are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation'partly in section of a pressing machine showing the control mechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 to '7 are sectional views taken along similarly numbered lines of Fig. 2; while Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the control mechanism.

I have chosen to illustrate my control mechanism as applied to a press of the type disclosed, described and claimed in the copending application of John P. Singiser, Ser. No. 633,322, filed August 2, 1933, although it will be understood that the mechanism is .applicable to any pressing machine having coacting pressing elements.

A. complete description of the construction and operation of the press here illustrated will be found in the above mentioned application and only sufficient description will be given here to permit an understanding of the operation of the control mechanism. The press comprises a suitable frame it supporting two coacting pressing members, a head i l and a bed or buck t2, the head being supported in fixed position and the bed being supported on a carriage l3 equipped with rollers M which travel on rails I5 permitting the bed to have a translatory motion in a substantially horizontal direction from and. into registering position beneath the head. The bed is provided with a stem ES extending downwardly through .an opening of the carriage which permits a limited vertical movement of the bed with respect to its carriage. Translatory movement of the bed is provided by cylinder l8 having a suitable piston and rod 2%. The piston rod is connected to the bed carriage by link 2|, cranks Z2 and 23 pivoting about the shaft 24, and link 25 connected to the carria AS V w d. in ig- 1, movement of the piston rod 20 to the right Will move the bed 12 into registering position beneath the head. The return movement of the bed to its outer or open position is caused by spring 26 connected by crank 21 to the shaft E l. A snubber I9 is connected by suitable linkage to the shaft 2 1 to cushion the action of the moving parts.

When the pressing members are in registration, the bed is raised substantially vertically from its carriage and pressed against the head by a piston 28 in a cylinder 29 mounted on the frame beneath the head. The piston rod 30 contacts the stem l6 thus raising the bed. The piston 28 and cylinder 29 are hereinafter referred to as the reciprocation motor.

The control mechanism here illustrated is somewhat similar in function to that illustrated, described and claimed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 683,814, filed August 5, 1933. The control mechanism comprises in general inlet and outlet valves for the control of the flow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the translation motor and similar valves for the reciprocation motor. A manually operable control handle serves tomove the control valves for the translation motor in press-closing direction. Interlocking means actuated by movement of the bed into registration with the head thereafter actuated the control valves for the reciprocation motor in press-closing direction, causing the bed to be pressed against the head for the final pressing operation. For returning the bed to its open position, I provide fluid pressure actuated release means, the control valve for which is operated by a manual control member. This preferably comprises a guard depending in a position where it will be struck by the operators hands if they are accidentally resting upon the bed as it moves into registering position with the head. A similar movement of the guard is used for the actuation of the control valve for the releasing means in the regular opening operation of the press. The parts of the control mechanism above mentioned are used for individual press operation and I also provide means for the cross or tandem operation of a plurality of presses. This means takes the form of an additional valve at one press for admitting fluid pressure from the main supply conduit to the release means of a second press. I also provide means for actuating this additional valve for releasing a second press by the movement of a control member which causes actuation of the first press in press closing direction.

1 ward theirclosed positions.

The detailed arrangement illustrated shows all of these control valves grouped together and preferably arranged in a single valve block 3| mounted on the press frame. In the form illustrated this block comprises an upper portion 32 carrying the valves and valve stems and a lower portion 33 in which are located connecting conduits and passageways for conducting the fluid pressure to required points. As shown in Fig. 2, 34 is an outlet and 35 an inlet valve for the translation motor. 36 is a release valve controlling the flow of fluid pressure to a release means of a second press. 31 is a release valve for the instant press. 38 is an inlet and 33 an outlet valve for controlling the flow of fluid pressure to the reciprocation motor. It will be noted that I have grouped the valves connected to the main fluid pressure supply conduit in the central portion of the valve block where they may be connected by short passageways to said conduit. This main supply conduit is illustrated at 46 and a strainer 4! is provided in a lateral projecting portion of the valve block. The fluid pressure enters the valve block at 42 where a cross passageway 43 communicates directly with valve 37,

and, through ports 44 and 45 controlled by needlev valves 46 and 47, fluid pressure is admitted to passageway 49 which communicates with valves 35 and 36, and to passageway 49 which communicates with valve 38. Suitable outlet ducts 50 lead from the various valves in the upper portion of the block to the connecting conduits and passageways in the lower portion of the block. Springs 5| normally bias the valves to- The inlet valves 35 and 38 for the translation and reciprocation motors are provided with packing glands 52 and 53 respectively.

The fluid pressure connections from the valve block to the various operating parts of the press are as follows:

54 is for the exhaust from outlet valve 34 of the translation motor. 55 communicates with the cylinder l8 of the translation motor. 56 leads to the release means of a second press. 51 is connected with the release means of the instant press. 58 communicates with the cylinder 29 of the reciprocation motor and 59 is for the exhaust from outlet valve 39 of the reciprocation motor.

In Fig. 3 another conduit 66 is shown which communicates with a valve and conduit of a second press similar to 36 and 56 whereby fluid pressure is transmitted to the release means of the instant press through conduit 66, check valve 6|, passageway 62 and needle valve 63 to conduit. 51 for actuating the release means of the instant press. Conduit 55 is the only communicating means between the translation motor and the valve block and serves for both inlet and outlet of fluid pressure to cylinder l8. To connect conduit 55 with exhaust conduit 54, I provide a diagonally extending passageway 64 in the valve block and in a similar manner at the opposite end of the valve block a diagonal passageway 65 connects the common inlet and outlet duct 58 of the reciprocation motor with the exhaust conduit 59.

The arrangement of the valves in one block, and preferably in alignment, permits a very compact arrangement of the actuators for the various valves; The arrangement illustrated comprises a single shaft supporting a series of cams opposite the respective valve stems. This arrangement is most clearly seen in Fig. 2 wherein cam shaft 66 is supported for rotation on the frame of the press in suitable bearings 61 and carrying cam 14 for actuation of valve 34, 15 for valve 35 and T6 for valve 36, these cams being rigidly secured to the shaft 66 as by pins. For actuation of valve S'L cam l! is mounted with a suitable bearing on shaft 66 to freely rotate thereabout. For actuation of valves 38 and 39, cams i8 and T9 are mounted'on a sleeve shaft 80 supported in suitable bearings 8| for rotation about the shaft 66.

The connections between the cams and various operating parts are as follows:

For actuation of cams l4, l5 and 16 which are rigid with shaft 66, I provide a control handle 82 connected by rod 83 and arm 84 with shaft 66.

The control handle 82 has two operative positions, a first or normal position for individual press operation and a second or abnormal position for cross or tandem operation of two presses.

The position of earns 74, and 16 when the press is in its open position, as seen in Fig. 1, is illustrated in Fig. 7 where cam 14 is in a horizontal position maintaining valve 34 open. For individual press operation, the control handle is moved to its first or normal position, which causes cam 14 to pass beyond the stem of valve 34, thus permitting the outlet valve 34 to close impelled by its spring, and at the same time cam 15 contacts the stem of valve 35 admitting fluid pressure to the translation motor, thus causing the bed to move into registering position with the head. For tandem operation, control handle 82 is moved to its second or abnormal position where cam 15 still contacts the stem of valve 35 and cam 16 contacts the stem of valve 36 admitting fluid pressure to the release means of a second press, thus causing opening of that second press simultaneously with the initiation of the closing of the first press For actuating valves 38 and 39 to cause the reciprocation motor to close the press when the pressing members are in registration, the sleeve shaft carrying the actuators l8 and 19 for these valves is connected with interlocking means arranged to be actuated by movement of the bed into registering position. While any interlocking means would be suitable for this purpose, I have illustrated a mechanical interlock similar to that shown in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 683,814, before mentioned, comprising an interlock arm 85 having a follower 66 travelling along a cam 81 mounted on the bed carriage. This cam has a notch 38 into which the follower moves, when the pressing members reach registering position, impelled by spring 89 acting on 1 linkage connected with the interlock arm. The connection between this arm and the sleeve shaft 80 above mentioned comprises link 9!), bell crank 9!, link 92 and arm 93 connected with the sleeve shaft. The arrangement of the valves 38 and 39 and their actuators l8 and T9 is clearly shown in Fig. 5 where the parts are illustrated in their normal position with the press open. Clockwise movement of the interlock arm 85, caused by the follower 86 moving into the notch 88, causes movement of cam 19 out of contact with the stem of outlet valve 39 of the reciprocation motor, permitting it to close, and causes cam 16 to contact the stem of inlet valve 33, thus admitting fluid pressure to the reciprocation motor and pressing the bed against the head.

For actuating the control valves in press-opening direction, I provide fluid pressure actuated release means preferably arranged so that one release member causes actuation of the control valves of the translation and reciprocation motors in press-opening direction simultaneously. While various arrangements of this fluid operated release member are possible, I have provided a very compact arrangement by mounting a release cylinder closely adjacent and preferably connected to the valve block. The arrangement shown comprises a cylinder 94 having a suitable piston 95, the piston rod 96 of which extends through a suitable bearing 91 and engages a shoe 98 in free connection as shown in Fig. 6. This shoe is arranged for limited vertical movement guided by pins 99. The piston 95 is normally held in its lowermost position by a spring IllIl. Coacting members are provided on the cam shaft 66 and the sleeve shaft 30 so that the shoe 98 may contact such members and return the respective shafts to their normal position for opening the press. These members which coact with the shoe are a flanged collar llll rigid with shaft 66 and a similar flange I92 rigid with sleeve shaft 853. The cap 33 is shaped as shown in Fig. 6 to fit the flanges NH and I32 and is of suflicient width to engage both, as shown in Fig. 2. The position of the flanged collars after the valves have been actuated to close the press is shown in broken lines at I33 of Fig. 6. As the shoe 38 moves upwardly, it returns the collars to the full line positions I51 and 02 in Figs. 5 and 6 which returns cams M and T3 to their horizontal positions as seen in Figs. 7 and 5 respectively whichactuates valves 34, 35, 38 and 39 in press-opening direction. Fluid pressure is admitted to release cylinder 94 by means of conduit 5'! as previously described.

The admission of fluid pressure to the release cylinder through conduit 51 for individual press operation is controlled by valve 31, as previously mentioned, through passageway 43. The flow of pressure to conduit 51 in cross or tandem operation of two presses is by means of conduit 63, check valve 6! and passageway 62, as previously described. The movement of actuator H for valve 3? is caused by swinging the guard I3 to which cam 11 is connected by arm I35 and rod Hi3. This is clearly shown in Fig. 6 where cam TI is shown in its normal position with the guard swinging freely and movement of the guard rearwardly causes movement of arm I05 and cam I? in a counter-clockwise direction so that the cam engages the stern of valve 31 admitting pressure to cylinder 94 and causing shoe 98 to return either shaft 66 or both shafts 63 and 80 to their normal position for opening the press.

The operating of a single press is as follows:

With the parts in the position of Fig. 1, the operator arranges the lay of the work on the bed I2 and moves the control handle 82 to its first position. This handle through rod 83 and arm 84 moves cam '54 out of contact with the stem of valve 34 and cam I5 into contact with the stem of valve 35, thus closing the outlet and opening the inlet valve to admit fluid pressure through 43424d-3835-53 to translation cylinder I3. Piston rod 23 moves forwardly and, through linkage, moves bed I2 rearwardly into registration with head II. When the members come into registering position, follower 36 moves into notch 88 of cam 81 impelled by spring 89. arm 85 moves clockwise and, through the connections 3Il9I32-93, rotates sleeve shaft 83 moving cam 13 out of contact with stem of valve 39 and moving cam 18 into contact with the stem of valve 38, thus admitting fluid pressure through 40-42-43-454938.-58 to cylinder 29 of the Interlock reciprocation motor. Piston rod 30 moves upwardly contacting stem [6 and raising bed I2 into pressure engagement with head II. When the pressing operation is completed, the operator swings guard I rearwardly or in a clockwise direction which, through rod I36 and arm I05, rotates cam TI to a position contacting the stem of valve 31, thus admitting fluid pressure through 4Il42-433l to conduit to release cylinder 94. Piston 95 moves upwardly raising cap 98 into contact with flanges I0! and I02 thus rotating cam shaft 66 and sleeve shaft 80 to their starting positions with cam I4 contacting the stem of valve 34 and cam 19 contacting the stem of valve 39 which exhausts the fluid pressure from the translation motor through 55-Ii4 3454 and exhausts the reciprocation motor through 58-65--39-59 and causes the press to open.

For tandem operation, the operator after arranging the lay of the work moves control handle 82 to its second position which initiates the closing of the instant press in the manner just described but in addition, brings cam 16 into contact with the stem of valve 33 which admits the fluid pressure from the main supply conduit through passageways 42, 43, 48, valve 36, and

conduit 56 to parts of a second press corresponding to conduit 60, check valve 6|, duct 62, and conduit 51 to a release cylinder of the second press, thus causing opening of the second press.

I have thus provided control mechanism very compactly arranged and which is easily installed by mounting the valve block and its attached release cylinder on the press frame and making the necessary connections with rods 83, 92 and I06. The connections between the cam actuating rods 83, 92 and IE6 and the operating parts of the press are very few and. cheaply constructed. The piping conections are very simple. Those for single operation comprise the air supply 40, and conduits 55 and 58 leading to the fluid motors, assuming that the connection 57 between the release cylinder and the block were part of the unitary assembly of such valve block. For tandem operation, two additional connections would be necessary, namely, conduits 56 and 50.

What I claim is:

1. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a bed having translatory and reciprocatory movement toward and from the head, a fluid motor for causing each movement, inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from each motor, rotatable actuators for moving said valves in one direction, and power means for moving said valves in the opposite direction.

2. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a bed having translatory and reciprocatory movement toward and from the head, a fluid motor for causing each movement, inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from each motor, rotatable actuators for moving said valves in one direction, and a release member common to both actuators for moving said valves in the opposite direction.

3. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a bed having translatory and reciprocatory movement toward and from the head, a fluid motor for causing each movement, inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from each motor, actuators rotatable about a common axis for moving said valves in one direction, and a release member common to both actuators for moving said valves in the opposite direction.

4. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, two power means acting serially to move one of said members toward the other, control members for each power means supported on adjacent aligned rotatable shafts, projections on adjacent ends of said shafts, and a common member adapted to contact said projections and simultaneously rotate said shafts.

5. In a press of the class described, the combination of relatively movable pressing members, a fluid motor for actuating one of said members, control valves therefor, a fluid pressure actuated control member, a control valve therefor, an oscillatable shaft, all of said valves being mounted in a common valve block with their valve stems adjacent said shaft, cams on said shaft adapted to contact said stems, the cams for said firstnamed control valves being fast to said shaft, the

cam for said second-named control valve being loose on said shaft, means for operating said loose cam, means for moving said shaft in one direction to actuate said motor control valves to cause a press-closing effect, and an operative connection between said control member and shaft for moving said shaft in another direction to actuate said motor control valves and cause a pressopening effect. I

6. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, a fluid pressure actuated motor for causing said movement, control valves for said motor, a fluid pressure actuated release servo-motor, a control valve therefor, a movable shaft, operating members for said valves lying adjacent said shaft, actuators for said motor control valves rigid with said shaft, an actuator for the servo-motor control valve movable on said shaft, means for operating said last-named actuator, means for moving said shaft in one direction to cause a press-closing effect, and an operative connection between said servo-motor and said shaft for movingsaid shaft in another direction to cause a press-opening effect.

'7. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a bed having translatory and reciprocatory movement toward and from the head, a fluid motor for causing each movement,

' control valves for each motor, fluid pressure actuated release means for said press, a control valve therefor, fluid pressure actuated release means for a second press, a control valve therefor, actuators for each of said control valves, the actuators for the control valves for the translation motor and for the release means for the second press being secured to a shaft, whereby movement of the shaft in one direction actuates the translation motor valves to move the bed toward the head and actuates the release means to open the second press, the actuator for the control valve for the release means for the first press being supported for rotation on said shaft, the actuators for the control valves of the reciprocation motor being mounted on a second shaft coaxial with the first named shaft, so that movement of the second shaft in one direction actuates the reciprocation motor valves to 'move the bed toward the head, and said release means for the first named press having operative connections for moving both shafts in a direction to actuate the motor valves to move the bed from the head.

8. In a press of the class described, the combination of a head, a bed movable into and out of registration and into and out of pressure engagement with the head, a fluid motor for causing each movement, control valves for each motor, fluid pressure actuated release means for opening said press, a control valve therefor, fluid pressure actuated release means for opening a second press, a control valve therefor, actuators for each of said control valves, a control handle, a finger guard, interlocking means arranged for operation by movement of the bed into registration with the head, said actuators for the valves of the two fluid motors being supported on coaxial shafts, the actuators for the control valves for the registration-producing motor and for the release means for the second press having an operative connection with the control handle, whereby to initiate registration of the firstnamed press and to open the second press, the actuator for the control valve for the release means for the first-named press having an operative connection with the finger guard, wherev by to open the first-named press upon actuation of the guard, the actuators for the control valves for the press-closing motor having an operative connection with the interlocking means, whereby to initiate movement into pressure engagement :2

upon the bed reaching registration, and said release means being operable to move the coaxial shafts in press-opening and out-of-registratlon direction.

9. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of coacting pressing members, one of which is movable substantially horizontally into and out of registration with the other member and movable substantially vertically into and out of pressure engagement therewith, two fluid pressure actuated motors for moving said member, one motor for causing horizontal movement and one for causing vertical movement, valves for controlling the flow of fluid pressure to said motors, a shaft, said valves having operating members adjacent said shaft, actuators rigid with said shaft for moving the operating members for said horizontal-movement-producing motor valves, manual means for moving said shaft and actuators in into-registration-producing direction, an actuator freely rotatable on said shaft and controlled automatically after movement of said movable member into registration for moving the operating members of said vertical-movement-producing motor valves in intopressure-engagement-producing direction, and means for simultaneously moving all of said actuators in press-opening and out-of-registrationproducing direction.

' 10. A press as in claim 9, in which said lastnamed means is a fluid actuated servo-motor, and including operative connections between said servo-motor and said shaft and said freely rotatable actuator for moving said parts.

11. A press as in claim 9, in which said lastnamed means is a fluid actuated servo-motor, and including operative connections between said servo-motor and said shaft and said freely rotatable actuator for moving said parts, a valve controlling flow of fluid to said servo-motor, a finger guard, and an operative connection between said guard and servo-motor control valve.

ANGUS F. HANNEY.

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