US2030595A

US2030595A - Pressing machine

Info

Publication number: US2030595A
Application number: US687671A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Johnson
Original assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Current assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Priority date: 1933-08-31
Filing date: 1933-08-31
Publication date: 1936-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-11

Description

Feb. 11, 1936. G. w. JOHNSON PRESSING MACHINE Filed Aug'. 51, 1953 INVENTOR Y 6w M bfi/w/z a M #4, 14, ma ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 Losses PATET OFFIQE PRESSING MACHINE George W. Johnson,

Norwood, Ohio, assignor to' The American Laundry Machinery Company,

Cincinnati,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 31, 1933, Serial No. 687,671

19'Glaims. This invention relates to pressing machines and particularly to a pressing machine which is automatically and intermittently operated to bring a pressing member alternatively before an operator for arranging the lay of the work and then into registration with a pressing head to complete athe pressing operation.

One object of my invention is to provide a pressing machine embodying a plurality of movablepadded beds or bucks and a plurality of fixed heated pressing heads together with suitable driving mechanism for automatically and intermittently moving the padded beds selectively into and out of position before the operator or be- :neath .a pressing head.

Another object of my invention is to provide a .single pressure applying actuator and means for connecting the actuator alternatively with each of the beds to move it onto pressing engagement with its respective head when the pressing members are in registering position.

.Another object of my invention is to provide a motor for moving a pressing bed or beds into and/or out of registration with a coacting press- 'ing head.

Another object of the invention relates to a control apparatus whereby the movement of a bed to position under its respective head automatically causes actuation of the pressure applying'unit to raise the bed into pressure engagement with the head, and whereby the release of pressure and the lowering of the bed automatically causes actuation of a power unit to move the bed from its registering position to an open position adjacent the operator.

Still another feature has to do with a novel :snubbing mechanism for retarding the moving has been moved upwardly into engagement with the head; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail partly in :section of a valve and operating parts for controlling the bed reciprocating motor; while Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view partly in section of valves and operating mechanism for controlling the flow and exhaust of fluid to the pressure ap- "plying cylinder.

My invention comprises a pressing machine embodying spaced pressing beds and pressing .heads, the beds being interconnected and adapted to be intermittently moved from a single central position common toboth beds and intermediate the spaced pressing heads into a position of registration with their respective coaotive pressing heads, together with means for reciprocating the beds into and out of their respective positions and means for moving the beds into and out of pressing engagement with their respective heads.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a pair of spaced beds mounted on a carriage or support and adapted to travel in a substantially horizontal path, along which are arranged spaced pressing heads. The distance between the centers of the heads is approximately twice the distance between the centers of the companion beds, whereby only one of a pair of beds may be in registry with a head, while the other bed is in exposed position between the spaced heads and accessible to an operator. A single power unit is located intermediate the spaced heads and a member mounted on the bed carriage serves alternatively to supply closing pressure between the power unit and that one of the beds which at the time is in registering position beneath its coacting head. An automatic interlock actuates the power unit in pressure applying direction when one or the beds reaches registering position, and a second power unit acting automatically at the end of the pressing operation moves one of the beds out of registration with its head while at the same time moving the other bed into registration with its companion head.

My invention is embodied in a machine comprising frame members l0, II and I2 which support rails I3 and I4 along which a bed support or carriage I5 is, adapted to move on rollers IS. The carriage is illustrated as supporting two beds l1 and I8 having downwardly extending stems l9 and permitting vertical movement of the beds with respect to the carriage. Suitable means is provided for maintaining the beds in alignment during their vertical movement, such as the extended flanges 2| and dowel pins 22. Mounted on the frame members I 0 and I2 are stationary heads 23 and 24 adapted to coact with beds l1 and I8. These headsmay be provided with heating means, as desired, in any manner known to the art. The rail I3 is shown with a V-shaped head and the cooperating rollers l6 are suitably grooved so as to maintain a straight path of travel, while the rollers coacting with rail M are plain so as to avoid any possible binding which might occur if both sets of rollers were grooved.

The parts are shown in Fig. 1 with bed I! in registration with head 23 preparatory to applying pressure to engage the bed with its head. A pressure applying member is mounted on the carriage to alternatively connect a power unit, mounted centrally of the machine, with whichever bed happens to be in registering position. The structure shown for accomplishing this purpose comends bent downwardly and inwardly to form forks 21 and 23 which are adapted to engage a plunger connected with a power unit. This power unit is illustrated as a fluid motor 29 having a cylinder 30, a piston 3i and a piston rod or plunger 32 which is embraced by the aforementioned. forks alternatively. Fluid pressure supplied to motor 29 is controlled by inlet valve 36 and outlet valve 35. Valve 34 admits pressure from a suitable source, as conduit 33, to the common inlet and exhaust conduit 36 leading to cylinder 30, while valve 35 connects conduit 35 in turn with exhaust conduit 3i leading to the atmosphere. A spring 38 serves to return piston 3| to its upward or inoperative position when pressure is relieved by the opening of exhaust valve 35.

Means is provided for automatically actuating the control mechanism for the power'unit when either head reaches registering position. The mechanism illustrated comprises a cam 39 mount ed on the bed carriage and having a notch at each end into which a control lever for the power unit moves. In the position of the parts shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, a' follower 4! carried by a control lever 32 moves into cam notch it under the action of spring 43 when bed fl'l comes into registering position beneath head 23. This movement of control lever 42 closes exhaust valve 35 and opens inlet valve 34, thus admitting pressure above piston 3|, driving the piston and plunger downwardly, which carries the right hand end of pressure applying arm 25 downwardly, as seen in Fig. 2, and raises the left hand end of the arm intoengagement with stem l9 of'bed l1, thus causing pressure engagement between the pressing members. At the completion of the pressing operation, the operator actuates a control handle 44 connected with control lever 2, moving said lever in a clockwise direction, which closes valve 34 and opens valve 35 exhausting the pressure from cylinder 36 and permitting the bed to move downwardly out of pressing engagement with the head, due to the weight of the parts. 7

Means is provided for automatically moving a bed out of registration with its companion head at the close of the pressing operation, and, of course, since the two beds are on a common carriage, such movement of one bed out of registering position moves the other bed into registering position beneath its companion head. The means provided comprises a power unit arranged to give the bed support or carriage a kick sufficient to move it along the rails as far as required. For this purpose, I have shown fluid motors 45 and 46 mounted at opposite ends of the carriage runway, the parts of which are identical and will therefore be described in connection with motor 45 only. Motor 65 has a piston ll and a suitable plunger is adapted to contact the carriage l5 and normally maintained in its retracted position by spring d9. The fluid pressure supply to this reciprocation motor 45 is controlled by a valve 56 adapted to supply fluid pressure from a suitable outside source, as conduit 5!, through conduit 52 to motor 65. The motor cylinder is provided with a small outlet port 53 which does not interfere with the building up'of operating pressure in the cylinder, but serves to exhaust the cylinder after the completion of a power stroke. Valve 56 is arranged to be actuated automatically upon movement of the pressing members out of pressing engagement and, to this end,

an actuating mechanism for the valve is provided lever 25 after the completion of the pressing operation. This control mechanism is the same for valves 50 and 50a and will be described in connection with valve 50 only. A lever 54 is pivotally mounted on the frame as at 55 and is adapted to contact the stem 56 of valve 50. A second lever 57 is pivotally mounted on lever 54 and has an abutment 58 which limits its movement in clockwise direction. A coil spring 59 serves to maintain lever 5'! in its position at the limit of its clockwise movement which is somewhat past dead center, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is adapted to act as a pressure applying strut to move lever 54 clockwise. The cooking of the control mechanism for valve 5|! is accomplished by arranging lever 51 in position to be contacted by a projection 60 of pressure arm 25 when this arm is moved to the left with carriage 95, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4. This moves lever 51 counter-clockwise without affecting lever 54. Upon the application g of pressure between bed I1 and head 23, as shown in Fig. 2, projection 6|] moves upward and lever 57 is moved clockwise by action of spring 59 to a position directly beneath projection 60. Thereafter, upon completion of the pressing operation, when the left hand end of pressure applying arm 25 moves downward, projection 60 contacts lever 51, thus moving lever 54 in a clockwise direction and opening valve 50 which admits fluid pressure as before described to reciprocation motor 45 and causes plunger 48 to kick carriage E5 to the right, whereupon bed ll moves to open position and bed I8 moves into registration beneath its companion head 24. V

In this latter position fork 28 of the pressure applying arm 25 embraces plunger 32 'of the power unit 29 and follower 4! of control lever enters notch 46a. of cam 39 and thereupon the pressing operation occurs between bed I8 and head 2d in a manner similar to that already described.

For snubbing or retarding the moving parts, that is, the bed carriage and its associated parts at the ends of its path of travel, I provide inclined friction pads ti and 62 at opposite ends of the-s;

crank is yieldingly biased in a clockwise direction ,1

by spring 88 carried on a rod 59 connected with the frame. This serves to retard the motion of the carriage and'associated parts as they reach the limit of their horizontal travel and the parts a are finally brought to rest by a cushioning spring ill which engages a suitable boss H on the carriage. Similar parts at the other end of the machine are similarly numbered with the addition of the suffix a.

The operation of the pressing machine is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, work arranged on bed' ii is ready to be pressed againstheadZS. When carriage 15 reaches the left-hand limit of its travel, follower 4i moves into cam notch ii). Control lever 42 moves counterclockwise, closing outlet valve 35 and opening inlet valve 3% to admit fluid pressure above piston 3i. Plunger 32 moves downwardly which carries fork 27! of pressure. applying lever 25 downwardly. This moves the left-hand end of lever 25 upwardly presses control handle 44.

and causes pressure engagement between bed l 1 and head '23. When the pressing operation is completed and the operator has arranged the lay kicks bed carriage l5 to the right. -When the parts come to rest by the action of snubbers 64 and a, follower 4| moves "into cam notch a to cause pressure engagement betwee-n bed l8 and head 24. 'Ihe operator then removesthe pressed work from bed l'l, arranges a new lay and de- Pressure'is again relieved in cylinder 30, bed I 8 is lowered-'from-head 24, projection 69a of lever 25 operates valve a "and motor 46 kicks carriage l 5 to the left.

It will thus be apparent that I'haveprovided a pressing machine wherein one powerunit causes pressure engagement between a plurality of spaced beds and heads by means of "a simple arrangement of a pivoted pressure applying lever mounted on the bed carriage.

Pressure can be applied only-when the coacting press members are in registering position because the forks on lever 25 are short and engage the plunger of the power unit only when the pressing members are in alignment.

A very efficient means for reciprocating the bed carriage is provided in the motor-having a short stroke which gives a powerful kick.

Efficient snubbing means is providedfor stopping the carriage.

The entire operation follows automatically upon depression of the control handle by the operator.

What I claim is:

1. A pressing machine comprising two spaced interconnected pressing beds adapted totravel in a path, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path to alternatively coact "with one bed while exposing the other bed, one fluid pressure actuated cylinder and piston motor for causing pressing engagement between the heads andbeds, and means carried by said beds for operatively connecting said motor with that bed only which is in position to coact with one of said heads.

2. A pressing machine comprising two spaced interconnected pressing beds adapted to travel in a path, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path to alternatively coact with one bed while exposing the other bed, one power means for causing pressing engagement between the respective heads and beds, and control means for the power means actuable in press-closing direction by movement of the bed support into one of its registering positions.

3. A pressing machine comprising two spaced interconnected'pressing beds adapted to travel in a path, two spaced pressing heads'arranged along said path to alternatively coact with one bed while exposing the other bed, one power means for causing pressing engagement between the respective heads and beds, control means 'for the power means actuable in press-closing direction by movement of the bed support into one of its registering positions, and operator-operated means'for actuating said control means in pressopening direction.

4. A pressing machine comprising a bed supternatively coact with one port arranged to travel in a path, two spaced pressing beds upon said support, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path to alof said beds while exposing the other of said beds, a pressure applying actuator intermediate the pressing heads, and a pressure applying lever pivotally mounted on said support and movable totwo positions in each of which one end of said lever operatively engages one or the other of said beds while the opposite "end o f said lever in each position operatively encases said actuator.

ead,-said mechanism having a part extending to a point intermediate said heads, power means positioned at said point, and said part being movable into operative connection with said power means by movement of said support to register a bed and head.

6. A pressing machine comprising a bed support arranged for travel in a path, a reciprocation motor for causing said travel, two spaced beds carried by the. support, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path and adapted to alternatively coact with one bed while expos- "ing the other bed, a pressure applying member carried by the bed support, means for applying pressure'to said member to close the press, and

means for actuating the reciprocation motor by movement of the pressure applying member in press-opening direction.

'7. A pressing machine comprising a bed support arranged for travel in a path, a reciprocation motor for causing said travel, two spaced beds carried by the support, two spaced pressing heads "arranged along said path and adapted to alternatively coact with one bed while exposing the other be'd, a pressure applying member carried by the bed support, means for applying pressure to said 'member'to close the press, control means for the reciprocation motor, an actuator for said control means, and said actuator being so arranged that it is cooked by movement of the pressure applying lever in press-closing direction and operated by movement of said lever in press opening direction.

8. A pressing machine comprising, coacting pressing members, one member being movable along a straight horizontal path out of tion with the other, fluid pressure actuated means for causing pressing engagement between said members, fluid pressure actuated means for causing saidmovement out of registration, and means for causing actuation of said last-named means operable automatically upon movement of said members out of pressing engagement.

9. A pressing machine comprising a plurality of pressing beds and a plurality of pressing heads adapted to coact with the respective beds, fluid pressure actuated means for moving one bed out .of registration with its companion pressing head while moving another bed into registration with its companion pressing head, a control valve for said bed moving means, means for causing press- .ing engagement between the respective heads and .lbeds, and means for causing actuation of said bed moving means, including a part having an operative connection with said bed and adapted to actuate. said control valve upon movement of a registrabed out of pressing engagement with its coacting head.

10. A pressing machine comprising a plurality of pressing beds and a plurality of pressing heads adapted to coact with the respective beds, carriage means for moving one bed out of registration with its companion pressing head while moving another bed into registration with its, companion pressing head, fluid pressure actuated means for causing pressing engagement between the respective heads and beds, and cam means on said carriage means for causing operation of said lastnamed means automatically upon movement of a bed into registration with its companion head.

11. A pressing machine comprising a plurality of pressing beds and a plurality of pressing heads adapted to coact with the respective beds, a carriage for moving one bed out of registration with its companion pressing head while moving another bed into registration with its companion pressing head, a member mounted on the carriage for causing pressing engagement between the respective heads and beds, means for actuating said member automatically upon movement of a bed into registration with its companion head, and means actuated by said member for causing movement of said carriage automatically upon movement of a head and bed out of pressing engagement.

12. A pressing machine comprising two spaced interconnected pressing beds arranged to travel in a path, two spaced pressing heads along said path and arranged to alternatively coact with one of said beds and to expose the other of said beds, and a fluid motor having a piston with a short stroke arranged to kick a bed into and/or out of registration with a head.

13. A pressing machine comprising a frame, a bed supporting carriage arranged to travel therealong and inclined friction pads at opposite ends of the bed carriage arranged to coact yieldingly with similar pads carried by the frame.

14. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of a carriage arranged for travel in a horizontal path, a bed supported on said carriage for vertical movement relative thereto, a head positioned above the path of travel of said carriage and bed, motion transmitting means on said carriage for lifting said bed into engagement with said head when said head and bed are in registration, and means for moving said carriage and bed out of registration comprising a cylinder having a piston with operative connections adapted to contact said carriage when fluid is admitted to said cylinder, a control valve which when opened admits fluid to said cylinder, said valve being the sole means for controlling the flow of fluid to said cylinder, and means for opening said valve when said bed moves out of engagement with said head.

15. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of a carriage adapted to travel in a path, two pressing beds spaced apart on said carriage, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path to coact with one of said beds while exposing the other of said beds, means for moving said carriage alternatively to register each bed with its respective head, each of said beds being adapted to be moved relative to said carriage into engagement with a head, motion transmitting mechanism movable with the carriage and adapted to move each of said beds into pressure engagement with their respective heads,

and one power means positioned to havean operative connection with the motion transmitting mechanism of each bed in turn as each bed reaches registering position.

16. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of a carriage arranged for travel in a horizontal path, a bed supported on said carriage for vertical movement relative thereto, a stationary head positioned above the path of travel of said carriage and bed, means for moving said carriage to move the bed into and out of registration with the head,.power means positioned adjacent the out of registration position of said bed, motion transmitting means on said carriage for lifting said bed, said motion transmitting means including a lever pivotally mounted on the carriage, one end of said lever being adapted to lift the bed from the carriage and the other end of said lever being adapted to engage said power means when the bed registers with the head, and automatic means for actuating said power means to close the press when said bed registers with said head.

- 17. A pressing machine comprising a carriage adapted to travel in a horizontal path, means for moving saidcarriage, two spaced pressing beds upon said carriage and vertically movable relative thereto, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path alternatively to coact with one of said beds while exposing the other of' a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage, said lever having one end arranged to lift a bed relative to the carriage, and the other end of said lever and said actuator being arranged to move said lever in bed lifting direction when said bed registers with a head.

18. A pressing machine comprising a carriage adapted to travel in a horizontal path, means for moving said carriage, two spaced pressing beds upon said carriage and vertically movable relative thereto, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said'path alternatively to coact with one of said beds while exposing the other of said beds at a point intermediate the heads, a pressure applying actuator adjacent said point, motion transmitting mechanism on said carriage, said mechanism having one portion arranged to lift a bed relative to the carriage, and another portion of said mechanism and said actuator being arranged to move said mechanism in bed lifting direction when one of said beds registers with a head.

19. A pressing machine comprising a bed support arranged to travel in a path, power means located adjacent said path, two spaced pressing beds upon said support, two spaced pressing heads arranged along said path to alternatively coact with one of said beds while exposing the other of said beds, mechanism carried by the bed support and adapted to'cause pressing engagement between each bed and'its'registering head, said mechanism having two parts adapted for engagement alternatively with said power means, each part acting through said mechanism to operate its respective bed, and said parts being arranged for operative connection with said power means by movement of said bed support alternatively to place one or the'other of said beds in registry with its coacting head.

GEORGE W. JOHNSON.