US2171566A

US2171566A - Pressing machine control

Info

Publication number: US2171566A
Application number: US225256A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elbert L Hyde
Original assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Current assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Priority date: 1938-08-17
Filing date: 1938-08-17
Publication date: 1939-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-05

Description

Sept. 5, 1939.

E. L. HYDE 2,171,566

PRESSING MACHINE CONTROL Filed Aug. 17, 1958 i o 24o,

INVENTOR v ELBERT L. HYDE FIG-5' BY ATTO NEYS 45 i3 intermediate its ends on the frame.

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNETED STATES FATENT OFFICE Elbert L. Hyde, Shake r Heights. Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood, Cinci of Ohio Application August 17 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pressing machine controls and more particularly to a safety two-hand control for the type of press commonly used for ironing garments, laundered articles and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a control of the class described wherein power means is provided for closing the pressing machine and holding it closed, said power means has a control member normally in power cut-off position and movable to power supply position by the safety manuals, after which the safety manuals are maintained in a position to hold said control member in power supply position. The present invention provides such a structure wherein no springs are necessary but the parts function perfectly, relying upon pressure fluid to perform the functions described.

Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent as the description proceeds and the invention consists also in the arrangement of the various parts hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows an end elevation 25 of a pressing machine in open position with the control mechanism therefor shown diagrammatically; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the control mechanism in an intermediate position; Fig. 3 shows the control mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2 in position corresponding to the fully closed position of the pressing members; Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the control mechanism of Figs. 1 to 3 with the supply of pressure fluid to the expansible chamber means arranged in a slightly 35 different manner; while Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the control mechanism of Figs. 1 to 3 wherein the expansible chamber means comprises a cylinder and piston arrangement instead of a diaphragm.

While my invention is applicable to pressing machines of various types I have illustrated one commonly used in the laundry industry wherein a frame it! supports a pressing bed H and also supports a head lever l2 pivotally mounted at This lever carries at its forward end a pressing head it which is movable into and out of engagement with the bed H by oscillation of the head lever. Movement of the head lever is provided through 50 toggle which is connected by piston rod IS with a piston of fluid motor l'i. A spring 18 normally biases the head toward open position.

Motive fluid is supplied to motor i! from supply conduit !9 through valve casing 20 and conduit 24. The casing 26 houses a normally closed nnati, Ohio, a corporation 1938, Serial No. 225,256

cable in the guides 23 which are fastened to the pressing machine frame. It will be understood that the valve casing 20 is also secured to the frame.

Safety two-hand control means is provided for actuating the valves in casing 29 to fluid supply position. It will be noted that the valves in this casing are normally maintained in fluid cut-01f position, as shown in Fig. 1, by the pressure of the supply fluid against the poppet valve 23a.

The manuals 2d and 25 are pivotally mounted on the press frame at 2511 and 25a respectively in such a manner as to require a hand of the operator on each of them for their coincidental actuation. The operative connection between these manuals and the power control member comprises an equalizer bar 26 whose opposite ends are connected by

toggles

24b and 25b respectively with the manuals 2d and 25. The equalizer bar has a projection 2? intermediate its ends for engagement with the casing of the diaphragm motor. Stops 28 and 29 limit the movement of the manuals.

The arrangement of the control mechanism is such that movement of the manuals to an intermediate position as shown in Fig. 2 provides fluid supply to motor H but the manuals in such a position are always returnable to inoperative position if released. Means is provided normally limiting the movement of the manuals to this intermediate position until the press is safely; closed. This means comprises a stop member 30 normally lying between the toggles 2 31 and 25b and pivotally mounted on the press frame at 30a. The valve reaches fluid supply position before the toggles touch stop member 36. is provided for removing this stop when the pressing members reach safe closed position. To this end a downwardly extending arm 39b rigid with the stop 38 is pivotally connected with rod 3! which passes through a suitable opening in the bracket I50, on toggle i5. Collar am on rod ,3! is engageable by bracket lea as the pressing members reach the safe closed position shown in Fig. 2 so that the next increment of movement rotates the stop 30 in a clockwise direction percasing 221) which cooperates with the dia-:.

Means mitting further movement of the manuals. Spring 32 normally holds the stop 30 in operative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The operation of the control is as follows: With the pressing members in the open position of Fig. l, the operator coincidentally moves the

manuals

24 and 25 to the intermediate position shown in Fig. 2 where they are limited by movement of their respective toggles against the stop 39. Movement of one manual alone is suflicient just to take up the gap between the member 21 and the diaphragm motor casing 221). Movement of both manuals coincidentally moves the valves to the position shown in Fig. 2, opening 20a and closing 28b. During this movement the parts in the diaphragm motor remain in their original relative position, the diaphragm motor as a whole sliding in the guides 23. There may be a small movement of the diaphragm between the time the valve reaches supply position and the time the toggles engage stop 39. This occurs because the effective area of diaphragm 22a is greater than the efiective area of the poppet valve 29a so that the effect of the pressure fluid in chamber 22c preponderates over the effect of the pressure fluid against the poppet Valve 28a which tends at all times to hold this valve closed. If at this time either of the manuals is released it will return to inoperative position because of the effect of the pressure fluid in the

valves

20a and 20b as well as because of the pressure in chamber 1220. Upon the supply of fluid in this manner through conduit 2! to motor H the motor makes a stroke tendingto straighten toggle 65 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and moving the pressing head 14 to the safe closed position there shown. Upon reaching this position a slight additional straightening movement of toggle causes the bracket i5a to engage the collar are pulling on rod 3| and moving stop 30 from between

toggles

24b and 25b. This permits the operator to move

manuals

24 and 25 beyond intermediate position to the maintained position of Fig. 3. In moving from the position of Fig, 2 to that of Fig. 3 it will be noted that the toggles 24b and 252) must move over center and during such movement the expansible chamber means represented by the diaphragm motor 22 is compressed or contracted to permit this movement, otherwise the over-center movement would not be possible because of the fact that poppet valve 2% is firmly against its seat and is rigidly connected through the valve stem 200 with the diaphragm 22a. After the manuals reach the position of Fig. 3 the operator may release them and they will remain in that position as the expansible effect of the diaphragm motor 22 acting back through the equalizer bar 26 against the

toggles

25b and 25b holds them in the overcenter position of Fig. 3. To open the press either or both of the manuals is returned to the position of Fig. 1 which permits the valve in casing 29 to close and remain closed because of the pressure of the supply fluid on the poppet valve 20a.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another arrangement for supplying pressure to the chamber 220. This comprises a conduit 33 connected with supply conduit l9 and having a flexible connection secured to the diaphragm casing 22b. The supply through conduit 23 is analogous to the supply through passage 20d formerly described and this device might be substituted for that already described without further change.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 5 wherein I have substituted a cylinder and piston motor 34' which in all respects is analogous to the diaphragm motor 22. Here the piston 34a is rigidly connected to the valve stem 200 which is hollow as in Figs. 1 to 3 so as to supply fluid to the chamber 340 which is provided by the cooperation between the cylinder 34b and the piston 34a. This device may be substituted in the device of Figs. 1 to 3 without other change.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable coacting pressing members, power means for producing said relative movement to close the machine and to hold it closed, a control member for said power means normally in power out-ofi position, two spaced safety manuals associated with said control member to require coincidental actuation of both manuals to an intermediate position to move said control member to power supply position, stop means normally preventing movement of said manuals beyond said intermediate position, expansible means between said manuals and said control member comprising two relatively movable parts forming a pressure fluid containing chamber between them, one part being arranged to operate said control member and the other part to be operated by said manuals, means for withdrawing said stop means by movement of said pressing members to a safeclosed position to permit said manuals to be moved beyond said intermediate position to a maintained position, said expansible means being contracted by such manual movement, and the fluid pressure in said chamber exerting a tendency to hold said control member in power supply position.

2. In a pressing machine comprising a pair of relatively movable coacting pressing members, fluid actuated power means for producing said relative movement to close said machine and to hold it closed, a supply of pressure fluid for said power means, a control valve of the poppet type for controlling the flow of fluid to said power means, said valve being normally urged toward fluid cut-01f position, two spaced safety manuals associated with said control valve to require coincidental actuation of both manuals to an intermediate position to move said control valve to fluid supply position, stop means normally preventing movement of said manuals beyond said intermediate position, expansible means between said manuals and said control valve comprising two relatively movable parts forming a pressure fluid containing chamber between them, one part being arranged to operate said control valve and the other part to be operated by said manuals, means for withdrawing said stop means upon movement of said pressing members to a safeclosed position to permit said manuals to be moved beyond said intermediate position to a maintained position, said expansible means being contracted by such manual movement, and the fluid pressure in said chamber exerting a tendency to hold said manuals and valve in fluid supply position.

ELBERT L. HYDE.