US2184375A - Apparatus fob drying and shaping - Google Patents

Description

R. J. BEEDE Dec. 26, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SHAPING THE SHOULDERS OF GARMENTS Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

INVENTOR. 47 Russe /I E7550:

J ATTBRNEY.

Dec. 26, 1939. R. J. BEEDE 2,184,375

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SHAPING THE SHOULDERS OF GARMENTS Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J1 3 F 5 2 J9 5g 65 II INVENTOR.

RUEERTjEEEDE 36 A ATTORNEY.

R. J. BEEDE Dec. 26, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SHAPING THE SHOULDERS OF GARMENTS Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR Robert J. Beede B d M ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939. R BEEDE 2,184,375

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SHAPING THE SHOULDERS OF GARMENTS Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR R0 ber'c J. Beede WWQM ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND SHAPING.

THE SHOULDEBS OF GARMENTS Robert J. Beede, Providence, R. 1., assignor to Pantex Pressing Machine, Inc., Central Falls, R. L, a corporation of Delaware Application April 4, 1938, Serial No. 200,002 Claims. (01.223140) My present invention relates to improvements in garment pressing or shaping machines, and especially to garment pressing or shaping machines adapted to press or shape and dry the 5 shoulders of coats. This application is acontinuation in part of my application, S. N. 33,907,

filed on July 30, 1935, allowed October 6, 1937, for Apparatus for drying and shaping the shoulders of garments.

10, The coats of summer clothing have little or no padding at the shoulders, and are, commonly subjected to laundering or washing, and in some instances to dry cleaning. The usual purpose of the padding in shoulders of coats, as is well known, is to preserve or maintain the proper shape thereof, but since such padding is not usually provided in summer clothing it is difiicult to properly shape the shoulders of the coats after laundering. v

The principal general object of my present .in-

vention is to provide an apparatus adapted to receivethe shouldersand adjacent partsv of the.

shaping and drying operation to eifect a smoothand neat appearance.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character mentioned 35, shoulder shaping and drying devices which are normally in open or shoulder stretching and shaping position, and which must be manually closed or positioned to receive the shoulders and adjacent portions of the sleeves of coats; and which automatically assume said normal position properly stretching or shaping the shoulders and portions of the sleeves adjacent thereto-without exerting manual force which might rip the scams or tear the cloth. 45 A further object of my invention is to provide in such a device means to properly grip the crotch or lower portion of the sleeve head adjacent the seam line to insure that the upper portion of the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat, including 50 the shoulder thereof, are evenly shaped and pressed.

A further object of my invention is to provide means capable of positively selectively gripping the crotches of sleeves of different sizes to selec- 55 tively function to positively grip, shape and press and jaw.

the sleevesand adjacent shoulder portions of; i

diiferent sized coats. I i

Another specific object of my inventi n resides in the provision of apparatus of, the .abovejtype in which the pairs of shoulder shaping and drying devices are simultaneously or collectively operated although, if desired, may be individually operated. i v

The foregoing and other objects, and advan' tages of the invention will become-more appar- 10.

ent and will be pointed out during the course of the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, invwhich:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine em bodying my present invention withparts broke 15,

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with portions of the base of the machine broken away. Y i 1 Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. v Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view through the foot operated lever and 25.

parts associated therewith.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a collar used for limiting the movementof the foot operated lever.

Fig. '7 is a rear perspective view of the machines embodying my invention'yshown in Fig. 1. 301

Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view similar to Fig. 7, showing a coat mounted on the pressing members thereof, said pressing members being shown in the act of pressing the coat. 1

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the top of my im-,

proved machine showing ajaw in closed position after the sleeve of the coat has been, mounted thereon with a portion of the ,coat broken away to show the heated stationary pressing member I g Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig.9 after the lower jawhas dropped by gravity to draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary member.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 5 indicates the uprights or legs of the machine connected or coupled at their bottoms ,to supports. 6 which rest on the floor, and at their. tops to couplings l which support the table 8. In actual practice I preferably provide four of the uprights or supports 5, one at each corner of the machine, and connect the supports or uprights to each other along the front and back of themachine by rods 9 connected to couplings 10 on the bases 6, while the respectivefront and back .up-.

rights are connected along the sides of the machine by struts I I, the ends of which are connected to the bases 6 by pins l2.

On top of the table 8 are two couplings I3 alined with each other longitudinally of the table and located adjacent the front thereof above openings. l4.. The couplings l3 arescrew. threadedto receive the threaded ends of pipes i5and I6, and the pipes l6 are threaded into T joints I! which also receive pipes l8 communicating with theT. coupling 19 also connected to a pipe 20 which,,at its other end, is connected toan elbow joint, 21. A pipe 22 is connected at one end to a valve 23 and leads at its other end to-a source of discharge, said pipe forming a part of the exhaust and drain line. The valve 23 is connected by pipe to the elbow 2|.

The steam which preferably serves as the heating medium, although other suitable heating mediums may be used, is supplied through pipes 25 located within and concentric with the pipes i5 and I6 and connected at their lower ends to elbows 26 whichare also connected to pipes 21, in turn connected to the T coupling 23 communicating with the pipe 29 through which the steam is supplied.

The upper ends of the-pipes I5 support the shaping and drying elements having threaded'engagement therewith asinclicated by the numeral 38. The pipes l5 and 25'alsoopen into the tortuouschambers 1-H within the upper members 32 of the shaping and drying elements. The steam supplied through the pipe 25 in the manner described circulates through the chamber3i inthe headsor shaping members 32 andfiows down throughthe pipes IS with any water createdby condensation to be ejected through the drain previously described.

The upper members 32 of the shaping and drying elements are relativelynarrow' at their-rear ends 34 and relatively broad at their front ends 35 and are curved on their tops and sides to snugly fit into the sleevesand the shoulders of coats placed thereover. The narrow ends 34' enter the sleeves and facilitate positioning of the shoulder portions of the coats over the broader rounded ends 35.

Cooperating with the upper member 32 of the drying and shaping element is a lower member 36 normally held in closed relation to the upper member or in thedash and dot line positions of Figs. 2 and 3 to facilitate insertion of the element into-thesleeves of coats, and automatically operable after said insertion toassume the open or full line position of Figs. 2 and 3' to effect smoothing of the shouldersand portions of the sleeves adjacent thereto during the drying and shaping operation.

' The lower portion of the -memberSZ is-provided with brackets 31 secured in place by screws 38 and holding therebetween a shaft or pin 39. The forked ends 40 of a lever 4| are pivotally mounted. on the pin or shaft 39. Also sec ed between the forked arms of the lever 4! is a pin 42 which.

front end is preferably rounded and engages a notch in the coupling 43 as indicated at 52, while the front end of the plate Al extends across the rear end of the lever 45 as indicated at 53, the said plate 47 being provided with an opening 54 through which the rear end of the lever 4| extends.

The upper member 32 may be provided with threaded adjustable plugs 56 in its lower surface,

- one of which is adapted to be abutted by a cushioning pad 57 secured to the top of the plate 41 on the member 36- as by means of a screw 58 which engages through the said cushioning member between its side upstanding arms, said cushioning member being preferably of channel formation- Preferably there are two of the shaping and pressing elements-each of the same construction, and each having connected thereto an operating rod 44 extending through an opening 60 in the table 8. The lower ends of the rods 414 are connected or seated in sockets 68 on a transverse connecting part 62 of the foot operated lever, and preferably the said sockets are provided with rubber or other cushioning inserts St to receive thelower ends of. the rods M. The sockets 8| are preferably arranged at the ends of the transverse connecting part 62 of'the foot operated lever 63, the forward end of which is provided with a treadle T. The foot operated lever 63 is also provided on its bottom and intermediate its ends with groovesor channels 64 which receive or are seated on the rod 3 extending between opposite side uprights 5 of the frame. The said rod 9 constitutes the fulcrum for the lever 63. The foot operated lever 63 is also. provided intermediate the grooves or channels 64 with an opening receiving a collar 65', shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, and which limits the movement of the foot lever 63; The collar 65 has a groove or opening 65 which also receives the rod 9, and also has laterally extending lugs or projections 85" which are arranged within the grooves 64 of the foot operated lever 53 when the parts are assembled. A set screw S locks the collar 65 to the rod 9 against rotational movement thereon so that the foot operated lever 53 may be oscillated when thetreadle T is depressed and released, the extent of movement of the lever being determined by the width of the notches 64 in which the extensions or lugs 65" are disposed. It should be obvious that in one direction of movement of the lever 631 one side of the channel or groove 64 contacts one side of the lugs or extensions 65", and vice versa. Obviously the positioning of. the collar 85 on the rod 9 is such as to bring the lugs OTCXtEIlSiOIlS 65 within the notches or channels 64 when the treadle lever is placed in position.

As has already been mentioned the member 36 is normally in the full line or open position of Figs. 2 and 3, due to the fact that the weight of the forward end thereof, including the plate 4'! and supporting parts, swings said member 36 downwardly on the pivot 33 which forms the fulcrum for the lever 4|. Hence the rods 34 are normally depressed, and the treadle T is normally elevated.

With the foregoing in mind, when it is desired to shape and dry the shoulders of coats or similar. garments it is simply necessary for the operator to step on the treadle T to elevate the rods M when the foot lever is rocked on its pivot 9 to elevate the sockets 6!, whereby the couplings 43- raise the levers 4i and the members 36 carried thereby to the dot and dash line positions of Figs. 2 and 3, so that the pressing and shaping elements comprising the parts 32 and 36 are established in their closed positions and mayreadily receive the arm openings and shoulders '5 of coats placed thereon. It is then-simply necessary for the operator to release the treadle T whereby the gravitation of the parts 36 to open position will stretch the portions of the sleeves and shoulders arranged over the parts 32 and 3B 10 into smooth condition so that the heat passing through the chamber 3! and the smooth rounded surfaces of the members 32 will quickly shape and dry the sleeves and adjacent shoulder portions of the coats without the exertion of manual effort or 15 force which might tear the'seams if not properly applied.

I have shown in Figs. 7-10 a slightly different embodiment of my invention employing means preferably comprising a roughened portion 18 ex- 20 tending a distance rearwardly from the front end of said jaw 38 to positively grip the crotch of the sleeve to draw the sleeve and adjacent portions of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heating stationary member 32, including the top 25 portion 12 thereof preferably arcuate in vertical section to fit the contour of the sleeve and the front end 14 thereof also preferably arcuate in horizontal section to fit the contour of the shoulder. While said means or roughened portion 10 30 may be of any shape, to positively grip the sleeve crotch at this pointI preferably provide for this purpose a plurality of descending means of different heights extending a distance rearwardly from the front end of said jaw 38 to positively selectively grip the crotches of sleeves of. different sizes on different descending portions thereof, and in my preferred embodiment said means of different heights preferably comprises a plurality of substantially concentric substantially circular o descending steps 16.

Figs. 8-10 show the operation of my improved machine in use. The coat 80 is grasped by the operator so as to lie in the rear of the rearwardly projecting stationary members 32 with the sleeves 45 82 thereof substantially in line with said stationary members 32. The coat 88 is then drawn forwardly so that the upper portions of the sleeves or seam lines 86 are brought forward until each rests. against a selected step 16 suitable for the size of 50 the sleeve as shown in Fig. 9. The foot is then raised from the treadle T permitting the lower jaws 36 to drop as shown in Fig. 10 and as the lower jaws drop they will positively grip the sleeve crotches B3 to draw the sleeves downwardly and 55 hence draw the opposite portions of the sleeve heads 84 against the upper surfaces 12 of the stationary members and the adjacent portions of the shoulders against the front surfaces 14 of the stationary members 36, the seam lines 86 sub- 7 stantially abutting the rounded front top ends between said portions 12 and M to evenly draw the sleeves and adjacent portions of the coat against the outer surfaces of the top and front portions 12 and 1d of the heated stationary members 32 as 75 shown in Figs. 8 and 10.

It is apparent thatsleeves of different sizeswill 6i connected to individual foot levers tobe sepa rately operated. Of course the spacing between the shaping elements is such as to accommodate both shoulders of coats over a range of-various sizes, that is, they are sufficiently close together to permit the coat shoulders to be properly posi- 15 tioned whether the coat be of small size or. large size.

I have also found in'actual operation that it is not necessary to provide for the intermittent supply of steam or other heating medium through the elements 32 as in the case of many garment pressing machines, but that the heating medium or steam may continuously flow through the chamber 3! of each element and may be cut off by the hand operated valves in the supply pipes and drain pipes above mentioned.

In the embodiment shown I have shown the treadle T in the front of the machine to be operated by the operator and with the enlarged ends of the stationary members 32 also at the front and I, therefore, employ the words forwardly and rearwardly and front and rear in the claims in reference to the specific structure shown although it is obvious that if desired the direction a in which the stationary members 32 point relative 35 to the balance of the machine may be varied in use as desired. I employ the words sleeve crotch to signify the portion of the sleeve andcoat adjacent the portion of the sleeve seam underneath the arm pit. 40

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 5

What I claim is:

1. A substantially horizontal stationary member having an enlarged end having its end and upper surfaces approximately at right angles to each other and shaped to correspond to the inner con tour of the shoulder and upper sleeve portion of a coat, said member tapering therefrom'to its rear end with a smooth unbroken surface, means for heating said member, a weighted tapered jaw pivoted at its front end to said stationary member near the enlarged end thereof and shaped to form, when in juxtaposition with the stationary member, substantially a circumferential continuation of its tapered portion, and releasable means to move said jaw into juxtaposition withthe station-- ary member, whereby the upper portion of the sleeve of a coat may be drawn over the tapered portions of the stationary member and the jaw and the shoulder of the coat laid over the enlarged end of the stationary member, said jaw being so constructed and arranged that when released it will draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary respond to the inner contour of the shoulder and upper sleeve portion of a coat, said member extending rearwardly therefrom to its rear end with a smooth unbroken surface, means for heating said members, a pair of weighted tapered jaws, each pivoted at its front end to one of said stationary members near the enlarged end thereof and. shaped to form, when in juxtaposition with its respective stationary member substantially a circumferential continuation thereof, and a treadle arranged to move said jaws into juxtaposition with the stationary members, whereby the upper portions of the sleeves of a coat may be drawn over the rearwardly extending portions of the stationary members and the jaws and the shoulders of the coat laid over the enlarged ends of the stationary members, said jaws being so constructed and so arranged that when the treadle is released the jaws will draw the sleeves and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary members.

3. A substantially horizontal stationary member having an enlarged end having its end and upper surfaces approximately at right angles to each other and shaped to correspond to the inner contour of the shoulder and upper sleeve portion of a coat, said member extending rearwardly therefrom to its rear end with a smooth unbroken surface, means for heating said member, a weighted jaw pivoted at its front end to said stationary member near the enlarged end thereof and shaped to form, when in juxtaposition withthe stationary member substantially a circumferential continuation thereof, and releasable means to move said jaw into juxtaposition with the stationary member, whereby the upper portion of the sleeve of a coat may-be drawn over the rearwardly extending portion of the stationary member and the jaw and the shoulder of the coat laid over the enlarged end of the stationary member, said jaw being so constructed and arranged that when released it will draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary member, said jaw having a plurality of substantially concentric substantially circular descending steps extending a distance rearwardly from the front end thereof to positively selectively grip the crotches of sleeves of different sizes on a selected step to draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against theouter surfaces of the heated stationary member.

4. A substantially horizontal stationary member having an enlarged end having its end and.

upper surfaces approximately at right angles to each other and shaped to correspond to the inner contour of the shoulder and upper sleeve portion of a coat, said member extending rearwardly therefrom to its rear end with a smooth unbroken surface, means for heating said member, a weighted jaw pivoted at its front end to said stationary member near the enlarged end thereof and shaped to form, when in juxtaposition with the stationary member substantially a circumferential continuation thereof, and releasable means to move said jaw into juxtaposition with the stationary member, whereby the upper portion of the sleeve of a coat may be drawn over the rearward 1y extending portion of the stationary member and the jaw and the shoulder of the coat laid over the enlarged end of the stationary member, said jaw being so constructed and arranged that when released it will draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary member, said jaw having descending. means of different heights extending a distance rearwardly from the front end thereof to positively selectively grip the crotches of sleeves of difierent sizes on selective portions thereof to draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary member.

5. A substantially horizontal stationary member having an enlarged end having its end and. upper surfaces approximately at right angles to each other and shaped to correspond to the inner contour of the shoulder and upper sleeve portion of a coat, said member extending rearwardly therefrom to its rear end with a smooth unbroken surface, means for heating said member, a weighted jaw pivoted at its front end to said stationary member near the enlarged end thereof and shaped to form, when in juxtaposition with the stationary member substantially a circumferential continuation thereof, and releasable means to move said jaw into juxtaposition with the stationary member, whereby the upper portion of the sleeve of a coat may be drawn over the rearwardly extending portion of the stationary member and the jaw and the shoulder of the coat laid over the enlarged end of the stationary member, said jaw being so constructed and arranged that when released it will draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outer surfaces of the heated stationary member, said jaw having a roughened portion extending a distance rearwardly from the front end thereof to positively grip the crotch of the sleeve to draw the sleeve and adjacent parts of the coat against the outersurfaces of the heated stationary member.

ROBERT J. BEEDE.

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