US2196810A - Attachment to ironing machines - Google Patents

Description

w. A. HQCH 2,196,810

ATTACHMENT TO IRONING MACHINES April 9, 1940.

Filed Jan. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I1NVENT0R ATTORNEY5 April 9,1940. w A HOCH 2,196,810

ATTACHMENT T0 IRONING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :fi q. J

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/1 I z c mmm www ff@ I BY w- ATTORNEYS 'Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT T0 IRONING MACHINES Application January 17, 1939, Serial No. 251,315

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved attachment to an ironing machine.

One of the'objects of my invention is to provide a simple attachment for machines which are used for ironing shirts, in order to hold the neckband of the shirt upright and in proper position relative to the body of the shirt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping device for the neckband of a shirt, which will function without springs and which will have an inherent resilient clamping action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which has an operating head which is readily accessible, so that the attendant can operate the device conveniently with one hand.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain'same without limiting it in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the attachment in the closed or clamping position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the attachment in the open or non-clamping position.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken at the lefthand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. In this view the knob or head of the device has been omitted.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. This shows certain different relative positions of the parts, respectively in full lines and in broken lines.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the device has a base 2 which is provided with an upstanding integral abutment ange or wall I. Said wall I has a reentrant portion Ia, which is spaced from the clamp C, when said clamp is in operative position. At its rear, the base is provided with a bracket of angular shape, which has upstanding integral ribs 3 and 3a.

An upstanding guide arm 4, having a curved guide slot 5, is provided with a base I5 which is connected to an upstanding projection of the base 2 by means of screws 1. The upstanding arm 8 has a base 9 which is connected to the same upstanding projection of base 2, by` means of screws I0. The rib 3 is integral with a xed bearing-sleeve Il. A pin I2 passes through said bearing-sleeve II and through second and third sleeves I4 and I1. The sleeves I4 and I1 are connected by an integral member 30. Said member 30 has an integral angular arm 3I which is connected t5 one end of link 22 by pivot pin 2 Ia. Said member 30 is recessed adjacent arm 21. I'he second sleeve I4 is integral with a flrst clamparm I5. A second clamp-arm I6 is integral with the third sleeve I1. The pivot pin I2 also pass'es through a fourth sleeve I8, whose function will be later described.

The U-clamp C is made of springy steel or other resilient material. The shape of a portion of said clamp C is substantially the same as the shape of a portion of the abutment wall I, so that slight distortion of the resilient clamp C will eifectively clamp the neckband of the shirt against abutment wall I. 'I'he other parts of the device are preferably made of rigid metal, although they may be made of rigid or resilient material of any kind, if desired. The clamp C is rigidly connected to the forked bottom ends of the arms I5 and I6 by any suitable detachable fastening means, so that clamp C cannot turn relative to arms I5 and I6. The device includes a first arm which consists of two aligned identical members I9, which are connected to each other by means of a 'pivot pin 20, whose shank fits closely and slidably in the guide-slot 5.

As shown in Fig. 1, the outer ends of the members I9 of said rst arm are connected by means of a pivot pin 2| to the link 22. Said pivot pin 2| is connected to said link 22, intermediate the ends of said link. The upper end of said link 22, referring to Fig. 1, is connected by means of a pivot pin 23 to the legs 24 of a second and forkshaped arm which has legs 24, and whose upper integral end is connected by means of a pivot pin 26 to the forked end of an integral extension-arm 21 of the fourth sleeve I8. Said extension or third arm 21 has a threaded shank 28 releasably connected thereto, and an operating knob 29 is releasably connected to said threaded shank 28. When the device is in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2, the shank of the pivot pin 20 abuts the upper end-wall of the slot 5. The members I9 of the rst arm' are then substantially parallel to the legs 24 of the second arm, so that the longitudinal axes of said arms are then coincident or substantially coincident.

The resilient clamp C is spaced a substantial distance from the upstanding clamping wall or clamping ange I, when the device is in said inoperative position. The neckband of the shirt can therefore be readily adjusted so as to abut said wall or ange I.

When the device is in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 1, and the clamp C is held stationary relative to the ange I, the third arm 21 and its integral sleeve I8 can be rocked a limited distance relative'to the fixed sleeve II, and the second and third sleeves I4 and I1.4 The first and second arms I9 and 24 and the link 22 can therefore be turned through a small arc, without shifting the clamp C upwardly relative to the ange I. 'I 'his explanation is given merely to explain the connections of the parts, because in actual use, the third arm 21 and .clamp C are Amoved in unison away from the position shown in Fig. l. The operation of the device is as follows: When the parts, are in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the third arm 21 and its integral sleeve I8 are turned counterclockwise around the axis of pivot member I2, the second arm 24 and the link 2 2 exert a thrust upon the angular or fourth arm 3| of the member 30, so that the second.

and third sleeves I4 and I1 are caused to turn in unison with said third arm 21. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to turn the second arm 24 relative to the third arm 21, so as to turn the first and second arms I9 and 24 from the position shown in Fig. 2. It is thus possible to turn the arm 21 and then to turn the forked end of the link 22 relative to the angular arm 3I, around the pivot 2Ia, so that the arm 21 can be turned counterclockwise while the clamp C is held stationary., However this is stated merely to further explain the relations between the various parts, because in actual use the combined thrust of the second arm 24 and of the link 22 causes the member 30 and its integral sleeves I4 and I1 to turn in unison with the third arm 21. During said turning movement, the shank of the pin 20 slides in the guide-slot 5, until said shank abuts the bottom end-wall of said guide-slot 5. The clamp C is then inclined about 45 to the base 2 and the longitudinal axes of the rst and second arms I9 and 24 are then inclined to each other at an angle which is a little greater than 90. The members I9 of the r'st arm are then inclined upwardly relative to the horizontal plane.

When the third arm 21 is turned further in the counterclockwise direction, the members I9 of the rst arm turn clockwise relative to the upstanding guide arm 4 and the angle between the arms I9 and 24 is decreased. The clamp C first abuts the flange I at two spaced portions thereof, which are spaced substantially equally from the member 8. 'Ihe initial contacting position of clamp C is shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and the corresponding positions of other parts are also shown in full lines. In this position the members I9 of the first ar'm are substantially horizontal and the longitudinal axis of the second arm 24 makes an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the first arm I 9. The upper end of the guide arm 4, including the upper end-portion of the slot 5, is then located above and between the legs 24 of the second arm. In this initial operative position of the clamp, the link 22 is inclined upwardly, so that its left-hand end is higher than its right-hand end. Downward pressure is then exerted upon the knob 29 so that it is moved from the full-line position shown in Fig. to the broken-line position shown in Fig. 5. The clamp C is then forced from the initial fullline position shown in Fig. 5, downwardly to the final clamping broken-line position. The members I9 are thus turned until their longitudinal axis is inclined downwardly. The first and second arms I9 and 24 and the link 22 are thus locked in closing and clamping position. The angular arm.3land the arms I5 and I6 are thus turned, so that the clamp C is moved laterally so that said clamp is slightly distorted and it is pressed against substantially the entire adjacent surface of the ange I, save for the reentrant portion Ia. 'I'he rst and second arms I9 and 24 and link 22 then act as a self-locking device to hold said parts in the locked position. It is impossible to turn arms I5 and I6 counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 5, save by raising knob 29, or by turning the first arm I9 upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 5, relative to the axis of member 29. In order to open the device, the knob 29 is raised from the broken-line position shownin Fig. 5 to the full-line position thereof. This has the effect of first-turning the rst arm I9 until its longitudinal axis is inclined upwardly, so that thearms I5 and I6 are then freely turnable in an upward direction. This can be done by turning the arm 21 clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 2. n'

It is obvious that the device is extremely simple and durable, that the knob 29 is readily accessible at all times, and that the entire device can be manipulated by one hand of the.' attendant. The base 2 is suitably connected to the table of an ironing machine, which is not shown, as said machine is well known per se. 'Ihe drawings are substantially to scale. -The device does not include a conventional toggle, because the rst and second arms I9 and 24 .are pivoted at spaced points to link 22, instead of being pivoted to each other at a common axis. However, the device acts to some extent like a self-locking toggle, and its action can be designated as a toggle-action.

For convenience in designating the parts in the claims, members I5 and I6 may be designated as holding means for clamp C. Said holding means turn relative to base 2, around the axis of member I2. Said axis is fixed relative to base 2. While I have shown the various parts connected to a common base, it would be equivalent to mount said parts on separate supporting members. Whenever I specify that the clamping device is used for holding the neckband ofa shirt in upstanding position, the specification of such use is not intended to limit the field of use of the device.

For convenience in dening the invention,refer ence numerals have been used in the claims, but without limiting said claims to the preferred embodiment herein.

I claim:

1. A base comprising an upstanding flange, a resilient clamp cooperating with said iiange and shaped to clamp an object against said flange, said clamp being attached to supporting means which are pivoted adjacent to and above the rear portion of said flange, a control arm 21 pivoted substantially adjacent the pivotal axis of said supporting means, a lever arm 3I operatively associated with said supporting means and extending at a fixed angular relation relative to said supporting means, a first link 22 pivotally connected to said lever arm 3|, a connecting link 24 pivoted at one point thereof to the first link 22 and pivoted at another point thereof to said control arm 21, a guide means extending upwardly from said base and having abutment means below the top thereof, a spacing link I9 pivoted at one point thereof to said first link 22 and having a sliding engagement at another point thereof with said guide means, the length and arrangement of the parts being such that the control arm 21, when swung away from said base places said first link 22 and said connecting link 2l in tension to rotate said supporting means in the same direction, and when swung towards the base, the said spacing link I9 slides along said guide means until said spacing link I9 engages said abutment means to stop further' sliding movement of said spacing link i9, and to form a toggle of said first link 22 and said spacing link I9 to force said clamp into operative engagement with said flange.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said abutment means are the lower end-wall of a slot of said guide means, said slot being also closed at its upper end, said spacing link I9 having a pin which is located slidably in said slot.

3. A clamping device comprising a member having an upstanding flange, a resilient clamp which is shaped to clamp an object against said flange, said clamp being attached to supporting.

means which are pivoted adjacent to and above the rear portion of said ange, the pivotal axis of said supporting means being located, and said iiange and clamp being shaped, so that the turning movement of said supporting means first brings the spaced points of said clamp into contact with respective spaced points of said iiange and then moves the clamp laterally and also downwardly relative to said ange.

4. A base comprising an upstanding ange, a resilient clamp cooperating with said iiange and adapted to clamp an object against said flange, said clamp being attached to supporting means which are pivoted adjacent to andabove the rear portion of said ange, a control arm 2l pivoted substantially adjacent the pivotal ams of the supporting means, a lever arm 3| operatively associated with said supporting arm 21 and extending at a fixed angular relation relative to said control arm 21, a rst link 22 pivotally connected to said lever arm 3l, a connecting link 24 pivoted at one point thereof to said iirst link 22 and pivoted at another point thereof 'to said control arm 21, a. guide means extending upwardly from said base and having abutment means below the tcp end thereof, a spacing link i9 pivoted at a point thereof to said rst link 22 and having sliding engagement at another point thereof with said guide means, the length and arrangement of the parts being such that the control arm 21, when swung away from said base, places said first link 22 and said connecting link 24 in tension to rotate said supporting means in the same direction, and when swung toward the base the said spacing link slides along said guide means until sai/d spacing link engages said abut ment means to stop further sliding movement and to form a toggle of said irst link 22 and said spacing link 2t to force said clamp into operative engagement with said ange, the lower end-portion of said guide means being substantially normal to the line of action of said rst link 22 and of said spacing link id when the clamp is in its operative engagement, whereby said first link 22 and said spacing link i9 then form a self-locking toggle which maintains the clamp in said operative engagement until the control arm is swung away from said base.

'WALTm A. HGCH.

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