US2348330A

US2348330A - Measuring device for fabric finishing machines

Info

Publication number: US2348330A
Application number: US473195A
Authority: US
Inventors: Forrest J Couch
Original assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Current assignee: American Laundry Machinery Co
Priority date: 1943-01-22
Filing date: 1943-01-22
Publication date: 1944-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1961-05-09

Description

F. J. COUCH 2,348,330 MEASURING DEVICE FOR FA BRIC FINISHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 22, 1945 INVENTOR FORREST J COUCH BY r 74 4& ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1944 MEASURING DEVICE FOR FABRIC FINISHING MACHINES Forrest J. Couch, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 22, 1943, Serial No. 473,195

10 Claims. ((1223-57) This invention relates to improvements in fabric pressing or finishing machines wherein means is provided for introducing an article to be pressed lengthwise between coacting pressing members and wherein improved means responsive to the length or conformation or other physical characteristic of the article initiates the relative approach pressing movement of the pressing members.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pressing machine wherein articles of varying length may be introduced between the pressing members together with means for ausing the pressing members to close when the article has been introduced for its full length.

Among the specific applications of my invention is the embodiment shown wherein means is provided for introducing shirt sleeves of varying length between pressing members adapted to iron or finish the sleeves and wherein the pressing members are arranged to close responsive to a control member striking the shoulder seam of the shirt after when the sleeve has been fully introduced into pressing position between the pressing members.

Other objects and advantages of my improved mechanism, including safeguarding devices, will be better understood from the accompanying specification and drawing, and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the attached claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a sleeve ironing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; while Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits. 7

As stated above, my invention is applicable to any machine wherein, by movement generally parallel to their pressing surfaces, an article to be pressed is introduced between pressing members which thereafter are closed to press or iron the article worked upon. Such an article need not be tubular nor need the relative movement of the pressing members be in a vertical direction.

However, in order to clearly understandmy invention, I have illustrated the same as applied to a sleeve ironing operation wherein relative vertical movement is utilized} to place the sleeves in pressing position between the coacting pressing members for a pressing or ironing operation.

In the embodiment here disclosed, upon a base Ii] is mounted a frame ll comprising two side members I la and a central member I lb which are rigidly tied together at the top of the frame by the brackets l2 and |2a and the bar connections l3 and [3a. Since means is provided for ironing the two sleeves of a single shirt simultaneously, the mechanism for ironing one sleeve will be described, it being understood that the other mechanism is exactly like it except that the reference characters have been given the sufiix a. Referring now to the left hand set of members in r Fig. 1, a stationary outer pressing chest member I4 is supported in fixed relation to the frame I! by the brackets l5. A movable outer pressing chest [6 is mounted in the bracket [2 for movement toward and away from the chest M. This mounting comprises a cylinder l1 rigidly fixed to the bracket 12' and housing a piston l8 whose piston rod 19 is rigidly connected to the chest IS. A spring 20 engages between the bracket [2 and a collar 2| on the piston rod to normally bias the chest l6 away from the chest Id. The chest I6 is properly guided during this movement by a post 22 rigid with chest 16 and slidably mounted in an arm of the bracket I2. Movement of the chest l6 toward the chest [4 for a pressing operation is provided by pressure fluid supplied to cylinder [1 by means of conduit 23.

Conduits

23 and 23a (the like conduits supplying cylinder Ha) receive a pressure fluid supply, such as compressed air, through supply line 24, valve 25, and conduit 26. The valve 25 as best seen in Fig. 5 is controlled by a solenoid coil 21 which is energized by a suitable source of power through electrical lines 28 and 29. In line 28 are

switches

30 and 3|, which will be later described, for controlling the initiation of a pressing operation and a manually operable switch 32 used for terminating a pressing operation.

Means is provided for supporting the two sleeves of a shirt for movement endwise into pressing relation with the respective pairs of pressing members or chests l4, l6 and Maflfia. As here shown, this means consists of twoinner pressing members in' the form of

work supporting bucks

33 and 33, each mounted on a swinging frame such as that shown at 34, whichis pivotally mounted at 35' on a slidingframe 36 mounted for vertical movement on the frame member Mb. The two opposite faces of eachinner pressing -member or work supporting'buck cooperate respectively with the two outer pressing members sleeve on the form 33a.

between which it lies when the press is closed. Part of the frame 34 may be constructed as a table 31 to aid in holding the body of the shirt and this table may be utilized to raise and lower the frame 36 manually, or a special handle might be provided for this purpose, or, as will be readily understood, it could be accomplished by power means. The frame 34 is biased toward its outermost position by a spring 38 and this movement is limited by a lug 39 which engages a portion of frame 36 to prevent the buck 33 from moving out of endwise registration with the opening between the chests l4 and Hi. the bucks may be counterbalanced, if desired, by a weight 40 connected by a cable 4| with the movable frame at the point 42. This cable is guided by

pulleys

43 and 44 on the frame I I. A tube 45 may be provided to house the weight 43 if desired.

It will be understood that sleeves of varying length are pressed in this machine and it is desirable that the approach pressing movement of the outer pressing members or chests l4 and I6 toward the inner pressing member 33 should ocour only when the sleeve is completely enveloped by the chests. It is also desirable that the ironing chests shall not iron the body of the shirt beyond the shoulder seams where the sleeves join the body. To this end a control means is provided which insures that a sleeve on inner pressing member 33 is entered 'for its full length between the chests I 4 and It before those chests close upon it for an ironing or pressing operation. This means as here shown comprises a finger 46 which is adapted to move into and out of engagement with a sleeve on one of the bucks, such as that illustrated at 41 in Fig. 3. The finger is mounted for this movement on a block 43 which is slidably mounted for vertical movement on a pair of rods 49 and 50 which are rigidly mounted in a carriage 3 l This carriage is in turn mounted for horizontal movement toward and away from the buck 3311 so as to provide the movement of finger 46 illustrated by the dotdash position of'Fig. '2. This carriage is mounted by, suspending'an ar n thereof 52' by means of pivoted links and 54 which are carried by a bracket-55 which in turn is rigidly mounted by the bar .55 on the main frame N. Thi is a parallel'rul'er arrangement which maintains the verticalalin'em'ent of frame 51 as it is moved back and forth.

Means is provided to move the carriage in 'a horizontal direction toward the right as viewed iii Fig. 1 to carrytne finger 46 from the full line position of Fig. 2 to the dot-dash line thereof which places the finger 46 in engagement with a This means comprises a cam bar 57 rigidly mounted on the movable frame 3 6 and which is adapted to engage a roller 53 which is mounted on a bar 59 slidably mounted on the bracket 55 and yieldingly connected with link 53 by means of spring 63. The bar 5 9 is supported at its right hand end by a lever 3| which is pivotally mounted on the machine framework at 62. The clockwise movement of this lever as viewedin-Fig. lis limited by the stop member 63. It should now be apparent that if the form 33a moves vertically upward the cam 51 will engage the roller 58 which, through the yielding connection of spring, 88, will pull upon link 53, moving the bar member 52 toward the right as, viewed in Fig. 1, so that carr-iage 5| moves towardthe right also and carries The

frames

36, 34, 34a. and

finger 46 into engagement with the sleeve on the sleeve form 33a.

Means is provided for automatically supplying pressure fluid to the cylinders H and Ila to produce a pressing operation only when a sleeve on the

forms

33 and 33a is entered for its entire length between the coacting pressing members so that it is in registering pressing position between them. To this end the switch 30 (Fig. 1) is mounted on a portion of the bracket 5| and a finger 64 depending from the block 43 normally holds this switch in open position. In other words, the switch 30 is of the self-closing type and when the finger 64 engages it as shown in Fig. 1 it holds the switch open. However, due to the extra thickness of the shoulder seam 65 of the shirt, shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, when said seam engages the finger 46 while the shirt is moving upwardly the block 48 is moved vertically along the rods 43 and 53 which carries the finger =64 out of engagement with the actuator for switch 30 and permits this switch to close. If it were not for a safety feature later described in connection with switch 3|, it will be obvious from a study of Fig. 5 that the closing of switch 30 would energize the solenoid 21, causing valve 25 to open and permitting a flow of pressure fluid through

conduits

24, 26, 23 and 23a to the cylinders l1 and Ila for causing a pressing operation.

The safety feature just mentioned comprises theswitch 3| shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 and also shown in Fig. 1 as mounted on the bracket 55. One end of bar 59 engages the actuator for switch 3| so as to hold this switch in open position as the parts are shown in Fig. 1. This switch is also of the automatic closing type. It will be noted that if cam 53 engages roller 58 and moves bar 59 toward the right as seen in Fig. l, the end of this bar will disengage the actuator for switch 3|, permitting this switch toclose. This places the circuit of Fig. 5 in such condition that when switch 30 i closed as described in thepreceding' paragraph, a pressing operation will take place. The purpose of this switch 3| is to insure against or positively prevent any approach movement of the chests It and Ilia except when the

forms

33 and 33a are in pressing position and a pressing operation is desired. Otherwise accidental operation of the finger 64 might cause movement of the pressing chests at a time when it might endanger an operator or injure the machinery.

The operation of the apparatus will now be briefly set forth, although it should be fairly clear from the above description. With the parts in the position of Fig.1 the two sleeves of a shirt are dressed respectively upon the

forms

33 and 33a, being drawn down their full length on the forms until the cuffs are in position to be held beneath the clips 66 and 56a respectively. The operator then raises the carriage 33-either manually or by power, if such is provided. The cam 51 engages the roller 58 and moves carriage 5| toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1, moving the finger 46 into engagement with the sleeve on form 33a. At the same time this permits switch 3| to close. The finger rides along the surface of the sleeve until it is engaged by the thicker shoulder seam at the lower end of the shirt sleeve. Further upward movement of form 3311 carries the finger 46 upwardly until the finger B4 is disengaged from or passes beyond switch 30. This permits the latter to close and completes the energization of solenoid '21 which opens valve 25 and supplies pressure fluid to the cylinders I! and Ha. The piston rods I9 and Na then simultaneously make inward strokes carrying the outer pressing members or chests l6 and mo first into contact with the sleeve covered inner pressing members or forms 33 and 33a whereupon further movement of the chests l6 and IBa causes the

frames

34 and 34a to pivot about their connections with the frame 36 and carry

forms

33 and 33a along with them until contact of the sleeves ishad with the stationary pressing chests I 4 and Ma. It will be obvious from a perusal of Fig. 2. that at this time each two outer pressing members or chests practically completely enclose one of the inner pressing members or forms 33 and 33a so as to completely iron the sleeve in pressing position. When this operation is completed the operator opensswitch 32, which deenergizes solenoid 2?, permitting valve 25 to close under the bias of its closing spring, which cuts off the supply of pressure fluid and opens the exhaust port 25a, whereupon the cylinder I1 and Ila are evacuated and springs 20 and 28a move the chests I6 and 15a out of pressing position. The

forms

33 and 33a may then be moved downwardly and the sleeves removed, leaving the apparatus ready for another operation.

It will be understood that means is provided for heating the chests l4 and It, but no means a is shown since this is well understood in the art.

It will be understood by those familiar with this art that means may be provided to enable an operator to work upon the

forms

33 and 33a in a convenient manner in any one of several ways having nothing to do with the present invention. For instance, the

pressing forms

33 and 33a might be on a turret mounting so as to rotate into position beneath the pressing chests, after which the pressing operation might take place as above described. Another form would be to mount the

bucks

33 and 33a on a horizontally sliding carriage for movement toward and away from an operator. Still a third manner would be to arrange for the tilting of the

bucks

33 and 33a so that the sleeves might be more readily applied to and removed from the bucks.

As mentioned previously, many of the features of this invention are equally applicable if a single article holding pressing members or form moves into pressing position alongside a single pressing member or chest, whether such movement be vertical or horizontal.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a pair of pressing members having generally parallel pressing surfaces, means whereby relative movement may be caused between said members in a direction generally parallel to said pressing surfaces into and out of various pressing position relations of said members, means for causing relative approach pressing motion of said members when in pressing relation to press an article between them, a control member adapted to engage an articlesupported on one of said pressing members as the pressing members move toward pressing relation, said control member being movable by a variation in the conformation of said article, and means for controlling said last named means by said movement of said control member.

2. In a machine of the class described, a pair of pressing members having generally parallel pressing surfaces, means whereby relative movement may be caused between said members in a direction generally parallel to said pressing surfaces into and out ofvarious pressing relations of said members, means for causing relative approach pressing motion of said members'when in. pressing relation to press an article between them, a control member movable into engagement with an article supported on one of said pressing members as the pressing members move toward pressing relation, said control member being also movable by a variation in the conformation of said article, and means for controlling said last named means responsive to both of 'said movements of said control member.

3. In combination, a pair of coacting elongated pressing members mounted for relative approach and receding pressing movement, means whereby an elongated article to be pressed may be advanced endwise to various positions between said pressing members in a direction generally normal to th direction of said pressing movement, said last named means being constructed and arranged to locate one end of said article with reference to said pressing members when the article lies between said pressing members, and means responsive to the length of said article for causing relative approach pressing movement of said members.

4. In combination, a sleeve form, a pair of relatively movable coacting pressing members for pressing a sleeve on said form, means supporting said members and said form for relative movement in a direction endwise of said form, a finger associated with said pressing members and adapted to engage a sleeve on said form, said finger being movable by engagement with the shoulder seam of a shirt whose sleeve is dressed on said form, and means responsive to movement of said finger for causing relative approach pressing movement of said pressing members.

5. In combination, a sleeve form, a pair of relatively movable coacting pressing members for pressing a sleeve on said form, means supporting said members and said form for relative movement in a direction endwise of said form whereby said form may be advanced to a position between said pressing members, a finger mounted adjacent said pressing members for movement toward and from said form when the latter is in pressing position between said members, means actuated by said relative endwise movement for moving said finger into engagement with a sleeve on said form as the latter moves into position between said pressing members, said finger being movable by engagement with an end portion of a sleeve on said form, and means responsive to said last named movement of said finger for causing relative approach pressing movement of said pressing members.

6. In combination, a sleeve form, a pair of relatively movable coacting pressing members for pressing a sleeve on said form, means supporting said members and said form for relative movement in a direction endwise of said form whereby said form may be advanced to a position between said pressing members, a finger mounted adjacent said pressing members for movement toward and from said form when the latter is in pressing position between said members, means actuated by said relative endwise movement for moving said finger into engagement with a sleeve on said form as the latter moves into position between said pressing members, power means for causing relative approach pressing movement of said pressing members, power supply means for said power means including two control members both of which must be actuated to energize said power means, means for actuating one of said control members by said movement of said finger into engagement with a sleeve on said form, said finger being movable by engagement with an end portion of a sleeve on said form, and means for actuating the other of said control members by said last named movement of said finger.

7. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair of pressing chests on said frame, one of said chests mounted for movementtoward the other, a pressing form movably mounted on said frame in alinement with the opening between said chests, said form being mounted for movement in a path toward and from pressing position between said chests, said form also having a mounting for movement normal to said path, a carriage provided with a finger adapted for engagement .with a sleeve on said form, means mounting said carriage for movement normal to said path, means mounting said finger in said carriage for movement parallel to said path, means on said form for moving said carriage responsive to movement of said form along said path, and means responsive to movement of said finger for causing movement of said movable chest. V

8. In a machine of the class described, a pair of pressing members having generally parallel pressing surfaces, means whereby variable relative movement may be caused between said members in a direction generally parallel to said pressing surfaces into and out of various pressing relations of said members selected in accordance with variations in the form of the work, means for causing relative approach pressing motion of said members when in pressing relation to press an article between them, and means for controlling action of said last named means responsive to the form of the particular article lying between said pressing members.

9. In a machine of the class described, cooperating pressing members movable toward and from each other for the pressing operation, power means for producing such movement thereof, a work supporting member movable into and out of pressing position between said pressing members, controlling means for causing operation of said power means arranged to engage the Work and actuated by advance thereof into pressing position, and means sensitive to motion of the work supporting member for preventing operation of said power means unless the said work supporting member is in pressing position.

10. In a machine of the class described, a pair of pressing members having cooperating surfaces of complementaryicontour for pressing articles therebetween, means whereby relative movement may be produced between said members in a direction generally parallel to said surfaces so as to vary the extent of mutual overlap of said surfaces and thereby establish, by means of said variable mutual overlap, various pressing relations selected in accordance with variations in the form of the work, means for causing relative approach pressing motion of said members when in desired overlapped relation to press an article between them, and means responsive to physical characteristics of the article to be pressed for controlling action of said last named means.

FORREST J. COUCH.