US2572272A - Press timer - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23,1951 R. G. MCLAGAN PRESS TIMER Filed Aug. 14, 1947 7 wkwmmm ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 23, 1951 PRESS TIMER Russell G. McLagan, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Norwood Station, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 14, 1947, Serial No. 768,670

1 Claim.

This invention relates to timing devices, such as are employed for timing the operation of machines or machine parts.

One example oi such use is in the operation of presses for pressing or ironing articles of wearing apparel such as mens shirts or outer garments, such as coats and trousers. Such machines may be operated and controlled by fluid pressure. The operator actuates a controlling valve to close the press, the control system including means for maintaining the operating fluid pressure. When the pressing operation is concluded, the pressure is relieved or evacuated and the press opens.

The present invention provides automatic timing means, set into operation when the operator causes the press to close, which causes it to open after the lapse of an interval the duration of which may be varied as desired. When the press opens the timing parts automatically return to their original positions ready for another operation.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved timing means of the character described which is of simple construction, is dependable in operation and is not likely to get out of order in service.

Another object is to provide improved timing means which can be made, assembled and operated in multiple form, capable of simultaneously controlling or handling several machines or operations.

A further object is to provide improved timing mechanism in which a single pilot motor can be made to control several machines or devices.

Still another object is to provide improved timing mechanism including a friction clutch capable of slipping when the timer performs its actuating function, thus preventing stalling of the pilot motor.

A further obiect is to provide improved timing mechanism which includes automatic resettingV means which is reliable in operation and which, also, is unaffected by adjustment of timer for diiTerent time periods.

Further objects of the invention in part are obvious and in part Will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a front elevation, with parts broken out and in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail section, on a larger scale, on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the timer applied for the control of a garment press.

Referring to Fig. l, the timing mechanism or device shown includes a base l0 designed for mounting upon a suitable support and to carry the operating mechanism. This includes a shaft Il journalled in bearing supports l2 and driven through conventional s-peed reducing gearing I3 by a small pilot motor I4. This rotates constantly at uniform speed, the reducing gearing cutting the speed down to a low value, say 1 or 2 R. P. M.

Shaft l l operates the timing mechanism which may be a single mechanism or include a plurality thereof spaced at intervals along the shaft, but all operated thereby and each of several being effective or operating independently of all others. While any number of separate timers may be used, the drawings show four. Since all are alike, description of one will apply to and suffice for all.

These timing devices are frequently used to control the operation of one or several machines, particularly machines which are started, independently of the timer, either automatically or by operator control which also initiates operation of the timer. which at the conclusion of the operation, stops the machine, for example, and also resets the timer to zero position, ready for another operation. When Several machines are controlled, more or less individually or independently of each other, the timer obviously must be located at a convenient central point with some communication to and from each machine. Thus, the timer includes a timer controller or operator to initiate its action and which is controlled from the machine or the governor therefore, and also a controller for the machine,l such as to stop it, actuated by the timer. These two controllers, in the timer, may be servomotors of either the electrical or fluid pressure form, both being convenient for use in remote control. For example, the timer controller servomotor may be a solenoid or electromagnet and the machine controller an electric switch. The drawings, however, show the timer, or one unit thereof, arranged to control a fluid pressure operated system, and more particularly such a system `of a conventional garment press later described more in detail. The two controllers, therefore, are of uid pressure form.

The timer controller (Fig. 2) is a fluid pressure servomotor I5, supplied with pressure through conduit i6, the diaphragm of which motor actuates a plunger Il, the free end of which abuts and operates one arm of a bell crank lever I8 (Fig. 3).

The machine controller is a normally closed valve I9 controlling the ow of iluid pressure, e. g. air pressure, from a manifold Eil, to which all timer units are connected, supplied by a conduit 2| communicating with a source of fluid pressure flnot shown). This valve is actuated by a linger 22, later referred to.

The active mechanism of each timer unit includes the two members of a friction clutch, which normally lie in clutch-open or uncoupled relation, toward which they are biased. The driving member of the clutch couple is a disc 23 iiXed to shaft i I, as by set screw 2d, and lprovided with a facing E of friction material. 'This cooperates with the like facing 26 on a driven disc 21 loosely rotatable upon and slidable .longitudinally along the shaft. Disc 2l is biased toward the right in Fig. 3 by compression spring 28 so that it always hugs or abuts the second and flanges 3! and attached to the base it. To this plate is connected at 3io one end of a spiral coiled spring 3i, like a clock spring, the other end of which is attached at aib to finger 22, before referred to, attached to driven disc 21.

In Fig. 2 shaft Ii rotates counterclockwise, and spring 3l is of such'form, and is so tensioned, that it always tends to turn disc 2'! clockwise, or in the opposite direction from that of shaft rotation.

Each unit of the timer is enclosed between two sections -32 of a housing or cover, said sections being spaced apart to provide a slot along which may be adjusted a stop device 33 ycapable of being clamped in any desired position by the binding nut 34. A scale 35 may be inscribed alongside each slot, with divisions indicating time intervals.

The drawings show one unit of the timer, .say the fourth from the left in Fig. 1, conventionally indicated by the dot-dash rectangle A in Fig. 4, connected to time or control the pressure period of a laundry or garment press of conventional form. This comprises a frame d@ on which is mounted a bed 4I cooperating with a pressing head 42 carried by a pivoted lever i3 connected to the upper of two toggle links M, 45 the lower of which is pivoted to the bed. The press is opened by a tension spring 4@ and is closed by supplying fluid pressure to a motor 41 the piston of which is connected by rod 48 to the toggle knuckle. After the press is closed heavy power pressure is applied to the work by the effort of the piston i9 of a power motor 5G, said piston being connected by rod 5I to the bed, which it elevates.

The press is controlled by two manually operatable supply `valves 6B, 6I in series, an exhaust valve B2, capable of operation either by a manual 63 or. by pressure supplied to a small servomotor 64, eiectve upon said manual, and a pressure maintaining supply valve 65, actuated by servomotor 66.

The operation is as follows:

The drawings show the press closed under full pressure, with the parts of the timing mechanism ready to release or open the press. However, assuming motor Ill in operation and the press wide open, the pistons of the two motors 41, 50 are full retracted; servomotors I5, 64, 65 are inactive; valves I8, S, 6I, 62 and 65 are driving relation.

closed; clutch 25, 2S is released; and linger 22 is held against stop 33 by spring 3l. In Fig. 2, stop 33 is shown adjusted to a position about 90 from the stem of valve I9. Since shaft II rotates at 1 R. P. M. that means that it requires about 15 seconds for the ringer to reach the valve stem, when the timer unit is energized. By adjusting the stop to other positions, or by using a diiierent ratio of speed reduction and driving shaft II at other speeds, any desired time delay interval may be secured.

Now, assuming the stop 33 has been adjusted to lthe `proper position, with nnger 22 held against as described,- the press is closed by opening both supply valves 60, 6I. Fluid pressure flows from the supply pipe 61 through said valves and exhaust valve 52 to pipe 68 and thence to the cylinder .of motor 41, moving over its piston, straightening or closing toggle links lid, i5 and closing the press, under light pressure, if any.

As the piston of motor lll nears the end of its travel communication is Iestablished to pipes 69, it. Pipe 6e supplies pressure `to motor 5D, which completes press closing under heavy pressure. Pipe 'It supplies pressure tothe servomotors 66, I5.

Servomotor t5 actuates valve 55, which supplies maintaining pressure from pipe H to pipe i5, and through pipe l!) to motors M, 5t, thus enabling the operator to release the manuals of valves Gil, El.

Pipe iii supplies pressure to actuate -servomotor of the particular timing unit involved, the effect being to close the clutch faces 25, 25 into Thereupon ldisc 2'! beginsto turn with dise 23, its travel continuing during the selected time interval, at 'the end of which ringer 22 engages the stem of valve 'i9 and opens said valve. This operation vsupplies pressure from pipe El to pipe ill and thus to motor 54, which operates to actuate the manual 153 and open eni haust valve 62. Thereupon all pressure is evac-l uated from servomotors 'I5 Vand B5 and from motors Eil. The press promptly opens and since the pressure of servoinotor l5 upon lever i8 has been relieved disc El' moves away ironidisc 23 and the clutch opens. Thereupon spring SI returns nger 22 to its original position against stop 33.

If other timing units are connected to andy op-f erated by shaft EI, and are operatively asso ciated with other machines, such as presses, those presses may be operated, independently or the press shown, with individual control of each by its own timer, in the manner described. Oi course, when several presses are arranged and operated in special association with each other, asin the several presses of a shirt unit, those presses may have their controls connected for tandem operation, according to standard practice, without interference with or by the timing mechanism here involved.

'The apparatus described is simple and highly efficient and readily may be applied either to new presses or to old presses already in service.

Other advantages of the invention 'will be ap parent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

Timing apparatus of the character described comprising a continuously rotatable driving shaft, pilot motor means for rotating the same, a driving clutch member Xed to the shaft to rotate therewith, a co-operating driven clutch member rotatably mounted on the shaft, and also movable axially thereon Within limits for' movement into and out of coupled relationship with its mated xed clutch member, helical spring means between said mated clutch members disposed to bias said driven clutch member toward uncouple'd relation, a Work controlling fluid pressure motor, manually operatable valve mechanism in fluid flow communication with said motor for controlling the flow of pressure thereto for energizing the same, lever means engageable with said movable clutch member to move the same into coupled relationship with its mate, a second fluid pressure motor effective, when energized to operate said lever means, said first and second named iluid motors being respectively successively responsive to said manually operatable valve mechanism, a xed valve device in uid flow relationship with said rst named iiuid motor and located in the path Vof advance rotation of the driven clutch member, said driven clutch member having a valve operating finger xed thereon and operatable thereby for contacting said valve and exhausting the pressure from said first named motor to deenergize the same, said second named motor being in uid flow relationship with said irst named motor whereby to be exhausted therewith, coil spring means having one end fixed and the other end connected to said movable clutch member and biased to cause rotation of 6 said movable clutch member in the reverse direction to driven movement thereof whereby, when the mated clutch members are disengaged by exhaust of said second named uid pressure motor, operation of said helical spring returns said driven clutch member to its initial position ready for another operation, and adjustable stop means in the path of and adapted to intercept said valve operating finger during reverse rotation of said driven clutch member whereby such reverse rotation is adjustably predetermined and limited, to thereby control the arc of driven travel of said driven clutch member during which travel the said rst fluid pressure motor is effective.

RUSSELL G. MCLAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Feb. 22, 1944

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