US2683319A - Ironing machine - Google Patents

Description

y 1954 s. F. BICKELL ETAL 2,683,319

mourns MACHINE Filed April 28, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 5. E B/EKELL h; E. JACKSON S. F. BICKELL ETAL July. 13, 1954 IRONING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 28, 1952 y 3, 1954 s. BICKELL. ETAL 2,683,319 IRONING MACHINE Fild April 28, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 13, 1954 S. F. BICKELL ETAL IRONING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 28, 1952 mum. ME w MM n Em% 5 S M 5 y 1954' s. F. BICKELL ETAL ,3 9

IRONING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v I v i 66 I 1" 1 02 m A I m w 89 FIG. /2.

Patented July 13, 1954 IRUNING Stanley- EE Biokel-li lFramptm Gotterellj and Hal'fllfliiE i' Jack-son, Liverpol Ef1gIandimplication A'priY-ZS} 1952j;Serial Nth-284,748.

Th'is'invention' relatesto. ironing. machinesintended mainlir' for domestic use and particuiariiz to machinesofthe type having a rotatable; r011 supportea' at'orreen'd only. an'dia'heatedpressingf sho'e' which can" bemoved.into'andiout'bf engage mentwith theroll.

It is an" ob'iectofth'e presentinven'tioni toprovi'de. an ironing. machiiie having, an. improved" mechanism which is s'i'mpjln than known mechani's'ms: and? which is easily controlled by an operatorl According ,to the. present invention-.anmironingi machine comprisesa rotatable roll; a .shoecapa-b'le of movement into and? out of engagem'ent-with. the roll) driving. means, aedrive output'smemberoperatively"connectediwith; the driving means, as first'ciutch which transfersimotionfromstherdrive: output. memben to; roll: driving: means I only on rotation. ofsthedriveoutput member-in one-vdir'ec- 21 Glaiiusz- (Cl. 38-61)- Figure Tis. across section through one clutch assembiy'on an enlarged'scale',

Fii'zure. 8"i's an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig.

Figure 9Tis across. section on' the line C-Cof Fig. &but with themotor removed,

i ure 10. shows part of the shoe operating. mechanism on an enlargediscal'e,

Figure 11 is-anenlarged View ofparti of'thecontrol arm,

Figure 12 shows thezpedalicontrolimechanism,. and

Figure 13 isv acircuit diagramsofrthe motor-control circuitl teferring; to Figure 1 of v the drawings. it will bea seentthat the ironing; machine itselfis of conventionai appearance-andhas a padded rotatable r011! supported atione end v onlyeona hollow goose neck or standard 2 containin r011 drivingzgears.

tion, asecondclutchsvhidhrtransfers motionifrom' Aahea-table shoer3awhichin Figure lis just-visible the -drii e. output membentoshoe. actuating means, only when the dr-iveeoutput memberiis rotatin -ins the. opposite. direction v andmcontrolameans open abie...'to changeithe-direction ofrotation oft-the.

diiiveoutputimembers v I In. one embodiment of-thewinvention a mechar nism. is provided wherebythe. secondeclutchi-is; rendereds inoperative after the shoerhas engaged: the roller or has completedthedisengagine movement therefrom.

According to aieatures of the. inventionsthedriving,.means. consistseflan electricrmotori andi the. direotioneofiitotation.ofith evdrive output meme her is changedby reversing the directioniofi-rota, tion of the electric. motcrw The motor maybeof the singlephase. capacitor st'arte type withithree star. connected windings J which. are energized ac" cording, to the desiredfrotationsby: means, 012a, switch operative'ly linked to th'elconti'ollmeans,

behindrthewroll I; isrmountedso that it can move intoiand outsofsen'gagement w-ithithe' roll: I The goose necks 2 is: mounted onia base 6- which infiFig.' uref l is shoWni supported: on a; cabinetstand: 5:

z-i 'whi'ch enables: an operatorato sit iwhilst control ling the-machine by: means of a foot -peda.1-= indicated' generallymy the reference numeraL 6;.

As canz beseenzinaFi'gure 2-1 the r011; consists. ofa ho11ow*tube.-'!-coveredby="a:1ayer or padding 8':-

initurmccveredibm a:c1bth1s1eeve.-:9; The: roll. is

rotatab'lyisupported by discs 1 iii and: I 1| on a tube l2 which; is secured cantilever: fashion; in' they goose-meek Thezroll Iris :rotatedzby acdrivin'g rod 63 coupled to the tube l-"byfai further disc 5" I4 2. 'Ih'e rod: I eipassesi thr'od'ghllthe. tube l2 as SHOWII BIId is coupled toe-spindle" I 5 of a ge'ar: I 53 forming partofiafigear' train i6, :1; l8; l9 mounted ou -a bracket FZEi inside-the goose-neck 2-1 The shoe-3'5 shown inmore detail in Figures-3 irofliilgmaichine according: to the invention. 40* arid-4; ismount'ed' midway of'its'en'ds on a bracket willnow'be de'scribedi'n greater. detail By, way. of' example". with. reference to the accompanying drawings of which;

Figure .1 isa front:elevation'ofthe'ironingma chine'mounte'dfupon a cabiuet'stand,

Figure 2.51s across.sectiorr th rougliihefrolltand itsmountin'g;

Figure 3 is a reareievationofthe'sfioesep'aratedffomth'e ironingmachine, 1

2 I" and" has the usual concave metallic pressing surracezz'i Flexible leads zsconrrecttheshoe" heating eiement'24 seen'in'cross'section in Fig. 4;

vementttypewmounted within the structure ofthe Figure s v sectionwmtfie i shoe: The face'ofithecontrol memberi25 iscsuit+-- FigureS';

Figure fifis a" plan viewofpart-'o'fthemperatingf mechanism; j

Figure -6- is" a section on tI'ie 'IinesB Bof Figf 5 but'w-ith themotor'removed,

ab'I-y-"inScribedLWithE a: temperature scaleso that the: required temperature: can be preset? ac curat'elyi The' di'iv i'ne'mechanismfor b'othroll and-shoe =is mountedwithin the base' i -oi the machine'and is shown in plan view in Figure 5. An electric motor of the single phase capacitor started type with three star connected windings is mounted within a casing 23 bolted to a housing 21 which contains a reduction gearing and clutches by means of which the drive from the electric motor can be used to rotate the roll I or to operate the shoe 3.

A pinion 28 fixed on the shaft of the electric motor meshes with a gear wheel 29 whose axle carries a pinion 30 engaging a gear wheel 3| which, with a pinion 32, is mounted on a stub shaft carried by the casing 21. A main gear 33 which meshes with the pinion 32 incorporates two roller clutches and, dependent upon the direction of rotation of the gear 33, transmits rotation either to a gear wheel 34 engaging the gear wheel 13 in the goose-neck 2 andthus to the roll i or to a cam which operates the shoe 3.

Each face of the main gear 33 is formed with a concentric recess in which the roller clutches referred to above are mounted. From Figure '7, which shows a cross section through the left hand clutch as seen in Figure 6,'it is clear that the clutch comprises a clutch centre 35, roller bearin s 35, 31, 33 and 39 and a bearing cage 40. The roller bearings 3B, 31, 33 and 39 co-act with inclined surfaces 4!, 42, 43 and 44 respectively formed on the periphery of the clutch centre 35. Leaf springs 45 and 43 are mounted in slots in the clutch centre 35. Each clutch centre has a central tubular extension 4? (Figure 6) and in the case of the right hand clutch as viewed in Figure 6 this extension 4'l-has the pinion 34 mounted on it. The extension 47 of the left hand clutch centre has a cam 48 secured to it. The cage 45 of the left hand clutch has secured to it the flanged end of a sleeve-like member is which fits over the extension 47 and carries a latch plate 50.

The clutches are arranged so that the right hand clutch will transmit the rotation of the main gear 33 to the pinion 34 only when the clutch is rotated clockwise by gear 33 (as viewed in the direction of arrow in Figure 6). The left hand clutch transmits the rotation of the main gear 33 to the cam 48 only when rotated in an anti-clockwise direction and only then if the cage 40 is free to rotate. The roller bearings 38, 39 operate to transmit the anti-clockwise rotation of the main gear 33 to the clutch centre 35 while the rollers 36 and 31 serve to prevent the clutch centre running ahead of the main gear 33 which would result in an abrupt disengagement of the shoe and the roll.

Rotation of the cage 40 is controlled by the latch plate 50 which co-acts with the inturned end of a lever 52. These parts viewed in the direction of the arrow 5i are shown on an enlarged scale in Figure and it will be seen that the latch plate 53 has a notch 53 and a projecting ear 54. The lever 52 is firmly secured at one end to a spindle 55 which passes through the housing 27 and carries outside the housing a lever 56 capable of turning the spindle. The lever 56 can also withdraw the spindle 55, through the medium of a pin 5! passing through the spindle, part way from the housing 2'! against the action of a spring 58 (Figures 6 and 9).

The spring 58 normally holds the lever 56 against a plate 59 so that the lever abuts the inturned edget!) and a raised portion M of the plate 59 as is shown in Figure 9. The plate 59 has a slot 62 (Figure 8) cut in it and an adjustment plate 63 which is pivoted to the plate 53 at 64 and can be moved so as to mask the lower part of the slot 62 as viewed in Fig. 8 and locked by a nut 98. A spring is mounted between the lever 56 and. the bottom of the plate 59. A control bar 6'6 is supported adjacent one end on the slot 52 and adjacent the other end on the bracket 51 in the base 4. The control bar 36 is capable of longitudinal movement, as will be described later, against the action of a spring 68 which is secured between the control bar and the base 4. The spring 58 also exerts a vertical pull on the control bar 66. The end of the control bar 68 adjacent the plate 59 is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 11. This end is slotted and has two operating faces 63 and Hi which in the normal operating position of the bar are vertical and a face H which has the same inclination with re spect to the horizontal as an inclined part 12 on the lever 55. The slot in the control bar is also undercut as at 13 and 14 to form two horizontal slots.

The control bar also has a small wedge shaped extension l5 (Figure 6). The wedge shaped extension 15 co-operates with a catch plate 16 mounted on a torsion bar T! which extends laterally from the housing 2! parallel with the control bar. The torsion bar is journalled in the housing 21 and extends within the latter. One end of an arm 18 is fixed to the inner end of the torsion bar l'l'inside the housing while the other end of the arm carries a roller 19 which is in contact with the surface of the cam 48 referred to above.

A sleeve 83 is fitted over the end of the torsion bar '57 remote from the housing 21 and is pinned to the bar at 8!. The sleeve passes through a O supporting bracket 82 and has a second bracket 83 clamped to it. The bracket 83 extends through the base 4 of the machine and is secured to the bracket 2| in the shoe 3.

One method of operating the control bar 66 is shown in Figure 12. The bar 66 carries a small stud 84 which is retained in contact with one arm of a bell crank lever 85 by the spring 38. The bell crank lever is pivoted at B3 in the base 4 and its other arm has an operating cable 87 coupled to it. This cable 8! passes down inside the cabinet stand 5 and is attached to a foot pedal 88 which in Figure 12 is viewed in the direction of the arrow 89. The foot pedal is pivoted at 90 and has an over-travel stop 9!.

Fig. 12 also shows how the end of the control bar 56 remote from the lever 56 can operate a switch 92 mounted beneath the base 4. This switch which is also shown diagrammatically in Figure 13 controls the power supply of the electric motor.

Referring now to Figure 13 which is a circuit diagram of the motor control, the motor windings WI, W 2 and W3 are shown connected to the power supply terminal N, fixed contact 93 of the switch 92 and fixed contact 34 respectively. moving contact 95 of the switch is joined to the power supply terminal L. A capacitor Cl is connected across the ends of the windings W2 and W3. A switch operating plunger 95 transmits the motion of the control bar 33 to a flexible arm 31 carrying the contact 95. Fig. 13 shows the position of the flexible arm 31 when the pedal 88 is depressed by an operator.

Before describing the operation of the mechanism it will be assumed that the latter is in a position in which the shoe 3 is withdrawn from the roll I. It follows, as will be appreciated later, that the projecting ear 54 of the latch plate 50 has engaged the inturned end of the lever 52. Thus, the latch plate 50, sleeve 49 and cage 43 The are-vpreventedsfmmnm rotation:ofrtheemaimgcar flitmtliemamruewhich controls? the rotationrori ithe torsion bar 1 1 In"- adzdition; the movementtofz theetorsiom bar nec-- esserwtmwithdrawthe: shoes-3 'has '-=caused1 the catch plate 16 to move intwthetli mot-traveler the:.-wedgesshaqied:pmjeetionrfl5 on th'e control bamffi'fi'ethusvpreventingrthez latter from further movement? tottheelettaasaviewedi imiigse 5; 6 and 1 123 theE-r'controlaban'wannbt ,1 operate'r'the switch 92 to produce a reversal in the direction ofi rotatiom ofi the: electricimotersand it .:follows thatsthesrollzils.cannchbeirotatedias long asthe 511G853 rremainsrwithdrawm If: new? an"; 'o rera: hrs"wishe'sato iron; the footpedals 88s isidepresseditullwandlretainedun -thatthus energising the motor to produce ani anticlockwise;dimctiontcfamtatiomofi the m'ainl gear 33;: Eacesliss of: thraslettaisthefemhofithc control bardi'fi'scmnes intoi' contacttwzithitheslever fis caus ing; thezlattemtcrpivot.omthez pmjection Gil and so withdraw the spindle 555ifiom1the: housing 2-? against the action of spztingafli v This'swithdr'aws the inturned' endlofzthe:leyeriwzwhich' disengages fnorm the e'an ifi'i.

Springsfiwcan :novwadtzonzthe: lever 56; so "that the latters-moves cloclewiseaasiviewed in Fig. 8-

and out of engagementmithztherface:E91at 'the controhbarcslot; Springzflzismowfifireeitot return theelevert 56 t'rx thespositiomsh'owmin Fig: 9: and l the lever? 56? moves:- intoitlrei horizontal slot 13. Meanwhile;g.theradise gflgemerrtzofr*thei inturned endrofffthezl'ever 52 i fIZOmLQthBZIGaHESQII8IS- allowed thescages lmtotrotate iwithzatliezmaiirsgear 33. As

the-.- main gea'nristrotatingiintan:azntieclockwise.

direction ltheicamiu isirotatediendzthus the.-:tor-' siom bars-! is rotated by; thtrrlever- 18a to I bring theishoez-3 into. engagementiwith: thearoll; l 7

After approximately 150 oifrotationitthehinturnedsen'dzofiz the: lever? 52f; engagesnthe surface oi the latch. plate iwand:iurthen rotatiomcausesi the:lever:5':2v to: rotate :the :spindle: and rthusxth'e 1 lever 56 im an: aHtiFGIOOkWiSE diIBCfiOHfiSO aliftinga the end of the control bar 66. Further rotation bringsz'the notcli 53i-intcr-1ine with-the inturned end of the levenfit and-athe springifii causes the spindle 55 to rotate slightlyand the inturned end.

movesinto the notch 53. Thisstops. the rotation;

of the cagelil and'also movementof the shoe which has now engaged the roll I. Furthermore, the lever 56 has been returned to the position from which it started.

During the movement of the shoe 3 into engagement with the roll I any attempt to return the control bar 66 to the left is prevented by one or other of the following circumstances according to the precise instant in the cycle at which the attempt is made:

1. The engagement of the inclined face H with the lever 56.

2. The engagement of the projection 15 on the control bar 66 with the catch plate 16 on the torsion rod 11.

3. Engagement of the face 10 with the lever 56.

The foot pedal 88 can now be released, thus allowing the control bar 66 to travel to the left under the action of spring 68. At the end of its travel, the bar 66 operates the switch 92 and the ngeanu -Z' mus'ztherIeft hand clutch is pevented from transmittingethe flexible contact' -carrying: member W moves sor that tlieunovingcontactsii'i engaiges tlie fiiiedicon tact flit and the 'direetion of rotation' ofitlie elec==- tric motor-fis reversed sethat 'the main gear-35 can-now rotate the gear 3 l' amd thuswlie roll ll- Depression of the fb'otpedhl '88 subsequently; first stops rotationof the roll by reversingttire directionof rotation -of' the eleoti'ie motor andi then by going through the sequenue of event's 3 just described causesthe -sheet to" move away from the=rcll I It will be appreciat'ed, of 'coursey: that the cam 48 is sh'ap'ed to pro'duee -bctlr the engagement with and the withdrawal 'fiom tlie pressed fully thusreversing the switch 9 1 andt the direction of rotwtion of the*motor-'"wliichtbrings-theshoe mus engagement with the roll las dscribed-abovee The pedahilil is themre lease'd andi the spring R starts to move=t-he con trol' bar BB bacK tb' the isa;- Gomplet'eunovement to the-left in the*direction' of arrow is'pre vented as the inclinedface= '1 t onthe control bar 66 engages the -correspcndin'g'inclined por=- tion 12 of 'the lever'5li; Thus the-end of the control banfbllowsthe vertical -movement ofthen lever 56 and the control b'ar cannot complete its leftwa-rd movement so as to causepthrough a" reversal of 'the rotation oi -the ele'ct'ricmotor; rotation of the roll I.

the roll I without rotation-of 'tliedattert Although" in:- the embodiment described above afoot pedal contro'li has Ic'ieen'used itwillbe 'ap= preciated that other forms"- of controlmawbe adopted; for example'athacontrol"bar mayfbe:

linked to a lever which is moved by the 'operatorsknee.

The motor reversa-l me'ans' may; an alt'er= native embodiment, De repIace-d by areversiiigT gear interposed in the train ofreductiomgears" between the motor and thedrive output' member, in which *case the-controlmeans-will actuate? the reversing gear" and the direction of rotation of 1 roll, a shoe capable of movement into and out of engagement with the roll, driving means, a drive output member operatively connected with the driving means, roll driving means, a first clutch which transfers motion from the drive output member to said roll driving means only on rotation of the drive output member in one direction, shoe actuating means, a second clutch which transfers motion from the drive output member to said shoe actuating means only on rotation of the drive output member in the opposite direction and control means operable to change the direction of rotation of the drive output member.

2. An ironing machine comprising a rotatable roll, a shoe capable of movement into and out of engagement with the roll, driving means, a drive output member coupled to the driving means, roll driving means, a first clutch which transfers the rotation in one direction of the drive output member to said roll driving means, shoe Continued operation of the foot pedal in the manner just described causes the shoe- 3 t'o engage and 'witlidiaw' from" actuating means, a second clutch which transfers the rotation in the opposite direction of the drive output member to said shoe actuating means, a mechanism whereby the second clutch is rendered inoperative after the shoe has engaged the roll or has completed a disengaging movement therefrom and control means operable to change the direction of rotation of the drive output member.

3. An ironing machine according to claim 1 in which the driving means is an electric motor whose direction of rotation is controlled by the control means.

4. An ironing machine according to claim 3 in which the control means includes a control bar which is movable to operate a switch controlling the direction of rotation of the electric motor.

5. An ironing machine according to claim 4 in which the control means precludes more than one operation of the shoe actuating means following each operation of the control bar.

6 An ironing machine according to claim 5 in which the control bar has a slotted portion which cooperates with a first lever operatively connected with machanism by which the second clutch may be rendered inoperative after the shoe has engaged the roll or has completed a disengaging movement therefrom.

7. An ironing machine according to claim 6 in which the second clutch includes a series of roller bearings which are mounted in a cage rotation of which is prevented by the mechanism when the second clutch is to be rendered inoperative.

8. An ironing machine according to claim '7 in which each clutch has a clutch centre having a central, tubular extension.

9. An ironing machine according to claim 8 in which the mechanism comprises a cam having a projection and a notch both of which can engage a second lever operatively linked with the first lever.

10. An ironing machine according to claim 9 in which the cam is secured to a sleeve fitting over the tubular extension of the clutch centre of the second clutch.

11. An ironing machine according to claim 10 in which the sleeve is also secured to the cage in which the roller bearings of the second clutch are mounted.

12. An ironing machine according to claim 11 in which the tubular extension of the clutch centre of the second clutch carries a member which engages a torsion bar operating lever and which is shaped so that successive rotations of the member produce opposite movements of the operating lever. V

13. An ironing machine according to claim 12 in which the tubular extension of the first clutch centre carries a pinion by means of which rotation of the drive output member is transmitted to the roll driving means.

14. An ironing machine according to claim 13 in which means are provided to prevent operation of the control means to produce rotation of the roll whilst the shoe is out of engagement with the latter.

15. An ironing machine according to claim 14 in which the shoe actuating. means includes a catch plate which prevents operation of thecontrol means to reverse the direction of rotation of the drive output memberwhilst the shoe is out of engagement with the roll.

16. An ironing machine according to claim 15 in which further means are provided which op- 18. An ironing machine according to claim 17 in which a further part of the slotted portion co-operates with the first lever to prevent movement of the control bar during another part of the movement of the shoe.

19. An ironing machine according to claim 18 in which the control rneans includes a foot pedal.

20. An ironing machine according to claim 19 in which following one mode of operation of the control means, the shoe is applied to the roll and the roll is held stationary, following another mode of operation of the control means the shoe is applied to the roll and the roll is then caused to rotate and following yet another mode of operation of the control means the shoe is withdrawn from the roll.

21. An ironing machine according to claim 1 in which the drive output member is coupled to the driving means through a reversing gear which is operated by the control means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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