US2686983A - Laundry press - Google Patents

Description

g- 24,1954 R. P. GUDGEON 2,686,983

LAUNDRY PRESS I Filed Oct. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 POM/d Percy 6209600 .7

A 7' TOR/VEX R. P. GUDGEON Aug. 24, 1954 LAUNDRY PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Oct. 28. 1950 20/10/47 Rw gnu/gear; MW

4, 1954 R. P. GUDGEON LAUNDRY PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28. 1950 730/20 M my 'aagaon flffa/eA/fy Patented Aug. 24, 1954 LAUNDRY PRESS Ronald Percy Gudgeon, Luton, England, assignor to Brown & Green Limited, Luton, England, a

British company Application October 28, 1950, Serial No. 192,657

Claims.

The present invention relates to laundry presses of the type in which tables carrying the articles to be pressed are brought in turn beneath the presshead for the pressing operation.

An object of the invention is to provide a drive for moving the table from the loaded position to the pressing position without danger to the operator if caught by the tables during rotation.

Broadl the invention comprises a drive for moving the tables from the loading position to the pressing position beneath the press head which drive includes means for imparting an initial impetus to the table in the loading position which impetus is sufficient to rotate the table to a new positionclose to the pressing position beneath the press head, and further means for reapplying the drive to the tables just before they reach the new position. After the initial impetus the table is free from any possible drive until close to the pressing position so that should an operator become caught by the table or any other moving part of the machine moving with the table the table will stop.

. Conveniently the means for taking up the drive again is adapted to operate when the table is within a few degrees of its location beneath the press head.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation and in part section a rotary press constructed in'accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows in side elevation and in part section details of the present invention and of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows in part plan part section the mechanism lying below the level of the pressing tables. I

Figure 4 shows in part plan part section a detail Of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 2. I

The drawings show a rotary type of press in which a pair of tables A and A are rotatably mounted about a centre column B alternately to be brought beneath a'press head C for the pressing operation, the table beneath the press head being lifted in known manner by means of a main pressure cylinder D.

The present invention contemplates the automatic operation of the tables under the manual control of a foot pedal E the automatic control thereof being by pneumatic means. The air cirsuit is controlled by thre valves; an operating or index valve F, a rotation cylinder control valve G and a shockm absorber valve H. Compressed air is admitted to the index valve F through the air inlet I and exerts pressure upon a piston 2 which is raised thereby into engagement with a cap 3. As the piston 2 rises its cup 4 uncovers ports 5 in the wall of the valve to allow air to the main cylinder D via pipe connection 6. Air enters the main pressure cylinder D through a port 1 and grooves 8 to lift a ram 9 to lift the table A into pressing relationship with the press head C.

As theram 9 rises in the cylinder D it lifts a spindle II] the upper end of which works in the control cylinder G and cuts the air supply between ports I2 and I3 in the Control cylinder G the air being supplied through port I2 by a pipe I I from a junction I4 connected by a pipe Ma to a compressed air supply (Figure 3) Compressed air is also led from pip junction I4 to the shock absorber valve H through a pipe Mb andis by-passed through ports I5 and I6 in the valve cylinder and pipe Ilia to a shock absorber 17 which is held in the inoperative position by the upper end of valve piston 2 in the index valve F engaging in a recess I8 in the cap 3.

A further outlet from the junction I4 leads to a cylinder I9 (Figure 2) via port 20.

Compressed air is thus permitted to enter through the port 20 and bears against a shoulder 2| of a piston 3| in the cylinder I9 to maintain thepiston in the position shown.

When the foot pedal E is depressed it operates through the link 22 and bell crank lever 23 connected to the piston 2 by a pin extending through a slot in the wall of the valve F to depress the piston 2. The compressed air in the shock absorber I! immediately pushes forward its piston 24 and rotates an indexing assembly 25 which turns about a pivot pin 25a to a predetermined position oil the centre line shown in Figure 3 of some 20 to 30 degrees. The air supply to the main cylinder D is closed by the piston 2 descend ing and cutting off the air supply to port 5. The main cylinder D then exhauststhrough port 5 recess 26 in the piston 2 to exhaust port 2601. The main ram 9 is thus caused to descend fetching with it the sp ndle I0.

When the indexing assembly 25 is rotated the arms 2! and 28 which embrace a guide pin 29 depending from the table are moved to the aforementioned predetermined position. The compressed air entering the port I2 of the valve G returns the spindle ID to its lower position and serves also to drive the ram 9 downwardly. When the spindle Ifl reaches. its lower position the port' pipe |3a to the port 30 in the cylinder IS. The area of piston 3| working in the cylinder I9 is greater than that of the shoulder 2| and the piston is driven forward in the direction of the arrow 3|a.

It is the forward movement of piston 3| which rotates the tables A and A The forward end of the piston 3| carries a pin 32 to the upper end of which is pivoted a link 33. The other end of the link 33 is pivoted at 34 to a drive plate 35 which is freely pivoted about the column B. The drive plate 35 also carries a pawl 36 adapted to engage in diametrically opposed recesses 38 in a lower drive surface 311) of a member 31 which is fixably secured to rotate with the column B. The column B as shown in Figure 1 carries the arms supporting the tables A and A It is apparent that when the piston 3| moves in the direction of the arrow 3|a the drive plate is rotated about the column and the pawl, 36 engages a recess 38 in the drive surface 312) to effect rotation of the column.

Pivoted upon a fixed part of the machine at 39 is a lever 40 one end of which is pivoted at 4| to a link 42 which is in turn pivoted to the drive plate 35 as at 43 so that as the drive plate rotates the lever 40 pivots about its pivot 39. The other end of the lever 4|] carries a roller 44 adapted to engage an upper drive surface 31a of the member 31. The lever 40 is so arranged that after the column has been rotated about one quarter of a revolution by rotation of the drive plate 35 the roller 44 of the lever 4|] is brought into contact with the upper drive surface 31a and prevents further pivotin of the lever about its pivot 39. This in turn eifectively prevents the drive plate rotating further and accordingly the pawl ceases to drive the cam and the column B with the tables continues torotate freely. The upper drive surface 31a is formed with a cut back portion 45 which is positioned so that when it is brought to register with the roller 44 by rotation of the member 31, the guide pin 23 depending from the table reaches the embracing members 21 and 28 and the momentum of the rotating tables carries the pin 29 intothe fork between the members 21 and 28 against the pressure exerted by the shock absorber l1. Upon the cut back portion 45 registering with the roller 44 the lever 43 is free to pivot under the action or the drive plate 35 and themember 31 is further rotated by the roller 44 ridin on the cut back portion 45 thereby imparting a final thrust to the member 31 to drive the table firmlyhorne to locate it accurately beneath the press head. At the same time a tappet 46 carried by the link 33 engages a spindle '41 in the shock absorber valve H thereby moving the piston 53 of the valve to cut the air supply from the port Hi to the port It and to allow the air in the shock absorber H to exhaust through port It a recessed portion 43 in the spindle 41 and exhaust port 49. With the release of pressure from the shock absorber H the index assembly 25 is free to rotate back to a central position thereby permitting the table to be driven by the roller 44 in the above described manner for th last feW degrees of rotation to its predetermined located position beneath the press head. When the index assembly 25 reaches the central position the piston 2 is free to, rise and lock in the recess l8 in the indexing assembly. The rise of the piston 2 admits air into the operating cylinder D from inlet port outlet and' pipejt and the ram 9 is'once'more lifted to operate'the table beneath t drive means operatively connected to said first 4 the press head. At the same time air is cut 01! from the cylinder H! by the lifting of the spindle Ill which interrupts the supply of air from the port |2 to the port l3 and the cylinder I9 is connected to exhaust through port 30 therein, pipe |3a and ports l3 and 5| of the valve G. The pressure exerted upon the shoulder 2| of the piston 3| by air admitted to the cylinder l9 through port 20 returns the piston 3| to its unoperated position.

The piston 3| in moving to its unoperated position rotates the drive plate 35 to restore the pawl 36 and the lever 40 to their initial positions as shown in Figure 3. This leaves the press with one table raised in the pressing position against the press head. To release the table from the pressing position and cause automatic rotation of the tables and the raisin of the other table against the press head it is necessary merely to press the foot bar E.

What I claim is:

l. A laundry press of the class described comprising a plurality of press tables supported upon a member rotatably mounted upon a fixed support for rotation about a vertical axis into and out of register beneath a fixed press head, means positioned beneath said press head and operable upon a table reaching a position of register-beneath the press head to raise and lower the table into and out of pressing engagement therewith,

a first and a second drive surface on said mem-' her, and drive means cooperating with said drive surfaces to effect rotation of said member upon lowering of a table from. engagement with the press head, the said drive means comprising a first drive means adapted to engage said first drive surface to impart an initial impetusto the member suflicient to carry a further table to a first position in proximity to the position of register beneath the press head, and a second drive means to operate sequentially'therewith to engage said second drive surfaceto re-apply the drive to the member just prior to the said further table reaching the said first position, to move the said further table into register beneath the press head.

2. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head, a plurality of press tables supported upon a member secured to a center column rotatably mounted in a base for rotation about a vertical axis whereby said tables are movable successively into register beneath the press head, means effective upon positioning of a table in register beneath the press head to raise and lower the'table into and out of pressing engagement with the press head, a first drive means adapted to engage a first drive surface on said column for initiating rotation of the column upon lowering of the table out of pressing engagement with the press head after which initial rotation the momentum of the column, the member and the tables carried thereby is sufficient to move said table away from its position of register with the press head and to move a further table to a first position inproximity to the position of register beneath the press head,

and a second drive means operatively connected to said first drive means to operate sequentially therewith and adapted to engage a second drive surface on said coumn for effecting further rotation of said column just priorto said further table reaching said first positionto move said further table into register beneath "the press head.

A laundrypress oft he class described comprising a fixed press head, a plurality of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column for rotation about a vertical axis into and out of register beneath the press head, a first and a second drive surface on said column adapted to cooperate with pneumatically operated drive means for effecting rotation of said column to move the tables successively into and out of register beneath the press head, pneumatically operated means positioned beneath the press head and effective upon a table reaching the position of register beneath the press head, to raise the table into pressing engagement with the press head, manually operable means for effecting disengagement and lowering of said table from the press head, the said drive means being effective to rotate the column upon lowering of said table and comprising a first drive member adapted to engage said first drive surface to impart an initial rotational movement to said column to move said table away from beneath the press head and to move another table towards the press head, and a second drive member operatively connected to said first drive member to operate sequentially therewith to engage said second drive surface to impart a further rotational movement to the column when the said other table approaches the position of register beneath the press head.

4. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head, a plurality of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column for rotation about a vertical axis successively into and out of register beneath the press head, and pneumatically operative drive means cooperating with a first and a second drive surface on said column for effecting rotation of said column, the said drive means comprising a first drive means engaging said first drive surface to impart an initial rotational movement to said column, the impetus of said movement being sufiicient to move one table away from beneath the press head and to bring a further table towards the press head into a position in proximity to the position of register beneath the press head, and a. second drive means operatively connected to said first drive means to operate sequentially therewith to engage the said second drive surface to further rotate the column and bring said further table into register beneath the press head.

5. A laundry press of the class described comprising a fixed press head, a pair of press tables supported upon a rotatable center column for rotation about a vertical axis into and out of register beneath the press head, pneumatically operated means positioned beneath the press head effective upon a table reaching the position of register beneath the press head, to raise the table into pressing engagement With the press head, and to release and lower said table upon operation of a manual control, indexing means operable by engagement with a table moving into position of register beneath the press head, to index the table beneath the press head, locking means releasable by said manual control for locking said indexing means when the table is indexed beneath the press head, and pneumatically operated drive means cooperating with drive surfaces on said column for effecting rotation thereof, the said drive means being effective upon lowering of the table from engagement with the press head and comprising a first drive means adapted to engage a first of said drive surfaces to impart an initial rotation to said column to move said lowered table away frombeneath thev press head and to move the other table towards the position of register beneath the press head, and a second drive means operatively connected to said first drive means to operate sequentially therewith and adapted to engage a second of said drive surfaces to impart a further rotational movement to the column when the said other table approaches the position of register to cause said other table to engage the indexing means to move the indexing means into indexing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,940,642 Davis Dec. 19, 1933 1,997,219 Johnson Apr. 9, 1935 1,997,230 Otis et a1. Apr. 9, 1935 2,242,513 Dewey May 20, 19 1 2,280,288 Forse Apr. 211, 1942

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