US2704408A - Combination garment spotting and pressing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

J. E. STI-:HR 2,704,408

COMBINATION GARA/ENT sPoTTING AND PREssING APPARATUS March 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 29, 1953 IXVENTOR TTORNEY J. E. STEHR March 22, 1955 COMBINATION GARMENT SPOTTING AND PRESSING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ''eL 7 A ORNEY United States Patent -O CONIBINATION GARMENT SPO'I'I'ING AND PRESSING APPARATUS Joseph E. Stehr, Silverton, Ohio Application April 29, 1953, Serial No. 351,880

7 Claims. (Cl. 38-104) This invention relates to a novel apparatus or machine for use either for removing spots from garments or for pressing garments and wherein most of the apparatus is employed for either operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having a unique means for receiving steam constituting a supporting part of the apparatus and additionally functioning as a separator for returning or carrying ol condensation thereby eliminating need for a separate separator to accomplish this result.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel control means for supplying steam to either the steam pressing or steam spotting unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus including a board for use either as a steam pressing board or a steam spotting board and which is so constructed that it will not be damaged by chemicals used in removing spots from garments yet which may efficiently function as a steam pressing board.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a top plan View, partly in section of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly in side elevation thereof, taken substantially along a piane as indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the pressing or spotting board taken substantially along a plane as indicated by lines 3 3 of Figures 1 and 2, and on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5 5 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly broken away, of the inner, open end of the sleeve-like ironing or pressing pad.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the combination steam pressing and spotting apparatus in its entirety is designated generally 8 and includes a tubular post or column 9 having a base plate 10 secured to the lower end thereof and a top plate 11 secured to the upper end of said post. Said plates and 11 are disposed substantially parallel to one another and at right angles to the axis of the post 9 and provide closures for sealing the ends of said post. The plate 10 is preferably secured by suitable fastenings 12 to a horizontal supporting surface such as a floor 13. At least one brace 14 may be provided having one end secured to the base plate 10 and its opposite end secured to the post 9 for bracing said post relatively to the base plate.

One end of an elongated pressing board 15, which may be formed of any suitable material, is disposed on the top plate 11 and secured thereto by fastenings 16. The top surface of the board 15 is covered by a sheet of an acid resisting material 17 such as formica. A metal beading strip 13 which is preferably chrome plated extends around the edge of the board 15 and is secured thereto by fastenings 19. The beading strip 18 has an inturned upper flange portion 20 which overlies the marginal edge of the sheet 17 for retaining it on the upper surface of the board 15. A wall member 21 is secured 2,704,408 Patented Mar. 22, 1955 fl P ICC

around the inner end of the board 15 which is supported on and secured to the top plate 11 by certain of the fastenxngs 19 and extends upwardly therefrom to provide a retaining wall for articles used in spotting and pressing such as bottles of chemicals, not shown. A socket member 22 is secured to and rises from the inner end portion of the board 15 which in combination with the retaining wall 21 forms a tray 23. A supporting rod 24 is seated 1n and extends upwardly from the socket 22 and has an upwardly opening hook 25 at its upper end adapted to provide a support for a exible conduit of a steam iron or steam spotting gun.

The hollow post or column 9 is provided near its upper end with a steam inlet conduit 26 which discharges into the steam chamber 27 formed by said post and which leads from a suitable source of steam supply, not shown. A return conduit 28 for condensation communicates with and leads from the chamber 27 near the lower end of the post 9. The post 9 is provided with an internally threaded outlet 29 for the steam chamber 27, located adjacent the upper end of said post and which extends therefromin a direction toward the end of the board 15 which is located remote to the post 9, and to which is connected the inlet fitting 30 of a conventional normally closed shutoff valve 31 having a downwardly extending exposed valve stern 32 which is displaceable upwardly to open the valve 31. A hanger bracket 33 is secured to and depends from a portion of the housing of the valve 31 to provide a support for a lever 34 which is pivotally connected to the bracket 33 by a pivot pin 35. An inner end 36 of the lever 34 engages under the lower end of the valve stem 32 so that when the outer end 37 of the lever is swung downwardly the stern 32 will be displaced upwardly for opening the valve 31.

A three way valve 38 of a conventional type is connected to the outiet 39 of the valve 31 and is provided with two outlet bosses 40 and 41. A steam iron conduit 42 is connected to the boss 40 and a steam gun conduit 43 is connected to the boss 41. Said conduits, only portions of which are shown, may be flexible or may include fiexible sections. A valve stem 44 of the valve 38 has an operating handle 45 connected to one exposed end thereof and which may be swung in one direction to position the outlet nipple 4i) and conduit 42 in communication with the outlet 39 of the shutoff valve 31 or which may be moved to another position to close the nipple 40 and to open the nipple 41 so that the conduit 43 will be in communication with said valve outlet 39, for supplying steam under pressure to either of said conduits 42 or 43 when the valve 31 is open.

The base plate 10 extends a substantial distance from the post 9 toward the end of the board 15 which is located remote to said post and said end is provided with a bearing member 46 which is fixed to its upper side and extends longitudinally thereof. One end of a shaft 47 is journalled in the bearing 46 and said shaft extends from said end of the base 10 and has its opposite end journalled in a bearing 48 which is secured to the floor 13. A foot pedal or treadle 49 has one edge thereof secured to the shaft 47 between the bearings 46 and 48. The pedal 49 is inclined upwardly from the edge thereof which is secured to the shaft 47 and has an extension 50 projecting from the inner end of its upper free edge toward the post 9 to which is secured one end of a flexible member such as a chain 51. The opposite end of the chain 51 is secured to the lever end 37 so that when the pedal 49 is swung downwardly by a foot pressure applied thereto the lever 34 will be rocked on its pivot 35 to elevate its inner end 36 for displacing the valve stem 32 upwardly to open the valve 31. The pressure on the valve stem 32 urging it downwardly and outwardly will normally maintain the parts in their position of Figure 2 with the pedal 49 in an inclined elevated position.

The board 15 is tapered from the inner end thereof forming a part of the tray 23 to its outer end, which s located remote to the post 9, and a sleeve-like pad 52 fits detacha'oly over said outer end of the board 15 and has an enlarged open end 53 which terminates adjacent the tray V23. The pad 52 may be formed of any suitable fabric and is provided with several upper plies S4, located above the top surface of the board as defined by the sheet 17, which forms the pad portion thereof. The sleeve-like pad 52 is sized to snugly iit the outer end and intermediate portion of the board 15 and is applied thereto when the board is used for pressing or ironing. When thus employed, the handle 45 is moved to a position to place the steam iron conduit 42 in communication with the inlet of the valve 38 and the outlet 39 of the valve 31. The operator standing in a position to the right of the apparat-us 8, as illustrated in Figure 5, by exerting a pressure with the foot on the pedal 49 can open the valve 31 so that steam under pressure will be supplied through the conduit 42 to a steam iron, not shown, of conventional construction, being used for ironing or steam pressing a garment, not shown, which is disposed on the upper surface of the pad 52. Thus, the supply of steam in the amount desired will always be available to the user by simply applying foot pressure to the pedal 49. When the apparatus 8 is utilized for steam spotting the pad 52 is removed from the board 15 and the material to be cleaned or spotted is placed on the sheet of material 17. Chemicals used in spotting and other tems required for spotting or pressing are maintained readily available in the tray 23. The valve handle 45 is swung to a position to place the steam spotting gun conduit 43 in communication with the valve outlet 39 so that by pressing downwardly on the foot pedal 49 steam under pressure will be supplied through the conduit 43 to a conventional steam gun, not shown, for accomplishing the spotting operation. The material 17 will prevent damage to the board 15 by the chemicals utilized in accomplishing the spotting operation.

Any condensation which occurs in the steam chamber 27 will be carried olf by the return conduit 28 back to the source of steam supply or elsewhere as desired, thus eliminating the need of a separate steam separator.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A steam pressing and spotting apparatus of the character described comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to a horizontal supporting surface, a hollow post xed to and rising from said base plate, a top plate supported on the upper end of said post, said plates closing the ends of said post, an elongated pressing and spotting board having one end disposed on and secured to said top plate and supported thereby, the hollow interior of said post defining a steam chamber, a steam supply conduit discharging into said steam chamber adjacent the upper end of the post, a normally closed quick opening valve connected to the post and communicating with the steam chamber near the upper end thereof, a second valve connected to the outlet of said normally closed valve, said second valve having two outlets, a steam iron conduit connected to one of said outlets, a steam spotting gun conduit connected to the other outlet, a manually operated element forming a part of said second valve and movable for positioning either of said conduits in communication with said normally closed valve, and means for opening said normally closed valve for supplying steam under pressure to either of the conduits leading from said second valve, said means being supported by the housing of said normally closed valve.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, and a condensation return conduit communicating with said steam chamber and leading from the post near the lower end thereof.

3. An apparatus as in claim l, said means for opening the normally closed valve including a hanger bracket connected to the housing of said normally closed valve and depending therefrom, a lever pivotally supported on the hanger bracket at a point spaced from the ends of the lever, a valve stem extending from said normally closed valve and engaging one end of said lever, a foot pedal pivotally connected to said base, and means connecting the foot pedal to the other end of said lever for rocking the lever to displace the valve stem inwardly for opening said normally closed valve by a downward displacement of the foot pedal.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, a sheet of acid resisting material covering the upper surface of said board, and a sleevelike pad detachably disposed around the intermediate portion of said board and an end thereof disposed remote from said top plate and including a plurality of plies disposed above said board.

5. An apparatus as in claim l, a wall secured around the end portion of said board which is disposed on and secured to the top plate, said wall extending upwardly from the board and combining with said end portion to form a tray having an open inner end.

6. A steam pressing and spotting apparatus including an elongated pressing and spotting board, an elongated upright hollow post, plates secured to the ends of said post and forming closures for sealing said ends, one of said plates being adapted to rest on and be secured to a horizontal supporting surface, an end of said board being disposed on and secured to the other plate, the hollow interior of said post forming a steam chamber, a steam supply conduit discharging into said steam chamber adjacent the upper end of said post, a valve having two outlets, a steam iron conduit connected to one of said outlets, a steam spotting gun conduit connected to the other valve outlet, a normally closed quick opening valve supported by the post and communicating with said steam chamber, said quick opening valve having an outlet connected to the inlet of the rst mentioned valve said rst mentioned valve having a manual control member for connecting either of said conduits to said quick opening normally closed valve, and a foot pedal operated means for opening said normally closed valve for supplying steam under pressure to either of said conduits connected to the first mentioned valve, said foot pedal operated means being disposed beneath and operatively connected to the normally closed valve.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, and a condensation return conduit communicating with said steam chamber and leading from the post adjacent the lower end thereof.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,444,728 Castoe July 6, 1948 2,516,219 Kisling July 25, 1950

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