US3165244A

US3165244A - Inflatable apparatus for pressing shirts

Info

Publication number: US3165244A
Application number: US195861A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dosal Martin Roberto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-05-18
Filing date: 1962-05-18
Publication date: 1965-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-12

Description

Jan. 12,1965 M. R. DOSAL 3,165,244

INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M ARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 M. R. DOSAL 3,165,244

INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

Jlll

v INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, .1965 M. R. DOSAL 3,165,244

\ INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS Filed May 18, 1962 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 T I! I7 I! a A. g: I 6 e lo 6-d 5 l' l 5-! I 1 n l )1 5-2 INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 M. R. DOSAL INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SHIRTS 4 She ets-Sheet 4 Filed May 18, 1962 FIG. 6

\ INVENTOR M R DO SAL United States Patent 3,165,244 INFLATABLE APPARATUS FUR PRESSENG SHEETS Martin Roberto Dosal, PE. Box 62, h'liami Shores 53, Fla. Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,8e1 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-67) My invention consists in a new and useful improve ment in apparatus for pressing shirts, and is an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 51,713 filed August 24, 1960, Patent Number 3,066,839, December 4, 1962. There are two features of my improved apparatus herein described and claimed which I have found by experience greatly improve it over that shown in my said co-pending application, viz. (1) creating dilferent pressures in the several parts of the form on which the shirt is mounted, that is the torso, the arms and the neck, and (2) providing the several holders, which engage the front folds of the shirt to fasten it tightly about the form, with mechanism which controls all of the several holders so as to coordinate their operation.

(1) The improvement of creating different pressures in the several parts of the form was made because in testing the former apparatus I found that shirts of the same size do not always have the same shape. Shirts of medium size may have different widths in the sleeves. That is, when a medium size shirt with sleeves which were Wider than regular was put on the form, I notice that when the apparatus started to press the shirt the sleeves were loose and therefore the pressing was not completed.

Knowing that the amount of air injected into the form is more than the amount of air which will escape through the jets, then is when pressure will be created in the form and therefore the form will be expanded. The unit of pressure created is the same in all parts of the form. That is, it is the same in the arms, in the neck and in the torso. This means that in every square inch inside the form therewill be the same pressure of air. Knowing that the torso has a greater area than the arms and the neck portions, it is obvious that the torso will be inflated more than the arms and neck, because the total pressure in the torso will be greater than the pressure in the arms and the neck. In the case of pressing a shirt with wider sleeves than regular, one must inject more air into the form in order to care for the size of the arm portions so that the sleeves of the shirt will not be loose.

My improvement makes possible creating different pressures in the arms, neck and torso portions. This is done by means of diaphragms inside the form separating the arms, neck and torso portions into dilferent compartments, and by injecting the amount of air to each compartment by means of a flexible hose. In this way, I can expand the arms and neck portions as desired without having to enlarge the torso, and vice-versa. That is, if it is desired to expand the toroso the same procedure can be used.

In the apparatus of my said co-pending application, the amount of air supplied to the form was varied, depending upon the size of the shirt to be pressed. On the contrary, in the apparatus having this new improvement, the amount of air supplied to the form is always the same, by reason of the advantage of distributing the amount of air as needed in each compartment.

(2) The improvement, whereby the operation of the holders is co-ordinated, facilitates the fastening and unfastening the front folds of the shirt on the form. The improved mechanism comprises a frame carrying the holders whereby in a single operation all the jaws on one side can be operated to grasp one of the folds and then,

'ice

in a single operation, all the jaws on the other side can be operated to grasp the other fold to fasten the shirt tightly on the form, and then, in a single operation, the jaws on both sides can be operated to release both folds to unfasten the shirt from the form.

While I have illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter fully describe certain specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to said specific em-,

bodiments but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of my apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the left sleeve of the form.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the air pipes, the tube and the valve.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, front elevation of a shirt mounted on the (form.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, end elevation of the holder.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of the base member of the holder.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective of a portion of the base member of the holder.

FIG. 9 is a perspective of one of the hinged members of the holder.

FIG. 10 is a perspective of one of the coil springs of the holder.

As shown in the drawings, my improved apparatus has a base 1 made mobile by having casters 2 and carrying a casing 3 in which are mounted an electric motor and a blower driven by the motor (not shown). Suitably mounted on the casing 3 there is an air supply tube 4.

(FIG. 1, 2 and 4). Suitably mounted on the upper end of the tube 4 there is a frame 5 (FIG. 1) configured to simulate the torso and neck of a wearer of a shirt. A form 6 of elastic material impermeable to air is suitably dimensioned and conformed to simulate the torso, neck and arms of a wearer of a shirt, and is mounted on the frame 5 (FIG. 1). The form 6 has at its bottom tails 6' which are gathered about the tube 4 and clamped thereon by a ring 4-a to effect an air-tight seal between the form 6 and the tube 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the form 6 comprises four independent, air-tight compartments, viz the torso 6-a, the neck 6-1), the right arm 6-0 and the left arm 6-d. These are produced by closing the outer ends of the neck and arms, and diaphragms 7-a, 7-b and 7-0, respectively, separating the torso 6-11 from the neck 6-b and the arms 6-0 and 6-d.

The open upper end 4-b of the tube 4 is disposed in the torso 6-a and air supply pipes 8-a, S-b and 8-0 connect the tube 4 with the neck 6-21 and the arms 6-0 and 6-d by extending said pipes through the diaphragms in any suitable manner, respectively.

A suitable valve is mounted in the tube 4 between the outer end 4-b and the pipes 8-41, 8-2: and 8-0, with a suitable operating handle 10 which passes through an airtight seal to the front of the form 6 (FIG. 2).

I provide a holder H (FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 to 10) for gripping the shirt S about the form 6. The holder H comprises a base I-I-ll and a pair of members H-Z hinged to the base H-ll by coil springs 11-3. The base H-l is in the form of a T bar (FIG. 7) and has on its bottom three symmetrically spaced

plates

11, 12 and 13. Each of these plates is formed with a jaw 14 at each of its ends. Each of the members H-Z has three L-

shaped brackets

15, 16 and 17. Each of these brackets is formed with a jaw 18. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, each of the springs H-3 has one end provided with a hook 19 engaging the plate 11 and the other end provided with a hook 20 engaging the bracket 15. Similar springs H4: are provided at

brackets

16 and 17. The parts are so related that the springs H-3 bias the members H2 to cause the

jaws

14 and 18 to co-act. The base 11-1 has anupstanding post H 4. The holder H is suitably attached to the front of the form 6 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5). in the front folds 5-1 of the shirt S there are disposed nigid rods S2.

The folds S1 enclosing the rods S2 are gripped by' the

jaws

14 and 18 of the holder H, thus gripping the shirt S closely about the form 6 (FIG. 5).

It will be noted (FIGS. 2, 5, 7 and 8) that the base H-l of the holder H is properly slotted to allow passage of the valve operating handle 10 to pass therethrough.

Having described the structural details of my improved apparatus, I will now describe its use and operation.

Preparatory to pressing the shirt S, the rods 5-2 are placed in the front folds S1 of the shirt S and the shirt S is so placed about the form 6 (FIG. 5) as to position the folds Sll to be gripped by the jaws 14418 of the holder H mounted on the form 6 (FIGS. 1 and 2). This is done by pressing one of the side members H-Z. toward the base H-l, opening the jaws 1448 on that side, inserting the fold S1 on that side into the jaws 1448, and releasing the side member I-I2 to cause the jaws 14-18 to grip the fold 8-1. This operation is then repeated on the other side and the shirt S is thus tightly secured upon the form 6 to be pressed by the expansion of the elastic form 6.

It is obvious from the FIGS. 1 and 4 that, when the blower 3 is energized to supply air under pressure through the tube 4 into the form 6 and valve 9 almost closes, the open end 4-11 of the tube 4, the amount of air which goes from the end 4-b is reduced, letting air out through pipes 8-a, 8-b and S-c into the neck 6-12 and arms 6-c and 6-d, thus increasing the pressure in them. If on the contrary the valve 9 opens the end 4-!) of the tube 4, the amount of air which goes out from the tube 4 will be bigger and less air will go through the tubes decreasing the pressure and therefore the dimensions in the neck and arms. Thus it will be understood that, by manipulation of the valve 9 the degree of pressure in the torso, neck and armsof the form 6 may be properly controlled according to the sizes of the shirt being pressed.

When the shirt S has been properly pressed, by pressing both side members I-I-Z toward the base H1 of the holder H, all of the jaws 14-18 will open. simultaneously releasing the shirt S from the form 6.

- a pair of diaphragms mountedin said form between the Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an inflatable apparatus for pressing a shirt, the combination of a form including a torso having neck and arms to simulate a shirt to be pressed, said form being made of impermeable elastic material, and the outer ends of the neck and arms of said form being closed; an open-ended tube on which said form is mounted having the open end of said tube received in the torso of said form; means adapted to effect an air-tight seal between said form and said tube; a diaphragm mounted in said form between the torso and the neck of said forrn;

arms and the torso of said form, said diaphragms producing four independent air-tight compartments in saidform; a pipe connecting said tube with the neck compartment; a pair of pipes connecting said tube with the armcompartments; a valve disposed in said tube between the open end of said tube and the connections of said pipes to said tube; and means adapted to supply air under pressure to said tube. 9

2. In an apparatus for pressing a shirt, the combination of a form configured to simulate the body of a wearer of the shirt to be pressed, said form being made of impermeable elastic material; a plurality of diaphragms mounted in said form providing a plurality ofindepend-- ent air-tight compartments in said form; an open-ended tube on which said form is mounted, the open end of said tube being received in one of said compartments of said form; means adapted to elfect an air-tight seal between said form and said tube; a plurality of pipes connecting said tube with the other of said compartments; a valve disposed in said tube between the open end of said tube and the connections of said pipes to said tube; and means adapted to supply air under pressure to said tube.

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

Claims

1. IN AN INFLATABLE APPARATUS FOR PRESSING A SHIRT, THE COMBINATION OF A FORM INCLUDING A TORSO HAVING NECK AND ARMS TO SIMULATE A SHIRT TO BE PRESSED, SAID FORM BEING MADE OF IMPERMEABLE ELASTIC MATERIAL, AND THE OUTER ENDS OF THE NECK AND ARMS OF SAID FORM BEING CLOSED, AN OPEN-ENDED TUBE ON WHICH SAID FORM IS MOUNTED HAVING THE OPEN END OF SAID TUBE RECEIVED IN THE TORSO OF SAID FORM; MEANS ADAPTED TO EFFECT AN AIR -TIGHT SEAL BETWEEN SAID FORM AND SAID TUBE; A DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID FORM BETWEEN THE TORSO AND THE NECK OF SAID FORM; A PAIR OF DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID FORM BETWEEN THE ARMS AND THE TORSO OF SAID FORM, SAID DIAPHRAGM PRODUCING FOUR INDEPENDENT AIR-TIGHT COMPARTMENTS IN SAID FORM; A PIPE CONNECTING SAID TUBE WITH THE NECK COMPARTMENT; A PAIR OF PIPES CONNECTING SAID TUBE WITH THE ARM COMPARTMENTS; A VALVE DISPOSED IN SAID TUBE BETWEEN THE OPEN