US3171575A - Trouser topping apparatus and steam system for use therein - Google Patents

Description

F. H. RICHTERKESSING TROUSER TOPPING APPARATUS AND STEAM SYSTEM FOR USE THEREIN March 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12,1962

8 m 3 K R m H E R H W m ATTORNEY March 1965 F. H. RICHTERKESSING 3,171,575

TROUSER TOPPING APPARATUS AND STEAM SYSTEM FOR USE THEREIN Filed March 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRANK H. RICHTERKESSWG BY NLF,

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,171,575 TRQUSER TQPPHQG APPARATUS AND STEAM SY E'Ell'l FGR USE TEEREEN Frank H. Richterlressing, Louisville, Ky, assignor to W. M. Cissell .Manuiactaring Company, Louisville,

Ky, a corporation of Kentucky Filed Mar. 12, 1%2, Ser. No. 180,969 10 tilaiins. (will. 223--73) This invention relates to trouser topping apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus equipped with a steam system having improved condensate drainage and ready availability for carrying out a trouser finishing operation.

As is known, the steam system of such apparatus is normally called upon to supply conditioning steam to the buck; to supply steam for heating that buck; to supply steam for heating air; and to supply hot water which may be used for conditioning garments by means of a spray gun or the like. These several demands for steam are not consistent over a period of t me, since the apparatus may be inoperative periodically and since various types of fabrics requiring different treatments may be handled while the apparatus is operative. As a consequence, ethcient usage of the steam has presented a problem and conventional steam systems for trousers topping apparatus have generally employed supplementary valves, traps and controls whose purpose essentially is to accommodate the apparatus to these varying demands for steam. Moreover, in adthtion to the cost of such supplementary equipment the attention of the operator to such equipment frequently is required in order to insure that the same functions at the proper time, and this required attention diverts the operator from his normal duties at the machine. It is a purpose of the present invention to overcome these and other disadvantages as found in the conventional forms of steam-using trouser topping apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved steam system for trouser topping apparatus requiring a minimum of the operators attention to secure efiicient usage of steam.

Another object is to provide a simplified steam system for trouser toppin apparatus.

Another object is to provide a steam system for trouser finishing apparatus by means of which the buck may be rapidly heated at the beginning of o eration, may be rapidly dried it wetted, and may be kept in heated condition during use.

A further object is to provide a steam system for a trouser topping apparatus in which the supply of wet steam to the buck, the formation of water pockets in the steam lines leading to the buck, and the Wetting of the buck padding may be substantially reduced.

A still further object is to provide a collector for condensate from a trouser topping apparatus steam system and located in an accessible position for attachment of connecting conduits thereto.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawin s, in which:

PEG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a trouser topping apparatus equipped with the steam system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trouser topping ap- 3,l7l,5?5 Patented Mar. 2, i965 paratus showing certain functional parts of the same other than the steam system.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the metallie portions of the buck.

Fi 4 is a sectional view of the assembled condensate lector and condenser.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of "KG. 4, and

KG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and showing the mounting upon the rear wall of the housing.

In accordance with the invention, the steam system is adapted for use with any suitable trouser topping apparatus having a housing, a buck supported upon that housing, and a means for supplying, upon call, steam heated air and conditioning steam to that buck While the heating steam for the buck is being supplied continually thereto. Between the buck and the usual steam and condensate return line with its automatically operable trap, a multiport condensate collector is provided, one port of which is connected to that line, another port of which is connected to the line from the air heating means and a third port of which is connected to a water leg depending from the line which supplies heating steam to the buck. The presence of the water in that water leg serves to prevent hack flow of wet steam to the buck. Moreover, when the trap automatically opens, the system is purged of collected condensate without requiring any action on the part of the operator. As an additional feature, a condenser located oelow the collector is attached to a fourth port of the same and is adapted to fill with hot condensate which may be used for preconditioning garments whenever so desired.

Referring now to FlGS. 1 and 2, the invention may be employed with many types of trouser toppers, but it is preferred to use the same with an apparatus of the type more fully disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 184,627, filed March 12, 1962, and assigned to the same assig ee as the present invention. Such an apparatus comprises a generally vertical housing having a base lit? adapted to rest on a floor and with parallel side walls 311 and 12. A generally vertical back wall 13 and a sloping front wall 14 complete the vertical housing and thus provide a generally rectangular opening 5 at the upper end thereof. Suitably attached to the vertical portion or" the housing at a convenient working height is a genera ly horizontally extending air duct portion comprising a single sheet having a right hand side Wall 16, a left hand side wall 17, and a curved front wall 13, the back wall, 13, being extended to form the back wall of the air duct portion.

A fiat floor plate 19 for the air duct extends forwardly from the upper edge of wall 14 and terminates adjacent the junction of the side walls 15 and 17 with the curved front wall 13 thus to form a downwardly directed opening through which heated air is to pass to the buck. In addition, a hat cover plate 21 is arfixed to the top edges of the rear wall 13 and the walls 16, 1 7 and 18 of the air duct.

A buck and bag assembly is supported from the air duct front wall extending downwardly therefrom, and preferably comprises a bifurcated and perforated metallic buck member 22 (FIG. 3) and a bag 23 having padding (not shown) interposed between the bag and buck. This bag, which is fluid pervious, has an entrance mouth surrounding the opening from the air duct. The prevention of wetting of this bag and its padding forms an important feature of the present invention.

Passing now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the above described an paratus is provided with an improved steam system including an inlet pipe through which dry steam is supplied from an overhead steam supply header under control of a manually operable valve (not shown). This valve is normally left open during the usual operation. The incoming steam is passed to the central region of a conventional separator 31 mounted vertically and interiorly of the housing and from the lower end of which a conduit 32 extends to the upper edge of an inclined steam radiator serving as air heater 33. This heater extends across the entire cross section of the vertical housing and all air moved upwardly in that housing by a blower 34-, suitably controlled by the operator, is guided by the inwardly offset wall 35 of the housing across the heater, after which the heated air passes through opening 15, through the air duct, and thence downwardly into the bag, supported upon the buck. Condensate and wet steam issuing from the lower edge of the heater, and which condensate and steam have avoided any heat transfer with the buck, pass into an outlet connection 36 attached to one side wall port of the condensate collector, later to be described.

From the top of the separator a conduit 37 leads steam under line pressure to a buck heating conduit 38 which has loop portions 39, 40 and 41 connecting as a continuous conduit with the return conduit 2. The conduit 38 preferably comprises a copper tube suitably attached in good heat transfer relation to the inner concave surface of the metallic buck 22 and the loop portions thereof are distributed over the buck surface so as to secure and maintain a rapid and uniform heating of the entire buck. The lower parts of these loops would normally form sumps in which condensate would collect, but in view of the several elements of the steam system yet to be described, this superficial disadvantage is of no consequence.

The return conduit 42 passes outwardly of the housing and continues downwardly as conduit 43 into a U-shaped water leg section 44 attached at its end to a second port of the condensate collector located in the bottom surface thereof, as seen in FIG. 6. This U-shaped section 44, when sufiicient condensate collects therein, forms a seal against the reverse flow of wet steam into the heating conduits on the buck and functions as an automatically operable check valve permitting the purging of that heating conduit when trap 55 opens, as later to be described. Considering now FIGS. 4 to 6, a hollow condensate collector forming a significant feature of the present invention is formed in a generally L-shape with a rear wall adapted to be mounted rigidly against the outer side of the rear wall 13 of the vertical housing. A port 51 (FIG. 6) in its rear wall connects with the outlet connection 36 from the heater and a similar port 52 in its front wall 53 connects with a return pipe 54 leading to the usual steam return header and in which a conventional trap 55 such as the No. 880 Armstrong trap is located. Downstream from this trap a conventional check valve 56 is mounted in the return conduit. As will be understood, the trap 55 is adapted periodically and automatically to open and to pass condensate collected upstream of the trap. whenever a sufiicient volume of such condensate is so collected.

In the floor 57 of the collector a port 58 connects with the upwardly extending short leg of the water leg 44 and an imperforate roof 59 covers the collector. Projecting normally from the rear wall 50 is an elongated chamber 60 in the floor of which is a port 61 (FIG. 4). A short pipe 62 connects this chamber with the interior of a condenser 63 located below the condensate collector and comprising an upper section 64 and a lower section 65 removably attached to each other and between which a transverse screen 66 is mounted. Suitable bolts '79 hold the condenser sections together. An O-ring seal 78 between the respective confronting surfaces of the condenser sections prevents leakage which might otherwise be caused by the steam pressure upon the condensate trapped in the condenser. The volumetric capacity of this condenser is suihcient to provide at all times during use the necessary volume of hot water for preconditioning garments by means of the usual spray gun accessory. Since the condenser is subject to steam pressure only through the pipe 62, the opening of trap 55 does not purge the water from this condenser.

A tubular outlet 67 (FIG. 5) extends from the wall of lower section 63 and connects with conduit 68 leading to a joint 69. From this joint an overhead rigid conduit 7% having a flexible tube 71 connected thereto is provided. The usual spray gun 72 is attached to this flexible tube which itself may be supported from the rigid conduit by an extensible spring or the like 73. By means of a valve 74 seating in the outlet 67, and which normally is left open during operation, water under pressure is maintained in readiness for use by the operator at the spray gun 72.

With the foregoing description in mind, reference now is made to FIGS. 1 and 3. A wide range of sizes of trousers and of fabric materials comprising such trousers may be processed on the apparatus. When the trousers have pleats, or when they are badly wrinkled, or when they are made of heavy fabric, a greater or lesser amount of conditioning steam must be brought into contact with the trousers and the amount of such conditioning steam supplied is dependent upon the judgement of the operator. A set of controls for the machine forming no part of the present invention, is provided for the operator, but even with the benefit of these controls and in the absence of the present invention, undesirable cooling of the buck might occur.

The invention accordingly provides safeguards of the nature now to be described. Leading from the upper end of separator 31 is a conduit 8d carrying dry steam at line pressure to a solenoid operated valve 81. From this valve a conduit 82 extends through the horizontal air duct and joins a header 83 formed of copper tubing or the like which is mounted in good heat transfer relation to the inner concave surface of the metallic buck 22. From this header a pair of downwardly directed conduits 84 and 85 are positioned alongside the loops of the closed heating conduits 38 and 42. A series of spaced openings directed into the space within the bag 23 and away from the concave surface of the buck are located in the conduits 84 and 85 with the result that when the valve 81 opens, dry steam is sprayed into the bag and comes into contact with the waistband and adjacent portions of the trousers supported by the bag and buck assembly. A portion of this steam then finds its way through the perforations of the buck, the steam and air pervious padding of that buck, and to the exterior of the front of the buck as seen in FIG. 2. In like manner, hot air supplied by the blower takes a similar path.

When the buck and its padding is improperly heated as would be caused by stagnant deposits of Water in the closed conduits 33 in contact with the metallic buck, the admission of this conditioning steam would promptly wet the padding of the buck and hold up operations until the same could be dried. Such a condition would likely occur if the operator attempted to process a pair of trousers prior to a complete heating of the apparatus at the beginning of a days operation. In addition, this undesirable condition could occur if the metallic buck were not substantially uniformly heated over its major surfaces. By means of this invention, however, only dry steam is sup plied to heating conduit 38 and any wet steam which would normally find its way from the collector structure back to conduit 42 and into the conduit 38 is prevented from doing so by the barrier presented by the water in the water leg 44.

When the trap 55 opens, steam from inlet line 30 sweeps through conduit 3'7, conduit 38, the convolutions of conduit 33, conduit 42, and clears the water leg. At the same time any water collected in the surnps at the lower ends of loop 39, it; and 41 is swept away and full heating of the buck is IB-fiSlEtbliSl'lEd without any attention being required from the operator. Upon reclosing of the trap, condensate from both the radiator and from conduit 42 again form a water seal in Water leg 44 which prevents wet steam from finding its way to the buck and cooling the same. The condensate collector as will be noted, is so constructed and located as to be readily accessible for attachment of the return line 5 the water leg 44, and the condenser 63 thereto.

Having thus described the invention is a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to that embodiment, since modifications of the same may be made. I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. in a trouser topping apparatus having a housing, a buck supported upon said housing, a conduit for supplying heating steam to said buck, and a steam heater for heating air supplied to said buck; the improvement comprising,

a hollow multiport condensate collector mounted upon said housing below said buck and said heater to receive through one port thereof condensate from said heater derived from steam which has avoided heat transfer with said buck,

a return conduit extending from said buck and containing heating steam and condensate passing from heat transfer with said buck,

said return conduit having a water leg connected to a second port of said collector,

and a steam and condensate return pipe connected to a third port of said collector and adapted periodically and automatically to remove from said apparatus the condensate collected in both said collector and said Water leg,

said water leg being arranged to prevent wet steam from passing from said collector to the heating steam conduit for said buck thereby to avoid cooling of said buck due to the presence of wet steam and condensate in said heating steam conduit.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit for suppl ing heating steam to said buck includes a plurality of loops attached to said buck in heat exchange relation thereto and distributed over the surface of said buck.

3. In a trouser topping apparatus having a housing, a buck supported upon said housing, a conduit for supplying heating steam to said buck, a perforated conduit for supplying conditioning steam to said buck, and a steam heator for heating air supplied to said buck; the improvement comprising a steam separator for receiving dry steam from a steam source and for supplying tl e same to each of said heating steam and conditioning steam conduits,

a conduit for supplying steam from said separator to said heater,

a hollow multiport condensate collector mounted upon said housing below said buck and said heater to receive through one port thereof condensate from said heater,

a return conduit forming an extension of said conduit supplying heating steam to said buck and adapted to remove condensate and wet steam from said buck,

said return conduit having a water leg connected to a second port of said collector,

and a steam and condensate return pipe connected to a third port of said collector and adapted periodically and automatically to remove from said apparatus the condensate collected in both said collector and said water leg,

said water leg being arranged to prevent wet steam from passing from said collector to the heating steam conduit for said buck thereby to avoid cooling of said buck due to the presence of Wet steam and condensate in said heating steam conduit.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said conduits for supplying heating steam and for supplying conditioning steam to said buck include a plurality of loops attached to said buck in heat exchange relation thereto and distributed over the surface of said buck.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 including means disposed in said conditioning steam conduit for selectively controlling the flow of steam from said separator to the perforated portion of said steam conditioning conduit independently of flow of steam from said separator to said heating steam conduit.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said heater is mounted within said housing below said separator.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said conduit for supplying eating steam to said buck and said return conduit removing condensate and wet steam from said buck respectively enter and leave said buck adjacent the top portion thereof.

8. in a trouser topping apparatus having a housing, a buck supported upon said housing, a conduit for supplying heating steam to said buck, means for spraying moisture u on trousers, and a steam heater for heating air supplied to said buck; the improvement comprising a hollow multiport condensate collector mounted upon said housing below said buck and said heater to receive through one port thereof condensate from said heater,

a return conduit extending from said buck and containing heating steam and condensate passing from said buclr,

said return conduit having a water leg connected to a second port of said collector,

a hollow condenser connected to a fourth port of said collector and adapted to receive condensate therefrom,

means supplying condensate under pressure from said condenser to said spraying means,

and a steam and condensate return pipe connected to a third port of said collector and adapted periodically and automatically to remove from said apparatus the condensate collected in both said collector and said water leg while leaving in said condenser the condensate collected therein,

said water being arranged to prevent Wet steam from passing from said collector and said condenser to the heating steam conduit for said buck thereby to avoid cooling of said buck due to the presence of wet steam and condensate in said heating steam con duit.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said condensate collector is mounted upon the exterior rear wall of said housing and said condenser is supported by said collector and below the same.

10. In a trouser topping apparatus having a housing, a buck supported upon said housing, a steam separator, a source of steam connected to said separator, a conduit for supplying dry steam from said separator to said buck for tearing the same, and a return conduit extending from said bucir for containing heating steam and condensate, the improvement comprising,

a condensate collector mounted below said buck and spaced from said steam separator,

a conduit connecting the lower portion of said separator to said collector to pass to said collector steam and condensate which has avoided heat transfer with said buck,

an automatically operable condensate purging means connected to said collector.

and a U-shaped water leg connected at one end to said collector and at the other end to said return conduit from said buck,

said water leg being adapted to contain a body of condensate sealing the separator from the return conduit thereby to prevent return flow of wet steam toward said buck.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,234,232 5/42 Richa 22357 g 10/55 Golden 223-73 X 11/55 Moore 223-73 12/55 OBoyle 2'2367 4/59 McMillan 223--7O 4/59 Bruiner '22373 FORETGN PATENTS 12/59 Great Britain.

19 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS HICKEY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A TROUSER TOPPING APPARATUS HAVING A HOUSING, A BUCK SUPPORTED UPON SAID HOUSING, A CONDUIT FOR SUPPLYING HEATING STEAM TO SAID BUCK, AND A STEAM HEATER FOR HEATING AIR SUPPLIED TO SAID BUCK; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A HOLLOW MULTIPORT CONDENSATE COLLECTOR MOUNTED UPON SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID BUCK AND SAID HEATER TO RECEIVE THROUGH ONE PORT THEREOF CONDENSATE FROM SAID HEATER DERIVED FROM STEAM WHICH HAS AVOIDED HEAT TRANSFER WITH SAID BUCK, A RETURN CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM SAID BUCK AND CONTAINING HEATING STEAM AND CONDENSATE PASSING FROM HEAT TRANSFER WITH SAID BUCK, SAID RETURN CONDUIT HAVING A WATER LEG CONNECTED TO A SECOND PORT OF SAID COLLECTOR, AND A STEAM AND CONDENSATE RETURN PIPE CONNECTED TO A THIRD PORT OF SAID COLLECTOR AND ADAPTED PERIODICALLY AND AUTOMATICALLY TO REMOVE FROM SAID APPARATUS THE CONDENSATE COLLECTED IN BOTH SAID COLLECTOR AND SAID WATER LEG, SAID WATER LEG BEING ARRANGED TO PREVENT WET STEAM FROM PASSING FROM SAID COLLECTOR TO THE HEATING STEAM CONDUIT FOR SAID BUCK THEREBY TO AVOID COOLING OF SAID BUCK DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF WET STEAM AND CONDENSATE IN SAID HEATING STEAM CONDUIT.

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