US3174238A - Automatic sheet feeding device - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1965 F. w. GRANTHAM AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1962 HTTORNEfiS March 23, 1965 F. w. GRANTHAM AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1962 INVENTOR. FREDERICK W G-nmvrmm March 23, 1965 F w. GRANTHAM 3,174,238

AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 23, 1965 F. w. GRANTHAM AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 17, 1962 March 23, 1965 F. w. GRANTHAM 3,1 74,238

AUTOMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /o mmvron 7 fke'om/clr w-zwvr/mn Uite States Patent 3,174,238 AUTQMATIC SHEET FEEDING DEVICE Frederick W. Grantham, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to McGraw-Edison Company, Eigin, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 17, 1962, Ser. bio/188,123 20 Claims. (Cl. 38-143) The invention relates to apparatus for automatically feeding and simultaneously spreading fiatwork laundry articles while delivering them in succession to ironing means. While the apparatus can be used with a diversity of flatwork articles, one of its principal uses is in the spreading of washed sheets, and the feeding of the sheets to ironing rolls, and in the present specification the workpieces will be referred to, for convenience, as sheets.

Heretofore, in the commercial laundry field, the feeding of sheets to the ironer rolls was usually performed by a crew of skilled operators, not less than two and often three, four, five, or six in number, the basic two being needed to hold opposite front corners of the sheet and apply stretching tension so that an unwrinkled leading edge would enter the bite of a doifer roll at the entrance to the ironer. The two operators normally deposited the stretched sheet on feeding tapes which enter the rolls. Various expedients, such as diverging feeding tapes, or other means, were used in an attempt to assure delivery of a properly stretched sheet to the ironer. Additional operators were often used for flufiing, stretching, spreading or otherwise handling the sheets in an attempt to expedite the operation.

These operators work in trained teams and become highly skilled in the quality of their work and the speed with which sheets are handled. If one member of the team is absent, and an operator of inferior skill is substituted, the whole operation is downgraded in speed and quality.

The speed and efficiency of an ironing apparatus (herein usually termed an ironer) is limited by the speed with which sheets can be delivered thereto and, merely as an illustrative example, while an ironer can be built to accept workpieces at a linear speed of 150 feet per minute, the full capabilities of the machine cannot be utilized if the workpiece delivery is so slow that it could easily be accommodated by an older type ironer, the top linear speed of which is only 100 to 120 feet per minute. Obviously the most commercially desirable operation is one in which sheets can be delivered to a modern high speed ironer at a rate which approaches the operating rate of the ironer, and especially if it can be done auto matically, tended by only one operator.

Attempts have heretofore been made to develop sheet feeding devices to eliminate some members of an operating team, but such attempts up to the present time have not produced sufiiciently satisfactory results.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding and spreading machine which is automatically self-adjusting for sheet width.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type characterized in the last preceding paragraph which requires the services of only a single relatively unskilled operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type characterized in the last two preceding paragraphs which operates at a lineal delivery speed high enough to etliciently utilize the full capability of a modern high speed ironer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding and spreading machine which is automatically self adjusting for sheet width, and which accepts and delivers individual sheets in respective cycles with auto- 3,174,238 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 matic stops between each cycle to permit the operator to supply a new sheet to the machine.

A further object of the invention is to develop a machine as defined in the last preceding paragraph wherein automatic means is provided for determining the duration of the pause between sheet-advancing cycles.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a machine as hereinabove characterized, operator-operated override means whereby to intercept a sheet already being advanced, and by-pass the sheet to prevent its delivery to the ironer.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the type hereinabove characterized, automatically operating sheet spreading means including a pair of arms pivoted to swing in converging and diverging arcs, and having means thereon to grip the opposed corners of the leading edge of an advancing sheet, and having means for maintaining a diverging bias on the arms to cause said leading edge to achieve a taut condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type defined in the last preceding paragraph, and wherein means is provided for maintaining the respective angular divergence of each arm equidistant from a longitudinal center line between the arms extending in the direction of sheet travel.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining an outwardly divergent bias on the arms as defined in the last two preceding paragraphs, in combination with means for preventing undesirable outward snap-action movement responsive to said bias when a sheet is released by the arms.

A further object of the invention is to provide endless conveyor means carried by the arms hereinabove defined, and having thereon gripper clamp means for accepting and advancing a sheet to a sheet-release zone.

A further object of the invention is to provide means carried by the endless conveyor just mentioned, and dis posed to operate a device to control both the length of an operating cycle and the duration of the pause between cycles.

A further object of the invention is to provide sheet transfer means disposed to accept each sheet as it is released from the aforesaid endless conveyor and advance it towards a suitable ironer.

A further object of the invention i to provide sheet advancing means as defined in the last preceding paragraph wherein the said transfer means includes power operated rolls, each having thereon raised beads, spirally diverging from their central zone, whereby to cooperate in spreading each sheet as received.

A further object of the invention is to provide advancing means as defined in the last preceding paragraph wherein one of said rolls is adapted to rotate in reverse direction to the other rolls, whereby to apply back tension to a sheet moving in contact therewith, and tending to by pass any sheet not already gripped by the ironer.

A further object of the invention is to provide sheet advancing rolls as defined in the last preceding paragraph wherein said reversely rotating roll is normally maintained out of contact with a sheet advancing therepast until the leading edge of the sheet is gripped by the ironer roll, but wherein operator-operated by-pass means is provided for producing operating contact between said reversely rotating roll and a sheet prior to the time when a sheet is gripped by the ironer.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a study of the present specification describing one exemplification of the invention, in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sheet feeder and spreader constructed in accordance with the present invention, the operators position being at the left, a fragment of the receiving'por'tion of an ironer being shown in dotted line at the right.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the sheet feeder as seen from the left of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ingress end of the apparatus, as seen from above'the left end of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3A is a top plan view of the balance of the apparatus as seen-from aboveFIG. 1, the showings of FIGS. 3 and 3A being joinable on the lines A'A as seen in both figures.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the rearor delivery end of the apparatus as seen from the right of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a detail view, partially'in axial sectionQand partially in plan, and somewhat enlarged, showing the end of a sheet delivering roll.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the end of another roll.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational View of the ends of the sheet delivering roll assembly. 7 y

FIG. dis a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the ends of the sheet delivering roll assembly as seen from the section line 88 of FIG. 4.

FIG. '9 is a detail view, considerably enlarged, showing a portion "of the conveyor chain stopped at the operators position, with the sheet gripping clamp in open position.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the conveyor chain and clamp, with the clamp in closed position, gripping the leading edge of a sheet.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of some of the operating elements, with electric circuits shown diagrammatically.

FIG. 12 is a schematic showing of the means for maintaining the arms equidistant from the longitudinal center line of the machine.

7 Speaking first generally, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the operating elements are carried on a' skeleton type frame including base members 2 0, upright posts 21,at the frame corners, and horizontal top members 22, with any suitable cross braces which do not interfere with the moving parts hereinafter to be described. As seen from the operators position at the left of FIG. 1 the machine includes a left swingable member 23 and a right swing-able member 24 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 3A) which are pivotal'ly supported at the ingress end on opposed ends of a rotatable drive shaft 25 which has universal joint portions therein to permit the needed flexibility while supplying driving power to sprockets 26 and 27.

The two swingable members are identical, and description of one will suffice. Member 24 includes a long horizontal arm28 extending the full length of the machine and a short vertical part 29 fixed to the front or ingress end of the arm 28. At the corners of the long L-shaped 'assemblyout'lined by parts 28 and 29 are sprockets 27, 30 and 31 around which a link chain 32 is stretched whereby, when sprocket 27 is driven by shaft 25 as hereinabove mentioned, the endlesschain 32 moves appropriately, as indicated by the arrows on FIG. 1.

Towards the rear or delivery end of the machine arm 28 is provided with a pair of casters 35 on a bracket 36 a seen in FIG. 3Athe arms aremovablefwm their full line positions towards and sometimes past their broken line positions and reversely, means being provided to insure their equidistance from said longitudinal center line. The amount of angular swing will depend on the width of the workpiece which may be narrower than a sheet. Such means could be any suitable pantagraph arrangement but as here shown it includes (FIGS. 3A, 4 and 12) a pair. of idler sheaves 38 mounted on opposite rfirame members 22. An endless cord 39-391: is wound around the sheaves, being connected to arms 28 and 28a and being crossed between them as best shown in FIG. 12.

One or more springs 40 may be included to maintain tension on the cord. It will be apparent that any force exerted on either arm to produce swinging movement thereof will move the other arm a like amount in the opposite direction.

The arms are biased to their widest angular separation in the following manner, referringparticularly to FIGS. 1 and 3A. A shaft'43 is journalled on frame member 22:: and track 37 in bearings 44 and 45. A pulley 46 is fixed to shaft 43 and has a cord 47 wound around the pulley with its end attached to a tab 48 on arm 28a. Another pulley 49 is also fixed to shaft 43 andhas a cord 50 wound around the pulley and attached to a piston rod 51 extending outwardly from a piston (not shown) within a long tubular cylinder 52 which is fixed to bottom frame member 20 and extends upwardly therefrom. A cross head 55 attached to connecting rod 51 is urged downwardly by spaced tension springs 56 and 57 which are connected at their upper ends to the crosshe'ad and at their lower ends to frame 20. The normal bias of the springs pulls downwardly on cross'head 55 and through cord 50 rotates pulleys 49 and 46. Rotation of pulley 46 pulls arms 28a and 28 outwardly, this being their normal idle position.

Outward snap action is delayed by the dash pot effect produced in cylinder 52. The piston in the cylinder moves in oil which can be displaced upwardly or downwardly through a by pass tube 58 having a restricted aperture controlled by a needle valve 59 adjustable by handle 60. This dash pot effect and various means wherebyit can be achieved will be familiar to those skilled in the'ai't.

The conveyor chain is driven by a motor 63through belt 63a; a speed change and belt tension device 64; a belt 65; a pulley 66; a belt 67; and a sheave 68 on shaft 25. The drive sequence is best seen in FIG. 1, being supported above the topfront portion of the frame. The motor is a conventional type coupled to a brake mechanism which is instantaneously applied when current to the motor is cut off, as will later be described in connec tion with operation of the apparatus. 7 At the right end (FIG. 1) of the apparatus, sometimes herein termed th e delivery or discharge end, is a transfer roll assembly carried on an extension bracket 69 and a cross brace 70', both fixed on vertical frame posts 21. This roll assembly is continuously rotated by a motor 88. The assembly in thepresent instance includes five rolls, 73, 74, 75, 76, and 77, as best seen in FIG. 7 and all except roll are journalled in bracket 69. Roll 75 is jcurnalled in the swingable ends of crank arms 78, the other end of said crank arms being rotatable on stub shafts 79 extending inwardly from brackets 69 (FIG. 4). The object of this transfer roll assembly is to accept a sheet delivered on top of the assembly by the chain conveyor, as will soon be described, and transfer the sheet to the ironer. At the right end of FIG. 1 there is shown indotted lines the receiving end of a conveyor including endless tapes S0 and a dofier roll 81.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the rolls 73, 74, 76 and 77 are driven by a succession of belts including Nos. 34, 85, 86 and 87 which operatively engage sprockets or sheaves on the ends of the respective roll shafts, insuch manner that these four rolls rotate in the same direction. The driving impulse comes from a continuouslyrotating motor 88. The upwardly movable roll is rotated by a belt 89 on the other side of the machine (FIG. 8) which extends from a sheave 91 on the end of the shaft of roll 76 to a sheave 92 on the end of the stub shaft 79 heretofore mentioned. Stubshaft 79.has fixed thereto a gear 95 which meshes with a gear 96 fixed on the shaft of roll 75. It will be noted on FIG. 8 that when stub shaft 79 swings crank link 78 counterclockwise, roll 75 will still continue to rotate reversely by reasonof the mesh engagement of gears 95 and 96, butthe roll 75 travels upwardly in planetary fashion around the fixed axis of stub shaft 79.

The two positions of roll 75 are illustrated respectively in full and broken line in FIG. 7, and the rocking movement is effected, when needed, in the following manner, reference being had to FIG. 7.

A link chain 97 passes over sprocket 95a on stub shaft 79. One end of the chain is fastened to a tension spring 93 which in turn is fastened to a frame bracket 99. The other end of the chain is secured to the armature of a solenoid coil 1139. It will be apparent that spring bias tends to rotate shaft 79 counterclockwise to raise roll '75 to the full line position of FIG. 7. Energization of solenoid 190 pulls chain 97 in the opposite direction to return the roll to the dotted line position. This movement of the armature may actually be arranged to be produced by either energization or de-energization of the solenoid, depending on convenience in the arrangement of the electrical circuitry.

The endless chains 32 which serve to advance and spread the sheets or workpieces carry grippers or clamps disposed for rapid and simple gripping action. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 the chain 32 has affixed thereto by brackets and rivets 1413 and ltl ta flexible strip 195 which could be leather or a plastic composition, and which can turn the corners around the sprockets 27, 3t), and 31. Fixed to this flexible strip at the position 104 is a rigid metal strip 196 having at one side of its connection point a slightly curved tongue 106a, and on the other side of the connection point a straight gripping part 1%!) having a facing which may be sponge rubber with a frictional facing 1960.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10 an operator at the left end of FIG. 1 or in front of FIG. 2 grasps the opposite corners of a sheet edge and thrusts them into the angle between clamp parts IE5 and 1116c, the chains 32 being temporarily stopped, and the clamps being in the position shown just below sprocket 30, FIG. 1. The resilient facings 1116c frictionally grip the sheet corners, and retain them and advance the sheet to the right below the lower chain flight when the chains are moved. As soon as the clamps turn the corner" and begin their forward advance with the chain the clamp part 1061) assumes the position shown in FIG. 10, the tongue part ltlda pressing against the chain and increasing the clamping grip on the sheet corners. When the particular clamps under discussion turn the corner again around sprocket 31 at the right or delivery end of FIG. 1 the clamping parts open to release the leading edge of the sheet.

There are three spaced clamps on each chain, in the present embodiment, identified as 1%, 1117 and 108 respectively, and their equally spaced positions are well shown on FIG. 1. Each clamp carries a finger 106d, the purpose of which is to operate a microswitch 1199 to stop the conveyor chains. The chains will therefore stop at each one-third of a complete rotation, or three stops per complete rotation. At each stop the clamp positions will be as shown in FIGS. 1 or 11, one clamp being directly under microswitch 1G9, and the clamps at the operators position being ready to receive a sheet while the preceding sheet is still retained, its leading edge being in the position determined by clamp 1117 which will not yet have opened. The operating sequence will later be more fully described.

The machine includes two air blowers 113 and 114. Blower 113 is located on the base 21 near the front and directs an air blast forwardly and upwardly into an enclosure 115 of flattened clam-shell shape having a front semicircular wall 115a and a rear semicircular wall 1115b (FIG. 1). These walls have a peripheral spacing which permits air to escape in a semicircle around the edges, and there are a pair of front wall openings 116 which allow a substantial air stream to escape towards the operator. The purpose of these air streams will appear hereinafter.

Blower 114 is mounted on top of the machine, towards the rear, and has a duct 11? which is directed downwardly above the transfer rolls 74, 75, 76 and 77, and which fans out laterally. Blower 113 is powered by a motor 118 and blower 114 is powered by a motor 119. The intake of blower 114 is controlled by a damper 120. When the damper is open a strong blast is directed downwardly. When the damper is shut the blast is reduced to a minor amount. Operation of the damper will be described in conjunction with a description of one cycle of operation, having reference to all drawings, and especially to FIG. 11.

Proceeding now to a description of the operation, three phase current is supplied through lines L L L when switch 123 is closed. Motor 88 for the transfer rolls and motors 11S and 119, for the blowers 113 and 11d, begin to operate continuously. Motor 63 for the chain drive is temporarily stopped since the end of the preceding cycle, for the following reason. At the end of the preceding cycle the finger on clamp 1% intercepted the operating trigger of switch 109 so as to energize solenoid 124 through conductor 125, switch 109, conductor 126, the coil of solenoid 124 and conductors 127 and 128. Energization of solenoid 124 caused its armature 124a to operate a timer switch TS This timer switch was closed immediately but will open again after a preset time, say six seconds. When the switch in T8 closed it energized a solenoid 12% the current passing through conductor 13!), switch TS conductor 131, coil of solenoid 129, and conductor 132 to L The armature of solenoid 129 immediately opened switch 133 against the bias of spring 134 which tends normally to keep this switch closed. The timer mechanism in switch T8 has been set, as above mentioned, to open switch T5 after six seconds which results in the re-starting of conveyor chain motor 63.

One other operation takes place during this six second pause. Connected in parallel with solenoid 124 through conductors 137 and 138 is another timer switch T5 which has a timed period of inactivity after operation by the armature of solenoid 139 after which it actuates a panel buzzer 140, the buzzer current passing through conductor 141, switch T3 conductors 142 and 143. The buzzer is set to operate at about, for example, four seconds atfer the stop page of the conveyor chains, and the buzzer gives the operator a two second warning that the chains are about to start.

When the chains stop the operator immediately thrusts the leading corners of the sheet into clamps 1% which grip the sheet tightly and when the chains start again as motor 63 starts, the sheet is drawn forwardly, imposing inward tension on arms 28 and 28a against the bias of springs 56 and 57 as heretofore explained. The sheet is drawn forward across a wire lattice 144 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which permits the draft from blower 113 to begin to billow out the sheet. It is drawn over a bowed bar 145 which laterally spans the width of the machine and then across rolls 73, 74, 75, 76 and 77 in that order. Rolls 73, '76 and 77 are provided with spiral beads, developing away from their center in opposite directions, the direction of roll rotation being such that the frictional drag on the contacted sheet tends to spread the trailing portion of the sheet. On the next cyclic stop this first sheet is still gripped since its clamp has arrived only at the position of clamp 107 in FIG. 1. However after the six second pause during which the operator aflixes a second sheet, the clamp 107 advances as far as sprocket 31 at which time clamp 107 opens and the sheet is dropped with its front portion overlying the transfer rolls which, continuously rotating, deliver the sheet to tapes and dolfer roll 81. Arms 28 and 28a are thereupon returned to their outermost position responsive to the bias of springs 56 and 57. Up to this point, in normal operation, reversing roll 75 has been in its lowest position, as seen in broken line in FIG. 7.

As soon as the leading edge of the sheet is pinched 7. in the ironer, a timer acts to raise roll 75, as shown in FIG. 11. A microswitch 149' which may be actuated by a finger on chain 32 (not shown), or may be responsive to an actuation from one of timer switches "PS or T8 energizes a timer switch T3 through conductors 159, switch 149, conductor 151, timer switch T S and conductor 1552,. Operation of switch T8 energizes solenoid 150 (FIG. 7) and, through a parallel circuit, solenoid 154. Solenoid 10% releases its armature 100a to permit spring 98 to raise roll 75 and hold it for the period determined by the timer. Simultaneously the armature 154:: of solenoid 154 operates the damper 120 heretofore described to permit a strong draft of air to be discharged downwardly from conduit 117 to cause the sheet to adhere closely to the transfer rolls and the back tension roll. Timer switch T8 permits this condition to exist for only a second or so, after which conditions revert to normal. Actually roll 75 is normally biased to up position under the influence of spring 93, but is lowered by solenoid 160 as the leading edge of the sheet approaches. Roll 75 is raised as'above described when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the ironer rolls.

Should it be noted by the operator that a torn or otherwise defective sheet is going through she can immediately push a lever or button to close switch 157 which then acts similarly to switch 149 when closed. Roll 75 is thereupon raised prematurely, before the edge of the sheet is gripped by the ironer. Since roll 75is rotating reversely it by passes the sheet rearwardly and downwardly between rolls 74 and 75 so that it is not transferred to the ironer.

In addition to the metal spiral beads 153 on the transfer rolls there may also be provided an adjacent additional head or strip 159 wrapped around the roll, and formed from high friction material, such as V-belt stock or the like. The strip 159 is so positioned with respect to bead 158 that when the spirals are pulling the sheet the frictional bead is assuming most of the traction, but when the ironer takes over the traction the sheet is contacting mainly the smoother beads. This is made possible by the fact that the ironer is normally arranged to have a somewhat higher lineal speed than the transfer rolls.

If desired a counter may be supplied in a circuit containing a switch responsive to inward movement of one of the arms which would show the total number of sheets picked up by the endless conveyor. Another counter could be provided responsive to operation of push button switch 159 to show the total number of sheets by-passed or rejected. A simple subtraction will then show the total number of sheets ironed, although of course a microswitch could be provided having an operating finger extending upwardly between ironer tapes 80, or'an electric eye in the same position, which could actuate a counter circuit to also show the number of sheets ironed.

For convenience in utilization (FIGS. 1, 2 and the spreader. is, provided with casters 163 and with a floor brake 164 which can be raised or lowered by a rotatable handle 164a (FIG. 1).

Rejected sheets may drop into a bin 165, or may be otherwise disposed of.

Tension on chain 32 can be adjustedby means of a threaded extension 166 of arm 28, its adjusted final position being fixed by a lock nut 167.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the microswitch 109 is positionally adjustable along arm 28a in the following manner. It is carried on arectangular bar 168 the opposite ends of which slide within rectangular retainers 169 and 170. Threaded into the end of bar 168 is a rod 171 which is rotatable in any suitable way from the operators position to provide limited endwise movement of bar 168, and consequently adjusting movement of the microswitch'109. Obviously the position of the microswitch determines the stop position of chain 32, and consequently the open position of the clamps at the operators position. A slight variation of such clamp position may make some difierence in its gripping efiect, so

5% it is quite helpful to the operator to be able to adjust the position of the switch.

An operating panel 174 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided at the operators position to carry any suitable controls. Lever 175 depending therefrom may, for example, be the operating means for reject switch 157' and lever 176 could operate main switch 123. The buzzer can be as shown on panel 174. Other devices such as counters, timers, etc., can be located on the panel.

Motor 63 which operates the chains can be equipped with any quick stopping brake arrangement so as to prevent overrunning when the current is cut off by microswitch 109. If desired this motor could run continuously and a clutch and brake combination could be substituted between the motor and the chains.

The timers T8 T8 and T S can be adjusted for any suitable delay period. Timer TS, in particular can be adjusted to coincide with the capabilities of a particular operator. While I have indicated the use of a six second pause between operating cycles, this pause can be shortened and four seconds is not out of the question. Even an unskilled operator who starts at sixseconds will rapidly become proficient enough to shorten the time. One factor is the condition in which sheets are delivered to the operator, and she can work more. efficiently if the sheets are given to her insuch stacked position that the potential leading edges have their opposed corners in easy pick-up position. No harm is done of course if an operator should miss attaching a sheet for a cycle, and in any event this machine, with only one operator will deliver more sheetsto the'ironer than previous skilled teams of two or more operators, in addition to which the work will be more uniform and of higher quality.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for spreading a laundry fiatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to a delivery zone adjacent to further processing means, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated swingable members each pivoted at a workpiece receiving position at said receiving end and extending to the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each member, workpiece gripping means carried on each conveyor each adapted to grip one of the opposite corners of the leading edge of the workpiece and for advancing the workpiece to said delivery end when said conveyor is running, and means biasing said swingable members outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch the leading edge to a taut condition.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said grip ping means is automatically moved to releasing position when said leading edge reaches the delivery zone.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein control means is provided for stopping said gripping means at the workpiece receiving position and in article receiving condition.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein means is provided for maintaining each said swingable member at equal angular divergences from a fixed longitudinal center line between said members.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each said swingable member comprises a bracket having two arms joined in L-shaped relationship, said bracket being pivoted on a vertical axis at the .workpiece receiving position, and having three sprockets, one at each arm free end and one at the juncture of the arms.-

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said vertical axis is substantially parallel to one said arm, the last said arm being the shorter of the two.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said biasing means consists of a tension spring, in combination with delay-action means to prevent undesirably fast out- Ward movement or" said members when a workpiece is released.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein means is provided beneath the path of travel of said workpiece on said conveyor for directing an airblast upwardly and outwardly against the lower surface of said workpiece whereby to spread said workpiece outwardly as it advances.

9. Apparatus for Spreading a laundry flatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to an ironer at a delivery zone, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated arms respectively pivoted on spaced axes at a workpiece receiving position at said receiving end, said arms extending to and above the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each arm, a clamp carried on each conveyor, each clamp being adapted to grip one of the opposite two corners of the leading edge of the workpiece whereby to advance the workpiece to said delivery end and release it at said delivering end when said conveyor is running, means biasing said arms outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch the leading edge to a taut condition, and transfer means for receiving and supporting the trailing part of the workpiece, and for transferring the workpiece towards an ironer at the delivery zone.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said transfer means includes means for spreading the trailing edge of said workpiece outwardly from its longitudinal central line.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein operatoroperatable by-pass means is provided for reversing the direction of travel of a workpiece and withdrawing it from its direction of normal travel upon its release by said clamps.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said transfer means includes a group of parallel rolls extending laterally across the apparatus frame near the delivering end, at least one of said rolls having spiral bead means thereon adapted to spread a workpiece passing in contact therewith.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein one of said rolls is rotated in reverse direction to the movement of the workpiece passing adjacent thereto, whereby to by-pass said workpiece out of its normal path unless it is being positively drawn across said reversing roll.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein means is provided for raising said reversing roll above the level of the highest other roll whereby to more positively exert a rearward driving impulse to said workpiece.

15. Apparatus for spreading a laundry flatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to an ironer at a delivery zone, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated swingable arms respectively pivoted on spaced axes at a workpiece receiving position at said receiving end, said arms extending to and above the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each arm, a clamp carried on each conveyor, each clamp being adapted to grip one of the opposite two corners of the leading edge of the workpiece whereby to advance the workpiece to said delivering end and releasing it at said end when said conveyor is running, means biasing said arms outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away trom each other to stretch the leading edge to a taut condition, a group of parallel rolls extending laterally across the apparatus frame near the delivering end, one of said rolls being a reversing roll by reason of its being rotatable counter to the direction of movement of the workpiece, means for raising the reversing roll above the level of the highest other roll, means in synchronism with advancing movement of the conveyors for timing the raising of the reversing roll at a certain time period each conveyor moving cycle, and means for directing a stream of air downwardly against said reversing roll when said roll is in raised position.

16. Apparatus for spreading a laundry flatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to a delivery zone adjacent to further processing means, said apparatus com-prising a pair of elongated swingable members each pivoted at a workpiece receiving position at said receiving end and extending to the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each member, workpiece gripping means carried on each conveyor each adapted to grip one of the opposite corners of the leading edge of the workpiece and for advancing the workpiece to the delivery end when said conveyor is running, means biasing said swingable members outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch the leading edge to a taut condition, control means for stopping said gripping means at the work receiving position and in article receiving condition, said control means including a trigger carried by one of said conveyors, and electric circuitry having a switch responsive to said trigger and effective to stop driving means for said conveyors, said circuitry having in operative association therewith, a timer for re-starting said driving means after a predetermined time delay period.

17. Apparatus for spreading a laundry fiatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to a delivery zone adjacent to further processing means, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated swingable members each pivoted at a workpiece receiving position at said receiving end and extending to the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each member, workpiece gripping means carried on each conveyor each adapted to grip one of the opposite corners of the leading edge of the workpiece and for advancing the workpiece to the delivery end when said conveyor is running, means biasing said swingable members outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch the leading edge to a taut condition, control means for stopping said gripping means at the work receiving position and in article receiving condition, said control means including a trigger carried by one of said conveyors and electric circuitry having a switch responsive to said trigger and eifective to stop driving means for said conveyors, said switch being carried on one of said members adjacent to the path of movement of said conveyor, and being positionally adjustable along said member.

18. Apparatus for spreading a laundry fiatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to an ironer at a delivery zone, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated arms each respectively pivoted on spaced axes at a workpiece receiving position, said arms extend ing to and above said delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each arm, a clamp carried on each conveyor, each clamp being adapted to grip one of the opposite two corners of the leading edge of the workpiece whereby to advance the workpiece to :the delivery zone and release it at said zone when said conveyor is running, means biasing said arms outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch said leading edge to a taut condition, transfer means for receiving and supporting the trailing part of the workpiece, and for transferring the work-piece towards the ironer at the delivery zone, said transfer means including a group of parallel rolls extending laterally across the apparatus frame near the delivery end, at least one of said rolls having spiral bead means thereon adapted to spread a workpiece passing in contact therewith, said spiral bead having two portions, one each side of a central zone, the portions having their spiral directions reversed with respect to each other whereby to urge opposite lateral portions of said workpiece outwardly in oppsite directions.

19. Apparatus for spreading a laundry fiatwork workpiece, 'and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to 1 ii an ironer at a delivery zone, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated arms each respectively pivoted on spaced axes at a workpiece receiving position, said arms extending to and above said delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each arm, 'a clamp carried on'each conveyor, each clamp being adapted to grip one of the opposite two corners of the leading edge of the workpiece whereby to advance the workpiece to the delivery zone and releasing it at said zone when said conveyor is running, means biasing said arms'outwardly arcuately around their respective pivots and away from each other to stretch said leading edge to a taut condition, a group of parallel rolls extending laterally across the apparatus frame'near the delivery end, one of said rolls being a reversing roll by reason of its being rotatable counter to the direction of movement of the workpiece, means for raising the reversing roll above the level of the highest other roll, means in synchronism With advancing movement of the conveyors for timing the raising of the reversing roll at a certain time period each conveyor moving cycle, means for directing a stream of air downwardly against said reversing roll when said roll is in raised position, and time delay means for causing the reversing roll to be raised a certain interval after starting of each cycle, and to he maintained in raised position during a timecontrolled pause.

20. Apparatus for spreading a laundry fiatwork workpiece, and having a receiving end, and a delivering end, said apparatus being adapted to deliver the workpiece to a delivery zone adjacent to further processing means, said apparatus comprising a pair of elongated swingable members each pivoted at a workpiece receiving position and extending to the delivery zone, an endless conveyor carried on each swin able member, workpiece gripping means carried on each conveyor each adapted to grip one of the opposite cornersof the leading edge of the workpiece and for advancing the; workpiece to the delivery zone when said conveyor is'running, means biasing said swingablemembers arcuately around their respective pivotsa'nd outwardly away from each other to stretch said leading said trigger being carried on a gripping means.

References Cited-in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,088 Chatfield July 12, 1910 1,248,856 Henry Dec. 4, 1917 1,280,607 Widdowson Oct. 1, 1918 1,775,894 Dra b ble Sept. 16, 1930 1,827,336 Sager Oct. 13, 1931 1,997,267 Remington Apr. 9, 1935 2,463,683 Fay Mar. 8, 1949 2,654,969 Wood-Ward Oct. 13, 1953 2,736,082 Dungler Feb. 28, 1956 2,923,966 Tooke Feb. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,104 Great-Britain of 1831 449,716 France Jan. 3, 1913 422,856 Germany Dec. 14, 1925

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR SPREADING A LAUNDRY FLATWORK WORKPIECE, AND HAVING A RECEIVING END ANE A DELIVERY END, SAID APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED TO DELIVER THE WORKPIECE TO A DELIVERY ZONE ADJACENT TO FURTHER PROCESSING MEANS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED SWINGABLE MEMBERS EACH PIVOTED AT A WORKPIECE RECEIVING ZONE, AT SAID RECEIVING END AND EXTENDING TO THE DELIVERY ZONE, AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR CARRIED ON EACH MEMBER, WORKPIECE GRIPPING MEANS CARRIED ON EACH CONVEYOR EACH ADAPTED TO GRIP ONE OF THE OPPOSITE CORNERS OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WORKPIECE AND FOR ADVANCING THE WORKPIECE TO SAID DELIVERY END WHEN SAID CONVEYOR IS RUNNING, AND MEANS BIASING SAID SWINGABLE MEMBERS OUTWARDLY ARCUATELY AROUND THEIR RESPECTIVE PIVOTS AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO STRETCH THE LEADING EDGE TO A TAUT CONDITION.

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