US3703280A

US3703280A - Laundry stacking machine

Info

Publication number: US3703280A
Application number: US91326A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry John Weir
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-11-22
Filing date: 1970-11-20
Publication date: 1972-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1989-11-21
Also published as: DE2057289A1; GB1336304A; SU374849A3; FR2069742A5; CA937593A; DE2057289B2

Abstract

A machine for folding and stacking laundry articles comprising a clamp having a pair of substantially horizontal elongate jaws; tucking means for tucking a laundry article between the jaws to allow the article to be clamped at a fold line; and driving means for swinging the clamp about and over a substantially horizontal axis so that the body of the clamped article is flung outwardly down on to a stack where the article is released from the jaws.

Description

United States Patent Weir [S41 LAUNDRY STACKING MACHINE [72] Inventor: Henry John Weir, 37, Ormerod Road, Chepstow, England [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 91,326

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 22, 1969 Great Britain ..57,260/69 [52] U.S. Cl. ..270/83 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 45/18 [58] Field of Search ..270/83, 84, 85, 78

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Seymour ..270/78 [451 Nov. 21, 1972 1,048,357 12/1912 Seymour ..270/78X Primary Examiner-Wm. l-l. Grieb AttorneyWenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT A machine for folding and stacking laundry articles comprising a clamp having a pair of substantially horizontal elongate jaws; tucking means for tucking a laundry article between the jaws to allow the article to be clamped at a fold line; and driving means for swinging the clamp about and over a substantially horizontal axis so that the body of the clamped article is flung outwardly down on to a stack where the article is released from the jaws.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUunv 21 m2 3. 7 03,280

sum 1 or 3 HENRY JOHN WEIR, Inventor Attorneys PATENTEURH I972 3.703.280

' sum 2 OF 3 HENRY JOHN WEIR, Invntor Attorneys- PATENTEDNHVZI m2 3.703.280

SHEET 3 BF 3 HENRY JOHN WEIR, Inventor Attorneys LAUNDRY STACKING MACHINE The invention relates to a machine forfolding and stacking laundry articles, particularly flat-work articles such as bed-sheets, towels, tablecloths and the like.

At the present time laundry articles, after being ironed in a rotary ironing machine are passed to a folding machine which may effect two, three or four folds. The folded article may be delivered to a stacking machine which forms them into stacks. An object of the present invention is to provide a machine which not only performs a stacking function but also effects the final fold.

According to the invention there is provided a machine for folding and stacking laundry articles comprising a clamp having a pair of substantially horizontal elongate jaws; tucking means for tucking a laundry article between the jaws to allow the article to be clamped at a fold line; and driving means for swinging the clamp about and over a substantially horizontal axis so that the body of the clamped article is flung outwardly down on to a stack where the article is released from the jaws.

Preferably the jaws are constituted by a pair of parallel plates and preferably they are opened and closed by pneumatic cylinders.

In a preferred arrangement the jaws face downwardly at the tucking position so that the articles are pushed up into the jaws, whereupon the clamp is swung through about 270 to the stack. This allows the stack to be higher than the tucking position and this is a convenient feature. However, it is possible for the tucking position to be diametrically opposite the stacking position, in which case the jaws are directed horizontally at the tucking position, the laundry articles being tucked between the jaws by a horizontal movement.

Preferably the article is fed to the tucking position on a conveyor which runs beneath the jaws, tucking means being actuated in response to one or .more timing switches. The articles may be fed in a direction transat a fold line perpendicular to the direction of travel. In this case a two speed measuring system operated by one or two timing switches is used to actuate the tucking means at the appropriate time.

Alternatively, the articles may be fed parallel to the length of the jaws so as to be cross-folded, the fold line being fed directly beneath the jaws. In this case no measuring system is required, the tucking means being actuated directly by a simple sensing switch.

The tucking means may comprise a tucking blade or fingers projected between conveyor bands by a pneumatic actuator, for example, or a series of air jets.

The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a stacking and folding machine in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an electrical and pneumatic circuit diagram of the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of another stacking and folding machine in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing an alternative folding blade arrangement for another folding machine in accordance with the invention;

. verse to the length of the clamp jaws so as to be folded FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic end elevation showing a folding blade arrangement for a cross-folding machine in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of another machine in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the machine comprises a two-part conveyor a, a, which runs continuously in the direction shown by the arrows. Laundry articles to be finally folded and stacked are fed onto the conveyor from a folding machine (not shown) which makes preliminary folds. The articles are conveyed beneath a clamp b which has a pair of elongate plate-like clamp jaws c. The clamp b is rotatable about a horizontal axis d but its normal, rest, position is shown in FIG. I wherein the jaws c are directed vertically downwardly.

A tucking blade e is positioned between the two parts of the conveyor and immediately beneath the rest position of jaws c. The blade is capable of being pushed upwardly by a pneumatic ram 3. In operation, a laundry article is fed along the conveyor and the passage of the leading and trailing edges is sensed by two switches S1 and S2 which energize a two-speed timer device EMC of a kind well known. The timer device is effective to actuate the air ram 3 so as to tuck the article at a predetermined fold line between the jaws c. The timing device may be arranged so that the fold line is at any required position along the article. Customarily the fold line is half-way along the article.

The jaws c are clamped onto the article by a pair of pneumatic cylinders l, the blade e is withdrawn and the clamp b is swung through approximately 270 about the axis d in the direction shown by the arrow. The driving means for swinging the clamp comprises a pair of

pneumatic rams

2a, 2b, the pistons of which are linked by a chain and sprocket drive to the shaft at the axis d. The described swinging action flings the body of the article outwardly by centrifugal force and lays it flat on the top of a stack of previously folded articles on a table f. At this time the jaws c are opened and the clamp b is returned to its starting position by the driving

rams

2a, 2b. The machine is then ready to fold and stack the next article.

The electric and pneumatic circuits necessary for performing the above described functions are shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 all the switches and valves are shown in their normal, or released positions which they adopt when the machine is ready to receive an article. The switch contacts closed by the timing device are shown at EMC in FIG. 3 and closure of these contacts supplies a 24 volt potential from line L through a switch S3 to energize an air valve SV2, which supplies air to the 7 lower part of cylinder 3 to raise the tucking blade e. A

microswitch S5 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is engaged by the tucking blade e when at its lowermost position. As soon as the blade is raised switch S5 is opened. When the blade reaches its uppermost position and the fold line of the article carried thereby is between the jaws c then a microswitch S4 is engaged by the blade and is operated. This applies the voltage from line L to energize a relay RLl. The line voltage is also applied from relay RLl to contacts of another relay RL2 which are closed and thence to energize an air valve SVl. Air is thus supplied through part SVlB to the two cylinders l which close the jaws c on the article. Also, one side of ram 2a is connected to atmosphere (exhaust). Another part SV 1A of valve SVl supplies air under pressure to the top side of cylinder 3.

The closure of the jaws c operates another microswitch S3 mounted on the jaws and this supplies the line voltage to the contact of relay RLl and thus holds this relay on. At the same time, the supply current to valve SV2 is broken and the valve exhausts the lower part of cylinder 3 and allows the piston to be driven downwardly and thus retract the blade e. Switch S4 thus reverts to the condition shown in the drawing. When the blade e reaches the lower position switch S5 again reverts to the condition shown in the drawing and line voltage is applied through switch S5 and a switch S6 to the right hand contact of relay RL2. A third solenoid valve 8V3 is thereby energized this supplies air under pressure to one side of ram 2b. Both rams 2a, 219 have air under pressure supplied continuously to their upper parts (in FIG. 3) so that in this condition ram 2b is balanced and exerts no net force on the piston. However, until that time there was a downward force on the piston of ram 2b and this was balanced by an equal downward force on the piston of ram 2a. Thus the effect of balancing the ram 2b by energization of SV3 produces a net force which rotates the clamp b. Application of air under pressure from valve SV3 also has the effect of operating a diaphragm actuator 4 which opens a switch S7.

A earn 5 is mounted on one end of the shaft on which the clamp turns. This cam operates a microswitch S6 and is so arranged that switch S6 is operated when the clamp 19 is at top dead center. Switch S6 remains operated until the clamp returns past top dead center on its return stroke. Operation of switch S6 de-energizes solenoid 8V3, thus again equalizing the forces exerted by the two

rams

2a, 2b. The clamp b is therefore allowed to complete its forward stroke by the effects of inertia and gravity. The diaphram actuator 4 responds to the fall in pressure in line Pl but this response is such that there is a delay of about A see. between de-energization of SV3 and the reversion of switch S7 to its normal position. This time is sufficient to allow the jaws c to fall onto the stack of articles. When switch S7 is released relay RLZ is energized through switches S5, S6 and S7. This releases solenoid SV] so that cylinders I are energized to open the jaws c. Through valve SVIB air under pressure is applied on line P to ram 2a. This upsets the balance in

rams

2a, 2b and the clamp b is driven back to its start position and the machine is ready for the next article.

During the stacking cycle a voltage pulse is applied to a line 6 which supplies a pulse counter effective to count the number of articles laid on the stack and, after a predetermined count, say 10 articles, an alarm is initiated so that the stack can be removed either automatically or manually.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is shown a machine similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 3 but with some modifications. Firstly, instead of being a divided conveyor, the conveyor a feeds on to a flat table 16, the jaws c being situated above the junction of the conveyor and the table. The timing switches 51, S2 (FIG. 1) are provided but are not shown in FIG. 4.

Secondly, instead of a tucking blade e there is provided an air tube 7 which has a series of air outlet jets spaced along its upper generator. The tube 7 extends for the length of the jaws c and is pressurized momentarily with high pressure air when the fold line of the article is above it. This inserts the fold line between the aws. I

The third difference of the machine of FIG. 4 is that instead of a table f there is provided a stacking conveyor g which is normally stationary but which is stepped forward intermittently when the above mentioned pulse counter gives a driving signal indicating that the stack is complete.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative kind of tucking blade for use when the conveyor a is continuous and is constituted by spaced parallel bands. The blade e has fingers which can project up between the bands to insert the article between the jaws.

FIG. 6 shows a folding blade arrangement for a crossfolding machine in accordance with the invention. Here the articles are fed beneath jaws c on a conveyor running in a direction parallel to the length of the jaws. The articles are fed so that the required fold line is directly beneath jaws c and when a simple contact switch (not shown) is engaged by the article when it is entirely beneath the jaws the fold blade cylinder 3 is actuated.

FIG. 7 shows a machine with an alternative method of feeding the articles. The normal, rest, position for the clamp b is, as shown in full line, with the jaws c directed horizontally away from the stacking table f. Laundry articles are fed to drape over the end of a conveyor a and the tucking blade e is immediately beneath the conveyor. The operating sequence is basically the same as that of the machine of FlGS.1 to 3, except that the clamp 12 has to move through only about 180.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. For example, two similar machines may be arranged in series to stack respectively articles of different sizes, the first machine being bypassed when necessary simply by de-actuation to allow an article to pass to the second machine. Although the control system described is electro-pneumatic it is to be understood that alternative systems may be used which may be entirely electrical using solenoid clamps and motor drive for the swinging movement; or entirely pneumatic-using fluidic switches; or hydraulic; or any combination.

I claim 1. A machine for folding and stacking laundry articles, comprising a clamp having a pair of normally spaced opposed horizontal elongate jaws and means for Y clamping said jaws together and releasing them, a support'means on which said jaws are rotatably mounted for rotation around a horizontal axis toward a stacking position generalIy to one side of the axis from a tucking position at least about half-way around the axis from the stacking position, tucking means adjaeentsaid tucking position for tucking a laundry article between the jaws to allow the article to be clamped at a fold line, and driving means for driving the clamp around and over the horizontal axis in an arcuate path from the tucking position to the stacking position at a speed sufficient to cause the body of the article clamped in the jaws to be flung outwardly as the clamp is swung over the horizontal axis and down onto a stack at the stacking position, the machine having a clearance along the arcuate path sufficient to permit the article to extend freely outwardly of the clamp during driving of the clamp along the arcuate path.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tucking position is beneath the horizontal axis about three quarters of the way around the axis from the stacking position and the jaws are downwardly facing at the tucking position.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 further comprising conveyor means running beneath said clamp for feeding the laundry articles to the tucking position, and at least one timing switch along said conveyor and actuated by the laundry article on the conveyor and means responsive to the timing switch coupled thereto to actuate the tucking means to insert the article upwardly between the clamp jaws along the fold line. A

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the conveyor runs transversely to the length of the jaws and said means responsive to said timing switch is a twospeed timing device to actuate the tucking means at the appropriate time.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the conveyor comprises a set of parallel spaced conveyor bands running parallel to the jaws and the tucking means extends between the conveyor bands, the articles being positioned on the conveyor so that the required fold line runs beneath the jaws.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tucking position is behind the horizontal axis about one-half of the way around the axis from the stacking position and the jaws are sidewardly facing at the tucking position.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for clamping the jaws together and releasing them are pneumatic cylinders.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driving means comprises an air ram means having one or more pistons coupled to the clamp for swinging the clamp.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein the air ram means is double acting for driving the clamp forwards to the stacking position and backwards to return the clamp to the tucking position.

Claims

1. A machine for folding and stacking laundry articles, comprising a clamp having a pair of normally spaced opposed horizontal elongate jaws and means for clamping said jaws together and releasing them, a support means on which said jaws are rotatably mounted for rotation around a horizontal axis toward a stacking position generally to one side of the axis from a tucking position at least about half-way around the axis from the stacking position, tucking means adjacent said tucking position for tucking a laundry article between the jaws to allow the article to be clamped at a fold line, and driving means for driving the clamp around and over the horizontal axis in an arcuate path from the tucking position to the stacking position at a speed sufficient to cause the body of the article clamped in the jaws to be flung outwardly as the clamp is swung over the horizontal axis and down onto a stack at the stacking position, the machine having a clearance along the arcuate path sufficient to permit the article to extend freely outwardly of the clamp during driving of the clamp along the arcuate path.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 further comprising conveyor means running beneath said clamp for feeding the laundry articles to the tucking position, and at least one timing switch along said conveyor and actuated by the laundry article on the conveyor and means responsive to the timing switch coupled thereto to actuate the tucking means to insert the article upwardly between the clamp jaws along the fold line.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the conveyor runs transversely to the length of the jaws and said means responsive to said timing switch is a two-speed timing device to actuate the tucking means at the appropriate time.