US3719311A

US3719311A - Pressing apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: US3719311A
Application number: US00121027A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Remiarz
Original assignee: Unipress Co Inc
Current assignee: Unipress Co Inc
Priority date: 1971-03-04
Filing date: 1971-03-04
Publication date: 1973-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-06

Abstract

A pressing apparatus is disclosed in which a garment support is movable between two horizontally-displaced positions, i.e. a dressing position in which a garment is initially placed on the support and later removed from it, and a pressing position in which the garment is supported for pressing engagement by one or more movable pressing plates. The pressing plates are movable between retracted and pressing positions, and preferably also to an intermediate steaming position. The movable garment support includes an upwardly extending center buck having sides against which the downwardly extending legs of a garment are adapted to be initially dressed and then pressed, in combination with a garment waist support mounted above the center buck for relative movement between an upper loading position and a lower dressing and pressing position. The device further includes a plurality of safety means effective both individually and in combination to insure the desired sequence of movement of the various parts, and such safety means may also include timing or sequence control means for automatically controlling certain portions of a pressing, steaming or other treatment cycle. Selective presteaming controls are provided. The garment waist support preferably includes improved features for convenient mounting of a garment waist portion in a manner which facilitates suitable alignment of the desired front crease locations of such a garment with the front edges of two laterally-spaced buck portions which form part of the garment support. The waist support also includes movable seat wings for smoother dressing of the garment. The seat wings retract during steaming and pressing. Improved cuff holders on the garment support hold the garment during dressing and movement to pressing position, but retract at the start of steaming. An improved supporting and alignment mechanism for a movable pressing plate is also disclosed.

Description

United States Patent [191 Remiarz 1' March 6, 1973 PRESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD 7 [75] Inventor: Dan B. Remiarz, Brooklyn Center,

Minn.

V [73] Assignee: The Unipress Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. 221 Filed: March 4, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 121,027

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,415,430 12/1968 McMillan ..223/73 3,208,652 9/1965 Zimmermann..... ...223/73 3,525,459 8/1970 Buckley et a1 223/73 3,502,250 3/1970 McMillan 223/73 3,556,361 l/197l O'Boyle ...223/73 3,503,545 3/1970 McMillan ..223/57 Primary Examiner.lordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney-Frederick E. Lange, William C. Babcock and Eugene L. Johnson [57] ABSTRACT A pressing apparatus is disclosed in whicha garment support is movable between two horizontally-displaced positions, i.e. a dressing position in which a garment is initially placed on the support and later removed from it, and a" pressing position in which the garment is supported for pressing engagement by one A or more movable pressing plates. The pressing plates are movable between retracted and pressing positions, and preferably also to an intermediate steaming position.

The movable garment support includes an upwardly extending center buck having sides against which the downwardly extending legs of a garment are adapted to be initially dressed and then pressed, in combination with a garment waist support mounted above the 1 center buck for relative movement between an upper loading position and a lower dressing and pressing position. The device further includes a plurality of safety means effective both individually and in combination to insure the desired sequence of movement of the various parts, and such safety means may also include timing or sequence control means for automatically controlling certain portions of a pressing, steaming or other treatment cycle. Selective presteaming controls are provided.

The garment waist support preferably includes improved features for convenient mounting of a garment waist portion in a manner which facilitates suitable alignment of the desired front crease locations of such a garment with the front edges of two laterally-spaced buck portions which form part of the garment support. The waist support also includes movable seat wings for smoother dressing of the garment. The seat wings retract during steaming and pressing. lr nproved cu'ff holders oii'the "garment support hold the garment during dressing and movement to pressing position, but retract at the start of steaming.An improved supporting and alignment mechanism for a movable pressing plate is also disclosed.

36 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 6% 3,719,311

' sum 30F e V INVENTOR. Dan B. Remiarz jk 052M PATENTED 51975 SHEET 6 OF 6 M 1 7Z 2 0 2 I. 7 0 m m a m 22 MW 2 A m Tim; M

INVENTOR.

Dan B. Remiarz BY Aime/146V PRESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pressing machines are known in which a garment may be suitably positioned in the apparatus, after which desired garment portions, such as the lower garment portions or the upper garment portions or a combination of such lower and upper portions may then be suitably pressed. Some of the devices, particularly those designed for the pressing of trousers or similar I with the trouser waist above the trouser legs, such prior machines have had their primary application to trousers of the so called washed or laundered type. Thus there has been an apparent need for a convenient and efficient upright pressing machine which is particularly suitable for convenient dressing and pressing, with or without steaming or other auxiliary treatment, of garments whose fabrics are generally cleaned by known dry cleaning processes rather than laundry methods.

Moreover, although pressing machines are known in which one or more pressing plates move back and forth between retracted and pressing positions, such prior devices have ordinarily maintained the plates in positions essentially parallel to the surface against which a garment is to be pressed. Either this parallel alignment has been maintained during movement of the plates between retracted and pressing positions, or complicated and expensive lever arm and linkage supports have been required to provide special desired variations from such a parallel orientation or from a straightline path of movement. In some cases this variation has been achieved by supporting a pressing plate on spaced lever arms or swinging support members which can move different portions of a pressing plate in somewhat different paths and over different distances. Once a given machine is designed for a particular path of movement of its pressing plate, however, variations or adjustments in that path are difficult or require complex linkage arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one important feature of the present invention, an improved pressing apparatus is provided in which a garment support is movable between an inner pressing position, in which the garment support is located close to at least one pressing plate or between a pair of pressing plates, and an outer dressing position which is horizontally displaced from the pressing position and is located for convenient mounting and positioning or dressing of a garment on the support prior to movement of the support to pressing position and subsequently for convenient removal of the garment from the support after the support returns from such pressing position.

To facilitate the proper positioning of a garment on the support, the movable support includes an upwardly extending center buck having sides against which the downwardly extending portions of the garmentare adapted to be dressed and subsequently pressed. These sides of the center buck are preferably inclined with respect to each other, so that they are close together at the top of the center buck and spaced farther apart near the bottom of the center buck. Thus the depending or downwardly extending garment portions can be positioned on the inclined sides and held there in part by the effect of gravity.

The movable garment support further includes a movable support head positioned above the center buck. This support head is movable between an upper loading position, in which a garment portion, such as the waist of a pair of trousers, can be readily secured to the support head from below, and a lower dressing and pressing position in which the waist support head is located closely adjacent to the upper edge of the center I buck, so that the garment will be jointly supported by both the upright center buck and the upwardly and downwardly movable waist support head. The combination of apparatus features just discussed thus provides for an operating sequence in which the garment support is originally located at its outer dressing position and the movable waist support at the top of the garment support is in its upper loading position. The waist portion of a pair of trousers is then conveniently mounted manually by an operator on the upper waist support, after which the waist support is moved downwardly to its lower dressing and pressing position immediately above the center buck. In that position the downwardly extending trouser legs can be properly dressed, i.e. positioned smoothly against the sides of the center buck with the leg side seams aligned for proper pressing.

The entire garment support, including both the center buck and the downwardly positioned waist support head can then be moved horizontally as a unit from the outer dressing position to the inner pressing position in the machine. Improved cuff holders are positioned and operated to hold the legs in dressed position while the garment support moves to pressing position. After the garment support reaches the pressing position, the pressing plates are moved from retracted position toward the center buck to start a pressing cycle. The cuff holders are disengaged and retracted prior to final steering or pressing.

According to a further feature of the invention, the pressing plates first move from fully retracted position to an intermediate position in which they are spacedonly slightly outwardly from the center buckv During this movement of the pressing plates from retracted to intermediate position, the invention also provides means for momentarily introducing air to the inside of the trousers through the upper waist portion on the waist support and thus inflating the garment sufficiently to eliminate undesired folds or wrinkles just before the pressing plates reach intermediate position. The apparatus further includes steam conduit means for introducing steam inside the waist portion of the garment and also directing steam through the side pressing plates and center buck toward the depending leg portions of the garment, while the pressing plates are in intermediate position. The provision of steaming means at this position, and the provision of control means for selectively presteaming the waist portion or leg portions, or both, while the garment support is in dressing position, are particularly adapted for the processing of fabrics of the dry cleaning type.

.The apparatus includes timing or sequence control means for preselecting and maintaining the desired time periods for the respective intermediate steaming and final pressing steps. At the end of the pressing step, the pressing plates are moved from pressing to fully retracted positions. The garment support including both its center buck and waist support portions then moves as a unit from the inner pressing position to the outer dressing position, at which point the waist support then moves upwardly to facilitate convenient removal of the garment from the apparatus. At this same time, the cuff holders move upwardly and are latched in upper position ready for the next loading and dressing operation.

The upright center buck of the garment support is further provided with suitably perforated sides and with interior suction conduit means so that air can be drawn inwardly through the center buck sides. Such suction is maintained from the time the garment support starts to move from dressing position throughout movement of the garment support inwardly to the pressing position and back to dressing position. Thus the suction effect can assist the gravity effect in holding the garment portions in the position in which the operator has dressed them on the center buck throughout movement of the garment support from dressing to pressing position and back from pressing to dressing. The suction is preferably interrupted, however, during the steaming portion of the cycle while the pressing plates are in their intermediate position. The suction effect is finally terminates as the garment support again arrives at its outer dressing position, prior to the upward movement of the waist support for removal of the garment.

The invention also includes improvements in the waist support head portion of a pressing machine to facilitate the proper alignment of the desired crease edges with appropriate parts of the apparatus. Specifi- Cally such an improved waist support includes two spaced front waist supporting or buck portions which provide front crease supports spaced from each other at their forward edges. The waist support also includes a forwardly and rearwardly movable rear waist support member with means to urge it rearwardly while the waist portion of a garment is being positioned around the front bucks and the rear waist support.

Before a garment such as a pair of trousers or shorts is placed on the waist support, the customary fly portions of such a garment are secured together in normal fashion and these secured fly portions will be initially positioned across the space between the two frontwaist buck portions. The waist support head further includes a movable fly positioner which is adapted to move from an initial forwardly retracted position toward a selectively adjustable rearward position in which the fly positioner pushes and holds the secured fly portions of the garment rearwardly between the center buck portions. The extent of rearward movement of the fly positioner will be controlled in accordance with the location of the desired front creases of the garment, so that the portions of the garment aligned with the desired creases will be positioned at the front crease supports provided by the front edges of the spaced front waist bucks. Thus, depending on the relative waist measurement of the garment in question, the fly positioner may have to be pushed rearwardly to a greater or lesser degree just to the point where the desired crease alignment is achieved. During this adjustment of the fly positioner, the rear waist support member is urged rearwardly with just sufficient force to maintain the waist portion under mild tension. However, this force is light enough to permit forward movement of the rear waist member and rear waist portion of the garment in response to the rearward movement of the fly positioner and the fly portions of the garment during the alignment step. Thus'the garment will be held in position on the waist support, while the operator can conveniently control the location of the fly positioner moving it forwardly or rearwardly by hand as needed to secure the desired crease alignment.

The rear waist support member preferably includes a movably mounted rear seat wing, with operating or control means to urge it rearwardly to extend and hold the seat of a garment during dressing thereof and during movement of the garment support to pressing position. The seat wing is retracted at the start of steaming to avoid undesired marks or creases.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an improved support and alignment mechanism for the side pressing plates of such a unit. This supporting and alignment mechanism includes a movable support member which is pivotally connected to one portion of the pressing plate and is adapted to move that portion of the pressing plate along a desired path between pressing and retracted positions. The desired relative orientation of the plate during such movement is then determined and controlled by at least one flexible cable portion connected to the pressing plate at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of the support member in the direction extending laterally away from the axis on which the support member is pivoted to the plate. Preferably two cable portions are provided at opposite sides of the pivotal axis. Such cable portions are resiliently urged, for example by spring means or other force applying means, so that the cable portions 'are pulled in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the pressing plate and in a direction which urges the plate outwardly from pressing position toward retracted position. The relative movement of such a cable portion is then coordinated, in effect, with the extent of movement of the support member so that the orientation of the plate may either be maintained parallel to its pressing position at all times as it moves toward retracted position, or alternatively, so that the orientation changes in desired manner as the plate is retracted. In the preferredform of this improvement,

the construction includes rotatable cable control memdistances. Thus, for example, when the pressing plate is to be pressed against a downwardly and outwardly sloping center buck portion in the pressing position, the upper portion of the pressing plate can be moved outwardly a greater distance than the lower portion of the plate during movement of the plate from pressing to retracted position, to provide greater clearance for prior or subsequent horizontal movement of the upper portions of the garment support.

Thus the various features of the present invention, both individually and in combination, provide improved pressing apparatus construction having a unique combination of parts and in which the relative positions of such parts can be controlled in desired sequence to provide an improved pressing cycle. The apparatus and method are particularly useful in the processing of garments made of fabrics of the so-called dry cleaning type.

For convenience, the term trousers is primarily used herein in the description of the apparatus and its method of operation. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not strictly limited in its application to garments which fit the literal definition of trousers and that this term is used in a broader sense to include not only mens trousers, but mens or ladies slacks, so-called bermudas, culottes, pajama bottom portions or other garments which might be considered equivalent thereto in the sense that such garments could be conveniently pressed by use of the apparatus or method features of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which form a part of this invention, in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred pressing apparatus according to the invention, illustrating the relative horizontally spaced dressing and pressing positions of a movable garment support and its associated parts;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation, with certain parts broken away and certainparts shown in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view similar to FIG. 2 showing one of the pressing plates in fully retracted position and showing its intermediate position in dotted lines;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the rotary cable control member at the lower left of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5.is a partial perspective view of the garment supporting head in its upper" loading position;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the first step in the method of aligning the waist portion of the garment on the support head;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to FIG. 6 illustrating further steps in the alignment of the garment waist portion;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of pneumatic valves and connections for feeding compressed air to the various air cylinders which serve as motor means to operate the different parts of the apparatus in proper sequence;

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing the operative connections among the various valves and other operating parts, including appropriate switches, contact relays, timers and connecting wires for a preferred sequence of operating steps;

FIG. 11 is a partial view, similar to FIG. 1, of a preferred modification of the device of FIG. 1, embodying improved cuff holding and retractable seat wing members according to the invention; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial view, with some parts broken away and others shown in section, showing details of the double air cylinder and piston arrangement for the cuff holding mechanism of FIG. 1 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred pressing apparatus according to the invention is shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2. The apparatus includes a frame 20 made up of suitable frame members and supports. At one side, as shown in FIG. 1, there is a bottom frame member 21 extending from the front to the rear of the machine, i.e. from left to right in the drawing. A rear supporting post 22 and an intermediate supporting post 23 extend upwardly to a top frame member 24 to define that portion of the machine which includes the inner pressing station at which the garments are to be pressed. A vertical front support 26, connected to the front of the main bottom frame 21 and also connected by an upper frame member 27 at an intermediate height to the vertical frame portion 23, generally defines a forwardly or horizontally displaced outer dressing station, at which garments to be pressed may be mounted on the machine and removed from it.

Similar frame members on the opposite side of the machine, i.e. at the left side as one would face the machine during loading and unloading of garments, are appropriately connected to the right side frame portion shown in FIG. 1 by cross frame members such as upper member 28 and lower front cross member 29, to complete the body frame. Supporting tracks in the form of longitudinally-extending cylindrical members 31 extend from the front frame 26 to a corresponding rear cross frame member. These tracks support a movable garment support for horizontal movement between dressing and pressing positions, i.e. the respective left-hand and right-hand positions in FIG. 1. The garment support has a base member 32 provided with suitable rollers or other means for engaging the tracks 31 during such movement.

Base 32 of the movable garment support carries at one side a suitable shock absorber having a lever arm 34 (FIG. 2) pivoted at 36 for rotation on a transverse axis. Rotation of arm 34 is permitted, but resisted by suitable connections with a piston in the shock absorber cylinder 37 secured to support member 32. The upper end of arm 34 carries a contact roller 38 which engages front and rear stops 39 and 41 as the garment support approaches its forward or dressing position on the one hand, or its rearward pressing position, on the other. A spring 42 may also be connected between a stationary portion of the shock absorber and a portion of arm 34 to provide means to return arm 34 to its mid position, before it is deflected at the extreme ends of the movement of the garment support.

Movement of the garment support between its dressing and pressing positions is provided by suitable motor means, illustrated as an air cylinder 43 with an interior piston having a piston rod 44 connected to a downwardly projecting bracket portion 46 on the garment support base 42. Thus, selective admission of air to one end or the other of cylinder 43 provides pressure for moving the piston and the garment support unit as a whole from one position to the other at the desired times during an operating cycle. Appropriate air control valves may be individually connected and operated in novel manner to provide the particular sequence of operating steps involved in the present invention.

The garment support further includes an upright center buck designated generally as 47, which includes one or more vertical support members 48 secured to the horizontal portion 49 of the bracket 46 secured to member 32. The center buck has two side faces 51 which are provided with perforations S2 for passage of a desired treating fluid. Behind surfaces 51, an intermediate plate 326 defines a thin chamber 327 into which steam may be fed at 192 for steaming the insides of garment portions dressed on surfaces 51. Further wall members 328 behind plate 326 define a pressurized steam chamber 329 through which high pressure steam or other heating fluid is constantly circulated to heat the center buck surfaces to the desired degree. When steam is used to heat chamber 329, the steam used for steaming the garment can be taken from chamber 329 by a control valve to opening 192 in steaming chamber 327.

A suction connection is also provided at 196 in the interior of the center buck and communicates with chambers 327 through openings 331 in intermediate plates 326 at locations between heating chambers 329. When suction is applied at 196 by operation of a suction control valve, the suction through openings 52 holds a garment in position against center buck sides 51 and assists in drying the garment at the proper time in a pressing cycle.

Side surfaces 51 are inclined outwardly and downwardly from a relatively narrow vertex or apex 53 to a somewhat broader base portion 54. Thus the downwardly and outwardly sloping sides 51 of the center buck 57 are designed to accommodate the depending portions of a garment, such as the legs ofa pair of trousers, with one leg on each side of the center buck. The effect of gravity tends to help hold the downwardly extending garment portions in the desired position for pressing, after the garment portions have been appropriately dressed, i.e. smoothed out in pressing position on the center buck. The perforated side walls 51 of the center buck are covered with one or more layers of porous fabric or other material to provide a pressing surface against which the depending portions of a garment whose fabric is adapted for dry cleaning may be suitably pressed. As seen in FIG. 1, the upper edge of the center buck has a depressed or slightly lower central portion 58 longitudinally of the buck with relatively higher forward and rearward upper edges at 59 and 61. The front edge 62 and rear edge 63 is secured by a bracket 67 to one of the vertical center buck members 48. Member 48 is rigidly secured at 69 to the supporting bracket 49 of garment support base 32.

The upper end of post 66 carries a pivotal connection at 71, to serve as mounting means for the movable of the center buck are spaced somewhat farther apart waist support unit designated generally at 72. The axis of pivot 71 extends generally horizontally, transversely of the path of movement of the garment support, at a location which is near the inner or rear upper edge of the center buck 47. The waist unit includes a vertically extending portion 73 of an L-shaped bracket which has a horizontally and forwardly extending portion 74. The latter in turn carries a forwardly projecting buck supporting portion 76 on which a front waist support or buck 77 is mounted. According to one feature of the invention, the waist support includes two transversely spaced front waist support portions 77 and 78 (FIG. 5 which have

front edges

79 and 81 respectively, which are designed for ultimate engagement with those front portions of a garment which are to be in alignment with the front edge creases formed in the depending garment portions to be pressed against center buck 47.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the spaced front

waist buck portions

77 and 78 have inwardly facing surface 82, between which the front waist portion of a garment is adapted to be positioned at a selectively variable location rearwardly of the

front edges

79 and 81 of these bucks. To hold the front garment waist portions at the desired location between surfaces 82, the apparatus includes a fly positioning member 83, carried at thelower end of a lever arm 84 pivoted at 86 to suitable brackets on an upper housing 87 on member 76.

The location of fly positioning member 83 may be controlled manually by an operator during initial positioning of a garment on the waist support. An. overcenter or toggle spring member resiliently holds member 83 in either its outer loading position or its inner fly holding position when the operator has manually moved the member to the desired position.

Above supporting pivot 86, the upper end of lever arm 84 is pivotally connected at 88 to the piston rod 89 connected to a piston slidably supported within an air cylinder 91, which has its'rearward end pivotally 'supported at 92 on the housing 87. Controlled admission of air of appropriate pressure tov the rear end 'of cylinder 91 during the final pressing cycle thus provides auxiliary power means which urges the fly positioning member 83 firmly toward the rear of the waist support unit and holds the front garment portions in smooth, unwrinkled condition between the

front waist bucks

77 and 78 during final steaming and/or drying.

According to another feature of the invention, the fly portions of a pair of trousers are first fully buttoned, beforethe trousers are placed on the supporting head. The fly positioning member 83 will be pushed against the overlapping fly portions to push them rearwardly between the front waist supports 77 and 78 until the desired front waist portions which correspond to the. front creasesof the trouser legs positioned directly over the

front edges

79 and 81 of

bucks

77 and 78. During this adjustment, the rear waist portion of the garment will be urged resiliently to the rear by a movable rear supporting member.

To engage and support the rear portion of the garment, a movable slide member 93 is mounted for movement between forward and rearward positions on the supporting bracket 74 and member 76. Slide 93 carries a depending rear waist support member 108, around which the rear of the garment waist is designed to be engaged and supported and urged to the rear by suitable moving means.

Slide 93 has a pair of depending projections 94, one at each side of the slide. A connecting link 97 has its forward end pivotally connected at 96 to projection 94, while its rearward end is pivoted at 98 to the upper end of a relatively long actuating arm 99. The lower end of arm 99 is keyed to a transverse shaft 101, so that rotation of the shaft in a clock-wise direction (in FIG. 1) will move the upper end of arm 99 to the right and thus toward the rear of the machine. This movement will pull the rear waist support 108 to the rear and thus pull the rear garment waist portion rearwardly under mild tension, while the front waist portion is tensioned around the front edge of the

waist bucks

77 and 78.

The desired force to resiliently urge arm 99 and support 108 toward the rear of the waist support is provided by an actuating arm 102 which is also secured to cross shaft 101 and which is pivotally connected at 103 to the piston rod 104 of an air motor means, whose cylinder is shown at 106. The upper end of air cylinder 106 is pivotally connected at 107 to a bracket carried by the vertical post 66. Thus, when a predetermined air pressure is connected to the upper end of cylinder 106, lever arm 102 is driven in a clockwise direction, and actuating arm 99 pulls the slide 93 and rear waist support 108 toward the rear of the waist supporting head.

The relative location and arrangement of the parts is such that lever arm 102 is relatively short compared to the relatively long actuating arm 99. Thus only a fraction of the total force applied by the air cylinder 106 to the end of lever arm 102 will be effectively transmitted to the slide 93 to urge the support 108 to the rear. Moreover, the provision of transverse shaft 101, in combination with two actuating arms 99, one at each of the respective sides of the garment support unit, makes it possible to actuate the longitudinally movable rear waist support 108 with a minimum of operating parts on the tilting head portion 72 itself. The intermediate link 97 serves a double purpose. It keeps the upper ends of actuating arms 99 spaced rearwardly out of the way, while dressing garments on the machine. It also provides a linkage which permits tilting movement of the waist supporting head 72 on pivot 71 between the upper loading position shown in dotted outline at the left or forward end of the machine in FIG. 1 and the downwardly located pressing position shown in heavy lines at the right portion of FIG. 1, where the garment support is shown in its pressing position within the frame 20. At the same time, the air cylinder 106 is securely supported on the vertical rear post 66, so that its weight need not be added to themovable tilting head portion 72. Thus the

linkages

97 and 99 provide a sort of universal connection between the rotary driving shaft 101 of the waist expanding mechanism and the rearwardly and forwardly movable slide member and rear garment support portion 108 of the supporting head 72, for applying force to the waist support member in both the upper loading position and the lower dressing and pressing position of the waist supporting head.

The motor means or power source for movement of the garment supporting head or topper from its lower' lower dressing and pressing position to the upper loading position shown in dotted outline at the left portion of FIG. 1. When such air pressure is relieved, the topper 72 will drop downwardly under the influence of gravity. The air pressure in cylinder 111 is controlled so that the upward and downward movement of the topper 72 always takes place in the desired sequence while the garment support unit is in the left-hand dotted line position of FIG. 1. Thus, at the start of a pressing cycle, the cylinder 1 1 1 is energized to raise the topper unit 72 for initial mounting of the waist portion of a garment to be pressed. When the waist portion is suitably mounted with the appropriate alignment for the front crease edges, operation of a suitable control member by the operator relieves the pressure in cylinder 111 and permits the waist supporting head unit 72 to drop to the dressing and pressing position. In that position, the depending leg portions of the trousers to be pressed can be smoothed downwardly along the side 51 of the center buck 47. When the dressing of the garment is complete, the operator can then actuate a suitable control member to start the pressing cycle, during which the various parts will be operated in controlled sequence by novel timing and circuit means.

The first step in such pressing cycle is the movement of the entire garment support unit from the left-hand dotted line position of FIG. 1 to the right-hand solid line position, where the garment support will be located between the main pressing plates. When this movement of the garment support is complete, the upper housing 87 of the topper, which has an open rear end at 117, will be placed in communication with a blower unit secured to the main frame. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the upper housing portion 87 of the topper supporting head 72 is wider than the lower portion and is connected by a tapering section 118 to the area between the tops of the

front waist bucks

77 and 78. A suitable opening 119 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) provides communication from the

housing portions

87 and 118 to the interior of a garment supported on the head 7 2.

The open rear end 117 of casing 87 has a flange 121 for sealing engagement with the forward end 122 of a blower conduit, when the parts are in the pressing position at the right-hand portion of FIG. 1. Conduit portion 122 is connected by section 123 to the outlet conduit 124 of a centrifugal blower 126. An electric motor 127 is connected by a belt drive 128 to the shaft 129 of the blower (FIG. 2).

A suitable baffle member shown schematically at 131 is associated with the blower conduits to control the passage of air from the blower 126 to the conduit section 122 and topper housing 87. The baffle is moved from operative to inoperative position by a rotary shaft 132 supported in bearings 133. A lever arm 134 on the lower end of shaft 132 is pivotally connected to the piston rod 136 of a baffle air cylinder 137 secured to a rear crossmember of the frame. When baffle cylinder '137 is operated in one direction, air from the blower 126 is directed through the conduit 122 past suitable heating coils 138 and through the housing 87 into the inside of the garment mounted on the support head 72. Reverse operation of baffle 131, either by the air cylinder or by a return spring, cuts off the heated flow of air at the desired time in the cycle.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, another feature of the present invention is the provision of anv improved supporting and operating mechanism for the main pressing plates which are adapted to press the garment against the sides 51 of the center buck when the parts are in the right-hand or solid line position of FIG. 1. Pressing

plates

141 and 142 on the respective right and left sides as one faces FIG. 2 have generally flat pressing plate surfaces substantially co-extensive with the side faces 51 of the center buck. Each plate has surface openings 321 through which steam may be fed from a chamber 336 formed just behind the pressing surface by an inner wall 337. When the outer garment surfaces are to be steamed, steam is admitted through chambers 326 from a steam delivery tube 322 connected to a steam supply through steam control valves (not shown) controlled by pistons 317 of air cylinders 316 (FIG. 9). Each

pressing plate

141 and 142 also has a heating chamber 338 between inner wall 337 and a rear casing or backing plate, 143. Pressurized steam or other heating fluid is constantly circulated through chamber 338 by

connections

339 and 341 to maintain the desired temperatures for the heated pressing plates in known manner.

Each pressing plate has a main supporting bearing 144 at substantially the central portion of the pressing area. A pair of load bearing supporting members 146 for each plate have their lower ends 147 pivotally attached to the main supporting bearing for limited rotation on an axis 148 parallel to the plane of the pressing surface. Support bracket means 149 secured to the main frame of the machine and located above the pivot axis 148 and slightly outwardly thereof, when the plate is in pressing position as in FIG. 2, provide a rotary support for the upper ends 151 of the load bearing supporting members 146 so that they are pivoted at 152 on an axis parallel to the axis 148. Thus the weight of the pressing plate 141 is supported from bracket 149 and the

pivotal axes

148 and 152 permit swinging movement of the plate 141 between the pressing position shown at 188 in FIG. 2 and the respective fully retracted and intermediate positions shown at 186 and 187 in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper end of plate 141 is retracted farther than the lower end of the pressing plate to provide adequate clearance for forward and rearward movement of the upper portion of the garment support unit when that unit is moved between dressing and pressing positions. To control the desired extent of relative differential retraction of the pressing plate at a point spaced substantially above the main supporting bearing at the central portion of the plate. An upper pulley 156 on the side frame guides the upper portion of the cable along a generally horizontal path at 157 so that this cable portion 157 extends along a line of movement generally parallel to at least part of the path of movement of the pressing plate and its supporting bearing, as the latter swings from pressing to retracted position at the lower end of supporting links 146.

A second flexible guide cable portion 158 at the lower end of the unit has its end secured at 159 to the lower edge of the pressing plate at a point spaced substantially below the pivotalaxis 148. A first rotatable cable control member or feeding drum 161 receives the remaining end of the upper cable portion 157. Similarly, the second rotatable cable control member or feeding drum portion 162 receives the remaining end of the second flexible guide cable portion 158. These drum portions, as shown inFIG. 4, provide one form of cable control means 163 for controlling the extent of relative movement of each cable portion and its associated edge of the pressing plate, in predetermined relationship to the extent of relative movement of the main supporting bearing along its path. Thusv the desired orientation of the pressing plate is established and maintained during its movement between retracted and pressing positions.

As specifically shown in FIG. 4, the two

drum portions

161 and 162 are interconnected forsimultaneous rotation through corresponding angles and have different diameters. Both drums are pivotally mounted on a shaft 164v and are urged in a counter-clockwise direction of rotation, as viewed in FIG. 4, by a spring 166 having one end secured at 167 to a supporting bracket, and the other end secured at 168 to drum 162. Although

cable portions

153 and 158 could be completely separate cables, they are illustrated as parts of a single cable. Thus the upper cable portion which extends downwardly to the cable control member at 153 is wound around drum 161 and then has a section which is clamped securely at 169 to the drum so that there will be no relative motion between that cable portion 153 and the drum. The cable portion is then led at 171 to the inner drum 161 and passed around that drum enough times to provide the desired length of movement for the lower cable portion 158. By suitable selection of the relative diameters of

drums

161 and 162, a desired ratio of relative distances of movement of the upper and lower portions of the pressing plates may be obtained.

Main pressing plate retracting springs 172 are connected at each side of the machine between the respective pressing plates and the frame members. These springs are inclined upwardly and outwardly from the pressing plate and normally urge the plates outwardly to fully retracted position. Inward movement of the plates from retracted position toward their inner pressing positions is obtained by pressing cams 173 pivoted at 174 at each side of the machine. These cams engage corresponding cam surfaces on the main bearing or central support portions of the pressing plates, so that the plates are forced inwardly against the actions of springs 172 and cable spring 166 when cams 173 are rotated upwardly in FIG. 2-. This camming movement is 183. The lower end of cylinder 183 is pivoted at 184 to one of the bottom frame members.

The weight of piston rod 181 and associated parts,

including lever arms 178 and 178', links 176 and earns 173 normally urges cam 173 downwardly and thus provides for resilient retraction of the pressing plates to the fully retracted position 186. After the movable garment support, with a garment dressed thereon, has been moved inwardly from the dressing position of FIG. 1 to the pressing position at the right side of FIG. 1, the pressing cycle can be started manually or automatically. Preferably the cycle is started automatically by engagement of vertical post 66 of the garment support against the actuating arm of a limit switch 224 at the rear of the machine. Operation of this switch starts the pressing cycle in which air is first admitted to cylinder 183 to move the pressing plates from fully retracted position 186 to intermediate position 187. A switch plate 192 on the outside of lever arm 178 has a series of

switch operating cams

192a, 192b, 1920 and 192d. At predetermined points in the upward movement of lever arm 178, these cams are designed to engage the actuating arms of individual switches 227, 228, 229 and 230 on a switch assembly 193 supported on the side frame. Switch 227 is operated momentarily to energize a valve for admission of air to cylinder 137 to open the blower baffle 131 momentarily asthe pressing plates move from position 186 to position 187. This causes admission of air to the garment to fill out the garment as the pressing plates approach intermediate position. The blower baffle is then closed while the pressing plates are at intermediate position 187. Switch 227 is then further energized when lever arm 178 completes the movement of the pressing plates from intermediate to fully pressing or squeezing position 188, so that hot air is fed into the top or waist portion of the garment during the squeezing or pressing part of the cycle.

A second switch actuator 192b and switch 228 are located to stop the admission of air to cylinder 183 and thereby stop movement of the pressing plates just as they reach the intermediate position 187, at which they touch the garment without exerting pressure on it. Switch actuator 192c engages switch 229 as the pressing plates reach this intermediate position 187 to start the steaming cycle and thus admit steam within the center buck 47 from which it passes through openings 52 into the depending portions of the garment for a period of time controlled by an adjustable timer of known construction. Steam is also admitted to the pressing plates and topper.

At substantially the same point in the movement of the lever arm 178, switch actuating arm 192d engages switch 230 to close the vacuum valve in a line which connects through an opening 196 (FIG. 2) in the center buck 47. According to one feature of the invention, suction or vacuum is maintained within the spaces 327 of center buck 47 by means of the communicating passage 196 and openings from the time the garment waist support moves downwardly from its loading to its dressing position, until the start of the steaming cycle. Thus the suction within the center buck assists in holding the depending leg portions against the center buck in the particular positions in which they are smoothed or dressed by the operator. Switch 230 cuts off this suction during the steaming cycle, restores it during the pressing or squeezing part of the cycle, and then maintains the suction when the pressing plates move back from pressing position 188 to fully retracted position 186 and until the garment support returns to unloading position. Thus the suction during and after the actual pressing part of the cycle assists in removal of moisture from the garment following the preliminary steaming cycle and in holding the pressed garment until it is ready for removal.

As the pressing plates are retracted outwardly and reach their fully retracted positions 186, the load supporting arms 146 engage respective limit switches 225 and 226 (FIG. 2). These limit switches are connected in an appropriate circuit to prevent operation of the controlling air valve for the transfer air cylinder 44 and thus prevent movement of the main garment support unit in either direction between pressing and dressing positions, unless the main

pressing plates

141 and 142 are fully retracted to positions 186.

For a similar purpose, i.e. to prevent movement of the garment support when there is any possibility of damage to the parts, a further limit switch 221 is mounted near the upper end of supporting post 66 for engagement by the depending bracket 116 of supporting head 72, when the latter is moved downwardly to its dressing and pressing position, after initial mounting of a garment waist while the head is in the upper dotted line loading position at the left portion of FIG. 1. Thus the garment support cannot move from dressing to pressing position, until this supporting head 72 has been moved downwardly so that it will be in proper position for inter-engagement of upper housing opening 117 with blower conduit 122. This initial downward movement of the waist support 72, after initial mounting of the trouser waist band on this head unit is preferably controlled by foot pedal 236, which also serves to control waist band cylinder 106, as well as topper transfer cylinder 1 1 1.

Thus, at the start of a cycle, when the machine is turned'on and the parts are in loading position, with the garment support in the left-hand or dotted line position 'of FIG. 1, air is initially admitted to topper transfer cylinder 111 to lift the waist band support 72 to the upper position shown in dotted outline. As the operator places the waist band of the trousers around the

front bucks

77 and 78 and the rear waist support 108, he engages the foot pedal 236, thus causing admission of air to waist band cylinder 106 and urging the rear waist support member 108 rearwardly to provide just sufficient tension in the waist band to hold it in, the adjusted position as the operator aligns the creases according to the method of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. During this alignment, the operator will swing the fly positioning member 83 downwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and its over-center toggle spring will apply limited holding force to the overlapping buttoned fly portions of the garment. The force applied to fly positioning member 83, by its toggle spring is just sufficient to balance the general tension applied to the rear waist support member 108 by cylinder 106, so that the waist portion of the garment will be held in the position at which the operator has adjusted the crease portions, with the respective forces of the fly positioning member and rear waist support member opposing each other in substantially equal strength. Thus the garment remains in adjusted position without accidentally dropping from the garment supporting head. Removal of the operators foot from pedal 236 causes evacuation of air from cylinder 111, but does not cut off the air to cylinder 106, which continues to maintain the necessary clamping engagement of the waist support, until the pressing cycle is complete and the parts have again returned to the dotted line position of FIG. 1 for removal of the garment and the start of another cycle.

Foot control pedal 236 may also be connected for introducing steam under control of the operator, while the parts are in the dressing position at the left side of FIG. 1, in case the operator decides that a pre-steaming cycle is desirable to assist in dressing the garment legs against the center buck.

Once the garment is dressed, the operator initiates the movement of the garment support to the rear by actuation of suitable switches, preferably by simultaneous actuation of left and

right switch members

244 and 246 on the respective sides of the front panel of the machine. By requiring simultaneous operation of such switches, a safety feature is provided to make sure the operator does not have either hand within the machine, where it might be accidentally caught between the pressing plates or other operating members. Once this operation is initiated, the remaining steps of the cycle as described above can be controlled automatically in desired sequence and time by suitable interconnection of the various operating and limit switches with contact relays, timers, and the solenoid coils of appropriate valves for admission of compressed air to the air cylinders and for application of heated air, steam and suction to the respective connections involved. If complete manual control of the various machine features and method steps is desired, individual electrical and pneumatic connections can be provided in a manner already known in the pressing machine art. For example, separate manually operable electric circuit elements and pneumatic valve connections might be used to energize the various air cylinders in a sequence determined entirely by the operator. For a more automatic cycle, however, novel pneumatic and electric control circuit features have been included in the preferred form of this invention and are described in connection with the respective pneumatic and electrical diagrams shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. I

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9, the pneumatic system includes a series of control valves V201 through V209 adapted to control the admission of air under pressure to the various indicated air cylinders already described. A compressed air supply line 214 supplies air through one branch 214A under the control of a pressure regulator 215 to the inlet of valve V209. Supply line 214 also supplies air through another branch line 2148 to the inlets of valves V210 through V206, and V208.

An exhaust line 216 connects a muffler 217 to the outlets of each of valves V201 through V207. A quick exhaust or dumping valve unit 218 is connected in the line from valve V208 to pressing or squeezing cylinder 183. That line is also connected through valve V207 to the line from fly clamping cylinder 91. Thus when valve V207 is de-energized to return to its normally closed position for connection to the exhaust line, the initial partial relief of pressure from the fly clamp cylinder line and the squeezing cylinder line connected through valve V208 will trigger operation of the dumping valve 218 in known manner to immediately complete the reduction of pressure in the squeezing cylinder more rapidly than the exhaust line 216 can accommodate.

A'further adjustable pressure regulator 219 is included in the line to fly clamp cylinder 91 in order to provide a substantial reduction of pressure in this line. Thus the force applied to the fly clamp 83 will be sufficient to hold the garment waist in position, but without the higher pressures or forces required for operation of the squeezing cylinder 183. Cylinder 183 is first connected to the same air supply 214B through valve portion' V208 to move the plates from retracted to intermediate position, and is later connected through va'lve V209 to the regulated air line 214A for final movement of the pressing plates from intermediate to pressing position. The outlets from valves V207, V208 and V209 are internally interconnected as shown. Similar adjustable pressure regulators 220 may be introduced in other lines such as those between valves V202, V203, V204 and V206 and their respective air cylinders, to control the force or speed of actuation of the various pistons. Valve V205 admits air to cylinder 316, whose pistons 317 are connected to steam valves (not shown) for feeding steam at 322 to the main pressing plates.

FIG. 10 shows a wiring diagram embodying features of the invention for actuation of the respective valves of FIG. 9, as well as other operating elements of the apparatus. Before describing the circuitry of FIG. 10, however, it should be noted that there are two additional limit switches 222 and 223 which are mounted at the lower front portion of the apparatus (see FIG. 1). Switches 222 and 223 are normally closed, but are engaged and moved to open position by the front edge of the garment support when it moves all the way out from pressing position to the dressing position at the lefthand portion of FIG. 1. Switches 222 and 223 are positioned so that movement of the garment support from dressing position back to its pressing position first permits switch 223 to move back to its normally closed position, and thereafter permits movement of switch 222 from its held-open position back to its normally closed position.

In addition to the valves V201 through V209 and the various limit switches 221 through 230, already described, FIG. 10 shows the manner in which the remaining operating portions of the apparatus may be interconnected for the desired sequence of operation. Thus valves V210 and V212 are suitably connected like valve V205 to steam control valves for feeding steam to the garment waist support through pipe 318 (FIG. 5) and waist support opening 119, and to the interior of center buck 47 at 194. Valve V211 is similarly connected to control application of suction to the interior of the center buck through a connection 196, 331 (FIG. 2).

The diagram also shown contact relays CR1, CR2,

CR3 and CR4, the energizing coils of which are shown within the circles in FIG. identified at 231, 232, 233

and 234. Each contact relay has a plurality of contact pairs which are identified in FIG. 10 by customary symbols which show at appropriate circuit locations the numbers of the contacts in that relay and whether they are either normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC), and which are shown with a CR number corresponding to the legend in the circle identifying the main energizing coil of that relay. The two-way foot switch 236 is shown in its normal rest position at the upper left portion of FIG. 10. A first timer circuit includes a timing motor 237 controlling a timer switch 238 primarily adapted for controlling the steaming cy- I cle. A second timer circuit including a timer motor 239 controlling a timer switch 241 thereafter controls the duration of the pressing or squeezing part of the cycle.

Such timer switches each have a common connection C and respective normally closed and normally open open connections NC and NO. Each timer may be selectively preset for a desired time interval. The timer motor moves a cam to operate the switch and hold it in alternate position until the motor is deenergized. A spring return then resets the switch to its original condition.

A counter 242 is connected to keep a record of the total number of cycles through which the machine has been operated. A manual switch PE 243 (see also FIG. 2 is included in the circuit to permit selective operation of valve V 210 for a manual presteaming operation of the garment top through the connection 318 and waist support head, when desired by the operator during the dressing step. An emergence stop switch 247 is provided to permit interruption of the cycle. Its circuit connections keep the necessary circuits energized to insure complete return movement of the garment support to its starting position, after the cycle has been interrupted by operating switch 247 to open its lower contacts and close its upper ones.

As further shown in FIG. 10, current is supplied by

wires

248 and 249 under control of a main on-off switch 261. When this switch is closed, line 251 is directly energized, and line 252 is also energized through the closed lower contacts of switch 247. A circuit is thus complete through normally closed

contacts

8,2 of relay CR3 to open valve V204 to admit air to the rear of cylinder 43 and hold the garment support firmly in its front or dressing position, with limit switches LS222 and LS223 held open (i.e. in their upper'positions in FIG. 10).

A circuit is also completed to energize valve V202 through the normally closed

contacts

8,2 of contact relay CR2. Thus, air is admitted to the cylinder 111 to move the waist supporting head to its upper position at the left of FIG. 1 for initial mounting of a garment. Fly positioner 83 will be manually retracted at this time, while the operator places the waist portion of the garment around the

front bucks

77 and 78 and rear waist support 108, with the fly portions of the trousers buttoned together. Operation of foot switch 236 downwardly by the operator will then complete a cir-- cuit from wire 252 to wire 249 through normally closed contacts 9,3 of relay CR2 to energize the main coil 231 of relay CR1. At this same time, a circuit is completed through normally closed

contacts

7,1 of relay CR2 and alternately through nearly closed

contacts

9,6 of relay CR1 to valve V210 to admit air to cylinder 106 and move the rear waist band support resiliently to the rear to the position shown in FIG. 6. Operation of contact relay CR1 will simultaneously complete a holding circuit for that relay through its

contacts

7 and 4 and limit switch 222, which is being held in the position shown in FIG. 10 by the engagement of the garment support at the front of the machine.

Contacts

9,6 of relay CR1 will energize wire 257. Relay CR1 also closes its normally

open contacts

8,5 to partially complete a circuit through the main coil of the second contact relay CR2, but this relay does not become energized until foot switch 236 is released to return to the original position shown in FIG. 10. The foot switch may be held down to complete the dressing of the waist portion of the garment on the topper head as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, although it is also possible to complete these operations after the waist support 72 has moved to its lower dressing and pressing position. Such movement will occur upon release of foot switch 236. At that time, the circuit to energize relay CR2 is completed through wire 254, and its normally

open contacts

7,4 will become closed to complete a holding circuit for that relay from line 252 through

closed contacts

9,6 of relay CR1.

Actuation of relay CR2 will also open its

contacts

8,2 and thereby open the circuit to valve V202, which exhausts cylinder 111, and permits the waist supporting head to drop from its upper loading position to its lower dressing and pressing position. Operation of contact relay CR2 will also open its contacts 9,3 through which relay CR1 was initially energized and will close

contacts

6,9 of relay CR2 to provide an alternate path from foot switch 236 around through wire 256 to the steam control valve V212. This circuit will not be complete, however, until the foot switch is again depressed, and this may or may not be done by the operator depending on his decision as to the need for a pre-steaming operation. If he does depress foot switch 236, a circuit will be completed through the control coil of the valve V212 and the normally closed contacts of timer switch 238 to the return wire 249. The valve V212 (not shown in FIG. 9, since it does not involve the use of compressed air) directly controls the admission of steam to the center buck through inlet 194 (FIG. 2) and thus steams the depending trouser leg portions to facilitate the initial removal of wrinkles and the smooth dressing of these leg portions against the center buck.

If the operator also wishes to pre-steam the waist portion of the garment, control button PB243 will be pushed, as described above, to complete a circuit from wire 251 through valve V210 and the normally closed contacts NC to C of timer switch 238. Valve V210 (not shown in FIG. 9) directly controls the admission of steam to the interior of the garment through the topper or waist support housing opening 119.

After the trouser legs are smoothed and dressed against the center buck, the operator is ready to initiate the remainder of the pressing cycle by pushing

manual buttons

244 and 246. This will complete the circuit to operate valve V203, only if limit switch 221 is closed, and this switch is closed only when the waist support has dropped downwardly to its dressing position, so that it is in the proper position for movement to the right in FIG. 2 to the pressing position. Thus switch 221 provides safety means to prevent movement of the garment support to the pressing position, until the supporting head moves from loading to dressing and pressing position. Valve V203 will open the front of cylinder 43 to air pressure to start movement of its piston rod 44 and entire garment buck to the rear of the machine toward the pressing position. At the same time, a circuit is completed to energize the main coil 233 of relay CR3. When this relay is energized, its

contacts

7,4 close to complete aholding circuit. Its

contacts

8,2 open, thereby permitting valve V204 to close and exhaust the rear end of transfer cylinder 43 to permit the desired rearward movement, as valve V203 admits air to the front end of cylinder 43.

Contacts

8,5 and 9,6 of relay CR3 also close to partially complete circuits for the blower, baffle and fly positioning members, and for the steaming valves.

As the garment support starts its movement to the rear, limit switch 223 is permitted to close first. This completes a further holding circuit for the main coil 232 of relay CR2 and keeps wire 257 energized. Limit switch LS222 closes next. This opens the holding circuit of relay CR1, as well as the initial holding circuit for relay CR2. Hence it is necessary that switch LS222 close after switch LS223, which has already provided an alternate holding circuit for relay CR2.

When the garment buck reaches its rearward pressing position, it engages and closes limit switch LS2'24. Circuits are then completed through the

closed contacts

8,5 of relay CR3 and limit switch 224 from supply wire 251 to various circuit portions at the lower part of FIG. 10. Blower motor 127 is accordingly turned on. Valves V207 and V208 are moved to open position so that pressure from air supply line 214B is applied through both valves to the fly positioning member 83 and cylinder 183 respectively. Cylinder 183 starts movement of the pressing plates inwardly from position 186 to position 187 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

Just before the pressing plates reach intermediate position 187, however, one of the cams 192A on lever arm 178 will engage limit switch LS227 to energize valve V206 and open the blower baffle momentarily to direct hot air into the top of the garment and balloon the garment portion. The cam actuator will permit closing of valve V206 just before the plates reach position 187.

When the plates actually arrive at intermediate position 187, limit switch LS228 is moved by cam 1928 to its lower position in FIG. to permit closing of valve V208 and partially complete the circuit to valve V209, which circuit is still open, however, at timer switch 238. Thus no more air is admitted from line 2148 to cylinder 183, and the movement of the pressing plates is stopped at position 187 by switch LS228.

At the same time, limit switch LS229 is closed by a cam 192C and starts all three steaming operations through energizing valves V205, V210 and V212 for simultaneous admission of steam through the pressing plates, through the topper, and through the center buck respectively. This same switch starts timer motor 237 so that timer switch 238, after a predetermined interval, will terminate the steaming operation by opening its normally closed contacts and will start the further movement of the pressing plates by closing its normally open contact to complete the circuit through valve V209. During this same steaming cycle at position 187, limit switch LS230 is held open by one of the actuating portions at 192D thereby permitting closing of valve V211 and temporarily cutting off the suction to the center buck during the steaming cycle.

While the parts are still at position 187, timer switch 238 completes the circuit to valve V209, as described, and moves this valve to connect cylinder 183 to the control pressure line 214A for the final pressing movement of the plates to position 188. The exact pressure desired for this squeezing operation is controlled by regulator 215.

Completion of the operation of timer switch 238 also completes the circuit for motor 239 of the second timer switch 241 and starts that switch through its cycle to control the predetermined time of pressing at position 188. When this timing cycle is complete, timer switch 241 completes a circuit for the main coil 234 of contact relay CR4. Operation of this relay completes its own holding circuit through its

contacts

9,6 and opens its

contacts

7,1 to stop the operation of the blower motor and to permit closing of valve V207 to start the exhaust for the fly positioning member cylinder 91 and the main pressing cylinder 183. As already described, the quick exhaust 218 is then triggered to complete the relief of pressure from cylinder 183 and permit movement of the pressing plates back toward their fully retracted positions 186.

When the plates reach position 186, their supporting arms will engage limit switches LS225 and 226 and hold them in the upper or open position shown in FIG. 10. This will permit de-energizing of coil 233 of relay CR3, which thus cannot occur until the pressing plates are fully open. This will also open the circuit to valve V203 so that the valve will move to its normally closed position and permit exhaust of air from the front of transfer cylinder 43.

Contacts

8,2 of relay CR3 will also close again as the relay is deenergized and will thus energize valve V204 to open it and admit air to the rear of cylinder 43 to move the garment support back to the front or loading position. The re-opening of

contacts

8,5 of relay CR3, when the latter is deenergized, will also open the connection from supply wire 251 to switch LS4.

When the garment support finally reaches the front of the machine, it will first open limit switch LS222 and then open limit switch 223. The latter switch thus deenergizes wire 257 and relay CR2, and

contacts

8,2 of relay CRZ return to their normally closed position to energize valve V202 and move the waist support back up to the loading and unloading position shown at the left portion of FIG. 1. Also valve V201 becomes deenergized and permits the waist expander or rear waist support member to move forwardly to release the garment waist. The switch arrangement permits this upward movement and garment waist release only when the center buck has reached the forward position where there is room for the topper to move upwardly. Thus the operating cycle is completed.

Certain portions shown in dotted outline in FIGS. 9 and 10 have not been described in this operation, since they are not part of the operation of the machine fea-' tures shown in FIGS. 1 through 8. They are described below, in connection with operation of a further modification of the device of FIGS. 1 through 8.

As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the present invention also contemplates the addition of further features for holding the seat and cuff portions of the trousers in properly dressed position on the center buck 47 during the movement of the buck from its front dressing position to its rear pressing position and during the initial movement of the pressing plates, prior to the steaming cycle. Thus as shown at the top of FIG. 11, the slide 93 which carries the rear waist support member 108 is provided with a pair of rear seat wing members 271 which extend downwardly as shown in FIG. 11 for engagement with the seat portion of a pair of trousers below the waistband. Two such wing members 271 are secured at opposite sides of the lower portion of a lever 272 which is pivoted at 273 to slide 93. These two depending seat wings 271 diverge laterally at their lower ends.

An air cylinder 274 has one end pivoted at 276 to bracket 93 and has a forwardly extending piston rod 277 pivoted at 278 to the upper end of lever arm 272. Spring 279, connected between the upper end of lever 272 and the rear end of cylinder 274 normally urges the seat wing member 271 from the solid line position shown at the left portion of FIG. 1 1 to a retracted or inoperative position shown in the dotted outline at the right portion of FIG. 11. When air is admitted to cylinder 274, however, the seat wings will be moved to the right in FIG. 11 to engage and hold the seat of the trousers far enough to the rear to facilitate the dressing of the depending leg portions smoothly against the sides 51 of the center buck 47. Air is normally admitted to cylinder 274 through a control valve V213 shown in FIG. 9 so the seat wings are extended at the time that valve V201 admits air to move the waist band cylinder .to the rear. Thus the seat wings 271 are urged by air pressure to the rear of the machine during the initial mounting of the garment and at all times thereafter until the garment support has reached the pressing position and the pressing plates have moved from their fully retracted positions to their intermediate steaming positions. Air is evacuated from cylinder 274 when valve V213 is closed just as the steaming operation starts, so that the seat wings 271 are retracted and will not leave marks or creases at the end of the steaming operation. The circuit connections to cause opening of valve V213 and permit retraction of wings 271 by spring 279 are shown in dotted outline in the circuit diagram of FIG. 10.

FIGS. 11 and 12 also show a modification designed to assist in the smooth dressing and preliminary holding of the cuffs of the trousers supported on such a machine. This cuff dressing assembly is indicatedgenerally at 281 and includes two identical units, one of which is shown in FIG. 11, located at each side of the center buck 47. A cuff holding assembly 282 extends forwardly along the face 51 of center buck 47. The rear end of this assembly is secured at 283 to the lower end of a vertically movable cylinder 284, which slides up and down on a fixed piston rod 286. The lower end of hollow piston rod 286 is secured to a bracket 287 and is supplied with air through a connection 288. The upper end of hollow piston rod 286 is secured to an upper flange 289 on bracket 67 and has an air supply connection 291. A spring latch 292 on bracket 289 engages a recess 292a or some other suitable portion of the cylinder 284 to frictionally retain the cylinder 284 in the upper or heavy-line position shown at the left of FIG. 11.

The cylinder head portion 293 provides a combination seal and bearing for the upper end of the cylinder to let is slide along the piston rod 286. A similar head 294 at the lower end of the cylinder provides a seal and hearing at that end. Within the hollow piston rod 286 a plug 296 is fixed for the purpose of dividing the piston rod into upper and lower

separate air passages

297 and 298 communicating with the

respective air connections

291 and 288.

Piston rod 286 also carries a fixed piston ring portion 299 which fits the annular space between the outside of the piston rod 286 and the inside of the cylinder 284. The dimensions of these parts are such as to provide an effective annular air space between them. The piston portion 299 effectively divides this air space into an upper air cylinder 301 and a lower air cylinder 302.

Openings

303 and 304 in the side wall of the piston rod 286 just above and below the plug 296 provide communication from the upper and lower air connections of the piston rod to respective upper and lower

air cylinder chambers

301 and 302. Thus admission of air at 291 will raise the cylinder 284 to the heavy-line position at the left of FIG. 11, while admission of air to the lower end of piston rod 286, and thus to the lower cylinder section 302, will force the cylinder downwardly.

The cuff holding assembly 282 includes a forwardly extending horizontal portion 306 with an upwardly extending cuff insert 307 at the forward end. A horizontally movable slide 308 on arm 306 is resiliently urged to the rear by a spring connection 309. Slide 308 has one or more upwardly projecting cuff holding inserts 31 1 and 312 which may be selectively inserted in either narrow or broad cuffs as required.

At the time when an operator starts to load the garment on the machine, the center buck 47 is in the lefthand position of FIG. 11 and the cylinder and cuff assembly 282 are latched in their upper position by member 292, with air pressure in each cylinder portion 301 also holding assembly 282 upward. When the operator has placed the waist portion of the garment on the waist support and removes his foot from pedal 261, the air will leave cylinder portions 301 as well as topper cylinder 111. The support 72 will drop to the pressing position shown in FIG. 11, but the cuff assembly will remain latched in upper position. The operator can then manually place the depending trouser cuffs over the forward insert 307 and whichever of the rear

movable inserts

311 and 312 best fits the particular cuff. As each cuff is secured to its holder, the operator manually pushes the holding assembly 282 downwardly and thus releases it from latch 292, so that it will drop from the heavy-line to the dotted line position at the left of FIG. 11 under the influence of gravity alone. Thus the relatively light weight of the cuff holding assembly will pull the depending trouser legs smoothly against the center buck 47 while the operator smooths out the intermediate portions and starts movement of the center buck back to the pressing position. The resilient spring 309 is just sufficient to prevent the cuff holders from slipping out of the trouser cuff under the weight of the cuff holding assembly.

After the parts have moved to the right-hand position of FIG. 11 to start the pressing part of the cycle, the cuff holding parts will remain in the intermediate position, holding the cuffs downwardly by gravity alone, until the start of the steaming cycle. At that point, after the pressing plates reach intermediate position 187, air will be admitted to a first power means, i.e. to the bottom of piston rod 286 and to the bottom cylinder chamber 302, by the connections shown in dotted outline in FIG. 9 at the same time the steam is turned on. This will promptly urge the piston and the cuff holders downwardly to the lower dotted line position shown at the right of FIG. 11. Thus the cuff holders will be below the cuffs during the steaming and pressing parts of the cycle and will not leave undesired marks or ridges in the garment after it is completely pressed. However, these cuff holders assist in the original dressing of the trousers on the center buck and in holding the trousers in dressed position during the movement of the garment support from dressing to pressing position. The cuff engaging edges of

projections

307, 311 and 312 are relative smooth, and the resilient force applied by spring 309 is sufficiently weak, so that the cuff holders are readily pulled down out of the cuffs at the start of the steaming cycle, without stretching or tautening the trouser legs or disturbing their smoothly dressed positions on the sides of center buck 47.

As shown by the connections in FIG. 9, air will then be admitted to a second power means, ie to the upper end of piston rod 286 and to the upper chamber 301 of cylinder 284, only after the garment support 47 has been returned to its forward or dressing position, when the waist supporting head 72 moves to its upper position for unloading of the garment. The cuff holders will then be latched in their upper position ready for another loading and dressing operation.

The pressing apparatus described in this specification thus provides novel combinations of operating and control features which are particularly suitable for the rapid processing of garments such as trousers made of materials normally cleaned by dry-cleaning methods, but which are also capable of other applications. Limit switches and safety circuits or interlocks insure proper operation in desired sequence and minimize the possibilities of damage or malfunctions. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the dimensions and details of construction of the apparatus shown in the drawings could be modified in various ways within the principles of the present invention. The present specification, however, sets forth some of the ways in which the invention may be put into practice, including the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.

1 I claim:

I. A pressing apparatus having main body frame, a pair of opposed pressing plates, means movably mounting the pressing plates on said frame for movement toward each other to a pressing position and away from each other to a retracted position, a garment support, means movably mounting the garment support for movement along a generally horizontal path between an inner pressing position, in which the garment support is located between the pressing plates within the body frame, and an outer dressing position in which the garment support is horizontally displaced from the pressing position between the pressing plates and is located for convenient dressing and removal of a garment on the garment support, said movable garment support including an upwardly extending center buck having sides against which the downwardly extending legs of a pair of trousers are adapted to be dressed and pressed, said movable garment support also including a waist support above the center buck, and means mounting the waist support on the garment support for movement between an upper loading position, in which the waist support head is spaced above the center buck for convenient engagement and disengagement of a trouser waist portion on the waist support while the garment support is in its dressing position, and a lower dressing and pressing position in which the waist support is located closely above the center buck for supporting the trouser waist in position for convenient dressing of the trouser legs on the sides of the center buck while the garment support is in its dressing position and for pressing of the trouser legs between the center buck and pressing plates while the garment support is in its pressing position.

2. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 having first motor means for moving the trouser waist support between its lower and upper positions, second motor means for moving the garmentsupport between its dressing and pressing positions, third motor means for moving the pressing plates between retracted and pressing positions, and first safety means responsive to the position of the waist support and operatively connected to the second motor means for preventing operation of thesecond motor means to move the garment support from dressing to pressing position while the waist support is in its upper position.

3. Pressing apparatus according to claim '2 having further safety means responsive to the position of said garment support and operatively connected to said first motor means for preventing operation of the first motor means to position the waist support in its upper loading position while the garment support is out of its dressing position.

4. Pressing apparatus according to claim 2 having second safety means responsive to the position of said pressing plates and operatively connected to the second motor means for preventing operation of the second motor means to move the garment support while the pressing plates are out of their retracted position.

5. Pressing apparatus according to claim 3 having third safety means responsive to the position of said garment support and operatively connected to the third motor means for preventing movement of the pressing plates from their retracted position while the garment support is out of its pressing position.

6. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 in which the center buck sides have fluid passages therethrough, and said apparatus includes at least first steaming means for feeding steam through the center buck against trouser leg portions dressed thereon, and first control means for selective optional operation of the first steaming means while the garment support is in dressing position.

7. Pressing apparatus according to claim 6 having second steaming means for feeding steam inside the waist portion of a garment mounted on said waist support, and second control means for selective optional operation of the second steaming means while the gar ment support is in dressing position.

8. Pressing apparatus according to claim 7 having motor means for moving the pressing plates from their retractedposition toward their pressing position to an intermediate steaming position at which the pressing plates are spaced slightly from the sides of the center buck when the garment support is in pressing position, said motor means also being operable for further moving the pressing plates from intermediate position all the way to pressing position, and third control means responsive to arrival of the pressing plates at their intermediate position for operating at least one of said steaming means while the pressing plates are at said intermediate position.

9. Pressing apparatus according to claim 8 in which each pressing plate includes an inwardly facing pressing surface with fluid passages therethrough, and said apparatus includes third steaming means for feeding steam through the pressing plate passages against trouser leg portions dressed on the center buck, said third control means operating all of said first, second and third steaming means while the pressing plates are at said intermediate position and including manually adjustable first timer means for automatically terminating such steaming after a preselected time interval, said first timer means being further operatively connected to said motor means for automatically moving the pressing plates from intermediate to pressing position at the end of said preselected time interval.

10. Pressing apparatus according to claim 9 having manually adjustable second timer means operatively connected to said motor means and providing for automatic movement of the pressing plates from pressing to retracted position after a preselected pressing time interval.

l1. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 in which the center buck sides have fluid passages therethrough and each pressing plate includes an inwardly facing pressing surface with fluid passages therethrough, and said apparatus includes first steaming means for feeding steam through the center buck against trouser leg portions dressed thereon, second steaming means for feeding steam inside the waist portion of a pair of trousers held on the waist support, third steaming means for feeding steam through the pressing plate passages against trouser leg portions dressed on said center buck, motor means for moving the pressing plates from their retracted position toward their pressing position to an intermediate steaming position in-which the pressing plates are spaced slightly from the sides of the center buck when the garment support is in pressing position, said motor means also being operable for moving the pressing plates from intermediate position all the way to pressing position and subsequently from pressing to fully retracted position, control means responsive to movement of the garment support all the way from its dressing to its pressing position for starting operation of the motor means for moving the pressing plates from retracted to intermediate position, steam control means responsive to movement of the pressing plates to intermediate position for operating said first, second and third steaming means, timer means for au tomatically terminating operation of the steaming means after a preselected time interval, said timing means including means thereafter sequentially operating said motor means to move the pressing plates from intermediate to pressing position, to hold the plates in pressing position for a preselected further time interval, and then provide movement of the plates from pressing to retracted position, and further control means responsive to arrival of the pressing plates at their retracted positions for automatically and sequentially returning the garment support from pressing to dressing position and the waist support from dressing position to its upper loading position.

12. Pressing apparatus according to claim 11 in which said apparatus includes suction means for drawing air inwardly through the fluid passages of said center buck and thereby holding the trouser legs in dressed position against the sides of the center buck, suction control means operatively connected for operating the suction means during movement of the garment support and while the garment support is away from its dressing position, said suction control means being operatively connected for interrupting operation of the suction means while said steam control means in operating said steaming means.

13. Pressing apparatus according to claim 11 having air blowing means including conduit means in the waist support for feeding air inside the waist portion of a pair of trousers, and air control means operatively connected to the air blowing means and responsive to the position of said pressing plates for feeding air briefly through the conduit means to balloon the trousers just before the pressing plates have completed their movement from retracted to intermediate position.

14. Pressing apparatus according to claim 11 in which-said waist support includes a pair of laterally spaced front waist support members, around which the front waist portion of a garment is to be supported, a forwardly and rearwardly movable rear waist support member around which the rear waist portion of a garment is to be supported, waist support motor means for urging the rear waist support member rearwardly and thereby tensioning the garment waist around said front and rear waist support members, and waist support control means operatively connected to the waist support motor means for tensioning the waist throughout movement of the garment support from dressing position to pressing position and back to dressing position.

15. Pressing apparatus according to claim 14 in which said rear waist support member has a downwardly projecting seat wing mounted thereon for movement between a rear position in which said wing pushes a garment seat portion to the rear for dressing, and a forwardly retracted position in which said wing is pulled forwardly within the garment waist away. from the garment seat portion, and seat wing control means urging the seat wing to its rear position during dressing of the garment and during movement of the garment support from dressing to pressing position, said control means being operatively connected for movement of the seat wing to its retracted position when said steaming means is operated and for holding the seat wing in retracted position thereafter until the garment support

Claims

1. A pressing apparatus having main body frame, a pair of opposed pressing plates, means movably mounting the pressing plates on said frame for movement toward each other to a pressing position and away from each other to a retracted position, a garment support, means movably mounting the garment support for movement along a generally horizontal path between an inner pressing position, in which the garment support is located between the pressing plates within the body frame, and an outer dressing position in which the garment support is horizontally displaced from the pressing position between the pressing plates and is located for convenient dressing and removal of a garment on the garment support, said movable garment support including an upwardly extending center buck having sides against which the downwardly extending legs of a pair of trousers are adapted to be dressed and pressed, said movable garment support also including a waist support above the center buck, and means mounting the waist support on the garment support for movement between an upper loading position, in which the waist support head is spaced above the center buck for convenient engagement and disengagement of a trouser waist portion on the waist support while the garment support is in its dressing position, and a lower dressing and pressing position in which the waist support is located closely above the center buck for supporting the trouser waist in position for convenient dressing of the trouser legs on the sides of the center buck while the garment support is in its dressing position and for pressing of the trouser legs between the center buck and pressing plates while the garment support is in its pressing position.

2. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 having first motor means for moving the trouser waist support between its lower and upper positions, second motor means for moving the garment support between its dressing and pressing positions, third motor means for moving the pressing plates between retracted and pressing positions, and first safety means responsive to the position of the waist support and operatively connected to the second motor means for preventing operation of the second motor means to move the garment support from dressing to pressing position while the waist support is in its upper position.

3. Pressing apparatus according to claim 2 having further safety means responsive to the position of said garment support and operatively connected to said first motor means for preventing operation of the first motor means to position the waist support in its upper loading position while the garment support is out of its dressing position.

7. Pressing apparatus according to claim 6 having second steaming means foR feeding steam inside the waist portion of a garment mounted on said waist support, and second control means for selective optional operation of the second steaming means while the garment support is in dressing position.

8. Pressing apparatus according to claim 7 having motor means for moving the pressing plates from their retracted position toward their pressing position to an intermediate steaming position at which the pressing plates are spaced slightly from the sides of the center buck when the garment support is in pressing position, said motor means also being operable for further moving the pressing plates from intermediate position all the way to pressing position, and third control means responsive to arrival of the pressing plates at their intermediate position for operating at least one of said steaming means while the pressing plates are at said intermediate position.

11. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 in which the center buck sides have fluid passages therethrough and each pressing plate includes an inwardly facing pressing surface with fluid passages therethrough, and said apparatus includes first steaming means for feeding steam through the center buck against trouser leg portions dressed thereon, second steaming means for feeding steam inside the waist portion of a pair of trousers held on the waist support, third steaming means for feeding steam through the pressing plate passages against trouser leg portions dressed on said center buck, motor means for moving the pressing plates from their retracted position toward their pressing position to an intermediate steaming position in which the pressing plates are spaced slightly from the sides of the center buck when the garment support is in pressing position, said motor means also being operable for moving the pressing plates from intermediate position all the way to pressing position and subsequently from pressing to fully retracted position, control means responsive to movement of the garment support all the way from its dressing to its pressing position for starting operation of the motor means for moving the pressing plates from retracted to intermediate position, steam control means responsive to movement of the pressing plates to intermediate position for operating said first, second and third steaming means, timer means for automatically terminating operation of the steaming means after a preselected time interval, said timing means including means thereafter sequentially operating said motor means to move the pressing plates from intermediate to pressing position, to hold the plates in pressing position for a preselected further time interval, and then provide movement of the plates from pressing to retracted position, and further control means responsive to arrival of the pressing plates at their retracted positions for automatically and sequentially returning the garment support from pressing to dressing position and the waist support frOm dressing position to its upper loading position.

14. Pressing apparatus according to claim 11 in which said waist support includes a pair of laterally spaced front waist support members, around which the front waist portion of a garment is to be supported, a forwardly and rearwardly movable rear waist support member around which the rear waist portion of a garment is to be supported, waist support motor means for urging the rear waist support member rearwardly and thereby tensioning the garment waist around said front and rear waist support members, and waist support control means operatively connected to the waist support motor means for tensioning the waist throughout movement of the garment support from dressing position to pressing position and back to dressing position.

15. Pressing apparatus according to claim 14 in which said rear waist support member has a downwardly projecting seat wing mounted thereon for movement between a rear position in which said wing pushes a garment seat portion to the rear for dressing, and a forwardly retracted position in which said wing is pulled forwardly within the garment waist away from the garment seat portion, and seat wing control means urging the seat wing to its rear position during dressing of the garment and during movement of the garment support from dressing to pressing position, said control means being operatively connected for movement of the seat wing to its retracted position when said steaming means is operated and for holding the seat wing in retracted position thereafter until the garment support has returned from its pressing to its dressing position and the garment has been removed.

16. Pressing apparatus according to claim 15 in which said waist support has a movable fly positioning member supported thereon for movement between a forwardly retracted loading position spaced in front of the front waist support member and a rear position in which the fly positioning member projects rearwardly between said front waist support members, means selectively urging the fly positioning member to its rear position for holding the front portions of a garment waist inwardly between the front waist support members with selected portions of a garment waist in desired alignment with the front waist support members.

17. Pressing apparatus according to claim 16 in which said means selectively urging the fly positioning member to its rear position includes an over-center toggle spring connected to the fly positioning member at a location resiliently holding said member in whichever of its loading and rear positions it is manually positioned by an operator, auxiliary power means for providing additional force urging the fly positioning member to its rear position, and control means operatively connected to said auxiliary power means for operating such power means when the garment support is in its pressing position.

18. Pressing apparatus accorDing to claim 1 in which said waist support includes a pair of laterally spaced front waist support members, around which the front waist portion of a garment is to be supported, a forwardly and rearwardly movable rear waist support member around which the rear waist portion of a garment is to be supported. waist support motor means for urging the rear waist support member rearwardly and thereby tensioning the garment waist around said front and rear waist support members, and waist support control means operatively connected to the waist support motor means for tensioning the waist throughout movement of the garment support from dressing position to pressing position and back to dressing position.

19. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 having cuff holding means mounted on said garment support and comprising a vertically movable cuff holding assembly at each side of the center buck, said assembly having resilient holding means for lightly clamping a trouser cuff to hold it in extended position along the side of the center buck, said cuff holding means supporting each cuff assembly for independent movement between a first upper loading position in which an operator can conveniently engage a trouser cuff with said resilient holding means, an intermediate holding position in which the cuff holding assembly holds the trouser cuff in dressed position, and a lower inoperative position in which the assembly is fully withdrawn below the cuff.

20. Pressing apparatus according to claim 19 including motor means for moving the pressing plates from their retracted position toward their pressing position to an intermediate steaming position in which the pressing plates are spaced slightly from the sides of the center buck when the garment support is in pressing position, means for steaming the garment, control means for starting operation of the steaming means after the pressing plates reach their intermediate position, first power means for moving said cuff assembly to its lower inoperative position and thereby forcibly disengaging the resilient cuff holding means from the cuff when said control means starts operation of the steaming means, second power means operatively connected for moving said cuff assembly from its lower inoperative position to its upper loading position when the garment support returns to its dressing position and the waist support moves to its upper loading position, and manually releasable latch means for retaining the cuff assembly in upper position.

21. A pressing apparatus according to claim 1 in which the sides of said center buck include fluid passages, and said apparatus includes suction means for drawing air inwardly through said fluid passages and thereby holding the downwardly extending trouser legs in dressed position against the sides of the center buck, and suction control means for operating the suction means during movement of the garment support between dressing and pressing positions.

22. In a pressing apparatus, an improved trouser waist support comprising left and right front trouser waist supporting members fixed to the support and spaced from each other at the front of the support and between which the fly portions of a pair of trousers may be pushed, with such fly portions secured together in the way they are normally worn, the front waist supporting members having respective left and right front trouser engaging edges adapted to engage the inner front portions of a trouser waist portion at desired points aligned with the desired front creases of the trouser legs, a movable rear trouser waist supporting member mounted on the waist support for longitudinal movement between a forward loading position in which the rear waist supporting member is positioned toward the front waist support members at a location permitting convenient mounting of a trouser waist portion around the front and rear waist supporting members and a variable rear holding position in which the rear waist supporting member holds the rear trouser waist portion during A pressing operation, power means for urging the rear waist supporting member rearwardly to hold the trouser waist portion under tension around the front and rear waist supporting members, a front fly positioner mounted on the waist support for movement between a forward loading position in which it is spaced forwardly of the trouser fly portions and front waist supporting members and a manually adjusted variable rear holding position in which the fly positioner and trouser fly portions are pushed rearwardly between the front waist supporting members to a point which will vary with the relative dimensions of different trousers and which is adapted to pull the rear trouser waist portion and rear waist supporting member forwardly against the urging of the power means far enough to locate the secured trouser fly portions between the front waist supporting members at a position providing the desired front crease alignment for trousers of different waist dimensions during the pressing operation, and holding means for holding the front fly positioner in its manually adjusted holding position and thereby also holding the rear waist portion and rear waist supporting member in their adjusted variable rear holding position against the rearward urging of said power means.

23. A pressing apparatus according to claim 22 in which said holding means includes spring means for initially holding the front fly positioner in its adjusted variable holding position.

24. A pressing apparatus according to claim 23 in which the holding means for holding the front fly positioner also includes a first air cylinder and first piston, one of which is operatively connected to the fly positioner to urge the fly positioner rearwardly in response to a predetermined first pressure in the first cylinder and thereby firmly hold the fly positioner and trouser fly portions in manually adjusted position during pressing, and the power means for urging the rear waist supporting member rearwardly includes a second air cylinder and second piston, one of which is operatively connected to the rear waist supporting member to urge it rearwardly in response to a predetermined second pressure in the second cylinder, the relative forces applied to a trouser waist by said first and second pressures balancing each other and holding the trouser waist under smooth peripheral tension during pressing, without forcing the waist or fly portions from their adjusted positions.

25. In a pressing apparatus having a pressing plate movable along a desired path between a pressing position and a retracted position, the improvement comprising a main supporting bearing on the pressing plate, a load-bearing supporting member having one portion pivotally attached to the supporting bearing and thereby supporting the pressing plate for relative swinging movement with respect to said supporting member on a pivotal axis parallel to the plane of the pressing plate, means supporting the supporting member for movement of said one portion and said pressing plate along said path between pressing and retracted positions, at least one flexible guide cable attached to the pressing plate at a point spaced from the supporting bearing and from said pivotal axis and extending along a line of movement generally parallel to at least part of the path of movement of the plate and its supporting bearing, and cable control means controlling the extent of relative movement of the cable along its line of movement in predetermined relationship to the extent of relative movement of the main supporting bearing along its path and thereby establishing a desired orientation of the pressing plate during its movement along its path between retracted and pressing position.

26. A pressing apparatus according to claim 25 having first and second flexible guide cable portions, the first cable portion being attached to the pressing plate at one side of said pivotal axis and the second cable portion being attached to the pressing plate at the other side of said pivotal axis, a First rotatable cable control member for the first cable portion, a second rotatable cable control member for the second cable portion, and said cable control means including means interconnecting the first and second rotatable cable control members for simultaneous movement of the first and second guide cable portions and pressing plate along the path of movement between retracted and pressing positions.

27. A pressing apparatus according to claim 26 in which said first and second rotatable cable control members and said interconnecting means comprise first and second cable feeding drum portions interconnected for simultaneous rotation through corresponding angles.

28. A pressing apparatus according to claim 27 in which said first and second cable-feeding drum portions have different diameters.

29. A pressing apparatus according to claim 25 having first and second flexible guide cable portions, the first guide cable portion being attached to the pressing plate at one side of said pivotal axis and the second guide cable portion being attached to the pressing plate at the opposite side of said pivotal axis, and said cable control means comprising a movable cable control member and means operatively connecting each flexible guide cable portion to the movable control member for simultaneous movement of both guide cable portions and the pressing plate in the same relative direction along said path of movement.

30. Pressing apparatus according to claim 29 including resilient means normally urging the cable control member in one direction in which the flexible guide cable portions and pressing plates are resiliently urged away from their pressing position toward their retracted positions.

31. In a pressing apparatus having a pressing plate movable along a desired path between a pressing position and a retracted position, the improvement comprising a main supporting bearing on the pressing plate, a load-bearing supporting member having one portion pivotally attached to the supporting bearing and thereby supporting the pressing plate for relative swinging movement with respect to said supporting member on a pivotal axis parallel to the plane of the pressing plate, means supporting the supporting member for movement of said one portion and said pressing plate along said path between pressing and retracted positions, at least one flexible guide cable having one portion attached to the pressing plate at a point spaced from the supporting bearing and from said pivotal axis, an adjacent portion of the cable extending along a line of movement generally parallel to at least part of the path of movement of the plate and its supporting bearing a rotatable cable control member operatively connected to said cable and supported for rotation in one direction for movement of the cable and pressing plate along the path from pressing to retracted position, rotation of the cable control member in the opposite direction providing for movement of the cable and pressing plate along the path from retracted to pressing position, and means controlling the relative rotation of the control member with reference to the movement of the main supporting bearing and thereby establishing a desired orientation of the pressing plate during its movement along its path between retracted and pressing positions.

32. A pressing apparatus according to claim 31 in which said supporting member is a swinging arm having a lower portion pivotally connected to the supporting bearing at said pivotal axis, and said means supporting the supporting member for movement includes a pivotal bearing portion having a second pivotal axis above and parallel to such first-mentioned pivotal axis, said swinging arm also having an upper portion pivotally connected to the pivotal bearing portion of said means supporting the supporting member.

33. Pressing apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means mounting the waist support on the garment support comprises a pivotal connection therebetween having a first pivotal axiS extending generally horizontally, transversely of the path of movement of the garment support, at a location on the garment support which is near an inner, upper edge of the center buck, and said waist support includes a movable waist support member mounted thereon for back and forth movement along a path extending forwardly and rearwardly, i.e. inwardly and outwardly, above the center buck, said pressing apparatus also having moving means for said waist support member, said moving means comprising an actuating arm having lower and upper ends, means pivotally supporting the lower end of the actuating arm on the garment support for rotation of the arm on a transverse axis parallel to and at a level below said first pivotal axis, with the actuating arm extending upwardly and spaced rearwardly from the position at which a garment is to be dressed on the waist support and center buck, a generally horizontally extending connecting link having one end pivotally connected to the upper end of the actuating arm and another end pivotally connected to said waist support member, and motor means on the garment support operatively connected for swinging said actuating arm and thereby moving the waist support member, said actuating arm and connecting link providing a universal connection between said motor means and waist support member for applying force to the waist support member in both the upper loading position and the lower dressing and pressing position of the waist support.

34. Pressing apparatus according to claim 33 in which the means pivotally supporting the lower end of the actuating arm is a transversely extending rotatable shaft to which the actuating arm is fixed, and said power means includes a lever arm also fixed to said rotatable shaft, and an air motor cylinder member having a piston member therein, one of the cylinder and piston members being supported on the garment support and the other member being connected to the lever arm, the length of the actuating arm being substantially greater than the length of the lever arm.

35. Pressing apparatus according to claim 34 having a second similar actuating arm and connecting link connected between the rotatable shaft and waist support member, with one such arm and link at each side of the center buck and waist support member for convenient clearance during loading and dressing of a garment.