Abstract:
Clamps are employed for feeding items of laundry to a laundry treatment machine, for example. There are well-known arrangements where the items of laundry are fed from a laundry hamper, dryer or the like to a mangle feeder using clamps in a largely or entirely mechanized and automated manner. However, it has been shown that the handling of the clamps in such an arrangement is relatively complicated and thus time-consuming. The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a clamp that can be easily actuated and which can enhance performance and reliability when items of laundry are fed, for example, to a mangle or the like. This is achieved by configuring at least one clamping element of the clamp as a clamping lever having an insertion aid with guidance means for the sliding insertion of a section of the item of laundry into a clamp mouth.

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority on and the benefit of German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 006 697.5 having a filing date of 9 May 2014. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a clamp for an item of laundry having a clamp housing, a clamp mouth, and at least one movable clamping element. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    Clamps of this type are used in laundries, for example in devices for feeding in particular large items of laundry (bed sheets, tablecloths, etc.) to a mangle or to another laundry treatment machine, but also in the conveying systems as well as in the storage and sorting lines of laundries. 
         [0006]    It has been shown that the handling involved for known clamps of this type, above all the manual introduction of a section of the item of laundry into a clamp mouth of the clamp, is relatively complicated and thus time-consuming. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention is therefore based on the object of further developing a clamp of the type described at the outset so that it can be easily loaded. 
         [0008]    To achieve this object, the clamp according to the invention is a clamp for an item of laundry having a clamp housing, a clamp mouth, and at least one movable clamping element, characterized in that the at least one clamping element is configured as a clamping lever with an insertion aid having a guidance means for the guided insertion of a section of the item of laundry into the clamping mouth. Clamps of this type have a clamp housing with a clamp mouth in which one section of the item of laundry can be held, and at least one movable clamping member. According to the invention, the at least one clamping member is configured as a clamping lever with one insertion aid having a guidance means for the directed insertion of one section of the item of laundry into the clamp mouth. The insertion aid of the clamping lever serves in facilitating the insertion of the item of laundry or one section of the item of laundry. The operator no longer has to precisely guide the section of the item of laundry into an opening of the clamp mouth but instead must merely guide the section of the item of laundry along the guidance means. As soon as the operator has brought a section of the item of laundry, such as a corner, edge or the like, into contact with the guidance means, he only needs to move the item of laundry along the guidance means, whereby the relevant section of the item of laundry is forced, so to speak, into the clamp mouth of the clamp. Preferably the clamp mouth is open in the downward direction, but it can also assume any different orientation. 
         [0009]    A further advantageous development of the invention can be one where the guidance means of the insertion aid is configured as a guideway which ascends obliquely from below the clamp housing to the clamp mouth, said guideway preferably extending up to the clamp mouth. On account of the guideway, the item of laundry is directly guided or directed by the guidance means into the clamp mouth. However, it is also conceivable that the guidance means leads only to the clamp mouth but does not extend into it but instead ends in front of it. In both cases, it is ensured that the section of the item of laundry which is taken up by the operator is brought directly into the clamp mouth. 
         [0010]    In particular, it is conceivable in the case of the present invention that the guideway lies with its full length below an opening of the clamp mouth. Preferably the guideway extends obliquely below the clamp mouth or clamp housing. In this case the distance of the guideway to the clamp mouth decreases continually. The guideway of the guidance means thereby extends in its length along the dimensions of the clamp housing. This thereby enlarges the target area to which the section of the item of laundry is guided by the operator. Since the distance of the guideway to the clamp mouth decreases continuously, thus directing the section of the item of laundry in the direction of the clamp mouth, the operator requires only a slight expenditure of dexterity and concentration in the feeding operation, in other words, in order to feed the section of laundry it sufficient for it to be moved approximately in the direction of the clamping mouth. The decisive factor is that the guideway of the clamping lever is struck. 
         [0011]    It should furthermore be considered particularly advantageous that the obliquely ascending guideway has a linear, or slightly convex or concave, configuration, preferably one similar to that of a skid. This provides the guideway with a continuous run. The guideway of the guidance means can, however, also be configured as a narrow or wide plate. In addition, it is conceivable for the guideway to have a tubular configuration. In order to have as little sliding friction as possible, the guideway is configured to be smooth, in particular comprising metal or plastic. Furthermore, the surface of the guideway can be coated with a synthetic material, in particular Teflon® brand of synthetic material. 
         [0012]    The invention makes further provision that a first end of the clamping lever protrudes into the clamp mouth or terminates shortly in front of it, and a second end projects beyond the clamp housing, with the guideway running between the two ends of the clamping lever on the underside of the latter. The first end of the clamping lever facing the clamp mouth can in addition have a hooked or nose-shaped projection. The section of the item of laundry that is guided along the guideway in the direction of the clamp mouth encounters resistance in this projection. Due to this resistance, a force or torque is exerted on the clamping lever, causing it to move and thereby open the clamp mouth or the opening of the clamp mouth. With the opening of the clamp mouth being opened by the clamping lever, the section of the item of laundry can enter the opening of the clamp mouth. This hooked projection can also be a region of the guideway which has a different sliding resistance. 
         [0013]    The second end of the clamping lever facing away from the clamp mouth is configured such that it projects beyond the clamp housing. By exerting force or torque on the upper side of the second end of the clamping lever, the opening of the clamp mouth can likewise be actuated. 
         [0014]    A special embodiment of the present invention is also possible in that the clamping lever is mounted on the clamp housing to pivot about a pivot axis, preferably with the clamping lever being assigned a restoring means, in particular a spring, which preloads the clamping lever in the sense of closing the clamp mouth. In an initial position, the first end of the clamping lever is tensioned by the restoring means against the clamp mouth or against a bridge of the clamp mouth. If the section of the item of laundry is moved against the hooked projection as it slides along the guideway, this causes a torque to be exerted on the clamping lever, which pivots the clamping lever back against the preload. As soon as the operator no longer exerts any force upon the clamping lever, the latter pivots back on account of its spring preload, clamping the section of the item of laundry between the first end of the clamping lever and the clamp mouth, or the bridge of the clamp mouth. As a result, the item of laundry is fixed in the clamp. When a force is exerted on the upper side of the second end of the clamping lever, the latter can be pivoted against its preload, so that the section of the item of laundry is again released. The spring can take the form of a leg spring that is tensioned between the clamp housing and the clamping lever. But it is also conceivable that the restoring means is a different type of mechanical spring or, for example, a magnet or electromagnet. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, the invention can provide that the pivot axis is arranged at an approximately centered position between the ends of the clamping lever, preferably being positioned closer to the first end of the clamping lever or closer to the second end, respectively. When the pivot axis is positioned closer to the first end of the clamping lever, this increases the lever action of the force acting on the second end for opening the clamp mouth. On the other hand, by enlarging the distance from the pivot axis to the first end of the clamping lever, the force required by the operator to overcome the preload force can be reduced. 
         [0016]    As particularly advantageous is the further provision that, for the purpose of introducing the section of the item of laundry into the clamp mouth, the item of laundry with this section can be moved along the guidance means of the insertion aid, in particular of the guideway which forms it, preferably in a flowing movement from the second end of the clamping lever to the first end of the clamping lever. In this case, the guideway is configured such that the section of the item of laundry does not have to be set down or reoriented during this movement. The section of the item of laundry involved here can be an edge piece, for example, which is gripped by the operator with one or both hands and fed to the clamp. 
         [0017]    In addition, the invention can provide that the clamping lever for inserting the item of laundry into the clamp mouth can be moved against the preload of the restoring means, preferably the spring, while the section of the item of laundry slides along the guidance means or its guideway. Since the clamping lever is already pivotable during the entire movement of the section of the item of laundry on the guide track, the clamp mouth can already be in an open position when the section of the item of laundry reaches the first end of the clamping lever. 
         [0018]    In particular it is preferably provided that the section of the item of laundry can be fixed in the clamp mouth by the first end of the clamping lever through the spring preload of the clamping lever. By virtue of this fixation of the item of laundry, it can be fed to any other treatment station via a transport system. The treatment station can, however, also be a collection container or a sorting bin. 
         [0019]    One special embodiment of the present invention can be constituted in that the clamp housing is assigned a plurality of, preferably two, clamping levers and/or clamp mouths, which preferably can be jointly actuated. In this case, the clamping levers have a parallel configuration and can be opened and closed equally by the application of torque. By employing a plurality of clamping levers, either a relatively large section of an item of laundry can be picked up, or a plurality of individual items of laundry can be picked up at the same time. Here provision is also made that the clamping levers can be provided with items of laundry individually as well as actuated to pick up an item of laundry in common. 
         [0020]    It is further provided by the invention that clamping levers are arranged at a distance to one another on a common clamp housing and preferably that each clamping lever is assigned its own clamp mouth bridge. Such a clamp mouth bridge is part of the clamp mouth and serves as a counter piece to the clamping lever for the purpose of fixing the item of laundry. Such a clamp mouth bridge has the same width as the corresponding clamping lever. Since two spaced-apart clamping levers have two equally spaced-apart clamp mouth bridges, it is possible, when transferring the item of laundry from one clamp to a following clamp, for the following clamp to grip the item of laundry between, or around, the clamping levers of the first clamp. 
         [0021]    It is provided by the invention that a loading station has means that are assigned to a conveyer and these means have a plurality of clamps of the type according to the invention. Such means can, for example, have a fork-shaped configuration, with a clamp being positioned in each case at the free ends of the fork-shaped means. A single item of laundry can be inserted into each of these clamps or a common item of laundry can be inserted into all clamps. The items of laundry are then fed by the means via the transport belt to further processing stations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Further features, advantages and details of the invention are provided in the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which in the following are described in more detail on the basis of the drawings, in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a reduced-scale, schematic representation of an apparatus for feeding items of laundry to a mangle, 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a clamp for an item of laundry, 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the clamp, and 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the clamp. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    The arrangement shown in  FIG. 1  for delivering items of laundry  10  from a laundry hamper  11  to a mangle feeder  12  comprises a loading station  13 , a vertical conveying section  14  in the region of the loading station  13 , a gravity conveying section  15 , a vertical conveying section  16  and a removal station  17  in front of the mangle feeder. 
         [0028]    The items of laundry  10  are supplied by means of clamps  18 , which are moved and guided in circulation in the feeding arrangement in the direction of the arrow  19 . Here the clamps  18  in the region of each vertical conveying section  14 ,  16  are coupled with an endless conveying element, configured here as conveying chain  20 , which runs in a guide configured as a profiled rail  21 . 
         [0029]    The clamps  18  are each disposed on a carriage  22  that is moveable in the profiled rail  21 . The clamps  19  move via the carriages  22  along the conveying section  16  in the direction of arrow  19 . For feeding the items of laundry  10 , an operator  23  removes an item of laundry  10  from the laundry hamper  11  and feeds a section  24  of the item of laundry  10  to the clamp  18 . The section  24  of the item of laundry  10  is fixed in the clamp  18  and taken away along the conveying section  16 . At another end of the conveying section  16  another operator  25  removes the item of laundry  10  from the clamp  18  and introduces it to a further treatment station, for example, a mangle feeder  12 . This transfer to a further treatment station can also be carried out automatically. 
         [0030]    The present invention of a clamp for an item of laundry is not limited to the application example of the clamps  18  according to the invention in a feeding arrangement as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Instead, the clamps  18  according to the invention can be employed in any other kind of laundry installation. 
         [0031]    The clamps  18  for receiving an item of laundry  10  essentially exhibit a clamp housing  26  ( FIG. 2 ). This clamp housing  26  has mounting means  27  for the attachment to a carriage  22  of a conveying chain  20 , for example. The mounting means  27  is attached, preferably displaceably attached, to the carriage  22  by means of fastening elements, for example (not shown). The clamp housing  26  has essentially a box-shaped configuration, with at least one side being open. The two opposing side walls  28  and  29  each have wedge-shaped or parabola-shaped slots  30 ,  31 , which together form a clamp mouth  32 . The clamp mouth  32  has a vertical orientation and is open downwards. On a front side  33  of the clamp  18  the latter has a large-area opening  56 , thus forming, together with the slots  30 ,  31 , two clamp mouth bridges  34 ,  35 . The rear side  36  of the clamp  18  located opposite the front side  33  is essentially closed, but may also have openings for further elements of the clamp  18 . 
         [0032]    In the exemplary embodiment of the clamp  18  shown in  FIG. 2 , the clamp housing  26  is assigned two clamping levers  37 ,  38 . The clamping levers  37 ,  38  are connected to each other and to the housing  26  by means of a pivot axis  39 . The clamping levers  37  and  38  can be moved about the pivot axis jointly or individually. Furthermore, the clamping levers  37 ,  38  and the clamp housing  26  are associated via the pivot axis  39  with a common spring  40  or a leg spring. A preload is exerted by the spring  40  on the clamping levers  37 ,  38  such that the clamping levers  37 ,  38  are tensioned in an initial position or resting position. 
         [0033]    The clamping levers  37 ,  38  have an elongated shape, with a first end  41 ,  42  protruding into the clamp housing  26  or into the clamp mouth  32  and a second end  43 ,  44  projecting out of the clamp housing  26 . Positioned between the first end  41 ,  42  and the second end  43 ,  44  is the pivot axis  39 . The pivot axis  39  is arranged at a centered position between the ends  41 ,  42  and  43 ,  44 . But the invention also provides for positioning the pivot axis  39  closer to one end  41 ,  42  or  43 ,  44  for achieving better lever action. 
         [0034]    An underside  45 ,  46  of the clamping levers  37 ,  38  is configured as a guidance means or guideway  47 ,  48 . This guideway  47 ,  48  of the clamping levers  37 ,  38  serves as an aid for inserting at least one section  24  of the item of laundry  10  into the clamp mouth  32 . Here the underside  45 ,  46  of the clamping levers  37 ,  38  can have a skid-like configuration with a level or flat or curved surface. 
         [0035]    The guideway  47 ,  48  between the second end  43 ,  44  and the first end  41 ,  42  is obliquely oriented relative to the clamp housing  26  or relative to a horizontal plane, with the result that the distance to an underside  49  of the clamp housing  26  continuously decreases in the direction of the first end  41 ,  42 . Here the guideway  47 ,  48  has a straight-line configuration, or one that is slightly convex or concave. It is preferably provided that the guideway  47 ,  48  leading to the first end  41 ,  42  is similar or identical to the curvature or incline of the slot  30 ,  31  or of the clamp mouth  32 . 
         [0036]    The first end  41 ,  42  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38  has a nose-like projection  50 ,  51 . Due to the preloading of the spring  40 , the clamping lever  37 ,  38  presses against the clamp mouth bridge  34 ,  35  with this projection  50 ,  51 . When pressure is applied to the projection  50 ,  51 , the clamping lever  37 ,  38  pivots about the pivot axis  39  against the preload force of the spring  40  such that the first end  41 ,  42  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38  opens the clamping mouth  32 . As soon as no force is any longer exerted on the projection  50 ,  51  of the first end  41 ,  42 , the preloaded spring  40  causes the first end  41 ,  42  to move back to its initial position in which the projection  50 ,  51  is in contact with the clamp mouth bridge  34 ,  35 . 
         [0037]    The second end  43 ,  44  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38  has a free upper side  52 ,  53 . By exerting force on this upper side  52 ,  53  the clamping lever  37 ,  38  can likewise be pivoted from its resting position about the pivot axis  39  and thus open the clamping mouth  32 . The force exerted on the clamping lever  37 ,  38  can be applied manually or automatically, or by machine. The second end  43 ,  44  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38  has an opening  54 ,  55  for an actuating element (not shown) by means of which the clamping lever  37 ,  38  can be moved about the pivot axis  39 . 
         [0038]    The width of the clamping levers  37 ,  38  is dimensioned such it correspond to the width of the clamp mouth bridges  34 ,  35 . This results in the opening  56  in the clamp mouth  32  at the front side  33  of the clamp housing  26 . 
         [0039]    The number of clamping levers  37 ,  38  of a clamp  18  and their shape are not restricted to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 . In fact, provision can be made for the clamp  18  to have only one clamping lever or a plurality of parallel clamping levers. In addition, it is conceivable that the carriage  22  of the conveyor chain  20  has a plurality of clamps  18  aligned parallel to each other. It is also conceivable for the clamping levers to have a different form, for instance one that is more cuboid in shape. 
         [0040]    The clamp housing can be made of metal or synthetic material. The clamping levers  37 ,  38 , in particular the guideway  47 ,  48 , can be made of metal or synthetic material. It is preferably provided that the guideway  47 ,  48  is made of a material having a low sliding resistance, such as Teflon® brand of synthetic material. 
         [0041]    When the item of laundry  10  is fed into the clamp  18 , the rear side  36  of the clamp  18  faces the operator  23 . For the transport of the item of laundry  10  by the clamp  18 , an operator  23  feeds a section  24 , in particular a corner, an edge or the like, of the item of laundry  10  into the clamp  18 . In the process the operator  23  grips the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  and guides it to contact any part of the guideway  47 ,  48 . By virtue of the operator  23  exerting a slight pressure on the section  24  of the item of laundry  10 , while sliding it along the guideway  47 ,  48 , the section  24  is guided along the obliquely directed underside  45 ,  46  in the direction of the first end  41 ,  42  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38 . Here it is of no consequence as to which position between the first end  41 ,  42  and the second end  43 ,  44  of the clamping lever  37 ,  38  the operator  23  applies the section  24 . Due to the aforementioned pressure exerted by the operator  23 , the part  24  is always directed along the guideway  47 ,  48  in the direction of the clamp mouth or the first end  41 ,  42 . Since the guideway  47 ,  48  has a linear configuration, the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  can be fed to the clamp mouth  32  in a flowing movement. 
         [0042]    When the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  presses against the projection  50 ,  51 , the slight pressure exerted by the operator  23  overcomes the preload force of the spring  40  and the clamping lever  37 ,  38  pivots back about the pivot axis  39 , thus causing the first end  41 ,  42  to expose the clamping mouth  32 . As soon as the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  is located in the clamp mouth  32 , the operator  23  lets loose of the part  24 . Since no force is further exerted on the clamping lever  37 ,  38 , the latter moves back into its initial position due to the preload force of the spring  40 . In the process, the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  is pressed by the projection  50 ,  51  against the clamp mouth  34 ,  35  and thereby fixed in place. The item of laundry  10  is now fixed in the clamp  18  such that it can be carried away by a conveying system. 
         [0043]    For removing the item of laundry  10  from the clamp  18 , another operator  25  moves the second end  43 ,  44  downwards, thus causing the first end  41 ,  42  to open the clamp mouth  32  again and the section  24  of the item of laundry  10  to fall out of the clamp mouth  32 . However, it is preferably provided that the clamp  18  is automatically opened by exerting force or pressure on the upper side  52 ,  53  of the second end  43 ,  44 . 
       LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10  item of laundry 
               11  laundry hamper 
               12  mangle feeder 
               13  loading station 
               14  conveying section 
               15  gravity conveying section 
               16  conveying section 
               17  removal station 
               18  clamp 
               19  arrow direction 
               20  conveyor chain 
               21  profiled rail 
               22  carriage 
               23  operator 
               24  section 
               25  operator 
               26  clamp housing 
               27  mounting means 
               28  side wall 
               29  side wall 
               30  slot 
               31  slot 
               32  clamp mouth 
               33  front side 
               34  clamp mouth bridge 
               35  clamp mouth bridge 
               36  rear side 
               37  clamping lever 
               38  clamping lever 
               39  pivot axis 
               40  spring 
               41  first end 
               42  first end 
               43  second end 
               44  second end 
               45  underside 
               46  underside 
               47  guideway 
               48  guideway 
               49  underside 
               50  projection 
               51  projection 
               52  upper side 
               53  upper side 
               54  opening 
               55  opening 
               56  opening