Abstract:
A press-head with a self-levelling mechanism automatically adjusts the position of the press-head when it encounters a variation in thickness of an item being pressed. In the preferred embodiment, the mechanism includes a plurality of pins which stand proud of the sole plate and are retained slidably and tiltably by the main body. Advantageously, a spring may be provided about each pin between the main body and the sole plate. The press-head has means for connecting it to a lifting shaft of a garment press and the pins may be arranged in a symmetrical array relative to that shaft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a press-head and in particular, but not exclusively to, a press-head of a garment press.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    UK Patent 780,660 (Lessing) describes a garment press in which a garment is pressed between two heated plates, the lower plate of which forms a press bed is fixed and the upper plate of which forms a press plate which is mounted to the press bed for movement in a vertical plane only, such that the press plate can be raised from and lowered down onto the press bed. In order to press a garment the press plate is raised, the garment is then placed on the press bed and the press plate lowered into contact with the press bed trapping the garment therebetween in order to effect a pressing operation.  
           [0005]    The press bed of this prior garment press presents a resilient surface to the upper inflexible press plate which permits it to give where required to conform to the shape of buttons or fasteners of the garment being pressed, thereby reducing the incidence of damage to such buttons or fasteners when pressed between the two plates. For this purpose the fixed press bed of this prior garment press comprises two substantially parallel plates, an upper perforated plate which forms the pressing surface on which the garment is supported and a lower support surface in the form of a grid plate. The resilience of the press bed is provided by a number of conical springs arranged in longitudinal rows and secured between the grid and perforated plates of the press bed.  
           [0006]    This type of garment press is only designed to press garments by trapping the garment between its two plates and is therefore not suitable for pressing garments having a complicated structure such as for example shirts, for such garments, care has to be taken when pressing one part of the shirt that creases are not introduced into another part of that shirt, and to ensure that the seams and edges such as collars and cuffs are sharp and crisp. This prior garment press is generally only designed for dealing with newly made garments which have been laundered but not dried, since creases introduced during the drying process cannot be effectively removed.  
           [0007]    In order to effectively press laundered dried garments it is known to use a hand held heated iron which is pressed to the surface of the garment and moved about the surface thereof by an operator in order to smooth out the creases. This method however causes considerable operator fatigue, and results in poor efficiency and economic performance. In order to overcome this problem a garment press was developed as described in UK Patent GB 2 318 591 (Barry James Freeman) in which the known press plate is replaced by a press-head which can be moved about the garment in a similar fashion to a hand held heated iron, but which press-head is supported by the garment press with the garment press providing mechanical advantage to the movement of the press-head. This has the advantage of alleviating operator fatigue.  
           [0008]    The garment press of GB 2 318 591, as illustrated in FIG. 8 of the present drawings, comprises a fixed press table  18  for supporting a garment to be pressed and a moveable press-head  58  which is brought into contact with the press table  18  for pressing the garment. For this purpose the press-head  58  fixedly depends from one end of a press shaft  50 , which shaft forms a lifting axis for the press-head  58  in order to raise and lower the press-head  58  away and towards the pressing table  18 . The press shaft  50  extends vertically through a bearing in a yoke frame  44  so as to be capable of both rotational and linear movement. Pneumatic cylinders  54  provided either side of the yoke  44  can be activated by means not illustrated to impose linear motion of the shaft  50  through the yoke to raise and lower the press-head  58 , whilst handle  60  fixed to the shaft  50  is used to manually rotate the shaft  50  about its lifting axis and thereby rotate the press-head  58  relative to the pressing surface  18 . Additionally, the press-head  58  is also moveable in a substantially horizontal plane across the press table due to its mounting on transverse bars  40  which are mounted for slidable movement on fixed horizontal bars  34 . Handle  64  fixed to horizontal bars  34  is used to manually slide the press-head transversely to bars  34  and along bars  34 , thereby moving the press-head about the surface of the pressing table.  
           [0009]    This prior press-head has the disadvantage that the press-head is a rigid body and therefore does not readily adapt to press garments having different thicknesses, or garments supporting trimmings such as buttons or fastenings without operator assistance in adjusting the position of the press-head above the table. Without adjustment thicker parts of the garment may be overpressed, and thinner parts of the garment may be underpessed, also button damage may occur. Whilst a degree of adjustment can be achieved by providing a padded surface to the press table without hindering the free movement of the press-head across the press table, there nevertheless exists the need to provide automatic adjustment alleviating the need for operator involvement. It would not be appropriate to provide rows of conical springs, such as used in the fixed press plates of GB 780 660 (Lessing) because compression of these springs would block the movement of the press-head.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a press-head which overcomes or alleviates the above described drawbacks.  
           [0011]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved press-head for a garment press which more effectively presses textile items such as garments having varying thicknesses and/or trimmings.  
           [0012]    To this end, the subject of the present invention is a press-head which can be installed and fitted on a garment press, and which can be mechanically assisted in its movements about a pressing surface of the garment press. A further subject of the present invention is a garment press incorporating such a press-head.  
           [0013]    According to the present invention there is provided a press-head having a self-levelling mechanism which automatically adjusts the position of the press-head when the press-head encounters a variation in thickness of an item being pressed by the press-head when the press-head encounters a variation in thickness of an item being pressed by the press-head when the press-head is moved over the item.  
           [0014]    Advantageously the self adjusting mechanism may be provided between a main body of the press-head and its sole plate, the self adjusting means tilting the sole plate when said variation in thickness is encountered. The self adjusting mechanism may comprise resilient means which extend between the main body of the press-head and its sole plate. The self adjusting mechanism may comprise a plurality of pins which stand proud of the sole plate which pins are retained slidably and tiltably by the main body. Advantageously, a spring may be provided about each pin which extends between the main body and the sole plate. Advantageously, the press-head has means to connect it to a lifting shaft of a garment press and the pins may be provided in a symmetrical array relative to that shaft. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The invention will be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a press-head constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the press-head of FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a view similar of FIG. 1 illustrating tilting of the sole plate of the press-head when encountering an obstruction located centrally in the path of movement of the press-head;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 shows a front view of the press-head of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating movement of the sole plate of the press-head when encountering an obstruction located to one side in the path of movement of said press-head;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of press-head;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the press-head of FIG. 6; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a known garment press. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    FIGS.  1  to  5  show a first and non-limiting embodiment of press-head constructed in accordance with the present invention for pressing a garment placed on a pressing surface of a pressing table. The press-head is in use mounted above the table for vertically liftable movement towards and away from the pressing surface in order to bring the press-head into engagement with the garment, and for movement in a horizontal plane about the pressing surface in order that the press-head can be moved about the surface of the garment to smooth out any creases. For this purpose the press-head in this embodiment has means to mount it to a press shaft of a garment press such as that described in UK Patent GB 2 318 591 (Barry James Freeman).  
         [0025]    The press-head  58  comprises two substantially parallel plates  17 ,  10 , in the form of a fixed pressure plate  10  which is adapted to be fixedly connected to a press shaft  50  of a garment press for movement therewith, and a dependent sole plate  17  which is suspended from the fixed pressure plate  10 .  
         [0026]    The pressure plate  10  has three through bores  1  provided in a row along its central axis  2 . The sole plate  17  carries three corresponding, upwardly extending fixed pins  20  which are located in a row along its central axis  3 . Each pin  20  has a cross-section which is slightly smaller than that of the bores  1  and are moveably located through a respective bore  1 . The sole plate  17  is retained on the pressure plate  10  by the provision of circlips  13 , which have a cross-section wider than that of the bores and which are provided on the free ends of the pins  20  at the side  4  of the pressure plate  10  remote from the sole plate  17 . In its rest position, that is when the press-head  58  is not in a pressing position, the circlips  13  rest on outer surface  4  of pressure plate  10 , with the sole plate  17  hanging thereon.  
         [0027]    A spring  15  is provided about each pin  20  and extends between the pressure plate  10  and the sole plate  17 . Each spring  15  has a cross-section which is wider than its respective bore  1  to prevent the spring extending through the bore  1 .  
         [0028]    In use when the press shaft  50  is moved downwards the pressure plate  10  fixed thereto is moved down towards the pressing surface of the pressing table. The sole plate  17 , suspended by circlips  13  on the pressure plate  10 , is likewise lowered down towards the pressing surface. Once the sole plate  17  contacts the pressing surface further downward movement of the pressure plate moves the pressure plate  10  downwards along pins  20  (as best illustrated in FIG. 3) which increases the tension of springs  15  as the gap between the pressure plate and sole plate decreases and thereby increases the downward pressure of the sole plate  17  on the surface of the item to be pressed.  
         [0029]    Movement of the press-head along the surface of the garment enables the smoothing of creases with pressure from the pressure plate  10  via the springs  15  keeping the surface of the sole plate evenly pressed to the garments surface. However, when the sole plate encounters an uneven surface  5  to the garment, the sole plate  17  is able to lift from the garments surface, and effectively ride over such obstruction.  
         [0030]    As best illustrated in FIG. 3 if an obstruction  5  is encountered by the sole plate  17 , which obstruction in this instance is located in line with the central axis  3  of the sole plate  17 , the leading edge  6  of the sole plate  17  is lifted as it contacts the obstruction due to further and upward compression of the leading spring  15 A, causing lifting and tilting of pin  20 A within its bore  1 A. Once the portion of the sole plate carrying pin  20 A has passed the obstruction, this additional force to the spring  15 A is released and the leading edge  6  of the sole plate  17  is once again forced down to the pressing surface by the pressure exerted by the pressure plate  10 . As the sole plate  17  passes over the obstruction each spring  15 B, then  15 C is progressively compressed and then released enabling the sole plate to ride over the obstruction.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 illustrates the reaction of the sole plate  17  when it encounters an obstruction  5  located in its path, but to one side of the sole plate  17 . In this instance as the sole plate encounters the obstruction the sole plate is lifted from the side causing a progressive lift and tilt to each of the pins  20 A,  20 B,  20 C as springs  15 A,  15 B and  15 C are compressed, and then released once the obstruction has passed from under the sole plate  17 .  
         [0032]    The springs provide a cushioning effect by adjusting the pressure exerted by the press-head on to the pressing surface, enabling a self adjustment of the press-head when it encounters an obstruction, thereby reducing damage to items such as buttons and self adjusting the pressure it exerts enabling a more uniform pressing when different thicknesses of garment are encountered during movement of the press-head about the pressing surface. This eliminates or reduces the need for the operator to make appropriate adjustments.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second and non-limiting embodiment of press-head constructed in accordance with the present invention. This embodiment of press-head is similar to that of FIGS.  1  to  5 , but in this embodiment the sole plate  17  is supported by four pins  20  each with a spring  15 . In this arrangement two of the pins  20 D,  20 E are provided in line with the central axis  2 ,  3 , one either side of the press-head lifting axis provided by press shaft  50  and with pin  20 D spaced further from the shaft  50  to provide greater stability to the longer front end  6  of the sole plate  17 .  
         [0034]    Whilst the other two pins  20 F and  20 G are provided in line transversely to the central axis  2 ,  3  and in parallel with and equally spaced from said lifting axis  50 . As before corresponding bores are provided in the pressure plate  10  through which the pins  20 D,  20 E,  20 F and  20 G are mounted to suspend the sole plate  17 . This arrangement functions in the same manner as the pin arrangement described with respect to FIGS.  1  to  5  when the press-head moves across the pressing surface, but holds the sole plate more firmly when the sole plate is in the non-pressing position.  
         [0035]    It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specifically described pin arrangements and other arrangements of pins will be apparent to one skilled in the art which will enable the self levelling of the sole plate of the pressing head.  
         [0036]    It is to be noted that the sole plate may be heated by suitable known means.  
         [0037]    Also, it should be noted that the spring force of the springs can be selected to provide a certain pretension between the pressure plate and the sole plate to achieve a required pressing force and/or the press-head can be lowered to a predetermined level to compress the springs to a desired tension to adjust the pressing force of the press-head.  
         [0038]    Although the press-head has been described as being mounted to a garment press as described in UK Patent GB 2 318 591, it could be provided to other types of garment press which enable movement in alternative ways about the pressing surface while the invention has been described in detail and in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications can be made therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.