Abstract:
Apparatus and method for pressing the sleeves of a shirt and the pleated areas of the sleeves adjacent the cuffs during the same pressing operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to apparatus and method for pressing the sleeves of a long sleeve shirt and more particularly, to apparatus and method capable of pressing the sleeves, the pleats and the adjacent areas of the sleeves just above the cuffs during the same pressing operation. 
   The sleeve of a standard long sleeved shirt is manufactured with a pleat just above the cuff on the outside edge of the shirt while wearing it. This pleat is present due to the fact that the sleeve diameter is larger than the cuff diameter causing the gathering of the material, hence the pleat. 
   Machines for pressing the sleeves of a shirt are commercially available such as the cabinet style bag sleever Model CSL which has been manufactured and sold by the assignee of this invention, Hoffman-New Yorker, Inc. and which is generally illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,716 B1 which is commonly owned by Hoffman-New Yorker, Inc. As illustrated in that patent, those machines generally include a pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending, sleeve bucks with inflatable air bags attached to the front and rear faces of the bucks. At the upper end of each of the bucks is a pneumatically operated T-clamp for holding the cuffs of the shirt in place during a sleeve pressing operation. To press the sleeves, at an accessible loading station, with the back of the shirt facing an operator, the operator passes the shoulders of the shirt over the cuff clamps and the shirt is fully extended downwardly with the sleeves over the bucks. The cuffs of the shirt are positioned under the open T-clamps and the clamps are then closed to lock the cuffs in place with the pleats of the shirt resting against the rear face of the bucks. Low pressure air is then supplied to the air bags to expand the sleeve cavity and remove wrinkles from the sleeves, and the shirt is then tensioned to define the pleats. The bucks are then moved from the loading station to a pressing station within a pressing cabinet and movable steam heated pressing heads are then applied against the sleeves and the bucks for a predetermined period of time under the control of a timer. Upon completion of the timed cycle, the bucks are returned from the pressing cabinet to the loading station and upon movement out of the cabinet the clamps are automatically opened thereby releasing the cuffs. The sleeves and the shirt are then removed upwardly from the bucks. This is generally the manner in which the apparatus illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,716 is operated. 
   When the shirt is removed from the press, the pleat is then pressed by a secondary operation separate from the machine and is normally performed on an ironing board with a hand iron. 
   It certainly is desirable to be able to press the pleats on the sleeve of the shirt during the same sleeve pressing operation, and thereby eliminate the separate manual pleat pressing operation. This would provide a more efficient, reliable and economical machine and would save substantial time and labor associated with the overall pressing operation. 
   While the CSL machine illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,060 has enjoyed substantial commercial success, applicants have recognized the need to improve the construction and operation of that machine and the invention as described below was developed to satisfy that need. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel machine for pressing the sleeves of a long sleeved shirt and the pleated areas of the sleeves just above the cuff during the same pressing operation. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide the above novel pressing machine which includes separate pleat pressing heads mounted within the pressing cabinet and actuatable to press the pleats as the sleeves are being pressed at the pressing station. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide the above novel machine wherein the main sleeve pressing heads and pressing bucks are somewhat modified from those used in prior standard machines such as the CSL machine to accommodate separate pleat pressing heads which press the pleats of the sleeves during the same pressing operation. 
   Still another object of the invention is to provide the above novel machine wherein the pleat pressing heads are operated independently of the main pressing heads of the machine. 
   It is apparent that applicants&#39; novel machine as described above and its method of operation, eliminate the need to press the pleats by way of a secondary operation such as by using a hand iron and traditional ironing board. In addition, if a shirt does not have pleats, the pleat pressing heads need not be activated and the machine can be used in a conventional manner. 
   Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of the invention wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the shirt sleeve pressing machine of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the machine taken along line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1  illustrating the main bucks position in an outer accessible sleeve loading station; 
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary front elevational view taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2  illustrating the pleat pressing head as it is positioned within the pressing cabinet; 
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary rear, left side perspective view taken within the pressing cabinet and illustrating one of the pleat pressing heads mounted within the cabinet, with the head being illustrated in a rearward deactivated position; 
       FIG. 5  is a fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 4  but illustrating the pleat pressing head in an activated forward pleat pressing position; 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 4  but taken from the right side of the pleat pressing head; 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but taken from the right side of the pleat pressing head; 
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary schematic illustration of a sleeve pressing buck initially positioned in a forward operator accessible station and then positioned at the pressing station within the pressing cabinet adjacent the pleat pressing head which is actuatable to press the pleats of the sleeves as the sleeves themselves are being pressed; and 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic plan view of the sleeve pressing bucks and heads and the pleat pressing heads as they are mounted within the pressing cabinet. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the shirt sleeve pressing machine of the invention includes a pair of laterally spaced sleeve pressing buck assemblies  22  and  24  mounted at their lower ends on a pan  26  which is moveable between a forward operator accessible loading station  28  and a rearward pressing station  30  within the upper portion  32  of cabinet  34 . Each buck assembly  22  and  24  includes an upright padded buck plate  35  connected at its lower end to pan  26  and front and rear air inflatable bags  36  and  37  attached respectively to the front and rear faces  38  and  39  of buck  35 . Pneumatically operated cuff clamp assemblies  40  and  41  are fixed to the upper end of each buck plate  35 . 
   The construction of machine  20  described thusfar is essentially the same as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,716 except that the upper end  42  of inflatable bag  37  terminates a distance below clamps  40  and  41  to expose the upper portion  44  of rear face  39  of buck plates  35  for a purpose to be described hereinbelow. 
   Generally speaking, to press the sleeves of a shirt the buck assemblies  22  and  24  are first located at the accessible loading station  28  and, with the back of the shirt facing the operator, the shoulders of the shirt are passed over the cuff clamp assemblies  40  and  41  and the collar of the shirt is pressed downwardly so that the left sleeve of the shirt fully extends downwardly on buck assembly  22  and the right sleeve of the shirt fully extends downwardly on buck assembly  24 , with the seams of the sleeves in position over the front air bags  36 . The operator then places the cuff under tension clip  101  and the cuff seams on either side of the cuff button plackets behind the pneumatic cuff clamps  43  facing the center of the machine, the cuff clamps then being activated thereby pinning the cuff seams in place. The operator then uses foot pedal  48  to activate a blower which expands the air bags  36  and  37  of each buck assembly  22  and  24 . Using the cuff seam clamps and expansion bags  36  and  37  to apply tension, the operator smoothes the sleeves by working the material downward while aligning the sleeve seams on the front bags  36 . The tension provided by the operator pulling the sleeves away from the cuff clamps and against the air bags smoothes the shirt sleeves and helps fold and set the cuff seams. 
   The operator then tensions and smoothes the pleat area of the sleeves above the cuff against the exposed padded portion  44  of rear faces  39  of padded buck plates  35  while further tensioning and reinforcing the pleat folds using the cuff tensioning clips  101  and textured areas provided on the outside surface of air bags  36  and  37 . When the sleeves of the shirt are properly dressed on buck assemblies  22  and  24 , pan  26  and buck assemblies  22  and  24  are moved rearwardly from station  28  to the pressing station  30  within upper cabinet section  32  wherein buck assembly  22  is positioned in standard fashion between steam heated side pressing heads  50  and  52  and buck assembly  24  is positioned between steam heated pressing heads  54  and  56  in conventional fashion. Heads  50  and  52  and heads  54  and  56  are closable in known fashion upon the sides of the buck plates  35  of buck assemblies  22  and  24  to press the sleeves. 
   In accordance with this invention, separate pneumatically operated pleat pressing head assemblies  60  and  62  are mounted within cabinet  32  via brackets  64  and  66 , respectively, which are fixed to a frame member  68  which is part of the cabinet  34 . Assembly  60  is mounted within cabinet portion  32  in adjacent operating relationship with buck assembly  22  and main pressing heads  50  and  52 . Similarly, assembly  62  is mounted within cabinet portion  32  in adjacent operating relationship with buck assembly  24  and main pressing heads  54  and  56 . Only assembly  62  is shown in  FIGS. 3-7 . 
   Each pleat pressing head assembly  60  and  62  includes a pneumatic cylinder  70  fastened to bracket  64 , a pleat pressing head  72  which has a contoured pressing surface  74  adapted to mate with a contoured rear face  44  of bucks  35 . Head  72  is connected to the piston rod  76  of cylinder  70  by a self aligning coupling  77  which includes a coil spring  78  the inner end of which is fixed to piston rod  76  and the outer end of which is fixed to a separate shaft or stem  80  which is fixed to head  72 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , head assemblies  60  and  62  are mounted to extend angularly outwardly from the center of upper cabinet portion  32  toward buck assemblies  22  and  24 , respectively. Each inner pressing head  52  and  54  has a recess or cut-out  90  at its rear corner to provide clearance for pleat head  72  and a line  92  feeding steam to the head as the pleat head moves into engagement with a buck  35  (see FIGS.  6  and  7 ). 
   When buck assemblies  22  and  24  are positioned between main heads  50  and  52  and  54  and  56  respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  7 ,  8  and  9 , the pleat pressing heads  72  operatively oppose the exposed portion  44  of rear face  39  and are adapted to press the pleats of the sleeve which are resting against portion  44 . To complete the sleeve pressing operation, air cylinder  70  is actuated to extend pressing heads  72  forwardly into engagement with the pleats  100  resting on portions  44  thereby pressing the pleats (FIGS.  5  and  7 ). After the auxiliary heads  72  have completed the pleat press they are retracted and main steam heated heads  50 ,  52 ,  54  and  56  will then be closed to engage against the sleeves and press them against the sides of the bucks. At the end of the pressing cycle, main heads  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56  along with cuff clamps  40  and  41  will be released and air bags  36  and  37  are deflated. A pair of release timers control the length of the finishing cycle, and when the set time expires the main heads and the auxiliary heads will open and the bucks will return to the loading position  28  in readiness for the next shirt pressing operation. 
   As already mentioned, the front surface  74  of auxiliary heads  72  is contoured to mate with the upper contoured surface  44  of buck plates  35  to ensure that the pleated area of the sleeves is properly pressed. Also as mentioned, the flexible self aligning coupling  77 , which is universally adjustable, also ensures that the contoured surface  74  of heads  72  properly mates with surface  44  to enhance the finishing step for the pleats on the shirt. 
   It is readily apparent that the invention as described readily accomplishes the objects set forth initially hereinabove. By using the machine of the invention an operator may press the sleeves of the shirt and also the pleated portions of the sleeve located just above the cuffs. This provides for a much more efficient, cost effective, and time saving operation and eliminates the need for separately pressing the pleats of a shirt after the sleeves of the shirt have been pressed as was the common practice with prior conventional machines. 
   The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.