Patent GB-613592-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in garment-pressing machines
IPC: D06F71/06
Filed: 1946-06-20
Abstract: 613,592. Ironing - presses. BRAITHWAITE & SON, ENGINEERS, Ltd., I., and MANSFIELD, W. June 20, 1946, No. 18523. [Class 138(ii)] Relates to pneumatically-operated pressing machines of the kind having a swivelling head 1 carried by a pivoted arm 3 so as to be brought into pressing contact with a stationary buck 2 by means including a pneumatically-operated piston H working in a pivoted cylinder H<1>, a series of links and levers, and a pair of rocking camshaped levers A. According to the invention, the levers A are fulcrumed at 6 below the pivot 4 of the arm 3, and the movement of the piston H is transmitted to the head through a lever O which is pivotally connected at one end to the free end of a pivoted link W and has its other end connected by a link T to a pivot a<2> carried by the levers A; rollers P mounted at the pivotal connection of the levers O, W are arranged during the initial closing movement of the press to engage faces a of the levers A which are concentric with the pivot 6 of those levers, and, when the head is nearly in contact with the buck, to pass on to inclined faces a<1> of the levers A where they exert a substantially tangential thrust and increase the pressure on the head. The cylinder H<1> is of double-acting type, and the piston H is connected to the lever O by a rod J. The arm 3 is connected by a link X at the pivot a<2> to the levers A. The head is raised by releasing air pressure on the underside of the piston H and applying pressure to the top face, this movement being assisted by a counterweight Y on the arm 3 or weights on the cam levers A. A spring-pressed plunger Z prevents shock when the link W returns to its initial position, and excessive movement of the rollers P on the cam faces a<1> is prevented by buffers Z<1> mounted on the cam levers A. The movement of the arm 3 in either direction is checked at the ends of its travel by a dashpot 10 which is acted upon through rollers 11, 12 by cam faces 13, 14 on the levers A. The air supply to the cylinder H<1> is controlled by two air valve units 21, one of which comprises as shown in Fig. 4, an air-supply inlet valve 22, a valve 23 controlling an exhaust pipe 26, and a pipe 25 connecting it to the lower end of the cylinder H<1>. The second unit 21, which is not shown, is arranged behind the first unit, but with its inlet valve 22 and exhaust valve 23 in reversed position; the pipe 25 of the second unit is connected to the upper end of the cylinder H<1>. Both valve units are operated by a lever 30 pivoted at 31 so that, when the inlet valve 22 of one unit is open, the exhaust valve 23 of the other unit is also open, and viceversa. A weight 32 maintains the lever 30 normally in a position such that the head is raised. Movement of lever 30 is controlled by two push-buttons 33, which are arranged for two-hand control, and are connected, respectively, to levers 37, 38. The lever 38 is secured on a rotatable shaft 39 and the lever 37 is pivoted at 41 to a lever 40, which is also secured on the shaft 39. The lever 37 is connected to the lever 30 by a link 44. With this arrangement both push-buttons must be depressed, as shown in Fig. 4, in order to operate the lever 30 sufficiently to operate the two valve units 21 so that air pressure is supplied to the lower part of cylinder H<1> and the press is closed. If either button is depressed alone, the lever 30 does not move to the extent necessary to operate the valve units 21, the exhaust and inlet valves of which remain partly open, and the counterweight Y tends to bring the head to open position. When the press is closed and final pressure applied, a rubberfaced buffer 60 on one of the cam levers A rocks a bell-crank 52 so as to cause a spring-loaded arm 55 to move a lever 48; a catch 50 on the lever 48 then engages a projection 51 on the link 44, thus locking the lever system. To release the press, a lever 61 is depressed so as to disengage the catch 50 from the projection 51. In order to provide for tandem operation, wherein the closing of one press releases the other, a single-acting air cylinder 63 may be arranged in the control of each press. Each cylinder 63 is connected to the pipe 25 of the other press through a valve 64. According to the Provisional Specification, the tandem control described in Specification 530,304 may be used.