Patent GB-1130979-A (GB)
Title: Seam ironing mechanism
IPC: D06F69/00
Filed: 1966-08-10
Abstract: 1,130,979. Endless conveyers. MAN-SEW CORP. 10 Aug., 1966 [23 Aug., 1965], No. 35913/66. Heading B8A. [Also in Division D1] A seam ironing mechanism, having a separator and guide for the free edges of the seam, wherein the garment section is conveyed between a buck which it encloses and a heated member which engages the seam to iron the free edges flat, comprises conveying devices for the garment which include rollers applying pressure to the garment section being ironed transversely to its direction of movement. Shafts 20, 21 journalled in the machine frame carry pulleys 22, 23 on which run V-belts 24, 25, 26, shaft 21 being driven. The lower ply of the garment engages V-belt 26 and its upper ply is engaged by V-belt 52 carried on pulleys 42, 83, 50 and 51, its upper run being engaged by pulley 93. Pulleys 50, 51 are carried on stud shafts 48, 49 on rocker arm 47. Mounted above V-belt 52 are concentric shafts 78, 79 and arms 80, 81 and 90, 91 are fastened to the front and rear of shafts 78, 79 respectively. Arms 80, 81 and 90, 91 carry respectively stud shafts 82, 92 with the pulleys 83, 93 and anchoring pins 84, 94 connected by springs 87, 97 to bolts 86, 96. Thus the tension on belt 52 may be adjusted by adjusting bolts 86, 96. Pulleys 99, 100 support belt 26 between pulleys 22, 23. Mounted on the plate 10 of the machine frame are upper members 70, 71, 72, 73 and lower members 170, 171, 172, 173 each carrying a roller assembly which applies pressure to the upper or lower ply of the fabric. Each member comprises a hub portion 110 secured to plate 10 and spaced therefrom a portion 112 which portions 110, 112 carry bearings for a longitudinally and rotarily movable support 114, having journals to receive a driven shaft 115. A bevel gear 117 on shaft 115 drives a bevel gear 140 on a shaft 139, journalled in a member 135 mounted on support 114, which carries a pressure roller 141. Member 70 has a slot 118 in its upper portion and in line with it is a notch 124 a plate 119 on hub portion 110. Fitting round support 114 is a tube holder 120 with a clamp portion 121 and a stud shaft 122 carrying a roller 123 which slides in notch 124. When clamp portion 121 is tight it prevents angular movement of holder 120 and support 114. Lateral movement of support 114 is opposed by spring 125, the pressure on which is adjustable. Members 71-73 and 170-173 are similar and carry rollers 142-148 all driven by an endless chain 157 engaging sprockets on shafts 115 and driven by a power source which may be coupled to the sewing machine. Also driven from source 162 is a belt 175 carried on driven pulley 176 and idler pulleys 177, (178), Fig. 2 (not shown), one of which is adjustable to assist in movement of the garment by conveying the opened free margins of the joined fabric. Shaft 180 through sprockets drives V-belt 52. Buck 185 has a thin flexible fabric plies separator 186 extending in front of nose section 187 carried on a tapered body 188 carrying rollers 189, 190 engaging ramps (191), Fig. 8 (not shown), 192. An endless belt 198 engages and is moved by the fabric and is provided with a guard 199. A similar roller and belt arrangement can be employed at the top and bottom of the " buck " or surfaces covered with material having a low coefficient of friction can be provided. Inserts 201, 202, e.g. one for each pressure roller, are mounted in recesses in the " buck " so as to be independently movable laterally and held in position by belt 198. Heat is applied to the fabric by at least one " pod " 205 made up of metal plates 206, 207 heated by electric heaters controlled by a thermistor, thermocouple, bulb or the like. The heaters are attached to a heat insulator 209 on a mounting plate 208 attached to the shaft 210 of thrusting member 211 supported by plate 212. Rollers (213), Fig. 10 (not shown), 214 attached to plate 208 roll on plate 212 as " pod " 205 is thrust forward by member 211, e.g. an air or other fluid operated piston or solenoid, operated into engagement with belt 175. Further " pods " may be provided adjacent belt 175. Steam is supplied through tubing 215 through a solenoid valve operated when the "pod" engages belt 175. The " pods " are controlled by a member 225 driven by a drive source 160 and having a governor-type actuator for switches 226, 227 so that the " pods " can successively be brought into action as the speed of operation of the sewing machine and ironing machine increase. Where a portion of the seam is of increased thickness, inserts 201, 202, shift laterally to accommodate this.