Patent GB-974472-A (GB)
Title: Improved ironing machine feeding apparatus
IPC: B65H45/04
Filed: 1961-02-10
Abstract: 974,472. Feeding and stacking sheets. H. J. WEIR. Feb. 9, 1962 [Feb. 10, 1961], No. 5036/61. Headings B6B and B6H. [Also in Division D1] A preparing and stacking unit for the preparation of articles for feeding to an ironing machine comprises lifting means 2 (Fig. 1) for detachably receiving a stack board and a flap 11 operable to grip the adjacent edge of an article on the top of a stack of articles on the board, the top of the stack being maintained at a constant level during stacking by automatic operation of the lifting means 2. A feeding unit is also described. Stacking unit. (Figs. 1, 2).-The lifting means 2 can be moved upwards using a hand-wheel 9, this movement extending a hydraulic ram 4 thereby sucking fluid into it from a tank 6 through a non-return valve. Fluid returns to the tank 6, allowing the means 2 to sink, only when a bleed valve is opened by a reduction of the air pressure on a diaphragm 24. The flap 11 can be pivoted against the pull of a spring 18 from a position with one edge pulled downwards towards the means 2 to the position shown (Fig. 1) by actuating a foot-pedal-operated valve 19 to admit compressed air to a cylinder 12, thereby extending a piston linked to a spindle 14 linked to the flap 11. In stacking, one article is laid on a board resting on the means 2 which are as high as possible, and the valve 19 is operated to exhaust cylinder 12 and bring the flap 11 over to clamp one edge of the article to the board. Then the article is pulled by hand to remove wrinkles and the flap 11 withdrawn to the Fig. 1 position. The part of the article not resting on the board is folded by hand to overlap that on the board, the end being laid on the flap 11. A second article is then laid on top as shown in Fig. 5D. The flap 11 is brought over to clamp this article, thereby interlocking the articles. As the stack increases in height due to the addition of articles, the piston in the cylinder 12 cannot withdraw as far during clamping, so the spindle 14 will eventually not contact a lever which, unless pushed, holds open a stack measure valve 22 which tends to exhaust excess pressure on the diaphragm 24. Thus the means 2 sink to maintain the top of the stack at a constant level. Compressed air is supplied from a manifold 21 through the valve 19 both to the cylinder 12 and to the diaphragm 24, to the latter through the valve 22. In order therefore to prevent the diaphragm pressure being much reduced when the cylinder 12 is exhausted by operation of the valve 19, compressed air is also supplied to the diaphragm 24 through the valve 22 (but not through the valve 19), when the lever of the valve 22 is pushed. When the stack has reached its maximum height, a whistle sounds. An alternative method of charging the hydraulic cylinder 4 with tank fluid involves a pressuresealed tank, compressed air being applied on top of the fluid. Feeding unit. (Fig. 7).-The feeding unit has a pair of horizontal lift arms 30 on which the board stacked with articles is placed. A feed roller 34 on top of the unit feeds the articles one by one by friction on to a conveyer belt 35 from which they go into the ironing machine. The conveyer is motor-driven through a variablespeed belt drive and can therefore be matched in speed with the ironing machine. The roller 34 is geared to the conveyer 35 to move more slowly than it so that the overlapping of the articles as they pass over the roller 34 is just removed by the time they enter the ironing machine. The arms 30 are lifted by an hydraulic ram when a solenoid connects the motor to an oil pump supplying the ram. The solenoid is energized through switches controlled by a flap 46 which rests on top of the stack of articles, so that as an article is fed off the stack, the flap 46 falls and the pump is operated to raise the arms 30. A limit switch is also provided to protect the ram and solenoid when the arms 30 are at the maximum height.