Patent GB-135328-A (GB)
IPC: D06F71/04
Abstract: 135,328. Goold, L. W., (American Laundry Machinery Co.). Dec. 5, 1918. Ironing - machines with pressing action only.-A pressure ironing-machine, comprising an upper buck mounted on a swinging arm and adapted to co-operate with a fixed lower steam-heated buck is so arranged that when the upper buck is lowered into contact with the fixed buck by treadle mechanism, an automaticallycontrolled motor is then operated to press the bucks together. Means are also provided for locking the various treadle mechanisms to prevent any mishandling of the machine during the pressing operation. The machine comprises a standard 2, Fig. 1, supporting a hollow column 6 carrying the lower buck, which consists of a perforated plate 14, Fig. 7, covered by padding. Steam is admitted to the interior of the column 6 and escapes to the underside of the perforated plate when the valve 16 is opened by depressing the steam pedal 25, Fig. 1. Depending from the buck outside the column 6 is a vacuum pipe fitted with an upwardly-acting valve arranged to cause air to be drawn through the padding and perforated surface of the buck. The lower end of this valve-rod is shown at 34, Fig. 4, passing out through a right-angle bend in the vacuum pipe. A forked lever 186 opens the valve when the releasing-treadle 153 is depressed. The upper buck 36, Fig. 1. is swung downwards against the action of the spring 40, by depressing the closing treadle 43, Figs. 1 and 4. This movement straightens the toggle-links 58, 63 through the linkage 47, 49, 56. The upward movement of the links 56 also actuates a switch to start the motor as explained below. The motor revolves the gear-wheel 78 and the attached cams 173, 80. The cam 80 rocks a lever 91 against the action of a spring 93, and thus pushes a stop 85 forward to prevent the closing-treadle 43 from being raised. A crank-pin on the gear-wheel 78 rocks a slotted lever attached to the socket 71 and straightens a second toggle 58, 60 to press the upper buck against the lower buck with considerable force. When the bucks are pressed together, a disk crank on the shaft 79 again actuates the switch to stop the motor. The cam 173 operates a lever 170 which pushes a hooked rod 164 up out of the way of the forked arm 158 on the release treadle 153. When the motor is stopped, the cam is in such a position that the rod is engaged by the arm, thus permitting the release treadle to start the motor a second time through the rods 164. 143, 127. The continued movement of the motor restores the small pressure toggle to relieve the pressure between the bucks, and allows the spring 93 to remove the stop 85, so that the continued movement of the release treadle can raise the main treadle to open the bucks. Finally, the disk crank on the shaft 79 against actuates the switch to stop the motor, and the cam 173 again raises the rod 164 from the path of the release treadle, thus leaving the machine in its initial position ready for another operation. The switch mechanism is shown in Fig. 9 and comprises two axially-moving members 111, 127. The member 127 carries a lateral arm fitted with pairs of contacts, while the member 111 carries insulated' metal plates adapted to bridge the contacts and close the circuits. The operation of actuating the switch consists in moving the members between two set positions, characterized, in the case of the member 111, by the engagement of a spring pin with one or other of the notches 101, 102, and, in the case of the member 127, by the engagement of a similar pin with the notches 128, 129. The first closing of the switch to start the motor is performed by moving the bar 127 upwards so that the spring pin is transferred from the notch 129 to the notch 128. This movement takes place on the depression of the closing- treadle, which causes the bar 139, Fig. 4, to rotate the bell-crank lever 138, and the attached spring trip-pawl engaging the head 133. On the reverse movement of the treadle, the pawl is tripped by the head in passing. When the pressure has been applied to the bucks, the motor is stopped by the downward movement of the member 111. The disk crank 124, operated by the motor, has a pin-and-slot connexion with the rod 114 and, at this stage, first draws the rod downwards against the action of an upper spring 117 until the nut 115 abuts against the end of the tube 111. Further movement of the rod then displaces the tube until it is freed from the notch 101. The spring 117 then forces the tube down rapidly until the notch 102 is engaged. The actuation of the release treadle pulls the member 127 downwards to re-start the motor through the linkage 164, 143, while the disk crank 124 finally stops the motor at the completion of the operation by moving the member 111 upwards to its original position through a further nut and spring at the lower end of the rod 114. Fig. 10 shows the construction of one of the switch contacts comprising a spring-pressed carbon brush secured in the tube 146 by the cap 150.