Patent GB-561371-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to laundry ironing machines
IPC: D06F65/08
Filed: 1942-10-14
Abstract: 561,371. Machinery safety devices. FISHER, I. M. Oct. 14, 1942, No. 14381. [Class 80 (iv)] [Also in Group VIII] A machine for ironing and pressing articles such as handkerchiefs, serviettes, &c. comprises a padded roller 9 having a controlled, intermittent, angular movement about its axis, a heated bed 15 disposed to the rear of the roller and normally pressed against it, a feed clamp 16 between which and the roller the leading edge of the article to be treated is inserted while the roller is stationary, means for raising the clamp operated by the body of the operator when assuming a position to insert the edge of the article under the clamp, and interlocking means between the mechanism driving the roller and the feed clamp to prevent rotation of the roller unless the 'feed clamp is in its lowered position in contact with or close to the article.. As shown, an endless band 56 passes around most of the periphery of the roller 9 and around guide rollers 33, 34, 35, 44, the rollers 34, 35 being carried by a framework, formed by a plate 29 and members 27, 28, which is rotatably mounted at its inner end by split sleeves 54, 55 on the roller shaft 9b and is supported by lugs 32 on the end frames 1, 2 of the machine. The roller 35 is adjustable along the members 27, 28. The roller 33 is journalled in levers 37, 37a respectively freely rotatable on and fixed to a shaft 38 which is carried by brackets 30, 31 on the frame members 27, 28. A lever 39 fixed to the shaft 38 between the brackets 31 and lever 37, has adjustable screw connections 40, 41 therewith by means of which the roller 33 may be moved parallel to itself to vary the tension of the endless band or may be inclined to correct sideways movement of the band. The bed 15, heated by steam, gas, or electricity, is supported by rollers 46 running on fixed tracks 47 and is pressed against the endless band 56 and ironing roller 9 by a pneumatic cylinder 14 moving over a fixed piston 13 and retractable by springs 15a. The roller shaft 9b is driven from an electric motor 10 through a clutch 12, spur reduction gear 11, and sprocket gearing 21, 20a, 20, slack in the chain 20a being taken up by a compound jockey sprocket 22, Figs. 1, 8, mounted on a bracket 23 pivoted at 24 in the frame 1. The other part 22a of the sprocket 22 drives, through a chain 25, a sprocket wheel 25a compounded with a circular cam 26 on the pivot 24, the ratios of the various sprockets being such that the cam 26 makes a complete revolution for rotation of the ironing roller 9 through an angle less than 180‹, preferably an angle of 160‹. The clamp 16, carried by hinged arms 16a, is pressed against the roller 9 by springs 17 and retracted by a pneumatic cylinder 49 or hydraulic means. The clutch 12 is operated by a solenoid (not shown) in a circuit controlled by a press button 50 on the operator's platform 50a, a normally-open limit switch 51 arranged in parallel with the button 50 being closable by a bellcrank 52 which carries, a roller 52a riding on the cam 26 to hold the switch 51 closed until the roller engages a depressiori 26a in the cam to open the switch. To render the roller driving mechanism inoperative as long as the clamp 16 is in its raised position, a normally-open limit switch 53 (or switches) is arranged in circuit to the solenoid controlling the clutch 12 and is closed by engagement therewith of the clampcarrying lever 16a (or both levers) when the clamp is in operative position. As the clamp lifts, the switch (or switches) opens. All the switches are wired in series with each other and in the circuit controlling the rotation of the roller 9 so that when the clamp is raised it is impossible to rotate the roller 9. In use, the operator leans towards the machine to place the edge of the article to be treated, under the clamp 16 and, in so doing, presses on a hinged guard 48 which opens an air valve 48a to admit air to the cylinder 49 thus raising the clamp 16. The edge of the article is then placed under the clamp on the band 56 and rotation of the ironing roller initiated by foot-operation of the push button 50. Owing to the switch 53, the circuit to the solenoid controlling the clutch 12 is not completed unless the clamp 16 is in contact with or close to the edge of the article, thus preventing the hands of the operator from being trapped between the clamp and the band. When the switch 53 is closed and the button 50 depressed, the roller 9 begins to rotate and, with it, the cam 26, and the roller 52a engaging the cam is moved out of the depression 26a therein and the switch 51 is closed although foot-pressure on the button 50 is released. The article is thus drawn under the clamp 16 and fed to the bed 15 until the cam 26 has completed a revolution and the roller 52a again engages'the depression 26a, thus opening the switch 51, disconnecting the clutch 12, and stopping rotation of the ironing roller, the article remaining between the bed 15 and roller 9. The same cycle of operations is then repeated by the operator pressing on the guard plate 48 to insert a fresh article in the machine. After passing the bed 15, each article travels with the band 56 around the roller 44 and finally on' to the horizontal plate 29, the distance between the rollers 44, 34 being such that, between each stoppage of the roller 9, a fresh article is brought into the delivery position between the rollers 34, 35. Means are described for enabling the endless band 56 to be passed over the shaft of the roller 9 without removing the shaft from its bearings. The invention may be applied to a machine without an endless band, the articles travelling in direct contact with the roller 9 and being removed therefrom after passing the steam bed, or allowed to travel round to the front of the machine for removal by the operator.