Patent GB-769393-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to feeders for feeding textile articles to calender ironing machines
IPC: D06F67/04
Filed: 1955-05-23
Abstract: 769,393. Ironing. LIGHTBURN & SON, Ltd., J. W., and SWIFT, J. May 23, 1955, No. 14862/55. Class 138 (2). A device for spreading textile articles comprises a continuous conveyer device with one or more stretcher tracks 23 extending across the direction of travel of the conveyer and adapted to be coupled thereto, a pair of grips 30 movable on the or each stretcher track for gripping an article to be spread, and tensioning means (33, 34) for pulling the grips 30 outwardly across the conveyer whereby an article may be stretched laterally. The articles are fed from the spreading device on to a conveyer band feeder (not shown) which spreads the articles longitudinally ready for feeding edge-to-edge to an ironing-machine. The conveyer comprises two duplex chains 16 extending between chain-wheels 15, 17, the chain wheels 17 being mounted on a shaft 14 carrying a smooth-surfaced drum 18, while the chain wheels 15 are mounted on a shaft 13 driven by an electric motor or by coupling to the ironing-machine. The stretcher tracks 23 are rigidly fixed to sprocket spindles 24 which are formed of square section for part of their length, as shown at 25, this square section part preventing the stretcher tracks from rotating by engaging in continuous tracks 20 located adjacent the paths of the two chains 16. The stretcher tracks are coupled to the chains 16 by means of sprocket wheels 22 which are prevented from rotating except at a loading position by means of square section bosses on the wheels 22 which engage in the tracks 20. The part of the track 20 engaging the sprocket wheel bosses 21 is cut away as shown at 26 in Fig. 2, thereby allowing the sprocket-wheels 22 to rotate freely and stopping the stretcher tracks 23. The stretcher tracks can be recoupled to the chains 16 by depressing a pedal 40 pivoted on a shaft 41 carrying a pawl 43 adapted to engage a notch 44 in a vertically slidable shaft 45. This shaft 45 is coupled to a bell-crank lever 48, 51 pivoted at 49 and carrying a weight 47. The bell-crank lever is connected by a link 54 and arm 55 to mechanism illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 (not shown) for advancing the sprocket wheel bosses 21 to a position on the tracks 20 beyond the gap 26, thereby recoupling the tracks 23 to the chains 16. Each grip 30 comprises a fixed element 31 and a pivoted element 32 which can be swung by the operator into a position to grip a corner of the article. At the loading position the two grips of each track are held in their innermost position by means of a catch 35 engaging hooks 37 on the grips 30 and adapted to be released by a device 39 when the stretcher track commences its upward movement. Weights 34 connected by cords 33 to the grips 30 then move the grips outwardly and spread the article laterally. When the leading edge of the article has just passed around to the underside of the drum 18 the grips 30 strike release rollers 70, thereby releasing the grips and allowing the article to fall freely as it is wound off the drum. The grips 30 then engage return rails 72 which force them inwardly as the stretcher tracks move downwardly. If a stretcher track is at the loading position when a second track comes around towards this position the first track is automatically released by a second track striking automatic release levers 74 on the shaft 41, thus lifting the pawls 43 clear of the notch 44 in the same way as if the operator had depressed the pedal 40.