Patent GB-1161274-A (GB)
Title: Method and Apparatus for Shaping and Finishing a Garment
Inventor: FORSE HARRY DONALD
IPC: D06F73/00
Filed: 1968-02-29
Abstract: 1,161,274. Laundering. H. D. FORSE. 29 Feb., 1968 [16 March, 1967], No. 9841/68. Heading D1A. Garment shaping and finishing 'apparatus comprises a brick 50 haivng a chamber with openings 58 to the exterior enclosed in a fluid pervious garment supporting bag along with a stationary plate member 174 or 194, which can be engaged by a movable plate 24 or 26, mounted exteriorly of the bag, steam under pressure being supplied selectively through valves 88, 94 to the chamber and by respectively, air under pressure being supplied to the chamber through valve 84 and air being blown into the bag by a blower 98, the whole arrangement being controlled automatically. The apparatus comprises a base 14, an upright back portion 16 and a form enclosed by a fluid pervious bag, which may have zippered openings at the arm positions, sealed to base 14. The form comprises a hollow cast metal buck 50, with openings 58, mounted so as to form a chamber on the flange 62 surrounding a steam chest 60 connected by pipes 76, 78 to a steam supply. Buck 50 is (preferably covered with resilient porous padding material 224. The chamber is connected to air and steam supplies through solenoid operated valves 84, 88. Steam is supplied through solenoid operated valve 94, and steam diffuses 96, to bag 52 to which air is fed by a fan driven by a variable speed, drive mounted in the base 14. Within bag 52 are mounted shoulder expanders (36), 38 Fig. 3 (not shown) with semicircular rods at their upper ends and connected by an air cylinder 48 which adjusts the expanders. A thin flexible perforated pressing plate 20 is held by springs 242 against a series of adjustable rods 238 carried on a member adjustably movable in a bracket 232. Bracket 232 is adjustably mounted on shaft 230 rigidly mounted on a lever 166 which is actuated by a cylinder 128 to cause the press to press a garment placed on buck 50. Plates 24 and 26 are mounted respectively in a cover (28) Fig. 1 (not shown) mounted on base 14 and in upright 16 and are actuated respectively by two cylinders 132, 134 and by cylinder 130 to engage plates 174, 194 which may be of perforated sheet metal covered with porous padding. The five air cylinders 48, 128, 130, 132, 134 each comprise a spring 136 to return the piston to normal position when air pressure is removed from the cylinder and their input lines are all connected to the output line of a valve 140 which has input and exhaust lines 142 and 144 and is operated by a lever 146. A by-pass valve 160 operated by solenoid 162 is provided in the supply line to cylinder 128 closure of which prevents the lowering of plate 20. A valve 163 in the supply line to cylinder 134 is operated mechanically by a linkage when the plunger of cylinder 132 is fully extended. When a pedal is pressed, a rod 148 moves lever 146 to the right and holds it until released by solenoid 124 being de-energised sleeve stretchers are provided. The apparatus is controlled by three timers 110, 112, 114 each with a selector knob 116 and each comprising an electric motor driving one or more cams to operate electric switches. Timer 110 operates the switch for solenoid 118 which operates valve 88. Timer 112 operates the switches for solenoids 120 and 162 to operate valve 94 and valve 160. Timer 114 operates the switch for solenoid 122 of valve 84 and the switches for the fan motor 104 and solenoid 124. All the timers are energised through microswitch 126. A switch 119 for opening valve 88 to supply steam to the buck is operated by pedal 119. Alternative conventional timing devices such as solid state devices may be employed.