Patent GB-715271-A (GB)
Title: Control means for laundry folding devices
Inventor: WOODWARD STANLEY
IPC: D06F89/00
Filed: 1951-04-05
Abstract: 715,271.. Folding fabrics; ironing-machines. BAKER PERKINS, Ltd. April 4. 1952 [April 5, 1951], No. 7904/51. Classes 42 (2) and 138 (2) Control means for a multi-lane ironing machine having sheet folding devices associated with each lane comprises means locatable between adjacent lanes of the machine for detecting the passage of an article wider than the lane it occupies, electric switch means operaated by the detecting means, and circuit means operable upon opening or closing of the switch means to cause adjacent folding devices associated with ironer lanes, occupied wholly or in part by the article, to carry out their folding operations simultaneously as a single folding unit for the article. As shown, a detector 6 is located at the delivery end of a two-lane ironer between the two lanes 4, 5 and comprises three fingers 1, 2 and 3 adapted to contact the ironer delivery plate 8. The detector controls folding devices, associated with the two lanes, of the type described in Specification 618,157 in which an article is folded by gripping and raising its leading edge while the rest of the article travels on beneath. When an article which is appreciably wider than one lane is delivered by the ironer it raises all three fingers 1-3 simultaneously to break an electric circuit and thereby operate a relay to connect in series switches, normally independent, for actuating the folding devices in the two lanes. With the folder control circuit so conditioned operation of either of said switches by the leading edge of the article will cause both folding devices to operate simultaneously. Where a number of banks of folders are provided for effecting two or more successive folds on the articles, circuit means are provided whereby the conditioning of the folders of one bank serves to condition the circuit controlling the folders of the subsequent bank to' cause the latter to operate also as a single unit when they are clear of work and are reached by the overwidth article ; the arrangement is such that the latter circuit, when conditioned, becomes independent of the fold circuit of the preceding folders which can then be controlled according to the size of the articles following up. Instead of detector 6 being constructed as shown, it may consist of a coiled wire with its axis transverse to the direction of. feed, normally contacting plate 8 and arranged so that lifting of one part of the coil does not displace other parts thereof, or the detector may comprise a photo-electric device of transversely extensive form which maintains the control circuit until entirely masked from its associated light source; or detector means may be used which are closed by the passage of an article, the control circuit being modified accordingly. Where work is fed manually to the two ironer lanes, simultaneous feeding of overwidth articles to both lanes may be avoided by providing at the feed end of the ironer an indicating device such as an arrow for indicating the junction between the lanes ; or detecting means similar to that at the discharge end may be provided at the feed end which operate to control automatic feed as desired or to operate an audible or visible signal on the feeding of an oversize article. Where the ironer includes more than two lanes, a detector is situated between each pair of adjacent lanes; the folders for all the lanes will be ganged for very wide articles, or some of the lanes may be ganged while others continue to operate independently.