Patent GB-773936-A (GB)
Title: Shirt or the like body pressing machine
IPC: D06F71/34
Filed: 1955-08-22
Abstract: 773,936. Pressing machines. STRIKE, L. N. Aug. 22, 1955, No. 24083/55. Class 138 (2). A machine for pressing shirt bodies and the like comprises a frame 20 having a dressing station 53 and a pressing station 54, a buck 24 adapted to mount a shirt body and movable along track means 21 extending between the stations 53, 54, means to move the buck 24 along the track first in one direction and then in the other, a normally closed source of heated shirt pressing air, means to couple this source to the buck 24 when at the pressing station, a pair of pressing platens 32 normally spaced to receive the buck therebetween, and means to move the platens to pressing position against the front and back of a shirt draped on the buck 24. Buck mounting and moving means.-The buck 24 is mounted on a carriage 22 having wheels 57 adapted to run on a pair of spaced horizontal tubes 51 constituting the track means 21. The buck comprises a generally flat perforated hollow core 67 connected to the interior of a tube 58 mounted on the carriage 22 and closed at one end 59. The core 67 is covered with layers of steel wool or like material 69 and fine mesh fabric 70 such as nylon. The buck is held at the dressing station by means of a pair of spring pressed grippers 62 adapted to resiliently engage a roller (Fig. 4, not shown) mounted on the carriage 22. At the pressing station this roller is engaged by a locking dog (not shown) operated by an air cylinder 153 against the action of a returning spring 158. Movement of the buck between the dressing and pressing stations is effected by air cylinders 113, 217 having projectible stems 115, 219 respectively adapted to engage and propel the carriage 22. Shirt side and yoke pressing means.-A pair of inflatable tubular members 72 formed of fine mesh fabric are used for pressing the side portions of the shirt. The members 72 are connected at 73 to the tube 58 and are preferably closed at their upper ends but may be connected to a tubular yoke pressing member 77 formed of similar material. Heated air is introduced into the members 72 and 77 to inflate them and to press and dry the sides and yoke of the shirt. The closed ends 81 of the tubular member 77 are held extended by flexible arms 82 the ends of which support the shirt sleeves adjacent the arm holes. Shirt side spreading bars 74 pivotally carried by arms 75 may be operated by depressing handles 76 to remove deep creases in the shirt sides. The bars are returned to collapsed position adjacent the edges of the buck 24 before the pressing operation. Tail clamping means (Fig. 3).-The shirt tails are held by a clamp member 85 on an arm 86 on a shaft 87, and a clamp plate 88 on a shaft 89. The member 85 and plate 88 are moved to clamping position by upward and downward movements respectively of links 91 and 93. A treadle 94 pivoted at 95 is connected through a link 100 to a bell-crank lever 98 which operates a link pusher 101 that is vertically aligned with link 91 when the carriage is in the dressing position. A second treadle 102 also pivoted at 95 is connected to a puller link 105 provided at its upper end with a bifurcated yoke 106 adapted to engage a head 107 on the lower end of the link 93. Links 91, 93 pass through apertures in levers 108 pivoted at 109 and weighted at their free ends 110 so as to frictionally latch the levers 108 in the clamping position. Release of the clamping members 85, 88 is effected on return of the buck 24 to the dressing station either manually or by means of a cam 111 which is automatically depressed so as to be inoperative as the buck 24 moves towards the pressing position. Air supplying means.-An air compressor 120 driven by a motor 122 supplies air through a valve 126 to a tank 129 containing heating means 130. The tank 129 has an outlet 131 having a telescopic coupling 135 having an extension 134 adapted to enter the flanged open end 60 of the tube 58. Springs 137 bias the coupling 135 towards the tube 58. The outlet 131 is also connected by a conduit 144 to an auxiliary air heating tank 143 connected to a flexible portion 142 of a pipe 141 (Fig. 6) the flanged end 140 of which is adapted to supply air through a tube 78 to the member 77. The additional heating in the tank 143 is necessary since the shirt yoke is usually two ply. The pipe 141 is suspended from the frame of the machine by an articulated parallelogram 146 and is moved into and out of engagement with the tube 78 by means of a roller 180 on an arm 181 pivoted at 182 on one of the pressing platens 32. The roller 180 is adapted to engage arms 178, 179 extending downwardly from the pipe 141 and is spring-biased into engagement with a stop member 184. In addition to its connection 128 to the tank 129, the valve 126 has a port leading to a by-pass conduit 127 connected to the air inlet 123. When the valve 126 is closed the air compressed by the compressor 120 is merely circulated through the by-pass 127. When the buck enters pressing position a cam 147 on the carriage 22 operates means (Fig. 10, not shown) to cause partial opening of the valve 126 to supply a small amount of air to the tubular members 72, 77 to remove creases and wrinkles in the sides and yoke of the shirt. Valve 126 is moved by pneumatic means to its fully open position when the pressing platens 32 are in pressing engagement with the buck 24. Pressing platens (Figs. 6, 7).-The platens 32 are hollow and steam heated, and are substantially alike except that one of them has a notch to accommodate a collar clamp and the tube 78 on the buck. The platens extend outwardly beyond the buck so as to engage the tubular members 72, 77. Each platen is pivotally mounted on two pairs of links 161 pivotally mounted on the frame 20 of the machine. A cam 169 operated by an air cylinder 166 is adapted to engage a roll 171 carried by and between plates 165 on each platen 32. One side of the cam is flat and engages guide rolls 170 mounted on the machine frame, while the other side of the cam has an abrupt rise 172 and a more gradual rise 173 extending therefrom. When the cam is projected upwardly the abrupt rise 172 quickly moves the platen into light engagement with the buck. As the more gradual rise 173 engages roll 171 substantial force is applied to press the platen against the buck. Upon retraction of the cam the platen falls under gravity to its pendant position (Fig. 6), damage to the parts being prevented by a friction drag comprising a pair of brake shoes 174 pivotally mounted on the frame and spring-biased into engagement with a stud 175 on the platen plate 165. Operation.-After a garment has been draped on the buck 24 and its tail clamped by the members 85, 88, a push-button controlled valve is opened to actuate the pneumatic means for moving the buck to the pressing station, moving the pressing platens to engage the buck, and supplying heated air thereto. The duration of the pressing operation may be automatically controlled, or may be terminated by operation of a second push-button controlled valve which separates the platens and returns the buck to the dressing station. A pneumatic circuit for controlling the operation of the machine and provided with two manually operated valves is seen in Fig. 14 (not shown).