IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE DRIVING GEAR OR ACTUATING MECHANISM OF MANGLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bradford, of High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, and of the City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE DRIVING GEAR
OR ACTUATING MECHANISM OF MANGLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bradford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1880.
THOMAS BRADFORD, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of
the City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED
WITH THE DRIVING GEAR OR ACTUATING MECHANISM OF MANGLES."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in or connected with the driving
gear or actuating mechanism of mangles, consists in arranging a series of cams,
levers, and balance weights, the latter acting as rollers, so that while the continuous
chain motion or any other kind of continuous motion is given to the ordinary
box-mangle (and more especially those manufactured, by me and known as the
Premier "box-mangle) the "riser-bars "for raising the ends of the loaded mangle-
box are made partially self acting, inasmuch as that when they are relieved of the
weight of the mangle-box they will automatically rise clear of the roller or other
portion of the driving-gear with which they engage without personal attention,
which has hitherto been necessary (and the neglect of which attention has been the
cause of much breaking of the gear and its framing, and of consequent loss and
inconvenience arising therefrom) and will continue in this position until one or
other end of the mangle-box is again required to be raised, which by means of this
improved gear can now be accomplished by a gentle pressure of the finger upon a
small lever forming part of the addition.
The Invention also comprises the application of a friction wheel for driving
mangles of any description (and more especially the kind herein before referred to
as manufactured by me), and by which means the starting and stopping can be
instantaneously and more easily effected than by the usual clutch box for throwing
Price 1

page_text: it in and out of gear or other means in present use. In this arrangement the
inside of the driving pulley, which has a sleeve for carrying the usual fly wheel
and works loosely upon the driving shaft, is cast or turned bevil to receive the
friction wheel which is capable of sliding along a feather or key securely fitted
into the driving shaft, the required frictional pressure being obtained by the spiral
spring which keeps the friction wheel well home against the driving pulley. This
pressure and action of the spring is however, whenever required, overcome by
means of two connecting rods, which are actuated by a cam which is turned into a
suitable position by hand, so as to compress the spring and cause the friction wheel
to be released from the driving pulley and thus instantaneously stop the motion of
the mangle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bradford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd June
1881.
THOMAS BRADFORD, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of
the City of Manchester, Laundry Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED
WITH THE DRIVING GEAR OR ACTUATING MECHANISM OF MANGLES."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in or connected with the driving
gear or actuating mechanism of mangles, has especial reference to the application
to such machines of an improved starting and stopping mechanism, by means
of which the throwing into and out of gear of the loaded mangle-box with the
driving pulley can be instantaneously and more easily effected than by the usual
clutch box or other means in present use, and to the provision of simple means
for rendering the "riser bars" (by which the ends of the mangle box are raised
when required) partially self acting, so that they will automatically resume their
position of inaction.
The present improvements are applicable to mangles of various constructions,
though they are especially applicable to those manufactured by me, and known as
the "
Premier" box mangle, and which is illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
On the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, which are illustrative of my present
improvements, Figures 1 represent in sectional elevation the hereinbefore referred to
improved stopping and starting mechanism; and Figure 2 represents an end view of
a "Premier" box-mangle adapted with the improved mechanism; Figure 3 repre-
sents the improved arrangement applicable to the "riser bars" for rendering them
partially self acting in the manner hereinbefore referred to; and Figure 4 represents
a side elevation (partly in section) of a "Premier" box mangle adapted with this
arrangement, the end or edge view of which is also represented in Figure 2.
In the improved stopping and starting mechanism, the driving pulley 1 (which
has a sleeve 2 for carrying the usual fly-wheel 3, and works loosely upon the
driving shaft 4) is cast or turned with an inner bevilled periphery 5 around the
rim to receive a friction wheel 6, which is correspondingly bevilled on the outer
periphery 7 of its rim, and is capable of sliding along a feather or key 8, securely
fitted into the shaft 4; 9 represents a helical spring which keeps the bevilled
peripheries of the wheels 1 and 6 well in contact and affords the required frictional
pressure to drive or actuate the mangle box. This pressure and action of the
spring 9 is however when ever required overcome by means of two connecting rods 10
which are withdrawn by a cam 11 which is turned (from the position shown in
Figure 2) into the position shown in Figures 1 by hand, so as to compress the
spring 9, and cause the friction wheel 6 to be released from the driving pulley 1
and thus instantaneously stop the motion of the mangle. In Figures 1, 12 repre-
sents part of the framework of the opposite sides of the mangle.
"
With reference next to the means I employ for rendering the "riser bars'
partially self acting, in the manner herein before referred to. It has hitherto been
necessary each time it was required to raise either end of the loaded mangle-box
(to allow of the placing thereunder or removal of the articles to be, or which have
been, operated upon) to set the desired one of the usual "riser bars" in position by
hand, and personal attention has been similarly required to subsequently replace
it in its inoperative position, and neglect of this attention in replacing the riser-bar
is frequently a cause of much breaking of the gear and of its framing, and of
consequent loss and inconvenience arising therefrom. The especial object of this
part of my Invention is to avoid the necessity for this personal attention in
replacing the riser bars," and as above referred to, to cause them to automatically
resume their position of inaction. I attain this action by the means illustrated
•

page_text: most clearly in Figure 3. 13 represents the "riser bars," each of which I make in one
piece with a lever 14, and centre it on a rod 15 carried by brackets 23 projecting
from the usual framework. The upper part 16 of the lever is made with a cam-
surface with a hollowed part or catch at 17; 18 represents rolling balance weights
which are each carried by an arm 19, the arms having a common centre 20; the
rollers 18 when bearing on the surface 16 of the levers 14, as shown on the right
hand side of Figures 3 and 4, having a constant tendency to bring the levers and
their "riser bars" to the position of inaction and of rest, shown on the left hand side
of these Figures. The pairs of arms 19 and levers 14 incline in opposite directions,
as shown in Figures 3 and 4, so as to be of equal utility for each end of the mangle
box, and they work side by side, as shown in Figure 2.
The action of this improved arrangement is as follows:-The lever 14 and its
riser bar 13. on the left hand side of Figures 3 and 4 is shown in the position of
inaction, that is, the loaded mangle box 21 can be continuously reciprocated
thereunder by the usual continuous chain arrangement, as shown on the Drawings,
or by any other suitable arrangement without its end roller 22 at this end coming
in contact or engaging with this riser bar. The lever and riser bar are automatically'
brought to and kept in this position by the balance weight, as herein before
mentioned. When it is required to raise one end of the mangle box 21, the riser
bar 13 at the same end is depressed by a gentle pressure of the finger upon a small
lever 25 which is fast on the spindle 15 on which the lever and riser bar are
mounted, the two latter being thus turned into the position indicated on the right
hand side of Figures 3 and 4, its balance weight being raised by its upper cam
surface 16. Then as the end roller 22 of the mangle-box comes along the line a,
as dotted in Figure 3, it engages with and ascends the incline of the riser bar
which is supported in position by its bracket 23, and the same end of the mangle
box is accordingly raised, as shown in Figure 4. Upon the roller of the mangle
box running down the incline again and thus relieving the riser bar of the weight
of the mangle-box, the riser bar with its lever and weight automatically assume
the relative positions shown on the left hand side of Figures 3 and 4, the riser
bar rising clear of the roller or other portion of the gear with which it engages,
and preventing any liability of damaging the gear, the riser bars continuing in
this inoperative position until the one or the other end of the mangle box is again
required to be raised.
Having now described the nature and objects of the said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the improvements constituting the present
Invention and secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Constructing mangles with or applying thereto the herein before described
improved starting and stopping mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes
described, and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheets of Drawings.
And, Second. Constructing mangles with or applying thereto the hereinbefore
described improved means of rendering the riser-bars partially automatic in their
action, substantially as and for the purposes described, and as illustrated on the
accompanying Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bradford, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
THOMAS BRADFORD. (L.s.)