Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Applying Starch or the like to Articles of Wearing Apparel and other Fabrics.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 26th day of January 1897.
Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1896--Accepted, 9th May, 1596
ETE SPECIF
ON (AMENDED)
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Applying Starch or the
like to Articles of Wearing Apparel and other Fabrics.
I WILLIAM AUGUST EDWIN HENRICI of 762 Broadway, Chelsea, County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object the production of apparatus for applying starch
to articles of wearing apparel and other fabrics, in a rapid and efficient manner
whereby the starch is more thoroughly and evenly applied in a short time than can
be effected by hand labour.
Accordingly, one part of my invention consists in the use, in a starching apparatus,
of a starch chamber, two adjacent series of rub rolls therein, and means to move
them oppositely in said chamber, to apply starch to an article between them.
Also in the use in a starching apparatus, of a starch chamber, rub-rolls therein
to apply starch to an article between them, squeeze rolls located above the
rub rolls, to remove surplus starch from the article, and means to separate said
squeeze rolls.
Also in the use in a starching apparatus of a starch chamber, two upright series
of rub-rolls therein, yieldingly pressed towards each other, means to reciprocate the
two series of rolls past each other, to apply starch to an article held between them,
and a movable cover for the starch chamber, opening of the cover automatically
stopping reciprocation of the rolls and separating the two series.
Also in the use in a starching apparatus, of a heated starch chamber having
a laterally swinging cover, two separable series of upright rub-rolls in said chamber,
one of said series being movable laterally with the cover, actuating means to
oppositely reciprocate the two series of rolls when the cover is closed, and
connections between said cover and actuating means, to render the latter operative
or inoperative as the cover is closed or open respectively.
Also in the use in a starching apparatus, of a starch chamber, two series of
oppositely reciprocated rub rolls therein, to apply starch to an article between them,
squeeze rolls located above the rub rolls, to remove surplus starch from the article,
one of said rolls being yieldingly pressed towards the other, and means to separate
the squeeze rolls and the two series of rub rolls when the starch chamber is
opened.
And also in the use in a starching apparatus, of a starching chamber having a

page_text: swinging cover portion and an opening in the top, oppositely reciprocated rub rolls
movable in vertical planes beneath the opening, said rolls being normally
yieldingly pressed towards each other, opening of the cover stopping their
reciprocation and separating them to permit insertion between them of the article
to be starched, a lock for the cover, and a main driving mechanism for the rub rolls,
controlled by the swinging cover.
Fig. 1 is a top or plan view, partially broken out, of a starching apparatus
embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, the supporting frame being broken off to save
space; and
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus, taken on the line xx, Fig. 1,
looking towards the right hand.
A supporting frame A, of suitable shape, has securely bolted or otherwise
secured thereto a starch receptacle B, of copper or other suitable material, which
is filled with the starch paste, said receptacle having, as shown in Fig. 2, an outlet
pipe B', provided with a suitable valve v, through which the contents may be
withdrawn when desired.
The cover of the starch chamber B is divided into a fixed part B2 and a laterally
swinging part B³, pivoted at 63 upon a part of the main frame, the part B2 forming
a table or shelf upon which the article to be starched may be placed.
Along the line of division of the two-part cover cach part is raised, as at 6', b²,
for a purpose to be described, and an opening 6x is left between them, by means of
which the attendant can hold the article being starched.
The frame A at one end is provided with a head A' having arms A², each
provided with a bearing A³ for a shaft C, herein shown as a crank shaft, two
cranks C¹ and C' being illustrated in Fig. 1.
At one end the shaft has thereon fast and loose pulleys C³, C, to receive
a driving belt, not shown, and a belt fork a forms part of a frame a' embracing and
adapted to slide longitudinally on the shaft.
This belt shifting device has a socket a² therein to receive the end of an arm b
extended from the swinging cover B³, preferably near or at its pivotal point, so that
when the said cover B is swung into dotted line position Fig. 1 the belt will be
shifted from the fast pulley C³ to the loose pulley C4, stopping rotation of the
driving shaft C.
Cross heads D and E slide in guideways on the head A', and are connected by
crank arms D, E, to the cranks C1, C2, respectively, so that the cross beads will
be reciprocated by rotation of the shaft, the cranks being set opposite each other,
so that the cross heads will move in opposite directions.
An upright, rigid open frame E2, bearing against one wall and the bottom of the
starch chamber, is pivotally connected by an extension E3, passing through the end
wall of the chamber, to a stud E' on the cross head E, see Fig. 1, said frame having
rotatably mounted thereiu a series of vertical rub rolls Ex, of metal or other
suitable material, which are moved bodily back and forth in the starch in the
chamber B.
-
A second frame D' is mounted to slide in the chamber, and pivotally connected
by an extension arm D³ to a stud D on the cross head D, whereby the frame
is reciprocated, the frame having mounted rotatably therein a series of vertical
rub-rolls Dx.
The frame D2 has secured to upright braces d a longitudinally slotted guide d
embracing a roll d², Figs. 2 and 3, mounted to rotate on a vertical axis on
the depending arm d³ of a lever d', pivoted at d³ on the underside of the swinging
cover B³.
A stud d' on the lever, and a fixed stud d' on the cover, support between them a
spring S, which tends to press the roll d against the inner side of the slotted
guide d', to thereby maintain the series of rolls Dx pressed towards the rolls E
when the cover B is shut, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.
Supposing the chamber B to be filled with starch paste to 'the proper height, the

page_text: cover B is swung open, separating the series of rub rolls Ex, Dx, so that the
operator can insert the article to be starched between them, such movement of
the cover stopping rotation of the shaft C.
The cover is then closed, throwing the shaft C into operation, and the two series
of rub rolls will be rapidly moved back and forth past each other, with the article
between them, thoroughly rubbing the starch thereinto, so that in a few seconds the
article can be removed impregnated with, starch.
I provide squeeze rolls to remove the surplus starcb as the article is withdrawn
through the opening b*, one of the rolls F being mounted in fixed bearings beneath
the hood, the other co-operating roll F having its journals mounted in
bearings which slide on guides fx on the underside of the movable cover B³,
springs acting on said bearings to press the roll F¹ yieldingly towards the
roll F.
As the cover B³ is swung aside to admit a fresh article lugs on the cover act
against the bearings f¹, moving the roller F' bodily away from the co-operating
roll F.
In order to keep the starch hot in the chamber B I provide the latter with
a double bottom to form a heating chest B, steam, hot air or water being admitted
thereto by an inlet B' and passing therefrom by an outlet pipe B, and I preferably
erect a coil of pipe or radiator R within the chamber B, as shown in Figs. I and 3,
the same being omitted from Fig. 2 to avoid confusion, the radiator being suitably
connected to the inlet and outlet for the heating medium.
To hold the cover B³ shut I have provided a suitable locking device, shown as a
flat plate m, hinged to the cover at m' and having a hole m² to receive a stud m³ on
the end wall of the chamber when the cover is locked, a handle m* on the plate
providing means for the operator to rapidly lock and unlock the cover, and also to
swing it back and forth on its pivot, b³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The use in a starching apparatus, of a starch chamber, rub-rolls therein
to apply starch to an article between them, squeeze rolls located above the rub-rolls,
to remove surplus starch from the article, and means to separate said squeeze rolls,
substantially as described.
2. The use in a starching apparatus, of a starch chamber, two upright series of
rub rolls therein, yieldingly pressed towards each other, means to reciprocate the
two series of rolls past each other, to apply starch to an article held between them,
and a movable cover for the starch chamber, opening of the cover automatically
stopping reciprocation of the rolls and separating the two series, substantially as
described.
3. The use in a starching apparatus, of a heated starch chamber having a
laterally swinging cover, two separable series of upright rub rolls in said chamber,
one of said series being movable laterally with the cover, actuating means to
oppositely reciprocate the two series of rolls when the cover is closed, and
connections between said cover and actuating means, to render the latter operative
or inoperative as the cover is closed or open respectively, substantially as
described.
4. The use in a starching apparatus, of a starch chamber, two series of oppositely
reciprocated rub-rolls therein, to apply starch to an article between them, squeeze
rolls located above the rub rolls, to remove surplus starch from the article, one of
said rolls being yieldingly pressed towards the other, and means to separate the
squeeze rolls and the two series of rub rolls when the starch chamber is opened,
substantially as described.
5. The use in a starching apparatus, of a starching chamber having a swinging
cover portion and an opening in the top, oppositely reciprocated rub-rolls movable
in vertical planes beneath the opening, said rolls being normally yieldingly pressed

page_text: toward each other, opening of the cover stopping their reciprocation and separating
them to permit insertion between them of the article to be starched, a lock for the
cover, and a main driving mechanism for the rub-rolls, controlled by the swinging
cover, substantially as described.
Dated the 9th day of March 1896
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.