Improvements in Machines for Finishing Hosiery and other Fabrics.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE DIECIFICATIVA
Improvements in Machines for Finishing Hosiery and other
Fabrics.
I, WILLIAM MARCHANT, Dye Works, Hinckley, in the County of Leicester,
Dyer, 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 relates to machines which are mainly though not exclusively applic-
able for the finishing, by pressing, of stockings, socks, shirts, vests, and other knitted
articles of clothing.
The invention may also be used for the similar treatment of other goods or
fabrics.
A machine constructed according to this invention comprises as its essential
features a superposed series of hollow or chambered beds finished bright and smooth
on their top and bottom surfaces and between which the hosiery or other articles to
be treated are placed and pressed.
These superposed beds are maintained at equal distances apart and are adapted to
be closed or moved one against the other by hydraulic pressure.
Each bed is heated by steam for which purpose it is furnished with a steam inlet
and a steam outlet pipe and the chamber within the bed is divided by a central
partition open at its further end so that the steam is compelled to travel to the
opposite end of the inlet chamber and back again on the opposite side of the parti-
tion thereby traversing also the full extent of the exit chamber before escaping, thus
equally heating the whole of the bed.
The invention also comprises certain minor details all of which are hereinafter
more fully described and included in the claims.
The invention will be fully understood from the following further description and
upon reference to the accompanying drawing in which,
Figure 1 is an elevation.
Figure 2 a central vertical section and,
Figure 3 a plan of a finishing machine or press constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 4 is a section taken on a horizontal plane through the centre of one of the
beds showing the central partition and the steam connections and,
Figure 5 is a detail view drawn to a larger scale than the other figures and
showing fragments of three beds with the link connections for keeping the beds
normally apart.
A machine constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a superposed
series of hollow or chambered metal beds A which are planed and glazed or finished
bright on both their upper and lower surfaces A¹ A² respectively.
Each bed is furnished with four lugs A³ one at each corner thereof bored to pass
over a similar number of vertical steel rods or guides B each of which is reduced in
diameter at its upper and lower ends to form a shoulder against which the topmost
of the beds and base plate C respectively, are tightened by means of nuts B¹ so that
the said guide rods also fulfil the function of tie rods between the said upper bed
and the base plate.

page_text: The beds are maintained normally apart preferably a uniform distance which may
be one inch more or less by means of link plates D each of which is fixed by a screw
or equivalent D¹ at its upper end to one bed and provided with a slot D2 at its lower
end through which passes the screw on the next lower bed, the said slot allowing each
of the beds except the uppermost to rise upwards or move towards the next above
bed so as to finish by pressure any articles which may have been placed between
them.
These links may be fixed on two or more sides of the bed and other means than the
links may be employed for keeping the beds apart.
A space A of 1½ inches more or less is left between the upper and lower
surface plates of each bed thereby forming a chamber into which steam is injected
for heating purposes.
The said chamber is divided into two parts A5 A6 by a partition E which stops short
of the full length of the chamber thereby leaving a passage E¹ through which the
steam after having entered by the inlet pipe F and travelled to the further end of
the chamber Aº passes and returns by way of the other chamber A³ before it escapes
by the outlet pipe F thus uniformly heating the complete upper and lower surfaces
of the bed.
Each bed is furnished with a steam inlet pipe F and a steam outlet pipe Fi the
whole series of inlet pipes being connected to one cominon steam supply pipe F2 and
the whole series of outlet pipes being connected to one common exhaust or waste
pipe F3 of any suitable type the latter being shown in section only in
Figures 3 and 4.
Each of the series of pipes F FI connected to the inlet and outlet respectively
may be of india-rubber or of any other suitable elastic construction to admit of
the beds moving one towards the other to press or finish the articles inserted between
them without straining or disarranging the said pipes.
The lowest bed is supported on an ordinary hydraulic ram or piston G the flange G¹
on the upper part of the latter being connected by screw bolts G2 to a boss A7 on the
underside of the said bed.
The said ram is fitted within an hydraulic cylinder H provided with a base plate H
and a pipe H2 the latter for supplying water under pressure to the cylinder for the
purpose of raising the ram.
The water cylinder H and the foundation plate C are fixed together by screw
bolts C passing through a collar H³ and a boss C2 on the former and latter
respectively.
Steam is allowed to circulate continuously along the main supply pipe F2
through each inlet pipe into each of the chambers A around the end of the
partition E through the chamber A5 and the outlet F1 into the waste or
escape pipe F3 so that the top and bottom surfaces of each bed are constantly
and uniformly heated.
Stockings, socks, shirts, pants or other articles to be finished are stretched over
their respective well known flat wooden patterns or shapes and placed between any
two of the beds.
The operator then by opening a cock or valve or by means of any convenient form
of hand pump fills the cylinder H through the supply pipe H2 with water under pressure
so that the ram is raised thereby.
This action moves also the lowest bed A up towards the next adjacent one so
that the goods between the two said beds are pressed between the heated surfaces
thereof and pressure may be maintained until the whole of the beds have been moved
one against the other and the articles between them are sufficiently pressed.
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. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other fabrics comprising a super-
posed series of hollow or chambered steam heated beds arranged with spaces between

page_text: and adapted to be moved one against the other by hydraulic pressure for the purpose
described.
2. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other fabrics comprising a super-
posed series of hollow or chambered steam heated beds arranged with spaces between,
each bed being provided with a steam inlet and outlet and arranged to be moved on
guides one against the other by hydraulic pressure for the purpose described.
3. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other fabrics comprising a super-
posed series of hollow or chambered steam heated beds, means for maintaining the
said beds with spaces between, and an hydraulic ram and cylinder for moving the
said beds one against the other for the purpose described.
4. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other goods comprising a series of
hollow or chambered steam heated beds, means for maintaining the said beds a
uniform distance apart, an hydraulic ram and cylinder for moving the said beds one
against the other and elastic steam inlet and outlet connections for the said beds for
the purpose described.
5. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other goods comprising a super-
posed series of hollow or chambered steam heated beds, means for maintaining the
said beds a uniform distance apart, elastic steam inlet and outlet pipes for the said
beds, a main steam supply pipe communicating with each of the series of inlet
pipes, an exhaust or waste steam pipe communicating with each of the series of outlet
pipes, and an hydraulic ram and cylinder for moving the said beds one against the
other for the purpose described.
6. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other goods comprising a super-
posed series of steam heated beds, each bed having two internal chambers one com-
municating with the other near their extreme ends but divided by a central partition,
a steam inlet to one chamber and a steam outlet to the other chamber and an
hydraulic ram and cylinder for moving the said beds one against the other for the
purpose described.
7. A machine or press for finishing hosiery and other goods comprising a super-
posed series of steam heated hollow or chambered beds, maintained a uniform distance
apart by slotted link plates which both support the beds and allow them to move
one against the other, steam inlet and outlet pipes for the said beds and an hydraulic
ram and cylinder for moving the said beds one against the other for the purpose
described.
8. The improved machine or press consisting of the parts constructed, arranged
and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of October 1848