IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR IRONING, PRESSING, OR SMOOTHING CLOTH AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS AND GARMENTS, OR OTHER ARTICLES FORMED THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Bell Sanson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1874.
I, ROBERT BELL SANSON, of Globe Road, in the County of Middle-
sex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR IRONING, PRESSING, OR
SMOOTHING CLOTH AND OTHER TEXTILE FABRICS AND GARMENTS, OR OTHER ARTICLES
FORMED THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
'
My Invention relates chiefly to improvements in ironing, pressing, or
smoothing machines of that class in which an iron heated by gas is
supported by a jointed arm over a press board or table, upon which the
garments or other articles or fabrics to be ironed, pressed, smoothed, or
finished are placed.
The first part of the said Invention relates to the combination of a
jointed arm with a press board, which is movable vertically, and is
raised by means of a treadle to produce the required pressure.
The second part of the said Invention relates to the construction of
the said jointed arm. The said jointed arms have heretofore had their

page_text: parts connected to each other, and to the bracket or standard by pins or
bolts passed through them. But these pins or bolts have been found to
become loose in their holes in a very short time, and consequently the
said jointed arm loses its firmness and gives way to some extent when
pressure is applied to the table. This want of firmness in the arm is
very objectionable in these machines, as the pressure exerted upon the
press board is sometimes very great, and unless the iron is firmly sup-
ported in all the positions it occupies over the press board the work
cannot be satisfactorily accomplished. I therefore provide the said arm
at the joint which connects it to the said bracket or standard, and also
at the joint which connects its two parts with adjustable centre pins, or
pins, or bolts, with conical or hemispherical points, which are passed
through one part of the joint and fitted into similarly formed holes or
cavities in the other part of the said joint. I prefer that the said centre
pins should be screwed into their place in the joints, and should be
secured therein when properly adjusted by lock nuts or set screws.
When the arm is constructed in this manner and used in combination
with a press board, which is movable to give the desired pressure, its
action will always be found firm and steady while working with entire
freedom over the press board, no matter what pressure may be applied
to the latter.
The said press board has a double set of lovers connecting it with the
treadle. The latter has two sido bars, which are fulcrumed to the sides
of the machine frame, and which carry the footboard or plate at their
outer ends at the front of the machine. These side bars are connected
near their fulcrums by vertical rods with the ends of levers, whose other
ends are connected with vertical guide rods supporting each end of the
pressboard. Between the sides of the treadle I arrange another lever,
which is connected to the treadle, and carries a weight to counter-
balance the treadle and bring the pressboard down when the treadle is
released.
The pressboards of my improved machine are constructed as
follows: The part to which the aforesaid guide rods are attached is a
metal plate formed with sockets for the reception of the upper ends of
the said rods. The said upper ends and sockets are preferably made
taper or conical, so that when the plate is dropped upon the rods it will
be securely held without any screws or other like fastenings. Upon this
metal plate I mount the pressboard, which is formed of wood.
This

page_text: board is narrower at one end than at the other, as will be well under-
stood by those familiar with these machines; and a peculiar feature of
my Invention is the peculiar contrivance for reversing the board endwisc.
For this purpose I secure the said board to the aforesaid metal plate by
a screw or screw bolt at or near the centre. This screw or bolt may
.be slackened so that the board may be turned around it, that is to say,
it may be turned to reverse the positions of its two ends, and then
secured by a nut fitted on the said screw below the pressboard.
I also make a pressboard, which is reversible or adjustable, as
follows: I make the metal plate with jaws at one end and a shelf or
ledge at its other end for the board to rest upon. At its large end the
said board is provided with pins or trunnions, which rest in slots in the
said jaws. The said slots are open at the top, so that the board may be
lifted freely from them; and when the board is lying with one face
upward, and it is desired to reverse the said board to bring the under
face upward, it is raised from its supports and turned over, and then
replaced on the said supports.
If desired the slots may have covers to prevent the displacement of
the pins or trunnions, the said covers being constructed to turn on pivots
or hinges to permit the release of the said pins or trunnions when it is
desired to adjust the press board; and in some instances instead of
constructing the pressboard with pins and slots I secure it by means of.
screws passed through the jaws into the edges of the said pressboard.
These pressboards constructed with the aforesaid pins or screws will bo
found to possess greater steadiness, and to be otherwise more satisfactory
than when they are held by a pin or bolt passed through them, as they
have been heretofore made.
Another part of my Invention relates to the construction of the irons
for my improved machine and other similar machines. These irons have
commonly heretofore been made entirely of cast iron, but I construct
them either entirely of ordinary brass or bronze, or of the metal known
as phosphor bronze, or similar metal or alloy, or with their lower part
of such metal or alloy and their back or top with the handle of cast iron,
the two parts being secured together by screws, rivets, or the like. I
also construct detached irons in the same manner, that is to say, cither
entirely of bronze or similar metal or alloy, or with the sides and bottom
of such metal or alloy and the back or top of cast iron. The said

page_text: detached irons are constructed to be heated by an ordinary gas jet, and
will be found very convenient for ironing or smoothing handkerchiefs,
collars, cuffs, frills, and for blocking and smoothing hats and for similar
purposes. The interior of the iron is provided with means for mixing
the gas with the air in such proportions that a perfect combustion is
obtained, and all smoke, soot, and disagreeable odour will be avoided.
The handle of the iron is preferably of wood, and the sides and top of
the iron may be nickel-plated to give them a neat and finished
appearance.