Year: 1886

page_text: My invention relates to machines for ironing shirts, collars, cuffs, and other

page_text: frictional contact with the underside of the table b, and is designed to impart
reciprocating motion to the said table as hereinafter described.
To provide for regulating the pressure upon the cuffs, collars or other articles
passed between the table b and the roller c, the frame e is supported at its free
end e, upon a rod i, the lower end of which is screw-threaded and fits into a corre-
spondingly screw-threaded nut i formed on, or attached to, the frame a. The said
rod is provided with a hand-wheel k, whereby it may be turned in one or the other
direction to raise or lower the frame e, table b and roller h, relatively to the
roller c.
Z is the driving shaft which is carried in bearings in the frame a, and is geared
with the roller c by means of the toothed wheels m, m'. A pinion m² is fixed on
the shaft of the roller c, and is geared with the wheel m³ fixed on the shaft of the
roller h. The teeth of this wheel and pinion are made of sufficient length to
permit the raising and lowering of the frame e and roller h without affecting the
transmission of motion to the said roller through the pinion m' and wheel m³.
The relative diameters of the said toothed wheels and pinion are such that the
table b and roller c will be moved at differential speeds in the same direction, that
is to say, different surface velocities will be imparted to the said table and roller.
A rubbing action of the roller c upon the article which is being ironed is thereby
ensured, the said article moving with the table b upon which it is supported. The
roller c is preferably arranged to be moved with greater surface velocity than the
table b, but the reverse arrangement may be adopted, if desired.
By thus providing for the movement of the ironing roller at a greater or less
surface velocity than the articles to be ironed, I obtain the great advantage that
I am enabled to iron, by my machine, articles which have been starched with raw
starch, and thereby impart a better finish thereto than can be obtained when boiled
starch is used. In ironing machines as heretofore constructed it is impracticable to
iron articles starched with raw starch, because they are liable to stick to the ironing
roller, but in my machine this sticking is prevented by the rubbing action of the
roller c, as above described.
I provide as hereinafter set forth for reversing the movement of the table b when
it has reached either end of its stroke or movement, or any desired intermediate
point thereof, that is to say:-I arrange on the driving shaft a fast pulley n and
two loose pulleys n¹, n³. These pulleys are connected with any suitable motor by.
two belts o, o, the former of which is open while the latter is crossed, so that they
will rotate the pulleys in opposite directions. In Figure 3 the belts o o¹ are shewn
upon their loose pulleys n¹, n², so that the machine is inoperative. By shifting the
belts in either direction so that one or other of the said belts acts upon the fast
pulley n, the machine can be driven in one or the other direction. p, p, are rods,
each of which is provided with an eye p' that encircles one of the belts, and which
are fixed in a double-armed piece q fitted to slide to and fro on the shaft l.
A bar q is attached to the said double-armed piece, and is fitted to slide to and
fro in guides formed on, or attached to, the frame a. A lever or arm r is keyed
upon a shaft, which is carried in bearings in the frame a and is provided with
the treadle 8. The upper end of this lever enters a slot q' in the sliding bar q¹, so
that the said bar can be operated by the treadle.
A chain or cord t'is attached to the lever r near its upper end. This cord or
chain passes over a pulley t¹ and has attached to it a weight t. This weight, by
pulling the bar q¹ in one direction, tends to keep the belt o¹ on the fast pulley n.
To shift the belt o onto the fast pulley, and the belt o¹ onto its loose pulley, the
treadles is depressed, thereby pushing the bar q' outward and with it the belt
shifters. When the foot is removed from the treadle, the weight again shifts the-
belts. The machine can thus be driven alternately in either direction, and the
stroke or movement of the table can be varied as required, instead of being
invariable as in ironing machines which are arranged to be reversed automatically.
Considerable saving of time in the use of the machine can thus be effected.
Suitable means are provided for retaining both belts on their loose pulleys, for.

page_text: example a pin or bolt s¹ is passed through the treadle lever and into a hole in the
frame a.
When the machine is not in use, the table b can be moved from between the
rollers, thereby preventing the burning of the covering of the said table by the
heated ironing roller.
The bearing d is made in the form of a socket to receive the end c¹ of the roller,
which is turned to fit the said socket, as shown in Figure 4. The said bearing and
the end c¹ of the roller are open to permit the introduction of the heating burners,.
as hereinafter described. The other end of the roller c is closed, and. has cast
integrally therewith the shaft or axle of which is supported in the bearing d. The
roller c is made with a shoulder c³ which bears against the end of the bearing d
and holds the end o² of the roller in its bearing or socket d.
u is a pipe through which the gas for heating the roller is conducted. As shown,
this pipe terminates in an atmospheric burner u¹ which is inserted into the roller
through its open end c', and is supported by the bracket u³ attached to the frame a.
The products of the combustion of the gas pass from the roller o through the
perforations us in the end thereof into a chamber v secured to the bearing d¹, and
escape through a chimney v³ connected with the said, chamber.
By adopting this method of heating I am enabled to dispense with the blowers
heretofore generally used for supplying air to the ironing roller for supporting the
combustion of gas therein.
I sometimes use gasoline or the like, instead of gas, for heating the rollers. In
this case I employ vapor-burners within the roller, that is to say, burners in which
some portion of the channel through which the liquid passes towards the point.
where it is burnt is heated so as to vaporize. the said liquid.
To adapt my improved machine for ironing the fronts of shirts, I employ a
supplementary table w, which is hereinafter termed the shirt-bed, and which is
secured upon the table 6 in such a manner that a space is left entirely around the
shirt-bed, except at one end thereof, to permit a shirt to be conveniently placed
upon the said bed so that the shirt-front will rest upon the top thereof, whilst the
other portions of the shirt will lie at the side of and beneath the shirt-bed.
It is evident that when the said shirt-bed is to be used in my improved machine,.
it is necessary to raise the ironing roller so that it is level with the said bed, for
this purpose I attach the brackets a to the frame a and arrange the roller c'in
bearings d, d in the said brackets. One of these brackets carries intermediate:
pinions, x, Figure 6, whereby the pinion m³ is geared with the wheel m³.
y, y are shields or guards, one of which. is provided at each side of the table 6 to
prevent soiling or injury to the shirts by contact with the gearing.
To provide for holding the shirt securely on the shirt-bed while it is being
ironed, I form a semicircular or nearly semicircular recess wl at one end of the
shirt-bed, into which recess is fitted a correspondingly shaped block z.
This block
is carried upon one end of a rod z¹, fitted to slide to and fro in guides w³ secured to
the underside of the shirt-bed w. The other end of the rod z¹ is screw-threaded
and provided with a nut z' bearing against one of the said guides. When a shirt
is placed on the shirt-bed w, the collar or neck-band of the shirt is bent down into
the said recess, and is clamped in this position by tightening the thumb-nuts and
thereby drawing the blocks into the recess.
To avoid the necessity for removing the brackets 2 and placing the roller c level
with the table b when the shirt-bed is not required, I employ a plain bed of such
height that, when in place, its upper surface will be in suitable proximity to the
ironing roller; this bed is interchangeable with the table b having the shirt-bed w
thereon.
The machine shewn in Figures 5 and 6 is adapted to be driven by hand, a
crank being fixed upon the shaft of the ironing roller c, but it is obvious that it
can be arranged in any suitable manner to be driven by steam or other power, and
also that the machine shown in Figures 1 to 3 may, if desired, be arranged to be
driven by hand.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to the details of construction hereinbefore described,
as I may somewhat modify the same without departing from the nature of my
invention; and I declare that what I claim is
First. In an ironing machine, the employment of an ironing bed or table
arranged beneath the ironing roller, and means for imparting reciprocating motion
to the said bed or table, for the purpose specified.
Second. An ironing machine wherein the ironing bed or table is carried by a
pivotted frame provided with means whereby it can be adjusted to regulate the
pressure between the said table and the ironing roller, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination, with the ironing bed or table, of the drum or roller, in
frictional contact therewith, and means for imparting alternating motion thereto,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fourth. The arrangement of the gearing for transmitting motion from the
driving shaft to the ironing roller and the reciprocating bed or table, in such a
manner that different surface velocities will be imparted to the said roller and
table, for the purpose. specified.
Fifth. The provision of means, substantially as described, whereby the direction
of movement of the machine may be reversed when the bed or table has reached
any point of its stroke or movement, for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In an ironing machine, the combination with the ironing roller of an
atmospheric gas burner arranged substantially in the manner, and for the purpose,
specified.
Seventh. The employment, in combination with the other parts of the machine,
of the shirt-bed provided with means for holding the shirt in position during the
operation of ironing the same, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The combination, with the table b of the shields or guards y, for the
purpose specified.
Ninth. The improved machine consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to either of the forms or modifications
shewn in the accompanying drawings, and operating as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Tenth. The modification of my invention wherein I provide for the employment
of gasoline for heating the ironing roller, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of January 1886