Improvements in or relating to Starching Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
'COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Starching Machines.
We, ARTHUR TYSON HAGEN, a Citizen of the United States, and residing at
No. 404, East Avenue, Rochester, County of Monroe, State of New York, U.S.A.,
and DANIEL MCCALLUM COOPER, a Citizen of the United States, and residing at
No. 78, Oak Street, Rochester, County of Monroe and State of New York, U.S.A.,
both Manufacturers of Laundry Machinery, 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:-
Our present invention has for its objects to provide an improved machine for
use in laundries and particularly adapted for applying starch or other liquids to
garments such as shirts, preparatory to ironing them, and is particularly adapted
for starching bosoms of shirts, or articles composed of several plies of material,
whereby the starch or liquid may be applied and worked into the garment and
the latter will be stretched and so operated upon that wrinkles may be removed,
and it may be removed in condition to be ironed upon any of the ordinary types
of ironing machine. To this and other ends the invention consists in certain
improvements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and the novel
features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specifica-
tion.
In the accompanying drawings:-
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with our
invention.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same with the protecting guard or apron
removed to show the construction of the parts.
Figure 3 is a plan view.
Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4*, of Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are detail views of the roller operating mechanism.
Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7, of Figure 4.
Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the controlling mechanism.
Figure 9 a sectional view taken on the line 9-9, of Figure 7.
Figure 10 is a view showing the operation of the belt shifting devices.
Figure 11 a longitudinal section through a portion of the starch receptacle and
the starching roller operating therein.
Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.
The main frame in the machine consists of the sides or plates 50 connected by
suitable cross-bars and at the top by a frame 51, upon which is mounted a
starch receptacle 52, and beneath the latter a steam chamber 53, connected with
suitable steam or hot water pipes 54, so as to keep the starch or other liquid
in proper fluid condition. This chamber 53 is provided with the forwardly
extending arm 54 on which the bed or work support 55 is mounted, said work
support being preferably curved and left free and unobstructed on all sides,
so that a garment, such as a shirt, may be applied to it with the bosom resting
upon the upper curved surface. 56 indicates a starch applying roller preferably
having its surface composed of yielding cellular material, such as rubber, said

page_text: roller being mounted upon an arbor or shaft 57 mounted in bearings in the upper
ends of arms 58, secured to or forming part of an oscillatory frame 12, pivoted
upon a shaft 11, arranged in bearings, or, if desired, rigidly secured to the lower
portion of the sides of the main frame, the frame 12 operating loosely thereon.
The bearings for the shaft 57 are pressed downward by springs 59 contained in
sockets in the upper ends of the arms 58 so that the starch roller is held pressed
yieldingly upon the goods arranged on the table 55, as said roller is moved over
them,, and allow for any inequalities in the surface.
The forward edge of the starch receptacle 52 is located a short distance back
of the rear end of the work support 55 so that articles such as shirts may be
applied over the work support, and at the edge of said receptacle is a flap or
bridge piece 60, pivoted to turn down to the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 11, said flap being secured to bell crank levers 61, at the ends
as shown in Figure 11, the arms of said levers being adapted to be operated
upon by the shaft 57 of the starch roller or by the roller itself, the construction
being that when the roller is moved into the starch receptacle, the flap 60 will
be lifted, as shown in full lines in Figure 11, and when the roller is moved
out and over the table, the flap will be turned down to the position in dotted lines
preventing the starch from dropping, and if desired, affording a support for the starch
roller. 62, 62 indicate brackets arranged at the side of the main frame of the
machine upon which rollers 63 at the ends of the starch roller operate and which
support the starch roller during its passage from the starch receptacle or tank
to the work support, as the starch roller frame is oscillated on its pivot. 64
indicates an inclined apron or shield arranged beneath the work support to prevent
the contact between the hanging parts, as sleeves of the garment, and the operating
parts of the machine, beneath the support.
6 indicates the main driving shaft of the machine having rigidly secured thereto
a driving pulley 5, and on opposite sides of the latter loose pulleys 3 and 4 around
which latter extend driving belts 1 and 2 moving in opposite directions as shown
particularly in Figures 2, 4 and 10. 7 indicates a counter-shaft also journaled
in the main frame of the machine and arranged preferably below the shaft 6 and
provided with a gear 8 meshing with a smaller gear 81 secured to the shaft 6,
thereby causing the simultaneous rotation of said shafts. Also rigidly secured
to the shaft 8 is a gear 9, cooperating with an internal segmental rack 10, forming
part of or secured to a frame 19, which in turn is formed with or secured to
the oscillatory frame 12, said segment being formed upon the arc of a circle of
which the shaft 11 is the center. The belt shifter forks 34 through which the
driving belts 1 and 2 operate, are connected to a shipper rod 32 sliding in suitable
bearings in the main frame and adjustably connected to arms 31 of a sleeve 30
movable longitudinally of the shaft 6; said sleeve being pivoted at 35 to a
pitman 36 pivotally connected to a crank 37 on a shaft 38, journaled in a bearing
in the main frame and said shaft 38 being provided with a pinion 28 meshing with
a gear segment 27 pivoted at 26 to the main frame and having an arm 25 to
which is attached a downwardly extending rod 24. From the above it will be
seen that by the vertical movement of the rod 24, the belt guides or shifters will
be operated so as to bring either the belt 1 or 2 upon the fixed pulley 5, so as to
cause the operation of the shaft 6 and the consequent oscillation of the frame
carrying the starching roller in either direction, or when the belts are in the
position shown in full lines in Figure 4, the machine will be at rest.
The rod 24 is connected to an arm 22 formed upon a sleeve loose on shaft 7,
said sleeve being also provided with an arm 21, connected by a link or rod 23 with
the upper end of a movable shifting member embodying arms 14 and 15, formed
upon or secured to a sleeve 15ª mounted loosely on the shaft 11, (shown in
Figures 5 and 8), and journaled between the arms 14 and 15 is a stud or arbor 140
having a short arm or cam 16 and a longer arm 17, said arms constituting stops,
and connected to this arbor and preferably on the side opposite arm 17, is
pivotally connected a link 41, also pivoted to the inwardly extending end of a

page_text: lever or treadle 40, journaled at 40" on a shaft or center on the main frame. The
weight of the rear end of the treadle and the operating parts connected thereto,
is sufficient to hold the stop 16 and 17 projecting upwardly in the position shown
in Figures 1 and S, so that the end of the cam 16 will not, when in normal
position, be in the path of a projection or stop 18, formed upon the frame 19,
on the oscillatory frame 12, (see Figure 5). The frame 19 is also provided with
an arm 45 provided with a series of stops or projections 45 arranged at different
distances from the shaft 11, shown in Figures 5 to 7, and on the rear side of the
arm 15 of the shifting member is a stop or block 46 sliding vertically on said arm
and adapted to be projected into the path of the different stops or projections 45,
said stop 46 being movable radially of the shaft 11, by a lever 80 extending
between lugs 81 formed on the stop 46. This lever 80 is connected to a shaft 82,
to the outer end of which is attached a hand lever 83 extending upwardly at the
side of the work support, in a convenient position to be actuated by the operator.
The hand lever 83 is provided with a spring pressed pawl 84, frictionally engag-
ing with notches 85 formed in a segment bar 86, attached to the main frame,
so that it will be maintained in any position of adjustment, the notches 85 being
arranged, relatively to the stops 45 on the segment frame 19, so that when the
catch 84 is in engagement with the notch nearest the main frame, the stop 46
will be in position to engage the lowermost of the stops or projections 45 as shown
in Figure 6. This device embodying the arm 15 and connected parts constitute
controlling devices for controlling and regulating the extent of movement of the
of the oscillating roller-carrying frame.
87 indicates a belt passing around a pulley 88 preferably connected
with the belt pulley 4, and also extending around a pulley 89
mounted on the end of a counter-weighted or tightener lever 90, and upon
the end of the arbor 57, carrying the starch roller, is arranged a pulley 90 adapted
when the starch roller is in the receptacle to come in contact with the belt 87
and be rotated thereby, this arrangement serving to stir the starch and supply
a sufficient amount to the starch roller to be conveyed to the goods on the work
support, as it moves over the latter.
When the machine is ready for operation, the parts are in the position shown in
Figure 1 with the starch roller in the receptacle, and the operator having adjusted
the garment to be starched upon the work support, places his foot upon the outer
end of the treadle 40, and moves it downward. This operation, through the
link 41, turns the cam 16 down to the position shown in full lines in Figure 5,
thereby moving the arm 15 backward a short distance, rotating the sleeve 20,
raising the rod 24, oscillating the sector 27, rotating the shaft 38, and moving
the sleeve 30 outward towards the belt pulleys, and shifting the belt 2 onto the
fast pulley 5, and thereby causing the rotation of the shaft 7, in a direction to move
the frame carrying the starch roll forward out of the receptacle and over the work
support. When the frame, carrying the starching roll has reached its extreme
forward position, one of the stops 45 (the lowermost one in the present instance)
will engage the adjustable stop 46 on the arm 15, as shown in Figure 6, move the
arm 15 forward, and through the mechanism described, shift the belt 2 back to
the pulley 4, and place the belt 1 upon the pulley 5, causing the oscillation of
the frame carrying the starch roller in the opposite direction or toward the rear.
If more than one oscillation of the frame is desired, the operator keeps his foot
upon the treadle and as the longer, arm 17 is now held in line with the lug 18
on the oscillatory frame, the latter will move the arm 15 backward, before the
roller enters the starch receptacle again, shifting the belt 2 onto the fast pulley
and causing the forward oscillation of the starch roller. As long as the outer end
of the treadle is held pressed downward, the finger 17 and stop 46 alternately
engaging the oscillatory frame, will cause first one belt and then the other to
be shifted onto the fast pulley and will move the starching roller back and forth
over the support, but without allowing it to enter the receptacle, and when it is
desired to arrest this movement or to allow the roller to enter the receptacle

page_text: it is only necessary for the operator to lift his foot from the treadle, allowing the
weight of the treadle and parts to return the cam 16 and finger '17 to the position
in Figures 1 and 8, when both belts will be moved off the fast pulley 5, and the
machine brought to rest. It is often times desirable, as when starching shirts
having short bosoms, to permit the starching roller to pass only part-way across
the work support, and the length of excursion may be regulated by adjusting the
handle 83, which will bring the stop 46 in the path described by any one of
the stops or projections 45 on the oscillatory frame 19, thereby causing the
belts to be shifted before the starching roller has made a complete movement
over the support.
Other means than those herein shown could be employed for controlling and
automatically reversing the direction of movement of the starch carrying roller
and we do not therefore desire to be confined to precisely the construction shown,
and belt shifting devices, while perhaps simpler, are regarded as the mechanical
equivalents of clutch devices for causing the reverse movement of the oscillatory
frame.
It will be noted that by the manipulation of the hand lever 83, the machine
can either be set before the operation begins, so that the starch roller will have a
short movement, or the operator may, during the movement of the roller frame,
increase or diminish the extent of its movement over the work support.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combination with the work support, an oscillatory frame and a starch
carrier thereon movable over the support, and operating devices for the frame, of
two reversely operating driving devices, and means for connecting said driving
devices alternately with the carrier operating devices at the ends of the movement
of the carrier.
2. The combination with the work support, an oscillatory frame, a starch carrier
thereon. movable over the support and operating devices for the frame, of two
reversely operating driving devices and means for connecting said driving devices
alternately with the carrier operating devices.
3. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having
the roller thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices for operat-
ing the frame in opposite directions and connections between the frame and driving
devices and actuated by the former for alternately connecting the driving devices
with the frame to move the latter in opposite directions.
4. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
roller thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices adapted to
be connected to the frame for operating the latter in opposite directions, mechanismi
actuated by the frame for alternately connecting the latter with the driving
devices and means under the control of the operator for varying the cooperation
of the frame with the last mentioned connecting devices.
5. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
roller thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices for operating
the frame in opposite directions, shifting means operated by the frame for alter-
nately connecting the driving devices with the frame and adjustable stops between
the shifting means and the frame for varying the extent of movement of the
latter before operating the former.
6. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
roller thereon movable over the support, of reversely operating driving devices
adapted to be alternately connected to the frame, a movable shifting member
operated by the frame and controlling the connection of the driving devices with
the frame and adjustable stops between said member and the frame for varying
the extent of movement of the latter. .
7. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the

page_text: roller thereon movable over the support, of reversely operating driving devices
adapted to be alternately connected to the frame, a movable shifting member
operated by the frame and controlling the connection of the driving devices with
the frame, the movable arms 16 and 17 between the member and frame and means
for adjusting them.
8. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
roller thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices for operating
the frame in opposite directions, a shifting member operated upon by the frame
for alternately connecting the driving devices with the frame, adjustable stops
between the frame and shifting member for varying the extent of movement of the
frame in both directions.
9. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
roller thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices for operating
the frame in opposite directions, a shifting member for alternately connecting the
driving devices with the frame, the long and short arms arranged between the
member and frame, for moving the former in one direction, and adjustable stops
between the member and the other side of the frame for regulating the extent of
movement of the frame in the other direction.
10. The combination with the table or support, the oscillatory frame having the
starch carrier thereon movable over the support, of separate driving devices for
operating the frame in opposite directions, the movable shifting member for
alternately connecting the driving devices with the frame, the arms 16 and 17
on the member cooperating with the frame, the treadle connected to the arms,
adjustable cooperating stops arranged between the frame and member and in
opposition to the arms 16 and 17 and means for adjusting said last mentioned
stops to vary the extent of movement of the frame.
11. The combination with the pivoted oscillatory frame having the projec-
tions 18 and 45, and separate driving devices for actuating it in opposite directions,
of the pivoted shifting member for connecting the driving devices with the frame,
and the adjustable stops 17 and 46 mounted thereon.
12. The combination with the oscillatory frame, the belt pulley connected there-
to, the oppositely moving belts and pulleys therefor, of the belt shifter, the
movable shifter member and connections between the frame and movable member
for operating the latter from the former to shift the belts alternately upon the
pulley connected to the frame.
13. The combination with the oscillatory frame, the belt pulley connected
thereto, the oppositely moving belts and pulleys therefor of the belt shifter, the
movable shifter member, connections between the frame and movable member
for operating the latter from the former to shift the belts alternately upon the
pulley connected to the frame, and means for regulating the contact of the shifting
member with the frame.
14. The combination with the pivoted oscillatory frame, and separate driving
devices therefor operating in opposite directions, of a movable shifting member
for controlling the operation of the driving devices and pivoted upon the center
of motion of the 'frame, the arm 17, and adjustable stop 46 on the member and
adapted to contact with the frame, and devices for operating said arm and stop.
15. The combination with the pivoted oscillatory frame having the segmental
rack, the gear cooperating with the rack, and separate oppositely moving driving
devices for actuating the gear in opposite directions, of the movable shifting
member for alternately connecting the driving devices with the gear, and ad-
justable stops between the frame and shifting member for varying the stroke of
the frame.
16. The combination with the oscillatory frame having the rack, the gear
engaging the rack, the pulley connected to the gear and the separate oppositely
moving belts adapted to cooperate with the pulley, of the movable belt shifter, and
the shifter member connected thereto and actuated by the frame to move the
belts alternately upon the gear pulley.

page_text: 17. The combination with the oscillatory frame having the rack thereon, the
shaft 7 having the gear 9, the shaft 6 having the belt pulley, and gearing between
said shafts 6 and 7, of the oppositely moving belts, the belt shifter movable in a
plane parallel with that of the shaft 6, the shifting member movable in a plane
transversely of the plane of the shaft, connections between the said member and
the belt shifter for operating the latter from the former, said shifting member
being operated upon by the oscillatory frame.
18. The combination with the work support, the receptacle at the end thereof,
the oscillatory frame and the roller thereon, cooperating with the support and
receptacle, of separate driving devices moving in opposite directions, a movable
shifter menuber for alternately connecting the driving devices with the frame and
operated upon by the oscillatory frame, and an adjustable stop arranged between
the shifter member and frame for causing the reversal of the movement of the
latter before the roller enters the receptacle.
19. The combination with the work support and the receptacle at the end there-
of, the oscillatory frame and the starch carrier thereon, of separate, reversely
operating driving devices for moving the frame in opposite directions, the shift-
ing member for connecting the driving devices alternately with the frame, the
stops 16 and 17, the treadle connected to the stops, the stops 45 on the frame, the
adjustable stop 46 on the shifter member and the lever for adjusting it.
Dated this 14th day of November 1898.