Improvements in Ironing Machinery, especially adapted for Ironing Shirt Bosoms.
Year: 1895

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 Chief Examiner of the 17th day of September 1896.
Date of Applicatior, 30th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Ironing Machinery, especially adapted for
Ironing Shirt Bosoms.
I WILLIAM AUGUST EDWIN HENRICI of Chelsea, in the County of Suffolk
and 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 relates to ironing machines especially adapted for ironing shirt
bosoms, and has for its object the production of a machine of the class described
whereby, goods, as shirt bosoms may be ironed smoothly and rapidly and with a
most perfect finish, having a high lustre, medium, or lustreless finish as desired.
A bosom board is used in connection with the machine, to which board the shirt
is secured in such a manner as to stretch the bosom tightly thereover, the upper
yielding or cushion-like surface of the board supporting the shirt bosom as it is
moved back and forth through the machine by the attendant.
In accordance therewith my invention consists in various details of construction
and arrangement hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention ;
Fig. 2 is a left hand end elevation thereof;
Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the gearing shown at the left hand, Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged_sectional view of the gas and air mixer and controlling
valves, on the line x-x, Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a plan view, partially broken out, of the bosom board or support.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the neck band clamp, and
Fig. 7 is a section thereof taken on the line a¹-x, Fig. 6.
The ironing machine is herein shown as comprising side frames A, A, of suitable
shape to support the operative parts, and securely held together by cross ties A',
said frames having rigidly mounted thereon at their tops journal boxes A2 for the
journals of a strong metal shaft B, shown as hollow and enlarged centrally at B',
Fig. 1, to form the ironing cylinder or roll.
Collars or flanges BX on the shaft B adjacent the journal boxes A² prevent
longitudinal movement of the said shaft therein, one end of the shaft, herein shown
as at the left hand side, Fig. 1, projecting beyond its journal box and having fast
thereon a gear B².
Brackets A³ extend from the rear side of the frames, provided with bearings A*,
see Fig. 3, for the main or driving shaft C, projecting at each end beyond the
bearings, the said shaft having loose thereon at the right hand end, see Fig. 1, a belt
:

page_text: pulley C¹, its hub C× forming one member of a clutch, the other member (1
rotating with and being moveable longitudinally on the shaft C by any suitable
means, as a yoke C³, to move a lug 2 on the member (2 into or out of engagement
with ears 3 on the member Cx, to thereby rotate or stop the rotation of the shaft,
the pulley C¹ being driven by a belt, not shown, connected with the source of
power.
Outside of the bearing A at the other side of the machine a small gear c and a
large gear d, are mounted on the shaft C, their hubs c' and d' respectively being
adapted to be connected to and to rotate with the shaft one at a time, by pins c*
and dx, see Fig. 3.
Plates a are secured to the inner sides of the frames A, as by suitable bolts 5, to
form vertical guideways for a reciprocable cross-head D, best shown in Fig. 1.
A rock shaft E is supported in bearings e preferably mounted in slots e¹ in the
lower portions of the frames A, and held in vertical adjustment by set screws e*,
while a sleeve e having fast thereon arms e³ and a treadle T, is rigidly secured to
the rock shaft by suitable set screws *.
Short links e pivotally connect the arms e³ to the cross-head D, see Figs. 1 and 2,
forming toggle joints, depression of the treadle straightening the toggles and raising
the cross-head, while suitable springs s normally tend to break the joints when the
treadle is released, one end of each spring being attached to an arm e³ and the other
end to one of the cross ties A, Fig. 2.
The cross head D is provided with bearings D¼0 for an intermediate shaft D'
extended through a slot D in one of the side frames, shown as the right hand one,
and having fast thereon a large gear D2 in mesh with a small gear C4, see dotted
lines Figs. 1 and 2, fast on the driving shaft C, whereby rotation is transmitted to
the intermediate shaft D¹.
This shaft D is raised and lowered with the cross-head D, and it has fast upon
it a cylindrical work-supporting roll D³ below the ironing roll B', as clearly shown
in Fig. 1, a loose shell D* preferably of stout leather surrounding the said
roll D³.
The vertical movement of the shaft D₁ is not sufficient to disengage the teeth of
the gears D2 and ", so that the roll D³ may be continuously rotated whether the
cross-head is raised or lowered.
A stud F rigidly secured to the outside of the left hand frame A, Fig. 1, has
loosely mounted thereon three gears f, f and g, connected to rotate together, the
smaller and larger gears g and being in mesh respectively with the small and large
gears c and d mounted on the main shaft, the third gear f" engaging the
of the ironing roll shaft B.
gear
BB
If rotation of the main shaft C be transmitted by the gears d, g and f² to the
ironing roll B¹ it will be rotated faster than if the rotation be transmitted through
the gears c, and f, it being understood that the speed of the supporting roll
finish to the
is constant, and when it is desired to give a so called "domestic
shirt bosoms the latter gearing will be used, and the former if a gloss is to be
put on.
For a medium finish a set of gearing to rotate the roll at an intermediate speed
would be employed.
When one set of gearing is in use the gear c or t of the other set will run loose
on the main shaft C, its particular pin or connection c* or d* being removed.
The polished ironing roll B' is heated from the interior by burners b, preferably
upturned as shown, see dotted lines Fig. 1, in a tube b' extended into the hollow
shaft B from one end, said tube being shown as secured at its outer end in the
partition wall 62 of a two part chest 68, the end of said tube opening into one of the
parts, as 6, constituting an air chamber and having an air inlet 6 controlled by a
suitable valve v.
A tube within the tube ¹ extends beyond its outer end through the air
chamber within which it communicates by a perforation h2, the end of the tube
connecting with a gas inlet h¹ controlled by a valve v¹.

page_text: As the gas passes through the tube hair enters from the chamber * and mixes
with the gas, in proper, regulatable proportions, the mixture escaping at the open
inner end of the tube and through perforations h² into the tube 6 in a thoroughly
mixed condition, to pass to the burners b, the perforations assisting in the thorough
incorporation of the gas with the air.
The chamber is connected by a valve v³ with a pipe leading from a source of
fresh air supply, whenco air is forced into said chamber and out through a pipe h³
surrounding the tube b', and terminating some distance within the hollow shaft B,
the fresh air thus forced thereinto supporting combustion of the mixed air and the
gas at the burners b within the roll.
Inasmuch as the shaft B is rotating when the machine is in operation the chest b³
and its rigidly attached tubes and pipe are supported by a depending foot 10 teles-
copically entering a holder 12 and held therein by a set screw 13, the holder being
mounted on the reduced end 14 of the stud F and held adjusted by set screw 15.
By this connection and support the chest and its attached parts may be slightly
adjusted vertically and also about the stud F as a centre, to bring the burners b
into proper position within the ironing roll B'.
In ironing the shirt bosom it is passed back and forth by the attendant between
the ironing roll B' and the work supporting roll D³, and for this purpose the shirt
is secured to a bosom board now to be described.
Referring to Fig. 5 the bosom board is shown as composed of sides m rigidly
connected at one end by a neck piece m', and strengthened by diagonal strips m²,
all preferably of wood, to form a compact, rigid frame.
A rubber sheet n is secured to the top of the frame, the neck piece m¹ being cut
out at m*, either in the arc of a circle, as shown, or in an oval, according to the
shape of the neck of the shirts with which it is to be used.
Upon the rubber is laid a thick sheet o of felt, and upon this a second cover
sheet of felt o, both secured at the lower end of the board in suitable manner, and
also around the neck opening, and at the sides of the said neck opening m* by a
metal holder m³, secured rigidly in place by bolts m and fitting the board at the
shoulder portions.
The holder m³ is cut away, as shown, to form the back of the neck opening,
and is provided with a pin mo and adjacent bearing surface m of felt, for a purpose
to be described, a thin semicircular metal plate m being let into the neck piece m'
to prevent the clamp, to be described, from accidentally falling out.
The top layer of felt o' is cut longitudinally at 02, and transversely at o³, to form
a flap which may be raised to permit the insertion thereunder of the inner ply of
the bosom of an open front shirt, the upper ply thereof lying upon the flap when
pushed back into place, the edge o² of the flap coinciding with the edge of the upper
ply of the bosom.
In ironing open bosom shirts if the two plies of the bosom are overlaid one upon
the other, a ridge or mark will be made on the outer ply by the edge of the under
ply, no matter how carefully ironed, and in the subsequent operation of bosom fixing
the line or ridge cannot be obliterated.
The formation of this ridge is herein obviated by making the flap in the outer
cover o¹, and inserting the under ply of the bosom beneath it, so that when pushed
back into place the flap will lie smoothly, and the edge of the top ply of the bosom
will lie along the edge o² of the flap.
In ironing it will be obvious that the part of the under ply beneath the flap will
not be ironed, but this is afterwards done by a small iron in a bosom fixing
machine.
When the bosom hoard has been slipped into the shirt the flap of the cover o' is
lifted and the under bosom ply arranged as described, and the flap replaced, and
the neck band of the shirt is turned down in the neck opening, the button hole at
the back of the band being pushed over the pin m³, and a clamp is inserted to
hold the band firmly in place.

page_text: This clamp is shown detached in Figs. 6 and 7, and herein consists in a piece of
spring metal g, bent in a circular arc, or in oval form, according to the shape of the
neck opening, the ends gl being inturned and connected by a rivet q³, which forms
a pivot for a locking device 9 mounted on the rivet g2 between the ends q' and
wedged shaped at its outer end, to be forced down between said ends, as shown in
dotted lines Fig. 7, separating them and expanding the curved portion of
the clamp.
When the locking device is raised, as in Figs. 6 and 7, the clamp can be readily
pushed down into the neck opening, inside of the neck band, and when the device q³
is pressed down the clamp is expanded and tightly holds the neck-band in place, the
pin m entering a notch q" in the clamp g.
The shoulders are held in place by a yoke clamp r, having spring clips r¹ to fit
over the ends of the holder m³."
The lower end of the shirt must be held firmly and this is accomplished by
securing a metal rod t rigidly in the projecting portions of the sides m Fig. 5, and
mounting loosely on the rod a preferably wooden sleeve t¹, polygonal in cross-
section, interiorly recessed at t² to receive a coiled spring tx one end of which is
secured at t³ to the sleeve, the winding of the spring being such that the sleeve
may be turned freely in the direction of the arrow 50, Fig. 5, reverse movement
of the sleeve, however, tightening the spring t* on the rod t, and preventing such
rotation.
The lower end of the shirt is given a turn around the sleeve t¹, and the latter is
rotated in the direction of the arrow until the bosom is stretched tightly over the
cover o', and the spring t* locks the sleeve at any point in its rotation.
The attendant now rests the board on the cover D* of the work-supporting
roll D³, and with his foot depresses the treadle T, raising the work-support until
the heated ironing roll B' bears against the surface of the shirt bosom, and the
latter is drawn between the rolls, the attendant regulating the pressure by means
of the treadle.
When the board has been pushed through far enough to allow the ironing roll
to act upon the whole bosom the pressure is slightly relaxed, and the board is
pulled towards the attendant, the sleeve D' slipping over the roll D³ and so
preventing rubbing of the back of the shirt thereover.
This operation is repeated as often as necessary to give the proper finish to the
bosom, after which the clamp is unlocked and removed, the neck-band drawn
out, and the lower end of the shirt released from the sleeve t¹, the yoke clamp
having been removed, and the bosom board can be withdrawn at once from the
shirt and inserted in another.
An assistant usually attaches and removes the shirt, so that the attendant can
give his whole time to operating the machine.
A table M, cut away to admit the work-supporting roll D³, is suitably attached
to the cross-head D, keeping the sleeves of the shirt out of the way of the
operating shafts and adjacent parts, and the table also assists the operator in
manipulating the board as it is run back and forth between the work-supporting
and ironing rolls.
Various modifications may be made in the details of the apparatus without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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 machine for ironing shirt bosoms or the like, of a heated ironing
roll and a work-support, a driving shaft operatively connected with and to rotate
the work-support, and speed changing mechanism connecting said shaft and ironing
roll, whereby the rotative speed of the latter can be varied, substantially as
described.

page_text: :
2: The use, in a machine for ironing shirt bosoms or the like, of a heated ironing
roll and a work-support, and a loose sleeve on said work-support, substantially as.
described.
3:-The use, in a machine for ironing short bosoms or the like, of a heated ironing
roll and a work-support, a main driving shaft, large and small gears thereon
lapted to be secured to and to rotate therewith one at a time, and intermediate-
variable speed gearing operatively connecting the main shaft gears and a gear
rotatable with the ironing roll, substantially as described.
4: The use, in a machine for ironing shirt bosoms or the like, of a heated ironing
roll and a work-support, a loose sleeve on the work-support, and a board upon
which the shirt to be ironed is stretched, movement of the board under the roll
ironing the bosom, retrograde movement of the board causing the sleeve to slip-
without rubbing the back of the shirt, substantially as described.
5: The use in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a rigid frame, and a
yielding cover for its upper side provided with a flap to enter between the upper
and under plies of the shirt bosom, and cover the under ply, substantially as
described.
6-A bosom board for use in ironing machines, having a neck-band receiving
portion, and a clamp to hold the band in place, substantially as described.
7:-The use in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a rigid frame having a
yielding cover for the upper side, a clamp for the neck-band of the shirt, and an
automatically locked holding device for the lower end of the shirt, substantially as
described.
8 The use, in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a sleeve mounted at
the lower end of the board, to be rotated freely in one direction, and a locking
device to automatically prevent its rotation in the other direction, substantially
as described.
9 The use, in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a frame provided with a.
yielding cover for its upper side having a flap therein, devices to hold the neck-
band and the lower end of the shirt in place, and a yoke clamp, substantially as
described.
10 The use, in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a frame having a neck-
band receiving portion, and a support for the back button-hole of the neck-band,
substantially as described.
11: The use, in a bosom board for ironing machines, of a rigid frame, and a
yielding cover for its upper side, slit to form a flap under which the under ply of
the bosom is placed, the long side of the flap lying adjacent to the upper edge of
the bosom ply, substantially as described.
Dated the 29th
1005
LONA
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant..