Improvements in or relating to Ironing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899 --Accepted, 17th June, 1899
Improvements in or relating to Ironing Machines.
I, ALLEN CONKLING, of 401, Fifth Avenue, Chicago, in the County of Cook,
and State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 has relation to machines intended for use in ironing the heavier
class of goods or articles, such as heavy roller-towels, pillow-slips, bed-spreads,
blankets and goods of similar sizes and weights, and which are usually ironed in
an unstarched condition. The same however is not restricted to such use but
it may be adapted for use upon a lighter or still heavier class as desired.
The problem presented in ironing this class of goods is to reduce the dampness
of the article to be ironed to a satisfactory degree before the ironing process is
performed by the machine. This problem is therefore solved by the provision of
an extensive drying capacity in the employment of a stationary steam-chest form
of ironing mechanism and the production of a desired finish by the employment
of the rotary form of ironing mechanism and the arrangement of one with the
other in such a manner as to both assist in conducting the goods from one to
another steam-chest member, where more than one is used, and to give the
desired finish to the ironed goods upon one or both surfaces thereof.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a transverse central vertical section of my invention.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of a simplified form of the same.
Figure 3, is a central longitudinal vertical section of the clothed rotary member
employed, and
Figure 4 is a detail in plan of the shell of the clothed rotary member.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of
the drawings.
A represents a steam-chest having the concave ironing surface A', the guiding
horn A2 which may be formed on or attached to the chest, the inlet A3 and the
outlet A for steam or any other heating medium which may be employed for
heating said chest. When the chests A are employed in series the opening A*
of the last chest of the series may be closed with a plug As and a connecting
pipe A may be extended from one chest to another of the series. An outlet A7
with a suitable closure may be employed to draw off any water resulting from
condensation of the steam. All of the rollers employed as also all of the steam
chests are to be mounted and supported in any suitable framework and the
necessary rotation in proper direction of the rollers is to be caused by any suitable
gearing, for example that illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 1. These are
matters entirely within the province of the mechanic accustomed to the con-
struction of machinery of this class and any further description of the same is
deemed unnecessary.
B is a feed box which may be supported, in any suitable manner upon or
adjacent to the first steam-chest of the machine and C represents a receiving

page_text: table or apron for the goods as they pass from the machine in an ironed condition.
C is a talle or conductor arranged between two sets of rotary ironing mechanisms
for conducting the goods from one to the other in the usual well known manner.
I is the rotary member or clothed drum employed with the steam chest A. D*
represents a shaft mounted concentric with the concave ironing surface A' of the
steam-chest and upon this shaft are mounted spiders D' in sufficient number
within and to support the sheet metal shell D2 which constitutes the body of
the cylinder. This shell is perforated as at D3 throughout its entire length as
clearly indicated in Figure 4. The clothing of the cylinder D consists of a felt
covering 13 and an outer covering of several plies D), usually, of cotton cloth.
The function of this clothing is to absorb moisture from the goods being ironed.
Now it will be noted that as the goods pass along the concave ironing surface A¹
of the steam chest, the moisture is absorbed by the clothing of the cylinder and
passes in the form of a vapor through the apertures 13 of the shell into the large
ample and extended air space within the drum from whence it passes into the
outer atmosphere. In this manner the moisture is driven, from the goods, into
the clothing of the drum and the retention of the moisture in the clothing is
obviated so that the steam-chest member of the machine presents the goods to an
extended drying surface and the drum member of this portion of the machine is
provided with an extended evaporating surface, whereby the moisture is expelled
from the clothing of the drum. The prompt and rapid expulsion of the moisture
from the goods and from the clothing of the drum enhances the ironing function of
this form of ironing mechanism is that a larger percentage of the heat of the chest
is expended upon the goods than where a material portion of the same has hereto-
fore been employed in expelling the moisture from the clothing of the drum.
Following the steam-chest member of the machine I arrange a pair of rotary
ironing members E and F. The member E is a drum mounted upon a shaft E
and otherwise constructed and clothed exactly like the drum D, while the mem-
ber F is a hollow ironing roller which is to be heated by steam, or otherwise, and
mounted upon a shaft F. Following the second steam-chest ironing member of
the machine is a second set of rotary ironing rollers E and F mounted respectively
upon shafts E and F, and following these is another pair of rotary ironing
rollers 2 and F2 mounted respectively upon shafts E2* and F. It will be noted
that the clothed roller E3 of the last set is arranged over the heated ironing
roller. F while the clothed roll E¹ of the first of these two sets is arranged
beneath its heated ironing roller F for the purpose of bringing a heated ironing
roller upon the opposite sides of the goods as they pass through said portion of
the machine. In all of the clothed rollers, I secure the advantage. of an extended
capacity of drying the goods and the clothing of the clothed roller by employing
the perforated shell communicating with the interior of the roller.
In Figure 2, I have illustrated an arrangement of the two principal elements
of the machine whereby the class of goods somewhat lighter than those herein-
before referred to may be ironed such goods however being of such size and weight
as to absorb in the washing process, and to retain, after being taken from an
extractor or from a wringer, more dampness and moisture than can be readily
taken from the goods by the use of the ordinary rotary ironing mechanism. It
is essential that moisture be expelled from, and not dries in, the goods being
ironed lest they lack that desirable softness which is present in domestic work.
When ironed by drying the moisture in the goods, they are stiff and harsh, Now
by providing escape for the moisture, not only from the goods but also completely
from the clothing of the clothed members of the ironing mechanism and especially
in such members when working upon an extended heated member as a chest,
long life in the clothing and perfection in the quality of the ironed goods are
secured.
I therefore apprehend as within my invention the arrangement and co-operation
in a continuous process of ironing goods of the class referred to of the steam
chest having an extended drying surface with a rotary ironing mechanism which

page_text: has a very limited extent of drying surface but a far greater ironing capacity
whereby not only the advantages of each form of mechanism are secured but
the passage of the goods through the machine is positive and the machine there-
fore is not only better but simplified in its construction and vastly increased in
its capacity for doing work both as regards quality and quantity.
Various changes in details of construction may be made without a departure
from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
:
1. In an ironing machine, the combination with a steam chest having a concave
ironing surface and a clothed drum operating upon said surface, of a pair of
rotary ironing rollers, one of which is heated, said rollers being arranged in
feeding relation to said steam chest as described and suitable gearing for rotating
said drum and rollers in the proper direction to cause the passage of goods over
the ironing surface of the steam chest and through between said ironing rollers,
substantially as specified.
2. In an ironing machine, the combination with a steam chest having a concave
ironing surface, of a drum having a perforated shell and suitable clothing, a
steam heated roll, and a co-operating clothed roll arranged to receive goods from
the steam chest, substantially as specified.
3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a steam chest, a clothed perforated
drum co-operating therewith, a guide, a rotary steam heated ironing roll, a clothed
perforated drum co-operating therewith, and gearing for rotating the drums and
roll in the desired direction; substantially as specified.
4. In an ironing machine, the combination with a steam chest of a clothed
drum co-operating therewith inverted pairs of rotary ironing mechanisms, suitable
guides, and gearing for rotating the drums and ironing rolls in the desired
directions, substantially as specified.
Dated this 1st dose of May 1900.