Improvements in Ironing or Calendering Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Ironing or Calendering Machines..
I, THOMAS WALTER BARBER, of 5 Page Street, Westminster in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be
as follows:-
This invention, relates to improvements in machines utilized principally for
the ironing & polishing of linen & such material as is usually dealt with at a
laundry.
It consists essentially of, first, a feeding & drying table & second, a series of
rollers for polishing or ironing..
The feeding table consists of a surface, partially wood or suitable non-conducting
material & partially metallic. The first named portion is introduced at the outer
end of the table, in order to prevent the persons feeding, from being burnt while
operating the machine. The metallic portion is heated by steam or other suitable
means.& serves to partially dry the fabrics before they reach the polishers.
Over this table, guided at the outer end by a suitable roller and passing either
over one of the system of polishing rollers or over an adjacent auxiliary one, at
the inner end, is an endless band, upon which the fabrics are placed to be ironed
& which band, by motion conveyed to it from one of the rollers, conveys the said
fabrics over the heated surface to the polishers.
Upon the face of the table & parallel to the polishing rollers, I place strips,
of such a height as to cause perceptible creases in the travelling band. These
creases serve as a guide to the operator in placing the fabrics on the band.
A suitable receptacle for the unfinished linen is provided at the feeding end.
This feeding & drying arrangement is so constructed as to be readily applied to
any of the various forms of ironing machines now in existence & will
serve the
same purposes, with regard to them, as herein described in relation to the other
part of my invention.
The series of rollers may be 2, 3 or 5 in number, or any further addition of
two rollers at a time, according to the nature of the work. I prefer to use five
rollers & place them thus:
Firstly A single roller coated with felt; below this a felted roller and a
polished one. The fabrics from the band are delivered between the top roller
& the second felted one. The top roller simply smooths: the fabric & assists in its
drying. The fabric then passes down between the second felted roller & the
polished one & if it be required polished only on one side, the process ends here.
To polish on both sides however, a second pair of rollers in the reverse positions
of the first pair & placed beneath them, is necessary. The fabric then passes
down to this second pair; & is polished on the other side. It then falls on to a
suitable folding table & is removed.
To secure the polishing effect, I. drive the polished rollers at a greater circum-
ferential speed than the felted ones, all or only some of these rollers may be heated,
according to requirements & by steam, gas, electricity or other method.
To prevent the fabrics adhering to the, rollers. or band, I use circular brushes,
which revolve against the rollers. A plate or plates resting against the periphery
of the roller & pressed to contact.by a spring or weight, will also secure the same
object...
Mar18th 1894

page_text: Improvements in ironing or Calendering machines.
I, THOMAS WALTER BARBER, Engineer, of 165 Queen Victoria Street,
London EC., 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 improvements in machines utilized principally for the
ironing & polishing of linen & such material as is usually dealt with at a laundry
or similar establishment.
The drawings appended shew, respectively :-
Fig. 1. an end elevation of the machine & Fig. 2. a front elevation; one half
with the feed table & feed box removed, to shew the polishing rollers.
The machine consists essentially of; first, a feeding & drying table A, & second,
a series of rollers B, BI, & C, for polishing or ironing.
The feeding table A. consists of a surface, partially wood or suitable non-con-
ducting material, & partially metallic.. The first named portion A is introduced
at the outer end of the table, in order to prevent the persons feeding from being
burnt. The metallic portion A is heated by steam or other suitable means &
serves to partially dry the fabrics before they reach the polishers B, B. A steam.
coil D. is shewn in Fig. 1. for this purpose. The metallic table A is made
preferably of perforated sheet, so as to allow the heat to pass readily through,
•
Over this table, guided at the outer end by a suitable roller E, & passing, either
over one, of the system of polishers B, B, or over an auxiliary roller F, at the
inner end; is an endless band G, upon which the fabrics are placed; & which
band, by motion conveyed to it from one of the rollers-driven in any convenient
manner takes the fabrics over the heated surface A to the polishers. The
band G. I also make preferably of perforated metal, to transmit the heat readily
to the fabrics.
A suitable receptacle H. for the unfinished linen (called the feed box) is provided
at the feeding end.
The feeding & drying arrangement, as just described, is so constructed as to be
readily applied to any of the various forms of ironing machines, & will serve the
same purposes with regard to any of them as herein described in relation to the
other part of my invention, now to be specified.
The series of rollers B. B¹ & C. may be 2, 3 or 5, or any further addition of
2: rollers at a time, according to the nature of the finish required. I prefer to use
5 rollers, & place them thus:-
A single roller C of wood, or of metal covered with felt, to press the fabrics on
to the travelling band G & smooth out the creases. This one is best supported by
a corresponding friction roller J. underneath the band G.
Then a pair of rollers B, B; one polished & one felted; & below these another
similar pair B B, but placed the reverse of those above, viz. the felted one B.
of the lower pair beneath the polished one B' of the upper pair.
The fabrics are delivered from the band G. between the upper pair & are
polished on one side: they then pass on to the lower pair &-the rollers being
reversed in position are polished on the other side. They then pass on to a
delivery & folding table K. & are removed.
To secure the polishing effect, the polished rollers B are driven at a higher
relative speed than the felted ones B. by suitable gearing. All or only some of
these rollers may be heated, according to requirements & in the same manner as
the feed table A².

page_text: The pressure of the rollers B. B' is regulated by springs, as shewn at L. & M.
& the polish given varied accordingly. Only one pair of rollers need be used, if
desired.
To prevent the fabrics adhering to the band or travelling round the rollers,
I use a circular brush N. which is kept in contact with the surface of the band'
or roller & revolves in the opposite direction, thus brushing any fabric off, that
tends to adhere to those surfaces.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. The combination of feeding table & travelling band'; with means for heating
the same, as herein described.
2. The use of perforated sheet for the table & travelling band, to secure the
freest transmission of heat from the source beneath the table to the fabrics on
the band.
3. The use of one or more rollers on the travelling band, to press the fabrics
down & smooth out the creases, as herein described.
4. The combination of one or more pairs of rollers, each pair consisting
of one felted & one polished roller &-in the case of two or more pairs-
arranged vertically so as to polish the fabrics on one or both sides, as herein
described.
5. The use of a circular brush to remove any fabrics which tend to stick to
the travelling band or rollers, as herein described,
6. The combination of the feeding table & band with the system of polishing
rollers, as herein described.
7. The use of the feeding table & band, adapted for combination with the usual
forms of ironing machines, as herein described.
8. The method of polishing by a polished & a felted roller, driven at different
speeds, as herein described.
9. The general arrangement of the machine & parts substantially as herein
shewn & described.
Fahr 10th 100%
T. W. BARBER.