Improvements in Ironing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: ate of Application, 27th May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ironing Machines.
I WILLIAM AUGUST EDWIN HENRICI of the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga
and State of New York, 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 certain improvements in ironing machines designed
particularly for ironing the neck bands and sleeve bands of shirts and consists in
certain peculiarities of detail construction and arrangement thereof all as hereinafter
more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the annexed drawings Fig. 1 represents an elevation of my improved machine
with the post or supporting coluinn broken at the lower end, and turned one quarter
around to better illustrate the same in details hereinafter pointed out. Fig. 2 is a
broken section of Fig 1 taken on line and Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional elevation
of the ironing block and its heating pipes. Fig. 4 is a view of the detached yoke
connected to the rod R to raise and lower the iron.
This class of machines is used to iron the neck and wrist bands of shirts and it is
desirable that the parts thereof shall be at all times accessible as well as compact and
durable with as few parts as possible liable to get out of order in using. To this end
I have produced the machine represented in the annexed drawing in which A is the
post or supporting column. B is a U shaped bracket at the upper end thereof firmly
secured thereto and which carries the driving mechanism together with the cloth
wound cushion hereinafter described.
Journalled in the bracket B is the driving shaft C upon which run the tight and
loose pulleys c c over which passes the driving belt not shown. Upon the shaft (is
a pinion D which meshes with the gear G' upon the shaft G which latter is held in
boxes in the upper ends of the arms of the bracket B.
One end of the shaft G extends some distance beyond the bracket B and is provided
with coil spring 2 and collars 3. 4 which collars hold between them a cushion or
padded roll consisting of a piece of rubber or several thicknesses of cloth wound
around the shaft at H the cloth being preferable for many reasons.
Pins projecting
from the shaft at H are provided, which pins may be secured directly to the shaft or
to a sleeve fitted thereon as may be desired. These pins are provided to assist in
holding the cloth or rubber roll in place.
Above the bracket B is the curved arm B¹ pivoted thereto at b and said arm B¹
terminates at its free end in a hollow ironing block K which latter may or may not be
integral with the arm B¹ at the rear thereof as may be desired.
Secured to the arm B' is the pipe d which is secured to said arm B¹ by a pin or
screw passing up through the arm B₁ into the standard e through which the pipe d
passes. At the standard e the pipe d is provided with stop cocks 5. 6 the one 5 being
connected to a gas supply pipe and the one 6 connecting with an air supply pipe
which latter is smaller than the interior diameter of the pipe d and projects into the
same for a short distance past the standard e the better to insure a perfect unification
of the gas and air which when thoroughly commingled, pass through the pipe d
and escapes through perforations therein within the walls of the iron K where it is
ignited and heats the iron.
The pipes leading to the stop cocks 5. 6 are of the ordinary flexible tubing
so as not to interfere with raising and lowering the free end of the arm B¹.

page_text: The arm B is hinged to one branch of the bracket B at band is held against
lateral movement and its free end by the bifurcated extensions I I of, the other
branch of the bracket B, between which extensions the arm B¹ passes in its move-
ment up and down.
At the lower end of the column A is a treadle T pivotally secured to said base and
provided with a spring W secured above said treadle to raise the same and its
connections when not in operation while a set screw S is held by the base in position
so as to act as a stop to limit the rise of said treadle.
Secured to the treadle T is an adjusting piece Q provided with serrations or notches
and held by these is a rod R running thence to the arm B¹ to which it is con-
nected by means of the yoke V so that the arm B will be controlled in its
vertical movements by the treadle and rod when the latter is attached to said arm.
Around the sleeve or shaft H I wind several thicknesses of cloth so as to form a
pad or cushion shown in dotted lines in the drawing so that the pins on the shaft may
be seen the purpose of which will be presently explained.
Power being applied and the iron K having been heated to the required temperature
the operation of my invention is as follows.
A neck or sleeve band is introduced between the said cushion and the iron K, the
treadle T is depressed sufficiently to bring the iron with some pressure on the
neck band when the friction of said cushion will cause the same to be quickly
passed through under the iron K by which it is smoothed and polished after which,
pressure may be removed from the treadle, at which the spring W causes the parts
to resume their normal position, being stopped at the proper point by the stop S
abutting against the treadle T.
After continued use, the cloth will become somewhat reduced in diameter. Owing
to this fact, and that different degrees of pressure by the iron K on the goods in
passage through between the same and said roll are desired it is desirable to provide
the piece which furnishes a quick and safe means of adjusting the pressure of the
iron K to accommodate itself to these contingencies as they arise and the bifurcated
ends II of the bracket B serve to guide the arm B₁ so as to return the iron K to its
proper position vertically above the axis of the roll and serve to prevent any lateral
movement of said arm B¹ while in use.
When the cloth is wound round the shaft at H to produce the cushion before
referred to it is frequently desirable to raise the iron K and the arm B¹ out of its
normal position so as to leave a clear space above the shaft H in which to wind the
cloth thereon and for other purposes such as minor repairs &c. and for this reason I
so pivot the arm B' that by removing the pin U and disengaging the yoke V
therefrom said arm may be thrown back away from the other parts of the machine
thus leaving clear space above the shaft H to permit the cloth roll being wound
thereon.
As more or less oil is needed in the shaft bearing in running I provide the coil
spring 2 intended to hold the collar 3 clear from contact with the boxes of the
shaft G so that said collar cannot be pushed in contact with the boxes and hence
cannot conduct oil to the roll of cloth wound on the shaft between the collars 3. 4.
Said spring also serves to hold the collar 3 against the said roll and retain it in its
proper position.
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. In an ironing machine the combination with the pedestal and the Ushaped bracket
mounted thereon and bearing between its arms the driving gears on shafts mounted
in same of the curved arm pivoted at one end to one arm of the bracket reaching
over the gears, guided at the other end in the other arm of the bracket and

page_text: carrying the ironing block over the rotating cushion on the main shaft substantially
as described.
2. In an ironing machine, the main shaft provided with pins for securing the cloth
and collars between which it is wound the inner collar being spring-pressed from the
oil bearings of the shaft substantially as described.
Dated this 27th dow of Mo 1900
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.