Improvements in Ironing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1891.
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1882-Accepted, 11th June, 1992
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ironing Machines.
I JOHN WOOD MANLOVE of 167 Walmer Road Notting Hill London in the
County of Middlesex Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in two hollow concave beds. One of these concave beds
is stationary and attached to the end frames of the machine and the other concave
bed is moveable, being attached by hinged joints to the stationary concave bed.
The moveable bed may be attached in some cases to the end frame of the machine
to gain the same object.
Each bed is supplied with steam to heat the smooth surfaces, and either may
have arrangements for taking off vapour produced from the moisture contained in
the materials under treatment. A feeding bar is attached to the moveable concave
bed, which is actuated on hinges by means of foot levers and balance weights.
The linen or other fabrics are drawn over the concave bed by a roller covered
with flannel or other fibrous material. The roller is caused to revolve by suitable
gearing, and is supplied with hot water, ateam or other heated gases, it may be con-
structed similar to that described in the Patent granted to Emile Leon Theophile
Caron No. 11,257-1887 or with a jacket having perforations passing through the
outer casing so that vapour may be drawn inside the roller and out at one end.
Thus the damp linen or other fabrics when fed into the machine are first acted
upon by the heated moveable concave bed and the roller.
The moisture is thus changed into steam vapour, which may be drawn either
through the perforations into the roller, or through perforations in the bed, if not
perforated it is held in the flannel until it revolves out of the beds, when it escapes
into the atmosphere.
The materials are passed forward by the roller from the moveable bed upon the
heated surface of the fixed bed, where it is further heated, pressed and finished on
the smooth concave surface.
When the roller and concave beds have to be separated, the moveable hinged
bed is moved upon its hinges sufficiently low to allow the roller to pass over portion
of it and separate from the fixed concave bed. The movement of the moveable
bed is performed by racks and wheels and worm gearing or other suitable
mechanical contrivance. Parallel motion is attached to the roller ends, so that it is
moved forward with the moveable bed, at the same time with the same motion.
The roller ends are connected with levers and weights, so that the pressure upon
the goods to be ironed, may be regulated as desired and eye joints are fitted, so
that it may be detached and released from pressure upon the fixed bed:
The pressure upon the surface of the moveable bed is caused by the motion of
racks and wheels and may be assisted by levers and weights. The roller is moved
into working position and out into the resting position by means of the lever which
places weight upon the materials being ironed."
When the roller is separated from the fixed and moveable beds, it is moved
forward nearly horizontally using a little incline and may remain supported upon
the end frames of the machine some distance from both beds.
Thus the pressure is put upon the materials whilst being ironed by simple means,
and the beds and roller are separated quickly without much labour..
The machine is driven by pullies, worm and wheel and spur gear, and the
arrangements for supply of hot water, steam or other gases to heat the beds and
roller are of the usual kind, but both beds are connected together through one

page_text: steam supply, taken in pipes and special swivel joints, which allow the movement
of the moveable bed without disconnecting the pipes.
Dated this 9th day of July 1891.
JOHN WOOD MANLOVE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ironing Machines.
I JOHN WOOD MANLOVE of 167 Walmer Road Notting Hill London W. in the
County of Middlesex Mechanical Engineer 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 :-
។
Ironing machines are usually constructed with hollow concave beds, or troughs,
and they are heated either with steam, water, air or other heated gases.
A roller is arranged to pass the materials over the bright surface of the concave
bed, with sufficient pressure to give an ironing finish.
Linen & other textile and washable materials are often passed through these
machines direct from the wringer, or hydro extractor, and consequently there is at
times more moisture in the materials than will pass off in the form of vapour during
the operation of ironing once through the machine or the surplus moisture taken
out by drying.
When ironing machines are not working upon materials, the roller is lifted out of
the concave bed so that the roller and bed are separated, to prevent rust forming
and damage to the flannel covering the roller.
It is also necessary to separate them for cleaning the bright concave surface of
the bed. Considerable time and power is taken to perform this work.
The object of this invention is to facilitate the operation of ironing and the
removal of the roller from the concave bed and also to reduce the power to effect
both purposes.
This invention consists of one hollow stationary bed and hollow feed bar
constructed for the treble purpose of feeding and ironing and ventilating the
articles under operation. The feed bar or moveable bed may be hinged to the
fixed bed or to the end frames or standards of the machine. The fixed bed is
supplied with hot water steam or other heated gases, which heat the concave
surface, and the moveable bed, may be partially heated with steam and partially
with contact upon the hot roller, a certain portion of the concave surface is
perforated the hollow space at the back joining a cavity through which vapour
(produced from the moisture contained in the materials under treatment) may be
drawn.
Therefore the feed bar or moveable bed is arranged to perform the duties of
feeding bar, ironer and ventilator being actuated on its hinges by means of foot
levers and balance weights.
The roller is supplied with hot water, steam, or other heated gases, and may
be constructed similar to that described in the Patent granted to Emile Léon
Theophile Caron No. 11257-1887 or with a jacket having perforations passing
through the outer casing, so that vapour may be drawn inside the roller and out at
one end.
Thus the damp linen or other fabrics when fed into the machine, are first acted
upon by the heated and ventilated feed bar and also the roller and the moisture is
changed into vapour which is drawn through the perforations. The material is
passed forward by the roller upon the heated surface, of the fixed bed, where it
is further heated, pressed and finished on the smooth concave surface.
When the roller and concave bed have to be separated the hinged feed bar or
moveable bed is moved upon its hinges sufficiently low to allow the roller to pass
over portion of it and separate from the fixed concave bed. The movement of
the hinged bed may be performed by levers, rack and wheel, or screw gearing.

page_text: The roller ends are connected with levers and weights so that the pressure upon the
goods to be ironed may be regulated and eye joints are fitted, so that it may be
detached and released from pressure upon the fixed concave bed.
When separated the roller is moved forward horizontally without mechanical
assistance and may be left in a position some distance from the concave of both
moveable and fixed beds.
Thus the pressure is put upon materials, whilst being ironed by simple means,
and the beds and roller are separated quickly without much labour.
The machine is driven by pullies, worm wheel and spur gear, and the arrange-
ment for supplying hot water, steam or other gases, to heat the bed. Feeding bar.
and roller are of the usual kind.
The vapour may be drawn off by fan, or other mechanical contrivance or
exhausted by steam or vacuum.
That my invention may be clearly understood I hereunto attach two sheets of
drawings illustrative thereof, marked with letters and figures of reference corre
sponding with those in the following explanation. In all the figures the same
letters of reference where they occur indicate the same and corresponding parts.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is the ironing machine shewn in elevation.
Figure 2 (Sheet 2) is an end view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section of Figure 1 on line A. B.
Upon reference to the drawings it will be seen that my invention consists.
A moveable concave bed with polished face at a attached to hinged joints b.
When in operation the moveable bed is raised and lowered by the foot lever c
having a balance weight at d and a foot lever board at e, the moveable bed is attached
by rods having a coupling g, so that they may be readily disengaged, a feeding
bar is attached to the moveable bed at h for some kinds of work and this may be
actuated by the same foot lever, whilst the moveable bed is retained in contact by
the curved rack; and pinion & keyed upon the shaft which is actuated by the hand
wheel m turning a worm geared into wheel n.
The roller o is geared at each end as shewn Figure 1 and 2 by spur wheels and
pinion, shaft p is driven by the worm wheel r taking its motion through the shaft.
with worm attached and driven by pulley t.
The roller is kept to its work by means of weights and levers. At each end of
the machine there are bearing levers 14 with boss bored to fit the roller shafts and
having a tail end with slot eye to engage with the bell crank w which is attached
to the connecting rod a which is also attached to the weighted lever y having
fulcrum at zand weight at a¹.
The roller is supported upon end frames which also support the fixed concave
bed which also has polished surface, and when needful for dealing with some
classes of work this bed may be ventilated by means of the cavity.d, but this
forms no part of my invention, this fixed bed is supported on the end frames by
feet eat each end and both beds are supplied with steam through pipes f' and 9*
the pipe attached to the moveable bed may be flexible or have a swivel joint to
allow free movement.
Steam is fed into the roller by means of trunion telescope connections shewn
at which allow the roller to be disengaged and also a movement when ironing..
When the machine must stand for a time the roller is taken from contact and the
bearing lever u is made to do duty in an opposite direction, the hook catch is
moved over to a stud in moveable bed and the lowering down of moveable bed
will drag the roller after it.
The end frames are slightly inclined on the surface to assist the roller home
again when ready for work.
A feeding board is provided at m' and a discharge table at n³.
In operation, the linen or other goods are fed into the machine at h and the
roller o draws them over the concave surface of the moveable bed a and also over
the fixed concave bed and these beds having polished concave surfaces give a
finish to the articles, the surfaces being heated by steam also assist.

page_text: It will be seen that a very large ironing surface is obtained by a machine of this
Construction an even pressure may be maintained upon the articles under operation
and also a simple means for moving the roller from eontact..
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
1st. An ironing machine having fixed and moveable concave beds with hinge,
levers and raising gear substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. An ironing machine with roller having levers substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3rd. An ironing machine constructed substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eighth day of Anril 1892.
JOHN WOOD MANLOVE.