Improvements in Neok-band Clamps for Shirt Ironing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Neok-band Clamps for Shirt Ironing Machines.
We, ALLEN CONKLING, and EDWARD WATSON BUELL, of 395 Fifth Avenue,
Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, Laundrymen,
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 neck-band clamps for shirt-ironing machines in which
there is employed a bosom-board having a recess or its equivalent for receiving the
neck-band and if desired, the shoulder-seam portion of a shirt. at which parts
heretofore there have been located clamping devices for maintaining the neck and
bosom of the shirt against displacement during the operation of ironing the bosom.
The principal object of this invention is to provide clamping devices which are
adjustable to different sizes of neck-bands. It is the common if not the universal
practice to use bosom-boards adapted to shirts of different sizes, that is, a board
for each size, because the varying sizes of the neck-band render it impracticable
to retain the bosom in a smooth condition for ironing on a bosom-board having a
neck-band recess of a different size than the neck-band of the shirt to be ironed
thereon. First class work cannot be performed without a properly proportioned
neck-band recess and a continuous surface of bosom-board adjacent to the neck-band
recess so that instead of having one bosom-board with means for varying the size
of the neck-band recess thereof the settled practice in the art is to provide a board
with a proper recess for each size of shirt and the common practice is to provide
each board with clamping devices to hold the neck-band within the recess.
Economy in cost and maintenance and an increased quantity of work within a given
time are accomplished by the provision of clamping devices which can be adapted
to bosom-boards of different sizes.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the
novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In the drawings:
Fig. is a central longitudinal vertical section of the principal elements of a
bosom-ironing machine necessary to the understanding of the invention; this section
is on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the bosom-board and clamp.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the clamp-operating and looking lever.
Fig. 5 is a modification, and
Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.
A represents the bed of any bosom-ironing machine and A¹ the casting or table
on which the bosom-board B which may be provided with any suitable clothing B¹
is mounted. In this instance the table A' is provided with slots A' through which
hooks B and a lug B are inserted or passed so as to take under a portion of
the table on the part of the hooks and to come into the path of a screw or
bolt A on the part of the lug so that by the pressure of the bolt upon the lug
and by the action of the hooks the bosom-board B is retained on the table.
By these features of construction boards of different sizes may be used.
B3 represents the neck-band recess of the board. In use the bosom of the
shirt is laid upon the board, the yoke portion is drawn over the ends B' of
the board and the neck-band is bent downwardly into the recess B³. When these

page_text: portions of the bosom are clamped in the positions mentioned the bosom is stretched
over the board smoothly and held in that position either by hand or by suitable
devices and the bed, table, and board are moved so as to bring the bosom in contact
with suitable ironing devices. Three screws or bolts B secure the table A¹ to the
bed A.
As a basis upon which to construct and operate the clamping devices of this
invention the bed A' is extended under the bosom-board and slightly beyond the
neck-end thereof. Dovetail or other suitably formed ways A are formed in the
table for the reception of blocks or carriers C' on which are mounted neck-band
clamps C and from which project pins C2, and these pins pass through diverging
slots D in a cam-plate D. The cam-plate itself, in Fig. 2, carries a clamp G;
these clamps may or may not as desired be formed as a part of the part which
carries them or may be connected therewith pivotally or otherwise by screws.c,
or their equivalents. As thus far described it will be seen that a reciprocation of
the cam-plate will cause the clamps connected with the slots of the plate to move
inwardly and outwardly and will give the same movement to the clamp which is
carried by the plate. To give such reciprocative movement to the plate a stud E
is adjustably secured to the plate or a screw or bolt E¹ passing through a slot D¹
in the plate. The lower end of the stud is adapted for the connection of a rod F
which extends rearwardly and is connected by a bell-crank F suitably assembled
with a sector F3 and pawl F3 connected with the table of the machine as shown in
Fig. 4. The said rod F may be connected in any suitable manner with either hand
or foot-operated devices as desired and located at any accessible point on the
machine which will permit of its operation. Now by adjusting the point of
connection of the stud with the plate the clamp may be spread by moving the plate
downwardly to adapt the same to work in a neck-band of a larger dimension and
likewise by changing the adjustment so that the plate is moved upwardly or
longitudinally outward with relation to the neck-band recess the clamps are
contracted so as to adapt them to be used with a neck-band of smaller dimensions,
and after any such adjustment of the stud and its temporary fixture in position a
reciprocative movement or in case of curved divergent slots a partial rotation of the
cam-plate will operate the clamps so as to throw them outwardly and inwardly to
secure and release respectively a neck-band in and from the recess.
It will be noted that the invention as thus far described is completely adapted to
a use in connection with bosom-boards having neck-band recesses of various
dimensions, so that such boards without clamping devices may be employed in the
machine and so that neck-bands of varied dimensions may be clamped by one set
of devices.
There is added to the invention previously described a yoke-clamp which is
under the control and operation of the same instrumentality that controls and
operates the neck-band clamps, and it is also capable of adaptation to the varied
adjustments of said clamps so as to cooperate therewith in any and all of said
adjustments.
The cam-plate D is extended beyond the line of the upper end of the bosom-
board and carries an extension & having a slot G' which, together with a
block G are by means of screws g, secured to the plate D so as to move with
it; the block G³ runs in a way G2 formed in the extension of the table A'. The
yoke-clamp H is constructed to embrace and ride upon the edges of the extension G.
as clearly shown in Fig. 6 and it carries a fixedly secured rod H' which passes
through an eye 1, adjustably mounted by means of its threaded extension I¹ and
thumb-nut I in the slot G¹ of the extension G. Beyond the eye there is
adjustably secured to the rod H¹ a collar H³ and about the rod H is a coiled
spring H abutting against the yoke H and the eye 1. The clamps or feet H³
of the yoke are extended to bear against the ends of the ironing board on
opposite sides of the neck-band recess thereof.
The construction, mounting and appurtenances of the yoke-clamp thus far
described permit of its movement independent of the neck-band clamps by simply

page_text: applying force which compresses the spring H. This is convenient in placing a
bosom upon the board for the operator can move the yoke-clamp away from the
board such a distance as to conveniently arrange the yoke over the ends of the
board when the yoke will, by reason of the action of the spring immediately, when
not otherwise affected, clamp the arranged yoke portions of the bosom and hold.
the same with sufficient tenacity to prevent them from becoming displaced in the
act of arranging the neck-band within the neck-band recess of the board. The
tension of the spring may be varied by moving the eye I toward the yoke within
the slot G. The eye I also permits of an adjustable connection of the yoke-clamp
with the cam-plate so as to render the operation of the yoke-clamp harmonious
with the neck-baud clamps in their varied adjustments for bands of varied
dimensions. In fact, by reason of the rigid connection of the yoke with the
extension G by means of the eye and by reason of the rigid connection of the
extension G with the cam-plate D, the yoke moves bodily through the same
distance as do the clamps C whenever the cam-plate D is moved.
This statement holds good so far as the clamp which is secured to the plate D.
is concerned while a variation in the distances moved by the clamps which are
connected with the plate in its slots is such only as is caused by the inclination of
the slots. In all instances however the movements of the yoke and all the clamps.
are sufficient to secure and release their appropriate portions of the article upon
the board.
If it be desired to employ curved slots in the cam-plate then it would be rigidly
connected with the stud E, see dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the latter would be
provided with a crank J adjustably secured to the stud by a set nut or other
analogous device J', and this crank would be connected with the rod F. By means.
of the set nut J the plate D would be rotated until the pins of the clamp-carrying
blocks projected in desired portions of the slots to give the required movements
for properly operating the clamps; the crank would then be secured to the stud
when by suitably operating the rod F the functions of the clamps would be properly
performed in neck-band recesses of varied dimensions.
Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of
the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages, and while it has been herein-
before described in connection with a bed and table of an ironing machine it will be
understood that it is applicable to a board, either fixed, or portable designed for
hand-ironing.
It is apparent that the clamps C may be increased or decreased in number and
in the extent of surface of the neck-band or the neck-band recess which they shall.
cover and that the cam-plate may be also modified in this regard in accordance
with the modifications in the clamps themselves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. Neck-band clamps adjustable to neck-bands of varied dimensions, substantially
as specified.
2. A series of neck-band clamps and means for adjusting them to operate upon.
neck-bands of varied dimensions.
3. A series of neck-band clamps, in combination with a cam-plate and connections.
between the clamps and the plate.
4. Neck-band clamps, a slotted cam-plate and devices for connecting the clamps.
with the slots of the plate.
5. Neck-band clamps, a slotted plate, means for connecting the clamps and plate,.
and means for giving motion to the plate.
6. Clamps, a cam-plate, clamp and plate-connecting devices and means for
determining the extent of the movement of the plate.
7. The combination with a cam-plate, of a series of clamps mounted for actuation
by said plate, and a yoke-clamp operated by said plate.

page_text: 8. A series of neck-band clamps, and a yoke-clamp and means for simultaneously
operating said clamps.
9. A series of neck-band clamps, means for adjusting the operative position of
the same, and means for operating them in an adjusted position.
10. The combination with a clamp, of means for adjusting its operative position
and operating the same in said adjustment.
11. The combination with ironing-boards having neck-band recesses of varied
dimensions, of a neck-band clamping mechanism, and means for varying the
operative position of said mechanism and for operating the same in said varied
positions.
12. The combination with an ironing board, of a yoke-clamp, a cam-plate and
connections for conveying motion therefrom to the yoke-clamp.
13. The combination with a yoke-clamp, a cam-plate and means connecting the
same for positively moving the yoke-clamp in one direction and yieldingly moving
said yoke-clamp in the opposite direction.
14. A neck-band clamping mechanism and a yoke-clamping mechanism, combined
with means for adjusting the operative position thereof and for operating the same
in said positions.
15. The combination with an ironing-board having a neck-band recess, of neck-
band clamping mechanism and yoke-clamping mechanism, means for operating the
neck-band clamping mechanism adjustably connected with the yoke-clamp.
16. The combination with a neck-band clamp-operating plate, of a yoke-clamp
mounted for movement with said plate.
17. The combination with a neck-band-clamp-operating plate of a yoke-clamp
mounted for movement with said plate and also for independent movement.
18. The combination with neck-band clamp-operating plate, of a yoke-clamp
mounted for movement with said plate and also for yielding movement independent
thereof.
19. The combination with neck-band clamps and a cam-plate operatively
connected therewith, of a yoke-clamp mounted for movement with said plate
positively in one direction and yieldingly in the opposite direction.
20. A neck-band clamp mounted for simultaneous movement, means for
permitting independent movement of the yoke-clamp and means for adjusting the
said yoke-clamp.
21. The combination with neck-band clamps, and a cam-plate having slots and
operative connections between said plates and clamps, of a yoke-clamp mounted
for movement with said plate, and also yieldingly mounted for movement with
relation to the said plate.
Dated this 21st day of May 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.