IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR IRONING WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Atherton Bernard Furlong, of 17, Great Western Terrace,
Westbourne Park, County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR IRONING WOVEN FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Atherton Bernard Furlong
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd June 1880.
ATHERTON BERNARD FURLONG, of 17, Great Western Terrace, Westbourne Park,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR IRONING
County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
WOVEN FABRICS."
I make a bench or table of suitable size and height, to the side of which and
projecting from I bolt a steam chest which is flat and slightly curved for the purpose
of obtaining a heated surface, and to receive the uniform pressure of an iron which
is fixed or attached to an arm descending from and attached to any suitable frame
or to the ceiling directly over the centre of the heated ironing table, and moves at
At the top of
will in any direction upon the surface of the curved heated table.
this arm and attached to it is a joint and swivel connected to a coarse cut screw
which passes through perpendicularly a metal fitting fastened to the frame or
ceiling over the heated table, the screw being turned by a wheel attached to the
lower end of the screw for the purpose of creating or lessening the pressure of the
iron upon the table. We then cover the surface of the heated table with heavy
calico or any suitable material, and after heating the iron, which is easily attached
or detached and heated in the ordinary way or by slugs or gas, we place the
articles to be ironed or smoothed upon the heated surface and attach the iron to the
swinging arm, which is raised or lowered at the will of the operator by the means
It will be seen that we
of the screw and a spring fixed at the top of the arm.
obtain an equal pressure upon the article to be ironed, which, being produced by the
screw & spring, does away with the necessity of creating it upon the part of the
operator, as in ordinary hand ironing, only the guiding of the iron being necessary;
the heated table drying the underside of the work, while the iron dries and finishes
the top surface facilitating and improving the work and lessening the labour.
steam chest is arranged for the inlet and outlet of steam, as in ordinary jacketed or
double kettles for boiling liquids. Without therefore limiting myself to the precise
construction and arrangements described, I claim the action of the arm upon the
heated table, the raising and lowering of the same by the means of a screw and
spring, hereinbefore described as applied to ironing woven fabrics, and the peculiar
construction and use of the heated table.
The

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Atherton Bernard Furlong in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd December 1880.
ATHERTON BERNARD FURLONG, of 17, Great Western Terrace, Westbourne Park,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY For
IRONING WOVEN FABRICS."
My Invention relates to "Improvements in Machinery for Ironing Woven
Fabrics." I make my ironing table of wrought or cast iron (preferably the latter),
and finish it off with a smooth surface concave in one direction. It is essential for
the success of my said Invention that this ironing table should admit of being
heated to a temperature capable of drying the underside of the fabric to be operated
upon during the operation of ironing it; therefore I make the ironing table, either
the top of a steam chest or box, of the proper size and shape, and furnished with
pipe connections proper for controlling the supply of steam, and providing for the
discharge of water of condensation; or instead, make it as an iron plate of the 1
proper size and shape, or fix a gas stove of a suitable size, which is supplied with
gas in any ordinary and convenient way. The ironing table is covered with thick
calico or its equivalent to prevent damage being done to delicate fabrics by being
brought into contact with such a substance as iron. The smoothing iron for use
with my Invention may be of any pattern and heated in any way, provided that it 2
be fitted with a connection proper for attaching it to the swinging arm next
described.
In ordinary ironing the operator not only guides the iron but has to furnish all
the pressure necessary to make the smoothing iron do its work. My Invention
provides the said necessary pressure, and its use demands from the operator only the 2
skill necessary for guiding the iron. I obtain the required pressure in the following
way :-
In a socket carried at a point immediately over the common centre of the
ironing-table by an arm springing from the base of my ironing machine, or depending
from the ceiling, or supported by any convenient wall or pillar, works an iron 3
screw cut into a coarse thread. This screw is fitted with a hand-wheel for turning
it. To its lower end and connected therewith by an universal joint I attach the
swinging arm already mentioned, the lower end of which carries the smoothing-
iron. In consequence of this adjusting screw it is clear that I can make the
smoothing iron bear with any degree of pressure upon the ironing table, and the 3
universal joint allows of my moving the said smoothing iron in any direction. But
since the swinging arm is the radius of a circle whose centre is the universal joint
aforesaid, and the ironing table is concaved in only one direction, it is evident that
contact between the smoothing iron on the one hand, and the fabric to be operated
upon on the other, could not be maintained without the addition to the parts 4
described up to the present of such a device as a spring or its equivalent. I insert
this device between the universal joint and the top end of the swinging arm; a
metal bar, being in fact a continuation of the lower half of the universal joint and
depending from it, is bored in the direction of the axis thereof, and receives a
vertical rod springing from the top of the swinging arm, The length of this rod is 4
of course much less than that of the bore in which it slides, but is always long
enough to allow of all the rise and fall that can be given to it without a chance of

page_text: its leaving said bore. Around the metal bar and resting upon the swinging arm I
place a spiral spring; above it I place a short arm against which the spring bears.
This short arm is bored so as to slide freely upon the metal bar, and is kept up to
its work by a collar furnished with a set screw and mounted upon a second vertical
rod springing from the swinging arm. For the better understanding of my said
Invention I refer to the accompanying Drawings, in which the same letters designate
the same parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved ironing machine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
The
The base a, made by preference of cast iron, has on its top a pair of guides in a,
between which the bracket c rests. It is firmly bolted to the frame a. To the
other end of the bracket is bolted or screwed the ironing table d. The combined
height of a and b is such as to keep the table d on a level convenient for the
operator to work at. Figure 1 shews the ironing table made as an iron plate with
a gas stove underneath; and Figure 2 shows it as the top of a steam chest.
covering d² of the ironing table may be of thick calico or other equivalent material,
and is fastened to the edge or underside of the ironing table in any convenient
way. The top of the table is concave in the direction of the line 2, d. The
Drawings show the socket e in which the adjusting screw f works as part and
parcel of the quadrant b¹, although it may be a separate fitting attached to the
quadrant in any convenient way. Instead of using the hollow column b and the
quadrant b' for supporting the swinging arm, I may use a bracket projecting from
a wall or pillar for carrying the socket, or it may be fixed to the ceiling in any
convenient way. The axis of this socket must be always immediately over the
centre of the ironing table. The adjusting screw f is cut with a coarse thread for
the greater part of its length, and has keyed on it a band-wheel g. An universal
joint connects the swinging arm i by means of the rod j and tubular guide k to
the adjusting screw f. The spiral spring is shewn at 7; it is kept up to its work
by a collar and bar m sliding freely upon the guide k, and the bar itself is
controlled by a sliding collar n and adjusted by a set screw n¹ at any point on the
vertical rod o. The swinging arm i may be either tubular or solid. It is of course
desirable that it should be as light as is consistent with strength. Said swinging
arm is bent twice at right angles, as shewn. Its lower end is furnished with two
spring bars p, p, hollowed at their ends so as to be capable of gripping a small ball
projecting for this purpose from the top of the smoothing iron. The ironing tablo
is raised to the required temperature by the use of either gas or steam. The
article to be ironed is then arranged upon the ironing table, and the smoothing iron
attached to the end of the swinging arm, which is set by means of the adjusting
screw so as to exert just the necessary pressure upon the article to be ironed, whilst
the spiral spring, itself compressed by the sliding collar and collar bar, keeps the
pressure regular upon whatever spot on the ironing table the iron may be.
When the operator wishes to examine the work or has completed it, he lifts the
smoothing iron and swinging arm, sliding the rod j up the tubular guide, and hangs the
swinging arm upon the bracket fixed to the column b, as shewn by the dotted
lines in Figure 1. It is evident that the swinging arm being bent and connected to
the adjusting screw by an universal joint, and carrying the smoothing iron by a
ball-and-socket-joint, the operator can move the smoothing iron in any direction
without being impeded by any part of the mechanism which compels the smoothing
iron to press upon the article to be ironed.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the means by
which it is to be carried out, I wish it to be understood that what I consider as new
and therefore secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
the combination of the swinging arm, universal joint, the spiral spring, and the
adjusting screw, with their attendant devices, all substantially and essentially as

page_text: and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Atherton Bernard Furlong, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ATHERTON BERNARD FURLONG. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed in
presence of
P. O. O'HALLORAN,
28, Southampton Bdgs., E.C.