Year: 1897

page_text: We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT and JOHN MCCLURE CALDWELL PATON, both of
Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in ironing machines of the kind in which
the ironing is done by means of a revolving cylinder that is covered with flannel,
felt, or other suitable material, and is arranged to revolve in a semi-cylindrical
polished and steam heated bed, the articles to be ironed being drawn by the re-
volving cylinder over the polished and heated surface and thereby ironed. Some-
times the revolving cylinder is steam heated as well as the bed, and sometimes the
bed forms a smaller portion of a cylinder than a semi-cylinder, and sometimes two
such beds are used in connection with a single revolving cylinder.
The improvements have for object partly to render these machines more suitable
for use in lunatic asylums or other places, where, through carelessness, stupidity
or of set purpose, imbecile attendants upon the machines, or others who have access
to them, may expose themselves to injury from the machine in the ordinary course
of working, and partly to simplify their construction.
In an ironing machine of the.kind referred to, the articles to be ironed are usually
introduced into the machine by means of a movable feed bar which at one edge can
be withdrawn to a little distance from the revolving cylinder. The article or
articles to be ironed is or are arranged by hand over the withdrawn movable bar
which is then moved towards the cylinder so as to bring the article or articles into
contact with the revolving cylinder so that they are carried forward through the
machine by the friction arising from contact with the flannel, felt, or other material
covering the cylinder.
In the machines as hitherto made it is possible for the fingers or the hand of an
attendant to be introduced between the feed bar, or the material placed over it, and
the revolving cylinder, and under certain circumstances the hand may thus be
drawn into the machine and injured.
Now according to this invention in order to prevent such an accident occurring
we construct the machine with a fixed bar placed in proximity to the revolving
cylinder and so construct and arrange the feed bar that it must be withdrawn
outward and beyond the fixed bar in order that the article to be ironed may be
drawn upon it, and then moved inward and under the fixed bar in order to bring
the article into contact with the revolving cylinder, the arrangement being such
that the spaces between the movable feed bar and the fixed bar when the former
is in the closed and open positions, are such that it is impossible for the fingers
or the hand of the attendant to be passed between them in such a way that either
could be caught between the feed bar and the revolving cylinder.
The feed bar hitherto in general use in ironing machines of the kind referred
to has been mounted to turn on pivots or axles attached to its ends. Now according
to this invention we, in some instances construct the feed bar, or part thereof, of
flexible metal or other suitable flexible material and firmly secure one of its edges

page_text: to the ironing bed or trough, the flexibility of the material being made such as to
permit of the other edge being withdrawn a sufficient distance from the revolving
cylinder to allow of the convenient introduction over it of the articles to be ironed.
Suitable means are provided to stiffen the outer edge or end longitudinally, and
we arrange that either through the elasticity of the flexible material, or in some
other convenient way, such as by the use of levers and weights or of springs, the
bar shall, when required, press the article to be ironed into contact with the
revolving cylinder.
According to another arrangement, the feed bar, instead of having one edge
withdrawn from the revolving cylinder whilst the other edge remains in contact
or nearly in contact with it, is adapted to be withdrawn bodily from contact with
the revolving cylinder, sliding back from it on suitable guides and when with-
drawn leaving between itself and the cylinder a space which, instead of being
wedge shaped, as heretofore usual, shall be of about the same width at the bottom
as at the top, and which shall be closed or nearly so, at the bottom by the edge
portion of the ironing bed or trough which may be at right angles, or nearly so, to
that face of the feed bar which, when required, presses the article to be ironed into
contact with the revolving cylinder.
Feed bars of the improved kind hereinbefore mentioned can be used with or
without fixed safety bars arranged as described.
2
T
1000
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT and JOHN MCCLURE CALDWELL PATON, both of
Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham, Engineers, 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 ironing machines of the kind in which
the ironing is done by means of a revolving cylinder that is covered with flannel,
felt, or other suitable material, and is arranged to revolve in a semi-cylindrical
polished and steam heated bed, the articles to be ironed being drawn by the re-
volving cylinder over the polished and heated surface and thereby ironed. Some-
times the revolving cylinder is steam heated as well as the bed, and sometimes the
bed forms a smaller portion of a cylinder than a semi-cylinder, also two such beds
. are sometimes used in connection with a single revolving cylinder.
The improvements have for object partly to render these machines more suitable
for use in lunatic asylums or other places, where, through carelessness, stupidity
or of set purpose, imbecile attendants upon the machines, or others who have access
to them, may expose themselves to injury from the machine in the ordinary course
of working, and partly to simplify their construction.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows in end elevation part of an ironing
machine of the kind referred to, the complete construction of which is well known.
In such a machine the articles to be ironed are usually introduced into the machine
by means of a movable feed bar 1 which at one edge 1* can be withdrawn to a little
distance from the revolving cylinder 2. The article or articles to be ironed is or are
arranged by hand over the withdrawn motable bar which is then moved towards
the cylinder by a rod 3 operated by a treadle not shown, but well understood, so

page_text: as to bring the article or articles into contact with the revolving cylinder so that
they will then be carried forward through the machine by the friction arising from
contact with the flannel, felt, or other material covering the cylinder. 4 is the
semi-cylindrical polished and steam heated bed between which and the cylinder 2
the articles to be ironed are drawn as set forth.
In such machines as hitherto made it will be seen that it is possible for the
fingers or the hand of an attendant to be introduced into the wedge shaped space
between the feed bar 1, or the material placed over it, and the revolving cylinder 2,
and under certain circumstances the hand may thus be drawn into the machine
and injured.
Now according to this invention in order to prevent such an accident occurring
we construct the machine as shown in Fig. 2, with a longitudinally arranged fixed
bar 5 placed in proximity to the revolving cylinder 2, and so construct and arrange
the feed bar 1 as shown, that it must be withdrawn outward and beyond the fixed
bar 5 in order that the article to be ironed may be drawn upon it, and then moved
inward and under the fixed bar in order to bring the article into contact with the
revolving cylinder 2, the arrangement as will be seen being such that the spaces
between the movable feed bar 1 and the fixed bar 5 when the former is in the closed
and open positions, are such that it is impossible for the fingers or the hand of the
attendant to be passed between them in such a way that either could be caught
between the feed bar and the revolving cylinder. The space between the fixed
bar 5 and the cylinder 2 may be covered by a suitably supported fixed guard
plate 5ª.
The feed bar hitherto in general use in ironing machines of the kind referred to
and shown in Fig. 1 has been mounted to turn on pivots or axles 6 attached to its
ends or, as shown, to plates 6ª fixed to its ends. Now according to this invention
we, in some instances construct the feed bar, or part thereof, of flexible metal or
other suitable material and firmly, secure one of its edges to the ironing bed or
trough, the flexibility of the material being made such as to permit of the other
edge being withdrawn a sufficient distance from the revolving cylinder to allow of
the convenient introduction over it of the articles to be ironed. Fig. 3 shows in
end elevation, a construction of this kind wherein 1b is the feed bar constructed of
flexible sheet steel and secured at its lower edge 1° to the ironing bed or trough 4.
Suitable means are provided to stiffen the outer edge or end Id of the feed bar
longitudinally, as for example by bending it upon itself as shown, and we arrange
that either through the elasticity of the flexible material, or in some other con-
venient way, such as by the use of levers and weights or of springs, the bar 1b
shall, when required, press the article to be ironed into contact with the revolving
cylinder. This is effected in the arrangement shown by the elasticity of the
flexible bar itself. 7 is a bell crank lever adapted to be operated through a
rod 8 and treadle for withdrawing the flexible bar from the cylinder 2 for the
purpose of inserting articles to be ironed between it and such cylinder.
According to another arrangement, shown in end elevation in Fig. 4, the feed
bar 1° instead of having one edge withdrawn from the revolving cylinder whilst
the other edge remains in contact or nearly in contact with it, is adapted to be
withdrawn bodily, as by a bell crank lever 7 and rod 8, from contact with, the
revolving cylinder, sliding back from it on suitable guides 4ª and when with-
drawn, as shown in dotted lines, leaving between itself and the cylinder a space 9
which, instead of being wedge shaped, as heretofore usual, (see Fig. 1) shall be
of about the same width at the bottom as at the top, and which shall be closed or
nearly so, at the bottom by the edge portion of the ironing bed or trough 4 which
may be at right angles, or nearly so, to that face of the feed bar which, when
required, presses the article to be ironed into contact with the revolving cylinder.
Feed bars of the improved kinds hereinbefore described with reference to and
shown in Figs. 3 and 4 can be each used with or without a fixed safety bar 5
arranged as herein before described and shown in Fig. 2.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to the combination of a revol-
uble cylinder an ironing bed or trough a feed bar or equivalent feeding device
and means substantially such as described for preventing the introduction and
injury of an attendant's hand or fingers between the revoluble cylinder and the
feed bar or feeding device as set forth.
2. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to a feed bar or feeding device
constructed substantially as herein before described wholly or partially of flexible
material stiffened at one edge firmly secured at another of its edges to the
ironing bed or trough, and adapted to be caused when required to press articles
to be ironed into contact with the revoluble, cylinder as set forth.
3. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to, a feed bar or feeding device
adapted to be withdrawn bodily from contact with the revoluble cylinder, by being
slidden back from it on suitable guides so as when withdrawn to leave between
itself and the cylinder a space which instead of being wedge shaped shall be of
about the same width at the bottom as at the top, the arrangement being such
that the said space is closed or nearly so at the bottom by the edge portion of the
ironing bed or trough substantially as described.
4. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to the combination and arrange-
ment of parts substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to Fig. 2
of the drawings annexed for the purpose mentioned.
5. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to the combination and arrange-
ment of parts substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to Fig. 3
of the drawings annexed for the purpose mentioned.
6. In an ironing machine of the kind referred to the combination and arrange-
ment of parts substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to Fig. 4
of the drawings annexed for the purpose mentioned.
T
1
001
1000
Dated this 28th day of January 1898.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.