Improvements in Machines for Ironing Shirt Fronts, Collars, and other similar Articles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Ironing Shirt Fronts, Collars, and
other similar Articles.
I THOMAS BRADFORD of The Crescent Iron Works Salford in the County of
Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist principally in the adaptation and addition to a
collar ironing machine as described in the Specification accompanying my
application for a Patent No. 7300 dated 10th May 1890 of an improved arrange-
ment for ironing shirts which consists of a special construction of the movable
table which passes between the large under or driving roller, and the small upper
or ironing roller for the purpose of ironing shirt fronts.
I propose to fix upon the movable table a small supplementary table or board
of suitable shape, carried and raised up thereon by distance pieces or supports, so
that the requisite space is left for a shirt to be placed between the tables; the
shape of this upper board will be made to conform to that of a shirt front, and
one end of this table I propose to attach by a suitable hinge to one of the two
distance pieces, so that the board can be raised or lifted by the hand into a
vertical position for placing or threading on the shirt body after which it is again
dropped so that the board may rest in a horizontal position upon the other distance
piece, which I propose to cover with india rubber or other suitable material, that
will afford protection to the intervening shirt body.
A further improvement consists of a treadle connected with and acting upon the
frame which carries the lower roller and table by which it can be depressed and
kept apart so as to admit of the table passing between the rollers without
pressure.
This construction also permits the user to bring the heated roller into contact
with the shirt, either at the neck end or the waist end, without moving from his
position.
I also propose to apply as a further improvement an arrangement to reverse the
direction of the pulley's rotation and the consequent direction of the table by hand
as well as by foot.
This arrangement consists of a cam so mounted as to act against the strap
guide, and upon the centre of rotation of this cam is a hand lever (weighted if
necessary) so that by pulling the said hand lever in one or other direction the cam
will actuate the strap guide.
Dated this 6th day of September 1890.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Ironing Shirt Fronts, Collars, and
other similar Articles.
I, THOMAS BRADFORD of The Crescent Iron Works Salford in the County of
Lancaster 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. :—
This invention relates to the construction of that class of ironing machines

page_text: known as “ collar ironing machines" in which the ironing board is caused to pass
to and fro between two rollers, the upper one of which is heated by gas or steam,
and comes into direct contact with the linen article placed upon the table or board
and consists principally in the adaptation and addition thereto of an improved
arrangement for ironing shirts.
The nature of my present improvements and the manner in which the same may
be performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on
reference to the two sheets of drawings hereunto annexed and the following
explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawings is a side elevation and
Fig. 2 a front elevation of my improved ironing machine, and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the machine hereinafter more particularly
referred to.
"
a is the innin framing of the machine & the table or ironing board, e the top
roller heated by steam or gas and carried in fixed bearings d, and the bottom
roller mounted in bearings carried by a swing frame g so as to be capable of
being raised and lowered as hereinafter described.
According to my present invention I propose to fix upon the movable table or
ironing board a small supplemental table or board of suitable shape carried
and raised up thereon by distance pieces or supports and * so that the requisite
space is left for a shirt to be placed between the tables.
The shape of this upper board will be made to conform to that of the shirt
front, and one end of the board or table propose to atinch by a suitable
hinge to one of the two distance pieces i so that the said board can be raised
or lifted by the hand into a vertical position for placing or threading on the shirt
body, after which it is again dropped or lowered so that the board inny rest in a
horizontal position upon the other distance piece which propose to cover with,
or provide with a block of india rubber & or other suitable material that will
afford protection to the intervening shirt body.
I also attach to one end of the table ha hinged flap (see plan view Fig. 3) to
grasp the collar of the shirt.
A further improvement consists of a hand lever (or a treadle worked by the
foot; connected with and acting upon the swing frame g which carries the lower
roller e.
This lever is made with a cam m neting against a spring plunger » so that the
rollere can be raised to give the necessary pressure, or lowered so as to admit of
the table passing to and fro between the rollers without pressure. This
construction also permits the user to bring the shirt front into contact with the
heated top roller either at the neck end or the waist end without moving from his
position.
"
I also propose as a further improvement to apply an arrangement to reverse the
direction of rotation of the lower roller e, (and consequently the direction of the
movement of the table) either by the hand or the foot as required.
The machine is fitted with two straps o and ox (one open and the other crossed)
which are both moved together by a strap guide p connected to a spring sliding
rody (see Fig. 2).
This sliding rod (and its strap guide) can either be worked by the treadle and
lever by the foot, or by a car actuated by a hand lever attached to its
centre of rotation and preferably weighted as shown so as to shift either the open
or the crossed strap onto the driving pulley.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is:-
First. The general construction combination and arrangement of machine for
ironing shirt fronts, collars, cufl's, and other similar articles substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.

page_text: Secondly. I claim the combination with the reciprocating table in such machines
of a supplemental board or table carried thereby and hinged thereto substantially
as shown and described.
Thirdly. claim the combination with the lower roller of such machines of a
hand lever (or treadle) acting on a spring plunger for raising and lowering the
aid roller when required substantially as shown and described, and
Fourthly. I claim the combination with such machines of a reversing motion
(worked by hand or by the foot) for reversing the direction of motion of motion
of the lower roller and ironing table as desired substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 6th day of June 1891.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.