Improvements in Ironing Machines and the Treatment of Materials therein.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Ironing Machines and the Treatment of Materials
therein.
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT and JOHN CHARLES LANCASTER, both of Blooms-
grove Works, Nottingham, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable two opposite surfaces of an article
or fabric to be improved and finished by a single passage through an ironing
machine, and also where desirable to enable the material to be during such pass-
age through the machine stretched to a definite extent in a longitudinal sense,
and in the cases of articles made of tubular form to enable the same if desired to
be stretched laterally to a definite extent whether or not subjected likewise to
longitudinal stretching.
For the said purposes we construct a compound ironing machine so arranged
that material or an article after being suitably fed to it is caused to pass success-
ively between two different ironing surfaces and rollers in suchwise that when
passing between the one ironing surface and its roller the one exposed side or
surface of the material or article will be presented to the ironing surface and
when passing between the second ironing surface and its roller the opposite ex-
posed side or surface of the material or article will be presented to the ironing
surface. When the material is to be stretched in a longitudinal sense during
its passage through the machine we accelerate to a suitable definite extent the
surface speed of the second roller or else we provide an intermediate stretching
roller and when it is desired to stretch in a lateral sense, or widen a tubular
article being passed through the machine we introduce into the said article a
plate of suitable material such as copper made narrower at one end than at the
other in suchwise that as the article passes over the wider end of the plate it is
stretched accordingly. Sometimes a second such stretching or widening plate
may be employed between the two ironing parts of the machine.
One object of our invention is the treating of the surfaces of textile fabrics,
and especially of hosiery, for the purpose of giving the surfaces a finished and
attractive appearance.
It has been usual hitherto to finish the surfaces of such goods by pressing
them under heavy hydraulic pressure; but inasmuch as the goods are usually
made in long cylindrical pieces, they are too long to be put into the press extended
to their full length, and they have to be doubled in order to be subjected to pres-
sure, so that marks have been left in the places where they were doubled. By
passing a length of the material to be finished continuously through a compound
ironing machine according to this invention, no such doubling is required, and
thus we are enabled to obviate marks such as referred to.
The invention can be carried out under various modifications. According to
one arrangement we use ironing machinery of the type constructed with a bed
that forms a steam-jacketed trough having a polished interior which constitutes

page_text: the ironing surface over which the goods to be ironed are made to move, but
ours is a compound ironing machine so constructed and arranged that instead
of only one side of the fabric passing through it being ironed and
having its surface properly finished, and the other side having only
contact with a roller clothed with flannel, felting, calico or other material, whereby
the material under treatment is gripped and as the roller revolves, drawn over
the heated and polished surface of the trough, there are two steam-jacketed
troughs polished on their interiors, and. so arranged that the material which has
passed through the first trough, and been ironed on the one side by it, is caused
o pass through the second trough, in which it is ironed on the other side. On
leaving this second trough, the material is or may be suitably received by wind-
ing apparatus and wound either on to. cards or boards, or into a bale, or in any
other convenient form, or it may be folded. in many instances the material to
be treated is made in long lengths, and is of such a character that the end of one
length may be readily attached to the beginning of another; so that the fabric,
once having been entered into the machine, may pass through it continuously
and in an automatic fashion for a long period of time.
By..slightly varying the diameters of the two rollers, or of the rollers and
troughs used in this improved apparatus, or by slightly quickening the speed of
revolution of the second roller this second roller the second roller may be caused
to put a continuous tension upon the material' passing through it from the first,
so as to stretch me material to a definite and regulated extent. In some cases,
instead of passing the material directly from one ironing trough to another, we
cause it to pass from the first trough over a roller and thence into the second
trough. The roller may be caused (by means of springs or weights) to put a
definite tension upon the material passing over it; and a length of material,
being thus exposed to the air between the one trough and the other, will more
readily give off to the air with which it comes into contact any moisture which
may have been in it.
convenient method of arranging the two troughs with their rollers is. to
place the first trough immediately above the second; and, in order to ensure
that the two rollers by means of which the material is drawn through the appara-
tus shall be kept moving at the same speed, or with the same relative speed the
one to the other, they may be conveniently driven by a single shaft carrying
worm, gearing with similar worm-wheels connected with each of the rollers;
or one of the rollers may be driven by a pinion gearing into a toothed wheel
secured to the shaft carrying it, which toothed wheel in its turn gears into a
similar toothed wheel secured to the shaft carrying the other roller.
The rollers may, if desired, be made hollow and be heated by steam, suitable
connections for the admission of steam and the removal of water of condensa-
tion being made. In the arrangement referred to, the two troughs are arranged
with their concave sides facing in opposite directions, so that the surface of the
fabric which has been in contact with the roller in the one trough will be in con-
tact with the heated and polished surface of the trough when passing through
the other: The two rollers, or rather, their shafts, may conveniently be carried
at each end upon a single bracket pivoted upon a centre which is so placed that
when the brackets at each end are turned in one direction the rollers are brought
into contact with the hollow surface of the troughs, and when turned in the
other direction they are removed from the troughs. This permits the rollers to
have fresh covering easily and quickly wound upon them, and the interiors of
the troughs to be examined and cleaned.
The brackets may be conveniently turned about their pivots by providing each
bracket with a portion of a circular tooth rack, into which racks work worms or
pinions carried by a common shaft, that can be worked by hand or by power;
and when the rollers have been forced home into the troughs they may be pre-
vented from slipping back by any convenient device such as a worm gearing and
hand wheel, or by a ratchet device. The roller and trough which first receive the

page_text: material to be finished may conveniently he furnished with a feed-bar of the type
usually employed in ironing machines of the type made use of, and in some
cases a similar feed-bar may be provided for the second roll, the two rolls being
placed at such a distance apart as to leave room for its introduction.
The pressure of the rollers upon the troughs may be conveniently regulated
by means of springs actuated by screws fitted into the brackets already men-
tioned; or a toggle arrangement with lever and weight may be made to press
the rollers into the hollow of the troughs, or this may be done by means of weights
attached to arms or pulleys on the shaft carrying the pinions which work the
brackets carrying the rollers.
Sometimes we combine with the compound machine as described a device for
stretching the fabric undergoing treatment to a regular width. Thus, in the
case of a web woven as a cylinder, we slip within it a copper plate narrower at
one end than at the other, as before described, so that the narrow end enters
readily inside the web, while the wider end stretches it to the required width.
This plate is made of such a form and so placed that while it guides the web
(stretched to the proper width) into contact with the roller and with the feed-
bar, it cannot pass between the feed-bar and the roller, but is constantly forced
to slip back within the web. This stretching plate may be conveniently kept
in position laterally by resting upon a roller provided with flanges, between
which it lies. In some instances, as already mentioned, a similar stretching
plate may be provided between the first roller and the second.
Improvements in Ironing Machines and the Treatment of Materials
therein,
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT and JOHN CHARLES LANCASTER, both of Blooms-
grove Works, Nottingham, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to a construction of ironing machine whereby
the two opposite surfaces of an article or fabric can be improved and finished by
a single passage through the machine and the material during such passage
through the machine can be stretched to a definite extent in a longitudinal sense,
and, in the cases of articles made of tubular form, can if desired he stretched
laterally to a definite extent whether or not subjected likewise to longitudinal
stretching.
For the said purposes we construct a compound ironing machine in such a man-
ner that material or an article after being suitably fed to it, is caused to pass
successively between two different ironing surfaces and rollers in suchwise that
when passing between the one ironing surface and its roller the one exposed side
or surface of the material or article will be presented to the ironing surface aud
when passing between the second ironing surface and its roller the opposite
exposed side or surface of the material or article will be presented to the ironing
surface, the material or article being stretched in a longitudinal sense during
its passage through the machine by accelerating to a suitable definite extent the

page_text: surface speed of the second roller, or, by the action of an intermediate stretching
roller, and when it is desired to stretch in a lateral sense or widen a tubular
article being passed through the machine, there is introduced into the said article
a plate of suitable material such as copper made narrower at one end than at the
other in suchwise that as the article passes over the wider end of the plate it is
stretched accordingly. Sometimes a second such stretching or widening plate
may be employed between the two ironing parts of the machine.
One object of our invention is the treating of the surfaces of textile fabrics,
and especially of hosiery, for the purpose of giving the surfaces a finished and
attractive appearance. It has been usual hitherto to finish the surfaces of such
goods by pressing them under heavy hydraulic pressure; but inasmuch as the
goods are usually made in long cylindrical pieces, they are too long to be put
into the press extended to their full length and they have to be doubled in order
to be subjected to pressure, so that marks have been left in the places where they
were doubled. By passing a length of the material to be finished continuously
through a compound ironing machine according to this invention, no such doub-
ling is required, and thus we are enabled to obviate marks such as referred to.
Ironing machines according to this invention can be constructed in various
forms.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying illustrative drawings show respectively in
cross section and front elevation, one construction of ironing machine constructed
according to this invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of parts of such machine.
This machine is of the type constructed with a bed that forms a steam-jacketed
trough having a polished interior which constitutes the ironing surface over or
against which the goods to be ironed are made to move, but our machine is a
compound ironing machine so constructed and arranged that instead of only one
side of the fabric passing through it being, ironed and having its surface properly
finished, and the other side having only contact with a roller clothed with flannel,
felting, calico or other material, whereby the material under treatment is gripped
and, as the roller revolves, drawn over or against the heated and polished sur-
face of the trough, there are two steam-jacketed troughs 1 and 1" polished on
their interiors, and provided with two rollers 2 and 2 clothed with flannel, felt-
ing calico or other material, the troughs and rollers being arranged as shown so
that the material 3 which has passed through the first trough, and been ironed
on the one side by it, is caused to pass through the second trough, in which it is
ironed on the other side. On leaving this second trough, the material is or may
be suitably received by winding apparatus 4 and wound on to a roller or onto
cards or boards, or into a bale, or in any other convenient form, or it may be
folded. In many instances the material to be treated is made in long lengths,
and is of such a character that the end of one length may be readily attached
to the beginning of another, so that the fabric, once having been entered into
the machine may pass through it continuously and in an automatic fashion for
a long period of time.
The two troughs 1,1ª with their rollers 2, 2* may conveniently be placed the
one immediately above the second as shown, and, in order to ensure that the
two rollers, by means of which the material is drawn through the apparatus,
shall be kept moving with the same relative speed the one to the other, they may
be conveniently driven by a single shaft 5 carrying a worm 6 that gears with
worm-wheels 7, 7* fixed on the shafts 8, 8 of the two rollers; or one of the rollers
may be driven by a pinion gearing into a toothed wheel secured to the shaft
carrying it, which toothed wheel in its turn gears into a toothed wheel secured
to the shaft carrying the other roller.
By slightly varying the diameters of the two rollers 2, 2ª used in this improved
apparatus and revolving them at the same rate, the troughs being made of a size
to suit them, or by making the two rollers of the same diameter and slightly
quickening the speed of revolution of the second roller 2, the second roller
is caused to put a continuous tension upon the material 3 passing through the

page_text: second trough 1 from the first one, so as to stretch the material to a definite and
regulated extent. In some cases, instead of passing the material directly from
one ironing trough to another we cause it, as in the example shown, to pass
from the first trough 1 over a roller 9 and thence into the second trough 1. The
roller 9 may be caused, as by weights 10 (Fig. 1) acting upon bell crank levers 11
carrying the roller, or by springs, to put a definite tension upon the material
passing over it. Or the roller 9 may be suspended from pulleys 9" above it by
means of cords or chains 9b passing over the pulleys and attached to the weights 10
as shown in Fig. 5. The material may be suitably guided from the first steam
heated ironing trough 1 to the stretching roller 9 and guided from it to the
second steam heated ironing trough 1 by rods or rollers 9. This arrangement
permits a considerable amount of variation in the length or in the stretching of
the material to take place between the two ironing troughs without interfering
with the working of the machine. A length of material, exposed to the air
between the one trough and the other, as shown, will more readily give off to
the air with which it comes into contact any moisture which may have been in it.
Where the material undergoing treatment is elongated by the tension of the
weighted or stretching roller 9, or where the material for any reason shrinks in
length between the first and second steam heated ironing troughs 1, 1", it is
sometimes advantageous to drive the revolving rollers 2,2 of both troughs, or
the roller of one of them, by means of frictional or other equivalent clutch gear-
ing or other disengaging gearing capable of being conveniently applied to the
worm wheel or other driving gear upon one or both of the shafts carrying the
revolving rollers 2, 2, and which will enable one roller to be stopped or partially
stopped so as to permit of the taking up or paying out of material, at intervals,
according as it has been stretched, or has shrunk, so as to prevent any incon-
venience arising in the working of the machine in consequence of the stretching
or shrinking of the material.
The rollers 2,2* may, if desired, be made hollow and be heated by steam, suit-
able connections for the admission of steam and the removal of water of conden-
sation being made as well understood. In the arrangement shown, the two
troughs 11 are arranged with their concave sides facing in opposite directions,
so that the surface of the fabric which has been in contact with the roller 2 in
the trough will be in contact with the heated and polished surface of the
trough 1 when passing over the other roller 2. The two rollers 2,2ª, or rather,
their shafts 8, may conveniently be carried at each end upon a single bracket 12
pivoted upon a centre 13 which is so placed that when the two brackets are
turned in one direction, the rollers 2,2 will be brought into contact with the
hollow surface of the troughs 1, 1 and when turned in the other direction they
will be removed from the troughs. This permits the rollers to have fresh cover-
ing easily and quickly wound upon them, and the interiors of the troughs to be
examined and cleaned.
The brackets 12 may conveniently be turned about their pivots 13 by provi-
ding each bracket with a portion of a circular tooth rack 14, into which racks
work worms, or, as shown, pinions 15, carried by a common shaft 16 that can be
worked by hand or by power; and when the rollers have been forced home into
the troughs they may be prevented from slipping back by any convenient device
such as worm gearing and hand-wheel, or by a ratchet device. In the example
shown in Figs. 1, 2 and the shaft 16 is rotated by worm gearing 17 provided
with a hand lever 17*.
The roller 2 and trough 1 may conveniently be furnished with a feed bar 18
of the type usually employed in ironing machines of the type referred to, and
in some cases a similar feed-bar may be provided for the second roller 2", the
two rollers being placed at such a distance apart as to leave room for its intro-
duction.
The pressure of the rollers upon the troughs may conveniently be regulated
by means of springs 19 mounted on the brackets 12 and capable of being adjusted

page_text: by screws 20 so as to act upon the shafts 8, of the rollers. Or a toggle arrange-
ment with lever and weight may be made to press the rollers into the hollow of
the troughs. Or this may be done by means of weights attached to arms or
pulleys on the shaft 16. Figs. 6 and 7 are end and side elevations showing one
end of the shaft 16 with an arrangement of this kind, 21 being a weight con-
nected by the cord 21" to a pulley 22 fast on the shaft 16 which is provided with a
hand lever 23.
Sometimes we combine with the compound ironing machine hereinbefore des-
cribed, a device for stretching the fabric undergoing treatment, to a regular
width. Thus, in the case of a web woven as a cylinder, we slip within it a
Toose
copper plate 24 (Figs. 1 and 8) that is narrower at one end than at the other, as
before described, so that the narrow end enters readily inside the web, while the
wider end stretches it to the required width. The plate is made of such a form
(see Fig. 8) and so placed in or on the machine (Fig. 1) that while it guides the
web (stretched to the proper width) into contact with the roller 2 and with the
feed-bar 18, it cannot pass between the feed-bar and the roller, but is constantly
forced to slip back within the web. To assist the passage of the web over the
plate, the latter may be provided at its wider end with two anti-friction rollers 25.
The stretching plate 24 may be conveniently kept in position laterally in the
machine by resting upon a roller 26 (Fig. 1) provided with flanges 26ª between
which it lies. In some instances, as already mentioned, a similar stretching
plate may be provided between the first roller 2 and the second one 2ª.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. An ironing machine having two oppositely arranged steam heated ironing
troughs and two revolving rollers, the two rollers and troughs being arranged to
act successively upon the material to be ironed and the roller in the second
trough being arranged to move at a slighter greater surface speed than the roller
in the first trough, the arrangement being such that the material which has
been drawn automatically over the first steam heated ironing trough and ironed
on one side will be drawn automatically over the second steam heated trough and
ironed on the other side and will be stretched longitudinally to a certain definite
extent due to the greater surface speed of the second roller, substantially as
herein described.
2. In an ironing machine, the combination with two oppositely arranged steam
heated ironing troughs and two revolving rollers arranged to act successively
upon material to be ironed, of a stretching roller actuated by springs or weights,
the arrangement being such that the material which has been drawn automati-
cally over the first steam heated ironing trough and ironed on one side will be
drawn automatically over the second steam heated trough and ironed on the
other side and will be stretched longitudinally to a certain definite extent deter-
mined by the springs or weights acting upon the stretching roller, substantially
as herein described.
3. In an ironing machine, the combination of two oppositely arranged steam
heated ironing troughs provided with two revolving rollers the second of which
is arranged to move at a slightly greater surface speed than the first one, and a
stretching roller actuated by springs or weights, the arrangement being such
that the material will be ironed on both sides and will be stretched longitudinally
to a certain definite extent determined by the springs or weights actuating the
stretching roller, the second roller acting by its greater surface speed to take up
the increased length of stretched material. substantially as described.
4. An ironing machine having two steam heated ironing troughs and two revolv-
ing rollers arranged to act successively upon the material to be ironed and one or
more loose stretching plates so arranged that the material to be treated will be
first stretched to width, then drawn automatically over the first steam heated

page_text: ironing trough and ironed on one side and then drawn automatically over the
second steam heated ironing trough and ironed on the other side, the said material
being, if desired, stretched to width between the two ironing operations by a
second stretching plate, substantially as described.
5. In an ironing machine having two ironing troughs and two rollers, the
arrangement of pivoted brackets carrying the two rollers whereby the said rollers
can be pressed against or withdrawn from the troughs and the means for actua-
ting the brackets and adjusting the position of the roller shafts therein, substan-
tially as described.
6. The herein described method of ironing material on its two opposite sur-
faces and simultaneously stretching the said material either in length or breadth,
or in both length and breadth, substantially as described.
7. The improved ironing machine constructed arranged and operating substan-
tially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 in-
clusive of the drawings annexed, or modified as set forth.
Dated this 6th day of October 1899.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.