Year: 1887

page_text: NG
Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
I ROBERT CRAWFORD of 12 Alfred Street in the Borough of Belfast and County of
Antrim in Ireland, Hemstitcher and Finisher do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide machinery for the Ironing or Calendering
of Handkerchiefs, collars, cuffs and other laundry work which machinery is also
applicable for the ordinary purposes of calenders as now commonly employed and
produces improved effects upon the fabrics so treated.
For these purposes 1 employ a revolving hot roller or cylinder, having the periphery
or surface thereof grooved or pitted to admit air to the fabric being smoothed so that
the air and iron are passed over it in rapid succession and produce a high polish or
gloss.
The grooves or cavities upon the periphery or surface of the roller or cylinder may
be formed in various directions but I prefer to form them spirally round the roller or
cylinder which may be effected simply either by cutting such grooves or cavities in
the surface of the roller or cylinder or by warping a spiral band or strap, or spiral
bands or straps, round it. And in order to stretch the fabric and prevent creases or
unevenness I give the spirals two contrary directions commencing at the centre and
winding outwards towards the ends of the roller or cylinder.
I also employ a table, travelling at a slower speed than the roller or cylinder, to
carry the fabric under it.'
Doted this 6th day of December 1887.
HYNDMAN & DICKSON,
6, Waring Street, Belfast,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: 1
I, ROBERT CRAWFORD of 12 Alfred Street in the Borough of Belfast and County
of Antrim in Ireland Hemstitcher and Finisher 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide machinery for the calendering or smoothing
of Handkerchiefs, collars, cuffs and other laundry work which machinery is also
applicable for the ordinary purposes of calenders as now commonly employed and, by
admitting air and facilitating the evaporation of moisture, produces improved effects
upon the fabrics so treated.
For these purposes I employ a revolving hot roller or cylinder having the periphery
or surface thereof grooved or pitted to admit air to the fabric being smoothed so that
the air and heated iron are passed over it in rapid succession and produce a high
polish or gloss or any desired finish.
The grooves or cavities upon the periphery or surface of the roller or cylinder may
be formed in various directions but I prefer to form them spirally round the roller
or cylinder which may be effected simply either by cutting such grooves or cavities
in the surface of the roller or cylinder or by warping a spiral band or strap or spiral
bands or straps round it. And in order to stretch the fabric and prevent creases or
unevenness I give the spirals two contrary directions commencing at the centre and
winding outwards towards the ends of the roller or cylinder.
I also employ a table travelling at a slower speed than the roller or cylinder, to
carry the fabric under it.
The Table is actuated by means of a spur pinion and rack or other ordinary
traversing mechanism and moves on slide bars fixed to a frame which is made to rise
and fall by the aid of linked eccentrics and levers operated by the traverse of the
table acting on levers attached to the links of the eccentrics, at each end of the table.
The frame is lowered in order to allow the table to return, after carrying the fabric
under the roller or cylinder, without touching the latter.
The speed of the rollers or cylinders and table or of either of them is varied
according to the class of goods being treated or the amount of gloss or finish desired
to be produced.
The number of rollers may be increased according to the quantity and class of work
to be finished.
Every contact of the periphery or surface of the roller or cylinder or of the band or
strap warped upon it with the fabric advances its treatment a stage.
And in order that my said invention may be more fully understood I shall now
proceed to refer to the drawings on the sheet hereunto annexed the saine letters of
erence being used throughout all the figures to indicate the same or corresponding
s of my machine.
ref
t

page_text: Fig. I is a sectional elevation of part of the machine shewing the grooved or pitted
and heated revolving rollers or cylinders and the travelling table with gear for
driving same.
Fig. II is a plan shewing the parts represented on Fig. I.
a, a are the revolving rollers or cylinders and b is the travelling table moving on
slide bars, c, c, fixed to the rising and falling frame d; e, e are the eccentrics linked
together by the connecting rod, f, and the levers, g, g.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I hereby declare that
what I claim is
1. The use, in ironing or calendering machines, of grooved, pitted or banded and
heated rollers or cylinders constructed and employed substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. The use, in ironing or calendering machines, of heated rollers or cylinders
furnished with divergent spiral grooves, pits, perforations, bands or straps constructed
and employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
3. The use, in ironing or calendering machines, of a travelling table constructed
and employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed and
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved ironing or
calendering machine constructed and employed substantially in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings hereunto
annexed.
HYNDMAN & DICKSON,
6, Waring Street, Belfast,
Agents for Applicant.