GB369938A - Improvements in or relating to garment or ironing presses - Google Patents

Abstract

369,938. Laundry and like presses. ROGERS, F. H., 181, Queen Victoria Street, London.-(Prosperity Co., Inc. ; Lombard Street, Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.) Dec. 23, 1930, No. 38776. [Class 138 (ii).] A garment or ironing press is lightly closed by a piston and cylinder mechanism 12, Fig. 1, which operates the toggle links 7, 8. Towards the end of the travel of the piston a port in the cylinder is uncovered to admit the fluid pressure to another cylinder 23, the piston working therein actuating a lever 19 either directly or through eccentric mechanism 26 .. 29. During the initial closing of the press the lower end of the upper link 7, which is received in the bifurcated upper end of the lower link 8 and is provided with a slot 18, Fig. 9, in which the toggle joint-pin 9 is received, rides on to the free end of the lever 19 which is shaped concentric with the arc of movement of the joint-pin so that the final heavy pressure, derived from the cylinder 23, is applied without lost motion irrespective of the position, within limits, in which the press head is arrested during the preliminary closing, thereby compensating for varying thicknesses of padding. To prevent slip between the link 7 and lever 19 the coacting faces may be serrated as in Fig. 1 or may be provided with interengaging portions 70, 190, Fig. 9. The admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder 12 may be controlled by two buttons which must be maintained depressed until the press is safely closed, at which time the outlet port in the cylinder becomes uncovered. When this occurs the fluid pressure is admitted to three diaphragm chambers simultaneously, two of which maintain the buttons depressed to maintain the fluid pressure-supply to the cylinder 12 whilst the third opens and maintains open a fluid pressure-supply valve to the cylinder 23. A common release exhausts both cylinders. In another form when the port in the cylinder 12 is uncovered the fluid pressure is admitted to one diaphragm chamber only, it being unnecessary to maintain the fluid pressuresupply to the cylinder 12. The diaphragm to which the fluid pressure is admitted opens the fluid pressure-supply valve to the cylinder 23, and the supply is maintained by another diaphragm chamber. In a third form, also in which maintaining diaphragms for the buttons controlling the fluid pressure-supply to the cylinder 12 are not provided, a one-way valve, spring loaded against the fluid pressure and opening at a predetermined pressure, is inserted between the port in the cylinder 12 and a diaphragm chamber of which the diaphragm opens and maintains open the fluid pressuresupply valve to the cylinder 23. In a fourth form, Fig. 8, wherein the fluid pressure-supply from the pipe 140 is admitted to the cylinder 12 by depressing buttons 132, 133, when the port 98 in the cylinder is uncovered by the descent of the piston fluid pressure is admitted beneath a spring-pressed plate 150 in a diaphragm chamber 148. The upper face of the diaphragm 153 is in permanent communication with the pipe 140 so that the plate 150 remains closed until the pressure of the incoming fluid together with the spring becomes sufficient to open it whereupon fluid pressure passes through pipe 147 to a diaphragm 143. This member, through the lever 145, closes a normally open exhaust valve 136 and opens a normally closed inlet valve 135 to admit the fluid pressure through pipes 138, 141 to the cylinder 23. The buttons 132, 133 having been released, the plate 150 closes and the diaphragm 143 maintains the valves 135, 136 open and closed respectively by the fluid pressure trapped in the pipe 147. The cylinder 23 is exhausted by opening a normally closed exhaust valve 156.