US2071187A - Ironing machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. `16, 1937.

.-N. H. wATTs IRONING MACHINE `Filed sept. 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vga Inventor: Noble H. Watts,

His Attorney.

Feb. 1 6, 1937.

N. H. WATTS 2,071,187

v IRONING MACHINE Filed sept. 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor* Nble H. wtts,

H Attorney.

50 the machine.

Patented Feb. 16, 1937 PATENT oFI-ICE IRONING MACHINE Noble H. Watts, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 9, 1932, Serial No. 632,365

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to domestic ironing machines and especially to such machines of the type wherein the ironing is eiected by pressing a heated shoe against a padded buck.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in a machine of this type, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective v'iew of an ironing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with parts broken away to show the structure beneath; Fig. 3

is a face view, partly in section of the ironing machine; Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the cam structure; Fig. 4a. is a sectional view through the shoe; Fig. 4b shows the arrangement of the heating units; Fig. 5 is an end View, partly in section and partly broken away, of the machine; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a p-art of the mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a detailed view, partly in section and on a larger scale of certain parts.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates the buck of the machine'and 2 indicates the shoe.

The buck comprises top and bottom walls 3 and 4 provided with marginal flanges which telescope into eachother, as indicated at 5 in Fig. 3, and

are fastened together by suitable means such 0 as by welding, thus positioning thewalls 3 and 4 in spaced relation to each other. Walls 3 and 4 may be formed of relatively thin material, the wall 3 being formed preferably of aluminum. They are reinforced by two channel irons 6, one located on each side of a center post 1, which extend through the length of the buck. The channel irons 6 are curved downwardly, the ends being higher than the center as indicated at 8. With this arrangement, when pressure is applied to the buck, the ends are. depressed rst and deect so as to obtain a uniform pressure between the buck and the shoe lwhen pressure is applied. Also the shoe is curved reversely slightly. This arrangement insures even pressure during ironing. j

The central portion of lower wall 4 merges into a neck 9 which forms a part of a base or pedestal I0, which supports the buck. Base III is of di-4 mensions suitable to form a steady support for It is closed at its under side by a wall II. Extending transversely of wall II are spaced grooves I2 which form tracks, and beneath each groove is a channel shaped holder in which is located a longitudinally extending supporting 55 foot or runner I3, which may be formed of felt or other suitable material. As seen in Fig. 5, the felt feet I3 extend throughout the width of the base. Post 'I is rectangular in outlineas shown particularly in Fig. 6. At its upper end, it is fastened directly to plate 3 and at its central 5 portion it is attached to neck 9. Its lower end extends down in spaced relation to bottom wall I I. At I4 are transversely extending cross strips which form braces for the top and bottom walls of the buck. Any suitable number of braces 10 I4 may be provided.

Mounted on upper plate 3 is a pad I5 which may be formed from suitable material land which is fastened in place in any suitable manner, such as by means of cords as indicated at I6. Upper 15 wall 3 is provided with a large number of perforations, the purpose of which is to permit the passage of steam and moisture. In the use of an ironing machine of this type, moisture is driven from the cloth being pressed into the pad. It is 20 important that this moisture be carried away from the pad. Otherwise, it becomes wet and the operation of the machine becomes unsatisfactory. By providing a large number of perforations in top wall 3, the water which enters the pad is 25 driven through the perforations in the form of steam. A portion of the steam is carried away through post 1. The remainder condenses on lower wall 4 and is discharged through openings 'IEL at Ithe corners of post I where it joins neck 30 9. In this connection, the use of a bottom wall 4 spaced from perforated wall 3 is important in that it protects wall 3 from the atmosphere, thus keeping it from being cooled and thereby preventing it from 'causing condensation of steam ad- 35 jacent to it in the pad. In other words, top wall 3 becomes heated to a temperature such that the steam forced through the pad does not tend to condense in the pad as it approaches wall 3, due to the high temperature of the wall. I have 40 found that by this construction, pad I5 remains relatively dry, a thing which, as stated above, is important in an ironing machine of this type.

Shoe 2 may be made from any suitable material. Preferably, I make it from aluminum because of the good heat conductivity of this material. The shoe is electrically heated, being provided with suitable heating coils between its top and bottom walls. Preferably, I utilize for heating the shoe a plurality of heating units, each provided with a thermostatic control element so that separate sections of the shoe are independently controlled. In the present instance, two separate heating units, one for each end of the shoe, are indicated, I6 being the control buttons for regulating the thermostats, i. e., the temperature.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4a. and 4b, Ita and |6b indicate the two heating units. As best shown in Fig. 4a, they are cast flrmlyinto the material of the shoe, being located in relatively heavy ribs and completely surrounded by metal. The units are specially arranged so as to heat fully and evenly the edges of the shoe. To this end rsee Fig. 4b) each unit runs rst down one side of the shoe, then entirely across the end, and then along the other side, after which it is coiled back and forth a suitable number of times at the central portion of the shoe. By this arrangement, the heating unit is continuous and unbroken along the edges of the shoe whereby the edges are evenly and uniformly heated.

In a machine of this type, ironing is done often at only one portion of 4the machine, another portion being not used. Usually when only a portion of a machine is used, it is the central portion, the ends being not used. To prevent overheating of an unused portion of a shoe, I provide means for carrying heat rapidly from points of higher temperature to a point or points of lower temperature. For this purpose,'the ribs in which the heating units are embedded are made relatively heavy and are connected together by longitudinally extending webs or `ribs |62. The ribs are made of sufficient capacity so that they quickly carry heat to points where temperature drops occur, this being usually from the outer ends of the shoe toward the center, since as stated above when only a part of the shoe is being used, it is usually the central part. 1n other words, the heat conduction factor in the shoe is balanced so that heat flows sufciently rapidly from an unused portion of the shoe to a used portionthereof to maintain the temperature of the entire shoe relatively uniform, even though only a portion of the shoe is being used for ironing. This prevents the edges of the shoe scorching the pad when only a part of the shoe is being utilized for ironing purposes.

Each heating unit is controlled by its own thermostat. The thermostat is indicated diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and 4a, ||id being the ther- 'mostatic element, I6e the contact points, |6f the actuating spring, and I6@ the adjusting post. The thermostats are indicated as being of the type shown in the patent of Simmons No. 1,743,073 of January '1, 1930. Their specific construction forms no part of the present invention. The operation of a thermostat of this type is well understood and requires no further description. The thermostats`operate to close the contacts whenever the temperature falls below a predetermined value and to open them again when the desired temperature is reached. To prevent the thermostat from operating when heat is extracted rapidly at the vicinity of the thermostat, arrangement is made for quickly transferring heat from other portions of the shoe to the thermostat. To this end, the thermostatic element I6d is vmounted on a relatively heavy post I6h `formed integrally with the material of the shoe.

The post is of a. size and is so arranged that when heat is extracted rapidly by convection in the immediate vicinity of the thermostat element, it will ow from other parts of the shoe and through the post I6h the thermostatic element by conduction at a rate rapid enough to keep the thermostatic element from operating until the shoe is more or less uniformly cooled.

Attached to the upper surface of shoe 2 are two spaced angle plates |1 which are pivotally connected by parallel arms I8 to the rear end of a U shaped frame |9. Frame I9 comprises two U shaped members, each having a lower arm 20, an end arm 2|, and an upper arm 22. Lower arms are connected together in spaced relation to each other by two rods 23 o n which are arranged wheels or rollers 24 and by a central rod 25 which is relatively heavy. Upper arms 22 are connected together by a rear cross rod 26 and a forward cross rod 21. Pivoted on rear rod 26 and extending forward parallel to arms 22 above rod 21 are two lever arms 28, one adjacent to each arm 22. Extending transversely between the free ends of arms 28 and beneath them is a cam bar 29 whch is adapted to be turned by a handle 30 from a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to a Vertical position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The lower edge of cam bar 29 is fastened to angle` iron |1 by means of staples 3| and its upper edge is fastened to slide bars 32 by means of staples 33. Slide bars 32 are carried Iin rectangular frames 34 fastened to the ends of arms 28 by studs 35. The under sides of arms 28 are cut away as is indicated at 36 in Fig. 7, and located in the space between slide bars 32 and the adjacent surface of the cut away portion of arms 28 are rollers 31 held between spaced pins 38 at the ends of the slide bars. When handle 30 is moved to turn cam bar 29 from horizontal to vertical position, or vice versa, rollers 31 roll along on the under surfaces of arms 28, thus reducing the amount of friction met with in moving the cam bar. The staples 3| and 33 hold the upper and lower edges of the cam bar when it is turned so that sliding movement is reduced to a minimum, the movement of the edges of the cam bar on the under surface of slide bars 32 andl the upper surface of angle brackets |1 becoming primarily a turning or rolling movement.

Arms 28 are forced downward into engagement with cross rod 21 by means -of springs 39. The central portion of each spring 39 is coiled around cross rod 21, one end of each spring engages above cross rod 26, and the other end of each spring has an outward turned portion 40 which engages a notch in a block 4| fastened to and forming a part of arm 28. Springs 39 are given a suitable initial tension so that they hold arms 28 in engagement with rods 21 with a predetermined force.

Coiled on rod 21 is a second pair of springs 42, each having one end located beneath rod 26 and the other end located in notch 43 on the underside of cam bar 29. Springs 42 serve to lift the shoe away from the buck, causing it to follow the movement of the cam bar when the cam bar is turned from vertical to horizontal position. The notches 43 are made relatively deep so as to decrease to a minimum the total movement of springs 42.

With the foregoing arrangement, when cam plate 29 is moved from the horizontal position .shown in Figs. 3 andl 5 to the vertical position shown in Figs. 6 and '7, shoe 2 is forced downward away from arms 28 and toward the buck, the movement being effected in opposition to springs 39 which hold arms 28 stationary until the pressure on them overcomes the tension of springs 39. When cam bar 29 is moved from its vertical position to its horizontal position, springs 42 lift the shoe, tending at all times to hold the upper edge'of the cam in engagement with slide bars 32 and keep the rollers 31 in engagement with the under side of the cut away portions of arms 28.

At the rear of bottom wall II- is hinged abase plate extension or back plate 44 which is of a width equal to the width of the grooves forming track I2 and is provided at its edges with grooves 45 which when the plate is positioned horizontally, as shown infdotted lines Fig. 5, form a continuation of track grooves I2. On the under side of 'back plate 44, beneath grooves 45, are felt runners 46 similar to runners I3. Rollers 24 are adapted to run in track grooves I2 and 45 to bring the shoe from a forward position where it is above buck l to a rearward position where it is behind buck I. The forward movement of the rollers in the track grooves is limited by the forward ends 41 of the grooves as shown in Fig. 5. The rearward movement of the rollers in the track grooves is limited by a stop 48 fastened to back plate 46 in a: position to be engaged by cross rod 23. For holding plate 46 in vertical position, there is provided a headed button 49 carried by the rear wall of the hood (hereafter described) which frictionally engage in an opening 50 in the back plate. The rear wall of base Ill is spaced from bottom wall II to provide an opening 5I of a size to permit lower arms 20 of` frame I9 to pass through it to a position beneath buck I.

Connected to the rear edge of base I is an upstanding apron 52 of a width somewhat greater than back wall 44. It forms with the adjacent wall of base I0 a pocket or space 53 to receive one portion of an article such as for example, a sheet or table cloth, while another portion is being ironed, thus protecting it from and keeping it out of the Yway of frame I9. Preferably apron 52 is pivoted or hinged to'base I0 and is held in upright position by leaf springs 54 whereby it may yield downwardly somewhat. `'I'hls enables the apron to move downwardly when the shoe 2 is in its rear position so that a` portion of an article being ironed can be readily pushed into space 53, then when the shoe is pulled forward again to a position over the buck, arms 2I of the frame will engage the edge of apron 52, moving it back to vertical position and pushing any excess cloth up toward the pedestal 9.

The operating mechanism above the shoe isV covered by a hood 55 which is fastened by screws 56 to supporting brackets 51 which in turn are fastened to arms 22 by the ends of rods 26 and 21 which pass through openings in brackets 51 and receive nuts 58 which hold the brackets against the sides of the arms. In hood 55 is a slot 59 through which handle 30 extends. The operating handle for the switch which controls the heating circuits is indicated at 60, it projecting through an opening in hood 55. Fastened to the front of hood 55 is a handle 6I for use in moving the frame.

When the shoe is lowered, it moves relatively to hood 55 which is carried by the stationary arms 22 and to keep the mechanism within the hood enclosed at such times, I provide a vertical shield 62 which is fastened to the top of the shoe and extends across the front and two ends. Normally shield 62 lies within hood 55 as shown in Fig. It moves down with the shoe and, as

shown in Fig. 4, is wide enough to keep the mechanism enclosed when .the shoe is in its table or other support on which the ironer .is

located, to form a continuation of bottom wall I I. This provides-a continuous track across bottom wall II and back plate` 44 in which the rollers 24 run. The U shaped frame together with shoe 2 may now be rolled rearwardly, the shoe moving in a horizontal plane from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to position shown in dotted lines, wherein the shoe is to the rear of the buck. The material to be ironed is now laid on the buck I, any excess material at the rear of the buck dropping down into the space 53, apron 52 yielding rearwardly if the material presses against it so that it may be readily folded on itself in the space. After the material to be ironed is properly positioned on the buck, the frame is pulled forward to the full line position shown in Fig. 5 wherein the shoe is directly over the buck. It is held in this position by handle 6I and handle 30 is moved rearwardly to turn cam bar 29 from its horizontal position as shown in Fig. 5 to its'vertical position as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 7. As cam bar 29 is turned, it forces shoe 2 downward, the shoe swinging on the parallel arms I8. The arrangement is such that it reaches the buck before the final turning movement of the cam is completed and the nallturning movement forces desired ironing pressure and after this pressure is reached, the springs yield, permitting pivoted arms 28 to move upwardly on rod 26 as a pivot. This enables the ironing machine to press materials of different thicknesses always with the same pressure, since after the desiredpressure is reached, the arms 28 yield. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that arms 28 are shown as having moved upwardly somewhat relative to arms 22. This is one important feature of my invention since, as already stated, it insures approximately uniform ironing pressure, irrespective of the thickness of the material being ironed.

The lower end of central post 1 is spaced from bottom wall I I a distance such that cross rod passes under it readily with a small clearance. When ironing pressure is applied to shoe 2 by means of cam bar 29, frame I9 turns sufficiently to bring cross rod 25, which is relatively heavy, into engagement with the lower edge of post 1. Post 1, therefore, serves to transmit the pressing force from the upper arms 22 of the frame to the lower arms 20 of the frame. In other words, post 1 takes the vertical thrust, it being squeezed between the cross rod 25 and the shoe 2. By this arrangement, I provide a. rm support for the buck when pressure is applied to it through the cam bar 29 and the shoe 2. Also, a. pivoting action can take place between rod 25 and post 1 to allow the shoe and buck to adapt themselves to material being ironed.

After the pressing operation is completed, handle is moved to turn cam bar 29 and release the pressure on shoe 2, the shoe being raised away from the buck as the pressure is released by means of lifting springs 42. After the shoe is raised, the frame and shoe as a unit may be again pushed rearwardly to a position wherein the shoe is to the rear of the buck.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a support for the buck, a U-shaped frame adapted to voccupy a position wherein its arms are above and below the buck, a shoe carried by the frame, means for moving the shoe toward pre-stressed by an amount such as to give the and away from the buck, and a post between the buck and an arm of the frame through which the pressing force is transmitted.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a support for the buck, a post beneath the buck, a U-shaped frame adapted to occupy a position wherein one arm is above the buck and the other arm is below the buck with a part beneath and spaced from said post, a shoe carried by the frame, and means for moving the shoe toward and pressing it against the buck, said frame being moved by the pressure of the shoe against the buck to bring the portion thereof beneath the post into engagement with the post whereby the latter transmits the pressing force exerted on the buck to the lower arm of the frame.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a frame having an upper arm which projects over the buck, a shoe supported by said arm and movable relative thereto, means for biasing said shoe toward said arm, a lever arm pivoted to said frame arm, la cam which engages the shoe and lever arm for effecting movement of the shoe, and a prestressed spring between the frame and the lever arm for holding the lever arm against the cam.

4. In an ironing machine, the combination of la buck, a frame having an upper arm which projects over the buck, a shoe, a link pivotally connected to said arm for supporting the shoe, a

lever arm pivoted to and adjacent said :frame 6. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a base member beneath the buck provided with a track which extends transversely of and across the underside of the buck, a back member pivoted at the rear of said base member and adapted to move from a vertical position to a horizontal position, said back member being provided with a track which forms an extension of the track on the base member, a frame which runs on said track, a shoe carried by the frame and movable thereby to a position above the buck and to a position behind the buck, and means for causing pressing engagement of said buck and said shoe.

7. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a track extending' transversely of and across the underside of the buck to a point to the rear of the buck, a frame which runs on said I track, a shoe carried by the frame and adapted to occupy a position over the buck, and means for causing pressing engagement of Said buck rnd said shoe, the rear portion of said track being hinged and adapted to be raised to a' vertical position when theframe is moved to position the shoe over the buck.

8. In an ironing machine, a buck, a pedestal for supporting the buck, said pedestal extending to the rear of the buck, an apron pivoted to the pedestal at the rear of the buck, and a spring means tending normally to hold said apron in upright position, said apron forming with the pedestal a pocket for the reception of 'material being ironed.

9. In an ironing machine, a buck, a frame comprising spaced U shaped members and rods connecting them, the upper and lower arms of said U shaped members being adapted to extend above and beneath the buck, a shoe, arms connecting the shoe to the rear portion of the frame, arms pivoted to the frame and extending forwardly over the shoe, a cam bar located between said last named arms and the shoe, means for turning the cam bar, spring means for lifting the shoe, and

pre-stressed spring means between the frame and the pivoted varms for holding the pivoted arms against the cam bar.

l0. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a pedestal for supporting the buck, a central rectangular, post beneath the buck, means forming a track which extends from behind the buck to a point beneath the buck,` a frame which runs on the track, -a shoe connected to the frame,

said frame having a party which stands beneath

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