US1104507A - Stretching and ironing table for laundries. - Google Patents

Description

R. D. HOWELL. STRBTGHING AND IRONING TABLE FOR LAUNDRIBS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.15, 1913.

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ATTORNEYS THE MORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LITRO.. WASHINGTCN, D. C.

R. D. HOWELL.

STRBTGHING AND IRONING TABLE P0P. LAUNDRIBS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 15, 1913.

1,104,507g Patented July 21, 1914,

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ATOBNEYS lll/ .xmems PF1-ERS CO.. Pl-loro-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. c.

, R. D. HOWELL. 'STRETGHING AND IRONING TABLE POR LAUNDRIES.

APPLICATION FILED DEU. 15, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ATTORNEYS WTNESSES: f @Q QF @W- rHE MORRIS PErERs Cu.. PHomVL/THOY WASHINGroM n c.

RALPH D. HOWELL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

STRETCHING AND IRONING- TABLE FOR LAUNDRIES.

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Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914:.

Application filed December 15, 1913. Serial No. 806,688.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RALPH D. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretching and Ironing rilables for Laundries; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference, generally, to improvements in laundry lappliances; and, the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel construction of ironing table having clamping and stretching devices connected therewith for holding` and stretching articles to be ironed upon said table.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a combined ironing and stretching table for laundry use, by means of which large flat pieces, such as lace-curtains, and similar articles, may 'oc properly and uniformly stretched, and then held upon the table ready for the application of the heated smoothing irons.

The invention has for a further object to provide in connection with an ironing table clamp-means for grasping and holding the article to be ironed, together with means for moving one of said clamp-means whereby the article secured by said clamp-means may be properly and uniformly stretched.

A. further object of the said invention is to provide said ironing table with properly arranged gage means, which serve as guides for the proper laying out and positioning' of the articles to be stretched and ironed upon the table.

@ther objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

X/Vith the various objects of the present invention in View, the same consists, primarily, in the novel combined stretching and ironing table hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the saine, all

of which will be more fully described lin* detail in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the novel combined stretching and ironing` table made according to and embodying the principles of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a large detail cross section of the same, taken on line 3-3 in said Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow m. Fig. l is a detail cross section, showing one side of the table and a clamping-device, together with a holding or positioning means7 moved into operative position with relation to the receiving surface of said ironing table. Eig.v 5 is a detail view similar to that shown in E ig. 3, but illustrating a clamping device in released position. Fig. 6 is a detail end elevation of a portion of one end of the ironing table, illustrating the means for operatingthe movable or stretching clamp-member of the mechanism. Eig. 7 is a transverse section of a portion of said ironing table illustrating` a modified means for moving and retaining the movableor stretching clamp-member of the mechanism.

Similar characters of reference are einployed in all of the said above-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character l indicates the complete combined stretching and ironing table made according to and embodying the principles of the present invention, the same comprising a table-body 2, supported upon suitable standards or legs 3, said table-body 2 being provided with frame-members 4:, which depend upon the under-side of said tablebody, and which may be connected or suitably joined with said standards or legs 3. Mounted upon the upper surface of said table-body 2 is a suitable padding-material 5, over which extends a covering 6, preferably made of a suitable fabric. Suitably secured to said table-body 2 and a framemember 4L, so as to be arranged adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said table-body, and preferably disposed beneath said edge, are a plurality of bearing-brackets 7, in which is journaled, so as to extend longitudinally, and adjacent to said longitudinal edge of said table-body, a shaft 8. Mounted upon said shaft 8 are a plurality of eccentric-members 9, having hub-portions 10, through which extend set-screws 11, or other suitable means, for fixing said eccentric-l members 9 upon said shaft 8. Journaled respectively upon said eccentric-members 9 by their lower ends 12 are upwardly extending carrier-arms 18. Connected with the upper ends of said carrier-arms 13 are forwardly projecting portions 14, which are adapted to extend over a longitudinally disposed clamp-member 15, which is secured to the upper ends of said carrier-arms 13, by means of the lateral perforated ears 16 of said carrier-arms, through which extend any suitable form of fastening means, such as lag-screws 17, or the like. y .Said clampmember 15 is preferably made of wood, being composed of laminated strips or layers of wood built .up together to provide a proper bulk or body to the same, which owing to such construction is not apt to be warped or otherwisedisto-rted from its necessary straight form, adapted to properly engage the upper surface of said table-body, and to maintain its longit-udinal alinement with the edge of the said-table-body. The under side of said clamp-member 15 is provided with a suitable padding-material 18, whichA is preferably covered with a covering 19 of some suitable fabric, or the like. Fixed upon said shaft 8 is a hand-lever 20, whereby the proper oscillation or rotary movement may be imparted to said shaft 8 and said eccentric-members 9 mounted thereon. Said table-body 2 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot or opening 21, in which is mounted a vertically movable carrier-bar 22. Fixed in said 'carrier-bar 22, so as to project upwardly therefrom, are a plurality of holding-points 23, the free ends of which 'are sharpened so as to pierce through said padding-material 5 and covering 6 of said table-body, and also said covering 19 and padding-material 18 of said clamp-member 15. Said carrier-bar 22 and its holding-points 23 are so disposed in said slot or opening 21, that they are positioned beneath said clamp-member 15 when the latter is in clamp-ing position. Journaled in said bearing-brackets 7 is another longitudinally extending shaft 24. Fixed upon said shaft 24 are eccentric-members 25, the

' latter being engaged by the receiving-portions 26 of connecting-rods 27, which are pivot-ally connected by their upper ends with the said carrier-bar 22. Fixed upon` said shaft 24 is a hand lever 28, whereby the proper oscillation or rotary movement isv imparted to said shaftl 24 and said eccentricmember 25 mounted thereon.

Associated with said table-body 2 is a transversely movable clamp-member, adapted to extend longitudinally upon the upper surface of said table-body, the same comprising a pair of clamp-members consisting of a lower clamp-member 29 and an upper clamp-member 30, the same being pivotally connected together at their rear edges by wmeans of suitable hinge-members 31. Said -lower clamp-member 29 is provided adjacent to its forward edge with a plurality of upwardly extending gripping-points 32. Said upper clamp member 30 is providedA at its forward marginal edge with suitable .padding-material 33, over which extends a suitable covering 34, preferably made of a i fabric. The means for moving transversely upon said table-body said transversely movvable clamp-member thus constructedI comprises, a shaft 35 journaled in suitable bearing brackets 36, preferably secured to the.

lis a ratchet-wheel 40, and pivotally mounted on kone of said bearing brackets 36, preferably, is a dog l41 which engages or rides fupon said ratchet-wheel 40, and prevents lany back-slipping of said transversely movable clamp-member when the same is being moved to stretch the article to be ironed, as will subsequently be described. Said dog 41 is provided with a knob 42, or other suitable means, adapted to be received by a spring-detent device 43, which is secured to the under side of said table-body 2, and by means of which said dog may be maintained out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel 40, when it is desired that the shaft and drums be rotated to unwind said pull straps 38, to permit the positioning of said transversely movable clamp-member for the connection thereof with an article preparatory to the stretching operation.

While the means above described for moving said transversely movable clamp-member during the stretching operations is prefer- '.able, I may provide a modified means to accomplish this end, such as is shown in Fig. v7 of the drawings. Such a construction comprises pull-straps 44, or their equivalent, which are secured to said transversely movable clamp-member. Said pull-straps are provided with a plurality of perforations 45. The pull-straps 44 are adapted to be yoperated by hand, and .when the clampmember has completed its stretching movement, said pull-straps 44 are engaged by one of their perforations 45 upon holding pins 46, which may be located and iiXed to any convenient part of the table-body 2, its frame-members 4 or legs 3, as desired, and when said pull-straps are thus retained said clamp-member will be held against yielding to the pull of the stretched article.

The covering 6 of said table body 2 is provided with a suitable longitudinal base line or gage mark 47 and longitudinal gage marks or lines 47 and transverse gage marks or lines 48, with which the edges of the article to be stretched and ironed may be alined to properly dispose the same upon the table with relation to the position and operation of the respective clamp-members.

Having thus described in detail the construction o-f my novel combined stretching and ironing table, the method of employing the same during the o erations of stretching and ironing articles t ereon is as follows Assume that it is desired to stretch and iron a lace-curtain, or other rectangular shaped article. The said handlever 20 is swung upwardly which rotates said shaft 8 and said eccentric-members 9 in such a manner, that the latter produces a lifting or vertical movement of the carrier-arms 13, which raises the clamp-member l5 away from the surface of the table-body 2, whereupon the said clamp-member may be swung out wardly and downwardly. The lace curtain is then laid upon the table-body 2, with one of its longitudinal edges registered with said ibase-line or gage-mark 47, and the same is smoothed out so that its remaining longitudinal edge and lateral edges register respectively with the nearest longitudinal gage-marks or lines 47 and the transverse 40 gage-marks or lines 48. When the curtain is thus positioned, the clamp-member is turned up over the table-body 2, and then the hand-lever is swung downwardly thus o-scillating the shaft 8 and eccentric members 9, the latter thereby causing said clampmember l5 to move downwardly upon the edge of said curtain, and thus firmly gripping or clamping said edge of the curtain between said clamp-member 15 and the table-body 2. The transversely movable clamp-member is now moved up to the opposite longitudinal edge of the curtain, and its members are opened so that the opposite longitudinal edge of the curtain may be hooked upon said gripping-points 32, whereupon said members are closed, thus firmly gripping said opposite edge of said curtain. how by rotating said shaft 35, and consequently said drums 37, the pull-straps 38 are wound upon the latter, thus drawing said transversely movable clamp-member rearward, and thereby exerting a stretching pull uniformly through said curtain. When a proper degree of stretching has thus been produced, the shaft and drums 37 are 'retained against an opposite or yielding r0- possessed of scalloped or waving edges. ln

such cases it is diliicult to get the. scallops in line, and so maintain them during the stretching operations, therefore if provide means for alining and holding such edges. Preparatory to stretching and ironing such a curtain, l swing upwardly the lever 2S which oscillates the shaft 24 and eccentrics v25, thereby transmitting through connecting-rods 27, an upward vertical movement `to said carrier-bar 22, which thrusts said holding-points 23 up through the padding and covering of said table, so that their free ends project above its surface. The

`clamp-members 15 being swung out of the way, the scalloped edge of the curtain or the like, is laid upon the table, and the apexes of the scallops are hooked over said holding-points 23, then said clamp-member 15 is closed in the usual manner, as above described, thus clamping the edge or the curtain, with the scallops all properly alined .and held against slipping out of alinement yby the holding-points 23. rllhe transversely moving clamp-member is then engaged with `the opposite edge of the curtain or the like,

and the stretching and ironing operations performed in the manner already hereinabove described.

Of course, it will be readily understood lthat many changes may be made in the above described construction of my invention and its detail parts, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, lf intend, therefore, that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. l also desire it to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall between.

l claim 1. In a device of the kind described, a padded table-body provided with a longitudinal opening, a carrier-bar vertically movable in said opening, holding-points carried by said carrier-bar and adapted to be projected above the surface of said tablebody, means for producing vertical movements of said carrier-bar, a pivoted c`lampmember at one edge of said table-body, and a transversely movable clamp -member mounted upon said table-body parallel to said pivoted clamp-member.

2. ln a device of the kind described, a padded table-body provided with a longitudinal opening, a carrier-bar vertically mov able in said opening, holding points carried by said cairiei-bar and adapted to be projected above the surface of said table-body, means for producing vertical movements of said carrier-bar, a pivoted clamp-member at one edge of said tablc-body, means for producing vertical movements of said pivoted clamp-member, and a transversely movable clamp-member upon said table-body lying parallel to said pivoted clamp-member.

3. in a device of the kind described, a padded table-body provided with a longitudinal opening, a carrier-bar vertically movable in said opening, holding-points carried by said carrier-bar and adapted to be projected above the surface of said table-body, means for producing vertical movements of said carrier-bar, a pivoted clamp-member at one edge of said table-body, means for producing vertical movements of said piv oted clamp-member, a transversely movable clamp-member upon said table-body lying parallel to said pivoted clamp-member, and means for producing a transverse movement of said movable clamp-member.

longitudinal edge of said table-body, a shaft journaled in said bearing-brackets, eccen-w` trios xed on said shaft, carrier-arms jour-f naled on said eccentrics, a longitudinally exi tending clamp-meinber carried by said carrier-arins adapted to be projected over the marginal edge of said table-body, means for oscillat":i said shaft and eccentrics to pr0= duce voi-tical movements of said carrier-l arms and said clamp-member, and a transversely movable clamp-inember upon said table-body lying parallel to said 'first nientioned clamp-member.

ln a device of the kind described a'v table-body, bearing-brackets adjacent to one, longitudinal edge of said table-body, a shaft 1 journaled in said bearing-brackets, eccen-I trics fixed on said shaft, carrier-arms jour-V naled on said eccentrics, a longitudinally extending clamp-member carried by said cariienarms adapted to be projected over *j the marginal edge of said table-body, meansI for oscillating said shaft and eccentrics to produce vertical movements of said carrierarms and said clamp-member, a transversely movable clamp-member upon said tablebody lying parallel to said first mentionedv clamp-member, and means for producing a transverse movement of said movable clampmember.

.6. In -a device of the kind described a table-body, bearing-'brackets adjacent to one llongitudinal edgeof said table-body, a shaft journaled in said bearing-brackets, eccentrics fixed on said shaft, carrier-arms journaled on said eccentrics, a longitudinally extending clampfnember carried by said carrier-arms adapted to be projected over the marginal edge of said table-body, means for oscillating said shaft and eccentrics to produce vertical movements of said carrierarms and said lclamp-member, a transversely movable clamp-member upon said tablebody flying parallel to said first mentioned clamp-member, and means for producing va transverse movement of said movable clampmember, comprising bearing-brackets adjacent to the opposite longitudinal edge of said table-body, a second'shaft journaled in said bearing-brackets, drums lixed on said shaft, pull-straps coiled on said drums, the opposite ends of said pull-straps being secured to said transversely movable clamplmember, and means for rotating said second shaft.

7. In a device of the kind described a 'table-body, bearing-brackets adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said table-body, a

shaft journaled in said bearing-brackets, eccentrics fixed on said shaft, carrier-arms journaled on said eccentrics, a longitudinally extending clamp-member carried by 4said carrier-arms adapted to be projected t. n a device of the kind described a table-body, earing-brackets adjacent to one over Ithe marginal edge of said table-body, means for oscillating said shaft and eccentrics to produce vertical movements of said `carrier-arms and said clamp-member, a transversely movable clamp-member upon :said table-body lying parallel to said irst :mentioned clamp-member, and means for yproducing a transverse movement of said Amovable clamp-member, comprising bearing-brackets adjacent to the opposite longitudinal edge of said table-body, a second shaft journaled in said bearing-brackets, drums fixed on said shaft, pull-straps coiled f on said drums, the opposite ends of said pull-straps being secured to said Ltransversely movable clamp-member, means for rotating said second shaft, a ratchet-Wheel fixed on said second shaft, and a pivoted dog cooperating ivitli said ratchet-Wheel to prevent a reverse rotation of said shaft.

8. rlhe combination with an ironing table having` a longitudinal opening therein of a carrier-bar vertically movable Within said opening, a shaft journaled below said carrier-bar, means operated by said shaft and connected With said carrier-bar for producing vertical movements of the latter, and holding-points mounted upon said carrierbar, said holding-points being projected los above the level of said table by the upward movement of said carrier-bar and being withdrawn below the level of said table by downward movement of said oarrier-bar, a clamp-member cooperating with said holding-points, and a second transversely movable Clamp-member capable of movement toward or away from said first mentioned Clamp-member.

9. rlhe combination with an ironing table having a longitudinal opening therein of a carrier-bar vertically movable within said opening, a shaft journaled below said oarrier-bar, means operated by said shaft and connected with said carrier-bar for producing vertical movements of the latter, and holding-points mounted upon said oarrierbar, said holding-points being projected above the level of said table by the upward movement of said carrier-bar and being withdrawn below the level of said table by downward movement of said carrier-bar, a clamp-member cooperating with said hold- -inO'- oints and a` second transversel movable clamp-member capable of movement toward or away from said rst mentioned clamp-member, and means for holding said second clamp-member in a position to which it has been moved.

In testimony, that l elaim the invention set forth above l have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of December, 1913.

RALPH D. HOWELL.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. RICHARDS, FREDK H. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents,

Washington, D. G.

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